Ezek. 3:1 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
Ezek. 3:2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
Ezek. 3:3 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.
This chapter begins with Ezekiel eating the book as commanded. This is a statement of Ezekiel’s obedience and willingness to accept his commission. It is a symbolic description of the Lord putting the very words into Ezekiel that He wanted him to share with the people of Israel.
I have already made the comparison to John’s experience in the previous chapter as well as the fact that God’s word is always sweet to the taste of those who love Him.
Ezek. 3:4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
I think emphasis is being given to the fact that Ezekiel was to go give the message to the people only after he digested and understood it himself. This verse also emphasizes the fact that Ezekiel is speaking God’s words—not his own.
Ezek. 3:5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
Ezek. 3:6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
Ezek. 3:7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
These are thought-provoking verses. The Lord seems to be saying that those who should be able to understand the purpose of the message and the Authority behind it would choose to disregard it in their pride and arrogance. He indicates that heathen nations would respond to His message more readily than His own people.
That gives thought for introspection today regarding the body of Christ. The Lord is just as faithful today. I know He is chastising and rebuking through the ministry of the Spirit in the body of believers, and I can’t help but wonder why we are not becoming more effective and powerful in ministry. Is it because many of us are falling victim to deception and pride? Have we just become apathetic and content with the status quo? I am often inspired and amazed at the zeal and courage of the faith of believers who turn to Christ from predominantly “heathen” nations as I read articles like those in “The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter.” Why don’t we share the gospel with that same zeal?
Ezek. 3:8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Ezek. 3:9 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.
As I continue to read this account, I am reminded of the meaning of Ezekiel’s name—“God will strengthen.” Although Ezekiel will still be subject to human responses, the Lord is assuring him that he will receive divine empowerment to stand strong and bold as he prophesies before the rebellious, stubborn house of Israel. He has nothing to fear from them.
I think that is an important principle for the person of faith. We have nothing to fear in choosing to obey God. He will empower and protect us as we follow Him in faith and obedience.
Ezek. 3:10 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.
This is an interesting verse. You would think it would read to hear and then to receive. Spiritual hearing, however, is only possible when the heart is willing to listen and receive. The Psalmist expresses it this way.
Psa. 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear….
Jesus expressed the same thought.
Matt. 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
It would seem that spiritual hearing and seeing are directly influenced by the condition of the heart.
Ezek. 3:11 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.
As is often the case in scripture, the message is being repeated. The LORD is telling Ezekiel to take action, to go now and deliver His message. The prophet is reminded again that his responsibility to deliver the message is not mitigated in any way by how the people receive it. We should have that same mindset in spreading God’s truth today.
Another good Wiersbe quote: “The most difficult task of a prophet is to change people’s minds. This means pulling up the weeds of false theology and planting the good seed of the word of God. It also means tearing down the flimsy thought structures that false prophets build and constructing in their place lasting buildings on solid foundations of truth.”
Ezek. 3:12 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.
Ezek. 3:13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
Again, after God commands, He enables. As Ezekiel moves to obey, he hears a voice of praise to God as the cherubim begin to move away seemingly transporting, but at least accompanying the throne of God. The fact that Ezekiel describes this through hearing indicates that his vision had ended.
Ezek. 3:14 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.
Again, reference is made to the fact that the Spirit is empowering Ezekiel to obey. God provides all that is needed for obedience to those whom He commissions. It’s interesting that we are told that Ezekiel was not happy as he set off to deliver God’s message to the people. The Hebrew indicates that he was angry. Was he angry at the people for being so rebellious or angry that he had been chosen for such a difficult task?
Ironside: “The Spirit of God proceeding from the throne, took him up and placed him under divine control. This was ever true of our blessed Lord in the years of His humiliation. He ever chose to act, not in His inherent omnipotence as God the Son become flesh, but He put Himself under the guidance and control of the Holy Spirit. It was the Spirit who “drove Him into the wilderness,” and it was by the Spirit of God that He cast out demons and accomplished all His mighty works.”
