1And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.
After Ezekiel sees this vision of the throne room of God representing God's overall control and complex plans for the nations, Ezekiel hears the voice speak to him, telling him to rise and hear the message the voice had for him.
2And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.
This is the Holy Spirit that enters Ezekiel just as stated in 2 Pet. 1:21.
3And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
This verse and those immediately following are essential to understanding the entire book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, is sent to the nation of Israel, specifically the southern kingdom of Judah in Babylonian captivity (ch. 1). As is almost constantly the case, Judah was rebellious and even in captivity, remained that way.
4For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.
Because they will not repent, Jehovah God sends Ezekiel to them to bring this message.
5And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
God says that regardless of the outcome, they have had a prophet among them to give them the opportunity (yet again) to do so.
6And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 7And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
God tells Ezekiel that as he prophesies, he is not to fear those to whom he brings the message, but to speak it anyway.
8But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
While bringing this message, Ezekiel is not to give in and be like the other Jews. Ezekiel is to trust in God to provide for him and speak the message given as God gives it to him.
9And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;
This familiar image is seen again in Revelation 5. A scroll (book) is given that will show Ezekiel the future to come.
10And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
Unlike Revelation 5, God himself opens the scroll and spreads it out before Ezekiel to read. The scroll is covered with writing on both sides. And the message is one of sorrow and warning to the Jews.
In Truth and Love.
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- Ezekiel 1
- Ezekiel 2
- Ezekiel 3
- Ezekiel 4
- Ezekiel 5
- Ezekiel 6
- Ezekiel 7
- Ezekiel 8
- Ezekiel 9
- Ezekiel 10
- Ezekiel 11
- Ezekiel 12
- Ezekiel 13
- Ezekiel 14
- Ezekiel 15
- Ezekiel 16
- Ezekiel 17
- Ezekiel 18
- Ezekiel 19
- Ezekiel 20
- Ezekiel 21
- Ezekiel 22
- Ezekiel 23
- Ezekiel 24
- Ezekiel 25
- Ezekiel 26-28
- Ezekiel 29-32
- Ezekiel 33
- Ezekiel 34
- Ezekiel 35
- Ezekiel 36
- Ezekiel 37
- Ezekiel 38-39
- Ezekiel 40-48