mh_parser/vol_split/26 - Ezekiel/Chapter 2.xml

<div2 id="Ez.iii" n="iii" next="Ez.iv" prev="Ez.ii" progress="50.51%" title="Chapter II">
<h2 id="Ez.iii-p0.1">E Z E K I E L.</h2>
<h3 id="Ez.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ez.iii-p1" shownumber="no">What our Lord Jesus said to St. Paul (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.26.16" parsed="|Acts|26|16|0|0" passage="Ac 26:16">Acts xxvi. 16</scripRef>) may fitly be applied
to the prophet Ezekiel, to whom the same Jesus is here speaking,
"Rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for
this purpose, to make thee a minister." We have here Ezekiel's
ordination to his office, which the vision was designed to fit him
for, not to entertain his curiosity with uncommon speculations, but
to put him into business. Now here, I. He is commissioned to go as
a prophet to the house of Israel, now captives in Babylon, and to
deliver God's messages to them from time to time, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.1-Ezek.2.5" parsed="|Ezek|2|1|2|5" passage="Eze 2:1-5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. He is cautioned not to
be afraid of them, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.6" parsed="|Ezek|2|6|0|0" passage="Eze 2:6">ver. 6</scripRef>.
III. He is instructed what to say to them, and has words put into
his mouth, signified by the vision of a roll, which he was ordered
to eat (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.7-Ezek.2.10" parsed="|Ezek|2|7|2|10" passage="Eze 2:7-10">ver. 7-10</scripRef>), and
which, in the next chapter, we find he did eat.</p>
<scripCom id="Ez.iii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2" parsed="|Ezek|2|0|0|0" passage="Eze 2" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ez.iii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.1-Ezek.2.5" parsed="|Ezek|2|1|2|5" passage="Eze 2:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Ez.iii-p1.7">
<h4 id="Ez.iii-p1.8">The Prophet Commissioned to
Reprove. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.iii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 595.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.iii-p2" shownumber="no">1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon
thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.   2 And the spirit
entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet,
that I heard him that spake unto me.   3 And he said unto me,
Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious
nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have
transgressed against me, <i>even</i> unto this very day.   4
For <i>they are</i> impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send
thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.iii-p2.1">God</span>.   5 And they, whether they
will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they <i>are</i> a
rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet
among them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p3" shownumber="no">The title here given to Ezekiel, as often
afterwards, is very observable. God, when he speaks to him, calls
him, <i>Son of man</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.1 Bible:Ezek.2.3" parsed="|Ezek|2|1|0|0;|Ezek|2|3|0|0" passage="Eze 2:1,3"><i>v.</i> 1,
3</scripRef>), <i>Son of Adam, Son of the earth.</i> Daniel is once
called so (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.17" parsed="|Dan|8|17|0|0" passage="Da 8:17">Dan. viii. 17</scripRef>)
and but once; the compellation is used to no other of the prophets
but to Ezekiel all along. We may take it, 1. As a humble
diminishing title. Lest Ezekiel should be lifted up with the
abundance of the revelations, he is put in mind of this, that still
he is a <i>son of man,</i> a mean, weak, mortal creature. Among
other things made known to him, it was necessary he should be made
to know this, that he was a <i>son of man,</i> and therefore that
it was wonderful condescension in God that he was pleased thus to
manifest himself to him. Now he is among the living creatures, the
angels; yet he must remember that he is himself a man, a dying
creature. <i>What is man, or the son of man,</i> that he should be
thus visited, thus dignified? Though God had here a splendid
retinue of holy angles about his throne, who were ready to go on
his errands, yet he passes them all by, and pitches on Ezekiel, a
<i>son of man,</i> to be his messenger to the <i>house of
Israel;</i> for we <i>have this treasure in earthen vessels,</i>
and God's messages sent us by men like ourselves, whose terror
shall not <i>make us afraid</i> nor <i>their hand be heavy upon
us.</i> Ezekiel was a priest, but the priesthood was brought low
and the honour of it laid in the dust. It therefore became him, and
all of his order, to humble themselves, and to lie low, as sons of
men, common men. He was now to be employed as a prophet, God's
ambassador, and a ruler over the kingdoms (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.1.10" parsed="|Jer|1|10|0|0" passage="Jer 1:10">Jer. i. 10</scripRef>), a post of great honour, but he