Ezek. 3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
When Ezekiel arrived at the designated settlement at which he was to begin delivering God’s message, he sat down stunned and unaware of activity around him. He was obviously not happy. He stayed that way for seven days. In previous studies, such as in Job, I have learned that seven days is a normal time of mourning for the dead. It’s interesting that the Lord allowed Ezekiel a time of mourning as he prepared to deliver a very difficult message. He knew that the message had impacted Ezekiel as severely as the death of a loved one would. It also gave the people an opportunity to observe that Ezekiel was seriously disturbed about something.
Historical note from Utley: “This is also the name of one of the Canaanite months, which was the month of the Exodus/Passover. Here it is a settlement by the Grand Canal close to the city of Nippur.”
Ezek. 3:16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ezek. 3:17 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.
After the seven days of inaction, the LORD instructs Ezekiel to deliver His message. He tells Ezekiel that he has been appointed a watchman for the house of Israel. A watchman is one who serves as a guard to warn of approaching danger. This is a position of great responsibility.
Ezek. 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, 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 thine hand.
Ezek. 3:19 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.
These verses describe the importance of Ezekiel’s position as a watchman. If Ezekiel fails to deliver God’s message and one who has rejected the Lord dies in his sins, Ezekiel will be held accountable for that man’s death. If, however, Ezekiel delivers God message faithfully and an unbeliever dies, Ezekiel will be absolved of any responsibility for that death and ensure preservation of his own life. The Hebrew for soulreferences “a breathing creature.”
God is not holding Ezekiel accountable for anyone’s eternal destiny. Scripture is clear that the individual is responsible for choosing to follow God in faith or not. The use of the word blood in particular emphasizes that it is physical life being referenced. Blood is equated with physical life in the scripture; it is not a part of the spiritual life that is ours for eternity.
Lev. 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood….
1Cor. 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Ezek. 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock 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.
Ezek. 3:21 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.
These verses are harder. They are the opposite side of the coin to the previous two verses. The difficulty for me comes with the phrase, “I lay a stumblingblock before him.” I think the Lord is talking about a person who has known God’s truth and been obedient to it, but chooses for some reason to reject that truth and embrace a sinful life again. At some point God gives him over to his sin and he dies in that condition. It is Ezekiel’s responsibility to warn that individual to repent and turn back to God. If Ezekiel does not deliver God’s warning, God will hold Ezekiel guilty of murder so to speak and will require his life in return. As long as he is faithful to deliver God’s message, his life is under God’s protection.
These are hard verses to process. The important truth is that God holds each one of us accountable for our response to Him. A truth that is just as important is that God holds His servants accountable for their obedience to Him. You could reason that death holds no fear for the child of God, and that is true. A life cut short because of disobedience, however, is a life that has lost opportunity to earn eternal rewards.
Another thing to remember is that Ezekiel is ministering to a people who were living under the law. They did not possess the “earnest” of the Holy Spirit that we in the body of Christ have to secure our inheritance.
Eph. 1:13-14 … ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession….
Ezek. 3:22 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.
Ezek. 3:23 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.
After receiving such a grave and serious message regarding his responsibility, Ezekiel felt the Spirit or power of the Lord upon him; and he was told to go meet the LORD in the plain, a place where they could commune in private. Ezekiel immediately obeyed. He is again given a vision of the LORD in His glory like the one he first experienced by the river of Chebar. Ezekiel again prostrates himself before the LORD.
Ezek. 3:24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
Ezekiel can obviously tell a difference from the Spirit being upon him and within him. He senses the presence of the Spirit in him as he is lifted to his feet and speaks to him. He is told to go home, close the doors and stay there.
As I was reading over this section again, I thought about how the Spirit makes His presence in us known. Ezekiel was literally picked up and put on his feet before hearing an audible voice. We are privileged to have the Spirit indwelling us at all times. He doesn’t’ make His entrance and/or presence known in such a dramatic fashion, but He does give us evidence of His presence in our lives.
By the fruit He produces in our lives.
Gal. 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance…
Eph. 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
By affirming us as children of God and encouraging us to cry out to our Father for comfort.
Rom. 8:15-16 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Gal. 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
By the gifts He gives us.
