8 3:3.<\/strong> The prophet’s inspiration<\/p>\n Being commanded to speak God’s words to the people, the prophet is next assured by a symbol, a book given him to eat, that God’s words shall be given him.<\/p>\n Before, there was a direct commission, now there is a symbolic action. John has the same vision (Rev 10:8<\/span> ff), but there that is expressed, which is here left to be inferred, namely, that as soon as he had eaten it his belly was bitter. The sweetness in the mouth denoted that it was good to be a messenger of the Lord (compare the margin reference), but the bitterness which accompanied it, denoted that the commission brought with it much sorrow.<\/P><\/p>\n Eze 3:1-3<\/span><\/p>\n He caused me to eat that roll.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The mystic mind<\/strong><\/p>\n 1<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>There are few writers in the Bible who have imprinted the characteristics of their own mind on their writings more than the prophet Ezekiel, and this is so remarkably the case that we can hardly rise from the perusal of his book without being more forcibly than ever convinced that inspiration is not in such Sense literal as robe independent of the medium through which it passes. In fact we may almost feel that it is more than probable that God selects the peculiar dispositions and characteristics of men for the media of His revealed truths on account of some similarity between their tendencies and the subject matter of the truth revealed. Important practical results flow from these considerations, especially under the three following heads. First, that this being the case, many superficial difficulties are cleared away from the surface of Scripture from the consideration of the various dispositions and modes of expression of the writers. Secondly, very considerable encouragement and comfort may be derived from the circumstance that persons with similar dispositions to our own have written portions of the Word of God. And thirdly, it leads us to see that from this analogy of His providence we may expect certain similar results in the conduct of the Church and the world in our own day.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>With this view the study of Ezekiels prophecy is remarkable. It reflects a very distinct order of disposition. He delights in mystery, allegory, and the awful; he is far less beautiful and sublime than Isaiah, but far more terrible and alarming. He has scarcely any common ground with Jeremiah, for while the latter constantly appeals to the deeper feelings of our nature, he lacked, to a great degree, the energy of character to make him their martyr; while, on the other hand, Ezekiel seems to have despised an appeal to them, and without hesitation or complaint showed his mastery over them. With Daniel Ezekiel stands in strong contrast; he lacks his refinement, his reserve, and the high sculpture of his character. He seems to have been a man of great power of self-command and of the suppression, for the sake of religion, of the tenderer emotions of nature. God told him that his wife should die in order that her death and his mode of bearing it might be an allegory to the people. The event took place, and he yielded to no human sensation on account of it.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>But my more immediate object is, first to show that in all these respects he is one of a large class of individuals, and secondly, that that class have a direct office in the Church of God. His was the mind suited and suiting itself to mystery and allegory, which, after all, are handmaids to each other. The allegory is the expressed mystery. The allegoriser is the poet of the mystery. Thus the minds which can appreciate the mystery and express themselves in the allegory are cognate the one to the other. In the same way the disposition which inclines towards the comprehension of mystery is one which sees with a firm and unwavering eye the great truths that lie beyond the present state. There is another property and virtue of the man of mystical mind which is an important one; he is one who will consent to bow the ordinary understanding in homage to the superior spiritual perceptions, and the exercise of the reason to the moral sense. Thirdly, the mystical mind is one that is able to comprehend the sacramental nature of Gods world. We are in danger nowadays, from a dread of mysticism, of accepting nothing as true but that which can be both suggested and finally proved by human reason.