Eze 3:16-21 | KingComments | STEP | After seven days of having caused consternation among the exiles, the word of the LORD comes to him ( ). He is told what his prophetic task will be. There is no mention of a vision this time. The LORD – Yahweh , the Lord Jesus – Himself comes to him as the Word. This goes beyond Ezekiel only hearing words. What he hears and the Person Who speaks are the Same. It indicates the identification of the Word and the Person of Christ ( ). The LORD addresses him as “son of man” ( ). This expression, as noted earlier, reads ben adam in Hebrew, which is “son of Adam”, and indicates that it refers to one who belongs to the human race. This clearly draws the contrast between the exaltedness of the heavenly Speaker, the Son of God, the eternal Word, and a mortal, earthly son of man. The LORD says to him that He has appointed him a watchman to the house of Israel. A watchman is one who warns when danger threatens ( ; ). The word for “watchman” comes from the Hebrew word for bending over, which someone does on a tower to see even more sharply. Ezekiel, hearing a word from the mouth of God, is to warn the people on His behalf. For if the people persist in their sin they will perish. Ezekiel must also warn for or in view of the LORD and not only on His behalf . The threat of judgment emanates namely from the LORD. He appoints Ezekiel as a watchman between Himself and the people, that He may not have to let judgment come. This command places a great responsibility on Ezekiel. In his service, he is not to be afraid of the people, but of the LORD in case he refuses to speak the word the LORD gives him to speak (cf. ). Later this command is repeated, at the beginning of the fourth part of the book ( ). God determines the service of His own. To this the servant has to obey. In the case of unfaithfulness, the servant does not go free ( ). Paul was also well aware of this ( ). Then Ezekiel is presented with four cases that he will encounter in his ministry and of which God presents the responsibility to him. Twice it involves the wicked ( ) and twice it involves the righteous ( ). Both the preacher and the one to whom the preaching is done have their own responsibilities. Ezekiel must preach because God says so. The result is a matter for God. It is also noteworthy that Ezekiel is to address his fellow exiles not so much as a group, but individually, head by head. First comes the word about the wicked. If God says to the wicked that he will die and Ezekiel does not warn him, then Ezekiel is guilty of his blood ( ). If he does warn the wicked, then Ezekiel has delivered himself ( ). Judgment comes on the wicked for his own willful transgression and his persistence in evil. Then there is a word regarding warning a righteous person who commits iniquity ( ). A righteous person is one who walks in the way of God (cf. ). This is only about the practice, the outward appearance, and not about the inward, about whether someone has life from God. If there is a change for the worse in the life of such a person, then the prophet must warn him. If he fails to do so, he brings upon himself the same guilt as in the case where he failed to warn the wicked ( ). It is about a righteous person who turns away from his righteousness and commits injustice. The word “turn” in and “turn away” in are the same word in Hebrew. Thus, a righteous person who turns away turns of his righteousness. Such a righteous person willfully turns away from the things that are good in the sight of the LORD. It is not about an initially unconscious sin or a one-time sin. It is about a purposeful choice to go in a different direction. Such a person has the Word of God at his disposal, but chooses not to listen. Before such a person the LORD will “place an obstacle” and as a result “he will die”. The obstacle the LORD places before the righteous is not a temptation to sin, for “He Himself does not tempt anyone” ( ). It is a test of what a person confesses. We can think of circumstances the LORD allows that put a righteous person in a crisis. What does he do then? If he goes down the wrong road, he should be warned. If this is not done, he, who should have done so is guilty of the downfall of the righteous. All the righteous man’s righteous deeds no longer help him. Their value expires if he continues in his sinful way. Ezekiel is not only to warn the wicked and the strayed righteous, he is also to warn the righteous who has not yet strayed ( ). This is a preventive warning, lest the righteous person come to sin. Ezekiel must not only seek the lost, but also watch over those who are going the right way to keep them there. This is watching over souls ( ). The responsibility is great, even for us, to warn people. We know that we sometimes fail in this. Then we can confess that. Forgiveness is also possible for blood guilt that rests on us in those cases ( ).

