Ezekiel Commentary on Chapter 3

7/30/2019 Ezekiel Commentary on Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

I. Ezekiels Commission (his authorization and empowerment to preach to the

rebellious house of Israel) (3:1-9):

A. And he said unto me, Son of man, eat that which thou findest; eat this roll, andgo, speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat

the roll. 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 (3:1-3).

1. The concept of Eating the words may sound a bit strange. Jeremiahsaid, Thy words were found and I did eat them. But it is interesting that the

Lord Himself in Matthew 4:4, when He was confronted by Satan in the

temptations, quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3, Man does not live by bread only,

but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

There are many levels of this concept of eating His Word: one is to fully digest

what the Lord has said; another is to examine our daily dietwhat are we putting

in? The Word of God should become part of us. For a good diet we should study

the Word of God.

2. In Revelation 10:9ff the apostle John is told to eat a book as well. Thebook would be sweet to the taste yet bitter to digest. Clearly John was receiving

divine revelation of the things that were to come for both just and unjust. The

ideas that are presented in the truth regarding the rewards of the faithful are truly

sweet and cause the heart to rejoice (cf. Jer. 15:16). These same words, however,

reveal a doomed eternity for the unjust. Such revelation, regarding the unjust,

would leave a bitter inner feeling (cf. Rev. 10:9ff).

3. Gods word is sweet to all who believe by faith in its reality (cf. Ps.19:10; 119:103). Not only are the words of God sweet but they are eternally

healthy to the soul (II Tim. 3:12).4. Finally, having tasted, the prophet gets another surprise: the words of

sadness and mourning are not bitter, as one would expect, but sweet as honey.Ezekiel has taken a first step in obedience to the Lord. Although the scroll is

inscribed with lamentations, dirges, and woes (2:10), Ezekiel states that it tasted

as sweet as honey.

B. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, andspeak with my words unto them. For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech

and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel; not to many peoples of a strange

speech and of a hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, if I

sent thee to them, they would hearken unto thee. But the house of Israel will not

hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are

of hard forehead and of a stiff heart (3:4-7).

1. The Lord explains to Ezekiel that even though He has already said that

it is likely that many will not listen to what he has to say; nevertheless, theprophet has a duty to perform (cf. Ezek. 2:5-7).

2. Following Ezekiel's obedient response, the emphasis shifts fromprophet to people, though both remain in view. This commission is repeated

several times in various ways (Ezekiel 2:4,7; Ezekiel 3:1,4,11,17,22,27).

3. God promised to equip Ezekiel emotionally and intellectually to deal

with the anticipated rejection. God had made the prophets face and forehead just

as hard as theirs. He would be able to butt heads with his antagonists. He was

to be as stubborn for truth as they were stubborn in evil deeds.


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4. Ezekiel is not to think of Israel as a foreign nation that cannotunderstand the things he is saying due to a language barrier and thereby they do

not listen to him. God wants Ezekiel to understand that His people have the

ability to understand his words; however, due to their hard forehead and stiff

heart they will not listen.

a) A hard forehead (Heb. metsach qasheh) = which is literallytranslated hard forehead. This phrase is found here alone in the OT. Its

meaning must be associated with the idea of a stiff heart.

b) A stiff heart is equivalent to the stiff-hearted of 2:4 (they are thesame Hebrew word). Again then, the people of God are depicted as having

turned away from the Lord through disrespect and transgression against His

law. This turning away was not a casual or indecisive act but a strongmovement away from the Lord.Unfamiliar speech, literally deep lip andheavy tongue, refers to a foreign language. Ezekiel was commissioned to

speak to his people in their own language.

5. God seeks faithful witnesses to share His Word. He knows our

audience may be stubborn and refuse to respond. We are to be just as stubborn in

our commitment to witness. God does not demand large numbers of converts as

our result. He calls for faithful devotion to the task He has given.

6. If I'd send you to these heathen, they would have listened to you. ButI'm sending you to the house of Israel. Had Ezekiel gone to another nation, they

would have listened to him. Amazingly those who knew nothing of the true God

of the universe would have been more responsive than those who claimed His

name.

7. God tells him up front that They will not hear you, because theywould not hear me. The nations hardheartedness extended to the whole houseof Israel. This does not imply that every Israelite had rejected God, for

Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel were all ministering faithfully, and they

still had a small following. God was referring to all parts of Israel rather than

every Israelite. Rebellion had made its way into the royal household, the temple,

the courts of justice, and into every city and town in the land. Though individuals

here and there were still responding to the Lord, the nation as a whole had turned

from Him. This book is more than just Biblical background; it has something to

say to us personally.

C. Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hardagainst their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead:fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house

(3:8-9).

1. Though the people of God would give him the death look and ignorehim (because they loved their sinful ways [cf. Jer. 5:31]), the Lord proclaims that

He will strengthen Ezekiels resolve to offset their intense resolve to reject Godslaws. As the people strongly opposed Jehovah, so Ezekiel would just as strongly

oppose their sinful ways.

2. Equipped with this promise, again the Lord commands Ezekiel not tofear them.I have made you just as hardheaded as they are... God is preparinghim to endure the abuse that he would suffer from his own people.

3. There may have been an intentional pun on Ezekiels name, whichmeans strongly seized by God (see 1:3) or God strengthens. Double


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meanings in biblical names are common. The prophet was adequately equipped

by God for his calling.

4. God says, The children of Israel are hardheaded, and I am going to

make your head harder than theirs.

II. Ezekiel is Brought Back to his Home and there he Contemplates the Vision of

Gods Glory (3:10-15):A. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak untothee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears. 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 Jehovah; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear (3:10-

11).

1. After Ezekiel has received the message that was sweet, warned of theconsequences of preaching to a rebellious people, and encouraged to speak a

thus saith Jehovah, he is now sent to these people to preach.

2. Ezekiel needed to take Gods words to heart before preaching them to

others. Gods message must sink deep into your heart and show in your actions

before you can effectively help others understand and apply the gospel.

3. The expression receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears has thetransposition from the natural order, namely, first receiving with the ears, then in

the heart, is by design. The preparation of the heart for Gods message should

precede the reception of it with the ears (compare Pr 16:1; Ps 10:17).

4. Embedded in this charge, God's words give one of the few descriptionsof prophetic experience in the OT, involving both a psychological (receive in

your heart) and an auditory (hear with your ears) element (cf. Job 32:1820;Jer.

20:79).

5. The word of God is that which fortifies the messenger against the

hostilities of the enemy. So Ezekiel was told to take into his heart all my words

which I shall speak to you. He must listen closely whenever God spoke to him

(3:10f.). A good teacher must first be a good learner. This will enable him to

speak with authority and credibility to his contemporaries.

6. Ezekiels audience is those of the captivity.7. Ezekiel has a duty and that is to preach Gods word no matter if one is

willing to hear or not.

8. God was telling Ezekiel, You are going to speak with my voice.

Thus saith the Lord exposed him to the death penalty if he was wrong. The

concept of blasphemy in Israel was a capital crime.

9. The expression whether they will hear, or whether they will forbearoccurs three times in these commission chapters for the sake of emphasis and to

express God's knowledge of their reception of His message (Ezekiel 3:11;

Ezekiel 2:5,7).

10. The Lord Yahweh instructed Ezekiel further to take to heart all that He

would tell him and to listen closely to Him. He was to go to the Jewish exiles and

relay God's messages whether they paid attention or not. God's word must

become a part of the messenger before he or she can go and speak to others about

it (cf. v. 1; Ezra 7:10).

B. Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing,saying, Blessed be the glory of Jehovah from his place. And I heard the noise of the

wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the noise of the wheels
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beside them, even the noise of a great rushing. So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me

away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the hand of Jehovah was

strong upon me. Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the

river Chebar, and to where they dwelt; and I sat there overwhelmed among them

seven days (3:12-15).

1. To take Ezekiel back to the captives of Babylon suggest that Ezekiel

was taken somewhere to experience this vision and revelation. That place was theChebar River (cf. Ezek. 1:3). Ezekiel is now miraculously transported back to

Telabib.

2. We remember that Ezekiel is in the presence of the glory of Jehovahwhich has been depicted as four cherubim standing above four wheels with many

eyes, an expanse above the cherubim and then the throne of God with the

likeness of a man sitting.

3. Note the expression the Spirit lifted me up: Then after he had beencommissioned three times to go to Israel, the Spirit took him up and away to the

captives that dwelled in a settlement on the river Chebar (Ezekiel 3:12-16).Note

the expression: the noise of a great rushing: this was the noise made by the

wings of the living creatures that formed the chariot of Jehovah. From this verse

and others we can draw the inference that what he saw in Ch. 1 was not

allegorical, not an hallucination, but was somehow Ezekiels attempt to describe,

in conceptions of 2500 years ago, what he saw when he was confronted with this

strange presence. It gives us the opportunity to perceive into that dimension in

which these other creatures operate.

