Ezequiel 3

1 Depois me disse: Filho do homem, come o que achares; come este rolo, e vai, fala � casa de Israel.

2 Então abri a minha boca, e ele me deu a comer o rolo.

3 E disse-me: Filho do homem, dá de comer ao teu ventre, e enche as tuas entranhas deste rolo que eu te dou. Então o comi, e era na minha boca doce como o mel.

4 Disse-me ainda: Filho do homem, vai, entra na casa de Israel, e dize-lhe as minhas palavras.

5 Pois tu não és enviado a um povo de estranha fala, nem de língua difícil, mas � casa de Israel;

6 nem a muitos povos de estranha fala, e de língua difícil, cujas palavras não possas entender; se eu aos tais te enviara, certamente te dariam ouvidos.

7 Mas a casa de Israel não te quererá ouvir; pois eles não me querem escutar a mim; porque toda a casa de Israel é de fronte obstinada e dura de coração.

8 Eis que fiz duro o teu rosto contra os seus rostos, e dura a tua fronte contra a sua fronte.

9 Fiz como esmeril a tua fronte, mais dura do que a pederneira. Não os temas pois, nem te assustes com os seus semblantes, ainda que são casa rebelde.

10 Disse-me mais: Filho do homem, recebe no teu coração todas as minhas palavras que te hei de dizer; e ouve-as com os teus ouvidos.

11 E vai ter com os do cativeiro, com os filhos do teu povo, e lhes falarás, e tu dirás: Assim diz o Senhor Deus; quer ouçam quer deixem de ouvir.

12 Então o Espírito me levantou, e ouvi por detrás de mim uma voz de grande estrondo, que dizia: Bendita seja a glória do Senhor, desde o seu lugar.

13 E ouvi o ruído das asas dos seres viventes, ao tocarem umas nas outras, e o banilho das rodas ao lado deles, e o sonido dum grande estrondo.

14 Então o Espírito me levantou, e me levou; e eu me fui, amargurado, na indignação do meu espírito; e a mão do Senhor era forte sobre mim.

15 E vim ter com os do cativeiro, a Tel-Abibe, que moravam junto ao rio Quebar, e eu morava onde eles moravam; e por sete dias sentei-me ali, pasmado no meio deles.

16 Ao fim de sete dias, veio a palavra do Senhor a mim, dizendo:

17 Filho do homem, eu te dei por atalaia sobre a casa de Israel; quando ouvires uma palavra da minha boca, avisá-los-ás da minha parte.

18 Quando eu disser ao ímpio: Certamente morrerás; se não o avisares, nem falares para avisar o ímpio acerca do seu mau caminho, a fim de salvares a sua vida, aquele ímpio morrerá na sua iniqüidade; mas o seu sangue, da tua mão o requererei:

19 Contudo se tu avisares o ímpio, e ele não se converter da sua impiedade e do seu mau caminho, ele morrerá na sua iniqüidade; mas tu livraste a tua alma.

20 Semelhantemente, quando o justo se desviar da sua justiça, e praticar a iniqüidade, e eu puser diante dele um tropeço, ele morrerá; porque não o avisaste, no seu pecado morrerá e não serão lembradas as suas ações de justiça que tiver praticado; mas o seu sangue, da tua mão o requererei.

21 Mas se tu avisares o justo, para que o justo não peque, e ele não pecar, certamente viverá, porque recebeu o aviso; e tu livraste a tua alma.

22 E a mão do Senhor estava sobre mim ali, e ele me disse: Levanta-te, e sai ao vale, e ali falarei contigo.

23 Então me levantei, e saí ao vale; e eis que a glória do Senhor estava ali, como a glória que vi junto ao rio Quebar; e caí com o rosto em terra.

24 Então entrou em mim o Espírito, e me pôs em pé; e falou comigo, e me disse: Entra, encerra-te dentro da tua casa.

25 E quanto a ti, ó filho do homem, eis que porão cordas sobre ti, e te ligarão com elas, e tu não sairás por entre eles.

26 E eu farei que a tua língua se pegue ao teu paladar, e ficarás mudo, e não lhes servirás de repreendedor; pois casa rebelde são eles.

27 Mas quando eu falar contigo, abrirei a tua boca, e lhes dirás: Assim diz o Senhor Deus: Quem ouvir, ouça, e quem deixar de ouvir, deixe; pois casa rebelde são eles.

