Ezekiel 3

Ezekiel 3:1-15

In this chapter we have the further preparation of the prophet for the work to which God called him. 1. His rating of the roll, ver. 1—3. 2. Further instructions and encouragement given him, ver. 4—11. 3. The mighty impulse he was made, with which he was carried to those that were to be his hearers, ver. 12—15. 4. A further explanation of his office and authority as a prophet, under the similitude of a watchman, ver. 16—21. 5. The rejuvenating and reffering of the prophet’s liberty of speech, as God pleased, ver. 22—27.

1. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou fished; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. 2. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. 3. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it, and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. 4. ¶ And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. 5. For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech, and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel: 6. Not to many people of a strange speech, and of an hard language, who words thou cant not understand: surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 7. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are I impudent and hard-hearted. 8. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 9. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 10. Moreover, he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee, receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. 11. And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the LORD God, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. 12. Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place. 13. I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that I touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. 14. So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness.

terneels, in § the heat of my Spirit, but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. 15. ¶ Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I let where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

This is a continuation of the vision of the foregoing chapter.

1. The prophet eats the roll at the divine command; not literally, but figuratively: he must read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the prophetic word first him, filling his head with the knowledge, and his heart with the love of it; and not disobedient to the heavenly vision, he opened his mouth, and the Lord could him to eat the roll; gave him understanding of his message, and inclination and ability to discharge his office; and he found it in his mouth as many for generosity: whatever mourning and woe it contained to the impenitent, there were great and precious promises therein respecting Christ and his salvation, on which his soul fell with great delight. Note, (1.) God’s word is the bread of life, every day to be fed upon by all his people, deeply to be received into the heart, and universally to be embraced and obeyed. (2.) They who minister to others in holy things, are especially bound to meditate on their subjects, and make solemn and serious preparation before they presume to speak God’s word. (3.) All our sufficiency is of God: though we had the greatest human ability, and the most intense application, unless he causeth us to eat the roll, and believe a spirit of wisdom and understanding, we shall know nothing as we ought to know. (4.) They who make God’s word their daily meditation, will find it sweeter than honey or the honey-comb.

2. He is sent as before to the rebellious house of Israel. When he had thoroughly learnt and digested the roll, he must go and faithfully deliver it, v. 1. careful to speak God’s words, not his own, or the entering words of man’s wisdom, but think the Holy Ghost teacheth, v. 4. for then art not first to a people of a strange إنشاء, but to the house of Israel, for whom he ought to have a tender concern, and from whom he might expect, as he spoke to them in their own tongue, and with the most convincing arguments, attention and obedience. Or this is mentioned to upbraid their impenitence and obstinacy in rejecting him; for had he been sent to the most barbarous nations, whose language he could not understand, and most have spoken by an interpreter; yet would his preaching have been more effectual to them, than it will now be to his own countrymen, whose hardened hearts would be deaf to the plainest admonitions, and inattentive to the most awful warnings: nor need the prophet marvel if they refused to hearken to him, when they had rejected God himself, v. 7. Nevertheless he must go, and God engages to endure him with such invincible courage and unshaken intrepidity, that he shall be able to face, yet to confound the boldest, most impudent, and daring sinners among them; and therefore whatever dangers threatened, he need not fear, or be dismayed, v. 8, 9. but go and turn all God’s words, warning them into his own heart and ears, without exception or disputing against them, and delivering them without relieve in God’s name, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, v. 10, 11. Note, (1.) They who have the word of God clearly set before them, and wilfully reject the counsel of God against their own souls, are without excuse. (2.) They who have impudent sinners to deal with, need a forehead of adamant, not to be insulted or disinterested by their mockery or insults. (3.) When we are called out to hard services, we shall be furnished for our place and liaison: as our day is, our strength shall be. (4.) Though we should not see the happy fruit of our labours we could wish, we must not be discouraged from persevering zeal in the discharge of our ministry.

3. The Spirit of God with a holy violence sets him on his work. He lifted me up, and took me away, as Philip, left will. go carrying him thro’ the air from the place where he was, to another company of the captives seated at a distance on the same river Chebar; and I heard behind me, as he went, a voice of a great rushing, proceeding from the living creatures and the wheels, saying, Blessed be the glory of God out of his place; which may be considered as an acception of praise offered to God by all his redeemed, whether ministers or people, proceeding from his church militant out of his temple on earth, or from his church triumphant out of heaven, on account of his glorious perfections, and all his righteous works and ways. For it may be a sigh of lamentation after the blessed glory of the Lord removing out of his place, forsaking his temple. I heard only the noise of the wrong of the living creatures, who clapped them when they praised God, that touched me another, or, literally, blessed a woman her father, uniting in true love to God and one another, and joining in this doxology: and the noise of the wheels ever opened them, actuated by the same spirit, and giving the same glory to God; and a noise of a great rushing, as before, v. 12. and I went in histerhaft, grieved at the people’s wickedness, and affected with the doleful tidings he carried; in the best of my spirits, moved with indignation, or fretting at the disobedience

forested, and reluctant to go on to unwelcome an errand: but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me; constraining him to the work, and mightily supporting him to go through with it. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, the Jews who were hard there, that dwelt by the river Chebar, another colony on the same river; and I sat where they sat, attentive to their discourse, or waiting the prophetic impulate; and remained there astonished among them seven days, as Job’s friends, Job xi. 13. overwhelmed with grief on beholding their misery, or overpowered with the weight of the awful message he brought them. Note, (1.) If God did not use a kind of holy violence with our reluctant hearts, we should be ready at times to desert our past. (2.) There may be many struggles of fear and unbelief where grace reigns; and, though with trembling, we dare go at God’s holding. (3.) Nothing is more discouraging to a minister’s spirit, than to see a hardened people unaffected under his discourse. (4.) Great greats are often silent, too big for utterance, and far beyond tears.

