TAUGHT THAT WE MAY TEACH – Charles Spurgeon
TAUGHT THAT WE MAY TEACH
“And the Man said to me, Son of man, behold with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you; for to the intent that I might show them unto you are you brought here: declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” – Ezekiel 40:4
Introduction: The Role of the Prophet and the Servant
We learn from this text something concerning Ezekiel himself. He was certainly one of the greatest of the Prophets. His visions remind us of those of John, both for their brightness, splendor, and number—and yet this eminent Prophet was, nevertheless, styled “son of man.” He is continually called by that name. The title is used over and over again throughout the book of his prophecies—“son of man” to remind him that even the Seer, the Prophet, the Inspired, the man who was indulged with vision upon vision—was still only a man. The best of men are men at the best! Those eyes that are strengthened to behold the cherubim and to gaze upon the stupendous wheels of Providence are still only the eyes of a son of man! The title was used to teach him humility and also to remind him of the condescension of God towards him and to fill him with awe and wonder that he should be chosen from the rest of mankind, though no more than they, to see such wondrous sights withheld from other eyes.
To us, this wears a very promising aspect, for if God can reveal Himself to one “son of man,” why not to another? And if God can speak, as He did speak, so wonderfully through Ezekiel, one son of man, why not through you? Why not through me? For we, too, are sons of men! We have no worthiness or fitness, and neither does Ezekiel claim any. He is reminded of his descent—he is still one of the sons of men.
Oh, be of good comfort, you who think that God can never use you—you who are poor in spirit and wish to serve Him—but deeply feel your own insignificance! Remember that God is able to do for you exceedingly abundantly above what you ask or even think! He can yet reveal His Son in you and Himself to you and by you, after such methods as you have never dreamed of! And, possibly, the painful experience through which you are passing, even now, may be preparing you to stand upon yet loftier mounts and to behold visions of God which, in happier days, you shall tell to the house of Israel and by which multitudes shall be blessed through you!
I. The Manifestations with Which Certain of God’s Servants Are Favored
The Lord Jesus Christ draws near in a very special manner to some of His people. He did to Ezekiel, for I take it that the Man mentioned in the chapter, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, is none other than our Divine Lord, who, though a Man, yet exceeds all men in the brightness of His wondrous Person. It was He, doubtless, who appeared to Ezekiel. Long before Christ came on earth to die, He appeared to His servants in different ways. He sojourned with Abraham as a Wayfarer, for such He found the Patriarch to be. He wrestled with Jacob at the brook Jabbok, for Jacob was wrestling with a sore trial. It was He that revealed Himself to Moses when the bush was burning, and it was He that stood by Joshua’s side as the Man having a drawn sword in His hand. In different ways and forms, He proved that His delights were with the sons of men. Before the Word appeared in actual flesh and blood, He communed here and there with His chosen servants.
He will show Himself to any of you who seek Him. He will unveil the beauties of His face to every eye that is ready to behold them. There is never a heart that loves Him but He will manifest His love to that heart. But, at the same time, He does favor some of His servants who live near to Him and who are called by Him to special service, with very remarkable manifestations of His Light and Glory.
These revelations are not incessant. I suppose that no man is always alike. John was in Patmos, I know not how long, but he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” on one occasion and he specially notes it. I do not suppose that Daniel or Ezekiel saw visions every night or beheld the glories of God every day. Humanity is scarcely capable of the incessant strain of a perpetual manifestation of God! These things are, as we shall see, “like angels’ visits, few and far between.” There is a fellowship that can always be kept up, but the flood tide of manifestation—a noonday revelation—will not last continually.
Ezekiel enjoyed a special manifestation and he tells us when it was, for men do not see God’s face without remembering it. He knew the date and recorded it. “In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten.” Days of heavenly fellowship are red-letter days to be remembered so long as memory holds her seat.
