We can be healed. (Ezekiel 1-3; 33-34; 36-37; 47)

2:4-5

It is hard to want to do something that we know will be futile. I don't like building something that doesn't work. I don't like working when I won't get any compensation for my effort. I certainly don't like attempting to convince someone of something when I know they aren't listening. I've often stopped mid-sentence when I think someone's mind is wandering.

For both Jeremiah and Ezekiel, they knew that the people weren't going to receive their teaching. The Lord said, "For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them."

The Lord was telling Ezekiel that the people may not listen. Whether they did or not, Christ wanted them to know that a prophet was among them. God wants us to have a choice. We can't choose when there is only a good option. We also can't choose when there is only a bad option. In Israel at this time, there were mainly bad choices. I think God wanted the truth among the Israelites so they had the opportunity to choose. It was a part of their agency and their accountability. Still, I'm sure it was hard for Ezekiel to realize his role.

2:6-8

"And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house." It sounds like the main tool of the people against Ezekiel was their words. They must have been:

• Criticizing.

• Condemning.

• Mocking.

• Arguing.

It also sounds like they were looking with disdain or pity or anger at Ezekiel. The Lord encouraged him not to be "dismayed at their looks."

We also fear how we will be viewed if we open our mouths and share the gospel. We worry our friends may criticize us or look down at us if we speak about the Church or Jesus Christ.

We must not also be rebellious because those we speak to are rebellious. We should follow the will of God whether our actions won't be viewed favorably by the public. "And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee." We must say what the Holy Ghost prompts us to say. We cannot rebel and disregard promptings we receive.

Also, Ezekiel was promised "briars, thorns...and scorpions." It is his lot in life and all is in God's hands. We all should accept our current situation and make the best of it. Ezekiel could have been depressed that he was in captivity in Babylon. We all need to 'eat what we are given.'

3:17

Ezekiel was given an assignment. It is the same assignments that all prophets and seers have - to be a watchman. "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." Prophets are meant to see what's coming. They can see things as they are and can looks down the road and around corners. Their purpose is to warn us against our current stumbling blocks and future danger.

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3:18-19

We are not called to be watchmen for a nation or the Church. But, we are called to be watchmen for each other. It is our responsibility. "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." Clearly, we will be held accountable for not being a voice of warning to our neighbor when we see the danger coming.

33:12, 18-19

"Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth."

First, our past righteousness doesn't save us if we turn off of the covenant path. Our eternal salvation is about progression. It is fueled by humility and love. If we have been righteous and then change course, our humility and love are suspect. The trajectory of our progression has changed.

Second, our past wickedness evaporates as we turn towards the Savior. If we truly repent and are forgiven, we have charted a course towards eternal life. We are humble enough to admit that we were wrong. Our love and gratitude for the Savior and his atonement may actually grow faster because we know what it's like to be going in the wrong direction. Our progression trajectory is upward, ever upward.

He reinforces this idea in verses 18 and 19. "When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby."

33:13

"When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it." What does it mean to trust our own righteousness? I think this describes those who don't choose sin and then consider themselves sinners.

This is about committing sin but rationalizing it in a way that makes us feel that we are still righteous. We've twisted a point of doctrine to match our preferences. This could be a version of the Word of Wisdom to a good reason not to attend church.

It doesn't matter if we live up to our own standard of righteousness. We must learn the Lord's standard and then bend our will towards that.

33:16

Those who repent will enjoy God's 'forgetfulness.' "None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live." I love the idea that my embarrassing sins as a teenager will never be broadcast or even mentioned. Again, it is about progression. It is about our future. For those that repent, the past has no hold on them.

33:17, 20

We are captains of our ship. We decide the way we will go. On our journey, we will all face hardship and trials. Every one's experience is unique. We all don't face the same problems. Some people take issue with this... "Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal." We may feel that the Lord's plan for us isn't fair.

Ezekiel said, "...but as for them, their way is not equal." What does this mean? I think it means that the Lord is completely fair and just when it comes to judging his people. He offered spiritual help and strength equally to any of his children. He is consistent. He is sinless.

