Wisdom's Corner
Noah, Daniel, and Job

Ezekiel was a captive in Babylon. He was a prophet of God -- telling God's people that there was coming judgment. This judgment was going to be complete. This judgment was going to be against them.

God's people had sinned badly. They had come to the point that they almost completely rejected God. God was greatly displeased with them. He had been patient but now had run out of patience.

The people were so bad that God tells Ezekiel that it would not matter who He sent to tell them these things, they would not listen. In Ezekiel 14:14, we read, "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God."

It is interesting that he names these three men. It is possible that God is representing different aspects with the three men. Noah represented preaching to the world. Daniel represented preaching to a nation. And Job represented preaching to a family. These three great men fulfilled their roles well. Yet, not even these men, if they preached at this time, could get God's people to listen to them. (It is interesting that Daniel was living at this time but was not prophesying as yet.)

Here is another possible way God was using the three men. Noah represented the preaching realm. He preached to the world. Daniel was in the political realm. He had a good amount of power and was close to the ruler. Job was a wealthy man with many possessions as well as a loyal family. He represented a family man. These men were successful in each area of life represented. But even if they could bring the message that Ezekiel was bringing, it would not matter. The people that Ezekiel was speaking to were not going to listen.

Make sure that you never become like the people of Ezekiel's day. Make sure you always listen to what God has to say to you. He speaks to all of us through His word, the Bible. The only way to listen today is by reading, studying and listening to others preach from the Bible.

Read your Bible. Study your Bible. Be obedient to what it tells you to do. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 2002

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)