‏ Ezekiel 3:16-21

Watchman to the House of Israel

After seven days of having caused consternation among the exiles, the word of the LORD comes to him (Eze 3:16). He is told what his prophetic task will be. There is no mention of a vision this time. The LORD – Yahweh, the Lord Jesus – Himself comes to him as the Word. This goes beyond Ezekiel only hearing words. What he hears and the Person Who speaks are the Same. It indicates the identification of the Word and the Person of Christ (Jn 1:1).

The LORD addresses him as “son of man” (Eze 3:17). This expression, as noted earlier, reads ben adam in Hebrew, which is “son of Adam”, and indicates that it refers to one who belongs to the human race. This clearly draws the contrast between the exaltedness of the heavenly Speaker, the Son of God, the eternal Word, and a mortal, earthly son of man.

The LORD says to him that He has appointed him a watchman to the house of Israel. A watchman is one who warns when danger threatens (Isa 21:6; Jer 6:17). The word for “watchman” comes from the Hebrew word for bending over, which someone does on a tower to see even more sharply. Ezekiel, hearing a word from the mouth of God, is to warn the people on His behalf. For if the people persist in their sin they will perish.

Ezekiel must also warn for or in view of the LORD and not only on His behalf. The threat of judgment emanates namely from the LORD. He appoints Ezekiel as a watchman between Himself and the people, that He may not have to let judgment come.

This command places a great responsibility on Ezekiel. In his service, he is not to be afraid of the people, but of the LORD in case he refuses to speak the word the LORD gives him to speak (cf. Amos 3:8). Later this command is repeated, at the beginning of the fourth part of the book (Eze 33:1-9). God determines the service of His own. To this the servant has to obey. In the case of unfaithfulness, the servant does not go free (Pro 24:11-12). Paul was also well aware of this (1Cor 9:16).

Then Ezekiel is presented with four cases that he will encounter in his ministry and of which God presents the responsibility to him. Twice it involves the wicked (Eze 3:18-19) and twice it involves the righteous (Eze 3:20-21). Both the preacher and the one to whom the preaching is done have their own responsibilities. Ezekiel must preach because God says so. The result is a matter for God. It is also noteworthy that Ezekiel is to address his fellow exiles not so much as a group, but individually, head by head.

First comes the word about the wicked. If God says to the wicked that he will die and Ezekiel does not warn him, then Ezekiel is guilty of his blood (Eze 3:18). If he does warn the wicked, then Ezekiel has delivered himself (Eze 3:19). Judgment comes on the wicked for his own willful transgression and his persistence in evil.

Then there is a word regarding warning a righteous person who commits iniquity (Eze 3:20). A righteous person is one who walks in the way of God (cf. Lk 1:6). This is only about the practice, the outward appearance, and not about the inward, about whether someone has life from God. If there is a change for the worse in the life of such a person, then the prophet must warn him. If he fails to do so, he brings upon himself the same guilt as in the case where he failed to warn the wicked (Eze 3:18).

It is about a righteous person who turns away from his righteousness and commits injustice. The word “turn” in Eze 3:19 and “turn away” in Eze 3:20 are the same word in Hebrew. Thus, a righteous person who turns away turns of his righteousness. Such a righteous person willfully turns away from the things that are good in the sight of the LORD. It is not about an initially unconscious sin or a one-time sin. It is about a purposeful choice to go in a different direction. Such a person has the Word of God at his disposal, but chooses not to listen.

Before such a person the LORD will “place an obstacle” and as a result “he will die”. The obstacle the LORD places before the righteous is not a temptation to sin, for “He Himself does not tempt anyone” (Jam 1:13). It is a test of what a person confesses. We can think of circumstances the LORD allows that put a righteous person in a crisis. What does he do then? If he goes down the wrong road, he should be warned. If this is not done, he, who should have done so is guilty of the downfall of the righteous. All the righteous man’s righteous deeds no longer help him. Their value expires if he continues in his sinful way.

Ezekiel is not only to warn the wicked and the strayed righteous, he is also to warn the righteous who has not yet strayed (Eze 3:21). This is a preventive warning, lest the righteous person come to sin. Ezekiel must not only seek the lost, but also watch over those who are going the right way to keep them there. This is watching over souls (Heb 13:17).

The responsibility is great, even for us, to warn people. We know that we sometimes fail in this. Then we can confess that. Forgiveness is also possible for blood guilt that rests on us in those cases (1Jn 1:9).