The prophecy of Ezekiel is presented as a "lovely song" with a pleasant voice and skillfully played instrument, yet its message of judgment and God's love is often unheeded. The sermon explores the origin of Ezekiel's prophecy, emphasizing that God's message must first be heard by the messenger. It details the prophecy's wide range, encompassing visions, symbolic acts, allegories, and lamentations, and its appeals to emotions, conscience, and intellect. Ultimately, the sermon highlights the effect of It: while people may acknowledge its pleasantness, they often fail to act upon its core truths, leading to a call for genuine gratitude and a life lived for Christ.
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Once my life was filled with discord, sadness reigned within, For my heart was heavy laden with a weight of sin. There's a new song in my heart since the Savior sent me free. There's a new song in my heart that the heavenly harbors me. All my sins are washed away in the blood of Calvary.
Oh, our peace and joy Nothing can be destroyed. There's a new song in my heart. What a wondrous transformation in my life was wrong when I trusted Christ's faithful and his pardon song. There's a new song in my heart, that the Savior set me free.
There's a new song in my heart, live a heavenly harmony. All my sins are washed away in the blood of Calvary. Oh, what peace and joy, nothing can destroy. There's a good time, My heart flows with gratitude, my cupronetore, the joy so transporting I ne'er knew before.
It flows through my soul from God's heavenly store. for I have been born again. I'll sing it, I'll tell it, wherever I go. I want all to hear it, I want all to know. The joy of salvation that makes me heart low, for I have been born again.
I know I'm redeemed. I've the witness within, that Jesus has saved me and cleansed me from sin. And now I'm rejoicing and living in him, for I have been warned again. I'll sing it and tell it, wherever I go, I want all to hear it, I want all to know.
The joy of salvation that makes this heart blue. For I have to be born. The trusting heart should Jesus cling, Nor any ill or bold, But at the cross of Calvary sing, Praise God for lift and load.
Singing I go along life's road, Praising the Lord, praising the Lord. Singing I go along my school, For Jesus has lifted my load. The passing days bring many cares. Fear not, I hear him say, That when my fears are turned to prayers, The burden slip away. Singing I go along life's road, Praising the Lord, praising the Lord, singing I go along life's road, For Jesus has lifted Don't mind, I'm going to
remove my glasses. A lady said at our table the other day, oh, you're not as old as you look from the platform with the glasses off, with the glasses off. So I'm taking my glasses off for this time. On behalf of my wife and I, I would like to say thanks so much for all your kindnesses and hospitality shown to us on our short stay this time. And in the will of the Lord, If he be not come or called us in, we look forward to being with you again sometime. The Lord bless each one of us. Now we learned a new course. It's an old course, but it's a new course.
Glory to God. He lifted me up. He lifted me up, I know. He reached down his hand and he lifted me up. That's why I love him so. Let's try together. Glory to God, He lifted me up. He lifted me up, I know. He reached down His hand and He lifted me up. That's why I love Him so. I love Him more and more. I love Him more and more. And when at last I reach the other shore, I love him more and more.
Thank you, Jesus, for all you've done. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus, for big response. Oh, thank you, Lord. for my love and tender care, for my word and answer prayer. Thank you, Jesus, for all you've done.
Thank you, Lord. We want to remind you that all these are leaving right after this service. Our musical part of the program continues tonight, and so please don't think you can take a vacation until tomorrow. Once again, I would like to say as a speaker how much, how encouraging it has been to see so many visitors come along and join us for the services over the Thanksgiving conference. I'm very indebted to Mr. Hurley-Dixon. Most of you know, but some of you don't, that he had a very serious injury just a month ago and cracked three ribs and found it painful even to breathe, let alone sing.
And so he has done wonderfully for us, though he cheated this morning and only took five minutes when he was supposed to take twelve. One thing I must say about Mr. Dixon, quite often he has been here with, what's the other fellow's name? Schwartz. Schwartz, that's right. And really Hurley behaves himself when Mr. Schwartz is not here, and we've had no problems with him. I'm sorry about that business, about you're not as old as you look. We have very diplomatic folk.
at the park and I'm sure that what she really meant was you're older than you look. We are going to sing some more of those old choruses. Somebody said to me, my some of those choruses, I haven't sung since I was knee high to a grasshopper. And so let's go back again and delve up some of those old choruses that we haven't sung since our Sunday school days. And you've never heard anything like this in your life. You're probably going to be very grateful.