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>But while what I have called the mystical mind is one so suited to peculiar crises of the history of man, it is, nevertheless, subject to its own infirmities and faults. Inasmuch as it is able to transcend the ordinary perceptions of religion it will be inclined to pass by with contempt those who are unable to expand its limits, and from a professed dread of narrowness of mind in things to do with religion and faith, will itself become narrowed by the most rigid limits of superstition and conventionalism. Again the allegoriser will sometimes become hazy, indefinite, and uncertain in his descriptions, and tend at last as much to mislead those who follow him, as those who refuse to take a bold step in the guidance of their fellow creatures induce them to stop short of the fulness of spiritual truth.<\/p>\n 5. <\/strong>But I proceed to elucidate the rules that I have laid down with regard to the character which Ezekiel represents by some illustrations borrowed from those occasions in which their influence is felt, and their operation called into action. It is very apparent how important a witness minds of this description have to bear in a day like our own, when upon all sides of us we see the inclination to discredit old received opinions, and to cast a dimness over that clear light which had shone to the eyes of our ancestors from the far-off days of antiquity. He, then, who is able to discern in connection with the Church, the sacramental force of religion, has nowadays a great mission to fulfil. It is not merely the power to perceive and to appreciate the mysteries of our faith, but to discern under the external surface of things a deep sacramental meaning.<\/p>\n 5. <\/strong>But independently of the mind that can conceive or the poetic power that can find the fitting term of expression, this kind of character must enforce thought and word by example. Acts are great allegories, and the parables of mens lives are most efficient in their sufferings. The actions of Ezekiel told more on the Jewish people than either his genius or his parables. His loathsome food and the tearless tomb of his wife preached the most effective lesson to the captive Jews. His was the peculiar character which could do great acts of daring and suffer manfully; and the mind which I have been describing above under the title of the allegorical, is the one capable of those powerful and speaking deeds which so affect a generation. (E. Monro.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Experience of the truth<\/strong><\/p>\n The symbol showed that Ezekiel accepted his call. He humbly gave in to God, hard as the task was. Spiritual submission is the first lesson of religion. He opened his mouth in faith. If we trust God, we can trust even His judgments. The bitter of His procuring is as sweet as honey. The symbol also expressed the prophets mandate. Gods will can be known, and is known. The prophet bad waited till it was burned in on him that his was a distinct call, a distinct work. He ate the roll. He was able to expound the book. The great temptation is to talk without the book, to enter the pulpit whether the roll has been eaten or not. We have to learn the contents of our Christian faith. Personal submission, experimental knowledge, testimony. Obedience is the one law of life, and the one secret of peace. (Christian Commonwealth.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Realisation of the truth<\/strong><\/p>\n Sweeter than honey is the Word of God in the mouth. What is comparable to the taste of a Divine communication? To know that God is, that is much. One tells how he danced with delight when he realised that there was a God. To know past all doubting that God has spoken, that is far more. To see the darkness which we had thought impenetrable impaled and stabbed through by a living light, is there any ecstasy comparable with that? To those who have exhausted themselves in question and conjecture, how sweetly comes the Voice that speaks with authority and from behind the veil!<\/p>\n CHAPTER III <\/P> This chapter contains more particular instructions to the<\/I><\/P> prophet. It begins with repeating his appointment to his<\/I><\/P> office<\/I>, 1-3.<\/P> Ezekiel is then informed that his commission is, at this time,<\/I><\/P> to the house of Israel exclusively<\/I>, 4-6;<\/P> that his countrymen would pay little regard to him<\/I>, 7;<\/P> that he must persevere in his duty notwithstanding such great<\/I><\/P> discouragement; and he is endued with extraordinary courage and<\/I><\/P> intrepidity to enable him fearlessly to declare to a disobedient<\/I><\/P> and gainsaying people the whole counsel of God<\/I>, 8-11.