Facing the Fear of Man

This morning, we continue in our annual theme, Growing in Gospel Gratitude..

Our current study has us looking at biblical ways of Handling Criticism

Many of our passages have dealt with how to handle criticism in our own hearts—criticism towards leaders, critical disagreements, the hypocrisy of criticism, etc.

The passage we are going to be looking at still assesses our own hearts, but in the context of possible criticism from others

This morning, we’re going to be continuing our series by studying Ezekiel chapters 2 & 3, looking specifically at what that passage has to say about Facing the Fear of Man—please turn there with me (pg. 589)

When we think of “fear of man,” it is important to understand this idea is all through the bible, and most if not all people struggle with the fear of man in some shape or form…and the reality is…

The fear of man can take many forms—

1. We fear people because they can expose and humiliate us.
2. We fear people because they can reject, ridicule, or despise us.
3. We fear people because they can attack, oppress, or threaten us.

Also the word fear in the bible can have a range of application and nuance. Fear can be good or bad…But most importantly we are to have a fear of the Lord and not a fear of man…

Fear of God starts with fear of his wrath and condemnation because He is holy and just and we rightly deserve to be separated from Him…But we are not to remain in that kind of fear…we can fear the Lord and recognize we deserve judgment, but because His wrath was poured out on His son, and God’s word says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…we can have a very good kind of fear of the Lord…where there is not a fear of judgement, but there is a fear or reverence of God where we revolve our lives around Him, and view Him as more important than anything else…we are to Fear Him…We are to Trust Him, We are to love Him…we are to Worship Him…Deu 6 says it like this…

Deuteronomy 6:13-15a – You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, for the Lord your God in the midst of you is a jealous God…

However sometimes people in the bible are called to a mission where there is great temptation to fear man and not fear God…and so they need to focus on obeying God and being faithful, even with intense opposition, and criticism from others that threatens to govern and control that individual in a situations where the Lord is to be trusted, obeyed, honed and exalted…

The prophet Ezekiel was just a man in that situation…today we will study how he was called Him to a task that would require obedience to the Lord that superseded any fear of man.

And before we read our passage, it’s worth providing a bit of context into that as well

After the fall of Assyria, the kingdom of Egypt sought to seize control of the ancient near east in the face of a blossoming Babylonian empire under Nebuchadnezzar. His forces were far too great for Pharaoh Neco, who was eventually defeated. This shifted the servitude of God’s people—the Israelites—from Egypt to Babylon.

One Judean king after another sought to commit treason against Nebuchadnezzar, hoping against the word of the prophets that they could use their own power (or perhaps that of the Egyptians) to break free from this captivity. In one of those usurping acts, the Babylonian king himself visited Judah in his wrath, deposed king Jehoiachin, and bringing several inhabitants to Babylon—one of those individuals was our own Ezekiel.

Being a prophet of the Lord, he didn’t share his fellow Judahite optimism that one of their kings would be able to overthrow Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. In fact, The Lord had him prophesying the same message as Jeremiah (the weeping prophet)—God’s people would remain in captivity 70 years and Jerusalem would be laid waste—including the temple. That message didn’t win Jeremiah any senior superlatives—surely Ezekiel wouldn’t see any better treatment from the people.

While in exile, Ezekiel is given heavenly visions of the Lord’s majestic glory, and in these visions the Lord commissions him to speak a message to His people.

That’s where we pick up in our passage…

*read Ezekiel 2:1-3:11, 3:16-21

For the time we have remaining, I’d like to study our passage and provide 4 encouragements to combat the fear of man

first

I. Do Not Fear: We Have Been Sent (2:1-6)

A. Those who have the Spirit are sent as messengers (v. 2)

the ministry of Ezekiel was empowered by the Holy Spirit—His presence in the work of this prophet is continually repeated throughout the book.

In the OT, the Spirit would come upon someone to empower them for a mission the Lord calls them to.

The point is that the Lord empowers those who He calls to carry His message for His glory.

