Listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your people in exile

Exekial 2:9-3:15

Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.”

And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.”

And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days—deeply distressed.

Why?

 Listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you, Go and speak to them. To serve the Lord, and preach the word of the Lord, the first step is to take to heart all the words God told to us.

No matter what circumstance we meet, we should say to our people the word of the Lord for the Holy Spirit can give us strength. Say to them is my obligation, and the consequence is in the hands of the Lord.

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讓以西結服事前預備三件事。1)認識神的知識，話語。開口吃書卷。把神的話語吃進去，消化、成為力量，轉為生命。

耶和華為以色列人的罪嘆息、哀痛，運神的心情也消化進去。 生命就是見證，以實際行動來表現。神的話語讓人心靈得到滿足，舒爽

2)心智的預備： 去的地方是文化、環境熟悉的地方，對象是本國的百姓，溝通沒有問題。額政硬過他們，心智堅定，可以好好講完，臉硬過他們，臉皮比他們厚、堅強表示以西結堅定的可以傳誦，即使台下人不聽或是拒絕，仍然繼續講。

3)心情上的預備： 心情上與神一樣，聽到這些聲音，讓他定睛在神的榮耀，心被激動。心與神契合，可以完全同理神的心。出於愛這群他要去傳講的人。不是單純的工作、而是服侍主的心。代表神在做這件事。如抹大拉的馬利亞為耶穌打破香膏，這事體貼到耶穌的心。

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How?

Do not be a heart-hardened man before the Lord, carefully listen to God's word and understand the real meaning to me.