T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach nnto It the preaching that I bid thee.” So Christ commanded His disciples (Matt. 28:20) “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded yon.” and so we are commanded, and we are not responsible for results if we are but faithful in giving the message. (3) THE VOCATION AND COMMIS SION, 3:17-21. “ I have made thee a watchman. Hear the Word. Give them warning.” It was no easy task imposed upon Ezekiel. It is no easy commission to declare God’s word of warning. Men in high places and men in the lowest society—all classes— mock at God— make light of His Word— laugh at the doctrines of the Bible; but our duty is well-defined. We are watchmen. Our place is on the walls. We see the dan ger. We are to cry aloud and spare not. Many preachers and teachers seek to smooth, over the message. God pity them! If the house is on fire, ring the bells and cry “ Fire!” If the stream is rising, and a flood coming, rush down and warn the people! If there is a runaway horse, snatch up the children and run to a place of safety! If these are the prophesied “ end days,” tell out the story as God has given it! Don’t be a slacker! Don’t be a cow ard! Tell the people what the Word says: “ In the last days,' perilous times.” “ Reprove, rebuke, warn with all long-suffering.” “ The soul that sin- neth, it shall die,” or else avail itself of a Substitute. The souls of men are in danger of eternal fire! Warn them! Pull them out of the fire! The ship is going on the rocks! Man the life-boats! The disease of death has taken hold of men! Hurry them to the cross for the blood cure! Our Lord warned Jerusalem and wept
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and tune their hearts to obey His voice in their lives. “ Stand upon thy feet!” Be ready to respond to God’s message. “Upon our faces”— the place of confession. “ Upon our feet”— the place to receive orders. Note that when the Spirit entered into Ezekiel He spoke unto him and set him “ upon his feet.” It was so with Saul of Tarsus who was stricken in the presence of the risen Christ and/broken down with the consciousness of his sin of rebellion, heard the Heavenly Voice saying, “ Arise and stand upon thy feet.” And Paul did stand! He stood upright as did Daniel (Dan. 10:11) “O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, un derstand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright.” He stood fast. He stood against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:11) “Pat on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ezekiel is commanded to go to the children of Israel. God characterizes them as “ rebels — impudent — stiff- hearted.” These are God’s own peo ple; the people who among all the peo ple in.the world He loved best; the people He was under covenant promise to care for and perpetuate; yet He tens the truth about them. They were liv ing like the heathen, with heathen idols, following heathen customs, refus ing to obey God’s commands. They were rebels! They were impudent! They rejected His message and His messengers. They made light of God’s mercy and favor. They were callous to their shame— faces hard as flint and stiff-hearted— past feeling. (Eph. 4:19) “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.” The prophet is warned. The prob ability is that they will not hear his message. They may oppose him; they may threaten him; but he must go and give the message whether they will lis ten to the words or reject the words. So Jonah was commanded (Jonah 3: 2)
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