Excerpts From A Sermon
The Call Of The Prophet
In Declining Times
Ezekiel 1-3
by D.A. Carson
(Continued from page 1)
Amos is called when he is a shepherd in the hill country of the south of Judah, and yet he is called to preach in the north in Israel. But in these peculiarly declining times this call is characterized by three striking elements . . . And, in a sense, they serve as a beacon to God’s people wherever they are called to utter a prophetic witness in declining times.
Three elements: First, it was a call to see God and be humbled (1:4—2:2). We begin in 1:4 with a dust storm. This may have been visionary, but alternatively we may be beginning with a proper dust storm which turns into something supernatural. In any case, Ezekiel soon sees something that is supra-normal rather than normal; something like glowing medal. Then in vv. 5-11 we have described for us four living creatures who turn out to support the platform of Yahweh’s throne. These four living creatures, we are told, have hands extending from their side. Now the purpose of these hands we are not told about until chaps. 8-11. They also have wings. These wings have various functions. Partly the wings stretch out so that each pair of wings from each living creature connects with the wingtips from the other living creature to form a sort of square. Each wingtip touching a wingtip of another creature and then, in addition, the two other wings are used for flying. That is what we are told. So these creatures, then, constitute a kind of hollow square with the creature himself right in the middle of each side . . .
Then inside the square (vv. 12-14) the burning coals in the midst of the hollow square with flashing lightning and torches of fire, these all symbolize God’s terrifying presence; just as there was thunder, and lightning, and fire at the giving of the Law, so also here. Nor do the creatures have independent movement (v. 12). The Spirit animates them, and that is the vital energy by which God acts upon them so that they move in concert . . .
In vv. 15-18, beside each creature, there is a strange wheel made of chrysolite, probably topaz . And these wheels we are told intersect. Not wheels within wheels, as if they are concentric circles, but intersecting wheels so that they cannot fall over; they are stable, they cannot wobble because the two wheels in each case intersect and thus interlock . . . These wheels, we are told, are covered with eyeballs, one of the standard symbols in apocalyptic to indicate God’s omniscience . . .
Now all of that is prolegomenon to get to God. Then, we are told, there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings . . . Listen to it, “There was what looked like a throne. It wasn’t a throne; it looked like a throne of sapphire. And high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that, from what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like glowing metal as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire and brilliant light surrounded him.” So, on the one hand, it is brilliant light. And yet, v. 28, like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This is trying to say that although it was brilliant and blinding and glorious, yet it was fuzzy . . . And Ezekiel says, “This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” as if to remove any possibilities of lingering anthropomorphism . . .
“When I saw it I fell face down and I heard the voice of one speaking. He said to me, ‘Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.’ As He spoke the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me.”
So, you see, the first element in Ezekiel’s call is a call to see God and be humbled. Now that is always important. God help us. We don’t need preachers who have no vision of God before their eyes, for whom the whole business is merely an education exercise; skills nicely decked out from homiletics classes. In a declining culture this is non-negotiable. You see, in times of great revival everybody is talking about God. But in times when the whole culture is moving in other directions it is essential that those who proclaim the Word of God have their eyes so fastened on what God is like in all His transcendent glory that they are devoured by Him. And thus speak out of the fear of this living God.
Second, it is a call to speak God’s words and be fearless (2:3-8). “Son of Man,” God says, “I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me.” . . . He warns the prophet that they are obstinate and stubborn, and then He says several times in these three chapters, “Say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’” Not, “This is what the sovereign Lord does.” “This is what the sovereign Lord is like.” “This is what the sovereign Lord thinks.” “This is what the sovereign Lord feels.” “This is how the sovereign Lord loves.” Nope! Again and again and again, “This is what the sovereign Lord says,” . . . for all that we know of what God thinks, all that we know of God’s acts come down to us through what the sovereign Lord says. The danger, of course, is that some don’t want to listen. But God says, you are to say this whether they listen or fail to listen (v. 5). “And I frankly acknowledge,” God says, “that they are a rebellious house, but whether they listen or not they will at least know that a prophet has been among them. And for your part, Son of Man, don’t be afraid of them. Do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid though briars and thorns are all around you, and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say, or be terrified by them. Though they are a rebellious house, you must speak my words to them whether they listen or fail to listen.” “You, Son of Man, listen to what I say, ‘Do not rebel like that rebellious house.’”
How then will Ezekiel fail in his commission? Will he fail in his commission if he does not see a great turning to God? No, because God Himself acknowledges that this is a rebellious house and he does not promise a particular revival. Ezekiel will fail in his commission if he does not speak God’s words. For then he succumbs to the same rebellion that he is supposed to be prophesizing against. Note the emphasis on getting God’s words right and not fudging: “Say to them this is what the sovereign Lord says” (v. 4). Again v. 6, “Do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid of what they say, or be terrified by them.” For God knows that preachers themselves can be terrified by the audience. We don’t like to get a lot of bad reviews . . . Are we not all tempted just to clip the corners a wee bit, and say things that can’t possibly cause a necessary umbrage so that we can show that we are part of the good group?
Of course once again, it is always crucial in a fallen world to declare all of the counsel of God. But it is especially important in declining times for three reasons: First, it is important because in declining times it takes special courage.