<\/P> The prophet is afterwards carried by the spirit that animated<\/I><\/P> the cherubim and wheels, and by which he received the gift of<\/I><\/P> prophecy, to a colony of his brethren in the neighbourhood,<\/I><\/P> where he remained seven days overwhelmed with astonishment<\/I>,<\/P> 12-15.<\/P> He is then warned of the awful importance of being faithful in<\/I><\/P> his office<\/I>, 16-21;<\/P> commanded to go forth into the plain that he may have a visible<\/I><\/P> manifestation of the Divine Presence<\/I>, 22;<\/P> and is again favoured with a vision of that most magnificent<\/I><\/P> set of symbols described in the first chapter, by which the<\/I><\/P> glorious majesty of the God of Israel was in some measure<\/I><\/P> represented<\/I>, 23.<\/P> See also Isa 6:1-13<\/span>; Da 10:5-19<\/span>; and Re 1:10-16<\/span>; Re 4:1-11<\/span>,<\/P> for other manifestations of the Divine glory, in all of which<\/I><\/P> some of the imagery is very similar. The prophet receives<\/I><\/P> directions relative to his future conduct<\/I>, 24-27. <\/P> NOTES ON CHAP. III<\/P> <\/P> Verse 1<\/span>. Eat this roll, and go speak<\/B><\/I>] This must have passed in vision; but the meaning is plain. Receive my word-let it enter into thy Soul; digest<\/I> it – let it be thy nourishment<\/I>; and let it be thy meat and drink to do the will of thy Father who is in heaven.<\/P> <\/p>\n He who sat on the throne and directed the chariot or cherubims, the Lord Jesus Christ, who also spake to him in the chapter before. Eat: this was done in a vision. <\/P> That thou findest, in the hand which was sent to him, Eze 2:9<\/span>; this explains the former, and being ingeminated, doth require the prophets greatest resolution and diligence. <\/P> Eat this roll; read attentively, meditate thoroughly, impress the things upon thy soul deeply, for thou must declare them with very great affection and tenderness, with exact faithfulness and fearless courage. <\/P> And go, for then art thou fitted for and commissioned to undertake the prophetic function, speak unto the house of Israel; publish to them of the captivity in Babylon what I have declared to them, tell them what they should do, and what I will do. <\/P> <\/p>\n 1. eat . . . and . . . speak<\/B>God’smessenger must first inwardly appropriate God’s truth himself, beforehe “speaks” it to others (see on Eze2:8<\/span>). Symbolic actions were, when possible and proper, performedoutwardly; otherwise, internally and in spiritual vision, the actionso narrated making the naked statement more intuitive and impressiveby presenting the subject in a concentrated, embodied form.<\/P><\/p>\n Moreover he said unto me<\/strong>,…. The same glorious Person who had been speaking all along in the preceding chapter; and who was seen by the prophet on a sapphire throne, and described in Eze 1:26<\/span>; the first fifteen verses of this chapter are by Junius and Tremellius made a part of the second:<\/p>\n son of man, eat that thou findest<\/strong>; not anything, but what he found in the hand sent unto him; wherefore the Targum is,<\/p>\n “son of man, receive what is given thee;”<\/p>\n which was the roll, as follows:<\/p>\n eat this roll<\/strong>; not literally, but figuratively, as John is bid to eat the little book, Re 10:9<\/span>; that is, read it, meditate upon the things contained therein; and digest them, that he might be able to impart them, and make them known to others: it is explained in Eze 3:10<\/span>; by hearing and receiving the words of the prophecy; and so the Targum,<\/p>\n “receive what is written in this roll;”<\/p>\n this is to eat it; as great readers of books are called “helluones librorum”, eaters of books, gluttons at them; read them greedily, deeply meditate upon what is in them, and thoroughly digest them; so it becomes all good men to eat the word, to mix it with faith, to receive it in the love of it, and constantly meditate on it, Ps 1:1<\/span>; and especially ministers of the Gospel, 1Th 4:15<\/span>;<\/p>\n and go, speak unto the house of Israel<\/strong>; or, as the Targum,<\/p>\n “go, and prophesy to the house of Israel;”<\/p>\n for by eating the roll, in the sense given, he was fit for it; and when ministers of the word have read, and thought of, and digested the truths of the Gospel themselves, then they are prepared to go and enter upon their work, and feed others with knowledge and understanding.