Ezekiel 1-3: The Lord Speaks

Even in exile, the word of the Lord comes to those who will see and hear.  For Ezekiel, he was with the exiles by the Kedar River in Babylon, when the heavens opened up and he saw things that are impossible for us to imagine.  But he knew it was the Lord and he listened when the Lord spoke to him.  He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you." 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. - Eze. 2:1 NIV

Then the Lord told Ezekiel to become his mouthpiece, to speak for the Lord to the exiles.  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 countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen."  - Eze. 3:10-11 NIV

Ezekiel's response, to hearing from the Lord, was to sit in the midst of the exiles for seven days completely overwhelmed, an appropriate response after seeing and hearing the voice of  God.  So when God spoke to him again and told him to go to the plain to so he could speak with him once more, Ezekiel went.  This time, however, the word of the Lord told Ezekiel the price he would pay for being the prophet of God.  And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house. - Eze. 3:25-27 NIV

God's word comes to those who will listen, who do not have rebellious hearts, but God's words to us are not always what we want to hear.  Like Ezekiel, when the Lord speaks, we cannot choose the words we want to hear, but we can choose to listen.