Remember, this is a continuation of the previous chapter. Eating the scroll signifies the need for Ezekiel to be actively believing and living the words is to preach, Ezekiel 3:1.
The message was to become a part of him. He was not allowed to eat the scroll and then spit it out, but to swallow it and fill his stomach with it. It became a part of him.
The same situation is found in Revelation 10:8, where John is doing the same thing; in John’s case, we know it is figurative because he was having a vision at the time. What about Ezekiel? Is this literal or figurative?
In Ezekiel 3:12, he is lifted again by the Spirit and taken to Tel a Bib, and it would seem that the same thing is happening here. It would seem that Ezekiel is speaking figuratively of the way God gives him the message.
Notice, however, both the divine and human elements in the prophetic message. The scroll is written on both sides, indicating the message was full, Ezekiel 3:2. Ezekiel opened his mouth, but God fed him the scroll, Ezekiel 3:2. The prophet had to become committed to the message, even though he didn’t particularly like it. He wasn’t obligated to like it, only to proclaim it.
Ezekiel would now have the same sermon to preach for six years. Did Jeremiah complain because he had the same message all the time, a message of violence and destruction? Jeremiah 20:7-18. The men were committed to the message, Acts 4:20.
It was also to have an effect on his own conduct in life. Notice it tasted as ‘sweet as honey,’ Ezekiel 3:3. If the message was hard, it might seem strange for the scroll to taste sweet. The words were sweet because of their divine origin, Psalm 19:7-10 / Psalm 119:30 / Psalm 119:103.
Jeremiah also found the words sweet, Jeremiah 15:16. John also found the words sweet, Revelation 10:8-11. Ezekiel needs to be convinced of the need for this type of message.
Morgan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The prophet declared that having eaten the roll, he found it in his mouth ‘as honey for sweetness,’ and by this declaration reveals that whereas the ministry he was about to exercise would be difficult, yet he himself was in perfect accord with the purpose of God and found delight in His will.’
God never promised us a rose garden. God will always provide the tools for the job. God will give Ezekiel the disposition to be able to do the job. It may have been bitter to taste, but if applied to their lives, it would transform their lives because the blessings of the Lord would return to them.
Here we read of God’s last orders. One more time, Ezekiel is told what his job is to be, Ezekiel 3:4. Don’t you see him wishing that all this Babylonian thing was not happening?
Then he could be back in Jerusalem, getting ready to do the simple and easy tasks of serving in the temple. That would be child’s play compared to this hard message.
Back to reality, go! Says God, go to your own people, not to a people he couldn’t understand, or who couldn’t understand him, and the language you use, Ezekiel 3:5-6 / Isaiah 28:11.
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘He wasn’t wrestling with a language barrier but a heart barrier.’
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Ezekiel was to go to the Israelites and tell them exactly what the Lord had revealed to him. They would be able to understand him because they spoke the same language as the prophet. God was not sending him to people who could not comprehend what he would tell them. The Israelites should listen to him because they could understand him.’
God’s own people would not listen to Ezekiel because he was speaking God’s words to them, Ezekiel 3:7. People are no different; if we speak God’s words today, they will not listen, but if we speak some new thing, people will flock to us.
Allen, in his commentary, says the following.
‘There is none so deaf as the person who does not want to hear.’
Clearly, Ezekiel’s job is to be a hard one, Ezekiel 3:8. God does not fool him into thinking it will be easy. He now describes them as hard-headed, Ezekiel 3:9. The people’s forehead is hard; the prophets will be harder, Ezekiel 3:9.
The people are hard as flint, Ezekiel will be harder like adamant, Ezekiel 3:9. When some people read the word ‘Adamant’, it’s a wonder no one has suggested Ezekiel was prophesying of the modern 20th-century music band, ‘Adam Ant.’ If some can get spaceships out of Ezekiel 1, and 20th-century nuclear war out of Ezekiel 38, why not that?
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Lord had made Ezekiel as hard-nosed as the Israelites; he would not give up speaking to them any more than they would refuse to listen to him. Therefore, the prophet should not fear his audience. The meaning of Ezekiel’s name, ‘God strengthens (or hardens),’ reminded the prophet and others that the Lord would strengthen him and harden him against the attacks of his critical enemies.’
God will supply Ezekiel with what he needs for the job. God says, ‘Here is your job. It is to people who will not listen. The work will be hard. I will give you what you need to do the job. Now get on with it,’ Ezekiel 3:10-11 / Ezekiel 3:1 / Ezra 7:10 / Acts 20:27.
Smith, in his commentary, says the following.
‘God promised to equip Ezekiel emotionally and intellectually to deal with the anticipated rejection. God had made the prophet’s face and forehead just as hard as theirs. He would be able to ‘butt heads’ with his antagonists.’
The vision is coming to an end. As the Spirit lifted him up, he got one last sight of the chariot, the LORD’s glory, as he heard it rumbling into activity, Ezekiel 3:12-13, just to remind him what the message is.
The Lord’s departure was like the sound of a ‘rumbling sound,’ Ezekiel 3:12-14. Some translations use the word ‘earthquake’, but both emphasise the power and might of God.
