time, if you would, Ezekiel chapter 2 and verse 1. And we'll read a few verses here and then we'll be in this book of Ezekiel, resuming our survey of the scriptures tonight. It says in Ezekiel chapter 2 and verse 1, And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. Verse 2 it says, And the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee the children of Israel to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send thee unto them, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they shall hear or whether they will forbear, for they are a rebellious house, yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among the scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee. Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house. Open up thy mouth and eat that I give thee. And when I looked, behold, a hand was sent unto me, and, lo, a roll of the book was therein. And he spread it before me, and it was written within and without. And there was written therein lamentations and mourning and woe. Moreover, he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest, and eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said to me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. What I'm so thankful for the scripture and the word of God. I think of how you sent Ezekiel with a message to those those Jews in captivity there in Babylon and you had a word for them. Some would no doubt hear it, and certainly you've highlighted in this passage of scripture that some would reject it. For Ezekiel, it was sweetness unto him. It was exactly what he needed. And Lord, I'm thankful for the Word of God that you can give us exactly what we need tonight. I pray that you give us a better understanding of this book, as well as speak to our hearts tonight. We love you, and we ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. As you know, Ezekiel was the writer of this book. If you go to chapter 1 and verse 3 it says, Ezekiel was a priest but never served in that office. He was still a young man when he was taken captive during the reign of Jehoiachin. If you were to turn, we won't for the sake of time tonight, but if you were to turn to 2 Kings 24 verses 10-16, you'd read about how there were many taken captive. Daniel was taken captive in the first captivity during Jehoiakim's reign, about eight years before Ezekiel was taken captive. Ezekiel was a contemporary with both Jeremiah and Daniel. Jeremiah was an old man who spoke to the remnant that remained in the land of Israel, those who had been left behind. Daniel spoke in the court of King of Babylon, as you know that, and Ezekiel spoke to the captives who had been brought to the rivers Babylon. God had a prophet for each of them, didn't He? He had a prophet for those that would preach God's word to those that were still there in Jerusalem and left behind. And he had a prophet that would go into really a pagan household, didn't he? And there in Babylon before the leaders there. And then he had a prophet that would speak to those who were taken into captivity in Ezekiel. His message, Ezekiel's message was almost the most spiritual of the prophets in the sense that he dealt more with the person of God. As a matter of fact, I didn't have time to read it, but God gives Ezekiel a glimpse into glory in chapter 1 and then calls him and calls him to the ministry that he has. But Ezekiel deals a lot with the person of God. Someone has said that Ezekiel is the prophet of the Spirit, as Isaiah is the prophet of the Son, and Jeremiah the prophet of the Father. During the first years of captivity, the false prophets said that the people would return to Jerusalem. People were saying that those among the captives that had been taken out of Jerusalem into Babylon, there was false prophets declaring to the people that they would be able to return, that it wouldn't be that long of a captivity. And then, as a matter of fact, in Jerusalem there were those lifting up and praising those that were remained as if they were somehow better than those that had been taken captive. Jeremiah would write a letter back into those in Babylon. Of course, in Jeremiah, I believe it's chapter 29. I think I put it in my notes. He would send a message and remind the people that there was 70 years of captivity ahead of them. This captivity was not going to be short. It was a lengthy captivity. It was a result of God's judgment upon them. Ezekiel would preach to those in captivity. tell them that the captivity would not be a short time and as you can see is Lord would send him with this message his message was not well received but was a message declaring and reminding them of the judgment of course they were receiving God's message before taking captivity made sense that it might take a while after for them to get it But Jeremiah would preach telling them the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed for those that remained in Jerusalem and saying, here we are in Jerusalem, we're the better of the crowd. And yet Jeremiah would warn them the city is going to be destroyed. Ezekiel confirmed this message and warned the people that they must turn to God before they could return to Jerusalem. Ezekiel began his ministry five years after his captivity when he was about 30 years old. His method. Ezekiel, as you read this book, Ezekiel's methods were threefold. They came in forms of visions, and if you read through this you'll see many of those visions that God gave him as you read through this book, but it came in the forms of visions, it came in the forms of sign sermons, and also direct predictions in the scripture. Matter of fact, in the first 24 chapters, the prophet's main burden is the impending doom of Jerusalem. In these chapters, there are 10 sign action sermons, and a few of them are this. Several of them, there was a tile, a filthy food, a razor, a pot, a fire, where things were used to convey the message of the Lord. He was to lie for a while on his left