[22] And the hand of the LORD was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.” [23] So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face. [24] But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself within your house. [25] And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. [26] And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. [27] But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
(Ezekiel 3:16-27 ESV)
What we are told is that when that week was over, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel again, this time with a strong warning.
Ezekiel is to be a watchman. If God gives him a word to say to the people, he is to say it. He is not to keep silent. His words matter. They may turn a wicked person from their path, or keep a righteous one from straying, or they may not. But if he speaks to them, then his soul isn't forfeit. BUT if he doesn't speak to them and they sin, then their death is on his head. The righteous person's deeds won't be remembered, the wicked will perish... by Ezekiel's doing, because HE didn't open his mouth to the speak the Lord's word to them.
Ezekiel's spoken words to them will save his own soul, and hopefully cause other people to turn from the path they were considering, or even on.
The Lord continues on telling Ezekiel “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.” Upon getting to the valley the glory of the Lord is so evident that Ezekiel again falls on his face, and again the Spirit of the Lord sets him up on his feet. The Spirit told Ezekiel to go home, shut himself up in the house. Then he said this: "And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house."
I have to admit, I am SO GLAD that I wasn't Ezekiel. The idea of being bound with cords and not being able to speak unless the Lord willed it... I would be overcome with concern.
Imagine it, you are a person, called of God to a stubborn, rebellious people. God has made you as stubborn and as rebellious as they are so that you won't have to fear them. Then he lays a charge on you.. speak my words to them or your very soul will suffer. Then he shuts Ezekiel up on a house and binds hm with cords and shuts up his mouth so he can't speak unless the Lord gives him words to speak.
Just think on that for a bit.
Just THINK...
But the Lord closes with this : But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
All Ezekiel needs to do is open his mouth and talk when the Lord bids him to. That's his job.
It is not his job to force people to listen.
That's the choice of the rebellious people.
His job is merely to open his mouth and say the Words the Lord God gives him to say.
That's my job to.
That's also your job.
We are simply called to tell others about the Lord and the work he has done. Called to pray, called to act, called to talk. That's our job.
NOTHING MORE.
We cannot force others to listen, or to hope, or to understand. That is not our job. Ours is simply to do what we are called to.