<\/p>\n After the Lord had pointed out to the prophet the difficulties of the call laid upon him, He prepared him for the performance of his office, by inspiring him with the divine word which he is to announce. – Eze 2:8<\/span>. And thou, son of man, hear what I say to thee, Be not stiff-necked like the stiff-necked race; open thy mouth, and eat what I give unto thee. <\/em> Eze 2:9<\/span> . Then I saw, and, lo, a hand outstretched towards me; and, lo, in the same a roll of a book. <\/em> Eze 2:10<\/span> . And He spread it out before me; the same was written upon the front and back: and there were written upon it lamentations, and sighing, and woe. <\/em> <\/em> Eze 3:1<\/span> . And He said to me: Son of man, what thou findest eat; eat the roll, and go and speak to the house of Israel. <\/em> Eze 3:2<\/span> . Then opened I my mouth, and He gave me this roll to eat. <\/em> Eze 3:3<\/span> . And said to me: Son of man, feed thy belly, and fill thy body with this roll which I give thee. And I ate it, and it was in my mouth as honey and sweetness.<\/em> – The prophet is to announce to the people of Israel only that which the Lord inspires him to announce. This thought is embodied in symbol, in such a way that an outstretched hand reaches to him a book, which he is to swallow, and which also, at God’s command, he does swallow; cf. Rev 10:9<\/span>. This roll was inscribed on both sides with lamentations, sighing, and woe ( is either abbreviated from , not = , or as Ewald, 101 c<\/em>, thinks, is only a more distinct form of or ). The meaning is not, that upon the roll was inscribed a multitude of mournful expressions of every kind, but that there was written upon it all that the prophet was to announce, and what we now read in his book. These contents were of a mournful nature, for they related to the destruction of the kingdom, the destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple. That Ezekiel may look over the contents, the roll is spread out before his eyes, and then handed to him to be eaten, with the words, “Go and speak to the children of Israel,” i.e., announce to the children of Israel what you have received into yourself, or as it is termed in Eze 3:4<\/span>, , “my words.” The words in Eze 3:3<\/span><\/em> were spoken by God while handing to the prophet the roll to be eaten. He is not merely to eat, i.e., take it into his mouth, but he is to fill his body and belly therewith, i.e., he is to receive into his innermost being the word of God presented to him, to change it, as it were, into sap and blood. Whilst eating it, it was sweet in his mouth. The sweet taste must not, with Kliefoth, be explained away into a sweet “after-taste,” and made to bear this reference, that the destruction of Jerusalem would be followed by a more glorious restoration. The roll, inscribed with lamentation, sorrow, and woe, tasted to him sweetly, because its contents was God’s word, which sufficed for the joy and gladness of his heart (Jer 15:16<\/span>); for it is “infinitely sweet and lovely to be the organ and spokesman of the Omnipotent,” and even the most painful of divine truths possess to a spiritually-minded man a joyful and quickening side (Hengstenberg on Rev 10:9<\/span>). To this it is added, that the divine penal judgments reveal not only the holiness and righteousness of God, but also prepare the way for the revelation of salvation, and minister to the saving of the soul.<\/p>\n The Prophet Ordered to Eat the Roll; Instructions Given to the Prophet; The Prophet’s Instructions; Ezekiel’s Reluctance to Be a Reprover.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> B. C.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN> 595.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> 1 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, and he caused me to eat that roll. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it;<\/I> and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. 4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. 5 For thou art<\/I> not sent to a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but<\/I> to the house of Israel; 6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are<\/I> impudent and hard-hearted. 8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be<\/I> a rebellious house. 10 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. 11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD<\/B>; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. 12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying,<\/I> Blessed be<\/I> the glory of the LORD<\/B> from his place. 