The Calling and Commissioning of Ezekiel

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. Ezekiel 3:17 

Ezekiel 1:4–3:27  – Ezekiel: Renewing God’s Glory
Fourth Sunday in Lent  – March 10, 2024 (am)    

Last Sunday, as Dan Block opened our series on Ezekiel, he used an extended quote by Elie Wiesel from the original Hebrew version of his famous book, Night. The purpose was to set up a contrast between the public persona and the personal, private thoughts of this famous and decorated, brilliant, holocaust survivor. Wiesel was a longtime Professor of Humanities at Boston University and an activist for human rights worldwide, which won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. Near the time of his death in 2016, earlier versions of his book, Night, were discovered to include statements that revealed a pretty big disparity between his public and private thoughts with regard to his struggle and the personal impact of his time as an inmate at Auschwitz and Buchenwald prison camps.

He wrote: Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.

This is what it sounds like when someone believes God has promised one thing, but life seems to be filled not just with something else, but with the exact opposite of God’s promise. Wiesel and many other Jews tasted of this experience at the hands of Hitler and the Nazi’s during WWII. But they also tasted it during the days of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians, in the late seventh and early sixth centuries bc.

Even so, D. A. Carson (2016) began his sermon on this text with the opening line of Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. So soon after the revival and richness of Josiah’s reign in Judah, which ended in 609 bc, Judah found themselves at the mercy of Babylon. The closing paragraphs of 2Ki.23 tell of the end of Josiah’s reign, killed in battle by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt (2Ki.23:29). Jehoahaz succeeded Josiah and reigned only three months before he was taken captive by Neco, but he was already known as an evil king (2Ki.23:31-33). Josiah’s son Eliakim was placed on the throne by Neco, his name was changed to Jehoiakim (2Ki.23:34), and he reigned eleven years until 597 bc (2Ki.23:36). But it was in the fourth year of his reign that Egypt was defeated by Babylon in the Battle of Carchemish (605 bc).

That’s all background to the passage we just read (2Ki.24). Jehoiachin’s reign began in 597 bc, and it lasted only three months (2Ki.24:8) before the siege of Nebuchadnezzar when he carried off the first exiles to Babylon, some 700 miles east from Jerusalem—the king himself plus all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the… king’s house, along with all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 in all (2Ki.24:10-16), including Ezekiel. Four years later, then, in the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin (1:2), 593 bc, the year of Ezekiel’s thirtieth birthday and thus the time when he’d have been ordained for service as a priest (cf. Num.4:3), the word of the Lord came to [him] in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal (1:3). Just to finish this history a bit, back in Judah, Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah was renamed Zedekiah and installed by Babylon to occupy the throne for eleven more years from the date of the Jehoichin’s capture (2Ki.24:17-19), which takes us up to 587 bc when Jerusalem finally succumbed to Babylon’s siege following Zedekiah’s rebellion (2Ki.24:25-25:7). Now, here in Ezekiel, [f]rom a series of date notices attached to the oracles and visions (1:1, 2-3; 3:16; 8:1; 20:1; 24:1) we learn that this entire series of messages in this second longest book of the Bible was received and delivered within a span of six or seven years, the period immediately preceding the fall of Jerusalem (Block 1997 77) in 587 bc.

Now it’s time to look into this prophecy itself and begin to understand what God has purposed to communicate to and through His prophet at the worst of times—tragedy in Judah—following so hard on the heels of the best of times. I’m going to try something different this morning. And I may use it again during these first few sermons in Ezekiel. I’m just going to read through the text and comment at different points toward helping us develop an ear for the prophet and an appreciation of his writing. That way, none of the text will remain unread. And any time we hit something that needs or could benefit from explanation, we’ll be able to address it briefly in context, and move on.

Even so, we do have an outline that gives us four big-picture sections of this opening sequence. Most helpful to God’s people during deeply troubled times is a fresh vision of Him and a fresh calling to walk closely with Him in obedience to His Word. And that’s just what we sees here.

