What the people needed more than anything else was to hear the Word of the Lord. Even before the nation fell, Jeremiah had warned them not to listen to the false prophets, but neither the leaders nor the common people would obey (Jer. 5:30–31; 6:14; 7:8; 8:10). God had spoken loudly in Israel’s shameful defeat and captivity, but now the Jews were still clinging to empty hopes and listening to the lying words of false prophets in Babylon (Jer. 29:15–32). The human heart would rather hear lies that bring comfort than truths that bring conviction and cleansing. Ezekiel declared God’s word as a messenger (Ezek. 3:4–10), a sufferer (vv. 10–15), a watchman (vv. 16–21), and a sign (vv. 22–27).
The messenger (vv. 4–9). Three elements are involved here: speaking, receiving (understanding) the message, and obeying. “Go ... and speak ... my words” (v. 4) was God’s commission. Ezekiel was the messenger, the people of Israel were the audience, and the word of God was the message to be delivered. The prophet wasn’t allowed to send a substitute messenger, nor was he permitted to alter the message or go to a different audience. One of the New Testament words for preaching is kerusso, which means “to proclaim as a herald.” In ancient days, rulers would send out royal heralds to convey their messages to the people, and the herald was obligated to deliver the message just as he received it. If Ezekiel wanted to be a faithful herald, every part of God’s commission had to be obeyed to the last detail.
The second element is receiving (vv. 5–7). To receive the Word of God means to understand it and take it into the heart and mind (Matt. 13:19). Since Ezekiel was a chosen prophet of the Lord, what he said was important, and the people were obligated to receive it. He was speaking their own language, so they couldn’t make excuses and say, “We don’t understand what you’re saying.” He understood their speech and they understood his. If God had sent Ezekiel to a nation where he had to use an interpreter, they would have understood his message and received it; but his own people turned a deaf ear to him. Jesus used a similar approach in 11:21–24 when He condemned the Jewish cities for rejecting Him. Had He done those same miracles in heathen cities, they would have repented and turned to the Lord.
The third element is obeying (Ezek. 3:7–9). God doesn’t send His messengers to His people to entertain them or give them good advice. He expects us to obey what He commands. Unfortunately, the nation of Israel had a tragic history of disobedience to the law of God and rebellion against the will of God. That was their record during forty years in the wilderness (Deut. 9:7) as well as during over eight hundred years in their own land (2 Chron. 36:11–21). No other nation has been blessed by God as Israel has been blessed, for the Jews had God’s holy law, the covenants, a wealthy land, the temple, and the prophets to give them warnings and promises as they needed them (Rom. 9:1–5). Like the people of Israel, many people today hear God’s Word but won’t try to understand, or if they do understand, they refuse to obey.
God assured His prophet that He would give him all he needed to withstand their opposition and disobedience. In Ezekiel 3:8, there is a play on words involving Ezekiel’s name, which means “God is strong” or “God strengthens.” It also means “God hardens.” If the people harden their hearts and faces, God will harden His servant and keep him faithful to his mission. He gave a similar promise to Jeremiah (Jer. 1:17).
The sufferer (vv. 10–15). Ezekiel was by the river Chebar when he saw the vision and heard God’s word (1:3), but now he was commanded to join the other exiles at a place called Tel-Abib. This site hasn’t been identified, but it was not at the same location as the modern Tel-Aviv. There were a number of villages along the river (Ezra 2:59; 8:17), and some of the Jewish captives had been settled there by the Babylonians. The Spirit of God lifted the prophet up (Ezek. 3:12, 14) and took him to the place where the captives were gathered together and probably praying. This remarkable experience would be repeated (8:3; 43:5), and Ezekiel would no doubt recall that the prophet Elijah had been caught away by God (2 Kings 2:11, 16; see 1 Kings 18:12; Acts 8:39). The prophet had received God’s word, and now he must take it to God’s people.
