Eze 3:9 | KingComments | STEP | In the case of Jeremiah, it is enough that the LORD touches his mouth to give him His words ( ). With Ezekiel, He acts differently. The LORD instructs him to eat the scroll He offers him ( ). This means that he is to speak what the LORD inspires in him and nothing else (cf. ). It also makes it clear that the message he passes on is part of himself. He must make the content and scope of the word of God entrusted to him his own (cf. ). Thus he must speak to the house of Israel. His whole person is involved in the prophecies he will utter. Ezekiel opens his mouth to receive the word ( ). In doing so, he shows his willingness to eat. He does not express objections, which others have done when called ( ; ; ). Then the LORD gives him the scroll to eat it. He adds that Ezekiel, who is a son of man and totally dependent on Him, must feed his stomach ( ). The scroll comes from Him; they are God’s words. Thus we are to keep His Word in our hearts ( ). The word must come in his stomach, that is, in his inner being. He must fill his inner being, his deepest feelings, with the scroll, that is, with the words of God. He must be completely full of the message he has to deliver, so that there is no room for anything else. Thus the Lord Jesus is always fully in the things of His Father ( ). There is no room for anything else. In the same way, we must look only to the Lord Jesus and renounce everything else ( ). When Ezekiel eats the scroll, it becomes sweet as honey in his mouth (cf. ; ; ). It gives him the foretaste that doing the will of God will be a pleasurable activity, no matter how much opposition he may encounter on the part of men. God tells this son of man to go to the house of Israel ( ). To them he must then speak with God’s words, not with his own words. We cannot figure out the message for ourselves or what words we use to pass on God’s message. Only the words of God can have any effect. They are words that the people to whom he is sent can understand ( ). No interpreter is needed and no explainer is needed. The language in which Israel hears God’s words is intelligible and comprehensible. God always allows His Word to be preached in an intelligible way. It is also important for our preaching that we speak intelligibly and understandably when we pass on a word from the Lord to others. Ezekiel is not sent to many peoples who speak a very different language and with whom he cannot communicate ( ). If the people of those nations said something to him, he would not be able to understand them. Then God says something remarkable. He says that those foreign nations would listen despite the language barrier if He had sent Ezekiel to them (cf. ). This shows that rebellious bias is a greater obstacle to accepting God’s Word than a language barrier. Of the house of Israel, the LORD must say to Ezekiel that they will not listen to him ( ). The cause of this is that they are not willing to listen to God. There is no thought of Him with them, they do not think of Him. This is represented by their being “stubborn and obstinate [literally: of a hard forehead and a stiff heart]”. Their attitude comes from a great inner resistance. Their hardness says something about the mind of their hearts. They are not willing to listen (cf. ). Ezekiel should not be impressed by this. The LORD will equip him so that he can deliver his message fearlessly ( ). He will deliver his message as stubborn as they are stubborn in accepting it. The LORD will make his forehead like emery ( ). He will have a hard forehead, but not a stiff heart, which the people have. Because of his hard forehead, he will be preserved from their intimidation and from their attacks to silence him. He need not be afraid of them, whatever their mocking and threatening remarks and attitudes. Nor should their looks full of hatred and rejection frighten him. It is part of their rebellion against the LORD.

‏ Ezekiel 3:9

Ezekiel Eats the Scroll

In the case of Jeremiah, it is enough that the LORD touches his mouth to give him His words (Jer 1:9). With Ezekiel, He acts differently. The LORD instructs him to eat the scroll He offers him (Eze 3:1). This means that he is to speak what the LORD inspires in him and nothing else (cf. Jer 1:9 ; Jer 15:16). It also makes it clear that the message he passes on is part of himself. He must make the content and scope of the word of God entrusted to him his own (cf. Jn 6:52-53). Thus he must speak to the house of Israel. His whole person is involved in the prophecies he will utter.

Ezekiel opens his mouth to receive the word (Eze 3:2). In doing so, he shows his willingness to eat. He does not express objections, which others have done when called (Exo 3:11 ; 13 ; Exo 4:1 ; 10 ; 13; Jer 1:6; Jona 1:3). Then the LORD gives him the scroll to eat it. He adds that Ezekiel, who is a son of man and totally dependent on Him, must feed his stomach (Eze 3:3). The scroll comes from Him; they are God’s words. Thus we are to keep His Word in our hearts (Psa 119:11).

The word must come in his stomach, that is, in his inner being. He must fill his inner being, his deepest feelings, with the scroll, that is, with the words of God. He must be completely full of the message he has to deliver, so that there is no room for anything else. Thus the Lord Jesus is always fully in the things of His Father (Lk 2:49). There is no room for anything else. In the same way, we must look only to the Lord Jesus and renounce everything else (Heb 12:2).

When Ezekiel eats the scroll, it becomes sweet as honey in his mouth (cf. Jer 15:16a; Psa 119:103; Rev 10:8-9). It gives him the foretaste that doing the will of God will be a pleasurable activity, no matter how much opposition he may encounter on the part of men.

God tells this son of man to go to the house of Israel (Eze 3:4). To them he must then speak with God’s words, not with his own words. We cannot figure out the message for ourselves or what words we use to pass on God’s message. Only the words of God can have any effect.

They are words that the people to whom he is sent can understand (Eze 3:5). No interpreter is needed and no explainer is needed. The language in which Israel hears God’s words is intelligible and comprehensible. God always allows His Word to be preached in an intelligible way. It is also important for our preaching that we speak intelligibly and understandably when we pass on a word from the Lord to others.

Ezekiel is not sent to many peoples who speak a very different language and with whom he cannot communicate (Eze 3:6). If the people of those nations said something to him, he would not be able to understand them. Then God says something remarkable. He says that those foreign nations would listen despite the language barrier if He had sent Ezekiel to them (cf. Mt 11:21-23). This shows that rebellious bias is a greater obstacle to accepting God’s Word than a language barrier.

Of the house of Israel, the LORD must say to Ezekiel that they will not listen to him (Eze 3:7). The cause of this is that they are not willing to listen to God. There is no thought of Him with them, they do not think of Him. This is represented by their being “stubborn and obstinate [literally: of a hard forehead and a stiff heart]”. Their attitude comes from a great inner resistance. Their hardness says something about the mind of their hearts. They are not willing to listen (cf. Acts 7:51).

Ezekiel should not be impressed by this. The LORD will equip him so that he can deliver his message fearlessly (Eze 3:8). He will deliver his message as stubborn as they are stubborn in accepting it. The LORD will make his forehead like emery (Eze 3:9). He will have a hard forehead, but not a stiff heart, which the people have. Because of his hard forehead, he will be preserved from their intimidation and from their attacks to silence him. He need not be afraid of them, whatever their mocking and threatening remarks and attitudes. Nor should their looks full of hatred and rejection frighten him. It is part of their rebellion against the LORD.