Yes, and it is noteworthy that the occasion of these manifestations was one of great distress. Five-and-twenty years of captivity must have been enough to wear down the spirits of God’s servants. Hence, He whose feet are as fine brass as if they burned in a furnace, comes and manifests Himself to His people, burning like brass in a furnace, giving them their times of comfort after 25 years of captivity!
He says, too, that it was 14 years after the city had been smitten, after it had been laid as a ruinous heap. Then God appeared. Oh, Beloved, when you have been long sorrowing, you may expect bright days! The coal-black darkness will brighten, after all! Nights do not last forever. Whenever you have much joy, be cautious—there is a sorrow on the road. But when you have much sadness, be hopeful—there is a joy on the way to you—you can be sure of that.
II. The Responsibility of These Chosen Servants
The second point we come to is the responsibility of these chosen men while they are thus favored. “The Man said to me, Son of man, behold with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you.” Did He not mean this—“Use all your senses, all your faculties, all your wits to understand Divine Truth”? When the Spirit of God favors you with Light, mind that you see and, when there is a sound of Grace, mind that you hear. Be not one of those forgetful hearers who behold their likenesses in a glass and then go their way and forget what manner of men they are.
Oh, how much more we would understand of God’s Word if we gave our mind to it! We tell our children to learn their lessons “by heart.” If we put the full meaning into that expression, that is the way to learn the things of God! Learn them all over—take them into yourself by every faculty you possess! Strive, as God shall help you by His Spirit, to get at their innermost meaning by every power that is given you.
First, He says, “See with your eyes.” What are the eyes for but to see with? He means this—look, pry, search with your eyes. Do not let the Truth of God flit before you and then say, “Yes, I have seen it.” No! Stop it! Hold it by meditation before the mind’s eyes and see with your eyes. Look, look, look into it! Remember what is said of the angels—“Which things the angels desire to look into”—not, “to look at,” but, “to look into.” Looking to Christ will save you, but it is looking into Christ that gives joy, peace, holiness, Heaven! Look into the Gospel—let your eyes be intent and steadfastly fixed upon every Truth of God—especially at choice times when God favors you with the noontide Light of His face! Then be doubly intent upon His Word.
And then He puts it, “Hear with your ears.” Well, a man cannot use his ears for anything else, can he? Yes, but hear with your ears. Listen with all your might! You are to spy out the meaning with the mind’s eyes but, besides that, try to catch the very tone in which the promise or precept has been uttered. Treasure up the exact words, for though cavilers call it folly to speak of verbal Inspiration, I believe that we must have verbal Inspiration or no Inspiration.
If any man shall say to you, “The sense of what your father said is true, never mind his words—you would reply, “Yes, but I would like to know precisely what he said, word for word.” I know that it is so in legal documents. It is not merely the sense that you look to, but every word must be correct. God’s Word, as it came from Him, came in such perfection that even to the syllables in which the sense was clothed, there was Infallibility about it. When I get God’s Word I would desire to hear it with my ears as well as see it with my eyes—to see its sense and then to love the expressions in which that sense is conveyed to me! He cares little for the sense of the words who is not jealous over the words which convey the sense!
Oh, Brothers and Sisters, whenever God does, by His Word, open His heart to you, do not lose anything! Do not lose a sound—a syllable! The Lord demands something more. “Set your heart upon all that I shall show you.” Oh, but that is the way to learn from God—by loving all that He says—feeling that whatever God says, it is the thing you need to know. It is well “when your whole heart comes to know” the Truth of God and, when it knows it, encompasses it about with warm affections so that it may be like a fly in amber, the Word in the midst of your heart—encased there, enshrined there—never to be taken away from you! Set your whole heart on the Word of God! Some people like to read so many chapters every day. I would not dissuade them from the practice, but I would rather lay my soul soaking in half a dozen verses all day than I would, as it were, rinse my hands in several chapters.
Oh, to bathe in a text of Scripture and to let it be sucked up into your very soul till it saturates your heart! The man who has read many books is not always a learned man, but he is a strong man who has read three or four books over and over till he has mastered them. He knows something! He has a grasp of thoughts and expressions and these will build up his life. Set your heart upon God’s Word! It is the only way to know it thoroughly—let your whole nature be plunged into it as cloth into dye.
