In what ways does Ezekiel 3:11 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28? Setting the Stage in Ezekiel 3:11 “Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.” Setting the Stage in Matthew 28:18-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Common Threads: A Single Divine Strategy • Command to “Go”—not a suggestion, but a directive in both passages • God-given message—Ezekiel speaks “what the Lord GOD says”; the disciples teach “all that I have commanded you” • Audience of all kinds—exiles in Babylon; “all nations” across the earth • Obedience independent of response—“whether they listen or refuse”; “make disciples” even when some will reject (cf. Acts 17:32) • Assurance of divine presence—Ezekiel’s “hand of the LORD was upon me” (v. 14); Jesus’ “I am with you always” Authority Behind the Mission • Ezekiel: Authority rests in “the Spirit lifted me up” (3:12-14) • Jesus: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (28:18) • Both servants act under delegated, total authority—no room for self-derived agendas Obligation Beyond Results • Ezekiel must warn or be held accountable (3:18-19) • Disciples must teach regardless of acceptance (cf. 2 Timothy 4:2) • Faithfulness, not outcome, measures obedience Scope: From Local to Global • Ezekiel ministers to “your people, the exiles” • The apostles extend to “all nations” • God’s redemptive heart moves from a specific remnant to a worldwide harvest (cf. Isaiah 49:6) Method: Proclamation First • Ezekiel: verbal warning precedes any change of heart • Matthew: preaching and teaching precede baptism and obedience • Romans 10:14-15 underscores the necessity of a preacher for faith to arise Continuity of the Prophetic Call • Ezekiel prefigures the New-Covenant messenger role—speaking God’s word by the Spirit • The Church inherits and magnifies this prophetic task (Acts 1:8) • Both passages reveal a seamless narrative: God commissions messengers, equips them, and directs them to speak truth into resistant cultures Practical Takeaways for Today • Step out—obedience requires movement toward people, not waiting for them to come • Speak plainly—deliver God’s word without dilution, trusting its power (Hebrews 4:12) • Leave results to God—faithfulness is evaluated, not numbers • Depend on presence—rely on the Spirit’s enabling just as Ezekiel and the apostles did Encouragement for Faithful Witnessing The call to Ezekiel and the Great Commission form a unified echo across Scripture: God sends, God speaks through His servants, and God stays with them. Whether addressing a handful of exiles or the ends of the earth, the mission remains the same—declare His word, invite repentance, and trust Him with the harvest. |
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