August 18, 2025
Ezekiel is called to share a message with God's people.
Ezekiel 1-4
Marcus Brown
Big Book Idea
While destruction had come and will still come, eventually there will be restoration.
Key Verse | Ezekiel 2:3-6
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. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. 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. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house."
Ezekiel 1-4
Chapter 1
Ezekiel in Babylon
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 1 1:1 Or from God 2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
The Glory of the LORD
4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. 2 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each 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. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 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, while two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit 3 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21 would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, 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.
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. 4 1:15 Hebrew of their faces 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. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions 5 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures 6 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21 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.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, 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, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 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 expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; 7 1:26 Or lapis lazuli 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. 8 1:27 Or it 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.
Chapter 2
Ezekiel's Call
1 And he said to me, “Son of man, 9 2:1 Or Son of Adam; so throughout Ezekiel 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, 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. 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. 10 2:6 Or on scorpion plants 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.
8 But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 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, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.
Chapter 3
1 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 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.
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. Surely, if I sent you to such, 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.” 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. 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.”
12 Then the Spirit 11 3:12 Or the wind; also verse 14 lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice 12 3:12 Or sound 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. 15 And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. 13 3:15 Or Chebar, and to where they dwelt And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
A Watchman for Israel
16 And at the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me: 17 “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. 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 14 3:18 Or in; also verses 19, 20 his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 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. 20 Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. 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. 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.”
22 And the hand of the LORD was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, 15 3:22 Or plain; also verse 23 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, 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. 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, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, 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.
Chapter 4
The Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized
1 And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem. 2 And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around. 3 And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.
4 Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment 16 4:4 Or iniquity; also verses 5, 6, 17 of the house of Israel upon it. For the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their punishment. 5 For I assign to you a number of days, 390 days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment. So long shall you bear the punishment of the house of Israel. 6 And when you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah. Forty days I assign you, a day for each year. 7 And you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm bared, and you shall prophesy against the city. 8 And behold, I will place cords upon you, so that you cannot turn from one side to the other, till you have completed the days of your siege.
9 And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and emmer, 17 4:9 A type of wheat and put them into a single vessel and make your bread from them. During the number of days that you lie on your side, 390 days, you shall eat it. 10 And your food that you eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels 18 4:10 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams a day; from day to day 19 4:10 Or at a set time daily; also verse 11 you shall eat it. 11 And water you shall drink by measure, the sixth part of a hin; 20 4:11 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters from day to day you shall drink. 12 And you shall eat it as a barley cake, baking it in their sight on human dung.” 13 And the LORD said, “Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations where I will drive them.” 14 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I have never defiled myself. 21 4:14 Hebrew my soul (or throat) has never been made unclean From my youth up till now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has tainted meat come into my mouth.” 15 Then he said to me, “See, I assign to you cow's dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.” 16 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, behold, I will break the supply 22 4:16 Hebrew staff of bread in Jerusalem. They shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay. 17 I will do this that they may lack bread and water, and look at one another in dismay, and rot away because of their punishment.
Footnotes
[1] 1:1 Or from God[2] 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27
[3] 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21
[4] 1:15 Hebrew of their faces
[5] 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides
[6] 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21
[7] 1:26 Or lapis lazuli
[8] 1:27 Or it
[9] 2:1 Or Son of Adam; so throughout Ezekiel
[10] 2:6 Or on scorpion plants
[11] 3:12 Or the wind; also verse 14
[12] 3:12 Or sound
[13] 3:15 Or Chebar, and to where they dwelt
[14] 3:18 Or in; also verses 19, 20
[15] 3:22 Or plain; also verse 23
[16] 4:4 Or iniquity; also verses 5, 6, 17
[17] 4:9 A type of wheat
[18] 4:10 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[19] 4:10 Or at a set time daily; also verse 11
[20] 4:11 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
[21] 4:14 Hebrew my soul (or throat) has never been made unclean
[22] 4:16 Hebrew staff
Table of Contents
Introduction to Ezekiel
Timeline
Author and Date
The first dated message in Ezekiel is from the summer of 593 B.C., four years after Nebuchadnezzar deported the first group of exiles to Babylon. The latest dated oracle is 22 years later, in April 571 B.C. If Ezekiel was 30 years old when his ministry began (1:1), the final vision of the book came when he was about 50.
