God not only gave His visions to Ezekiel—He also gave him His words. Visions are God’s revelations, which cause us to see something. God’s words are His explanations, which cause us to hear something. Because God wanted Ezekiel not only to behold with his eyes but also to hear with his ears (40:4), He gave him words along with His visions. He explained His visions with His words.
The words that came to Ezekiel were not common or ordinary; they were special. The words given to Ezekiel, being special, fresh, and vivid, are different from the words given to Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. In fact, they are different from the words in any other book of the Bible. When we read the book of Ezekiel, we sense that the words in this book are special. The words in Ezekiel are God’s special words, which came in a particular way to a man who was in close contact with God.
Ezekiel 1:3a says, “The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest.” This was not an ordinary word—it was an express word. Today, we also need not an ordinary word but an express word. For such an express word, do not go to the expositions of the Bible, and do not go even to the books of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. You need to have an express word from the Lord. With Ezekiel, the heavens were opened, the visions came, and the word came expressly.
Those who are ministers of God’s words need God to give them not only visions but also special words, fresh words. We need to see God’s heavenly visions, and we need to hear God’s special words. We need the words that will enable us to understand the visions, and we need the words that will enable us to proclaim and explain what we have seen. May God’s words come to us expressly along with God’s visions!
Ezekiel 1:3b goes on to say, “The hand of the Lord was there upon him.” Here we see that the hand of the Lord follows the word of the Lord. The sequence is significant: the open heavens, the visions, the word of God, and the hand of God. God’s hand always follows His speaking. Whatever He says, He does. If what we minister is truly God’s word, God’s hand will follow. However, if you minister many things and nothing happens, this means that you have a babbling mouth, but God’s hand is not working. You need God’s almighty hand to work out what you are speaking.
Today we need the heavens opened; we need the vision coming to us; we need the word of the Lord to come expressly to us; and we need the hand of the Lord to be upon us. If we speak and the divine hand does not follow, then our speaking is a vain babbling, and others should not pay attention to it. However, if what we minister is God’s express word, others should be careful about how they deal with such a word. The one who speaks God’s express word may be an insignificant person, but God’s hand is not an insignificant matter. God will come in to do what He says and to work according to His speaking.
God’s hand upon man is also for leading man and for causing one to take action (cf. 1 Kings 18:46). The visions are for seeing; the words are for hearing; and the hand is for action. The Lord’s hand upon Ezekiel held him, led him, lifted him, and carried him so that he could take action. After the Lord’s hand came upon Ezekiel, everything he did was due to the leading and directing of the Lord’s hand. God’s hand led and directed Ezekiel as a person who spoke for God. His every action was under God’s hand. Wherever he went, whatever he did, and how he acted and behaved were all due to God’s leading and directing hand. Whether he was bound or free, whether he mourned or rejoiced, whether he went or came—everything was under the leading and directing of God’s hand.
Here we see that a man who speaks for God no longer has his own freedom and can no longer do things according to his own convenience. If God’s hand leads him to go to a certain place, he must go there. If God’s hand directs him to do a certain thing, he must do it. His actions are according to the leading of God’s hand and are under the strict directing of God’s hand. Where he goes and what he does are not according to his choice but are under and according to the leading and directing hand of God. This requires the one who speaks for God to pay a considerable price.
Every minister of God’s word needs to fulfill the four conditions for seeing God’s visions. Everyone who speaks God’s words in a normal way must be one to whom the heavens are opened, one who has seen God’s visions, one to whom God’s words have come expressly, and one who has God’s hand upon him.
May we all come to “the thirtieth year,” and may we all be by the river of Chebar, not in the tide of Babylon. May we all have an open heaven, see God’s visions, receive God’s words, and have God’s leading and directing hand upon us. God needs such persons today, and the church also needs them. May we all become such persons to meet God’s need!