64 lines
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64 lines
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
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PriorBook = 'Lamentations';
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PriorBookURL = './Comm/jfb/Lam/Lam000.html';
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PriorChapter = 'Ezekiel 2';
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NextBook = 'Daniel';
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NextChapter = 'Ezekiel 4';
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Title = 'The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel';
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SubTitle1 = 'Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET';
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SubTitle3 = 'CHAPTER 3';
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Author = ' Jamieson, Fausset & Brown';
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authorCite = 'Robert Jamieson; A.R. Fausset; and David Brown';
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<p id="Chapter3" align="center">Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET<br>CHAPTER 3
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<p id="Eze3_1"><a onclick="return mV('Eze',3,'1-27');">Eze 3:1-27</a>. EZEKIEL EATS THE ROLL. IS COMMISSIONED TO GO TO THEM OF THE CAPTIVITY AND GOES TO TEL-ABIB BY THE CHEBAR: AGAIN BEHOLDS THE SHEKINAH GLORY: IS TOLD TO RETIRE TO HIS HOUSE, AND ONLY SPEAK WHEN GOD OPENS HIS MOUTH. <p><b>1. eat...and...speak</b>—God's messenger must first inwardly appropriate God's truth himself, before he "speaks" it to others (see on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Eze/Eze002.html#Eze2_8">Eze 2:8</a>). Symbolic actions were, when possible and proper, performed outwardly; otherwise, internally and in spiritual vision, the action so narrated making the naked statement more intuitive and impressive by presenting the subject in a concentrated, embodied form.
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<p id="Eze3_3"><b>3. honey for sweetness</b>—Compare <a onclick="return mV('Psa',19,10);">Psa 19:10</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',119,103);">119:103</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rev',10,9);">Rev 10:9</a>, where, as here in <a onclick="return mV('Eze',3,14);">Eze 3:14</a>, the "sweetness" is followed by "bitterness." The former being due to the painful nature of the message; the latter because it was the Lord's service which he was engaged in; and his eating the roll and finding it sweet, implied that, divesting himself of carnal feeling, he made God's will his will, however painful the message that God might require him to announce. The fact that God would be glorified was his greatest pleasure.
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<p id="Eze3_5"><b>5.</b> See <i>Margin, Hebrew,</i> "deep of lip, and heavy of tongue," that is, men speaking an obscure and unintelligible tongue. Even they would have listened to the prophet; but the Jews, though addressed in their own tongue, will not hear him.
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<p id="Eze3_6"><b>6. many people</b>—It would have increased the difficulty had he been sent, not merely to one, but to "many people" differing in tongues, so that the missionary would have needed to acquire a new tongue for addressing each. The after mission of the apostles to many peoples, and the gift of tongues for that end, are foreshadowed (compare <a onclick="return mV('1Cr',14,21);">1Cr 14:21</a>).
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<br><br><b>had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',11,21,23);">Mat 11:21, 23</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_7"><b>7. will not hearken unto thee: for...not...me</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',15,20);">Jhn 15:20</a>). Take patiently their rejection of thee, for I thy Lord bear it along with thee.
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<p id="Eze3_8"><b>8.</b> Ezekiel means one "strengthened by God." Such he was in godly firmness, in spite of his people's opposition, according to the divine command to the priest tribe to which he belonged (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,9);">Deu 33:9</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_9"><b>9. As...flint</b>—so Messiah the antitype (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',50,7);">Isa 50:7</a>; compare <a onclick="return mV('Jer',1,8,17);">Jer 1:8, 17</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_10"><b>10. receive in...heart...ears</b>—The transposition from the natural order, namely, first receiving with the <i>ears,</i> then in the <i>heart,</i> is designed. The preparation of the heart for God's message should precede the reception of it with the ears (compare <a onclick="return mV('Pro',16,1);">Pro 16:1</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',10,17);">Psa 10:17</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_11"><b>11. thy people</b>—who ought to be better disposed to hearken to thee, their fellow countryman, than hadst thou been a foreigner (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',3,5,6);">Eze 3:5-6</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_12"><b>12.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('Act',8,39);">Act 8:39</a>). Ezekiel's abode heretofore had not been the most suitable for his work. He, therefore, is guided by the Spirit to Tel-Abib, the chief town of the Jewish colony of captives: there he sat on the ground, "the throne of the miserable" (<a onclick="return mV('Ezr',9,3);">Ezr 9:3</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Lam',1,'1-3');">Lam 1:1-3</a>), seven days, the usual period for manifesting deep grief (<a onclick="return mV('Job',2,13);">Job 2:13</a>; see <a onclick="return mV('Psa',137,1);">Psa 137:1</a>), thus winning their confidence by sympathy in their sorrow. He is accompanied by the cherubim which had been manifested at Chebar (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',1,3,4);">Eze 1:3-4</a>), after their departure from Jerusalem. They now are heard moving with the "<i>voice of a great rushing</i> (compare <a onclick="return mV('Act',2,2);">Act 2:2</a>), <i>saying,</i> Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place," that is, moving <i>from the place</i> in which it had been at Chebar, to accompany Ezekiel to his new destination (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',9,3);">Eze 9:3</a>); or, "from His place" may rather mean, <i>in His place and manifested "from" it.</i> Though God may seem to have forsaken His temple, He is still in it and will restore His people to it. His glory is "blessed," in opposition to those Jews who spoke evil of Him, as if He had been unjustly rigorous towards their nation [CALVIN].