Come leave your... I don't even remember the words. Let's go. My there, slow, you can tell they're getting old, can't you? You remember it? I was asking my wife to play through if she remembered it. She's looking at me very, very well. All right, fellas, you chose it. You know it. I hope it. Now we'll trull it out of the box we don't remember, but we'll get across the truth in the course. Come leave your house in Franklin Street and where this sunshine's square.
For that's the place where Jesus lives and all are happy there. Journey calls, yes, she calls, and let's be our own life. And we're going to see, oh, and me, to keep our U.S. beginning and H.A.C.Y. Louis. Isn't that a nice course? Don't go, don't go, don't, just leave. No other door, no other way, no other night, turn around from day.
No other keeper went tender to dread. No other friend like Jesus. Anybody else know that one? Oh, it's all right, I'm not going to haul you up, Mr. Rund. Mr. Rund, you can own up. How many of you know that one? You're going to have to sing it, but that back away you are. Mr. Mund, you put your hand up before. Oh, that's for another chorus. All right, we'll sing that in a moment. Come on now, try it.
No other door. No other door, no other way, no other sky, through the realms of day, no other keeper when tempted to, and that would betray, no other friend like Jesus. Well, that one I'm not ready because I don't know it. Oh, we all know that one.
Get ready. I hope you have a book that's not quite as big as mine, but you have it ready. My Sunday school, I can see all the boys and girls with their Bibles up there. They used to bring their Bibles to Sunday school, just especially to sing this chorus. The VIPLE. Yes, that's the book for me. I stand to know the word of God. The VIPLE. That deserves an encore. Thank you.
Let's turn to the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel. And let me remind the choir again that we would like to have you in your places and the Sprint three or four pews so that you'll be ready to be dropped on. And I would like to meet with a men's group at some point today. I was going to suggest maybe after this service but everybody rushes down for dinner and Men, how about our meeting before the evening service?
Those of you who usually come at six o'clock for the six-thirty service, please come at six-twenty. All right, men, how about quarter to six tonight? Can you manage that? Of course they can. The men at Park of the Ponds can do anything. Ezekiel chapter thirty-four. Please find it and put your finger in it. And then turn back to Ezekiel chapter fifteen. Ezekiel fifteen. And having found Ezekiel chapter fifteen, forget it.
Because it's... I think what we'll do is just read from this thirty-fourth chapter chapter thirty-four beginning to read at verse eleven I wonder if this portion brings to mind any other scripture we'll see for thus saith the Lord God And Ezekiel the prophet is speaking, Behold I, even I, will both search out my sheep and seek them out.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out my sheep. and I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloud the cloudy and dark day and I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the inhabited places of the country I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be.
There shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick. But I will destroy the fat and the strong, and I will feed them with judgment. But as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I judge between the cattle and the cattle, between the rams, and the he-goats and now go back to the chapter before and look at verse thirty two and lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song as one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an
instrument Now put together a pleasant voice and a skillfully played instrument and a very lovely song and you have music. But when people listen, some concentrate on the instrument. Some are charmed by the voice, but some are challenged by the song. This prophet Ezekiel called no less than ninety-two times and maybe there were some that I missed by the God of heaven was chosen to bring a prophecy to the children of Israel and God says of them that to them he was, this is the prophet, as a very lovely song played skillfully on an instrument by a very pleasant voice.
We heard about the song of God last night, which was a sad one. Now this song, if indeed it was what the people called it, is a very strange song because the prophecy of Ezekiel is largely a prophecy of judgment there are just four simple things I want to say about it this morning I want to talk about the origin of it I want to talk about the range of it I want to talk about the appeals of it and finally about the effects of it.
Now it's origin. God takes this man, Ezekiel, and after telling him to stand, he says, Hear what I say. Now it's very wise for a man to listen to what God has to say. And it's imperative that he listen to what God has to say if he is going to have any message to give to the people. I fear that many of the pulpits in our land today are occupied by men who talk to the people, but they have never heard the voice of God themselves.
