Psalm 119:81–88; Ezekiel 2:8–3:11; 2 Corinthians 11:16–33
Don’t be rebellious…eat my words…sweet as honey.
God’s words to Ezekiel set Ezekiel apart from his people. As a prophet, Ezekiel would indeed be separated from the Israelites. By “eating” the words of God, Ezekiel set himself apart. This obviously wasn’t going to be an easy separation either.
By “hardening” his face, God was making it clear that Ezekiel’s mission to the house of Israel will be difficult. The house of Israel (the so-called People of God) would insult, hit, abuse, the prophet of God. Ezekiel couldn’t allow that to change his heart for the mission.
Ezekiel wasn’t the only one who had to face his own and be called a fool (or worse). Paul‘s spiritual children (and probably grandchildren and great-grandchildren) were calling Paul a fool, for others had convinced them that Paul was indeed a fool and was not a person of God to follow. In these verses, Paul goes right to it. He tells them that they have been taken advantage of. He tells them that they have enslaved themselves. He tells them that it is they who are the true fools
.It appears that for the next few years and probably decades, we will have significant aspects of Ezekiel’s mission and Paul’s admonitions in our lives. We will be the ones whose faces will need to be like diamonds, and call friends and loved ones enslaved and taken advantaged of. We will be the outcast and despised.
※Reflection※
- What does having a face like diamond mean to you? What would it be like to have a heart of diamond?
- What similarities do you see from these passages between Ezekiel and Paul? What differences do you see?
※Prayer※
Lord, strengthen our hearts that we may bring your word to the world. Amen.