13 I heard<\/I> 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. 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<\/B> was strong upon me. 15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.<\/P> These verses are fitly joined by some translators to the foregoing chapter, as being of a piece with it and a continuation of the same vision. The prophets received the word from God that they might deliver it to the people of God, furnished themselves that they might furnish them with the knowledge of the mind and will of God. Now here the prophet is taught,<\/P> I. How he must receive divine revelation himself, v.<\/I><\/span> 1<\/span>. Christ (whom he saw upon the throne,<\/I> ch.<\/span> i. 26<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>) said to him, “Son of man, eat this roll,<\/I> admit this revelation into thy understanding, take it, take the meaning of it, understand it aright, admit it into thy heart, apply it, and be affected with it; imprint it in thy mind, ruminate and chew the cud upon it; take it as it is entire, and make no difficulty of it, nay, take a pleasure in it as thou dost in thy meat, and let thy soul be nourished and strengthened by it; let it be meat and drink to thee, and as thy necessary food; be full of it, as thou art of the meat thou hast eaten.” Thus ministers should in their studies and meditations take in that word of God which they are to preach to others. Thy words were found, and I did eat them,<\/I> Jer. xv. 16<\/I><\/span>. They must be both well acquainted and much affected with the things of God, that they may speak of them both clearly and warmly, with a great deal of divine light and heat. Now observe, 1. How this command is inculcated upon the prophet. In the foregoing chapter, Eat what I give thee;<\/I> and here (v.<\/I><\/span> 1<\/span>), “Eat that thou findest,<\/I> that which is presented to thee by the hand of Christ.” Note, Whatever we find to be the word of God, whatever is brought to us by him who is the Word of God, we must receive it without disputing. What we find set before us in the scripture, that we must eat. And again (v.<\/I><\/span> 3<\/span>), “Cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll;<\/I> do not eat it and bring it up again, as that which is nauseous, but eat it and retain it, as that which is nourishing and grateful to the stomach. Feast upon this vision till thou be full of matter,<\/I> as Elihu was, Job xxxii. 18<\/span>. Let the word have a place in thee, the innermost place.” We must take pains with our own hearts, that we may cause them duly to receive and entertain the word of God, that every faculty may do its office, in order to the due digesting of the word of God, that it may be turned in succum et sanguinem–into blood and spirits.<\/I> We must empty ourselves of worldly things, that we may fill our bowels with this roll.<\/I> 2. How this command is explained (<\/span>v.<\/I><\/span> 10<\/span>): “All my words that I shall speak unto thee,<\/I> to be spoken unto the people, thou must receive in thy heart,<\/I> as well as hear with thy ears,<\/I> receive them in the love of them.” Let these sayings sink down into your ears,<\/I> Luke ix. 44<\/I><\/span>. Christ demands the prophet’s attention not only to what he now says, but to all that he shall at any time hereafter speak: Receive<\/I> it all in thy heart; meditate on these things and give thyself wholly to them,<\/I> 1 Tim. iv. 15<\/I><\/span>. 3. How this command was obeyed in vision. He opened his mouth<\/I> and Christ caused him to eat the roll,<\/I> v.<\/span> 2<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. If we be truly willing to receive the word into our hearts, Christ will by his Spirit bring it into them and cause it to dwell in us richly.<\/I> If he that opens the roll,<\/I> and by his Spirit, as a Spirit of revelation,<\/I> spreads it before us, did not also open our understanding,<\/I> and by his Spirit, as a Spirit of wisdom,<\/I> give us the knowledge of it and cause us to eat<\/I> it, we should be for ever strangers to it. The prophet had reason to fear that the roll would be an unpleasant morsel and a sorry dish to make a meal of, but it proved to be in his mouth as honey for sweetness.<\/I> Note, if we readily obey even the most difficult commands, we shall find that comfort in the reflection which will make us abundant amends for all the hardships we meet with in the way of our duty. Though the roll was filled with lamentations, and mourning, and woe,<\/I> yet it was to the prophet as honey for sweetness.