16. And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 17. ¶ Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore bear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 18. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and thou giveest him not warning, nor speak’d to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life: the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 19. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 20. Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 21. Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin; he shall surely live, because he is warned: also thou hast delivered thy soul.

Ezekiel 3:16-21

After seven days God sends his word to him: probably this was a sabbath, and he will thus honour his day by especial manifestations of himself.

1. God tells him his office. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; to watch over their souls, to warn and guard them against their spiritual enemies; for which purpose, sharp discernment, simplets vigilance, and courageous fidelity are needed. Note, They whom God appoints for watchmen on the walls of his Zion, the church, must shun no toil; detest their past for no danger; watch always; and pray for a better guard than their own, conscious that without the divine benediction and care the watchmen watch but in vain.

2. The duty of his office is set before him, the blessings of fidelity, and the curse of unfaithfulness. He must speak according to the divine word communicated to him. Hear the word of my mouth, and pray them warning from me; and as the characters of men are different, he must distinguish between the precious and the vile, and give to each their due person.

(1.) He must address the wicked, to warn him of his danger, and lead him to repentance. (2.) Whilst he persists in his sins he is a damned soul, and eternal death his portion. (3.) If he repents, and turns from his wickedness, he shall save his life, God being ready to pardon and receive every returning sinner. (4.) Though the minister be negligent, that will be no excuse; for the sinner shall perish in his iniquity. Yet, (4.) God will require at the watchman’s hands the souls that were lost through his carelessness and unfaithfulness; and a terrible reckoning will this prove in a judgment day for all unfaithful and negligent ministers. (5.) If they have been faithful, though unsuccessful, God will approve their conduct, and they shall at least deliver their own souls.

(2.) He must address the righteous; either those who are such professionally, or in sincerity and truth. (1.) Some are only externally righteous, delivered from grosser excesses, and observant of the forms of godliness merely. These easily turn from their righteousness, and commit iniquity: they have no inward principle to support them in the time of temptation, and therefore apostates from the little profession they made. In the way of such God lays stumbling-blocks, to discover the secret wickedness that reigns within; placing them in such circumstances, and withholding his refraining grace, so that what is in their hearts breaks forth. These will die eternally, and all their good deeds and duties, on which they trusted, will stand them in no field. Of this he must assure them, at the peril of his own soul, chargeable with their blood if he neglect his office; not that his neglect will be their recognition; they shall notwithstanding perish in their apostasy. (2.) Some are righteous

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In sincerity and truth, justified by Christ Jesus, and sanctified by his spirit, yet these need warnings; not that they ever can or will profit, but that God, who hath ordained the end, hath also ordained the means, in the use of which their perseverance is secured. These must be warned that they do not; for in the most holy, corruption still wars, and they need continually to watch and pray against it; the effect of which will be, that he do not, receiving and improving under the word of exhortation. In this way he shall surely live, and finally be saved, the path of holiness being the way to glory. The warning through divine grace will be made effectual, and the fidelity of the minister approved: thus he shall save his own soul, and these who bear him, I Tim. iv. 6.

22. ¶ And the hand of the LORD was there upon me, and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee. 23. Then I arose, and went forth into the plain, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar; and I fell on my face. 24. Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, that thyself within thine house. 25. But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them. 26. And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them; a reprover, for they are a rebellious house. 27. But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus laith the LORD God, He that beareth, let him bear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

23. 22—27. We have here a repetition of the former glorious vision made to the prophet in the plain, whither at the divine command he had gone forth, vouchsafed to him probably to confirm his faith, and overcome the reluctance he might feel, to undertake the prophetic office.

24. He is commanded to go and shut himself up in his house, 9. 28. there to wait farther instructions from God; or, as withdrawing himself from a people unworthy of the divine notice; or as others with probability faggell, as a figure of Jerusalem closely befinged by the Chaldeans, so that none might go forth. Note, (1.) It is a heavy judgment on a people, when God shuts up and removes from them their faithful reprovers. (2.) Ministers have need of retirement, to learn of God themselves what they must declare unto others. There is little prospect of profitable preaching, without previous meditation and prayer.

25. He is warned of the insults they would put upon him. They shall put bands upon thee, either as a disturber of the peace, as a safe prophet, or a mad enthusiast; with all which characters the faithful and zealous ministers of God are often branded: or that may be understood figuratively, either of the obstinate disobedience of the people which shut his mouth, or of the divine order to retire, which tied up his hands from labouring among them. Therefore,

26. He must be silent, neither go among them, nor speak to them as a reprover, but leave them to their hard and impatient hearts, as a rebellious body, till God shall take off the interdict; and having communicated to the prophet all his mind concerning them, shall open his mouth, and authorize and enable him to speak, whether they will bear and be reformed, or forbear at the peril of their eternal ruin. God’s mercy will thus be glorified in the salvation of the repentant sinner, or his justice in the damnation of the obstinately rebellious.