Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 24:19
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these [things are] to us, that thou doest [so]?
Eze 24:19
Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
An ancient question modernised
Just as Ezekiel, at his Lords command, did many strange things entirely with a view to other people, we must remember that many things that we do have some relation to others. As long as we are here we can never so isolate ourselves as to become absolutely independent of our surroundings; and it is often well, when we note the behaviour of other people, to say to somebody, if not to them, as the people did to Ezekiel, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us?
I. This should be your question to the Lord Jesus. Very reverently, though, let us approach our Divine Master, and looking at Him in His wondrous passion, let us earnestly ask Him, Wilt Thou not tell us what these things are to us, that Thou doest so? His answer is, Sin is an exceedingly bitter thing; and to remove it costs Me the agony of My soul. But do you see through the trees the lanterns twinkling? Men are coming, evil men, with rough voices, with torches, and lanterns, and staves, to take the blessed pleading One. Dear Master, while the traitors kiss is still wet upon Thee, and Thou art being led away bound to Caiaphas, tell me, I pray Thee, what meanest Thou by all this? What has this to do with us? He answers, I go willingly; I must be bound, for sin has bound you; sin has bound your hands, sin has hampered and crippled you, and made you prisoners. You are the bond slaves of Satan, and I must be bound to set you free. But now they have taken Him before His judges. He stands before Annas, and Caiaphas, and Pilate. Blessed Sufferer, like a lamb in the midst of wolves, tell us, if Thou wilt speak a word, why this silence? And He whispers into the hearts of His beloved, I was silent, for there was nothing to say; willing to be your Advocate, what could I say? You had sinned, though I had not. I might have pleaded for Myself; but I stood there for you, in your room, and place, and stead; and what could I say, what excuse, what apology, what extenuation could I urge? But now they are scourging Him, they are crowning Him with thorns, they are mocking Him, blindfolding Him, and then smiting Him with the palms of their hands. What scorn, what shame they poured on Him: Blessed One, blessed One, wilt Thou not tell us what these things are to us? But now, you see, they take Him out through the streets of Jerusalem; along the Via Dolorosa He pursues His weary walk, blood drops falling on the pavement, Himself staggering beneath the load of the Cross. Tell me, Jesus, why goest Thou out there, to the place of public execution, the Old Bailey, the Tyburn of Jerusalem? And He answers, I suffer without the gate because God will not tolerate sin in His city. Sin is an unclean thing; and I, though not Myself unclean, yet standing in the stead of the unclean, must die outside the city gates. And He answers, That I may draw all men unto Me. Earth refuses Me, and heaven denies Me shelter. I hang here, the Just for the unjust, that I may bring men to God. They take Him down from the Cross, for He is dead; but before they take Him down they pierce His heart, and even after death that heart for us its tribute pours. But they have buried Him, and He lies in His cell alone through the long, dark night of death; but the third morning sees Him rise. Or ever the sun is up, the Sun of Righteousness has arisen, with healing in His wings. Jesus has quitted the tomb, and I invite all sinners to say to the risen Redeemer, Wilt Thou not fell us what these things are to us, that Thou doest so? This is what I understand that His Resurrection means to us, He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. He not only rises from the dead; but He ascends to His Father. Ask Him what He means by that, and He will tell you that He has led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also.
II. This may be your question to the church. We are coming here, to keep Christs death in remembrance. Every first day of the week, if you can, come to the table as a part of your Sabbath worship. This service is intended to be a memorial of Christs death. The best memorial of any event is to associate with it the observance of some rite, or some ceremony frequently repeated; this will cause it to be a perpetual memorial. Now, as long as half a dozen Christians meet together for the breaking of bread, Christs death can never be forgotten. We are not, however, coming to the table merely to look at the bread and the wine. We are coming there to eat and to drink, to show our personal benefit by Jesus Christs death. We wish all who see us to know that we enjoy the result of Christs death. We have a life that feeds upon His sacrifice; we have a hope that makes Christ to be its very meat and drink. But we not only come to the table to eat and to drink, but there is this point about the communion, that we come together to declare our unity in Jesus Christ. If I went home, and broke bread, and drank of the juice of the vine by myself alone, it would not be the observance of the Lords Supper. It is a united participation. It is a festival. It is a token and display of brotherhood. Once more, when this communion is over, if we live, we shall meet again next Lords day, and when that is over, if we are spared, we shall meet again the following Lords day. We meet continually, to show our belief in Jesus Christs coming again. Perhaps you still inquire, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? Well, they are this to you, that, whether you remember Jesus Christs coming or not, He is coming; He is coming quickly. Let Him come when He may, His coming will be full of love and joy to all who have trusted Him.