4. In the audience with God, the living creatures have been momentarily

forgotten, but their movement brings them dramatically into focus once more.

5. For seven days Ezekiel contemplated the vision and revelation in astate of being overwhelmed.6. Seven days - the whole experience of what he saw in Ch 1, and theLord talking to him through Chapters 2 and 3, left Ezekiel physically

overwhelmed for 7 days. Why 7 days? One suggestion is that seven days were

appointed for the consecration of the priests. Cf. Lev 8:33. He was a priest and

was being consecrated. The 7 days seems to be consistent with Gods pattern.

7. Ezekiel was bitter and angry, not at God, but at the sins and attitudes of

the people. Ezekiels extraordinary vision had ended, and he had to begin the

tedious job of prophesying among his people, who cared little about Gods

messages. Before the exile, the people had heard Jeremiah, but they would not

listen. Here Ezekiel had to give a similar message, and he expected to be rejected

as well.

8. As we grow, we will have times of great joy when we feel close to

God, and times when sins, struggles, or everyday tasks overwhelm us. Like

Ezekiel, we should obey God even when we dont feel like it. Dont let feelings

hinder your obedience.

III. Jehovahs Charge to Ezekiel to be a Watchman (3:16-21):

A. And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of Jehovah cameunto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel:

therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me (3:16-17).

1. After Ezekiel had sat in Telabib for seven days in a state of feelingoverwhelmed, the Lord appears to him a second time.


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2. The Lord explains to Ezekiel that He has made him a watchman untothe house of Israel. In the OT times, watchmen protected vineyards and fields

during harvest season (Jer. 31:6). Watchmen were posted on city walls (II Kings

9:17-20) and at city Gates (II Sam. 18:24-27). The watchman also guarded the

walls day and night against enemy attack or siege (I Sam. 14:16; Isa. 21:6-8; Jer.

51:12) he was responsible for warning the citizens of impending attack by

sounding a trumpet (Jer. 6:17).3. The task of watchman is also found in Isaiah (Isa. 21:69), Hosea(Hos. 9:8), and Habakkuk (Hab. 2:1), but none provides a direct parallel to

Ezekiel's commission (see2 Sam. 18:24 27;2 Kings 9:1720). The insistence on

speaking only the divine word persists from Ezek. 3:10.

4. So God is now calling him, commissioning him. "Look, I've made you

a watchman. That's your commission. Your duty is two-fold: number one, hear

My word; two, give them My word." Hearing the voice of God, hearing the word

of God and then giving forth the word of God.

5. As the watchmen on a city wall were to warn the inhabitants of danger

even so Ezekiels work was to be one who warned the captives of Judah of the

consequences of their sin.

6. Ezekiels role was to be a spiritual watchman, warning the people ofthe judgment to come. Some think that accountable for his blood means that

just as a watchman on the wall would pay with his life if he failed to warn the

city of approaching enemies, Ezekiel would have been held accountable if he had

refused to warn the people of coming judgment. To save himself from

responsibility of having the blood of a lost man on his hands, the prophet must

warn the wicked (Ezekiel 3:18).

7. I've set you as a watchman, and you are responsible to hear My word

and to speak My word. And if I say to the wicked, "You're going to die," if you

warn them and they listen, great, they will live. If they don't listen, at least you've

delivered your soul. If you don't warn them and they die, then you're responsible.

The blood is on your hands.

8. Now, notice he wasn't told to convince the wicked to turn. He wasn'ttold to argue with them. He was only told to declare to them the warning of God.

That's all. We so often in our Christian experience make the mistake of thinking

that we've got to somehow convert people to Jesus Christ.

B. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him notwarning, nor speakest 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 thy hand.

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 (3:18-19).

1. God had given Law to Noahs family regarding murder at Genesis 9:5-

6. When one sheds the blood of another man (i.e., murders him) then God will

require the killers blood be shed because of the sinful act.2. Likewise, if Ezekiel found himself in a position to rebuke a sinful manyet said nothing God would require the blood of Ezekiel be paid. The illustration

is clear. When a man sins he is eternally separated from God unless he repents.

