A Prophet Among Them
by Mark Dewey

Then He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me, they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD. 'As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious. (Ezekiel 2:3-7, NASB)

This particular column is an antithesis to the theme of this issue of ETC because the prophet Ezekiel is an antithesis to many "prophets in skirts" in his day and ours. Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, refused to cry "peace, peace" when there was no peace. Rather, he boldly, uncompromisingly and lovingly proclaimed, "Thus saith the LORD." In the first three chapters of Ezekiel we have the call of this prophet, a call heard and heeded during a time of tremendous decline among the covenant people of God.

In our text (2:3-7) we see one element of Ezekiel's call—he was to speak God's Word fearlessly. God called Ezekiel to speak His Word to the sons of Israel whether they would listen or not, whether they threatened him or not, whether they tried to harm him or not. Israel was a rebellious bunch who would not want to hear the message God gave to Ezekiel, but Ezekiel was to speak God's words to them regardless. Paul gave similar advice to a young prophet when he told Timothy that the time would come when God's covenant people would not want to hear sound doctrine but would want their ears tickled instead. But, Paul said, preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction (2 Tim. 4:2-5). Prophets in skirts are all too eager to give the people what they want, but Ezekiel fearlessly proclaimed God's Word whether his hearers listened or not, whether they liked it or not.

As we continue reading (2:8-3:15) we see another aspect of this prophet's call—he was to feed on God's Word and be unyielding in proclaiming it from God's perspective. Ezekiel was given a scroll to eat, one that was filled on both sides with "lamentations, mourning and woe" (2:10). Yet when he ate these bitter words they were as "sweet as honey" in his mouth (3:3). Though from man's perspective these words were bitter and undesirable to be spoken, for Ezekiel they were sweet as honey because he accepted and proclaimed them from God's perspective. Prophets in skirts are all too eager to proclaim from God's Word that which they find to their liking, while deciding to gloss over or simply ignore those parts that are not so desirable to them.

Also, Ezekiel was called to be a watchman—giving warnings to the people while "guarding" his words (3:16-27). Ezekiel was to warn the wicked of their doom and the righteous of their iniquity that they might turn from their evil ways and live. Whether they turned or not, God would require it of them. But what if Ezekiel failed to warn them? God warned Ezekiel, "his blood I will require at your hand" (3:18,20). By "guarding" is meant speaking when God speaks and remaining silent when God is silent. That is, Ezekiel was to declare to the sons of Israel what God had to say to and about them, not what his opinions were. The authority of any prophet rests in the Word of God alone, not in man's vain imagination. Prophets in skirts are all to eager to give their own take on something, but Ezekiel gave only God's holy and infallible declaration.

There is one more aspect of Ezekiel's call to be a prophet. It is first in context (1:4-28) and first in importance. The first element of Ezekiel's call to be a prophet was for him to see the glory of God and to be humbled (cf. Is. 6:1-5). Just prior to the beginning of our text, Ezekiel has to be put back on his feet by the Holy Spirit because he had fallen prostrate on his face after seeing the glory of the LORD (1:28-2:2). To borrow from the Isaiah passage, there are far too many prophets in skirts because far too many people have said, "here am I" without first saying, "woe is me!" They have seen neither God's glory or their sinfulness, but Ezekiel knew that man was nothing and God was everything.

We have far too many prophets in skirts (one is far too many); the church needs men like Ezekiel. Men like the Apostle Paul who said, For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If! were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10). Men like Luther and Whitefield and Spurgeon and Gerstner. Men who are not afraid of offending sinful people but who are afraid of offending the Holy God. Take to heart these words from J.C. Ryle, "Wherein do evangelical churchmen fall short?.. .They fall short in doctrine.. .They are afraid of strong statements. They are too ready to fence and guard and qualify all their teaching, as if Christ's gospel was a little baby, and could not be trusted to walk alone. They are not men of one thing, separate from the world, unmistakable men of God, ministers of Christ everywhere, indifferent of man's opinions regardless who is offended, if they only preach the truth, always about their Father's business... It is truth, not numbers, which shall always in the end prevail... A small minority of evangelical Christians with the gospel in their hearts are stronger than a host of servants of the Pope, the devil, and the world."