Ezekiel 2:1,2

Chapter Three

THE CALL AND COMMISSION
2:1-3:27

Heavenly visions were not granted to Biblical saints merely to excite their (and our) curiosity, but rather to incite them to proclaim the divine word. Chapter s 2 and 3 contain the commission which Ezekiel in connection with his inaugural vision recorded in the preceding chapter. As in the case of Jeremiah, the commissioning came in stages separated presumably by some time intervals which for the most part cannot be determined, At each stage of the process Ezekiel was given time to assimilate the message and adapt himself before the commissioning continued.

One of the basic characteristics of the Book of Ezekiel becomes clear in this section. Ezekiel had a propensity for repetition. In the various accounts of his commissioning certain standard phrases and thoughts are repeated with only slight modification. The material in Chapter s 2 and 3 can be discussed under the following four heads: (1) the call to service (Ezekiel 2:1-7); (2) the preparation for service (Ezekiel 2:8 to Ezekiel 3:15); (3) the responsibilities of service (Ezekiel 3:16-21); and (4) the restrictions on service (Ezekiel 3:22-27).

I. THE CALL TO SERVICE 2:1-7

Following his mind-boggling visionary experience, Ezekiel heard the call of God to prophetic service. He was told in no uncertain terms where and how he was to serve. In this paragraph Ezekiel is (1) strengthened (Ezekiel 2:1-2); (2) warned (Ezekiel 2:3-5); and (3) charged (Ezekiel 2:6-7).

A. Ezekiel Strengthened 2:1-2

TRANSLATION

(1) And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak to you. (2) And the Spirit came into me as he spoke unto me and it caused me to stand upon my feet and I heard one speaking unto me.

COMMENTS

The Lord as usual took the lead in the commissioning of the prophet. It was His voice (Ezekiel 1:28) rather than that of one of the cherubim which Ezekiel heard giving him the first command he ever directly had received from God (Ezekiel 2:1).

The title son of man occurs over eighty-five times in the Book of Ezekiel. In most cases it precedes a command of God. In Hebrew thought and language son of man is equivalent to man. The term son often is used to denote membership in a class. Thus a son of man would be a member of the class of man, a mortal. The designation emphasizes the human frailty of Ezekiel as over against the awesome might and majesty of God. Though he had been privileged to see the majestic, heavenly vision of God's throne-chariot, he was nevertheless nothing more than a human being. Within a few years Daniel would use this title in a technical sense of that divine-human one who would receive a kingdom from the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13). Jesus-' application of the title son of man to Himself seems to be based more on Daniel's usage than on Ezekiel'S.

The first command given to Ezekiel in the book is the command to stand upon your feet. The standing position is apparently the correct posture from which to hear the divine commission (Ezekiel 2:1). It is service not servility which God desires most. Davidson comments It is man erect, man in his manhood, with whom God will have fellowship and with whom He will speak.[105]

[105] Davidson, CB, p. 15.

Even as the Lord issued this command to Ezekiel spirit came into him. In the light of Ezekiel 3:24 it is best to understand this spirit as the Spirit of God. The Spirit came into the prophet compelling him and enabling him to comply with the command just issued. That Spirit supplemented and revived Ezekiel's physical powers, like a fresh breath of life.[106] What a blessed truth is intimated here. Frail and feeble man can be empowered and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. God supplies the power to perform His special service.

[106] Feinberg (PE, p. 23) sees the entrance of the Spirit as forming the basis of Ezekiel's prophetic inspiration.