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<p id="Eze3_13"><b>13. touched</b>—literally, "kissed," that is, closely embraced.
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<br><br><b>noise of a great rushing</b>—typical of great disasters impending over the Jews.
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<p id="Eze3_14"><b>14. bitterness</b>—sadness on account of the impending calamities of which I was required to be the unwelcome messenger. But the "hand," or powerful impulse of Jehovah, urged me forward.
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<p id="Eze3_15"><b>15. Tel-Abib</b>—<i>Tel</i> means an "elevation." It is identified by MICHAELIS with <i>Thallaba</i> on the Chabor. Perhaps the name expressed the Jew's hopes of restoration, or else the fertility of the region. <i>Abib</i> means the <i>green ears</i> of corn which appeared in the month Nisan, the pledge of the harvest.
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<br><br><b>I sat,</b> etc.—This is the <i>Hebrew Margin</i> reading. The <i>text</i> is rather, "I <i>beheld</i> them sitting there" [GESENIUS]; or, "And those that were settled there," namely, the older settlers, as distinguished from the more recent ones alluded to in the previous clause. The ten tribes had been long since settled on the Chabor or Habor (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',17,6);">2Ki 17:6</a>) [HAVERNICK].
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<p id="Eze3_17"><b>17. watchman</b>—Ezekiel alone, among the prophets, is called a "watchman," not merely to sympathize, but to give timely warning of danger to his people where none was suspected. Habakkuk (<a onclick="return mV('Hab',2,1);">Hab 2:1</a>) speaks of standing upon his "watch," but it was only in order to be on the lookout for the manifestation of God's power (so <a onclick="return mV('Isa',52,8);">Isa 52:8</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',62,6);">62:6</a>); not as Ezekiel, to act as a watchman to others.
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<p id="Eze3_18"><b>18. warning...speakest to warn</b>—The repetition implies that it is not enough to warn once in passing, but that the warning is to be inculcated continually (<a onclick="return mV('2Ti',4,2);">2Ti 4:2</a>, "in season, out of season"; <a onclick="return mV('Act',20,31);">Act 20:31</a>, "night and day with tears").
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<br><br><b>save</b>— <a onclick="return mV('Eze',2,5);">Eze 2:5</a> had seemingly taken away all hope of salvation; but the reference there was to the mass of the people whose case was hopeless; a few individuals, however, were reclaimable.
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<br><br><b>die in...iniquity</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',8,21,24);">Jhn 8:21, 24</a>). Men are not to flatter themselves that their ignorance, owing to the negligence of their teachers, will save them (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,12);">Rom 2:12</a>, "As many as have sinned without law, shall also <i>perish</i> without law").
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<p id="Eze3_19"><b>19. wickedness...wicked way</b>—<i>internal</i> wickedness of <i>heart,</i> and <i>external</i> of the <i>life,</i> respectively.
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<br><br><b>delivered thy soul</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',49,4,5);">Isa 49:4-5</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Act',20,26);">Act 20:26</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_20"><b>20. righteous...turn from...righteousness</b>—not one "righteous" as to the <i>root</i> and <i>spirit of regeneration</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',89,33);">Psa 89:33</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',138,8);">138:8</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',26,12);">Isa 26:12</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',27,3);">27:3</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jhn',10,28);">Jhn 10:28</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Phl',1,6);">Phl 1:6</a>), but as to its <i>outward appearance</i> and performances. So the "righteous" (<a onclick="return mV('Pro',18,17);">Pro 18:17</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Mat',9,13);">Mat 9:13</a>). As in <a onclick="return mV('Eze',3,19);">Eze 3:19</a> the minister is required to lead the wicked to good, so in <a onclick="return mV('Eze',3,20);">Eze 3:20</a> he is to confirm the well-disposed in their duty.