III. This is our question to you, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? First, there are some of you who are here who do not often go to a place of worship; I know you. By seldom coming to the Lords house you teach us your utter indifference. Your carelessness seems to say to me, God is nobody, put Him in a corner. Get on in business; mind the main chance. Gospel? Salvation? Oh, they are trifles, not worth anybodys consideration! There are others of you who are not indifferent; you come to the services, and you are attentive listeners; but just observe what you are going to do. The Lords table is spread, Christ is to be remembered, fellowship is to be had with Him, and you are going home! I hear another say, I am not going home; I shall remain at the ordinance as a spectator. I always like to see you look on. You are getting into a place of happy danger. Get where the shots fly, and one of them may make a target of you. Oh, that it might be so! But tonight you are going to be only a spectator. Will you tell me what that means–only a spectator? In Paris, during the siege, when it was straitly shut up, there were meals given at certain times in appointed places; but what would you have thought if you had been there, and had been allowed to come to the window and see the feeding, and yourself remain only a spectator? Do not be merely spectators; but if you mean to be so, then I say this to you, there will be no spectators in heaven. They will all partake of the feast above, or they will not be there. And, I grieve to add, there will be no spectators in hell. You will have to participate in the award of vengeance, or else in the gift of mercy. Therefore have done with being spectators. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 19. Wilt thou not tell us] In the following verses he explains and applies the whole of what he had done and said.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The people said; some of the ordinary sort, the people, not rulers or priests.
Tell us; explain, and declare whether there be not, and what it is that we are to learn by this. These are types, but what do they mean?
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. what these things are to usThepeople perceive that Ezekiel’s strange conduct has a symbolicalmeaning as to themselves; they ask, “What is that meaning?”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the people said unto me,…. Either seriously, as being desirous of knowing what was meant by all this; since they had reason to believe that it was not out of want of affection in Ezekiel to his wife that he so behaved; and therefore there must be some hidden meaning in it, which they should be glad to be informed of: or in a ludicrous manner, deriding the prophet for his conduct, and despising what he meant to instruct them in hereby:
wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? for they suspected it vas not on his own account, but to signify something to them, that these things were done; and laughing at him, they say, to what purpose are these things done? if you do not tell us for what reason they are done, instruct us by words, and not by actions; these were his fellow captives in Babylon.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
‘And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things are to us that you do?” ’
The people recognised that what he was doing was symbolic. And they asked what message and significance it had for them.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 24:19 And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these [things are] to us, that thou doest [so]?
Ver. 19. Wilt thou not tell us. ] They well knew that there was something in it more than ordinary, for the prophet was no stoic, but sensible enough of what he suffered.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 24:19-24
Eze 24:19-24
“And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? Then I said unto them, The word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Speak unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind shall fall by the sword. And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away in your iniquities, and moan one toward another. Therefore shall Ezekiel be unto you a sign; according to all that he hath done shall ye do: when this cometh, then shall ye know that I am the Lord Jehovah.”
Ezekiel’s behavior in such a strange and unnatural manner had the desired effect. The people felt that there was some message for them involved in it; and so they consulted him the following day. His news was devastating: the Holy Temple itself would be profaned. That meant the total destruction of Jerusalem. Many of the captives had left their children in Jerusalem; and here they learned that all of them would be killed. The loss of their children, their beloved capital city, and the Temple itself meant that, just like the case of Ezekiel, “They would have the desire of their eyes taken away.” “Then it was the desire of Ezekiel’s eyes that was taken away; but now it will be the desire of the people’s eyes which will be taken away; and the loss will be too grave for tears.
“Then shall Ezekiel be unto you a sign …” (Eze 24:24). Apart from Eze 1:3, this is the first mention of Ezekiel’s name. “This verse is the subscription to the first twenty-four chapters; and Eze 1:3 is the superscription. Ezekiel as a sign also has overtones reaching into our own times. He is unmistakably a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially in the matter of that title found so frequently, “Son of man.” His being commanded to “Judge Israel” is typical of the fact that God has given “judgment of all men” into the hands of the Son of God; his rejection by the Israel of his day typifies the rejection of Jesus Christ by the apostate racial Israel of his day.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Eze 12:9, Eze 17:12, Eze 20:49, Eze 21:7, Eze 37:18, Mal 3:7, Mal 3:8, Mal 3:13
Reciprocal: Jer 13:12 – and they shall Joh 13:12 – Know Act 21:11 – he took
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 24:19. The conduct of Ezekiel was so unusual for one whose home was darkened by death, and especially by the death of ones companion. This caused the people to ask him for an explanation of what these things are to us.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 24:19-24. Wilt thou not tell us what these things are That is, what is the meaning of thy unusual actions. They seem to make this inquiry by way of derision and contempt. Speak unto the house of Israel Now he is commissioned to declare the meaning of what he did. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will profane my sanctuary I will deliver my temple into the hands of the heathen, and they shall profane and destroy it: even that temple wherein you placed your glory, and thought your greatest protection. The desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth As much your desire, as my wife was mine; most dear to you, the destruction of which will affect you with a most poignant grief. Your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword Whom you left behind you when you were made captives; for this was addressed to those who were at this time captives in Babylonia, having been carried thither with Jehoiachin. Or the meaning may be, Your sons, &c., who are left to you, from the famine and the pestilence. Ye shall not mourn nor weep
These terrible judgments shall strike you with astonishment, and produce in you such distress as is too great to be expressed by words or actions; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, &c. You shall be absorbed in silent sorrow, and shall waste away by lingering grief, and secret lamentation over each others calamities, as the punishment of your iniquities, which have made your land, city, temple, and families desolate, and yourselves miserable. Thus Ezekiel is a sign unto you His actions foreshow you what your conditions shall be. The sacred writers, in several places, speak of themselves in the third person. And when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord Comparing the prediction with the event will convince the most obstinate that the immediate hand of God is in the judgments which are come upon you.