<\/I> Note, Gracious souls can receive those truths of God with great delight which speak most terror to wicked people. We find St. John let into some part of the revelation by such a sign as this, Rev 10:9<\/span>; Rev 10:10<\/span>. He took the book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up, and it was,<\/I> as this, in<\/I> his mouth sweet as honey;<\/I> but it was bitter in the belly;<\/I> and we shall find that this was so too, for (v.<\/I><\/span> 14<\/span>) the prophet went in bitterness.<\/I><\/P> II. How he must deliver that divine revelation to others which he himself had received (v.<\/I><\/span> 1<\/span>): Eat this roll, and<\/I> then go, speak to the house of Israel.<\/I> He must not undertake to preach the things of God to others till he did himself fully understand them; let him not go without his errand, nor take it by the halves. But when he does himself fully understand them he must be both busy and bold to preach them for the good of others. We must not conceal the words of the Holy One<\/I> (Job vi. 10<\/span>), for that is burying a talent which was given us to trade with. He must go and speak to the house of Israel;<\/I> for it is their privilege to have God’s statutes and judgments made known to them; as the giving of the law<\/I> (the lively oracles), so prophecy (the living oracles) pertains to them.<\/I> He is not sent to the Chaldeans to reprove them for their sins, but to the house of Israel<\/I> to reprove them for theirs; for the father corrects his own child if he do amiss, not the child of a stranger.<\/P> 1. The instructions given him in speaking to them are much the same with those in the foregoing chapter.<\/P> (1.) He must speak to them all that, and that only, which God spoke to him. He had said before (ch.<\/I><\/span> ii. 7<\/span>): Thou shalt speak my words to them;<\/I> here he says (v.<\/I><\/span> 4<\/span>), Thou shalt speak with my words unto them,<\/I> or in my words.<\/I> He must not only say that which for substance is the same that God had said to him, but as near as may be in the same language and expressions. Blessed Paul, though a man of a very happy invention, yet speaks of the things of God in the words which the Holy Ghost teaches,<\/I> 1 Cor. ii. 13<\/I><\/span>. Scripture truths look best in scripture language, their native dress; and how can we better speak God’s mind than with his words?<\/P> (2.) He must remember that they are the house of Israel<\/I> whom he is sent to speak to, God’s house and his own; and therefore such as he ought to have a particular concern for and to deal faithfully and tenderly with. They were such as he had an intimate acquaintance with, being not only their countryman, but their companion in tribulation;<\/I> they and he were fellow-sufferers, and had lately been fellow-travellers, in very melancholy circumstances, from Judea to Babylon, and had often mingled their tears, which could not but knit their affections to each other. It was well for the people that they had a prophet who knew experimentally how to sympathize with them, and could not but be touched with the feeling of their infirmities. It was well for the prophet that he had to do with those of his own nation, not with a people of strange speech and a hard language,<\/I> deep of lip, so that thou canst not fathom their meaning, and heavy of tongue, whom it is intolerable and impossible to converse with. Every strange language seems to us to be deep and heavy. “Thou art not sent to many such people,<\/I> whom thou couldst neither speak to nor hear from, neither understand nor be understood among but by an interpreter.” The apostles indeed were sent to many people of a strange speech,<\/I> but they could not have done any good among them if they had not had the gift of tongues;<\/I> but Ezekiel was sent only to one people, those but a few, and his own, whom having acquaintance with he might hope to find acceptance with.<\/P> (3.) He must remember what God had already told him of the bad character of those to whom he was sent, that, if he met with discouragement and disappointment in them, he might not be offended. They are impudent and hard-hearted<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 7<\/span>), no convictions of sin would make them blush, no denunciations of wrath would make them tremble. Two things aggravated their obstinacy:– [1.] That they were more obstinate than their neighbours would have been if the prophet had been sent to them. Had God sent him to any other people, though of a strange speech, surely they would have hearkened<\/I> to him; they would at least have given him a patient hearing and shown him that respect which he could not obtain of his own countrymen. The Ninevites were wrought upon by Jonah’s preaching when the house of Israel, that was compassed about with so great a cloud of prophets, was unhumbled and unreformed. But what shall we say to these things? The means of grace are given to those that will not improve them and withheld from those that would have improved them. We must resolve this into the divine sovereignty, and say, Lord, thy judgments are a great deep.