III. The Objective of God’s Manifestations: Declaring His Truth
Now, thirdly, what is the practical design of all this? What is God’s reason for manifesting Himself to His servants? The objective is this—“Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” First, see it yourself, hear it yourself, give your heart to it yourself and then declare it to the house of Israel.
I have lately heard of a minister who said in the pulpit, “The doctrine of Atonement—I have heard a great deal about it, but I do not understand it.” He is going to take a holiday that he may solve some of his doubts. If he does not solve his doubts soon, I would recommend he extend that holiday for the term of his natural life! He who does not understand the doctrine of the Atonement should read “The Shorter Catechism” and pray God to enlighten him.
That is a book written for the young and ignorant—and it might be useful to many ministers. God grant us grace that we may know what we do know and not attempt to declare to others anything but that which we have seen and heard and taken into our own hearts. But that being done, we are to tell the Truth of God to others, especially to those whom it concerns.
Ezekiel had seen the form and vision of a temple and a city—he was to speak of this to the house of Israel. Dear Brothers and Sisters, you cannot tell who it may be to whom you are to speak, but this may be your guide—speak about what you have seen and heard to those whom it concerns.
Have you been in gloom of mind and have you been comforted? The first time you meet with a person in that condition, speak about the comfort. Have you felt a great struggle of soul and have you found rest? Speak of your conflict to a neighbor who is passing through the same struggle. Has God delivered you in the hour of sorrow? Tell that to the next sorrowing person you meet. There is such a thing as casting pearls before swine—that can easily be done by an imprudent talkativeness—but when you find people who are hungry, give them bread! When you find people that are thirsty, offer them water. When you find that they need a blessing from God, tell them of that which has been precious to your own soul.
Yes, but still this is not your only duty. God has shown us His precious Word that we may tell it to the house of Israel. Now, the house of Israel were a stiff-necked people and when Ezekiel went to them, they cast him aside—they would not listen. Yet he was to go and teach the Word of God to them. We must not say, “I will not speak of Christ to such a one because he would reject it.” Do it as a testimony against him, even if you know he will reject it. Go, my Brother, and sow your Seed and remember that in the parable the sower did not only cast a handful on that fair spot of ground that was all ready for it, but he sowed among thorns and thistles—he even cast seeds on the highway—from which the birds of the air soon removed it.
“Give a portion to seven and also to eight.” “In the morning sow your seed and in the evening withhold not your hand, for you know not which shall prosper, this or that, or whether it shall be alike good.” Go and tell what God tells you. Remember what we read just now. “What I shall show you in secret, that reveal you in the light. What I have spoken to you in closets, that reveal you upon the housetops.”
“Are we all to be preachers, then?” Yes, all that have been taught of God are to teach. “Are we all to stand up in public?” asks one. I did not say that, but somewhere or other—perhaps in the pew where you now sit, or on the steps as you go out, or by the roadside, or in the shop tomorrow morning—you can all put in a word edgeways for Jesus Christ. Drop a sentence or two for the honor of His name!
“I do not know what to say,” says someone. Do not say it, then, Brother, Sister. I would recommend you not say anything if you do not know what to say. But if you have seen with your eyes and heard with your ears and received into your heart—then you know what to say! And the first thing that comes to hand will be the best thing to say, for God, who knows the condition of people’s minds, knows how to fit you to their condition and make your experience as a Christian to tally with the experience of the man or woman who needs the aid of your light.
Go, and the Lord be with you! If there are any here who have never seen the Lord, if they have any desire after Him, if they have any sense of sin, if they have any wish for the eternal Light, let them remember those gracious words—“Him that comes unto Me I will in no wise cast out,” and that precious invitation, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
May the Holy Spirit bring you to trust in Jesus at once and to the name of the Lord be the praise forever and ever. Amen. Amen.