Now Ezekiel is upset. He does not want to speak this message, but he knows he has to. He is embittered and, in a rage, Ezekiel 3:14. The Hebrew word ‘mar’ means bitter, which can express fierce anger or temper. In 2 Samuel 17:8 its used of a bear robbed of her cubs. It seems to me that this was the prophet’s personal reaction to being given this job.
It is believed by some that this is a reference to the prophet catching a glimpse of and being caught up in God’s righteous anger over Israel, but Ezekiel hasn’t shown tremendous enthusiasm for his work so far.
The hand of the Lord was strong upon him, Ezekiel 3:14; he felt the pressure of the message on his heart, Jeremiah 20:9. He sees the Spirit take him back home again, and so, back in reality in Telabib, he sits for seven days, with the captives, Ezekiel 3:15 / Ezekiel 3:11.
Overwhelmed, for a whole week, wondering how he could possibly take this heartbreaking message to them. Ezekiel was worried about the awesome responsibility God had placed on him, Ezekiel 3:16-21. The awesome responsibility on those who teach God’s word, James 3:1.
The number seven stresses the idea of completeness. Seven days of consecration of a priest, Leviticus 8:33. It may be a time for consecration for his task. Seven days were usually the time of mourning for the dead. Perhaps he was mourning over the judgement that was to come, Genesis 50:10 / Numbers 19:11 / Job 2:13.
Notice God’s understanding of the humanness of his mouthpiece. The vision Ezekiel saw astonished him, and he was overwhelmed for seven days, Ezekiel 3:16. He allows Ezekiel seven days to sit and sulk a little, maybe to wonder, ‘why me’ and so on, Ezekiel 3:16. But after seven days, ‘get up and get on with it’.
Now God has given Ezekiel enough information about the message, the people he was to go to, and his own position. But God’s patience says, once more, I will explain to Ezekiel his job: you are a watchman, Ezekiel 3:16.
The watchman of the Old Testament had the task of warning about approaching enemies; they also protected vineyards and fields during harvest season, Jeremiah 31:6.
They erected huts as shelters from the elements, Job 27:18, and towers to enhance observation. Watchmen were also posted on the city walls, 2 Samuel 13:34, to scan the horizon for runners with messages for the king.
The skilled watchman was able to identify individual runners by their strides, 2 Samuel 18:27. The watchman also guarded the walls day and night against enemy attack, 1 Samuel 14:16 / Jeremiah 51:12. He was responsible for warning the citizens of impending attacks by sounding the trumpet, Jeremiah 6:17 / Ezekiel 33:2 / Ezekiel 33:6.
The term ‘watchman’ can be used in Isaiah 52:8 and Jeremiah 6:17. The watchman had one specific task, and that was to warn of approaching potential enemies, 2 Kings 9:16-20. Once the watchmen had warned the king and the city, his responsibility was ended.
Also, the priest’s responsibility was to make known to the people God’s Law and to ‘watch’ that it is carried out. Leviticus 10:11 / Deuteronomy 24:8 / Malachi 2:7 / 2 Chronicles 17:7.
His job is to warn both the righteous and the unrighteous; if he does this, he has fulfilled his responsibility as a watchman. Ezekiel was set as a watchman over Israel to warn them. This was his responsibility, and if he does not do it, then he has been unfaithful in his work.
Ezekiel is a watchman for Israel, Ezekiel 3:17 / Jeremiah 6:17 / Hosea 9:8 / Isaiah 21:6-8, but it was not the people who appointed him. They were not aware of the need for one; it was God who appointed a watchman for them. In Ezekiel 33:1-9, the people are told they have been given a watchman, Ezekiel. God defends him before the people.
God tells Ezekiel the penalty for not being a faithful watchman, Ezekiel 3:18. If he didn’t deliver God’s message and call out people’s sins, then that person would die, and Ezekiel would be held responsible, Ezekiel 3:18.
However, if Ezekiel did deliver God’s message, then he would not be held responsible for the death, if that message is rejected, Ezekiel 3:19. God tells Ezekiel his job is not to win people but to tell them the message. Having done this, his responsibility would end.
In the same way, we as Christians today are not responsible for what people do with the message of God; we are required to tell others the message, and they are responsible for what they do with that message. Evangelism is not only successful when many people come to Christ, but also when people are told about Jesus.
Ezekiel’s responsibility wasn’t only to deliver God’s message to the wicked, but also to warn the righteous not to do evil, Ezekiel 3:20. If he didn’t give them any warning, the righteous person would die, and God would not remember the righteous things they had done in their life. Ezekiel would be held responsible for that person’s death, Ezekiel 3:20.
Taylor, in his commentary, says the following, concerning ‘the stumbling block’, Ezekiel 3:20.
‘It does not here indicate that God deliberately sets out to trip up the righteous and bring him crashing to the ground, but that he leaves opportunities for sin in the paths of men, so that if their heart is bent on sin they may do so and thus earn their condemnation.’
However, if Ezekiel warned the righteous person not to sin, and they stopped sinning, they would live, while Ezekiel would save himself because of his obedience to deliver God’s message faithfully, Ezekiel 3:21.