When a sinner sins and I say nothing to him I have not turned away his path to

eternal spiritual death. I have in effect spiritually murdered the man.

3. God then explains to Ezekiel that as he does his work and indeed warnsthe sinner of the consequences of his sins and the man rejects the warning he has
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in effect murdered himself(committed spiritual suicide). Since he has shed his

own blood (spiritually murdered himself through a rejection of repentance) he

shall pay with his own spiritual blood.

4. Ezekiels role was to be a spiritual watchman, warning the people of

the judgment to come. Some think that accountable for his blood means thatjust as a watchman on the wall would pay with his life if he failed to warn the

city of approaching enemies, Ezekiel would have been held accountable if he hadrefused to warn the people of coming judgment. To save himself from

responsibility of having the blood of a lost man on his hands, the prophet must

warn the wicked.

5. I've set you as a watchman, and you are responsible to hear My word

and to speak My word. And if I say to the wicked, "You're going to die," if you

warn them and they listen, great, they will live. If they don't listen, at least you've

delivered your soul. If you don't warn them and they die, then you're responsible.

The blood is on your hands.

6. Now, notice he wasn't told to convince the wicked to turn. He wasn't

told to argue with them. He was only told to declare to them the warning of God.

That's all. We so often in our Christian experience make the mistake of thinking

that we've got to somehow convert people to Jesus Christ.7. If, however, Ezekiel did warn the people and they refused to repent,they would die, but the Lord would not hold Ezekiel responsible. To save his life

the wicked man must turn from his sins and ask forgiveness.

C. Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commitiniquity, 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 righteous deeds which he hath

done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand. Nevertheless

if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he

shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul (3:20-

21).

1. We must not understand this to mean that God is attempting to causeman to sin (i.e., tempting one to sin). The NT reveals to us that this is never so

(cf. James 1:13). That which is under consideration is the truths that Ezekiel

would be bringing to the people (a thus saith Jehovah). Unfortunately, truth is

a stumbling block to many because when they hear words that condemn their

actions they are offended in it. They are not willing to give up something simply

because God deems it sinful.

2. Here is a verse that clearly implies that sin separates a man from God.No matter how many good and righteous deeds one may do if he persists in one

area of sin in his life he is separated from God and deemed spiritually dead.

3. Note however, that when Ezekiel did warn a sinner and the sinnerturned from his dark deeds then both the sinner and watchman are saved. God

will not require the sinners blood at thy hand in such a case.

4. In the NT church, all are held accountable to the command of watchingfor the souls of others (cf. Acts 18:6; 20:26; Heb. 13:17).

5. To continue to live the righteous man must not return to sin or die insin.

6. Not that God tempts to sin (Jam 1:13, 14), but God gives men over tojudicial blindness, and to their own corruptions (Ps 9:16, 17; 94:23) when they

like not to retain God in their knowledge (Ro 1:24, 26); just as, on the contrary,


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God makes the way of the righteous plain (Pr 4:11, 12; 15:19), so that they do

not stumble.

7. Both the wicked and the righteous must accept responsibility for theirsins and the consequences thereof. The phrase he shall die in his sin, as

referring to the righteous man, means that he shall die by or because of his

sin. The death described may be physical, and the emphasis may be upon the

physical consequences of sin. These physical consequences are the same forsaved and lost alike. However, note that the wicked man dies in or by his

iniquity or perverseness. The righteous man may not lose his salvation, but he

may forfeit his health, reputation, physical life, and finally, his rewards, as the

result of sin (cf. 1 Cor. 3:15).

8. The main issue of a watchman was not to deliver results, but to givewarning. What those warned do with that warning is not your responsibility. The

role of the watchman is an information role. We should remember that. It is not

our objective to turn others around; that is the job of the Holy Spirit. Our job is to

be a witness.

IV. Jehovah delivers Ezekiels First Prophetic Action and Divine Proclamation

(3:22-27):A. And the hand of Jehovah was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, goforth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee. Then I arose, and went forth into

the plain: and, behold, the glory of Jehovah stood there, as the glory which I saw by

the river Chebar; and I fell on my face (3:22-23).

1. While Ezekiel was in Telebib the Lord communicates to him regardinghis duties as a watchman. The Lord now directs Ezekiel to go to a valley that

He may appear to the prophet in the state of Glory that He had done in chapter 1.

