Eze 3:13 | KingComments | STEP | All the words that God will speak to him, a son of man, he must first take into his heart and then he must listen to them closely ( ). To begin with, God emphasizes that Ezekiel must take “all” His words into his heart. Ezekiel is not allowed to leave out words that he does not understand or whose content he does not like. He had to eat the whole scroll ( ). For us, it is equally true that we are to take all the words of God into our hearts (cf. ). Furthermore, we can only hear God’s Word, that is, listen to it and understand it, if we have a heart, a mind, a desire, to do what God says. Our mind determines whether we are open to listen with our ears. It is the same with the believers in Berea of whom we first read that they received the Word with great eagerness. That shows their mind. Immediately afterwards we read that they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether the things proclaimed by Paul were in agreement with them ( ). Then Ezekiel is given a further description of those to whom he is to address his message ( ; cf. ). They are the exiles in the midst of whom he finds himself. He is not to feel above them, for they are the sons of his people, people of the same nation to which he belongs. Whether they are listening or not does not matter, as long as Ezekiel speaks to them as the mouth of “the Lord GOD” ( Adonai Yahweh ). He must clearly say that the words he speaks are His words. We can only bring God’s Word if we have had an impression of the glory of Christ, if we have seen something of it through the reading of God’s Word. When God has thus spoken to Ezekiel, the Spirit lifts him up ( ). He receives a vision. As this happens, he hears behind him the sound of a great thumping and praise to the LORD. Further, he hears a great rumbling sound of the wings of the living beings. They are coming into motion ( ). He also hears the sound of the wheels and a great rumbling sound. That is the sound of the throne chariot of the LORD moving, but Ezekiel does not see the throne chariot. Then the Spirit lifts him up further and takes him away ( ). He is aware of what is happening to him. He leaves, being bitterly grieved and intensely upset. What has happened to him and what he has been told has affected him deeply. The message he has eaten and now has to deliver makes a great impression on him. He feels the hand of the LORD pressing strongly on him. The message he has to bring is difficult. In this state of heart, he joins the exiles of Tel-abib who live by the river Chebar ( ). When the LORD appears to Ezekiel in a vision, Ezekiel finds himself in the midst of those taken into exile ( ). After receiving his calling, the Spirit lifts him up and brings him back to the river Chebar. The prophet has received his calling for his service in the place where the glory of the LORD dwells ( ). In the midst of the exiles, Ezekiel takes his place again as one of them. He shares in their exile. The exiles are in Tel-abib. ‘Abib’ is the name of the first month, of the formation of the ears, of the greening of what is on the land. ‘Tel’ means hill or hope. The name Tel-abib speaks of restoration and revival. He shows something of the work of the Lord Jesus by which that alone is possible. He is the grain of wheat that has fallen into the earth and died, thereby bringing forth rich fruit ( ). Ezekiel does not immediately begin to carry out his mission. For seven days he is astonied because of what he has seen and heard (cf. ). These seven days of mute astonishment has caused consternation among the exiles around him (cf. ). To his fellow exiles it will be an indication that something special has happened to him, so that they will not be too surprised when he starts to perform as a prophet in their midst.

‏ Ezekiel 3:13

Ezekiel Comes to the Exiles

All the words that God will speak to him, a son of man, he must first take into his heart and then he must listen to them closely (Eze 3:10). To begin with, God emphasizes that Ezekiel must take “all” His words into his heart. Ezekiel is not allowed to leave out words that he does not understand or whose content he does not like. He had to eat the whole scroll (Eze 3:1-3). For us, it is equally true that we are to take all the words of God into our hearts (cf. Col 3:16a).

Furthermore, we can only hear God’s Word, that is, listen to it and understand it, if we have a heart, a mind, a desire, to do what God says. Our mind determines whether we are open to listen with our ears. It is the same with the believers in Berea of whom we first read that they received the Word with great eagerness. That shows their mind. Immediately afterwards we read that they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether the things proclaimed by Paul were in agreement with them (Acts 17:11).

Then Ezekiel is given a further description of those to whom he is to address his message (Eze 3:11; cf. Eze 3:4). They are the exiles in the midst of whom he finds himself. He is not to feel above them, for they are the sons of his people, people of the same nation to which he belongs. Whether they are listening or not does not matter, as long as Ezekiel speaks to them as the mouth of “the Lord GOD” (Adonai Yahweh). He must clearly say that the words he speaks are His words. We can only bring God’s Word if we have had an impression of the glory of Christ, if we have seen something of it through the reading of God’s Word.

When God has thus spoken to Ezekiel, the Spirit lifts him up (Eze 3:12). He receives a vision. As this happens, he hears behind him the sound of a great thumping and praise to the LORD. Further, he hears a great rumbling sound of the wings of the living beings. They are coming into motion (Eze 3:13). He also hears the sound of the wheels and a great rumbling sound. That is the sound of the throne chariot of the LORD moving, but Ezekiel does not see the throne chariot.

Then the Spirit lifts him up further and takes him away (Eze 3:14). He is aware of what is happening to him. He leaves, being bitterly grieved and intensely upset. What has happened to him and what he has been told has affected him deeply. The message he has eaten and now has to deliver makes a great impression on him. He feels the hand of the LORD pressing strongly on him. The message he has to bring is difficult.

In this state of heart, he joins the exiles of Tel-abib who live by the river Chebar (Eze 3:15). When the LORD appears to Ezekiel in a vision, Ezekiel finds himself in the midst of those taken into exile (Eze 1:1 ; 3). After receiving his calling, the Spirit lifts him up and brings him back to the river Chebar. The prophet has received his calling for his service in the place where the glory of the LORD dwells (Eze 3:12).

In the midst of the exiles, Ezekiel takes his place again as one of them. He shares in their exile. The exiles are in Tel-abib. ‘Abib’ is the name of the first month, of the formation of the ears, of the greening of what is on the land. ‘Tel’ means hill or hope. The name Tel-abib speaks of restoration and revival. He shows something of the work of the Lord Jesus by which that alone is possible. He is the grain of wheat that has fallen into the earth and died, thereby bringing forth rich fruit (Jn 12:24).

Ezekiel does not immediately begin to carry out his mission. For seven days he is astonied because of what he has seen and heard (cf. Job 2:13). These seven days of mute astonishment has caused consternation among the exiles around him (cf. Lk 1:21-22). To his fellow exiles it will be an indication that something special has happened to him, so that they will not be too surprised when he starts to perform as a prophet in their midst.