Theme and Purpose
Ezekiel spoke to a people forced from their home because they had broken faith with their God. As the spokesman for the Lord, Ezekiel spoke oracles that defended his reputation as a holy God (see especially 36:22–23). The primary purpose of Ezekiel’s message was to restore God’s glory before Israel, who had rejected him in front of the watching nations.
Background
Ezekiel prophesied during a time of great confusion following Israel’s exile to Babylon in 597 B.C. A former Judean king was among the exiles (the 18-year-old Jehoiachin), and the Babylonians had appointed a puppet king to the throne in Jerusalem (Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah).
In times of crisis, God sent prophets to bring his message to his people. Judah’s exile was therefore a period of intense prophetic activity. (Jeremiah also served during this time.)
Ezekiel’s fellow exiles were his main audience, but his oracles also communicated to people who remained in Judah.
Key Themes
- As a priest, Ezekiel was deeply concerned with restoring God’s people to holiness. His understanding of the depth of Israel’s sin is clear in his version of Israel’s history (ch. 20). Even the oracles about a restored Israel (chs. 40–48) include a way to deal with the people’s sin so they can survive in the presence of a holy God. Ezekiel’s concern with sin also accounts for the many places where the book echoes the laws given in the Pentateuch, as well as the similarities between Ezekiel’s new temple (chs. 40–42) and the Exodus tabernacle.
- Israel was subject to its national God. However, this God is no tribal deity. He is supreme over all nations. Therefore Nebuchadnezzar, king of mighty Babylon, was simply a tool in God’s hand to accomplish God’s purpose (e.g., 21:19–23; 30:25). God’s absolute supremacy is most clearly demonstrated in the battle against Gog, the final enemy (chs. 38–39), where God alone crushes Gog’s vast hostile forces.
- Ezekiel declares judgment on those clinging to false hope, but offers true hope to those who accept God’s judgment (37:11). He linked God’s judgment with the hope of a new heart and spirit (36:22–32).
- The condemnation of Israel’s “princes” (e.g., ch. 19) finds its hopeful counterpart in the promise of a future “prince” who would rule with justice (34:23–24) and connect the people to God (46:1–18).
Outline
- Inaugural Vision (1:1–3:27)
- Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah (4:1–24:27)
- Oracles against Foreign Nations (25:1–32:32)
- After the Fall of Jerusalem (33:1–39:29)
- Vision of Restoration (40:1–48:35)
The Near East at the Time of Ezekiel
c. 593 B.C.
Ezekiel recorded his visions and prophecies while living near Babylon, where he had been exiled years earlier. By Ezekiel’s time, the Babylonian Empire had conquered almost all of the area along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It would eventually conquer even the land of Egypt, where many other Judeans had fled.
Fact: Babylonians
The Babylonians exiled people from Judah and Jerusalem in stages. Daniel and his friends were taken in 605 B.C. Ezekiel was deported in 597 B.C., along with King Jehoiachin and many others (2 Kings 24:8–17). The final exile occurred 10 years later.
Fact: the Day of the Lord
God sent the prophets to warn Israel that the Day of the Lord was coming, when God would judge his people for their rebellion against him (see 3:19; Amos 5:18–20; Isa. 2:12). Here Ezekiel specifically condemns Jerusalem’s crime and violence (7:23).
Fact: Flint
Flint is a very hard variety of quartz that was plentiful in the land of the Bible. It could be broken into sharp pieces and used to make tools and weapons. Knives, arrowheads, sickle blades, and saws were all made from flint. The Bible often uses flint as a picture of strength and determination (Isa. 50:7; Ezek. 3:9). In Psalm 114, it provides a picture of God’s power over what he has created.
Fact: Son of man
Son of man (or “son of Adam”) highlights the prophet’s humanity before the holy God. Ezekiel is called “son of man” 93 times in this book.
