Train Wrecks and Truth (Ez. 3 & Luke 20)

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A man's farewell tour. An exile in Babylon. The Spirit moving, showing what one must suffer. Speaking truth to a hardened, stubborn, obstinate house. Commands not to be afraid or dismayed before people even when they don’t listen. Like often happens, my daily reading and my studying to teach collided today in Ezekiel 1-4 and Acts 20.

A Farewell Tour

Last night’s study was focused in Acts 20, and we read Paul’s farewell declaration to the elders of Ephesus that he had testified “faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life]” (v. 24, AMP). Paul refuses to cling so tightly to his life in this world that he would forgo finishing the course he understands God has set him upon. He knows through the Spirit’s witness what awaits him in Jerusalem, where he is headed. Paul knows he will never see these men on earth again, and he makes this declaration: “I testify to you on this [our parting] day that I am innocent of the blood of all people. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan of God” (v. 26-27). 


Speaking truth is important; speaking truth about eternal things is vital, and it usually costs something of us. When we see friends who claim to be in Christ making really bad decisions, engaging in behavior that is not fitting, or witness that does not bring glory to God, do we insert ourselves into their lives for the purpose of speaking truth or just bemoan the train wreck we see coming that we could possibly help avert but don’t because it might cost us their friendship? Do we fail to share the gospel with angry people or hurting people or rebellious people because we are scared of the personal cost? These are hard questions we need to work out in ourselves today, but they usually are not life-costing decisions like Paul and Ezekiel face.


Paul has already been assaulted, beaten, left for dead, chased out of town by angry Jews and Gentile mobs many times, but he never fails to speak the truth of the gospel to anyone. God tells him to go, and he goes. God tells him to speak, and he speaks, regardless of the personal cost. And now, he declares himself free of the blood of any man who refused to listen or heed the warning given or the hope offered in Christ. He is free, not burdened down with the guilt of wishing he had warned as told or the blood of any man who might have turned to Christ if he just knew his sin and the free offering of forgiveness found in Christ that can cleanse any sin.


A Watchman

Today, as I read in Ezekiel, I found this Old Testament parallel to God setting Paul’s feet into motion away from Israel, to Paul being a watchman of sorts. God sets Ezekiel as a watchman to the exiles in Babylon, calling him to prophesy to stubborn, obstinate, hard people living desolate lives in a strange land because they had already refused to listen to the truth at home. Now they will refuse to listen to the truth in exile, but that does not lessen Ezekiel’s responsibility to speak it faithfully to them. God makes it clear that if Ezekiel fails to speak the truth given to him for the wicked and the wicked dies, he will be responsible for that person’s blood; alternatively, if he speaks warning to the wicked who doesn’t turn from his sin, Ezekiel is freed from the guilt of his blood. 


God turns around and gives Ezekiel the same command for the righteous man who has turned away from right standing with God. If Ezekiel warns the man of the obstacle before him and he repents, Ezekiel bears no responsibility. If Ezekiel warns the man of the obstacle before him and he doesn’t repent, Ezekiel bears no responsibility. However, if Ezekiel doesn’t speak to that righteous man who has turned away from an upright walk, the man will “die in his sin, and the righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered” and Ezekiel will bear the responsibility for his blood (Ezekiel 3:20). The only freedom for Ezekiel comes in speaking exactly what God tells him to speak when he is told. When God opens his mouth, he is not to close it or be in rebellion by not speaking that truth. 


An Evaluation

We need to be in right standing with God ourselves before we can speak truth. Are we being washed daily by the cleansing water of the Word left for us? Are we bathing in the grace He freely offers, communing with the Father through the Spirit because of the Son’s intercession on our behalf? Are we dealing with our own sin first?


Do we have relationships with others that will allow us to intercede and help them avoid imminent train wrecks? Do we have the courage to share the gospel to strangers? Do we even know enough to be able to speak with them about who God is and what He has done?



A Boldness

Time is short for all of us regardless of how long we live. None of us is guaranteed the rest of today, much less tomorrow or next week or next year or “when we retire.” Be a watchman like Paul and like Ezekiel. Wherever you are, listen to the Spirit’s call and speak the truth of the gospel, shored up by the Word, speak it in love and gentleness, with boldness and precision for your own good and the good of the person who needs to hear it.

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