Eze 33:32 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD lets Ezekiel know that the exiles, his fellow citizens, are talking about him a lot ( ): ‘Ezekiel has been absolutely right, then, in his predictions of the downfall of Jerusalem. Then he is the man we should be with to hear the word of the LORD.’ Ezekiel is suddenly popular. The LORD warns him not to be mistaken about the crowds coming to him ( ). They do come to him in large numbers and flatter him greatly, but their heart goes after their gain. The call to turn is not taken seriously by them; what matters is that something benefits them (cf. ). It is a great trap for a servant of God when people like to come to him because he can speak so beautifully about the Lord. So they come to Ezekiel ( ). He can say it so beautifully. But the content of the prophet’s words does nothing at all with them. They are not open to it. They hear his words, but to their meaning they are deaf. They are hearers, but not doers of the word ( ; ). It is a matter of great sorrow for every true servant of the Lord when people love to listen to him, but that his words have no effect in the hearts and lives of the listeners. The response should not be: ‘What knowledge this man has’, but: ‘The Lord has spoken clearly to me. Now I know what to do.’ The spoken word of the LORD will not return empty ( ; cf. ; ). Though at the time there is no humble bowing to what He has spoken through His servant, the time is coming when all that has been spoken in His Name will be acknowledged. Then all who have heard it will have to acknowledge that there has been a prophet in their midst.

‏ Ezekiel 33:32

Hearing, but Not Doing

The LORD lets Ezekiel know that the exiles, his fellow citizens, are talking about him a lot (Eze 33:30): ‘Ezekiel has been absolutely right, then, in his predictions of the downfall of Jerusalem. Then he is the man we should be with to hear the word of the LORD.’ Ezekiel is suddenly popular. The LORD warns him not to be mistaken about the crowds coming to him (Eze 33:31). They do come to him in large numbers and flatter him greatly, but their heart goes after their gain. The call to turn is not taken seriously by them; what matters is that something benefits them (cf. Eze 22:13 ; 27).

It is a great trap for a servant of God when people like to come to him because he can speak so beautifully about the Lord. So they come to Ezekiel (Eze 33:32). He can say it so beautifully. But the content of the prophet’s words does nothing at all with them. They are not open to it. They hear his words, but to their meaning they are deaf. They are hearers, but not doers of the word (Jam 1:22-25; Mt 7:24-27).

It is a matter of great sorrow for every true servant of the Lord when people love to listen to him, but that his words have no effect in the hearts and lives of the listeners. The response should not be: ‘What knowledge this man has’, but: ‘The Lord has spoken clearly to me. Now I know what to do.’

The spoken word of the LORD will not return empty (Eze 33:33; cf. Isa 55:11; Heb 6:7-8). Though at the time there is no humble bowing to what He has spoken through His servant, the time is coming when all that has been spoken in His Name will be acknowledged. Then all who have heard it will have to acknowledge that there has been a prophet in their midst.