Just as Moses made excuses that he did not speak well…the Lord still called and sent him…

The point is: the person sending is more important than the one being sent…and the Lord chooses, and sends and He empowers those He chooses and sends.

Similarly, this same Spirit was the vital component for the early church—so much so that Jesus told His disciples had to first wait in Jerusalem for… Pentecost—the coming of the Holy Spirit into His people and then they went to bear witness to the resurrection and share the good news of Christ.

Whether it be at Pentecost or Ezekiel going to the people of Israel…the focus of the message was the word of God…God calling people to be reconciled to Him.

The Lord calls people, empowers them by His spirit, to share His word with others.

NT believers are indwelt with the Spirit and we are to be filled or controlled by the Spirit…and that means we are to be constantly taking in God’s word in a Christ centered way…so that the message of God’s word is what comes out of us…

Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

The Spirits work, the calling of the Lord, the message of the Lord…must hold more weight than what people around you might think…

That means…

B. Those sent by God should not be afraid (v. 6)

Ezekiel 2:6 - And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.

Commentators point out something curious about this bit of encouragement: usually, when God says, “do not be afraid,” it is followed or preceded by a reminder of His presence, typically something like, “for I am with you…”

But what does God tell Ezekiel he will be among in this passage? Thistles. Thorns. Scorpions. Rebellious people.

This seems to emphasize how difficult a mission Ezekiel is called to…His mission is going to be anything but comfortable…no one is going to welcome him in and make him feel at home…

So the point is…focus on who has sent you and the message you have…not how you will be received…if you focus too much on how you might be received…the fear of man can have a great foothold to steer you away from pleasing God and instead trying to please man.

Secondly…

II. Do Not Fear: We Have His Word (2:7-3:4)

A. He gives the words, we give the message

The text emphasizes that this is God’s word, God’s message, not Ezekiel’s…yes Ezekiel was the messenger…but notice how the scroll is written on front and back…this is not normal for a scroll in the ancient near east to be written on both sides… It is so rare there is special term for it…and here this double sided scroll I believe represents the fullness of God’s message….His message is complete…Ezekiel does not need to be adding anything to it…as it is a difficult message since it is full of lament, mourning and woe.

There is a focus on…

i. “Eating” His Word

Ezekiel 2:8-9, 3:3b – “Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you… Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a scroll was in it… Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.

Again there is a focus on the message that is external to Ezekiel…He must ingest it and not create it…

Ezekiel notes that the scroll is sweet…Ezekiel has great responses to the Lord…He falls down on his face to worship the Lord when He appears…His word is sweet when consumed…even though the message is very difficult.

This is similar to the book of revelation where John eats a scroll and it is sweet on the tongue, but bitter in the stomach.

Is the word of God sweet to you because it comes from God…and because it is right and good and designed to exalt the Lord…even if the message towards sinful people is hard to bear and at times difficult to communicate to others.

The reality is that God’s word is always served family style….it is always meant to be shared with others…have you ever gone to Italian restraint that is family style….there is no ordering your own dish and no one else trying it…no a bunch of dishes are brought out and say a giant plate of pasta carbonara set in front of you, you take some, and then you pick up that huge plate of cheesy, creamy carbohydrate-d goodness and you share it with someone else…

We to are to take in His word richly…with the clear understanding of…

ii. Speaking His Word

We are not prophets like Ezekiel…there are significant differences between him and us…and yet we too all called, we are saved, reconciled to the Lord, and indwelt and empowered by the spirit with a message we are to consume and take in as sweet…and then we are to obey the Lord and share His word with others.

I just want to challenge you to think about the last time you shared God’s word with someone else…something you have been learning that is helping you grow and put off sin in your life…or when is the last time you asked someone about their spiritual background and then sought to share your salvation testimony with them.

May each of us individually plan to share God’s word regularly with others this fall…

As we do that, we must remember…

B. Success is measured by faithfulness, not results

Ezekiel was sent to his own country men…there was not a language or cultural barrier…it would be easy to think, well this should work since Ezekiel is an Israelite..