must remember that he is a <i>son of man,</i> and, whatever good he
did, it was not by any might of his own, for he was a <i>son of
man,</i> but in the strength of divine grace, which must therefore
have all the glory. Or, 2. We may take it as an honourable
dignifying title; for it is one of the titles of the Messiah in the
Old Testament (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.7.13" parsed="|Dan|7|13|0|0" passage="Da 7:13">Dan. vii. 13</scripRef>,
<i>I saw one like the Son of man come with the clouds of
heaven</i>), whence Christ borrows the title he often calls himself
by, <i>The Son of man.</i> The prophets were types of him, as they
had near access to God and great authority among men; and therefore
as David the king is called the <i>Lord's anointed,</i> or
<i>Christ,</i> so Ezekiel the prophet is called <i>son of
man.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p4" shownumber="no">I. Ezekiel is here set up, and made to
stand, that he might receive his commission, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.1-Ezek.2.2" parsed="|Ezek|2|1|2|2" passage="Eze 2:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. He is set up,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p5" shownumber="no">1. By a divine command: <i>Son of man,
stand upon thy feet.</i> His lying prostrate was a posture of
greater reverence, but his standing up would be a posture of
greater readiness and fitness for business. Our adorings of God
must not hinder, but rather quicken and excite, our actings for
God. He <i>fell on his face</i> in a holy fear and awe of God, but
he was quickly raised up again; for those that <i>humble themselves
shall be exalted.</i> God delights not in the dejections of his
servants, but the same that brings them low will raise them up; the
same that is a Spirit of bondage will be a Spirit of adoption.
<i>Stand, and I will speak to thee.</i> Note, We may expect that
God will speak to us when we stand ready to do what he commands
us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p6" shownumber="no">2. By a divine power going along with that
command, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.2" parsed="|Ezek|2|2|0|0" passage="Eze 2:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. God
bade him <i>stand up;</i> but, because he had not strength of his
own to recover his feet nor courage to face the vision, <i>the
Spirit entered into him</i> and <i>set him upon his feet.</i> Note,
God is graciously pleased to work that in us which he requires of
us and raises those whom he bids rise. We must stir up ourselves,
and then God will put strength into us; we must <i>work out our
salvation,</i> and then God will <i>work in us.</i> He observed
that the Spirit entered into him when Christ spoke to him; for
Christ conveys his Spirit by his word as the ordinary means and
makes the word effectual by the Spirit. <i>The Spirit set</i> the
prophet <i>upon his feet,</i> to raise him up from his dejections,
for <i>he is the Comforter.</i> Thus, in a similar case, Daniel was
strengthened by a divine touch (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.10.18" parsed="|Dan|10|18|0|0" passage="Da 10:18">Dan.
x. 18</scripRef>) and John was raised by the right hand of Christ
laid upon him, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.17" parsed="|Rev|1|17|0|0" passage="Re 1:17">Rev. i. 17</scripRef>.
The <i>Spirit set him upon his feet,</i> made him willing and
forward to do as he was bidden, and then he <i>heard him that
spoke</i> to him. He heard the voice before (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.1.28" parsed="|Ezek|1|28|0|0" passage="Eze 1:28"><i>ch.</i> i. 28</scripRef>), but now he heard it more
distinctly and clearly, heard it and submitted to it. The Spirit
sets us upon our feet by inclining our will to our duty, and
thereby disposes the understanding to receive the knowledge of
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p7" shownumber="no">II. Ezekiel is here sent, and made to go,
with a message to the children of Israel (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.3" parsed="|Ezek|2|3|0|0" passage="Eze 2:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>I send thee to the children
of Israel.</i> God had for many ages been sending to them his
servants the prophets, rising up betimes and sending them, but to
little purpose; they were now sent into captivity for abusing God's
messengers, and yet even there God sends this prophet among them,
to try if their ears were open to discipline, now that they were
holden in the cords of affliction. As the supports of life, so the
means of grace, are continued to us after they have been a thousand
times forfeited. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p8" shownumber="no">1. The rebellion of the people to whom this
ambassador is sent; he is sent to reduce them to their allegiance,
to bring back the children of Israel to the Lord their God. Let the