Fact: Tel-abib
Tel-abib was located along the Chebar canal near Babylon. Ezekiel settled there with a community of fellow deportees from Judah (3:15). Many exiles prospered in Babylon, and when the Persians allowed them to return to Jerusalem, many decided to stay.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel ministered during the same troubled times as the prophet Jeremiah. He was among the thousands of Judeans exiled to Babylon, where he probably spent the remainder of his life. About five years into the exile, at the age of 30, Ezekiel was called as a prophet. God commanded him to speak the word of God fearlessly to the people, regardless of whether or not they listened. He was appointed as a “watchman” for Israel (3:17; 33:1–9), whose task it was to warn the people that God would punish them unless they repented. Courageous sermons, dramatic visions, and symbolic actions characterized Ezekiel’s ministry. God asked Ezekiel to enact difficult messages, often at a great personal cost. When his wife died, Ezekiel was commanded not to mourn for her, as a sign to Israel (24:15–27). Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel remained a faithful, humble servant despite his difficult life as a prophet. (Ezekiel 33:1–9)
Ezek. 1:1 The mention of the Chebar canal means that Ezekiel was near Nippur. He is not in the city of Babylon itself (see map). Visions of God links this vision (1:4–3:15) with 8:3 and 40:2.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Fact: Babylonians
The Babylonians exiled people from Judah and Jerusalem in stages. Daniel and his friends were taken in 605 B.C. Ezekiel was deported in 597 B.C., along with King Jehoiachin and many others (2 Kings 24:8–17). The final exile occurred 10 years later.
The Near East at the Time of Ezekiel
c. 593 B.C.
Ezekiel recorded his visions and prophecies while living near Babylon, where he had been exiled years earlier. By Ezekiel’s time, the Babylonian Empire had conquered almost all of the area along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It would eventually conquer even the land of Egypt, where many other Judeans had fled.
Ezek. 1:4 A stormy wind announces the Lord’s approach, as in Job 38:1. The north is associated with God’s home (see Ps. 48:2), and in Jeremiah it indicates the source of divine judgment (Jer. 1:13–15). The phrase as it were shows that Ezekiel is struggling for the right words to describe the vision.
Ezek. 1:9 Their wings touched recalls the description of the cherubim in the Most Holy Place in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:27). The four-sided form of the creatures ensures that they can do the impossible: go straight forward, in any direction, but without turning.
Ezek. 1:10 The creatures’ shape was mainly human, but each had four faces. Many suggestions have been made to explain their symbolism. Certainly each creature is majestic in its realm, whether among the wild (lion) and domestic (ox) animals, or in the air (eagle).
Ezek. 1:12 The term spirit can refer either to God’s spirit or to wind. Given v. 20, it seems likely that this is a reference to a “spirit” distinct from that of the living creatures (see ESV footnote).
Ezek. 1:22–23 The term expanse appears four times in the immediate context (vv. 22–23, 25–26). Compare Gen. 1:6–8, 14–20, where it is used nine times. There the expanse forms the dome of the sky. Here it is a horizontal layer above the wings of the creatures. The rest of the vision is beyond the expanse (Ezek. 1:26–28).
Ezek. 1:28 bow . . . on the day of rain. Given the threatening message that follows, the bow is likely a symbolic reference to the Lord sending arrows of lightning (see Ps. 7:12–13; Hab. 3:9). The glory of the LORD is his demonstrated presence with his people. It was visible as a bright light in the wilderness (Ex. 16:7) and accessible through the sanctuary (Ex. 40:34–35). In Ezekiel the term appears in Ezek. 1:28; 3:12, 23; 8:4; 9:3; 10:4, 18–19; 11:22–23; 43:2–5; 44:4. This glory will leave the impure temple (chs. 9–11) and then will return to the restored temple (43:2–5).
Ezek. 2:1 Ezekiel is never addressed by name in this book, but 93 times he is called son of man. Daniel is the only other person addressed like this in the OT (Dan. 8:17). The Hebrew idiom “son of x” indicates membership in a class. “Son of man” identifies Ezekiel as a human creature before the supreme creator.
Fact: Son of man
Son of man (or “son of Adam”) highlights the prophet’s humanity before the holy God. Ezekiel is called “son of man” 93 times in this book.
Ezek. 2:2–4 God describes Israel as rebels (see also “rebellious house,” vv. 5–7) throughout this inaugural vision. This deep-seated trait (and their fathers; see v. 4) will be emphasized again in Ezekiel’s review of Israel’s history in ch. 20. Ezekiel is sent to speak on God’s behalf (you shall say to them), but he is not yet told what to say.
