When you think about it, there are striking similarities between an Old Testament prophet and a 21st-century youth worker. Both are called; both are a little weird; and each will go to great lengths to illustrate a point. Perhaps the biggest similarity is they seldom see the fruit of their impact.
When God called Ezekiel to deliver words of mourning and woe to Israel (not the fun “sex and dating” series Zeke was hoping for), God was quite specific about the kind of impact He was looking for—and about the preparation Ezekiel needed in order to reap that impact.
Scripture
As you read the following snippets from Ezekiel’s calling, key in on these observations:
• How God described Ezekiel’s audience.
• The impact God expected.
• How God asked Ezekiel to prep for his assignment.
We pick up the action in the middle of a vision.
Ezekiel 2:3-5,
3He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ 5And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.
9Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.
3:1And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.” … 3So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. 4He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.”
Think About It
I’m curious about the impact God expected from this assignmen—neither nationwide repentance nor spiritual influence from Ezekiel (quite the opposite, actually). In fact, God pretty much guaranteed there’d be no visible sign of impact. The only thing God was looking for was that the rebellious folks would know a prophet had been among them. Even if they rolled their eyes, even if after Ezekiel’s talk they went right back to their pagan practices, they’d still wonder, “Should I be taking this seriously?”
That’s the only window God needs.
Apply It
If any youth ministry is to have hope of lasting impact, God’s Word needs a prominent place in its programming. We all know that. Our fears, however, can make this easier said than done—fears about our own competence, receptivity, busying-up our students.
Yet Ezekiel’s calling can help us step through those fears. God’s assurance to Ezekiel is also an assurance to us. If we start by “eating” God’s Word—by knowing it and living it—then our teaching and discipling will have a resoluteness about it. Our teens will see at least one adult who is being changed by the Word before their very eyes. If we take His Word seriously and go to great lengths to help students experience it, then whether they eat or drink what’s offered at the time, at some point they’ll think, “There must be something to this.”
Again, that’s the only window God needs. He’ll take it from there.