1Cor. 12:7-11 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
By our love for each other.
1Pet. 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
By empowering us to keep the commandments of God.
1John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
By embracing the truth that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth as a man, the Messiah, the Savior.
1John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1John 4:14-15 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Ezek. 3:25 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:
This verse is worded to make it sound like Ezekiel is going to be tied up with ropes by the people. I don’t think that fits in with the direction for Ezekiel to lock himself inside his house. I refuse to get hung up on this point. The emphasis is on the fact that the people are in opposition to Ezekiel and he is not to go out among the people with God’s message at this time. (cf 4:8)
Ezek. 3:26 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.
The LORD is going to cause Ezekiel to be unable to speak and declare God’s warning to them at this time.
Ezek. 3:27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
Point is being made that it is God Who will determine the appropriate time for His message to be delivered. Ezekiel is to be the submissive servant and act according to God’s instructions. Obviously, he will not be held accountable for anyone’s life during a time when God has taken away his ability to speak. Once God opens Ezekiel’s mouth, the people will be held accountable for their response to the message.
Note that Ezekiel was to publicly declare that the message he delivered was directly from the Lord GOD. The only time we can say “thus saith the Lord God” is when we are delivering truth directly from His inspired word.
Ezek. 4:1 Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:
Ezek. 4:2 And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.
Ezekiel is instructed to take a tile, a white clay brick, and draw a representation of the city of Jerusalem on it. Then he is to portray a siege of the city by building a battering tower (fort), building a military mound (mount), and make a representation of an encampment of soldiers around it equipped with battering rams.
Ezek. 4:3 Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
The CJB gives a clear picture of this verse: “Then take an iron griddle and put it in place as a wall of iron between yourself and the city, and fix your gaze on it — the city is under siege, and you are the one besieging it. This will be a sign for the house of Isra’el.”
The Lord is giving an object lesson through Ezekiel.
Wiersbe: “The iron griddle symbolized the wall that stood between God and the sinful Jewish nation so that He could no longer look on them with approval and blessing.”
Ironside: “At the very time that the prophet was in this way illustrating the siege of Jerusalem, the armies of the Chaldeans had thrown a cordon around the doomed city and were pressing for its complete surrender, or failing in that its exposure to all the horrors of an Oriental sack.”
Historical note: Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem in 589-587 BC (depending upon the source).
Ezek. 4:4 Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.
Ezek. 4:5 For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
Ezekiel is now instructed to lie on his left side for 390 days as a picture of bearing the punishment for the sin of the house of Israel. Each day represents a year of punishment. I am assuming that Ezekiel was prone for the major portion of a day—not for 24 hours a day continually.
Ezek. 4:6 And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
Then Ezekiel is to turn on his right side and lay for 40 days as a picture of bearing the punishment for the sin of the house of Judah.
I read several different opinions as to what these years specifically referred, and I’m not going to pretend to know. I believe they represent time in which God judges them for their sin. (See end of chapter for interesting possibility I found in my files from Chuck Missler.)
It would also seem that if he is being instructed to remain prone during the time he is pictured as bearing their punishment, he is representing a helpless position, a confining position.
Ezek. 4:7 Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.
Again, I like the language of the CJB: "You are to fix your gaze on the siege of Yerushalayim, and, with your arm bared, prophesy against it.”
An uncovered arm is not hindered with clothing and is better prepared for action. It would seem that Ezekiel is representing the enemy under the LORD’s authority ready to inflict judgment. The message of prophecy provides an opportunity for the people to repent.
Ezek. 4:8 And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.
Ezekiel is told that God will ensure that he completes the required time on each side. I can’t help but think of Ezekiel 3:25 and that the “they” in that verse should read “I” as in this verse.
Ezek. 4:9 Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
Ezek. 4:10 And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
Next, the LORD gives him instructions regarding the food he is to eat, how to prepare it, and how much he can consume at one time. I would assume from the reference to his wife later on in this book, that she would have assisted him in making these preparations.
“twenty shekels” = a little more than ten ounces
Ezek. 4:11 Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.