2. Ezekiel complies with the Lords instructions and so sees the glory ofJehovah for the second time.

3. The conditions of Ezekiels mission: isolation and silence. Themeaning of this silence is unclear, but may suggest that Ezekiel must be silent

except when he is speaking the divine word.

4. Note the expression and I fell on my face: He fell on his face sixtimes (Ezekiel 3:23; Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 9:8; Ezekiel 11:13; Ezekiel 43:3;Ezekiel 44:4). This is a very common reaction to seeing God.

B. Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet; and he spake with me,and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thy house. But thou, son of man, behold,

they shall lay bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go

out among them: 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.

But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus

saith the Lord Jehovah: He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let himforbear: for they are a rebellious house (3:24-27).

1. The Spirit entered into him again. Ezekiel was allowed to speak onlywhen God had a message for the people. Thus the people knew that whatever

Ezekiel said was Gods message. They did not have to wonder whether Ezekiel

was speaking by Gods authority or his own.

2. Soon after Ezekiel was commissioned as a prophet, he wascommanded by God to refrain from public ministry (v. 24). When the people

refused to hear Gods message, the prophet was instructed not to speak. During


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this period of silence (seven and one-half years; cf. dates in 1:1-3 with 33:21, 22)

the prophet did speak when God gave him specific messages for the people and

instructed him to declare them (see v. 27). The silence lasted until the fall of

Jerusalem (33:21, 22).

3. These verses are somewhat vague yet they seem to introduce the firstwork of the prophet that is further detailed in chapters 4-5.

4. Apparently for a period of time Ezekiel was to be separated from thesinful people of the captivity and only speak to them when God so moves him to.

5. Again, God is simply reminding Ezekiel of his duty though theaudience will not want to hear. Ezekiel was to say, thus saith Jehovah!

6. A summary of the commissioning of Ezekiel is paraphrased by thecommands given as:

a) Go, and speak/tell (3:4);

b) Go, and speak/tell (3:11);

c) Go, and watch (3:17);

d) Go, and wait (3:24).

Synopsis of chapter 3

Though Ezekiel would speak words that could be understood, the people of God would treat them

as though they were a foreign language. This was not done due to their confusion or their

inability to understand what Ezekiel would be saying but because they did not want to hear what

he had to say (cf. Isa. 6:6ff). Ezekiel was given a responsibility to preach even though his

audience would not want to hear the words he spoke (cf. Ezek. 2:7). The words of Ezekiel were to

be as a watchman upon a walled city who sees a threatening enemy coming. The watchmanwould sound the alarm so that the citys inhabitants could do the necessary things to prepare for

the battle. God tells Ezekiel to warn the wicked and the righteous who have erred so that they

would not die in their sins (Ezek. 3:18-19). Every Christian has the responsibility to watch and

warn the wicked and righteous who have erred today (cf. Acts 18:6; 20:26; Rom. 16:17; I Cor.

16:13; I Thess. 5:6; Heb. 13:17; Rev. 16:15). If we neglect to warn the wicked and erringrighteous of their sinful ways they will die in their sins. We are guilty of spiritual murder (cf.

Gen. 9:5-6; Ezek. 3:18; Acts 18:6; 20:26). The apostle Paul commanded the Ephesians to expose

mans sins rather than fellowship them and so we are charged (Eph. 5:11). Let no man be

deceived by doctrines of demons that exclaim, but you violate another churchs autonomy when

you cross the lines of geographic location to expose anothers sins. The apostle John loved all

those who know the truth not just the ones at the local church he attended (cf. II Jn. 1:1). The

apostle Paul preached the same truth in every local church he came in contact or established (I

Cor. 4:17). The apostle Peter commanded Christians to love the brotherhood (I Pet. 2:17). It

was a love of the brotherhood that motivated the Jerusalem church to send out preachers to

expose the false doctrines regarding syncretism teachings that had invaded especially the

churches in Galatia (cf. Acts 15). Let us all understand that sin is sin no matter where it is

conducted and where there is opportunity there is responsibility.

Chiastic Structure Noted for Chapters 1, 2 and 3

Chiastic structures can be found in the book of Ezekiel. The word chiasm refers to a typical

form of organization in Hebrew writing. While literature outlines today are based on the A-B-C


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pattern, where A is the introduction, B is the body, and C is the conclusion, the chiastic outline is

based on an A-B-A* style of writing.

There are at least two types of chiastic structures that are known.