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<br><br><b>commit iniquity</b>—that is, give himself up <i>wholly</i> to it (<a onclick="return mV('1Jo',3,8,9);">1Jo 3:8-9</a>), for even the best often fall, but not <i>wilfully</i> and <i>habitually.</i>
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<br><br><b>I lay a stumbling-block</b>—not that God tempts to sin (<a onclick="return mV('Jam',1,13,14);">Jam 1:13-14</a>), but God gives men over to judicial blindness, and to <i>their own</i> corruptions (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',9,16,17);">Psa 9:16-17</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',94,23);">94:23</a>) when they "like not to retain God in their knowledge" (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',1,24, 26);">Rom 1:24, 26</a>; just as, on the contrary, God makes "the way of the righteous plain" (<a onclick="return mV('Pro',4,11,12);">Pro 4:11-12</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Pro',4,15,19);">15:19</a>), so that they do "not stumble." CALVIN refers "stumbling-block" not to the <i>guilt,</i> but to its <i>punishment;</i> "I bring <i>ruin</i> on him." The former is best. Ahab, after a kind of righteousness (<a onclick="return mV('1Ki',21,'27-29');">1Ki 21:27-29</a>), relapsed and consulted lying spirits in false prophets; so God permitted one of these to be his "stumbling-block," both to sin and its corresponding punishment (<a onclick="return mV('1Ki',22,'21-23');">1Ki 22:21-23</a>).
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<br><br><b>his blood will I require</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Hbr',13,17);">Hbr 13:17</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_22"><b>22. hand of the Lord</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',1,3);">Eze 1:3</a>).
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<br><br><b>go...into the plain</b>—in order that he might there, in a place secluded from unbelieving men, receive a fresh manifestation of the divine glory, to inspirit him for his trying work.
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<p id="Eze3_23"><b>23. glory of the Lord</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',1,28);">Eze 1:28</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_24"><b>24. set me upon my feet</b>—having been previously prostrate and unable to rise until raised by the divine power.
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<br><br><b>shut thyself within...house</b>—implying that in the work he had to do, he must look for no sympathy from man but must be often alone with God and draw his strength from Him [FAIRBAIRN]. "Do not go out of thy house till I reveal the future to thee by signs and words," which God does in the following chapters, down to the eleventh. Thus a representation was given of the city shut up by siege [GROTIUS]. Thereby God proved the obedience of His servant, and Ezekiel showed the reality of His call by proceeding, not through rash impulse, but by the directions of God [CALVIN].
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<p id="Eze3_25"><b>25. put bands upon thee</b>—not literally, but spiritually, the binding, depressing influence which their rebellious conduct would exert on his spirit. Their perversity, like bands, would repress his freedom in preaching; as in <a onclick="return mV('2Cr',6,12);">2Cr 6:12</a>, Paul calls himself "straitened" because his teaching did not find easy access to them. Or else, it is said to console the prophet for being shut up; if thou wert now at once to announce God's message, they <i>would</i> rush on thee and <i>bind</i> them with "bands" [CALVIN].
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<p id="Eze3_26"><b>26. I will make my tongue...dumb</b>—Israel had rejected the prophets; therefore God deprives Israel of the prophets and of His word—God's sorest judgment (<a onclick="return mV('1Sa',7,2);">1Sa 7:2</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Amo',8,11,12);">Amo 8:11-12</a>).
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<p id="Eze3_27"><b>27. when I speak...I will open thy mouth</b>—opposed to the silence imposed on the prophet, to punish the people (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',3,26);">Eze 3:26</a>). After the interval of silence has awakened their attention to the cause of it, namely, their sins, they may then hearken to the prophecies which they would not do before.
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<br><br><b>He that heareth, let him hear...forbear</b>—that is, thou hast done thy part, whether they hear or forbear. He who shall forbear to hear, it shall be at his own peril; he who hears, it shall be to his own eternal good (compare <a onclick="return mV('Rev',22,11);">Rev 22:11</a>).
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