The prophet carried a heavy burden of accountability to God for the careful execution of His message. God knew that Ezekiel would do a good job as a watchman once he was convinced.
He was concerned about the people, after all, they were his own countrymen, and he was in the same situation as them; he was going through the same experience of captivity.
Ezekiel was worried about the message and how unpopular it would be to the people. He sat among the captives and said little, but God came to him and told him to stop procrastinating; he was the watchman, and he should have had something to say to them.
Feinberg, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The duties of Habakkuk, Habakkuk 2:1, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 6:17, and Isaiah, Isaiah 56:10, were far more national and corporate than individual. Ezekiel realised that from that time on his mission would be mainly to individuals.’
Like Ezekiel, we have a great responsibility to tell others the Gospel, and what makes it more difficult sometimes is the content, that they are lost in sin. In the same manner, however, we shall be held accountable for not fulfilling our role as God’s watchmen.
Just as God has made Ezekiel a watchman over Israel, Christ made the Apostles the watchmen over His spiritual Israel, the church. In the New Testament, we read that the apostle Paul had been the faithful watchman to the church at Ephesus, Acts 20:25-31.
He had declared to sinners and saints the whole counsel of God. He never ceased to warn them by day and by night, ‘with tears’. He reminds the elders at Ephesus of their responsibility as watchmen over the flock.
Hebrews 13:17 says that the readers are urged to obey their spiritual leaders and submit themselves to their authority, for in them is found consistency in life and doctrine.
The leaders have the responsibility of keeping watch over their souls with a view to their salvation and their own accountability to God with regard to their duty.
God says to Ezekiel no, your job is not to win people, just to tell them. Evangelism is not necessarily successful if many come to Christ; it is successful if evangelists are telling of Jesus. We are not condemned by each failure to teach. Ezekiel is not being told that if he fails to tell one person, then he will be punished.
He is warned against rebellion, which is a total refusal to teach. If I miss an opportunity to teach and am sorry for it, will I be condemned? This passage does not so teach. Either, who could be saved, for who has not missed an opportunity? We are commissioned to preach the gospel to the lost. Having done that, our responsibility has ended.
For the third time, Ezekiel tells us the hand of the LORD was on him, Ezekiel 3:22 / Ezekiel 1:3 / Ezekiel 3:14. Once again, God says, Please, get on with it! To emphasise this once again, he is shown the vision, the war chariot, Ezekiel 3:23 / Ezekiel 1. Remember the message, Ezekiel? God says.
From Ezekiel 3:24-5:4, we read about the destiny of Jerusalem and its inhabitants; there will be utter destruction. The Holy Spirit raises Ezekiel to his feet, Ezekiel 3:24 / Ezekiel 2:1-2, and he is now being sent to work.
His own house will be the centre of his mission work, Ezekiel 3:24. Perhaps there lies a good example of where our work for the Lord should be centred. God tells him he will have cords or bands placed upon him by the Jews, to restrict him from being among his people, Ezekiel 3:25.
This statement need not be understood literally. Most commentators find it hard to believe that this was done literally, for we see his relative freedom of movement later in the book.
Understanding this figuratively, along with the next statement of the prophet being dumb, Ezekiel 3:26, would seem to be God’s indication that His message will be limited to what he has been commissioned to tell. He will be restricted to that message only, that is, a message of judgement.
There is also the possibility that being bound, Ezekiel 3:25, refers to Ezekiel’s inability to work properly because the people will not let him because of their way of life. In other words, they limited his effectiveness because they would not listen to the message.
The prophet’s dumbness, Ezekiel 3:26, might be explained in the same way. Ezekiel would speak no message except that which the Lord directed him, Ezekiel 3:27.
In this sense, he was dumb and would not speak on any other matter. This dumbness was released in Ezekiel 24:27 / Ezekiel 33:22, when the city was destroyed. His message from that point would change, 586 B.C. Ezekiel 11:23.
Taylor, in his commentary, says the following.
‘From that moment onwards, Ezekiel was to be known as nothing but the mouthpiece of Yahweh. When he spoke, it was because God had something to say; when he was silent, it was because God was silent.’
At the birth of John the Baptist, his father Zechariah was also struck dumb to prevent him from talking until John was born, Luke 1:18-25. Simply stated, the prophet would say nothing for times were so bad.
People would not listen to any reproof, so why bother? Amos 5:13. He would just speak that singular message to try to shock them out of their way of life. It is possible that he was literally dumb during this time, except when speaking the words of God, hence, ‘But when I speak with you,’ Ezekiel 3:27.
But if that is true, strangely, the elders in other places expected the prophet to speak to them, Ezekiel 8:1 / Ezekiel 14:1-11 / Ezekiel 20:1-29 / Matthew 13:53-58.
Notice that Ezekiel simply has the task to speak God’s message to others; he’s not being held accountable for their response to that message, Ezekiel 3:27. The rebellious house of Israel would be accountable for their own sins, and they can’t pretend that Ezekiel never warned them, Matthew 11:15 / Matthew 13:10-17 / Revelation 2:7 / Revelation 13:9 / Revelation 22:11.