Proclaiming Hope in the Southern Wilderness
"Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;" - Ezekiel 20:46
Ezekiel 20:46 (KJV) states, "Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field." This verse encapsulates not just a command to deliver a message, but a profound call to address the far reaches of despair and disobedience in Israel. Through this pose of prophetic duty, we gain insights into our own mission as believers in Jesus Christ.
The term "Son of man" serves as a poignant reminder of our humanity. Ezekiel, though a prophet, was still a man, fraught with the same weaknesses and struggles that we endure today. This title encapsulates our identity—understanding that even in our frailties, God can use us to carry forth His word. Indeed, God chooses vessels like us, not because of our strength, but to showcase His glory and power. This aspect of Ezekiel’s calling is foundational; it is from this standpoint of humility and recognition of our dependence on God that we are empowered to speak His truth.
When God commands Ezekiel to set his face toward the south, it symbolizes a direction that is often associated with desolation and spiritual barrenness. The southern territories were filled with forests, literally and metaphorically a wilderness of disobedience and forgetfulness towards God’s covenant. This resonates with our lives too, as we often find ourselves faced with personal ‘southern woods’—areas of our life or society that are chaotic, sin-laden, or estranged from the Lord. It’s important for us to recognize these wildernesses in our hearts and communities, for it is in these dry places that God beckons us to prophesy.
The command, "drop thy word toward the south," indicates an intentional act of proclamation. The act of dropping implies an unburdening, a release of God's truth into an otherwise clouded area. We are encouraged to let go of our fear and doubt, allowing God’s word to take root in places that seem hopeless. As ministers of the gospel, we are called to do the same—whether it is through our daily conversations, acts of love, prayer, or through standing firm in difficult times. Our words, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can penetrate and transform those hard places.
Moreover, prophesying against the forest of the south field carries the idea of speaking out against injustice, idolatry, and unfaithfulness. Prophecy is not merely about foretelling events; it is about calling a people back to righteousness and exposing that which is obscuring God’s glory. In our modern context, this might mean addressing the societal issues—poverty, racism, corruption—that continue to threaten the very fabric of God’s kingdom on earth. It is an imperative that we speak truth in the face of lies, love in the face of hate, and justice where injustice reigns. Speaking truth involves sacrifice; it may polarize or unify, but it always brings light to darkness.
As we meditate on this passage, we must also be reminded of our ultimate hope in Christ. In every call to action, every difficult forest we might have to address, we carry the good news of the Gospel—the hope that every lost and dry soul can experience renewal through Jesus. Our proclamations should be laced with the grace and mercy that Christ embodies, for His purpose was to save that which is lost.
In conclusion, Ezekiel's prophetic mission invites us into partnership with God in the transformation of our environments. As we face south, let us not only acknowledge the harsh realities around us but let our words be conduits of His love and truth, declaring life where there is death, order where there is chaos, and light where there is darkness. God still calls us to prophesy. With our faces set, let us walk into those wild forests, proclaiming His name, and letting Him do a radical work through our yielded lives.
Want to reflect more on Ezekiel 20:46?
Continue your spiritual journey with Bible Chat — an AI-powered tool for exploring God's Word through conversation. Ask questions, discover connections, and deepen your understanding.
Get Our Apps
Ezekiel 20:46 Artwork
Ezekiel 20:46 - "Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;"
"Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;" - Ezekiel 20:46
Ezekiel 46:20 - "Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people."
Jeremiah 46:20 - "Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north."
Ezekiel 46:24 - "Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people."
Ezekiel 23:46 - "For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled."
Ezekiel 46:3 - "Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons."
Ezekiel 46:15 - "Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering."
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 46:22 - "In the four corners of the court there were courts joined of forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four corners were of one measure."
Ezekiel 46:23 - "And there was a row of building round about in them, round about them four, and it was made with boiling places under the rows round about."
Ezekiel 46:10 - "And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth."
Ezekiel 46:6 - "And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish."
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 46:13 - "Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning."
Ezekiel 46:5 - "And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah."
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Luke 20:46 - "Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;"
Ezekiel 46:16 - "¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their possession by inheritance."
Ezekiel 46:7 - "And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah."
Ezekiel 46:8 - "And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof."
Ezekiel 46:11 - "And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meat offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah."
Genesis 46:20 - "¶ And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him."
Ezekiel 46:4 - "And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish."
Ezekiel 46:21 - "Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court."
Ezekiel 20:41
Ezekiel 20:40
Ezekiel 20:41