A Fresh and Overwhelming Vision of God 1:4-28

1:4 As I looked, Ezekiel wrote, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north—this direction may not be of any special significance, except that storms tend to arise out of the northwest in that region (Block 1997 92)—and a great cloud, with brightness around it, so it was rimmed by bright light like we can often see if the sun is shining behind a thick black storm cloud, and fire flashing forth continually, quite a lightning show, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. This is the unusual part. The center of the cloud was lit up like molten metal in a smelter (Block 1997 93). 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. Only later do we find out these are cherubim (c.10). But also, John sees remarkably similar creatures in the throne room of heaven (Rev.4:6-8). And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness in body-type, 6 but each of them had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot, hoof-like. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands, which sounds kind of strange, but in 10:7 we’ll see these hands put to use. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, so they were in motion, without turning to the right or to the left as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face, intelligence, image of God. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, royalty, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, strength, virility, and the four had the face of an eagle, compassion, or perhaps speed to carry out God’s directives (cf. Carson 2016; Block 1997 96). 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another in a big square, while two covered their bodies, perhaps a sign of humility. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, so neither their legs nor their wings moved them along; they moved by the spirit (Block 1997 87), without turning as they went. They didn’t steer in a new direction. They moved straight forward or side to side but not diagonally, like a cursor in a [word processing app] (Carson 2016). But we’ll also see that they moved up and down (1:19). 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, bright and shining, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning. Note all the simile language.

15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them, a new portion of this vision. Block (1997 91) says there are three in this first chapter, each of virtually equal length—the living creatures (5-14), the wheels (15-21), and the platform and throne (22-27), plus an introduction (4) and [conclusion] (28a). 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. It’s hard to know, but quite possibly each wheel assembly had two wheels at right angles to one another, underscoring the movement in four directions. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning, again, steering, as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. We recognize this description from our study in Rev. Eyes represent knowledge in apocalyptic, seeing—here with many eyes, omniscience. So far in this vision, then, we have images of brilliant but diffused light, intelligence, royalty, power and virility, speed of compassion, mobility, now all-knowledge! 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose, a new direction, movement didn’t depend on the wheels. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels with all the eyes rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. This reminds us of Israel’s following the pillars of cloud and fire in the wilderness (Num.9:15-23), also bright lights—Num.9:17 … whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped.

Section three: 22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, a sort of platform, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty (like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks [10:5]), a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings suggesting some connection to the motion. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

26 And above the crystal expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him—so, all bright, but with some discernible change at waist-level. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.

Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

A Calling to Proclaim God’s Word Courageously 2:1-3:11

So, c.1 is dominated by visual images, and c.2 by dialogue. 2:1 And he said to me, “Son of man, which emphasizes Ezekiel’s insignificance or mere humanity…; it means nothing more than ‘human being’ (Taylor 63), stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, the strength here was not his own, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. Both of these descriptions refer to Israel (Judah). He’s being told that they’re indistinguishable from the rebellious nations (Block 1997 118-9). But even so, notice that he’s being sent as a messenger to the covenant community! He’ll have words for the nations (cc.25-32), but only as they relate to the people and plan of God. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. It’s not at all clear what this list is referring to, but what is clear is that Ezekiel will be protected in his work (Block 1997 121-2). Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 7 And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. The prospect of good results isn’t rosy.

8 “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; don’t follow or be drawn into their ways; open your mouth and eat what I give you,” another image we remember from Rev.10:9. 9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10 And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, once again the fullness of God’s purposes, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

3:1 And he said to me again, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” Digest it. Internalize it. And go preach its message to my people. It was written beforehand; its message is fixed (Block 1997 126). 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. Note that it didn’t turn bitter in his stomach (cf. Rev.10:9). God’s judgment here is wholly sweet.

4 And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel—6 not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. You know these people! Surely, if I sent you to such, to foreigners, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” This is going to be a head-butting contest, and I’m going to give you a harder head than theirs! 10 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears. Embrace my words. Just trust them. 11 And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

Ezekiel Struggles with Fulfilling His Calling 3:12-15

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place!” 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake. 14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. Ezekiel is infuriated by [this] imposition on his life and the implications of [God’s] commission for him. [So], the phrase…, “[in bitterness in the heat of my spirit]” (esv), which describes [his] emotional state, expresses explicitly what we have seen to be implicit in the narrative to this point. The prophet does indeed share some of the hardened disposition of [the exiles]. This interpretation is reinforced by the following statement (Block 137). 15 And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days. Ezekiel is struggling deeply with his calling here.

Ezekiel Receives Specific, Unique Instruction 3:16-27

16 And at the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me. Tying the charge that follows here to these seven days just completed might be a key to understanding the earnestness and intensity with which Ezekiel pursued his [ministry]. But it also might be showing us the kindness of God, giving the prophet a week to recover before introducing his next prophetic experience (Block 1997 143). Even so, Ezekiel writes, 16 … [after] seven days, the word of the Lord came to me again: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. And He explains just what that means. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Ezekiel will be responsible for his death, that is, guilty of murder, a death sentence under the law (Block 1997 146). 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. That makes sense. But now, here comes the word we need to listen to most carefully today; it’s the charge we’ll process as we finish. 20 Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness, if he rejects God’s covenant requirements or turns away from them and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, meaning any object that causes a person to stumble (Block 1997 146), he shall die, meaning he’ll be held accountable for his sin and die in judgment. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. Again, Ezekiel will be responsible for his death. This reminds us of the words of Jesus near the close of the Sermon on the Mount (Mat.7:21-23). Not all who believe they’re righteous have actually received the righteousness of God. 21 But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.” We’ll come back to this thought in just a moment.