One commentator said…

“The focus is on the difficulty of the assigned task and the specific qualities with which God had endowed the prophet to enable him to face opposition. The irony in this passage is its observation that foreigners would have been more receptive to a message from God than were the Israelites. The difficulties of cross-cultural communication are nothing compared to the obstacle of spiritual blindness.” (Cooper, Lamar Eugene, Ezekiel, NAC, 80)

Sometimes we have great boldness to talk to a complete stranger about Jesus…but become tongue tied when we know a close family member needs to here the good news of salvation….or we think we know how someone will respond so we don’t speak and direct the conversation to Christ.

Sometimes we get too focused on trying to say just the right words…and instead we need to focus on knowing God’s word and simply seeking to communicate it accurately…and then trust God with the results.

It can be easy to think…this task is too difficult for me…and so our 3^rd point is..

III. Do Not Fear: We Are Equipped (3:5-11)

Notice that God has done something to Ezekiel…no it was not plastic surgery so Ezekiel now has a chiseled face…The point is Ezekiel is not doing this task all by himself…the Lord is at work in Ezekiels heart …

He says…

Ezekiel 3:8-9 - Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them…

In my research the word translated emery here could also be translated diamond…flint is like a flint knife…sharp but can be shattered by something harder..like diamond…The Lord has called Ezekiel to a hard task to talk with a hard people…

The people are described as rebellious. Meaning they have not shown faithfulness to Yahweh, but committed idolatry over and over from the golden calf to baal worship …they have rebelled from the Lord and went after other false gods over and over.

They have revolted, or transgressed meaning they have gone against what the word of the Lord has commanded and what is written in the Law of the Lord.

They are described as obstinate…literally “hard of face”…this is the idea of a unwillingness to change ones course, even the Lord has sent messenger after messenger …it is where your face is set hard toward what you want…and you will not change course.

They are also “stubborn” or literally firm of heart..or hard of heart…which speaks to an unwillingness to changes one desire based on what they think will satisfy them….so they have a hard heart…that is focused on what they want…and a hard face…that will not stop pursuing what they want.

And yet that Lord has strengthened his servants to not be easily swayed or demoralized…

That is because….we are equipped and…

A. He gives us what we need

To accomplish the mission he calls us to..

Commentator Daniel Block says,

“Yahweh assures Ezekiel that he will equip him fully with the emotional resources needed for the challenge - I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their forehead. Instead of being hardened against God, he will become “Ezekiel” (yĕḥezqēʾl, “God hardens”) in the fullest sense of the name. To emphasize the superlative degree of hardening, Yahweh compares the mettle of his forehead with emery (šāmîr), a form of corundum, the hardest substance known at the time, and here described as harder than flint. This divine hardening rendered realistic Yahweh’s challenge to Ezekiel not to fear or be terrified (tēḥat), emotionally shattered, by the rebellious reaction of his audience.” (Block, Daniel, The Book of Ezekiel (NICOT), 130)

I cannot tell you exactly how God strengthened Ezekiel…but the Lord says that he has done so…and that is the basis of why the prophet should not be afraid…not, you got this, you are so strong and such a great prophet…I see how much time you have been putting in at the scroll room…no, no and no…it is about what God has done and is doing in and through His servant…that is why he should not be afraid.

In addition…

B. Everyone’s account is to God, not man (v. 7)

Ezekiel 3:7 - …yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me.

They are going to reject Ezekiel…but they are really rejecting the one who sent Ezekiel…

There is such

i. Freedom in focusing on Him

How is God working in your life…focus on what He is doing to strengthen you…using trials, blessings, friends, people who don’t do what you want…

When you focus on growing and living for the Lord…there is such freedom in not worry or trying to manipulate and control outcomes or other people.

There is also …

ii. Freedom in pointing others to Him

because if someone does not like the path you are walking and they do not want to listen to you or be with you…your job is freed from trying to get them to do something…or to accept you…and you are freed to simply point the way to life…the Lord has to work in their life so that will take the path of life the Lord has provided.