Here says God what I say. And then says, He caused Jerusalem to know the message. And he uses a number of words here. He says, Say. And he says, Speak. And says, God prophesies. He also says, Write. And Whale. And take up a lamentation. And then he says, Mark well. and behold and finally God says to him don't become like one of them there is a danger that sometimes we carry a message to others that no longer has any power in our own lives this is the message that came from God Hear what I say.
That's an echo from Psalm forty. He brought me up also out of an horrible pitch from the myrish place at my feet upon a rock and established my goings, and he have put a new song into my mouth. And into the mouth of Ezekiel, God put a special message. Now let's see if we can very quickly examine the range of that message and that prophecy. If you were to go through these chapters of Ezekiel, you'd find that it is mainly made up of four different kinds of things.
It is made up of visions, and there are many very remarkable though hard to understand visions. But it is also made up in part of acts of symbolism. The Prophet was told to lie on one side and then he was told to lie on the other side. They were very significant acts of symbolism. He was told to put a razor to his head and then to take his hair and divide it into three parts. And then God made pronouncements upon the three parts.
A very significant act of symbolism. And throughout the book you will find one after the other of these acts. So it was made up in part of visions, in part of acts of symbolism, and in part of allegories or parables. And again there are numerous parables in the prophecy of Ezekiel. And lastly it is made up in part of lamentations. When the prophet cries out, woe here and woe there and woe over here.
And God says, take up a lamentation upon this. Take up a lamentation upon that. you can see that if indeed this is a song as the people seem to think it was a very strange one. God's was a sad song. Ezekiel's coming from God was a very strange song if indeed it was a song. Now continuing to think about the range of it, And seeing that it is made up in large part of these four things, it's all so interesting to notice that the prophecy runs the gamut of all the sentiments.
You'll find at one moment it is thundering, and God is saying, Therefore will I deal in fury. Another time it is pleading. And God is saying, Oh, why will ye die, ye house of Israel? Sometimes it is explaining. God says, See what they do. See the abomination that they perform. You're going to see worse than this. Sometimes God is denouncing. They are a rebellious people.
They are stiff-necked. They are hard-hearted. Always it is receiving from God, for God says, I will give thee, and it is relaying to the people, say unto them. It has a very wide range. But it is the appeals of this message, this prophecy, this song that I want to dwell on for a little while. There are appeals in the prophecy of Ezekiel made to the emotions.
That is so when the words are tender, like the ones that I read to you about the shepherd going out to seek the lust. about the shepherd binding up that which is sick, about the shepherd comforting that which is broken. So very, very tender. Some of the tenderest language that you can find in the scripture you'll find in the prophecy of Ezekiel. It has its appeal to the emotions when it grows very passionate.
And God sometimes seems to rise up as he passes on the message to Ezekiel to deliver to the people. I've already mentioned that word about my fury. Oh, God is so passionate. God's heart is in the message so that he can shake this people up so that he can bring them to an end of their backsliding so that like his flock he can regather them out of the countries into which he himself has driven them it's also an appeal to the emotions when he makes his promises and he makes a number of them here in this prophecy he says I'm going to bring them into the land that I've given to them."
And that after scattering them, he says, I will be their God and they shall be my people. Promises, all in spite of all the judgments woven in among them are these wondrous promises that God gives to Israel. and that the prophet echoes and re-echoes appeals to the emotions. There are also appeals to the conscience. When the words are thundering, God is saying, get your conscience stirred up. When the words are condemning, God is saying, let your conscience make you ashamed.
When the words are pleading, God is saying, doesn't your conscience do anything for you? He says, I will bring you to Babylon. That was the place of captivity. But he says, there I will plead with you. He says, I will bring you into the wilderness. But he says, there also I will plead with you. Appealing to their conscience. And then there are appeals to their intellect. He very clearly lays out for them the history of their past sins. Without pulling any punches at all, God shows to them their present failures.
He points out their immorality and He points out their idolatry. He points out their apostasy and He points out their indifference. and he does it very clearly and then there are reminders of the future price that they will pay if they go on sinning let me pause here because it is very necessary for us to realize that while God has given to every man a conscience it is only God who through that conscience can bring home to the heart of a man his need, can bring to him a sense of shame over his sin, can cause him to turn his back upon the things that have dishonored and grieved God and been an eternal threat to the sinner.