As the Spirit began to work, Ezekiel heard behind him several sounds: the rustling of the cherubim’s wings, the whirring of the wheels, and “a loud rumbling sound” (niv), like an earthquake. He knew that God’s glorious throne was moving and that the Lord was working out His purposes. What was the origin of the praise statement, “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place” (Ezek. 3:12)? Both the KJV and the NASB translate it as coming from the cherubim, but the NIV suggests that it was Ezekiel himself who spoke it. However, it could also be translated “as the glory of the Lord arose from its place,” a description rather than a declaration. As we shall see in chapters 8—11, the movement of God’s glory is a key theme in this book.
The Lord brought His servant to Tel-Abib so he could sit with the captives and feel their burden of disappointment and grief. Psalm 137 reveals both their misery and their hatred for the Babylonians. When they should have been repenting and seeking God’s face, the Jews were regretting what had happened and praying that one day they might be able to retaliate and defeat their Babylonian captors who taunted them. As Ezekiel sat there with the people, overwhelmed by what the Lord had said to him and done for him, he realized the seriousness of his calling and how great was the responsibility God had placed on his shoulders. It’s a good thing for the servant of God to be among his people, to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice, for he can better minister to them when he knows their hearts and feels their pain. It isn’t enough simply to proclaim the message of God; we must also seek to have the caring heart of God.
The watchman (vv. 16–21). The watchmen on the walls were important to the safety of the city, and the image shows up frequently in the Scriptures (Isa. 21:11–12; 56:10; 62:6; Jer. 6:17; Ps. 127:1; 130:6; Heb. 13:17). The emphasis here is on judgment, while in Ezekiel 33 it is on hope, but the message is the same: the prophet must be faithful to warn the people of judgment, and the people must heed the warning and turn from their sin. Spiritually speaking, the “wall” that protected Israel was their covenant relationship with the Lord. If they obeyed the terms of the covenant declared by Moses, God would care for His people, protect them, and bless them; but if they disobeyed, God would chasten them. But whether He was chastening or blessing, God would always be faithful to His covenant. (See Lev. 26 and Deut. 28.)
Ezekiel is the prophet of human responsibility. Some of the captives were blaming God for their sad plight, while others blamed their ancestors. Ezekiel made it clear that each individual is held responsible and accountable before God (see Ezek. 18). He presented four scenarios. The first is that of the people dying because the watchman was unfaithful and didn’t warn them (3:18). Their blood would be on the watchman’s hands and he would be held accountable (see v. 20; 18:13; 33:4–8). The image of blood on the hands (or the head) goes back to Genesis 9: and appears in the law of Moses (Lev. 20; see also Josh. 2:19; 2 Sam. 1:16; 3:29; Isa. 1:15; 59:3. Jesus used this image in Matt. 23: and Luke 11:50–51; and see Acts 5:28; 18:6; 20:26.)
A second scenario pictures the watchman being faithful to warn the wicked but they refuse to listen (Ezek. 3:19). That was the problem Ezekiel faced as he preached to the hardhearted Jewish captives in Babylon. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people would not come to Him (Matt. 23:37–39). The third scenario describes the righteous dying because they turned from their covenant obedience and the watchman did not warn them (Ezek. 3:20). The watchmanprophet should not only warn sinners to turn from their sin, but he must also warn those who are obeying the covenant (“the righteous”) not to turn from it and disobey God. No matter how much obedience they had practiced, it would mean nothing if they deliberately rebelled against God. However, their blood would be on the watchman’s hands if he didn’t warn them. By putting a barrier in the way, God seeks to prevent the righteous person from sinning; but that doesn’t excuse the watchman from being alert and giving warning.
The final scenario is that of the righteous heeding the watchman’s warning and not being judged (v. 21). It was a serious thing for the Jewish people to treat lightly the covenant that had been accepted and sealed at Sinai (Ex. 19—20). If the watchman-prophet saw faithful people about to break the covenant, he had to warn them that they would be judged. Sometimes godly people get the idea that their obedience has “earned” them the right to do as they please, but that idea is a great lie. God gives His people many privileges, but He never gives the privilege to sin.
