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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1712)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>E Z E K I E L.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. II.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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What our Lord Jesus said to St. Paul
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+26:16">Acts xxvi. 16</A>)
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may fitly be applied to the prophet Ezekiel, to whom the same Jesus is
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here speaking, "Rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto
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thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister." We have here Ezekiel's
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ordination to his office, which the vision was designed to fit him for,
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not to entertain his curiosity with uncommon speculations, but to put
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him into business. Now here,
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I. He is commissioned to go as a prophet to the house of Israel, now
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captives in Babylon, and to deliver God's messages to them from time to
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time,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:1-5">ver. 1-5</A>.
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II. He is cautioned not to be afraid of them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:6">ver. 6</A>.
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III. He is instructed what to say to them, and has words put into his
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mouth, signified by the vision of a roll, which he was ordered to eat
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:7-10">ver. 7-10</A>),
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and which, in the next chapter, we find he did eat.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Eze2_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Prophet Commissioned to Reprove.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 595.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I
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will speak unto thee.
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2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set
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me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.
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3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children
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of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me:
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they and their fathers have transgressed against me, <I>even</I> unto
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this very day.
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4 For <I>they are</I> impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send
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thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
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G<FONT SIZE=-1><B>OD</B></FONT>.
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5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will
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forbear, (for they <I>are</I> a rebellious house,) yet shall know that
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there hath been a prophet among them.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The title here given to Ezekiel, as often afterwards, is very
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observable. God, when he speaks to him, calls him, <I>Son of man</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:1,3"><I>v.</I> 1, 3</A>),
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<I>Son of Adam, Son of the earth.</I> Daniel is once called so
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+8:17">Dan. viii. 17</A>)
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and but once; the compellation is used to no other of the prophets but
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to Ezekiel all along. We may take it,
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1. As a humble diminishing title. Lest Ezekiel should be lifted up with
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the abundance of the revelations, he is put in mind of this, that sill
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he is a <I>son of man,</I> a mean, weak, mortal creature. Among other
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things made known to him, it was necessary he should be made to know
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this, that he was a <I>son of man,</I> and therefore that it was
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wonderful condescension in God that he was pleased thus to manifest
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himself to him. Now he is among the living creatures, the angels; yet
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he must remember that he is himself a man, a dying creature. <I>What is
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man, or the son of man,</I> that he should be thus visited, thus
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dignified? Though God had here a splendid retinue of holy angles about
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his throne, who were ready to go on his errands, yet he passes them all
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by, and pitches on Ezekiel, a <I>son of man,</I> to be his messenger to
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the <I>house of Israel;</I> for we <I>have this treasure in earthen
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vessels,</I> and God's messages sent us by men like ourselves, whose
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terror shall not <I>make us afraid</I> nor <I>their hand be heavy upon
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us.</I> Ezekiel was a priest, but the priesthood was brought low and
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the honour of it laid in the dust. It therefore became him, and all of
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his order, to humble themselves, and to lie low, as sons of men, common
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men. He was now to be employed as a prophet, God's ambassador, and a
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ruler over the kingdoms
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+1:10">Jer. i. 10</A>),
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a post of great honour, but he must remember that he is a <I>son of
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man,</I> and, whatever good he did, it was not by any might of his own,
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for he was a <I>son of man,</I> but in the strength of divine grace,
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which must therefore have all the glory. Or,
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2. We may take it as an honourable dignifying title; for it is one of
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the titles of the Messiah in the Old Testament
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+7:13">Dan. vii. 13</A>,
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<I>I saw one like the Son of man come with the clouds of heaven</I>),
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whence Christ borrows the title he often calls himself by, <I>The Son
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of man.</I> The prophets were types of him, as they had near access to
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God and great authority among men; and therefore as David the king is
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called the <I>Lord's anointed,</I> or <I>Christ,</I> so Ezekiel the
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prophet is called <I>son of man.</I></P>
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<P>
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I. Ezekiel is here set up, and made to stand, that he might receive his
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commission,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
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He is set up,</P>
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<P>
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1. By a divine command: <I>Son of man, stand upon thy feet.</I> His
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lying prostrate was a posture of greater reverence, but his standing up
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would be a posture of greater readiness and fitness for business. Our
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adorings of God must not hinder, but rather quicken and excite, our
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actings for God. He <I>fell on his face</I> in a holy fear and awe of
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God, but he was quickly raised up again; for those that <I>humble
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themselves shall be exalted.</I> God delights no in the dejections of
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his servants, but the same that brings them low will raise them up; the
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same that is a Spirit of bondage will be a Spirit of adoption.
