Can’t bear to hear…

Posted on by Pam Larson

I am struck with the similarity between the passage we read from Ezekiel today (Chapter 2) and this passage in John.  Here in John, Jesus is speaking with some folks who were trying to kill him.  He asks, “Why do you not understand what I say?  It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.” John 7:43 Jesus goes on to tell them that the reason they do not hear is that they are not of God. This was quite an insult to the religious folks who thought they knew everything about  being right with God.

Ezekiel was also sent to a people who were rebellious against God and God told him to keep speaking, regardless of whether they appeared to be listening.  (Ezekiel 2)

Is there an implication for missions?  Being a missionary is not easy.  They people may not listen or may even be hostile to the message of the Good News.  They are rebelling against God.  They are not of God.  But our call is to keep speaking the words of truth, the words of Jesus, the Good News, the Gospel.  Truly there is no other way.  Romans 10 puts it this way:

14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him(T) of whom they have never heard?[c] And how are they to hear(U) without someone preaching? 15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written,(V) “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16But(W) they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says,(X) “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17So(Y) faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

18But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for

(Z) “Their voice has gone out(AA) to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”

19But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

(AB) “I will(AC) make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a(AD) foolish nation I will make you angry.”

20Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

(AE) “I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

21But of Israel he says,(AF) “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”