It is our path that is inconsistent. We step on and off the covenant path. It is us that varies. We are the ones sinning.

If our lives become filled with heartache and struggle, we should not spend time considering how unjust God is. We must pour all of our energy and intention into evaluating the path that we are on. We shouldn't evaluate the Lord's ways but should evaluate our own.

Life isn't fair. It's our response to the varied challenges of life that defines us. "Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways." What happens to us is unique - but how we respond to challenges can be very consistent. The principles of faith and obedience and repentance can be applied to any situation and will define our 'way.'

33:31

"And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." I can imagine this as a modern day congregation. Perhaps the members of this ward are especially hypocritical. I can picture them coming to sacrament meeting, listening to the talks, bearing testimonies and proclaiming their commitment. Then, heading home and gossiping about each other - being filled with pride. Comparing themselves to others and at the same time criticizing. Basically, saying one thing and then doing another.

Hypocrisy is especially harmful to one's spiritual progression. It allows someone to receive the social respect of righteousness and then, in private, devolve. It would be better if we all had a sign that displayed our private sins so that we had to be consistent inside and out. ;)

34:5

"And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered." This is a condemnation of the church leaders at the time. They were taking advantage of the members and caring mostly about their needs.

It would be easy to quickly read this and consider briefly the awfulness of the Israelite leaders. However, we should all think about our own flock. How much are we spiritually caring for those in our care? Obviously, children come to mind. We must teach them the gospel to be considered blameless.

What about when children are grown and have left the church? This is my situation. It wouldn't help for me to repeatedly preach to them. Certainly, lecturing wouldn't be productive. Volunteering advice at every opportunity might be tiresome. So, what can I do?

I can simply love them. I can offer advice when asked for. I can be a good example, I can pray for them. I can submit their names to the temple to ask for the faith of others.

The key is to still see my role as a shepherd. Right now, my flock is a little scattered but I remain the shepherd.

34:11, 16

"For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out." It is exciting and comforting to know that God himself will search and seek for his sheep. We aren't the only ones doing the searching. We aren't on our own. He is the head of the search party and will ensure that no sheep is lost that wants to be found.

"I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment." When he finds us, he will fix what is broken. He will give strength to the weak.

I've witnessed this firsthand in my life. There was a time that I was a little lost. He patiently waited for me to return and then fixed me. I am not permanently damaged in any way. The plan of salvation is truly a plan of happiness.

34:27-28

"And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them." In the last days, there will be a gathering to a place of safety.

"And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid." When Christ is here, priorities will be set right. Goodness will be rewarded. Satan will lose his power.

37: 1-11

This chapter is about giving hope to the hopeless. It starts with a vision. "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry." What is less empty and hollow than dry bones? There is nothing that appears more dead. There is nothing that represents death.

How many of us have felt like dry bones? How many of us are hopeless? How often do we feel hollowed out? We may feel that there is no future for us. We may say, "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts." I know some people who feel this way.

In a situation that is hopeless, God can save. He can rebuild. "Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Christ can take our present condition - no matter how dire - and give new life. We can be energized and strengthened when we felt there was nothing left.

"So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army." It's interesting that they became a great army. They didn't become an audience. They didn't become a group of revelers. They became an army. An army is unified and ready to do battle. When we are reenergized, we must do what we can to fight for God. That could mean resisting evil or being a good influence or sharing the gospel. It certainly means defending those around you.

The phrase, 'all hope is lost' is interesting. It doesn't actually say that there isn't any hope. Lost means that we can't find it. Anyone who has lost hope simply doesn't know where to find it. The good news is that it can be found. There is hope in Christ. If we have faith in Christ and what he has already done for us, we should always find hope.

47:9, 11

Christ is the living waters. Those who partake of his gospel shall have eternal life. "And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh." The river doesn't discriminate. It blesses all who come in contact with it.

A river doesn't cover the whole earth. It follows a path. To partake of that water, you must be near it. Not everyone will partake. We all still have our free agency. "But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt." We don't want to be a mire or marsh.