Have you ever fallen asleep in a public place? It is somewhat uncouth to do so, but I have done so often. It wouldn’t be so bad if I was one of those women who look cute when they are asleep, but…
Sometimes my husband and I will run out to pick up some things we need. Inevitably, I tire of shopping long before he does, so while he rummages through the last couple of stores, I relax out in the car. Before long, my head is tilted back with my nose up in the air. My mouth is gloriously hanging open, and the snore begins to roar. Sometimes I awaken to my husband’s laughter as he puts bags in the back seat and asks, “Did you fall asleep again?” Other times I wake up to people outside the car staring at me. I don’t know whether my face turns red or not, but it certainly should! The worst thing about falling asleep like that is what my mouth feels and tastes like when I wake up. It is so dry. It is an atrocious feeling, as if my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. Thankfully, I almost always bring ice cold peppermint tea with me. I am able to quickly find relief, but that wasn’t the case for poor Ezekiel the prophet.
As I was reading the first few chapters of Ezekiel, I couldn’t help but wonder how this man was able to maintain such a positive attitude when faced with the Lord’s unusual directives. As God gave Ezekiel the initial instructions, Ezekiel did not gripe. He did not balk when told he would be tied up on his left side for
390 days for the iniquity of Israel, then another 40 days on his right side for the iniquity of Judah. (Heinousness brings about such bondage!) Nor did he plead with God not to make his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth. He did petition God for a change in the plan when told he would have to cook his food over human dung, but that was because he had never eaten anything considered unclean. (What a potent way to demonstrate that his rebellious society was feeding itself with what they should have flushed out of their lives!) When God permitted him to use cow patties instead, Ezekiel stopped fussing. Amazing!
Ezekiel perceived the vision God shared with him and grasped that it was vitally important to his society.
What exactly was Ezekiel commissioned to do? He was told to warn both the persistently wicked and normally righteous to turn from sin. God explained that these individuals were responsible for how they would respond to such warnings. That was not something Ezekiel had control over. However, God also made it clear that if Ezekiel failed to warn them, then their blood would be required at his hand. So why did God make Ezekiel’s tongue stick to the roof of his mouth? Ezekiel 3:26-27(NASB) Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be dumb, and cannot be a man who rebukes them, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, “Thus says the Lord God”. He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house. God ensured Ezekiel he would say what needed to be said when it needed to be said, like the Holy Spirit does for us now when we respond to Him. Luke 12:11 (NIV) When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” As Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 (NASB) “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
A corrupt society does not like correction but I guess we had better wake up and warn them anyway! This is no time to be lazy, just stick our noses up in the air, and do nothing but make a bunch of noise. After all, that is a very unbecoming way for the bride of Christ to behave.