<\/I> [2.] That they were obstinate against God himself: “They will not hearken unto thee,<\/I> and no marvel, for they will not hearken unto me;<\/I>” they will not regard the word of the prophet, for they will not regard the rod of God, by which the Lord’s voice cries in the city.<\/I> If they believe not God speaking to them by a minister, neither would they believe though he should speak to them by a voice from heaven;<\/I> nay, therefore<\/I> they reject what the prophet says, because it comes from God, whom the carnal mind is enmity<\/I> to. They are prejudiced against the law of God, and for that reason turn a deaf ear to his prophets, whose business it is to enforce his law.<\/P> (4.) He must resolve to put on courage, and Christ promises to steel him with it, Eze 3:8<\/span>; Eze 3:9<\/span>. He is sent to such as are impudent and hard-hearted,<\/I> who will receive no impressions nor be wrought upon either by fair means or foul, who will take a pride in affronting God’s messenger and confronting the message. It will be a hard task to know how to deal with them; but, [1.] God will enable him to put a good face on it: “I have made thy face strong against their faces,<\/I> endued thee with all the firmness and boldness that the case calls for.” Perhaps Ezekiel was naturally bashful and timorous, but, if God did not find him fit, yet by his grace he made him fit, to encounter the greatest difficulties. Note, The more impudent wicked people are in their opposition to religion the more openly and resolutely should God’s people appear in the practice and defence of it. Let the innocent stir up himself against the hypocrite,<\/I> Job xvii. 8<\/I><\/span>. When vice is daring let not virtue be sneaking. And, when God has work to do, he will animate men for it and give them strength according to the day. If there be occasion, God can and will by his grace make the foreheads<\/I> of faithful ministers as an adamant,<\/I> so that the most threatening powers shall not dash them out of countenance. The Lord God will help men, therefore have I set my face like a flint,<\/I> Isa. l. 7<\/I><\/span>. [2.] He is therefore commanded to have a good heart on it, and to go on in his work with a holy security, not valuing either the censures or the threats of his enemies: “Fear not, neither be dismayed at their looks;<\/I> let not the menaces of their impotent malice cast either a damp upon thee or a stumbling-block before thee.” Bold sinners must have bold reprovers; evil beasts<\/I> must be rebuked<\/I> cuttingly (Tit 1:12<\/span>; Tit 1:13<\/span>), must be saved with fear,<\/I> Jude 23<\/I><\/span>. Those that keep closely to the service of God may be sure of the favour of God, and then they need not be dismayed at the proud looks of men. Let not the angry countenance that drives away a back-biting tongue give any check to a reproving tongue.<\/P> (5.) He must continue instant with them in his preaching, whatever the success was, v.<\/I><\/span> 11<\/span>. He must go to those of the captivity,<\/I> who, being in affliction, it was to be hoped would receive instruction; he must look upon them as the children of his people,<\/I> to whom he was nearly allied, and for whom he therefore ought to have a very tender concern, as Paul for his kinsmen, Rom. ix. 3<\/span>. And he must tell them<\/I> not only what the Lord said, but that the Lord said it; let him speak in God’s name, and back what he said with his authority: Thus saith the Lord God; tell them<\/I> so, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear.<\/I> Not that it may be indifferent to us what success our ministry has, but, whatever it be, we must go on with our work and leave the issue to God. We must not say “Here are some so good that we do not need to speak to them,” or, “Here are others so bad that it is to no purpose to speak to them;” but, however it be, deliver thy message faithfully, tell them, The Lord God saith<\/I> so and so, let them reject it at their peril.