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<I>Stand, and I will speak to thee.</I> Note, We may expect that God
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will speak to us when we stand ready to do what he commands us.</P>
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<P>
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2. By a divine power going along with that command,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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God bade him <I>stand up;</I> but, because he had not strength of his
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own to recover his feet nor courage to face the vision, <I>the Spirit
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entered into him</I> and <I>set him upon his feet.</I> Note, God is
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graciously pleased to work that in us which he requires of us and
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raises those whom he bids rise. We must stir up ourselves, and then God
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will put strength into us; we must <I>work out our salvation,</I> and
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then God will <I>work in us.</I> He observed that the Spirit entered
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into him when Christ spoke to him; for Christ conveys his Spirit by his
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word as the ordinary means and makes the word effectual by the Spirit.
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<I>The Spirit set</I> the prophet <I>upon his feet,</I> to raise him up
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from his dejections, for <I>he is the Comforter.</I> Thus, in a similar
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case, Daniel was strengthened by a divine touch
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+10:18">Dan. x. 18</A>)
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and John was raised by the right hand of Christ laid upon him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+1:17">Rev. i. 17</A>.
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The <I>Spirit set him upon his feet,</I> made him willing and forward
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to do as he was bidden, and then he <I>heard him that spoke</I> to him.
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He heard the voice before
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+1:28"><I>ch.</I> i. 28</A>),
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but now he heard it more distinctly and clearly, heard it and submitted
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to it. The Spirit sets us upon our feet by inclining our will to our
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duty, and thereby disposes the understanding to receive the knowledge
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of it.</P>
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<P>
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II. Ezekiel is here sent, and made to go, with a message to the
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children of Israel
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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<I>I send thee to the children of Israel.</I> God had for many ages
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been sending to them his servants the prophets, rising up betimes and
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sending them, but to little purpose; they were now sent into captivity
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for abusing God's messengers, and yet even there God sends this prophet
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among them, to try if their ears were open to discipline, now that they
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were holden in the cords of affliction. As the supports of life, so the
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means of grace, are continued to us after they have been a thousand
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times forfeited. Now observe,</P>
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<P>
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1. The rebellion of the people to whom this ambassador is sent; he is
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sent to reduce them to their allegiance, to bring back the children of
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Israel to the Lord their God. Let the prophet know that there is
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occasion for his going on this errand, for they are a <I>rebellious
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nation</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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<I>a rebellious house,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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They are called <I>children of Israel;</I> they retain the name of
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their pious ancestors, but they have wretchedly degenerated, they have
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become <I>Goim--nations,</I> the word commonly used for the Gentiles.
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The <I>children of Israel</I> have become as the <I>children of the
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Ethiopian</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Am+9:7">Amos ix. 7</A>),
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for they are <I>rebellious;</I> and rebels at home are much more
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provoking to a prince than enemies abroad. Their idolatries and false
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worships were the sins which, more than any thing, denominated them a
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<I>rebellious nation;</I> for thereby they set up another prince in
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opposition to their rightful Sovereign, and did homage and paid tribute
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to the usurper, which is the highest degree of rebellion that can be.