However, that frees us…but we can’t miss that we have a huge responsibility…

IV. Do Not Fear: We Are Called to Love (3:16-21)

Ezekiel was called to God’s people, because God loves His people…He was given …

A. The task of a watchman (v. 17)

Ezekiel 3:17 - Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.

You warn someone you care about…you love people enough to tell them difficult things to help and serve them.

I have never stood guard protecting a building or embassy…but one of the most important and intense jobs I have ever had was begin a lifeguard.

All through high school I served at our local pool…all my siblings did.

It is a bunch of HS students and before and after the pool was open we would goof off…but when you were on shift, there was no joking around and complete focus… it was one of the most refining times of my life…because I was aware that we had the responsibility for the well being of everyone in that pool.

You sat on your station, raised up so you could scan your water…and if your best friend came up, your favorite aunt, your long lost brother who just came into town…it didn’t matter, you watched your water…because you knew if you didn’t and someone drowned and you were not paying attention, that would be the absolute worse thing in the world…so you blew your whistle and said walk, don’t dive in the shallow, don’t jump onto other people, and you are watching and ready to communicate and respond because people lives were at stake…

One commentator really emphasized how much responsibility a watchman had…

“A watchman was a city employee appointed to be a lookout from some high vantage point such as a tower or the city wall. Such an office was extremely important because the safety of the entire population rested with the watchman. If a watchman failed in his duty to warn inhabitants of the town of impending attack, he was held personally responsible for any loss… Indifference that fails to save a life is comparable to negligent homicide. The prophet would be guilty of murder by his failure to fulfill his calling. According to the law of retribution, he was liable for the loss of life payable by the forfeit of his own (Gen 9:5-7). The responsibility of a believer in Christ today to share the word of life, salvation, and forgiveness is no less awesome. Once the message of salvation is entrusted to us, we are responsible and accountable to share with those who are lost.” (Cooper, Lamar Eugene, Ezekiel, NAC, 85-86)

Paul said something similar in Acts as he spoke about shepherded responsibility to guard the flock…

Acts 20:26–28 -²⁶ “Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷ “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. ²⁸ “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

As pastor Viars often says…if a person chooses to reject the message of salvation, that is between them and God…but sharing the message of salvation with them…That is between us and God…

We are not called to the exact same thing Ezekiel was…but the thrust of the NT, as followers of Christ…we have been rescued, indwelt with the Spirit, entrusted with eh word of Christ… and we have the responsibility to share the good news with others…even if it is going to include difficult truth that many might reject…so too in our culture there are rebellious, strong willed people committed to their own way…

But A lifeguard is not only going to jump into to help kids that follow the rules…a watchman is not going to only sound the alarm if he likes His neighbors…

They are to function based on the responsibility that has been entrusted to them…and a love for God and a love for people that God has placed right around them…

And se we are called to…

B. Love the wicked (vv. 18-19)

And also to

C. Love the righteous (vv. 20-21)

Just like Romans says the Immoral as well as the moral need a savior…

So those who are clearly opposed to God and resisting God and any authority over their life…we are called to warn them…as well as those who may be very religious and think they can earn their way to heaven by being good...we need to warn them as well… We need to love them, even if they will not receive our message, we need to love them enough to present them with the message that they can choose to reject…

We also need to be willing to warn our brothers and sisters in Christ…being willing to be filled with the word of God so that we are willing to admonish each other…if someone we love is going down a path of destruction.

This whole process is really temping to just put your head down with a great fear of man…and then just focus on yourself and living your life and try to just do things that are fun and enjoyable…but as followers of Christ…we are called and commissioned to Go…and to make disciples of all nations…baptizing them in the name of the father, son and holy spirit…and teaching them to observe all that the Lord has commanded.

To review…

I. Do Not Fear: We Have Been Sent (*recap)

II. Do Not Fear: We Have His Word (*don’t need to make something up to try to get results)

III. Do Not Fear: We Are Equipped (*focus on what God is doing in you and through you for His glory)

IV. Do Not Fear: We Are Called to Love (*like watchman…we are our brother and sisters keepers…we are to take responsibility for the Good news of eternal safety being presented to our friends, family, coworkers and neighbors)