"(behold, it cometh)" Ezekiel 33:33
SOME notable features of this parenthesis are that it is the shortest of them all, that it was spoken by the Lord Himself, and that it has for its context the amazing circumstances of a true prophet of the Lord finding himself on the crest of a wave of popularity: "Thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument."
THE interjection that "it will surely come" insists that God makes no vain threats but will see to it that His warnings of judgment are ratified. Those happy sermon-tasters who got so much pleasure from listening to the eloquent preacher would find in the end that God really meant what He said.
THE passage gives an extraordinary description of enthusiastic listeners urging their friends to come and enjoy Ezekiel's ministry. Through no fault of his own the prophet had become a major attraction to his fellow Jews. They thronged to hear him as if they were being given free sessions by a greatly gifted entertainer.
A lesser man would have been highly gratified. All of us who preach tend to enjoy the enthusiastic appreciation of our hearers. The real test of our messages, however, is not the volume of praises from those who hear us but the practical response of obedience which our words have produced. In the case of Ezekiel there was no response at all of this kind. The people heard the words but they did not obey them.
I do not know which is worse, to have my preaching denounced and rejected, as happened to Jeremiah, or to have it smothered by insincere plaudits and congratulations, as occurred in the case of Ezekiel. In fact there is little difference. What values can there be if the glory is all for men and none for God? The persecuted prophet in Israel and the celebrated prophet among the captivity, being both men of God, must have been heart-broken to see no vital change in their hearers. Perhaps in Ezekiel's case it was even more tragic, since the people made him the topic of their conversation and flocked to listen to him, blithely ignoring the solemn warnings which he gave them in the Lord's name. Mass excitement will not save people. Clapping and cheering will not prevent the divine judgment. "Come it will!"
THANK God that it was not all heartbreak. Both men were privileged to foretell better days and a New Covenant. If the predicted judgments were sure for the insincere congregations, the promised blessings to obedient penitents would be even more sure.
MEANWHILE let no messengers of Christ be complacent just because they get a good hearing and receive appreciative tributes. Let them rather pray and work that their hearers should not just be entertained but be radically transformed.
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