Eze 2: "The glorious and elevating vision of the cherubim
opens this remarkable prophecy. We need to catch that vision in days like these.
Science has put staggering new powers and weapons into man's hands. Wickedness
finds much bigger and far more terrifying forms of expression than ever before.
Things move on such a vast scale, and with frightening contingencies, and at the
beck of such anti-God forces, that the international situation easily becomes
profoundly disturbing. The reins of providence seem to hang loosely. Evil forces
in large areas of the earth seem to have it pretty much their own way. It is
easy for our eyes to become so held by the startling development of human
history today, that we lose our vision of that glory-flashing throne high over
all, and our sense of divine sovereignty. So in Eze 2, Ezekiel experiences a
symbolic resurrection (v 1), and is instructed to go forth with the gospel of
divine manifestation to the people (vv 2,3). It is a picture of the apocalyptic
revelation, which is repeated and detailed in the vision of John on Patmos. Thus
both prophets who found themselves in Gentile exile are welded together in the
visions of Yahweh's glory" (GEM).
Eze 2:3
Failure was forecast before Ezekiel's ministry even
began!
Eze 2:6
Signs of Ezekiel's reluctance: cp also Eze 3:14: "I went in
bitterness." Repeated visions of glory in Eze 3.
Other prophets demonstrated similar reluctance: Jonah; Jer
20:9; Isa 8:11; 1Ki 19:4,10 (WExp 73).
Eze 2:9
Vv 9,10: In Jerusalem, Jeremiah had written such a book, or
scroll -- with words against Israel and Judah (Jer 36:2). This scroll was read
bit by bit, and then burned by king Jehoiakim (v 23), as though he could so
easily rid himself of its unpleasant warnings and predictions. But the scroll
was rewritten (v 29), and its dire prophecies would still stand: "This is what
the LORD says: 'You burned that scroll and said, "Why did you write on it that
the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy this land and cut off both
men and animals from it?" ' Therefore, this is what the LORD says about
Jehoiakim king of Judah: 'He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his
body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night. I
will punish him and his children and his attendants for their wickedness; I will
bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every
disaster I pronounced against them, because they have not listened' " (Jer
36:29-31).
And now, this is the message which Ezekiel sees written on the
scroll in front of him -- God's word concerning the pending judgments of
Judah.