Ezekiel 11:25 - Homiletics.

Preaching to the captives.

I. THE PREACHER MUST START FROM A REVELATION MADE TO HIMSELF . The prophets were seers. The apostles were eyewitnesses of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. No preacher can go forth with God's Word unless he has first received that Word. For it is not his business to gather congregations merely to hear his "guesses at truth," nor is he called to set before men his most profound speculations, if those speculations are only wrought out of his own ideas. He is a messenger—therefore he must bear a message; a herald—therefore he must have a gospel to proclaim. Where shall the modern preacher find his Divine word? He cannot pretend to be an Ezekiel at home among the cherubim, to whom the inmost wheels of the Divine mysteries seemed to be revealed. Nevertheless, he has his revelations:

1 . In the Bible. Of all men the preacher is called to be a diligent student of this rich storehouse of revelation. The modern preacher does not see Ezekiel's cherubim, but he can read the New Testament, of which Ezekiel knew nothing; and the gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth is a greater revelation than the visions of an Old Testament prophet.

2 . In experience. Every preacher must have his own vision of Scripture truth. We can only speak what we have seen and heard. The truth must be interpreted by experience.

II. THE PRIVATE REVELATION OF TRUTH IS GIVEN FOR PUBLIC DECLARATION . Ezekiel might have thought himself a rarely privileged soul, and have considered his visions as choice mysteries to be kept secret, and not to be waisted on unsympathetic ears, like pearls cast before swine, if he had not understood his duty as a prophet of Israel too well to make such a mistake. Freely he had received, freely he must give. All who know God's truth are under sacred obligations to do what in them lies to declare that truth. It is not possible forevery one to be a preacher by word of mouth. Still, in some way missionary enterprise should follow the reception of Divine truth. We who have the gospel are bound to give it to those to whom it is vet an undreamed secret.

1 . This declaration is to be unreserved. Ezekiel spoke all the things. Some were obscure; some might cause offence; some might be abused. Yet he was not at liberty to hold hack anything. The preacher must not shun to "declare the whole counsel of God."

2 . This declaration is for all. It was given to Ezekiel's neighbours, the captives , without distinction. As there are no esoteric truths in God's revelation, so there is no spiritual aristocracy of the initiated. The only limit is our capacity to receive. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

III. THE DECLARATION OF DIVINE TRUTH IS ESPECIALLY NEEDED BY THOSE WHO ARE IN TROUBLE . Ezekiel "spake unto them of the Captivity."

1 . It is a peculiarly Christian duty to bring the consolation of God to the troubled. This is suited to the sorrowful. Lighter thoughts may amuse in hours of ease. But when darkness gathers about the soul, nothing short of the deep verities of God will satisfy. Those verities may not be always pleasant. Much that Ezekiel saw filled him with distress. Still God's truth is all wholesome and healing, and his last words are his best, as Ezekiel's hearers must have found when the prophet concluded with the wonderful promise of the "heart of flesh" (verse 19).

2 . The gospel is peculiarly appropriate for those who are spiritually captives, i.e. in bondage to

Christ came to proclaim liberty to such captives ( Luke 4:15 ).