Ezekiel 3

[Swan7]

Journey to the Exiles
Looking into the Mirror
& Knowing God​

The scroll dissolves in Ezekiel’s mouth, tasting like honey. The Word of God is a very special kind of food for us to live on, spiritually. God teaches us throughout the OT into the NT that we cannot live on meat and drink alone, but on every Word of God: Matthew 4:4

Verse 3
Sounds like God reassuring Ezekiel to eat this scroll, that he needs to fill his stomach for the journey (reminds me of another prophet).

Verse 4-6 is very profound! God knows His creation and knows who will listen, even before the foundation of the world. He knows that the rest of the world would have listened! And later, Jesus was sent to Israel as the last Prophet. Some of His people did listen and became saved and at the same time Jesus Christ died for the world, that none may perish: John 3:16-17

Verse 7
Hard of forehead and hard of heart = hard of mind and spirit?
Matthew 22:37
Romans 8:5-6
Jeremiah 17:9-10

Spoiler: Psalm 119:15

I will meditate on your precepts
and look at your ways.

Verse 12-13
The sound of an Earthquake comes from God’s Chariot, His Throne.

Verse 14
Ezekiel must have been in such Awe of God that he did not want to leave His presence, and so, he went bitterly to the exiles as sent by God. The hand of God being strong on Ezekiel must be the urgency that God desires His people. His wrath might be close at hand against Israel, and so desires for them to turn from sin and run toward God.

Verse 15
Ezekiel sat with the exiles for 7 days, just stunned from seeing God and falling on his face twice and having the Spirit pick him up. I cannot imagine what that would be like and can only wonder...

Verse 16-22
God has further instructions for His prophet with a second calling: Watchman.
- Hearing a Word from God he then must warn Israel from Him.
- Saying to the wicked ‘surely you will die’ (like the Garden of Eden) and warn him not: that wicked person will die because of his guilt (sin), and from your hand I will seek his blood. (Like Cain and Abel)

- If you do warn the wicked and he does not turn from wickedness, because of his wickedness he will die, but you will have saved your life.

Spoiler: Psalm 1:1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked;
nor does he stand in the way of sinners;
nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.

- When the righteous turn from their righteousness and does injustice, and I place a stumbling block, he will surely die, as they were not warned. Because of their sin they will surely die. The righteousness they did will not be remembered and their blood I will seek from your hand.
- If you warn the righteous not to sin, and they do not sin, they will surely live and you will have saved your life.
You are saved because of your faith: Luke 7:50, John 8:11 & Ephesians 2:8

Verse 23
This is the 3rd time Ezekiel has fallen on his face from seeing God and His Spirit setting him on his feet again.

Verse 24
Like Jesus Christ (the foreshadowing of) was tied up, so too is Ezekiel about to be by the very people God wants to save. God is actually showing Israel a future event that is VERY important and crucial to their future generations that will leave history with His seal of Grace and Faith.
At the same time, God is teaching His readers/followers to not say anything until the Spirit speaks: Matthew 10:19

Verse 27
The very phrase of Jesus Christ echoed throughout His Word: Matthew 11:15 & Revelation 2:29