22 And the hand of the Lord was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.” 23 So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face. 24 But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet like before, and he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself within your house. 25 And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. The street theatre begins, the object lessons for which Ezekiel is so famous. 26 And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, a muteness that won’t be lifted until 33:22, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, his muteness will occasionally be lifted, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

Conclusion

So, what do we learn today? Ezekiel is being prepared to minister God’s Word among His people in exile, living in difficult times, and living poorly at that, feeling like God was being unfaithful to His promises, yet blind to the fact that they were doing the very same thing. Here we get a good picture of gospel ministry in our own difficult times where we can question God’s goodness and presence and power. Three things remain true for us today just as they were true for Ezekiel in His day.

1. Ezekiel’s God is still our God today. This most glorious vision of the glory of God in the OT reminds us not only that the truthfulness of His message is unquestioned, but that the importance of our trusting it is unqualified. God is worthy of our worship and obedience no matter the cost.

2. Ezekiel’s strength is still our strength today. This great and glorious God Whom we serve will empower us to deliver His message without deviation or dilution regardless of any level of opposition we may face. He can make us stronger than the opposition in any age (2:1-3:11). Even if our witness requires our life, to die is gain (Phi.1:21).

3. Ezekiel’s message is still our message today. We need to hear, trust, obey, and preach God’s Word in our day recognizing that the only alternative is to receive His judgment (3:16-27). There’s no salvation that doesn’t show itself as obedience.

The bottom line implication here is a reminder of the urgency of faithful, unyielding gospel witness during our own declining times—calling God’s own people to live according to His Word in our day for the praise of His glory and the fulfillment of His purpose against all opposition.

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Resources

Block, Daniel I. 1997. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. The Book of Ezekiel, two vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  . 2021. Recording Series: Ezekiel, online recordings and notes. Wheaton: College Church.

Bullock, C. Hassell. 2007. An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophetic Books. Ch. 11, Ezekiel: The Merging of Two Spheres, 274-307. Chicago: Moody.

Calvin, John. Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, two vols. Translated by Thomas Myers. Logos.

Carson, D. A. 2116. D. A. Carson Sermon Library. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife.

                  . 2015. The Lord Is There: Ezekiel 40-48. TGC15: YouTube.

                  , R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Ezekiel, by L. John McGregor, 716-744. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clendenen, E. Ray, gen. ed. 1994. New American Commentary. Vol. 17, Ezekiel, by Lamar Eugene Cooper, Sr. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Collins, C. John, OT ed. 2001. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Ezekiel, 1495-1580, by David J. Reimer. Wheaton: Crossway.

Craigie, Peter C. 1983. The Daily Bible Study Series. Ezekiel. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Dever, Mark. 2006. The Message of the Old Testament. Ch. 26, The Message of Ezekiel: Paradise, 635-650. Wheaton: Crossway.

Duguid, Iain M. 1999. The NIV Application Commentary. Ezekiel. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Heschel, Abraham J. 2001.The Prophets, two vols. Peabody, MA: Prince.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, gen. eds. 2010. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 7, Jeremiah-Ezekiel. Ezekiel, by Ralph H. Alexander, 641-924. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Smith, Gary V. 1994. The Prophets as Preachers. Ch.14, Ezekiel: When Will You Acknowledge God, 251-281. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Smith, James E. 1995. The Major Prophets. The Book of Ezekiel, 351-508. Joplin, MO: College.

VanGemeren, Willem A. 1990. Interpreting the Prophetic Word. Ch. 11, The Message of Ezekiel, 321-353. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Walton, John H., gen. ed. 2009. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, Old Testament. Vol. 4, Isaiah-Daniel. Ezekiel, by Daniel Bodi, 400-500. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Walvoord, John F. & Roy B. Zuck. 1983. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Vol. 1, Old Testament. Ezekiel, 1224-1323, by Charles H. Dyer. Colorado Springs: Victor.

Wiseman, Donald J., gen. ed. 1969. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Vol. 22, Ezekiel, by John B. Taylor. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

NEXT SUNDAY: Warnings from the Watchman, Ezekiel 4:1–7:27