Ezequiel 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The preparation of the prophet for his work. (1-11) His office, as that of a watchman. (12-2) The restraining and restoring his speech. (22-27)

Verses 1-11 Ezekiel was to receive the truths of God as the food for his soul, and to feed upon them by faith, and he would be strengthened. Gracious souls can receive those truths of God with delight, which speak terror to the wicked. He must speak all that, and that only, which God spake to him. How can we better speak God's mind than with his words? If disappointed as to his people, he must not be offended. The Ninevites were wrought upon by Jonah's preaching, when Israel was unhumbled and unreformed. We must leave this unto the Divine sovereignty, and say, Lord, thy judgments are a great deep. They will not regard the word of the prophet, for they will not regard the rod of God. Christ promises to strengthen him. He must continue earnest in preaching, whatever the success might be.

Verses 12-21 This mission made the holy angels rejoice. All this was to convince Ezekiel, that the God who sent him had power to bear him out in his work. He was overwhelmed with grief for the sins and miseries of his people, and overpowered by the glory of the vision he had seen. And however retirement, meditation, and communion with God may be sweet, the servant of the Lord must prepare to serve his generation. The Lord told the prophet he had appointed him a watchman to the house of Israel. If we warn the wicked, we are not chargeable with their ruin. Though such passages refer to the national covenant made with Israel, they are equally to be applied to the final state of all men under every dispensation. We are not only to encourage and comfort those who appear to be righteous, but they are to be warned, for many have grown high-minded and secure, have fallen, and even died in their sins. Surely then the hearers of the gospel should desire warnings, and even reproofs.

Verses 22-27 Let us own ourselves for ever indebted to the mediation of Christ, for the blessed intercourse between God and man; and a true believer will say, I am never less alone than when thus alone. When the Lord opened Ezekiel's mouth, he was to deliver his message boldly, to place life and death, the blessing and the curse, before the people, and leave them to their choice.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 3

This chapter contains a further account of the prophet's call and mission; of his preparation of him for is work; of, the persons to whom he was sent; of what happened to him upon this; of the nature of his office, and the work of it; and of what followed upon the renewal of his call. His further preparation for prophesying is in Eze 3:1-3; where he is bid to eat the roll showed him, which he did, and found it in his mouth as honey for sweetness; and then he receives fresh orders to go to the people of Israel, and prophesy to them, Eze 3:4; and, that he might not be discouraged, an account is given beforehand of the people to whom he was sent; of their language, behaviour, and disposition; by which he could not expect success, Eze 3:5-7; and, for his further encouragement, strength, boldness, resolution, firmness, and presence of mind, are promised him, Eze 3:8,9; also a revelation of mere things to him; all which he should hear, receive, and speak, whether the people would attend to them or not; which ought to be no discouragement to him, since it was not regarded by the Lord, Eze 3:10,11; then follows an account of his being lifted up by the Spirit from the earth, when he heard a voice, which is described by the manner and matter of it; and a noise, both of the living creature's wings, and of the wheels he had seen in a former vision, Eze 3:12,13; and next of his being carried away by the same Spirit; and of the condition he was in, in his own spirit, as he went; and of the strength he received from the Lord; and of the place to which he, was carried; and his state and circumstances, and time of continuance there, Eze 3:14,15; where, after a time mentioned, he has a fresh call to his office, under the character of a watchman, whose business was to hear Christ's words, and warn the house of Israel from him; and who are distinguished into wicked and righteous; and whom the prophet was to warn at his own peril, Eze 3:16-21; and the chapter is concluded with a narration of various events which befell the prophet; he is bid by the Lord to go into the plain, which he did, and there saw the glory of the Lord, as he had before seen it at the river Chebar; which so affected him, that he fell upon his face, Eze 3:22,23; the spirit entered into him, let him on his feet, and spake with him; ordered him what he should do himself, that he should shut himself up in his house, Eze 3:24; informed him what the people would do to him; bind him with bands, that he should not come forth, Eze 3:25; and what Christ would do to him; strike him dumb in judgment to the people, that he might not be a reprover of them, Eze 3:26; but he is told that, when the Lord spoke to him; his mouth should be opened, and he should declare what was said to him, Eze 3:27.