These four examples were given to Jewish people under the old covenant and have to do with obedience to the law and the danger of physical death. The righteousness of the law was external, but the righteousness we have through faith in Jesus Christ is internal, and the two must not be confused (Rom. 9:30—10:13). Faith righteousness is God’s gift to those who believe in Jesus Christ, and their righteous standing before God doesn’t depend on their good works (Rom. 3—4). However, our fellowship with the Father depends on a heart of obedience (2 Cor. 6:14—7:1), and He will discipline those of His children who deliberately oppose His will (Heb. 12:1–11). If they persist in resisting His will, He may take their lives (Heb. 12:9). “There is a sin unto death “ (1 John 5:16–17). Personal responsibility is the key here, both of the watchman and of the people. If the Jews under the old covenant were held responsible for their actions, how much more responsible are believers today who have the complete Bible, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the revelation of God through Jesus Christ? (See Hebrews 12:12–28.)
The sign (vv. 22–27). Ezekiel not only spoke God’s word to the people, but he also lived before them in such a way that they saw God’s message portrayed before their very eyes. God said to him, “I have made you a sign to the house of Israel” (12: niv; see 4:4; 14:8; 24:24, 27). You will find the prophet performing twelve “action sermons” to convey God’s truth to people who were becoming more and more deaf to the voice of God. Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to God’s word, so the Lord spoke to him through a series of miracles and plagues. The prophet Jeremiah also tried to reach the people through “action sermons,” such as burying a new belt (Jer. 13), refusing to take a wife (Jer. 16), and breaking clay jars (Jer. 19).
It’s likely that there is a break between Ezekiel 3: and 22. Ezekiel did go to the people and give them God’s warning, but they would not listen. God told him to leave the gathering by the river and go out into the plain for a new set of instructions. What do you do when the people close their ears to the Word of God? God certainly could have judged them for their wickedness, but in His grace He gave them further opportunities to hear His saving word. Jesus took the same approach when He began to teach in parables. He clothed the truth in interesting images and in that way sought to reach the people (Matt. 13:10–17). The careless would hear and brush it aside, but the concerned would ponder the parable and learn God’s truth.
The word of God may not have penetrated the hearts of the people, but the glory of God and the Spirit of God were still with God’s servant. If the people wouldn’t respond to Ezekiel’s public ministry, perhaps he could reach them in his own house. The elders of the people could come to hear his messages (Ezek. 8:1; 14:1; 20:1) and then share them with the people. The prophet shut himself up in his house, although at times he did leave for special reasons (5:2; 12:3), and he never spoke unless he had a message from the Lord. When the news came of the destruction of Jerusalem, this command of silence was removed, and he was able to speak as other people (24:25–27; 33:21–22). From the time this command was given to the time it was removed, seven years elapsed (from 593 BC to 586 BC).
Ezekiel’s silence was a sign to the Jews that God’s Word is not to be taken for granted or treated lightly like trivial daily conversation. When God speaks, we had better listen and obey! “He that hears, let him hear” (3: niv) is a familiar and important phrase in Scripture because it indicates that we have the responsibility to pay attention to God’s Word, cherish what He says, meditate on it, and obey it. At least five times in Deuteronomy Moses said, “Hear, O Israel!” as he repeated the law and reminded them of the great privilege Israel had to hear the very voice of God at Sinai (Deut. 4:1–13). At least eight times in the gospels Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” (nasb) or similar words (Matt. 11:15, 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35).
What about the “binding” of the prophet (Ezek. 3:25)? This is probably a figurative statement, because there’s no evidence that Ezekiel was literally bound and forced to remain in his house. As we have seen, he did leave the house (5:2; 12:3) and nobody prevented him. The Jewish people “bound” Ezekiel in the sense that their sins made it necessary for him to remain home in silence until God gave him a message. The attitude of the people wasn’t that of militant opposition but rather passive indifference; hence, the necessity for Ezekiel to use “action sermons” to get their attention.
“I am the Lord!” is repeated fifty-nine times in this book, because it was Ezekiel’s task to remind his people who was in charge. The name of God used almost exclusively in the book is “Jehovah Adonai—the Sovereign Lord.” A.W. Tozer was right when he wrote, “God being who and what he is, and we being who and what we are, the only thinkable relation between us is one of full lordship on His part and complete submission on ours.”
Are we a rebellious people, or, like Ezekiel, are we obedient servants?