prophet know that there is occasion for his going on this errand,
for they are a <i>rebellious nation</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.3" parsed="|Ezek|2|3|0|0" passage="Eze 2:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), <i>a rebellious house,</i>
<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.5" parsed="|Ezek|2|5|0|0" passage="Eze 2:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. They are called
<i>children of Israel;</i> they retain the name of their pious
ancestors, but they have wretchedly degenerated, they have become
<i>Goim—nations,</i> the word commonly used for the Gentiles. The
<i>children of Israel</i> have become as the <i>children of the
Ethiopian</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Amos.9.7" parsed="|Amos|9|7|0|0" passage="Am 9:7">Amos ix. 7</scripRef>),
for they are <i>rebellious;</i> and rebels at home are much more
provoking to a prince than enemies abroad. Their idolatries and
false worships were the sins which, more than any thing,
denominated them a <i>rebellious nation;</i> for thereby they set
up another prince in opposition to their rightful Sovereign, and
did homage and paid tribute to the usurper, which is the highest
degree of rebellion that can be. (1.) They had been all along a
rebellious generation and had persisted in their rebellion: <i>They
and their fathers have transgressed against me.</i> Note, Those are
not always in the right that have antiquity and the fathers on
their side; for there are errors and corruptions of long standing:
and it is so far from being an excuse for walking in a bad way that
our fathers walked in it that it is really an aggravation, for it
is justifying the sin of those that have gone before us. They have
continued in their rebellion <i>even unto this very day;</i>
notwithstanding the various means and methods that have been made
use of to reclaim them, <i>to this day,</i> when they are under
divine rebukes for their rebellion, they continue
<i>rebellious;</i> many among them, like Ahaz, even <i>in their
distress, trespass yet more;</i> they are not the better for all
the changes that have befallen them, but still remain unchanged.
(2.) They were now hardened in their rebellion. They are
<i>impudent children,</i> brazen-faced, and cannot blush; they are
still-hearted, self-willed, and cannot bend, cannot stoop, neither
ashamed nor afraid to sin; they will not be wrought upon by the
sense either of honour or duty. We are willing to hope this was not
the character of all, but of many, and those perhaps the leading
men. Observe, [1.] God knew this concerning them, how inflexible,
how incorrigible, they were. Note, God is perfectly acquainted with
every man's true character, whatever his pretensions and
professions may be. [2.] He told the prophet this, that he might
know the better how to deal with them and what handle to take them
by. He must rebuke such men as those sharply, cuttingly, must deal
plainly with them, though they call it <i>dealing roughly.</i> God
tells him this, that it might be no surprise or stumbling-block to
him if he found that his preaching should not make that impression
upon them, which he had reason to think it would.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p9" shownumber="no">2. The dominion of the prince by whom this
ambassador is sent. (1.) He has authority to command him whom he
sends: "<i>I do send thee unto them,</i> and therefore <i>thou
shalt say</i> thus and thus unto them," <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.4" parsed="|Ezek|2|4|0|0" passage="Eze 2:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Note, it is the prerogative of
Christ to send prophets and ministers and to enjoin them their
work. St. Paul thanked Christ Jesus who put him into the ministry
(<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.12" parsed="|1Tim|1|12|0|0" passage="1Ti 1:12">1 Tim. i. 12</scripRef>); for, as he
was sent of the Father, ministers are sent by him; and as he
received the Spirit without measure he gives the Spirit by measure,
saying, <i>Receive you the Holy Ghost.</i> They are <i>impudent</i>
and <i>rebellious,</i> and yet <i>I send thee unto them.</i> Note,
Christ gives the means of grace to many who he knows will not make
a good use of those means, puts many a price into the hand of fools
to get wisdom, who not only have no heart to it, but have their
hearts turned against it. Thus he will magnify his own grace,
justify his own judgment, leave them inexcusable, and make their
condemnation more intolerable. (2.) He has authority by him to
command those to whom he sends him: <i>Thou shalt say unto them,
Thus saith the Lord God.</i> All he said to them must be spoken in
God's name, enforced by his authority, and delivered as from him.
Christ delivered his doctrines as a Son—<i>Verily, verily, I say
unto you;</i> the prophets as <i>servants—Thus saith the Lord
God,</i> our Master and yours. Note, The writings of the prophets
are the word of God, and so are to be regarded by every one of us.