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(1.) They had been all along a rebellious generation and had persisted
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in their rebellion: <I>They and their fathers have transgressed against
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me.</I> Note, Those are not always in the right that have antiquity and
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the fathers on their side; for there are errors and corruptions of long
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standing: and it is so far from being an excuse for walking in a bad
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way that our fathers walked in it that it is really an aggravation, for
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it is justifying the sin of those that have gone before us. They have
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continued in their rebellion <I>even unto this very day;</I>
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notwithstanding the various means and methods that have been made use
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of to reclaim them, <I>to this day,</I> when they are under divine
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rebukes for their rebellion, they continue <I>rebellious;</I> many
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among them, like Ahaz, even <I>in their distress, trespass yet
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more;</I> they are not the better for all the changes that have
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befallen them, but still remain unchanged.
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(2.) They were now hardened in their rebellion. They are <I>impudent
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children,</I> brazen-faced, and cannot blush; they are still-hearted,
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self-willed, and cannot bend, cannot stoop, neither ashamed nor afraid
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to sin; they will not be wrought upon by the sense either of honour or
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duty. We are willing to hope this was not the character of all, but of
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many, and those perhaps the leading men. Observe,
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[1.] God knew this concerning them, how inflexible, how incorrigible,
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they were. Note, God is perfectly acquainted with every man's true
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character, whatever his pretensions and professions may be.
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[2.] He told the prophet this, that he might know the better how to
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deal with them and what handle to take them by. He must rebuke such
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men as those sharply, cuttingly, must deal plainly with them, though
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they call it <I>dealing roughly.</I> God tells him this, that it might
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be no surprise or stumbling-block to him if he found that his preaching
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should not make that impression upon them, which he had reason to think
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it would.</P>
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<P>
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2. The dominion of the prince by whom this ambassador is sent.
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(1.) He has authority to command him whom he sends: "<I>I do send thee
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unto them,</I> and therefore <I>thou shalt say</I> thus and thus unto
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them,"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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Note, it is the prerogative of Christ to send prophets and ministers
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and to enjoin them their work. St. Paul thanked Christ Jesus who put
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him into the ministry
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+1:12">1 Tim. i. 12</A>);
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for, as he was sent of the Father, ministers are sent by him; and as he
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received the Spirit without measure he gives the Spirit by measure,
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saying, <I>Receive you the Holy Ghost.</I> They are <I>impudent</I> and
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<I>rebellious,</I> and yet <I>I send thee unto them.</I> Note, Christ
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gives the means of grace to many who he knows will not make a good use
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of those means, puts many a price into the hand of fools to get wisdom,
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who not only have no heart to it, but have their hearts turned against
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it. Thus he will magnify his own grace, justify his own judgment, leave
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them inexcusable, and make their condemnation more intolerable.
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(2.) He has authority by him to command those to whom he sends him:
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<I>Thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.</I> All he said
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to them must be spoken in God's name, enforced by his authority, and
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delivered as from him. Christ delivered his doctrines as a
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Son--<I>Verily, verily, I say unto you;</I> the prophets as
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<I>servants--Thus saith the Lord God,</I> our Master and yours. Note,
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The writings of the prophets are the word of God, and so are to be
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regarded by every one of us.
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(3.) He has authority to call those to an account to whom he sends his
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ambassadors. <I>Whether they will hear or whether they will
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forbear,</I> whether they will attend to the word or turn their backs
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upon it, <I>they shall know that there has been a prophet among
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them,</I> shall know by experience.
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[1.] If they hear and obey, they will know by comfortable experience
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that the word which did them good was brought to them by one that had a
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commission from God and a divine power going along with him in the
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execution of it. Thus those who were converted by St. Paul's preaching
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are said to be <I>the seals of his apostleship,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+9:2">1 Cor. ix. 2</A>.
