Ezekiel 3
Chuck Smith on Ezekiel 3
Verse by verse, the C2000 series. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
Verse 1
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and then go and speak to the house of Israel ( Ezekiel 3:1 ).
In other words, devour it and then go give it forth. You see, that's really what the ministry is all about. You devour the Word of God and then you give it forth to the people, where it is now a part of you. You read and absorb the Word until it becomes a part of your very life, and then you give it out unto others.
So I opened my mouth, he caused me to eat that scroll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat it, and fill your bowels with this scroll that I give to you. Then I did eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, and get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with them my words. For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech ( Ezekiel 3:2-5 )
Verses 2-4
Notice he sent to the house of Israel. You're not sent to a bunch of strangers, foreigners, people with the language that you have difficulty with. You can't understand.
but you're sent to the house of Israel; Not to many people of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, I had sent thee unto them, they would have hearkened ( Ezekiel 3:5-6 ).
Verses 5-6
If I'd send you to these heathen, they would have listened to you. But I'm sending you to the house of Israel.
But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all of the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house ( Ezekiel 3:7-9 ).
Verses 7-9
They're going to give you some dirty looks, but don't be afraid. Speak My word.
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all of my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in your heart, and hear with thine ears ( Ezekiel 3:10 ).
Verse 10
So, receive in your heart, hear with your ears all of these words. Let them become a part of your life.
And go, get thee to them of the captivity, the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; and whether they will hear or not. Then the spirit took me up ( Ezekiel 3:11-12 ),
Verse 11
I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing ( Ezekiel 3:12 ),
Verses 12-14
saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place. And I heard also the noise of the wings of these living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and the noise of a great rushing. So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. ( Ezekiel 3:12-13 ).
So, he had this fascinating experience now. As people say they've been taken up in these flying saucers and all, it would appear that he had somewhat a similar experience of an astro projection with these cherubim.
Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, those that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and I remained there astonished among them for seven days ( Ezekiel 3:15 ).
Verse 15
So he comes to the east of the captives, there at Telabib, and he's just astonished by what he sees. And he just sits there for seven days in silence, sort of overawed and astonished. Now you remember when Job was having all of his difficulties and his friends came to comfort him, for seven days they didn't say a word. They just sat there in silence until Job opened up his mouth and began to complain about his condition. Sitting in silence. So here is Ezekiel doing much the same thing, just sitting in silence as he observes this whole scene of these people.
And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word of the LORD at my mouth, and give them warning from me ( Ezekiel 3:16-17 ).
Verses 16-17
So God is now calling him, commissioning him. "Look, I've made you a watchman. That's your commission. Your duty is two-fold: number one, hear My word; two, give them My word." Hearing the voice of God, hearing the word of God and then giving forth the word of God. This is always the method of God. There are many people who do not listen to God. Their ear is out of tune, out of frequency. God always uses those who are in touch with Him to reach those who are out of touch with Him. God uses you, in touch with Him, to reach the world out of touch with Him. And that is the primary purpose why you are still here. God has a work for you to do. God is wanting to touch this needy world. God uses those who are in touch with Him to, through them, touch the needy world. "Hear My word, and then speak My word to them."
Now, when I say to the wicked, You will surely die; and if you do not warn him, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul ( Ezekiel 3:18-19 ).
Verses 18-19
Now, look, I've set you as a watchman, and you are responsible to hear My word and to speak My word. And if I say to the wicked, "You're going to die," if you warn them and they listen, great, they will live. If they don't listen, at least you've delivered your soul. If you don't warn them and they die, then you're responsible. The blood is on your hands. What does it mean to have the blood on my hands? What does it mean to fail in my service to God? If God is saying to the wicked, "Hey, you better turn," and God uses or calls me to be the spokesman to warn those people that they better turn from their wickedness or God's judgment is coming, and if I fail to do it and God's judgment comes and they're destroyed, what does that mean that their blood is on my hands? It means that God holds me responsible, and that the reward that I would have for faithful service will not be given to me. Now, notice he wasn't told to convince the wicked to turn. He wasn't told to argue with them. He was only told to declare to them the warning of God. That's all. We so often in our Christian experience make the mistake of thinking that we've got to somehow convert people to Jesus Christ. You can't convert them to Jesus Christ. God doesn't call you to convert people to Jesus Christ. He calls you to warn people. And therein is the calling of God. "I've called you, " He said, "to warn them." You've got to obey it. You've got to be responsible.
Now, again, When a righteous man does turn from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, and he shall die ( Ezekiel 3:20 ):
Verses 20-27
In other words, here's a guy turned from God, going down the wrong path, and God puts the stumblingblock that's going to trip him into hell.
and because thou has not given him a warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at your hand ( Ezekiel 3:20 ).