side, then for a while on his right side and he was to prepare baggage for moving. He was to smite his hands. He was not to mourn when his wife died. And the Lord would use many of these different sign gifts to just get a hold of the people who really were not paying attention. we're not paying attention at one person hot commented about this that also some of those messages probably had a more direct impact on the children that were in captivity and it wouldn't it would be the children that would have the opportunity to return many of the parents would die there in captivity but it was the young people that would have an opportunity some seventy years from them to enter back into the what God had for them in that freedom back into the promised land The Bible would say this in Ezekiel 3, 26-27, And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. He that heareth, let him hear, and he that forbeareth, let him forbear, for they are a rebellious house. One of the signs the Lord would use is he would make Ezekiel dumb, where he could not speak, and only open his mouth when the time came and God gave him a message. The meaning of it all. Ezekiel was the prophet of the glory of the Lord. Three prophets of Israel spoke when they were out of the land. Ezekiel spoke when he was out of the land. Daniel spoke when he was out of the land. And John in the New Testament spoke when he was out of the land. Each one of them wrote of an apocalypse. But each one of them also pointed to somewhat of the glory of God. Ezekiel, if you go to the outline, you'd see that he would see the Shekinah glory or write of the Shekinah glory leaving Solomon's temple. But he would also write later in the book, he would write of God's glory during the millennial reign and he would write about how God's glory was there. He would write of its departure and he would write of its return. In First Peter 111 it says this, Ezekiel had the opportunity to speak of the glory that would follow. Much of prophecy concerning the millennial reign of Christ and he would write of that glory. He would write of the glory of God that would leave Jerusalem and he would write of the glory of God that would return in his millennial reign. But he would carry that message of judgment and God would use him in many different ways through many different signs to preach a message to people that as you read this passage of scripture that that they would not they would not hear. Three key phrases in these key phrases. There are three key phrases in the book of Ezekiel. One of them are this. They shall know that I am God. They shall know that I am God. That occurs 70 times in this book. Of course as you know the people in captivity or when they had their freedom in Jerusalem they had rejected God. As a matter of fact in one place of scripture in the Chronicles I believe it would say they were worse than those that the Lord had taken the land from. They became worse than the Canaanites that were there and God would send his judgment upon them and the Lord would use that message they are going to know when I am done that I am God. That phrase would be used 70 times. Another phrase, and the word of the Lord came unto me, occurs 62 times in this book. And the word of the Lord came unto me, it occurs 62 times. A reminder that Ezekiel's message wasn't Ezekiel's message. The message that he delivered was a message from the Lord. And boy, there's the job of every preacher, isn't it? Every prophet is to deliver the message from the Lord, not his own. Another phrase would be this, the hand of the Lord is upon me. The hand of the Lord is upon me, which occurs 28 times. Ezekiel would need a message and he would need the hand of God to strengthen and equip him because he was going to preach a message that wasn't very well received. and it wasn't very well-received, and yet God would give him the strength, and the hand of God was upon me." We would hear those words, they're gonna know that I am the Lord, and then he would say, and this is the word of the Lord, it's from God, and he would be strengthened by the hand of God, as he delivered this message to a people in captivity who had turned and reject God to warn them of the judgment to come, but also to speak of a glory that is to come. I'm thankful that God always has something better ahead, aren't you? And I'm thankful that even when the scripture writes of a tribulation, the Bible also writes of a millennial reign. And that even though the Bible would warn us in these days, and He said in the world ye shall have tribulation, He said but be of good cheer, I have what? Overcome the world. I'm thankful that God has something ahead for His people. And Ezekiel would be used to do that. He would write of the clear judgment of God. He would be used sign messages and visions and all these things to show what was to come. But at the same time, he had the opportunity to say, look further down the road, look further down the road to the return of the glory of God. and there's no question that God judges, but God is also a God of mercy and grace. The outline of the book of Ezekiel, I won't go over all of this, but just a few. Number one, the glory of the Lord, the commissioning of the prophet. In Ezekiel chapter 1, you get a glimpse of the glory of the Lord and a little bit of heaven, and you see the commissioning of the prophet Ezekiel. Number two there, you see the glory of the Lord, complete captivity of Jerusalem, and the departure of that glory, as he would write about how God's glory would leave therein, would leave the Solomon's Temple. Number three, the glory of the Lord's judgment of the nations. He would write against judgment against Ammon, and Moab, and Edom, and Philistia, and Tyre, and Egypt. And he would write of the judgment of God that would bring the people to say, He is the Lord. The heathen would one day recognize God. The glory of the Lord on the coming kingdom. He would write, number four, he would speak of what is to come