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When men's hearts are made to burn under the word, and their wills to
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bow to it, then they know and bear the witness in themselves that it is
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not the <I>word of men, but of God.</I>
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[2.] If they forbear, if they turn a deaf ear to the word (as it is to
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be feared they will, <I>for they are a rebellious house</I>), yet they
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shall be made to know that he whom they slighted was indeed a prophet,
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by the reproaches of their own consciences and the just judgments of
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God upon them for refusing him; they shall know it to their cost, know
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it to their confusion, know it by sad experience, what a pernicious
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dangerous thing it is to despise God's messengers. They shall know by
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the accomplishment of the threatenings that the prophet who denounced
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them was sent of God; thus the word will <I>take hold of men,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+1:6">Zech. i. 6</A>.
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Note, <I>First,</I> Those to whom the word of God is sent are upon
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their trial <I>whether they will hear</I> or <I>whether they will
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forbear,</I> and accordingly will their doom be. <I>Secondly,</I>
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Whether we be edified by the word or no, it is certain that God will be
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glorified and his word magnified and made honourable. Whether it be a
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<I>savour of life unto life</I> or <I>of death unto death,</I> either
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way it will appear to be of divine original.</P>
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<A NAME="Eze2_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Eze2_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
|
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
|
|
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Prophet Cautioned Not to Fear; Charge Given to the Prophet.</I></FONT></TD>
|
|
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 595.</TD></TR>
|
|
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
|
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</TABLE>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be
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afraid of their words, though briers and thorns <I>be</I> with thee,
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and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their
|
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words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they <I>be</I> a
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rebellious house.
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7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will
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hear, or whether they will forbear: for they <I>are</I> most
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rebellious.
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8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou
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rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat
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that I give thee.
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|
9 And when I looked, behold, a hand <I>was</I> sent unto me; and,
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|
lo, a roll of a book <I>was</I> therein;
|
|
10 And he spread it before me; and it <I>was</I> written within and
|
|
without: and <I>there was</I> written therein lamentations, and
|
|
mourning, and woe.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The prophet, having received his commission, here receives a charge
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|
with it. It is a post of honour to which he is advanced, but withal it
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|
is a post of service and work, and it is here required of him,</P>
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|
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<P>
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|
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|
I. That he be bold. He must act in the discharge of this trust with an
|
|
undaunted courage and resolution, and not be either driven off from his
|
|
work or made to drive on heavily, by the difficulties and oppositions
|
|
that he would be likely to meet with in it: <I>Son of man, be not
|
|
afraid of them,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
|
|
|
|
Note, Those that will do any thing to purpose in the service of God
|
|
must not be afraid of the face of man; for the fear of men will bring a
|
|
snare, which will be very entangling to us in the work of God.
|
|
|
|
1. God tells the prophet what was the character of those to whom he
|
|
sent him, as before,
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:3,4"><I>v.</I> 3, 4</A>.
|
|
|
|
They are <I>briers and thorns,</I> scratching, and tearing, and vexing
|
|
a man, which way soever he turns. They are continually teazing God's
|
|
prophets and entangling them in their <I>talk</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+22:15">Matt. xxii. 15</A>);
|
|
|
|
they are <I>pricking briers</I> and <I>grieving thorns.</I> The best of
|
|
them is as a brier, and <I>the most upright sharper than a
|
|
thorn-hedge,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+7:4">Mic. vii. 4</A>.
