§ 1. EZEKIEL'S CALL AND CONSECRATION AS A PROPHET (EZEKIEL 1-3) Date, June-July, 592 b.c. Ezekiel's call and consecration to his prophetic work took place by means of a vision of God's glory (Ezekiel 1), and of a divine commission, or rather series of commissions, conveyed partly in speech and par... [ Continue Reading ]
SON OF MAN] a term reminding Ezekiel of his human weakness, like the word 'mortal.' It occurs nearly 100 times in the book. STAND, etc.] God's call does not suppress human powers, but reinforces them and, makes use of them at their best.... [ Continue Reading ]
NATION] RV 'nations,' the whole Hebrew people, both Judah and Israel. REBELLIOUS] a frequently recurring description of Israel's character found very often in the phrase a 'rebellious house,' as in Ezekiel 2:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH MY WORDS] an advance upon the general instruction of Ezekiel 2:7, following the symbolical act just described.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR, OR.. FORBEAR] The latter is chiefly expected. THEY.. YET SHALL KNOW, etc.] the result which will keep the prophet's work from being in vain. His warnings may be fruitless at the time, but they will be fulfilled, and he will be recognised in the end as God's messenger. This will be very far fro... [ Continue Reading ]
BRIERS.. THORNS.. SCORPIONS] figures for the opposition of the Israelites to Ezekiel and his divine message. _(b) A Symbol of Inspiration (Ezekiel 2:8 to Ezekiel 3:3)_ In Jeremiah's commission God says to him, 'Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth' (Jeremiah 1:9), and Jeremiah himself says afte... [ Continue Reading ]
IMPUDENT] RV 'of a stiff forehead.' This rendering gives greater point to 'thy forehead' in Ezekiel 3:8; Ezekiel 3:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
A HAND] This hand is not said to be that of the Figure on the throne. The vague expression is another instance of Ezekiel's reverent reserve. A roll] the usual form of Eastern books: see Jeremiah 36:2. ADAMANT] diamond: see Jeremiah 17:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
SPREAD IT BEFORE ME] Ezekiel had a view from the first of the whole nature of his message. WITHIN AND WITHOUT] indicating the abundance of calamity which Ezekiel had to proclaim. Book rolls were usually written on the inner side alone: see Revelation 5:1. LAMENTATIONS, etc.] the character of EzeMel'... [ Continue Reading ]
THEM OF THE CAPTIVITY] a closer definition than in Ezekiel 2:3 of Ezekiel's immediate audience: see Intro. _(d) The Vision withdrawn (Ezekiel 3:12)_ The voice that has been speaking to Ezekiel has proceeded from the Figure enthroned above the living chariot of Ezekiel 1, which has therefore been p... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHIND ME] Ezekiel's face is now turned away from the visionary chariot. As it appeared from the N. he is probably looking S., and Tel-abib may have lain in the latter direction from the Chebar. BLESSED _be_ THE GLORY, etc.] A change of one letter in the Hebrew gives the much better sense, 'When the... [ Continue Reading ]
NOISE OF THE WHEELS] in addition to the noise of the wings of the living creatures. The latter sound alone is mentioned in Ezekiel 1:24. _THE SECOND COMMISSION (EZEKIEL 3:14)_ Ezekiel, still under a strong, divinely produced excitement, came to the community of exiles at Tel-abib, near the Chebar,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT LIFTED ME] to be taken along with I WENT. Ezekiel was not miraculously transported to Tel-abib, but in his movement thither he was under the influence of God's Spirit, like Elijah in 1 Kings 18:46.... [ Continue Reading ]
TEL-ABIB] a place near the Chebar, where a colony of Jewish exiles lived. The exact site is unknown. The name is usually explained to mean 'Hill of cornears' or 'Corn-hill,' but some recent editors suggest that it is rather the same as _til-abûbi_, 'Hill of the deluge,' the Assyrian name for the num... [ Continue Reading ]
DIE.. 21. LIVE] not to be understood in the highest NT. sense. To die was to be cut off from the restored kingdom of God, foretold in the latter part of this book. To live was to survive and enjoy its blessedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
I LAY A STUMBLINGBLOCK BEFORE HIM] This difficult phrase does not mean that God seelrs to make the righteous fall, but that the temptations of the righteous are under God's providential control. Where there is a temptation He also sends a warning, and the two constitute a discipline by which the rig... [ Continue Reading ]
PLAIN] RM 'valley.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY] Ezekiel's fellow exiles. BANDS] not literal but figurative.... [ Continue Reading ]
DUMB] as far as prophetic speech is concerned, as the following words NOT.. A REPROVER show.... [ Continue Reading ]