Bring Back The Prophet

by R. Armstrong, London, Ontario | Category: General | Apr 1974

"A rebellious nation ... impudent children and stiffhearted ... and they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear ... yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them" (Ezek. 2:3-6, A.V.).

The thunder of Babylonian armed forces had been heard at the gates of Jerusalem; Nebuchadnezzar shook the earth as he conquered. Judah and Benjamin, favoured tribes of Israel, fell to his conquest. Although this despot ruler of a world empire was God's instrument of judgement, it was disobedience to the word of the Lord and idolatry that brought Judah to Babylon.

As the captives sat reflecting by the rivers of Babylon, perhaps of their past glory, there was amongst them a man of priestly bearing (Ezek. 1:3), who saw visions of incredible brightness and glory. He was prostrated before the Lord, and out of the vision came the voice of God to his heart. He was sent to a people who were already paying in exile years the price exacted for choosing their own way instead of God's. No doubt as the prophet sat among the captives he heard their conversation, and it may have gone something like this. Why should we listen to a prophet now? At least there is safety in Babylon. They were free from the sound and terror of invading armies, free from the spectre of want and famine. No longer did they hear the cry of hungry children, whom it was easier to kill than feed. No longer were ruthless assaults made on the privacy of domestic life (2 Chron. 36).

The broad rivers of Babylon were pleasant, and as the months slipped past, life became easier and more settled. It was only the godly few amongst them who longed for the courts of the Lord's house, which no doubt to many had become but a memory.

Into this environment Ezekiel the prophet is commissioned to project his flaming message of judgement to his exiled people. The success of his ministry was not to be measured in terms of those who flocked to his side in repentance, for there appeared none. Measured by the standards of modern evangelism, his ministry would be considered a failure. However, it was rather that God had spoken and His prophet had been sent amongst them. What really mattered for the moment was that his message had been faithfully delivered, whether they heard or not. Rest assured, God's word will not return void! Far out across the centuries of time these eternal words will ring out. Neither the hosts of hell, nor the currents of history will ever hush them. They will stand up in the judgements

of Israel and the world to condemn all who ignore them or trifle with them:

"If thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul" (Ezek. 3:19).

Reading the record we are impressed with the formidable task Ezekiel had towards an obstinate people, who refused to listen. We need men like Ezekiel for our own times; men who have heard the voice of God and are not afraid to speak His truth. Men who are on God's side because they know God is on their side. As the darkness deepens around us, pray that He will give us men who will spend their lives under the shadow of the Almighty, and throw themselves on the resources of the Holy Spirit, and come out with anointed lips to speak His message, to break the bondage of whatever is preventing us from knowing the fulness of the Spirit in our lives and ministry.

There is a different yet similar crisis in this twentieth century, when floods of ungodliness and immorality would seep into the sanctity of our personal lives. While looking back and preaching about the failures of God's people in earlier times, we may well be unaware of the spiritual paralysis of our own times. The subtle intrusion of more and more legitimate and harmless things into our lives is greatly reducing our spiritual perception and power. A renewal of practical holiness and detachment from the World in the possessive sense, will result only as the interior life glows with the fire of love and obedience to the Lord.

Such is God's answer to stem the tides which threaten to bring sin and compromise amongst the people of God in these latter days. Are we willing to pay the price of cleansing "from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1)? "Love not the world (kosmos, world system), neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:15). This includes the religious as well as the secular system and its pleasures. These are some of the pre-requisites of a revival ministry from the Lord.

"Revive Thy work, 0 Lord,

Thy mighty arm make bare.

Speak with the voice that wakes the dead;

First make Thy people hear.

Revive Thy work, 0 Lord,

Disturb this sleep of death.

Quicken the smouldering embers,

Lord, By Thine almighty breath.

Revive Thy work, 0 Lord,

Create soul thirst for Thee.

And hungering for the bread of life,

Oh, may our spirits be!"