Ezekiel 33

Ezekiel 33:1

IV. ISRAEL’S RESTORATION AND THE PUNISHMENT OF HER FOES (Chaps. 3339)From chapter 33 to the end of the book, Ezekiel deals primarily with the restoration of Israel and the rebuilding of the temple. A. The Prophet Recommissioned as a Watchman (Chap. 33)33:1-9 In this chapter, Ezekiel is compared to a watchman. If he warns the people faithfully, but they do not hear, then they will be responsible for their own destruction. If he fails to warn the people, and they perish, God will require their blood at the watchman’s hand. God held Ezekiel responsible for the house of Israel. The question arises for every believer: For whom will God hold us responsible? To whom shall we witness? Whom shall we warn? Our relatives, fellow workers, neighbors, friends? It is a solemn responsibility, and we do harm to our own soul if we do not fulfill it faithfully. 33:10-20 The people ask in despair: “How can we then live?” How many people today have lost all hope and are in depression and despair. The Lord’s answer is: Repent! There is hope for the worst sinner, but the only hope is in turning from sin, and not in condoning it. The people complained that God’s dealings with them were not just, but He denies this, reminding them that He will pardon a wicked man who confesses and forsakes his sin; also, He will punish a righteous man who turns to wickedness. 33:21, 22 Ezekiel’s mouth was opened, and he was no longer mute when an escapee from Jerusalem came and announced, “The city has been captured!” (see Eze_24:27). 33:23-29 These verses apparently refer to the few Jews who were left in the land of Israel after the fall of Jerusalem. They argued that if one manAbrahamhad inherited the land, how much more right did such a group as they have to it. But God was interested in quality, not quantity. They were even then committing various forms of idolatry, and the land would have to be cleansed from such abominations, which testified against them. They were not true (spiritual) descendants of Abraham. Their outward profession would not save them from judgment because God was not interested in mere words, but in life (cf. Jam_2:14). 33:30-33 The people liked to listen to Ezekiel, but they had no intention of obeying his words! When his prophecies were fulfilled, they would know that a prophet had been in their midst. We should come to the Word of God with the intention of obeying, and constantly checking our hearts, lest we fail to apply what we hear. The best response to a sermon is not, “That was a fine message,” but “God has spoken to me; I must do something.”