Ezekiel The Man

Ezekiel never got to live his dream. Trained to be a priest, he was instead dragged to Babylon as a captive in 597 BC. His wife died when he was 34. And for 22 years, he preached to a people who refused to listen.

Was Ezekiel successful? By any measure we might use—hardly. Yet his life carries lessons that still speak to us over two millennia later.

Speak—Even When No One Listens

God called Ezekiel to eat a scroll—to internalize His message completely—and then to speak it (Ezekiel 3:3–4). The words were hard: judgment, truth, consequences. But they carried divine authority.

Here's the uncomfortable part: Ezekiel delivered that message faithfully for 22 years, and the people still refused to listen (Ezekiel 3:7). Contrast that with Jonah, whose reluctant, half-hearted preaching led an entire city to repentance. Ezekiel gave everything and saw nothing. So why bother?

Because God sees what we cannot.

Ezekiel's audience rejected him—but his words have echoed across 2,600 years, reaching generations he never imagined, including us. God made clear that as Israel's watchman, Ezekiel bore responsibility: if he failed to warn the wicked, their blood would be on his hands (Ezekiel 3:17–18).

"Obedience is measured by faithfulness, not results."

For us in Singapore, we are in a good position to reach those around us. "They won't listen" is not an excuse. Some may respond coldly. Others may not respond at all. But our job is to speak. The outcome belongs to God.

God Strengthens the Weak

Ezekiel's name means "God strengthens"—and he needed that promise desperately. Throughout the book, God calls him "son of man," a title emphasizing not greatness but frailty. Not power, but humanity.

Why would God keep reminding His prophet of his weakness? Because that is precisely where hope begins. God does not send the self-sufficient. He empowers the willing. When the Spirit came upon Ezekiel, it lifted him to his feet (Ezekiel 3:23–24).

"God does not call the strong. He strengthens the called."

Stand up and speak—not in your own strength, but in His.

Be Firm, But Not Cold

God made Ezekiel's forehead "like a diamond, harder than flint" (Ezekiel 3:9). When people harden their hearts, we do not soften the truth. We hold our ground.

Yet firmness is not coldness. Ezekiel came to the exiles and sat among them for seven days, overwhelmed (Ezekiel 3:14–15). He went "in bitterness, in the heat of his spirit," feeling the full weight of what he had to deliver (Ezekiel 3:14). He did not preach at them from a distance. He entered their pain. He sat where they sat. He identified with their sorrow before he spoke into it.

"Sympathy does not weaken the message. It builds the bridge that carries it."

This is the balance we are called to: unwavering in conviction, tender in presence. Hard-faced, but not hard-hearted.

A Legacy Beyond His Lifetime

Was Ezekiel a great man? In his own day, he seemed to accomplish little. He tasted bitterness, buried his wife, and watched his words fall on deaf ears.

But here we are—over 2,600 years later—still reading his prophecy. Still learning from his obedience.

"Success in God's eyes is not measured in applause, but in faithfulness."

God does not measure success the way we do. He asks us to speak faithfully, stand firmly, and love deeply—trusting that He will be our strength. The fruit may come in ways and times we will never see.

That was enough for Ezekiel. It can be enough for us too.

Speaker: Dr. Mark Lehman