in the millennial reign of Christ. I want to just finish here with a message here from chapter 2 and chapter 2 and 3 and just this subject, the reception of God's word. The reception of God's word. Obviously in this passage of scripture the Lord is commissioning Ezekiel and he's commissioning him with a purpose to go preach a message to the people, to go be a prophet, to deliver God's Word. And it wasn't going to be received well. We've all heard that statement, everything rises and falls on leadership, haven't we? And there's a little bit of truth to that, but there's some error to that. Because in this passage of Scripture, we see the leadership and the spiritual leadership delivering a message that was completely rejected by the people. It was utterly rejected, and he would come to them with a message, and yet they would rebel against the message. And in it, you see the call of God upon Ezekiel, but in it, you also see not only the prophet and the way he's delivered God's word, but in the poor response of the people, you see how you and I as a Christian are meant to receive the word. and what we're to do with the Word of God. And I just think of how incredibly important the Word is to us that we have. In John 20, 30 through 31, it says this, and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the believing ye might have life through his name. Can you imagine what it would be like not to have a copy of the Word of God? Life would be one great big question mark. You would walk out of these doors and you would see the wonder of nature. And Samuel was talking about the cell, the human cell, and he was saying about science, he was so boring dad. And my wife said, Look at all the order that's there. And she said, there's more order and more detail and more things in the creation of the cell and more complicated things to it than there is the most complicated car engine on the earth. I think she's trying to get his attention, right? But you can look at the incredible nature that's outside of these doors, creation itself. And in your heart, there would be something that says there's someone must have put it together, but you would have no answer as to who it was. You could look through the course of history and see some of the horrors of the history, but some of the great good that is there as well, and there would be a question mark, but you wouldn't know who. In your own heart, there would be something that's saying there must be a God, but there would be no name to be attributed to him. It is through God's word that we know who God is. that we might believe on him, that we might know who he was and what he did for us and how we arrived at the condition we are. It provides us with a knowledge of salvation. 1 Peter 1.23 says, being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. Not only would we not be able to know who God is, but we wouldn't know the wonder of salvation without this book. We wouldn't know what it was like to be restored, to be reconciled to God, to be made at peace with him, to know him as our Lord and heaven as our home. It provides us with spiritual nutrition. In Matthew 4, 4 it says, Jesus would say, but he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. In this passage of scripture itself in chapter three, Ezekiel would say this, then did I eat it and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. What would it be like not to be nourished by the word of God? You ever been through one of those times in your life and discouraged, defeated, or in need of something, and maybe a word was preached, or a scripture was read, and man, it gave you exactly what you needed? Something in your personal devotions that carried you through the day, or someone who shared a scripture with you? Without that, where would we be? It strengthens us against the temptations of life. Psalms 119, nine, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. Verse 11, thy word if I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. I'd go on and on, but where would we be without the word? In this passage of scripture, you see the incredible result of where someone would be without the word of God. A nation in captivity, a nation in bondage who is rejecting God. And the reception of God's word. I think of this in the reception of God's word, we see letter A, the work of the spirit. the work of the Spirit. When it comes to deliver it, there was a need for a Spirit-filled preacher. Look at chapter 2 and verse 1, and it says, And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. If you were to read up the chapter before, you would see in verse 28, and it says, as the appearance of a bow that was in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and I heard a voice of one that spake. When he saw this glimpse of God, he couldn't even stand on his feet. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And as they gave him a message, it says, and the Spirit, verse two, entered into me when he spake into me and set me upon my feet. He didn't stand on his own. He stood in the strength of the Holy Spirit of God. In chapter three, in verse 12, it says this, it says, Then the Spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place. First Corinthians two, one through five, Paul would say it this way. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declared unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of men's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the spirit of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Well, I think of the need when it comes to the word of God to be preached with the power of God, the power of God. You know, our day and age, we try to find all different ways to deliver it. Handouts in your hands, PowerPoints on the screen and all of those things. But boy, I'm thankful Miss Kayleigh did that for me so that I could spend time studying and praying. Right. It would be better for a young person to spend more time on an hour on his knees and an hour making a PowerPoint. People like Frank, if he's going to preach God's word. Because the word of God doesn't stand. God looks for the Word of God to stand and be delivered with His power. As you look at this passage of scripture, I won't read the verses for the sake of time, but a people that would rebel against the message, and yet he would continue to deliver the Word of God, wouldn't he? Acts chapter 4, 31, it says, When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness, right? where the Spirit of God gives boldness. Not only a Spirit-filled preacher, but a Spirit-stirred people. If you go to chapter 3 and verse 26, it says this, And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, speaking to Ezekiel, that thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be to them a reprover, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, He that heareth, let him hear, and he that forbeareth, let him forbear, for they are a rebellious house. He that heareth, let him hear, and he that forbeareth, let him forbear. For the word of God does its work in the heart of one who receives it. 1 Thessalonians 5.19, quench not the spirit. Ephesians 4.30, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed into the day of redemption. Here he was speaking to a crowd, someone completely rejected, unstirred by the Spirit. They would reject the Spirit's working. As a matter of fact, it was said in Acts 7, verse 5, after Stephen stood up and preached a message. It said, when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart. The Spirit touched their heart. And it says this, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. Stephen would preach the Word, but they would reject the Spirit's moving, and they'd gnash upon him with their teeth. in Acts 2.41 after that great that the message there at Pentecost it says then they that gladly received his word were baptized the same day they were added unto them about 3,000 souls they gladly received it. Well I believe this when it comes to the preparation for service we have a divinely inspired word of God aren't you thankful for that? And a preacher should have spent time with God, so he walks in spirit-filled. And a people should have spent time with God, ready for the Spirit to stir in their heart. And if God doesn't touch your heart when God's Word is preached, there might be a deeper problem. A deeper problem. God stir our hearts. The Word of God. We see not only the spirit-filled preacher and the spirit-stirred people, and we see that work of the Spirit, but then we see this, the Word of God. Chapter 2 verse 8 it says this, Moreover, he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it, and it was to my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. For the word of God was the message that was to be delivered. The word was to be studied. I like how it's before this man had a message that he could deliver, he had a message that he had to eat and consume, right? The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2.15, to the preacher, study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly divide in the word of truth. 1 Timothy 5.17, let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. In Acts chapter six, speaking of the deacons, he would call the deacons to that work of the widows, and why would he do that? So that they could give themselves to the word, the preacher could give themselves to the word, and prayer. The word of God that's meant to be studied. And friend, not just studied by the preacher, but by the folks who hear it. It was in Acts that that church at Berea was more noble than those at Thessalonica, because they searched the scripture to see if those things were so. A word studied. A word studied. The word delivered. Here in this passage of scripture, he tells them, go preach my word. Not your opinion, not what you want to say, but preach my word. In 2 Timothy 4-2, Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, would say to Timothy, preach the word, be instant, in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine. Preach the word, teach the word. It is the central work of the church. 2 Timothy 4, 1-4 it says, I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who is the judge of the quick and the dead, it is appearing in his kingdom. There is coming a day when we will stand before him. And then he would make that statement. Preach the word, be in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. First Timothy 315, but if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of what? Truth. Boy, the central work of the church is the Word. The Word. Master clubs, what's the point? The Word. Youth ministry, what's the point? The Word. Church services, what's the point? The Word. Sunday school, what's the point? The Word. Junior church, what is the point? It is the Word. Preach the Word. the word applied if you look skip ahead to chapter 3 in verse 17 it says this son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore hear the word at thy mouth and give them warning for me when I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thy hand well that's scary Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die, because thou hast not given him warning. He shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered, but his blood will I require at thy hand. In Hebrews 13, 17. The scripture would say this, obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Now what is he talking about when he says obey them that have the rule over you? He's talking about the obedience to the word that is being preached. For they watch for your souls, and they must give an account. A word of God applied. Boy, I weary of preaching with no point, teaching with no application. We don't just need a transfer of information, though that is necessary, but we need an application to the heart, don't we? That's where the watch comes in, a warning, a warning. This is the word. God gave us, I'm thankful for