Homilist Ezekiel 33:30-33 Also, you son of man, the children of your people still are talking against you by the walls and in the doors of the houses… 1. Some people have true prophets. What is it that constitutes a true prophet? Is it superiority of native power? This we hold to be a necessary element. A man must have more brain and heart force than I before he can become my prophet. The man in the pulpit, whose mind is constitutionally inferior to his congregation, is not their true prophet. But although this is necessary, it is not all. There must be, in connection with this, a reigning sympathy with God's truth, character, and will. This is the inspiration of the true prophet. 2. Some true prophets have false people. People in all ages have wrongly treated the true prophets. Jewish history abounds with examples; and even now, I think, we shall find men treating God's ministers as Ezekiel was treated by his hearers. I. THEY CONVERSED MUCH CONCERNING THEIR PROPHET. 1. This practice is very common now. To church-going people the minister is one of their most constant themes of conversation. (1) In some cases this habit implies ignorance. (2) In some cases it implies depreciation — to find fault with his reasoning, or impugn his motives. By doing so they blunt the edge of his appeal to their conscience. (3) In some cases it implies pride. Their minister, perhaps, has won some sort of fame. (4) In some cases it implies superstition. The minister's virtues and talents are exaggerated. There is no one like him. He has "bewitched" them. 2. This practice is frequently very injurious. It tends to neutralise the power of the ministry. A minister of God is not an individual who is to appear before people merely to be looked at, admired, and talked about; or who is to utter opinions which are to be submitted to criticism, or become points of social converse and debate. But he is an ambassador from God; "in Christ's stead" he is to beseech men to be reconciled to their Maker. II. THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THE MINISTRY OF THEIR PROPHET They invited each other to his ministrations. "Come, I pray you," etc. Strangers, observing them pressing their way to the scenes of devotion, or sitting with solemn face and rapt attention in the assembly, or hearing them speak so lovingly and admiringly of the servant of God, might infer that they were saints of the first type. A deep interest in the ministry of a true and talented prophet is no proof of piety. There are many things in such a ministry to interest a man. It meets many of the native cravings of the soul. It meets the desire for excitement. It meets the desire for knowledge. A desire for information and intellectual exercise is common to us all. It meets the desire for happiness. "Who will show us any good?" This is the most vehement cry of humanity, and it is the cry of an impulse that keeps the world in action. The ministry of Divine truth meets it. Its every aim is to reveal "the way of life." III. THEY WERE SPIRITUALLY UNREFORMED BY THE MINISTRY OF THEIR PROPHET. 1. Divine truth is preached, that it may be practised. Unless ideas lead to actions, they have no influence upon character; and unless our character is changed we can never reach happiness, nor obtain the approbation of God. 2. It will never be practised, if the heart go after covetousness. IV. THEY WERE DESTINED TO DISCOVER, WHEN TOO LATE, THEIR TERRIBLE MISTAKE IN RELATION TO THE MINISTRY OF THEIR PROPHET. All attendants on a true ministry will one day feel this — feel that a true prophet had been amongst them. This will be felt by all, in one of three ways — 1. in the reproaches of a guilty conscience. 2. In the felicities of experimental religion. 3. In the mysterious horrors of retribution.All true prophets will one day be valued; their words will burn in the experience of every soul to whom they have spoken. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. |
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