What can we learn about human stubbornness from Ezekiel 3:7? The Setting of Ezekiel 3:7 “ But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to Me; for the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.” Key Observations about Stubbornness • Stubbornness is first and foremost a refusal to hear God. • A deafness toward God naturally extends to a deafness toward His messenger. • The heart and the head can grow hard simultaneously—thinking and feeling become equally resistant. What Ezekiel 3:7 Teaches about Human Stubbornness • It is universal: “the whole house of Israel.” No one is immune (cf. Romans 3:10-12). • It is deliberate: “will not be willing.” The will chooses resistance. • It is rooted in prior rebellion: they shut their ears to God long before they rejected Ezekiel. • It affects mind and emotion: “hard-headed” (intellect) and “hard-hearted” (affections). • It hinders revelation: God still speaks, but the stubborn refuse to receive (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10). Consequences of a Hard Heart • Loss of discernment—spiritual blindness grows (2 Corinthians 4:4). • Increasing judgment—“He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken” (Proverbs 29:1). • Missed blessings—stubborn Israel forfeited the land’s rest (Psalm 95:10-11; Hebrews 3:7-11). • Bondage to sin—“Because of your hard and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath” (Romans 2:5). God’s Response to Stubborn People • He sends clear warnings—prophets like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:3-7). • He empowers His messenger—God makes Ezekiel’s forehead “harder than flint” (Ezekiel 3:8-9) to withstand rejection. • He remains patient—“The Lord is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9). • He ultimately disciplines—captivity came because Israel would not listen (2 Chronicles 36:15-17). Application for Us Today • Examine willingness to listen—do God’s words still pierce, or do they bounce off? • Respond quickly—“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). • Keep both mind and heart tender—immerse in Scripture, obey promptly, repent thoroughly. • Pray for bold messengers—like Ezekiel, God still raises voices to confront our generation. • Trust God’s remedies—He promises “I will remove the heart of stone… and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). Encouragement to Cultivate Softness • Seek the Spirit’s illumination (John 16:13). • Practice daily confession (1 John 1:9). • Embrace humility—“Receive the implanted word with meekness” (James 1:21). • Remember the cost—Christ endured a hardened crowd to offer us new hearts (Acts 7:51-52). Stubbornness may be natural to fallen humanity, but God’s gracious invitation to hear, heed, and be healed stands open today. |
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