a word that is a timeless word. There are certain things that are timeless, they transcend time and one of them is the word. You know the word of God doesn't speak to, doesn't necessarily have a direct statement on it. I've heard folks make this statement, if the Bible doesn't say thou shalt or thou shalt not, you ought not speak on it. I'll tell you, social media wasn't around the time of the scripture. If God wrote about Facebook and Instagram and all those things, you would, no one back then would understand it, right? Television wasn't around, internet wasn't around. Friend, if the Bible only had things to say on wearing robes and garments, we'd be in trouble, right? But it's a timeless book filled with timeless truths that we are meant to take and apply to our current day. A watch. Show me what the Word says and show me how it applies to my life today. But that's where it gets sticky, isn't it? That's where it gets sticky. You can tell me all day long about love. Preach to me the holiness of God, but don't tell me how it applies to my life, right? Teach me about forgiveness. Don't you point out anybody to me I need to forgive. The warning. The application. It's sticky. And he calls him to be a watchman. I think of today, a preacher is meant to be a watchman. The word applied. Then we see this last thing I'm going to be finished. They don't want you at Master Club till 815 anyway. All right. Getting your kids. So hold on. The way of the Lord, how we receive this word that he's called the preacher to study and how it is to be how it is to be delivered and the Holy Spirit of God that's meant to deliver it. The way of the Lord is, first of all, with a hearing ear. Look what he says in the in Chapter three, verse 10. Moreover, he said to me, son of man, All my words that thou shalt speak unto me, unto thee, receive in thine heart, and hear with thy what? Thine ears. Listen. Romans 10, 17, so says the Lord, and faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the what? The word of God. Hebrews 10, 25, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. The day approaching his return is coming. The rapture is coming and the tribulation is coming. His second coming is it's on the way. And as it comes more and more, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more that you see the day approaching. Why? It's because this place is this world grows worse and worse that we find the antidote against the world world. And that is the word. It's in Ephesians 4, 11 through 13, where it says, and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect man in the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Friend, you cannot afford not to hear the word. You cannot afford not to hear the word. You know, it's Wednesday night, so I'm preaching to the choir a little bit, but Sunday morning doesn't do it, does it? It's insufficient. Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, revival meetings, missions conference, your own personal time in God's word. We ought to run to hearing the word. We long to hear the word of God. We ought to strive to hear it preached and hear it taught and expounded upon that because we need the word. I have five children, as you know, and I made the decision a long time ago. There's such a thing as individual soul liberty. I am a Baptist. I'm a Baptist because I believe it's what the Bible teaches. And one of those distinctives is individual soul liberty. I cannot baptize my children into a faith in Christ. I cannot make a decision for them, but this man can choose to make sure they hear the word. To make sure they are taught the word, to make sure the word of God is planted deep into their heart and faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the what the word of God. And friend, they need it, and so do you and I. It inoculates us against the foolishness and wickedness of this world to hear the word. It seems that we live in a day that's growing weary of hearing the word. Itching ears. Seems like we live in a world in which there seems to be less and less church. Isn't it amazing? I mean, people complain about how much we have church now. Go back to the time of Christ, they were having church a whole lot. But in an age in which we need it so much more, it seems like folks are trying to get less and less. Hear the word. It all begins with hearing. But not only hearing the word, but he would say this in verse 10, he would say, moreover, he said unto me, son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart and hear with thine ear. And go get thee to them of the captivity and to the children of thy people and speak unto them and tell them, thus saith the Lord God, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, not only a hearing ear, but a receptive heart. What's so sad, I don't have time tonight, but I could go through these two chapters, two and three, and the many times it says they were rebellious or they would not hear the word. And in this passage of scripture, matter of fact, it says in verse five of chapter two, look at what it says this. And they, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for their rebellious house, yet shall know that there had been a prophet among them. He said, they're not going to hear you, but they are going to be without excuse. Well, now there's a commission for every preacher anywhere he preaches. Make sure that your spirit filled student of the word and deliver the word that whether they hear it or reject it, they will not be able to walk away from the fact that there was a prophet who preached it. The call. I would say that's very true for a Christian with the gospel in his hand. Or whether they hear it or whether they reject it, let them not go to Hell, with an excuse that says nobody shared it. Nobody shared it. But a heart that is receptive to the word. A heart that is tender and ready. James 1, 21 through 25 says, wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness. He says, clean your heart up and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls. So many hearts are unprepared for the word because they're filled with so many things they shouldn't be. Just read earlier this week about Noah in Genesis chapter. The Bible tells us in the latter days will be the days of Noah. One of the things about Noah's day is every imagination of their heart was wicked continually. In other words, their minds were taken up with things that should have never been taken up. And yet we live in a culture where that's so true. Our minds and hearts are taken up with things that should never be in the heart of a man. Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness, the superfluity of naughtiness, and then receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the Word, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Hearts that are tender, Hearts that are surrendered. Is your heart tender to the word? Are you ready to get something from the scripture? I believe this. When you walk into any place where God's word is going to be preached, there ought to be a heart that is tender. There ought to have been a Christian who already spent time with his God so that hopefully a preacher spent time with his and is filled with the spirit of God and studied up on the word and he comes to deliver the word of God and the spirit of God. And that same Holy Spirit that inspired the word and empowered the preacher stirs in the heart of the hearer. A heart that is open and ready, a heart that is tender to the word, a heart that is surrendered to whatever it is, whatever he has. Lord, whatever you have, however it steps on my toes or encourages my heart, I want it in my life. I want it in my life. Hearts that are obedient, not just to hear the word, but a doer of the word. Heart's ready to say, Lord, I'll obey. In this passage of scripture, you see a whole generation of people who weren't there at all. I picture Ezekiel going out, all of those signs and so many of them very odd. I hope somebody gets the message here. If dad doesn't get it, I hope this kid who's watching me doing these odd things gets it. Needless to say, I could go back and God sent Ezekiel to the Jew in captivity, he sent Jeremiah to those Jews still at home, and he sent Daniel up into the authorities there in Babylon to preach a message. They all had a prophet at the end of the day. You know, I can't remember the numbers, but I think it was somewhere around 50,000. When the Jews had the opportunity, when Cyrus sent them back, When Nehemiah and Ezra took their crowds back, I think it was somewhere around 50,000 Jews that went back. Many stayed. Isn't that incredible? Many stayed. There was more that stayed behind in Babylon that went back to the promised land. Why, they didn't want any part of the message, any part of the message. I think of this Christian, This book, where would we be without it? We would be lost. It is my best friend. It's the word that tells me of my God, tells me of salvation. It's the word that nourishes me for the things that I'll face in my life. It's the word that equips me to face the temptations I have in my life. It's the word that's a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path that guide me through this life. Where would I be without the word? Babylonian captivity. And not because they didn't have a prophet, but because they didn't want to hear the prophet. I like the statement, there's truths, there's accountability in it for leadership. Everything rises and falls upon leadership. That statement has become an excuse for some. Friend, if God's given you your word, you don't get God, if God has given you his word, You don't get to blame somebody else for not receiving it. It is his word. It was put before me. It was delivered into my life. So get on my knees before God and say, Holy Spirit, teach me your word. As he stirs in my heart, I hope my heart is tender, surrendered, and obedient to whatever God says. Because it's there. That it shapes me, makes me, and molds me into the image of his dear son. That nourishes me, that strengthens me, that equips me from this day until I walk into the physical presence of the word, the son of God, and see him face to face. And like Ezekiel did in chapter two, or in chapter one, he fell before him. Walking into his presence, not even able to stand, falling before our God and worshipping him as God. That day is coming. Basic instructions before leaving earth, they say, right? Grab the word and receive it. Let's pray. Lord, we love you and we thank you so much for the word. Thankful for this book of Ezekiel and Lord, all that it shows. Lord, so many prophecies in this book that tell us of what's coming in the millennial reign, and we're thankful for it. But I'm thankful for the Bible. I pray that our hearts will be tender tonight. Lord, maybe where we've allowed them to get a little bit hard, I pray that they would be broken up, that fallow ground stirred up, our hearts surrendered and tender to the word, ready to hear it, rushing off to hear it taught, rushing off to hear it preached, rushing off to pick it up and read it, to spend time with our God and your word. I'm thankful for the scripture. Heads bowed and eyes closed. How many of you would say, Preacher, I know that I'm saved tonight. That's a settled thing for me. Would you raise your hand as a testimony? I think you may put your hand down. Anybody here tonight say, Preacher, I'm unsure about my salvation, but I'd like to take care of that this evening. Would you raise your hand so I can pray for you? I'm going to say, Preacher, the Lord has spoken in my heart tonight through the scripture. That's your testimony. Would you raise your hand? Would you stand with me as the pianist begins to play? opportunity there to pray and maybe to thank God for His Word or His Holy Spirit or maybe He's convicted your heart about something, take it to Him this evening, but as God has spoken to your heart, do business with Him.