It's not the conscience that does it. It's the Spirit of God working with the conscience working upon the conscience, using the conscience. I don't know whether there's anybody here who is not yet saved. But I dare to believe that if there is, your conscience has been at work from time to time. God the Spirit has sought by means of that vehicle of conscience to trouble you, to disturb you. We heard a man on his feet a couple of days ago giving a testimony and he said he went through a time of deep conviction of sin.
God by the Spirit had gotten through to that man's conscience and gave him an awful time. But you know when a man is driven through the horrors of a conscience that he's convicting him when he emerges and his sins are forgiven and everything on the slate is cleared that man thanks God for that torment here were the appeals to their conscience and intellect God said to Israel the price they were going to pay for their sin and there's an old scripture we know it so well Be sure your sin will find you out.
And it does not say be sure your sin will be found out. It says be sure your sin will find you out. No matter where you flee to get away from it, it will track you down and it will catch up with you. That's what God is saying there. He says your sin is going to cause you to be scattered. your sin is going to cause you to become a defeated nation and your sin is going to cause you to be a sense of shame to me that should be a challenge to those of us who are believers to realize that though we know the Lord Jesus and though in our hearts we love the Lord Jesus, if we persist in any kind of sin in our lives, in the final analysis the shame falls upon him.
So there are appeals to the emotions, there are appeals to the conscience, there are appeals to the intellect, But praise God there are appeals to the heart. And that's where God gets to the core of the matter. In this book that is so large with judgment. In this book that employs so often the language of denunciation. In this book which tells of the horrors of a future in captivity. There is The story of God's love and God's long-suffering.
And what is more, there is the story of God's final plans. This is the prophecy in which you read the story about the valley of dry bones. And God says to them, in the end, in the end, no matter how far you stray, no matter how far you're going to be scattered, in the end, I'm going to reach you. and in the end I'm going to bring you back and those dry bones will live again appeals to their hearts the last thing after the origin of the song and the range of the song and the appeals of the song comes the effect of the song let me end the verse that I read to you and lo thou art unto them a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument but they hear thy words but they do them not do you know in the
Hebrew what is actually said in the early part of this verse is this and lo, thou only art, or thou art only, unto them as a very lovely song. So that in spite of the message, with all of its story of God's love, and pleading from God's hearts, of explaining the consequences of sin, and of declaring these dreadful judgments these people said he plays well he has a very pleasant voice and that's a very lovely song and they hadn't heard a note of it how many times do people think that a message that's given is for somebody else?
How many times do people say to themselves, I hope so and so is listening? When all the time God is saying, I'm talking to you about sin, and I'm talking to you about backsliding, and I'm talking to you about loving me. I'm talking to you about living for me. And we say, I hope she's listening. I hope he hears that. Thou life of my life, blessed is Jesus, Thou death of the death that was mine.
For me was thy cross and thy language. Thy love and thy sorrow divine. Thou suffer's the cross and the torment, That I might forever go free. A thousand, a thousand thanksgiving. I bring blessed Savior to thee.
O Lord, from my heart I do thank thee, for all thou hast borne in my room. Thine dying and anguish and solace, Alone in the darkness of doom, That I in the glory of heaven, Forever and ever might be.
A thousand, a thousand, Thanksgiving. I bring blessed Savior. In nineteen forty, on more occasions than one, when I would find myself on the south coast of England, I've looked into the sky during the Battle of Britain and washed the contrails of planes as they fought, way, way, thousands of feet above my head.
It was at the time like that when pilots were touching down and taking off and touching down and taking off and mechanics were working twenty-four hours a day to keep those planes in the air. But Mr. Churchill said, never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. I'd often wondered whether any of those few came to the place of need, where they came to the nation that adored them, the help they needed, and didn't find it.
I've often wondered, because I don't know. A thousand, a thousand thanksgivings, I bring blessed Saviour to thee. But you don't do that by word only. And you don't do it by word mostly. You do it by living. Have you really thanked the Lord Jesus by giving your life to him and by living your life for him? That's the question of the morning.
Let's pray, shall we? Our Father, our hearts are all as open books before thee, so much about each other that we do not know, for there is nothing about us, Lord, that is not known to thee. Oh, we pray so very earnestly that we shall be so obviously grateful for all that thou hast done for us, that our lives shall be lived totally and only for thee. Forbid that we should hear the song and not obey its sentiments.