<\/P> 2. Full instructions being thus given to the prophet, pursuant to his commission, we are here told,<\/P> (1.) With what satisfaction this mission of his was applauded by the holy angels, who were very well pleased to see one of a nature inferior to their own thus honourable employed and entrusted. He heard a voice of a great rushing<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 12<\/span>), as if the angels thronged and crowded to see the inauguration of a prophet; for to them is known by the church<\/I> (that is, by reflection from the church) the manifold wisdom of God,<\/I> Eph. iii. 10<\/I><\/span>. They seemed to strive who should get nearest to this great sight. He heard the noise of their wings that touched,<\/I> or (as the word is) kissed one another,<\/I> denoting the mutual affections and assistances of the angels. He heard also the noise of the wheels<\/I> of Providence moving over-against<\/I> the angels and in concert with them. All this was to engage his attention and to convince him that the God who sent him, having such a glorious train of attendants, no doubt had power sufficient to bear him out in his work. But all this noise ended in the voice of praise. He heard them saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place.<\/I> [1.] From heaven, his place above, whence his glory was now in vision descending, or whither perhaps it was now returning. Let the innumerable company of angels above join with those employed in this vision in saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord. Praise you the Lord from the heavens. Praise him, all his angels,<\/I>Psa 148:1<\/span>; Psa 148:2<\/span>. [2.] From the temple, his place on earth, whence his glory was now departing. They lament the departure of the glory, but adore the righteousness of God in it: however it be, yet God is blessed and glorious, and ever will be so. The prophet Isaiah heard God thus praised when he received his commission (Isa. vi. 3<\/span>); and a comfort it is to all the faithful servants of God, when they see how much God is dishonoured in this lower world, to think how much he is admired and glorified in the upper world. The glory of the Lord<\/I> has many slights from our place, but many praises from his place.<\/I><\/P> (2.) With what reluctance of his own spirit, and yet with what a mighty efficacy of the Spirit of God,<\/I> the prophet was himself brought to the execution of his office. The grace given to him was not in vain;<\/I> for, [1.] The Spirit led him with a strong hand. God bade him go, but he stirred not till the Spirit took him up. The Spirit of the living creatures<\/I> that was in the wheels<\/I> now was in the prophet too, and took him up,<\/I> first to hear more distinctly the acclamations of the angels (v.<\/I><\/span> 12<\/span>), but afterwards (v.<\/I><\/span> 14<\/span>) lifted him up, and took him away<\/I> to his work, which he was backward to, being very loth either to bring trouble upon himself or foretel it to his people. He would gladly have been excused, but must own, as another prophet does (Jer. xx. 7<\/span>), Thou was stronger than I, and hast prevailed.<\/I> Ezekiel would willingly have kept all he heard and saw to himself, that it might go no further, but the hand of the Lord was strong upon him<\/I> and overpowered him; he was carried on contrary to his own inclinations by the prophetical impulse, so that he could not but speak the things which he had heard and seen,<\/I> as the apostles, Acts iv. 20<\/span>. Note, Those whom God calls to the ministry, as he furnishes their heads for it, so he bows their hearts to it. [2.] He followed with a sad heart: The Spirit took me away,<\/I> says he, and<\/I> then I went,<\/I> but it was in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit.<\/I> He had perhaps seen what a hard task Jeremiah had at Jerusalem when he appeared as a prophet, what pains he took, what opposition he met with, how he was abused by hand and tongue, and what ill treatment he met with, and all to no purpose. “And” (thinks Ezekiel) “must I be set up for a mark like him?” The life of a captive was bad enough; but what would the life of a prophet in captivity be? Therefore he went in this fret and under this discomposure. Note, There may in some cases be a great reluctance of corruption even where there is a manifest predominance of grace. “I went,<\/I> not disobedient to the heavenly vision,<\/I> or shrinking from the work, as Jonah, but I went in bitterness,<\/I> not at all pleased with it.” When he received the divine revelation himself, it was to him sweet as honey<\/I> (Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n