Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Ezekiel Ch.3 / 48 Ch.s
EZE: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)
#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.
#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.
#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.