The LORD is very precise regarding all the details. He now instructs Ezekiel as to the amount of water he is allowed to drink.
“the sixth part of an hin” = about a pint and a half per JFB
The fact that Ezekiel was given specific limited amounts of food and water to consume are descriptive of how a siege depletes the food and water supply. The allotted amounts are barely adequate to sustain life.
Utley re “from time to time”: “This is a Hebrew idiom which means at a set time each day.”
Ezek. 4:12 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.
Ezek. 4:13 And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.
Several times I have run across the note that barley was the grain of choice for the poor. To use man’s dung as fuel was not permitted under the law. God’s message—This is happening because you have rejected Me and My laws. The end result—They were taken into captivity by the Gentiles to a culture that cared nothing for the laws of God.
Ezek. 4:14 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.
Ezek. 4:15 Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
This is more than Ezekiel can bear. He is a priest and has been careful not to defile himself; he has not ingested any unclean food in his lifetime. Ezekiel is careful to acknowledge his acceptance of God’s sovereignty and authority over him, but he is asking God to hear his heart’s desire to remain undefiled. God doesn’t hesitate; He tells Ezekiel that he may use cow’s dung to make his bread, which was a common fuel if there was no wood available.
What an amazing God! Always sensitive to the heart of His servants and ready to respond to their desire while remaining true to His purposes. This is also one of the examples in scripture that depicts the importance of communicating with God and presenting our requests before Him with a humble heart. If He chooses to reject our request, we can be sure that it is for the good and necessary to His purposes. If we do not ask, we may miss out on blessings He is willing to bestow.
Ironside: “Anyone who has made a fire of buffalo chips on our western plains will understand at once what is meant. The food itself would not actually be contaminated, but the method of its preparation was meant to impress the captivity with God’s detestation of everything connected with the worship of the false gods of the nations. Idolatry is ever unclean and so exceedingly vile that nothing could be too filthy to picture its abominable character in the sight of Jehovah.”
Ezek. 4:16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:
Ezek. 4:17 That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.
At this point the LORD makes a clear statement of the scarcity of food and water that will be part of the judgment of the people in Jerusalem. He is going to allow them to experience real want, to know what it is like to lose His blessing. The lack of food and water will be visible in the appearance of the people. They will become emaciated and appear to be shrinking before each other’s eyes.
Special Note regarding the 430 days that Ezekiel lay on his side.
I was going through my files and found an article by Chuck Missler positing an interesting solution to this timeframe. (He does not identify the original source for this material.)
It is logical to assume that the 70 years of captivity in Babylon would be a part of the 430 years, so that would leave 360 years unaccounted for (430-70 = 360). It is suggested that Leviticus may contain a clue as to the remaining 360 years.
The clue: Leviticus 26:14–15 & 18 “But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant….then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.”
Though the Israelites appeared to be cured of idol worship after the captivity, they never returned to try keeping covenant with God. That could give reason to multiply the 360 years by 7, for a total of 2,520 years. I learned in Daniel that the Bible deals in 360-day years, so that would equate to 907,200 days.
The Babylonian captivity was divided into two parts—1) the servitude of the nation and 2) the desolations of Jerusalem.
Quoting from Missler’s article: “There were actually three sieges of Nebuchadnezzar upon Jerusalem. The first siege began the “Servitude of the Nation” and was prophesied to last 70 years. (And it did to the very day)….A third siege resulted in the destruction and desolation of the city of Jerusalem. The “Desolations of Jerusalem also lasted 70 years, until Nehemiah ultimately succeeded in getting the authority to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.”
The “Servitude of the Nation” ended in 537 BC. Without going into all the details of the adjustments for the difference in calendars, the interesting fact is that 907,200 days later brings one to May 14, 1948, the date that Israel was rebirthed as a nation.
It is also interesting that there could be a double application. The “Desolations of Jerusalem” ended in 518 BC. Amazingly, 907,200 days later brings one to June 7, 1967, the date that Israel took possession of the Old City of Jerusalem as a result of the Six-Day War.
I don’t know if this is the right application and have not personally verified the calculations; but, assuming the calculations are correct, it is pretty amazing!