He Who Has An Ear

I. Introduction

Home Reference Ezek 3:16-27.

Setting:

Ezekiel has just seen the glorious Christ and been called to ministry (1:1-2:5).

He has been told that their response is not to influence his message (2:6-7).

He has been given the divine message and “ingested” the words and perspectives of God (2:8-3:3).

He has been steeled against their rebellion (3:4-11).

He has collapsed in exhaustion for seven days.

The theme of individual responsibility is contrasted with the overwhelming will of God vividly here.

Individual responsibility is the explicit point of God’s teaching in 3:16-21.

God will execute His plan, but did you do your part?

His plan will be realized regardless of Ezekiel’s participation, but Ezekiel’s fate is dependent upon Ezekiel’s obedience.

The fate of the people is in their hands (obedience or rebellion).

This call to act and obey is seemingly counteracted by God’s restraint on the prophet.

He cannot warn them of his own will (Ezek 3:25-26).

Cords on him to immobilize him.

He can’t do what He wants to do. How literal? Ezekiel 4:8 “And behold, I will place cords upon you, so that you cannot turn from one side to the other, till you have completed the days of your siege.”

The leaders of the house of Israel have to come to him to learn the will of the Lord.

Ezekiel 8:1 “In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there.”

Ezekiel 14:1 “Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.”

Ezekiel 20:1 “In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.”

Ezekiel 33:30–31 ““As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.”

His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. Mute until God speaks through him.

Ezekiel 24:27 “On that day your mouth will be opened to the fugitive, and you shall speak and be no longer mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.””

Ezekiel 29:21 ““On that day I will cause a horn to spring up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.””

Ezekiel 33:22 “Now the hand of the Lord had been upon me the evening before the fugitive came; and he had opened my mouth by the time the man came to me in the morning, so my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.”

II. Body

Ezekiel 3:27 “But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.”

Two different conjugations of the same verb twice.

Shema: to hear (and obey).

Haddel: to refuse.

The hearer hears. The refuser refuses.

In hearing, to hear. In refusing, to refuse.

Other translations:

NIV: Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse;

NLT: Those who choose to listen will listen, but those who refuse will refuse

NET: Those who listen will listen, but the indifferent will refuse

CSB: Let the one who listens, listen, and let the one who refuses, refuse

There is no hope of repentance in the message. They will keep doing what they are doing.

The rebellion of the people is the reason for the lack of repentance.

Ezekiel 12:2 ““Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.”

Isaiah 6:9–10 “And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.””

Daniel 12:10 “Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.”

If people hear and repent, they will be saved. God will not cast out the penitent.

John 6:37 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

Not limited Atonement.

The failure is not in the means of salvation or the message of salvation.

The failure is on the part of the hearer.

This verse is quoted by Jesus (who I believe spoke it in the first place to Ezekiel) on several occasions in the Gospels and then again to every church in Rev 2 and 3.

Each occurrence is soteriological and eschatological.

Some challenging situation that interferes with the salvation or sanctification of the hearer.

Some evidence of fruit-bearing in the life of the hearer that is sought.

Some promise of reward to those who will “hear” that points to an ultimate eschatological fulfillment.

In this occurence:

Difficulty:

The stubbornness of the house of Israel to remain in their sin (2:5; 3:7-9, 27).

The very real challenges imposed on Ezekiel’s life by God in the context of his prophetic call—Immobility, muteness, eventually the death of his wife.

Fruit-bearing: Repentance in response to the message of God (3:21, 27).

Reward & Ultimate Eschatone: The visions of the Glory of God given to Ezekiel match in great detail those given to John in Rev 4.

Matthew 11:12–15 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Difficulty:

The Kingdom of God is attacked from the outside.

The enemy tries to take away the power of the gospel from the lives of those in it.

Fruit-bearing (vs 16-18):

Jesus rebukes his generation for not responding to John’s message with repentance.

“Wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Reference to the Ultimate Eschatone (vs 14).

Two witnesses In Rev 11:1-14.

Not specifically named as Elijah and Moses in the text, but widely believed to be them.

Final fulfillment of Mal 3:1.

Matthew 13:1–9 “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.””

Should be considered a unit through Matt 13:43. Inclusio.

Explained in Matt 13:18-23.

Difficulty:

Assaults of the enemy

Cares of the world (money)

Trials and persecutions from society.

Fruit-bearing: Those who persist in the faith share their faith with others (vs 8, 19).

Reward & Ultimate Eschatone are obscure here, but clear later in this chapter.

Matthew 13:36–43 “Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Difficulty: as above, the assaults of the enemy and false gospel of the age.

Fruit-bearing: at the end of one’s life, it is clear if they have lived a life for the Lord or not, but it may not be evident at every moment before.

Reward: The wheat is gathered into the Father’s barns (Heaven).

Ultimate Eschatone:

Harvest of the Earth (Rev 14:14-20).

Destruction of the wicked in the lake of fire (Rev 19:20-21; 20:10-15).

III. Conclusion/Application

This statement, echoed by Jesus throughout the Bible, is originally given in the context of individual responsibility for responding to God’s message.

However, Ezekiel is also very tightly constrained to his life task.

In exile.

Overwhelmed with the glorious vision to the point of collapse.

Eat the scroll.

Immobilized.

Struck mute.

How do the circumstances of Ezekiel’s life inform or interact with the mandate to personally respond?

The difficulties or challenges of the context in each situation are different, but they all provide real challenges to responding to God’s call.

What challenges or obstacles do we encounter to living a Christward life?

Scripture very much teaches that God is sovereign over all things, including salvation.

Scripture also very clearly teaches that our choices have consequences, which is a major theme of Ezekiel’s life and ministry.

Does this study so far change or inform how you see the interaction of these two truths in tension?