Ezek. 2:8–10 Ezekiel is told he must open his mouth and eat the scroll of a book. When it is unrolled, writing is visible on its front and back. The scroll is full, just as Ezekiel soon will be (3:3). Its words are all audible, though their precise content remains unspecified.
Ezek. 3:1–2 The command to eat is now combined with the commission to go and speak.
Ezek. 3:3 feed your belly. Having tasted the scroll, the prophet learns that the words of mourning are not bitter, as one would expect, but sweet as honey.
Ezek. 3:5–7 Contrary to what he expected, Ezekiel is warned that taking God’s word to another nation would be easier than taking God’s words to his own people.
Fact: Flint
Flint is a very hard variety of quartz that was plentiful in the land of the Bible. It could be broken into sharp pieces and used to make tools and weapons. Knives, arrowheads, sickle blades, and saws were all made from flint. The Bible often uses flint as a picture of strength and determination (Isa. 50:7; Ezek. 3:9). In Psalm 114, it provides a picture of God’s power over what he has created.
Ezek. 3:10 This charge contains one of the few descriptions of prophetic experience in the OT. Ezekiel’s ministry will have both a psychological (receive in your heart) and an auditory (hear with your ears) element (compare Job 32:18–20; Jer. 20:7–9).
Ezek. 3:14 The phrase in the heat appears 30 times in the OT. The ESV generally translates it “in wrath” or “in fury.” Ezekiel has gained God’s perspective on his people’s sin, and his anger reflects that.
Fact: Tel-abib
Tel-abib was located along the Chebar canal near Babylon. Ezekiel settled there with a community of fellow deportees from Judah (3:15). Many exiles prospered in Babylon, and when the Persians allowed them to return to Jerusalem, many decided to stay.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel ministered during the same troubled times as the prophet Jeremiah. He was among the thousands of Judeans exiled to Babylon, where he probably spent the remainder of his life. About five years into the exile, at the age of 30, Ezekiel was called as a prophet. God commanded him to speak the word of God fearlessly to the people, regardless of whether or not they listened. He was appointed as a “watchman” for Israel (3:17; 33:1–9), whose task it was to warn the people that God would punish them unless they repented. Courageous sermons, dramatic visions, and symbolic actions characterized Ezekiel’s ministry. God asked Ezekiel to enact difficult messages, often at a great personal cost. When his wife died, Ezekiel was commanded not to mourn for her, as a sign to Israel (24:15–27). Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel remained a faithful, humble servant despite his difficult life as a prophet. (Ezekiel 33:1–9)
Ezek. 3:18–19 Although the intent of prophetic messages is clearly to warn the wicked and thus save his life (compare 33:8), the greater concern in these verses is the importance of Ezekiel delivering the warnings faithfully. If the warning is issued, the prophet’s life is saved (delivered your soul; see 3:21), even if the wicked continue to rebel against God.
Fact: the Day of the Lord
God sent the prophets to warn Israel that the Day of the Lord was coming, when God would judge his people for their rebellion against him (see 3:19; Amos 5:18–20; Isa. 2:12). Here Ezekiel specifically condemns Jerusalem’s crime and violence (7:23).
Ezek. 3:16–21 Ezekiel is assigned to be a watchman for Judah. This role is expanded in 33:1–9, the passage introducing the second phase of Ezekiel’s ministry.
Ezek. 3:22–23 Here the valley is the broad river valley of Mesopotamia.
Ezek. 1:1–3:27 Inaugural Vision. The story of Ezekiel’s call as a prophet is the most complex of all the “prophetic call stories” in the OT. It is also one of the most carefully structured. Ezekiel has a vision of the glory of God (1:1–28). He receives his prophetic commission through swallowing a scroll that God offers him (2:1–3:11). Doing so strengthens him and trains him in obedience. After the glory of God withdraws (3:12–15), Ezekiel is appointed to be a “watchman” (3:16–21). Then he has another encounter with God’s glory (3:22–27).
Ezek. 3:25–27 Ezekiel has already eaten the message (vv. 1–3) and absorbed God’s perspective on the people’s sin (v. 14). Now his identification with the prophetic message is pushed even further. His actions and words must come under God’s direct control. Ezekiel will be mute until Jerusalem’s fall (see 33:22). So, how will he warn the people if he cannot speak? The solution: the Lord will enable him to speak the words of prophecy (I will open your mouth). The concluding words echo the divine commission in 2:4, 7.
