The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1922-06-15
EzekieI,s call Nv. /, y.

/. Commanded to Stand Up ". ~.
Ezekiel was given a vision of the AL
mighty God on His throne of glory
(ch. y. Before the vision the prophet
fell PROSTATE upon his face. The es-
sental equipment of minister for the
discharge of his task is a vision of the
Almighty
.. Filled With the Spirit ". p. By
the Spirit the divine energy entered
him and enabled him to execute the
commission given to him.
II. Ezekiel's Commission wv. 49,
l. The Moral Condition of the Peo-
pie wv. 8, ~. ID A rebellious nation
y3). This RIGHTEOUSNESS perhaps re-
ferred to their heather idolatrous prac-
tees (2) Impudent children ". A..
"Impudent' literally means hard of
face" 1t means the grossest perver-
sity which caused them to stand up in
the presence of the prophets of God
without a sense of guilt or compunc-
ton of conscience.
.. The Charge ". A.. He was to de-
liver the message of God. He was to
declare, "Thus saith the Lord Cod"
3. The Difficulty of His Task wv. s.
81. He was to deliver the message of
God whether they would hear or fore
bear.
III. EzekiePs Experimental QuaIifi-
cations e :9-3 :16).
Before one can preach to others he
must have an experience-mHst be in
sympathetic accord with God and His
message.
l. Eating the Book (2:9-3 :9). This
book contained Gods woes upon the
Stif-necked and rebellious people w.
lO). In order to speak Gods threaten
ingS effectively to others we must in
wardly digest and appropriate them
ourselves. The eating of the book was
in his mouth as honey for sweetness.
Though his ministry was difficult and
the Judgment severe, the prophet was
in entire sympathy with Gods pur-
pose and found delight in His will.
:. Urged on by the Spirit (3:10-14.
In order to strengthen Ezekiel for his
task, the wonderful symbolism Of
Gods prOvidential agencies which had
been before him in chapter l was
brought to his attention, assuring him
that God would accompany him to his
new destination.
3. Entering Into Sympathy ". 15).
IN order to minister to a people one
must enter into sympathy with them :;
must show that the message is from
the depth of the heart; that to declare
me message of woe is a great grief
Ezekiel mingled his tears with theirs.
~. Ezekiel's Grave Responsibility
(3:17-2D.
God made him a Waterman. Every
minister is a Waterman over his flock.
Two things were required of him:
l. To Hear the Word, at Gods
Mouth. The source of his message
was Gods Word. SO today the minis
tier is to get his message from God.
:. Sound the Warning ". 40. After
lie heard Gods message he was to
speak 1t out. The same duty Is upon
'he minister today. Cases in point for
ms guidance wv. 1920:
ID When God says to the wicked
Thou shalt surely die" ". 49,, and
Tue Waterman fails to warn him, the
wicked man shall die in his iniquity,
but his blood shall be required at the
Natchmans hand.
W If the Waterman warn the wick
eu ans the warning is unheeded ".
NV, the wicked man shall perish, but
'ae Waterman has delivered his soul.
(3) When a righteous man turns to
10 lniquity and God gives him over to
stumbling in his own sin, his past
seeming Righteousness will be of no
a'all' but his blood will be required at
i'e hand of the Waterman if he fail to
warn him ". 2O).
~. If the Waterman so warns the
righteous man that he fall not into sin,
U"e man shall be saved and the watch
MAN hath delivered his soul.
Ministers have most solemn obliga-
Ions, that of discharging their Obliga-
ton whether men will hear or fore
fear.