|
|
|
|
Thorns and briers are the fruit of sin and the curse, and of equal date
|
|
with the enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the
|
|
serpent. Note, Wicked men, especially the persecutors of God's prophets
|
|
and people, are as briers and thorns, which are hurtful to the ground,
|
|
choke the good seed, hinder God's husbandry, are vexatious to his
|
|
husbandmen; but they are <I>nigh unto cursing</I> and <I>their end is
|
|
to be burned.</I> Yet God makes use of them sometimes for the
|
|
correction and instruction of his people, as <I>Gideon taught the men
|
|
of Succoth with thorns and briers,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+8:16">Judg. viii. 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
Yet this is not the worst of their character: they are
|
|
<I>scorpions,</I> venomous and malignant. The sting of a scorpion is a
|
|
thousand times more hurtful than the scratch of a brier. Persecutors
|
|
are a <I>generation of vipers,</I> are of the serpent's seed, and the
|
|
<I>poison of asps is under their tongue;</I> and they are <I>more
|
|
subtle than any beast of the field.</I> And, which makes the prophet's
|
|
case the more grievous, he dwells among these scorpions; they are
|
|
continually about him, so that he cannot be safe nor quiet in his own
|
|
house; these bad men are his bad neighbours, who thereby have many
|
|
opportunities, and will let slip none, to do him a mischief. God takes
|
|
notice of this to the prophet, as Christ to the angel of one of the
|
|
churches,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+2:13">Rev. ii. 13</A>.
|
|
|
|
<I>I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat
|
|
is.</I> Ezekiel had been, in vision, conversing with angels, but when
|
|
he comes down from this mount he finds he <I>dwells with scorpions.</I>
|
|
|
|
2. He tells him what would be their conduct towards him, that they
|
|
would do what they could to frighten him with <I>their looks</I> and
|
|
<I>their words;</I> they would hector him and threaten him, would look
|
|
scornfully and spitefully at him, and do their utmost to face him down
|
|
and put him our of countenance, that they might drive him off from
|
|
being a prophet, or at least from telling them of their faults and
|
|
threatening them with the judgments of God; or, if they could not
|
|
prevail in this, that they might vex and perplex him, and disturb the
|
|
repose of his mind. They were now themselves in subjection, divested of
|
|
all power, so that they had no other way of persecuting the prophet
|
|
than with <I>their looks and their words;</I> and so they did persecute
|
|
him. <I>Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou
|
|
couldest,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+3:5">Jer. iii. 5</A>.
|
|
|
|
If they had had more power, they would have done more mischief. They
|
|
were now in captivity, smarting for their rebellion, and particularly
|
|
their misusing God's prophets; and yet they are as bad as ever.
|
|
<I>Though thou brag a fool in a mortar, yet will not his foolishness
|
|
depart from him;</I> no providences will of themselves humble and
|
|
reform men, unless the grace of God work with them. But, how malicious
|
|
soever they were, Ezekiel must not be <I>afraid of them</I> nor
|
|
<I>dismayed,</I> he must not be deterred from his work, or any part of
|
|
it, nor be disheartened or dispirited in it by all their menaces, but
|
|
go on in it with resolution and cheerfulness, assuring himself of
|
|
safety under the divine protection.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. It is required that he be faithful,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
|
|
|
|
1. He must be faithful to Christ who sent him: <I>Thou shalt speak my
|
|
words unto them.</I> Note, As it is the honour of prophets that they
|
|
are entrusted to speak God's words, so it is their duty to cleave
|
|
closely to them and to speak nothing but what is agreeable to the words
|
|
of God. Ministers must always speak according to that rule.
|
|
|
|
2. He must be faithful to the souls of those to whom he was sent:
|
|
<I>Whether they will hear of whether they will forbear,</I> he must
|
|
deliver his message to them as he received it. He must bring them to
|
|
comply with the word, and not study to accommodate the word to their
|
|
humours. "It is true they are <I>most rebellious,</I> they are
|
|
rebellion itself; but, however, <I>speak my words</I> to them, whether
|
|
they are pleasing or unpleasing." Note, The untractableness and
|
|
unprofitableness of people under the word are no good reason why
|
|
ministers should leave off preaching to them; nor must we decline an
|
|
opportunity by which good may be done, though we have a great deal of
|
|
reason to think no good will be done.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
III. It is required that he be observant of his instructions.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. Here is a general intimation what the instructions were that were
|
|
given him, in the contents of the book which was <I>spread before
|
|
him,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
|
|
|
|
(1.) His instructions were large; for the roll was <I>written within
|
|
and without,</I> on the inside and on the outside of the roll. It was
|
|
as a sheet of paper written on all the four sides. One side contained
|
|
their sins; the other side contained the judgments of God coming upon
|
|
them for those sins. Note, God has a great deal to say to his people
|
|
when they have degenerated and become rebellious.