Ezek. 4:1–2 The symbolic actions in these verses describe a siege in miniature form. Brick was the common building material in Babylon, though not in Jerusalem. Repeating against it five times emphasizes the danger for the city.
Ezek. 4:3 The sign ensures that the siege, which could have been interpreted as God’s passive neglect, will be understood as his deliberate hostility against his people.
Ezek. 4:4 The number of the days, as specified in vv. 5–9, corresponds to periods of exile for Israel and Judah. Compare the announcement of the 40 years of wilderness wandering in Num. 14:33–34.
Ezek. 4:7 The arm bared (compare Isa. 52:10) suggests the “outstretched arm” (e.g., Ex. 6:6; Ezek. 20:33–34) with which the Lord acts on behalf of his people. In this situation, however, the Lord is acting against Jerusalem. Ezekiel’s silence (3:26) gives way to speech when he is told to prophesy against the city.
Ezek. 4:10 The twenty shekels ration of bread amounts to just 8 ounces (0.23 kg).
Ezek. 4:11 The sixth part of a hin is roughly equivalent to 1.4 pints (0.6 liters).
Ezek. 4:12–15 Ezekiel objects when he is told to use human dung for fuel. Animal dung was a common fuel (v. 15; see 1 Kings 14:10), but Ezekiel, as a priest, regards food as holy (e.g., Lev. 22:7–8) and excrement as defiling (Deut. 23:12–14).
Ezek. 4:16 Supply of bread in Hebrew is “staff of bread” (see ESV footnote), which probably refers to a method of storage. To break the staff (see 5:16; 14:13; also Ps. 105:16) is synonymous with famine.
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Sometimes I wonder what God must think of America. In my more pessimistic moments, I compare Israel in Ezekiel's day to twenty-first century U.S.A. We treat his Word with little or no respect and struggle to find time to dedicate to the Word. And we are very much like ancient Israel. The ancients sacrificed their babies on fiery altars, hoping for a better harvest, while we sacrifice our babies at the hands of "medical professionals," in return for "convenient lives." We lie and steal. Sexual immorality is rampant. And we are indifferent to God and his truth.
I wish I was not like the Israelites. But even after serving as a Bible class leader and elder for 20 years, I still struggle to be consistent in my daily Bible reading, study, and prayer. In many areas of my life, I have had to apologize to God and ask for his forgiveness and healing again and again.
God sent Ezekiel a message of God's discipline for Israel. And it wasn't a welcome message: God's discipline was coming. In many ways, his discipline was already in action. Ezekiel was living in Babylonian captivity, and more Jews would soon join him there. Jerusalem would fall to Babylon and be completely destroyed. And God tells Ezekiel that the Jews still would not believe his message to them until they saw punishment coming with their own eyes. But Ezekiel is still required to give them God's message. Whether they listened and obeyed or not, "they will know that a prophet has been among them." (Ezekiel 2:5)
God has a message of discipline for the U.S.A. and the world today, and he has given it to us. Our task is to spread his message: Discipline is coming!
"[R]epent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15)
May the world know that God's prophets have been among them! And may many of them respond to God's message.
This month's memory verse
"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
– Lamentations 3:21-23
Discussion Questions
1. Ezekiel is in Babylon. He doesn't want to be there (Psalm 137:1-9). Why is he there rather than in Judea or Jerusalem? Has God put you in situations you didn't want as a form of discipline?
2. Ezekiel was a priest. But God had another career for him: Prophet! Has God ever surprised you with a new direction for your life? Perhaps a new career, a city different from what you expected? How much did the change cost you? How did God repay your sacrifice?
3. When Ezekiel saw this vision, he fell on his face. (Ezekiel 1:28) Have you ever fallen on your face before the Lord? (I don't think that I have!) What would it take for us to fall on our faces before the Lord? The problem is in our eyes, not in our God!
4. What is your vision of God? Is it the same as God's vision of himself? What is God's message for your friends? For your family members? What about for you?
5. What consequences of your sins do you see in your family and in your relationships? How can you reduce the effects of those sins?