Ezekiel 3:22-27: a reflection

22The LORD’s hand was there on me; and he said to me, “Arise, go out into the plain, and I will talk with you there.” 23Then I arose, and went out into the plain, and behold, the LORD’s glory stood there, like the glory which I saw by the river Chebar. Then I fell on my face. 24Then the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet. He spoke with me, and said to me, “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25But you, son of man, behold, they will put ropes on you, and will bind you with them, and you will not go out among them. 26I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and will not be able to correct them, for they are a rebellious house. 27But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.”

God tells Ezekiel that he will be able to speak only when God gives him a word to say, a picture of speaking God's word rather than our own, opening our mouth to say what he gives. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, God says to Ezekiel, so that you will be mute; but when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, this is what the Lord GOD says. Ezekiel was not to speak of his own initiative, on his own word; he was to be silent except when God gave him a word, opening his mouth to speak only what God said. His speaking was to be God's word, not his own; he was to say what God gave, and otherwise hold his tongue. This shows the call to speak God's word rather than our own, saying what he gives. Speak only what God gives you to say; let your words be his word. Open your mouth to say what God gives, not merely your own word. There is wisdom in holding your tongue except to speak what is true and given. Let your speaking be God's word, not your own initiative.

Notice what God required of Ezekiel's speech. Ezekiel was not to speak freely of his own initiative, saying whatever he might; his tongue would stick to the roof of his mouth, and he would be mute, except when God gave him a word. When God spoke, God would open his mouth, and Ezekiel would speak, but only to say, this is what the Lord GOD says. His speaking was to be God's word, given to him, not his own thoughts or initiative; and otherwise he was to be silent. This holds wisdom, in a measure, for our own speech. We are not prophets like Ezekiel, but there is a pattern here worth pondering: that our words are to be God's word rather than merely our own; that there is wisdom in holding our tongue rather than speaking freely of our own initiative whatever comes to us, and in opening our mouth to say what is true, given, and worth saying. Much of our trouble comes from speaking too freely, on our own initiative, saying what we should not; there is wisdom in speaking less on our own and more of what God would have us say, letting our words be shaped by his word rather than merely by our own impulse. We do well to hold our tongue except to speak what is true and given, letting our speaking be shaped by God's word rather than our own initiative. Speak what is true and given, rather than freely on your own initiative. Let your words be shaped by God's word, not merely your own impulse. There is wisdom in holding your tongue rather than saying whatever comes. Open your mouth to say what is true and worth saying.

That is worth taking to heart, for our words are to be God's word rather than merely our own, and there is wisdom in speaking what is true and given rather than freely on our own initiative, as Ezekiel was to speak only what God gave. We can speak too freely, saying whatever comes to us on our own initiative; but Ezekiel was to be silent except to say what God gave him. Speak what is given. Do not speak freely of your own initiative whatever comes; hold your tongue except to say what is true and given, letting your words be shaped by God's word. Let your speaking be shaped by God's word rather than merely your own initiative, holding your tongue except to say what is true and given, as God told Ezekiel that he would be able to speak only when God gave him a word, a picture of speaking God's word rather than our own, saying his tongue would stick to the roof of his mouth so that he would be mute but that when God spoke with him he would open his mouth and he would tell them what the Lord GOD says; for Ezekiel was not to speak of his own initiative on his own word but to be silent except when God gave him a word, opening his mouth to speak only what God said, his speaking to be God's word and not his own, which holds wisdom in a measure for our own speech, since though we are not prophets like Ezekiel there is a pattern here worth pondering, that our words are to be God's word rather than merely our own and that there is wisdom in holding our tongue rather than speaking freely of our own initiative whatever comes to us and in opening our mouth to say what is true, given, and worth saying, since much of our trouble comes from speaking too freely on our own initiative and saying what we should not, so that there is wisdom in speaking less on our own and more of what God would have us say, letting our words be shaped by his word rather than merely our own impulse, and we do well to hold our tongue except to speak what is true and given.

Lord, you tell Ezekiel that he will be able to speak only when you give him a word to say, a picture of speaking your word rather than our own, opening our mouth to say what you give. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, you say to Ezekiel, so that you will be mute; but when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, this is what the Lord GOD says. Ezekiel was not to speak of his own initiative, on his own word; he was to be silent except when you gave him a word, opening his mouth to speak only what you said. His speaking was to be your word, not his own; he was to say what you gave, and otherwise hold his tongue. Show me what you required of Ezekiel's speech. He was not to speak freely of his own initiative, saying whatever he might; he would be mute, except when you gave him a word. When you spoke, you would open his mouth, and he would speak, but only to say, this is what the Lord GOD says. His speaking was to be your word, given to him, not his own thoughts; and otherwise he was to be silent. This holds wisdom, in a measure, for my own speech. I am not a prophet like Ezekiel, but there is a pattern here worth pondering: that my words are to be your word rather than merely my own; that there is wisdom in holding my tongue rather than speaking freely of my own initiative whatever comes to me, and in opening my mouth to say what is true, given, and worth saying. Much of my trouble comes from speaking too freely, on my own initiative, saying what I should not. Take that to my heart. Keep me from speaking freely of my own initiative whatever comes; help me hold my tongue, Lord, except to say what is true and given, letting my words be shaped by your word rather than merely my own impulse, and opening my mouth to say what is true and worth saying.