|
|
|
|
(2.) His instructions were melancholy. He was sent on a sad errand; the
|
|
matter contained in the book was, <I>lamentations, and mourning, and
|
|
woe.</I> The idea of his message is taken from the impression it would
|
|
make upon the minds of those that carefully attended to it; it would
|
|
set them a weeping and crying out, <I>Woe! and, Alas!</I> Both the
|
|
discoveries of sin and the denunciations of wrath would be matter of
|
|
lamentation. What could be more lamentable, more mournful, more woeful,
|
|
than to see a holy happy people sunk into such a state of sin and
|
|
misery as it appears by the prophecy of this book the Jews were at this
|
|
time? Ezekiel echoes to Jeremiah's lamentations. Note, Though God is
|
|
rich in mercy, yet impenitent sinners will find there are even among
|
|
his words <I>lamentations and woe.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. Here is an express charge given to the prophet to observe his
|
|
instructions, both in receiving his message and delivering it. He is
|
|
now to receive it and is here commanded,
|
|
|
|
(1.) To attend diligently to it: <I>son of man, hear what I say unto
|
|
thee,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+2:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
|
|
|
|
Note, Those that speak from God to others must be sure to hear from God
|
|
themselves and be obedient to his voice: "<I>Be not thou
|
|
rebellious;</I> do not refuse to go on this errand, or to deliver it;
|
|
do not fly off, as Jonah did, for fear of disobliging thy countrymen.
|
|
They are a <I>rebellious house,</I> among whom thou livest; but be not
|
|
thou like them, do not comply with them in any thing that is evil." If
|
|
ministers, who are reprovers by office, connive at sin and indulge
|
|
sinners, either show them not their wickedness or show them not the
|
|
fatal consequences of it, for fear of displeasing them and getting
|
|
their ill-will, they hereby make themselves partakers of their guilt
|
|
and are rebellious like them. If people will not do their duty in
|
|
reforming, yet let ministers do theirs in reproving, and they will have
|
|
the comfort of it in the reflection, whatever the success be, as that
|
|
prophet had,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+50:5">Isa. l. 5</A>.
|
|
|
|
<I>The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious.</I> Even
|
|
the best of men, when their lot is cast in bad times and places, have
|
|
need to be cautioned against the worst of crimes.
|
|
|
|
(2.) To digest it in his own mind by an experience of the favour and
|
|
power of it: "Do not only <I>hear what I say unto thee,</I> but <I>open
|
|
thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee.</I> Prepare to eat it and
|
|
eat it willingly and with an appetite." All God's children are content
|
|
to be at their heavenly father's finding, and to eat whatever he gives
|
|
them. That which God's hand reached out to Ezekiel was <I>a roll of a
|
|
book,</I> or <I>the volume of a book,</I> a book or scroll of paper or
|
|
parchment fully written and rolled up. Divine revelation comes to us
|
|
from the hand of Christ; he gave it to the prophets,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+1:1">Rev. i. 1</A>.
|
|
|
|
When we look at <I>the roll of thy book</I> we must have an eye to the
|
|
hand by which it is sent to us. He that brought it to the prophet
|
|
<I>spread it before him,</I> that he might now swallow it with an
|
|
implicit faith, but might fully understand the contents of it, and then
|
|
receive it and make it his own. <I>Be not rebellious,</I> says Christ,
|
|
but <I>eat what I give thee.</I> If we receive not what Christ in his
|
|
ordinances and providences allots for us, if we submit not to his word
|
|
and rod, and reconcile not ourselves to both, we shall be accounted
|
|
rebellious.</P>
|
|
|
|
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