One is based on a synonymous parallelism that uses a high degree of commonality between

the phrases in A and A* that exhibit symmetric properties or characteristics. For example, if

we let A = God is good and A* = the Lord is merciful, then the expression God is good,the Lord is merciful has synonymous parallelism.

Another is based on an inverted parallelism that uses phrases in A and A* that exhibit

asymmetric properties or characteristics. For example, the expression God is good, merciful

is the Lord has inverted parallelism.

Many other types of chiastic structures can be imagined.

In the chiastic outline of a text, the climax of the text is set in the center with the corresponding

sections moving up to and away from it. In the expression A-B-C-D-E-D*-C*-B*-A*, section A

parallels section A*; section B parallels section B*; etc. with the climax of the expression

occurring with phrase E. Identifying this type of expression in the text helps the reader to better

understand the key emphasis of the text and to better understand the intention of the author.

In Ezekiel, chapters 1 through 3 have a chiastic structure which focuses attention on the

importance of Ezekiel receiving revelations from the Lord. This structure follows the pattern

A-B-C-D-E-D*-C*-B*-A*.

A Eze 1:1-3 KJV Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of themonth, as I was among the captivesby the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I sawvisions of God. 2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of theChaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

A

*

Eze 3:14-15 KJV So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, 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 atTelabib, that dweltby the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonishedamong them seven days.

B Eze 1:5 KJV the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had thelikeness of a man. Eze 1:6 KJV And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.Eze 1:8 KJV And they hadthe hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four hadtheir faces and their wings. Eze 1:9 KJV Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not whenthey went; they went every one straight forward. Eze 1:11 KJV Thus were their faces: and their wingswere stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered theirbodies. Eze 1:13 KJV As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning

A: Circumstances of the vision (1:1-3)

B: Divine confrontation: the chariot's approach (1:4-28)

C: Introductory word (2:1-2)

D: First commission and reassurance (2:3-8a)

E: Confirmatory sign (2:8b3:3)

D*: Second commission (3:4-11)

C*: Introductory word (3:12)

B*: Divine confrontation: the chariot's departure (3:13)

A*: Circumstances of the vision (3:14-15)


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coals of fire, andlike the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; andthe fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. Eze 1:14 KJV And the living creatures ranand returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. Eze 1:24 KJV And when they went, I heard thenoise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, asthe noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

B* Eze 3:13 KJV I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, andthe noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.

C Eze 2:1-2 KJV And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. 2And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him thatspake unto me.

C* Eze 3:12 KJV 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.

D Eze 2:3-8 KJV And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebelliousnation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even untothis very day. 4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thoushalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. 5 And they,whether they will hear, or whether theywill forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet amongthem. 6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briersand thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor bedismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 7 And thou shalt speak my words untothem,whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. 8 But thou,son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy

mouth, and eat that I give thee.D

*

Eze 3:4-11 KJV And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak withmy 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, whosewords thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened untothee. 7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for allthe house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. 8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against theirfaces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 As an adamant harder than flint have I madethy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 10Moreover 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 theywill forbear.

E Eze 2:8 to 3:3 KJV Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that Igive thee. 9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was

therein; 10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was writtentherein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Eze 3:1-3 KJV Moreover he said unto me, Son of man,eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. 2 So I opened my mouth, andhe caused me to eat that roll. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thybowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

Notes on Chapters 4 & 5 and Beyond

In chapters 4 and 5 Ezekiel is going to use certain signs and act out certain parables before thepeople. At this time Jerusalem was not yet destroyed, and the false prophets were telling the

people of Israel that they were going to have peace. They were saying that the Jews already in

Babylonian captivity would return to their land shortly, but Ezekiel is going to confirm the word

of Jeremiah, who had told them they would not be going back and that Jerusalem would bedestroyed. He lost the power of normal speech at this stage, and would only be able to speak

when he had an oracle to declare (3:2627). This partial loss of speech continued until news of

the fall of Jerusalem reached him (33:22; cf. 24:27). There would be other enacted messages too

(12:116; 1720; 24:1527), but this first one must have established his reputation as one of the

odder prophets of Israel.


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We might find Ezekiels method of conveying his message unorthodox, even amusing or

embarrassing. However, it is more important to communicate the message than to preserve the

popular image of the speaker. Ezekiel is called upon to perform street theater: actions (rather

than words) that convey a divine message. Ezekiel evidently appeared somewhat like a mime

doing street theater as he dramatized a message without speaking a word.

Documents

Ezekiel Commentary on Chapter 3