(3.) He has authority to call those to an account to whom he sends
his ambassadors. <i>Whether they will hear or whether they will
forbear,</i> whether they will attend to the word or turn their
backs upon it, <i>they shall know that there has been a prophet
among them,</i> shall know by experience. [1.] If they hear and
obey, they will know by comfortable experience that the word which
did them good was brought to them by one that had a commission from
God and a divine power going along with him in the execution of it.
Thus those who were converted by St. Paul's preaching are said to
be <i>the seals of his apostleship,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.2" parsed="|1Cor|9|2|0|0" passage="1Co 9:2">1 Cor. ix. 2</scripRef>. When men's hearts are made to
burn under the word, and their wills to bow to it, then they know
and bear the witness in themselves that it is not the <i>word of
men, but of God.</i> [2.] If they forbear, if they turn a deaf ear
to the word (as it is to be feared they will, <i>for they are a
rebellious house</i>), yet they shall be made to know that he whom
they slighted was indeed a prophet, by the reproaches of their own
consciences and the just judgments of God upon them for refusing
him; they shall know it to their cost, know it to their confusion,
know it by sad experience, what a pernicious dangerous thing it is
to despise God's messengers. They shall know by the accomplishment
of the threatenings that the prophet who denounced them was sent of
God; thus the word will <i>take hold of men,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Zech.1.6" parsed="|Zech|1|6|0|0" passage="Zec 1:6">Zech. i. 6</scripRef>. Note, <i>First,</i> Those to whom
the word of God is sent are upon their trial <i>whether they will
hear</i> or <i>whether they will forbear,</i> and accordingly will
their doom be. <i>Secondly,</i> Whether we be edified by the word
or no, it is certain that God will be glorified and his word
magnified and made honourable. Whether it be a <i>savour of life
unto life</i> or <i>of death unto death,</i> either way it will
appear to be of divine original.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.iii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.6-Ezek.2.10" parsed="|Ezek|2|6|2|10" passage="Eze 2:6-10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Ez.iii-p9.6">
<h4 id="Ez.iii-p9.7">The Prophet Cautioned Not to Fear; Charge
Given to the Prophet. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.iii-p9.8">b. c.</span> 595.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.iii-p10" shownumber="no">6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them,
neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns
<i>be</i> with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not
afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they
<i>be</i> a rebellious house.   7 And thou shalt speak my
words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will
forbear: for they <i>are</i> most rebellious.   8 But thou,
son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like
that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
  9 And when I looked, behold, a hand <i>was</i> sent unto me;
and, 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p11" shownumber="no">The prophet, having received his
commission, here receives a charge with it. It is a post of honour
to which he is advanced, but withal it is a post of service and
work, and it is here required of him,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p12" shownumber="no">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> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.6" parsed="|Ezek|2|6|0|0" passage="Eze 2:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.3-Ezek.2.4" parsed="|Ezek|2|3|2|4" passage="Eze 2:3,4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>. 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> (<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.22.15" parsed="|Matt|22|15|0|0" passage="Mt 22:15">Matt. xxii.
15</scripRef>); 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> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.4" parsed="|Mic|7|4|0|0" passage="Mic 7:4">Mic.
vii. 4</scripRef>. 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> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.8.16" parsed="|Judg|8|16|0|0" passage="Jdg 8:16">Judg. viii. 16</scripRef>.
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, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p12.6" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.13" parsed="|Rev|2|13|0|0" passage="Re 2:13">Rev. ii. 13</scripRef>. <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> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p12.7" osisRef="Bible:Jer.3.5" parsed="|Jer|3|5|0|0" passage="Jer 3:5">Jer. iii. 5</scripRef>. 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 class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p13" shownumber="no">II. It is required that he be faithful,
<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.7" parsed="|Ezek|2|7|0|0" passage="Eze 2:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. 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 class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p14" shownumber="no">III. It is required that he be observant of
his instructions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p15" shownumber="no">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> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.10" parsed="|Ezek|2|10|0|0" passage="Eze 2:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. (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 class="indent" id="Ez.iii-p16" shownumber="no">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> <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.8" parsed="|Ezek|2|8|0|0" passage="Eze 2:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
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, <scripRef id="Ez.iii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.50.5" parsed="|Isa|50|5|0|0" passage="Isa 50:5">Isa. l. 5</scripRef>. <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,
<scripRef id="Ez.iii-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.1" parsed="|Rev|1|1|0|0" passage="Re 1:1">Rev. i. 1</scripRef>. 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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