The Call & Commission of Ezekiel

EZEKIEL 1:1-7:27 

In 592 BC, God called Ezekiel to prophesy. In a vision, Ezekiel saw four living creatures that resembled earthly realities, yet were quite different (Ezek. 1:4-14). Dazzling wheels covered with eyes whirred through the air together with the living creatures (Ezek. 1:15-21). Most significantly, he saw God's throne and His glorious splendor (Ezek 1:26-28). 

The Lord commissioned His new prophet (Ezek. 2:1-10).

The Lord gave him a scroll to eat, symbolizing Ezekiel's receiving God's words (Ezek 2:8-3:3). The prophet must communicate all God's words to the people (Ezek 3:16-27). Ezekiel was not responsible for their response, but he was responsible for his own faithfulness. 

EZEKIEL 1:1-3 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month,

while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions

of God. 2 (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, 3 the word of

the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the

river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

Ezekiel describes the vision he had of heaven at the very beginning of the book. This is one of only four visions of heaven in Scripture. The others are found in Isaiah, Daniel, and Revelation.

EZEKIEL 2:1-3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak

with you.” 2 And as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I

heard Him speaking to me. 3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of

Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted

against Me to this very day.

EZEKIEL 3:1-3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to

the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3 And He said to me, “Son

of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it,

and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

EZEKIEL 3:4-9 Then he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words

to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or a difficult language

but to the house of Israel— 6 not to the many peoples of unintelligible speech or a difficult

language, whose words you cannot understand. No doubt, if I sent you to them, they would

listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to

listen to me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted. 8 Look, I have made

your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 I have made your

forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them or discouraged by the look

on their faces, though they are a rebellious house.”

EZEKIEL 3:10-15 Next he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully to all my words that I

speak to you and take them to heart. 11 Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell

them, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.” 12 The Spirit then

lifted me up, and I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me—bless the glory of the Lord in his

place!— 13 with the sound of the living creatures’ wings brushing against each other and the

sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. 14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me

away. I left in bitterness and in an angry spirit, and the Lord’s hand was on me powerfully. 15 I

came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were living by the Chebar Canal, and I sat there among them

stunned for seven days.

EZEKIEL 3:16-21 Now at the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of

man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my

mouth, give them a warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but

you do not warn him—you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to

save his life—that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his

blood. 19 But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked

way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself. 20 Now if a righteous person

turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he

will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin, and the righteous acts he did will

not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 21 But if you warn the righteous

person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to your

warning, and you will have rescued yourself.”

EZEKIEL 1:1-7:27 

In 592 BC, God called Ezekiel to prophesy. In a vision, Ezekiel saw four living creatures that resembled earthly realities, yet were quite different (Ezek. 1:4-14). Dazzling wheels covered with eyes whirred through the air together with the living creatures (Ezek. 1:15-21). Most significantly, he saw God's throne and His glorious splendor (Ezek 1:26-28). 

The Lord commissioned His new prophet (Ezek. 2:1-10).

The Lord gave him a scroll to eat, symbolizing Ezekiel's receiving God's words (Ezek 2:8-3:3). The prophet must communicate all God's words to the people (Ezek 3:16-27). Ezekiel was not responsible for their response, but he was responsible for his own faithfulness. 

EZEKIEL 1:1-3 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month,

while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions

of God. 2 (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, 3 the word of

the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the

river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

Ezekiel describes the vision he had of heaven at the very beginning of the book. This is one of only four visions of heaven in Scripture. The others are found in Isaiah, Daniel, and Revelation.

EZEKIEL 2:1-3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak

with you.” 2 And as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I

heard Him speaking to me. 3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of

Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted

against Me to this very day.

EZEKIEL 3:1-3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to

the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3 And He said to me, “Son

of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it,

and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

EZEKIEL 3:4-9 Then he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words

to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or a difficult language

but to the house of Israel— 6 not to the many peoples of unintelligible speech or a difficult

language, whose words you cannot understand. No doubt, if I sent you to them, they would

listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to

listen to me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted. 8 Look, I have made

your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 I have made your

forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them or discouraged by the look

on their faces, though they are a rebellious house.”

EZEKIEL 3:10-15 Next he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully to all my words that I

speak to you and take them to heart. 11 Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell

them, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.” 12 The Spirit then

lifted me up, and I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me—bless the glory of the Lord in his

place!— 13 with the sound of the living creatures’ wings brushing against each other and the

sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. 14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me

away. I left in bitterness and in an angry spirit, and the Lord’s hand was on me powerfully. 15 I

came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were living by the Chebar Canal, and I sat there among them

stunned for seven days.

EZEKIEL 3:16-21 Now at the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of

man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my

mouth, give them a warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but

you do not warn him—you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to

save his life—that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his

blood. 19 But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked

way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself. 20 Now if a righteous person

turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he

will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin, and the righteous acts he did will

not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 21 But if you warn the righteous

person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to your

warning, and you will have rescued yourself.”

EZEKIEL 1:1-7:27 

In 592 BC, God called Ezekiel to prophesy. In a vision, Ezekiel saw four living creatures that resembled earthly realities, yet were quite different (Ezek. 1:4-14). Dazzling wheels covered with eyes whirred through the air together with the living creatures (Ezek. 1:15-21). Most significantly, he saw God's throne and His glorious splendor (Ezek 1:26-28). 

The Lord commissioned His new prophet (Ezek. 2:1-10).

The Lord gave him a scroll to eat, symbolizing Ezekiel's receiving God's words (Ezek 2:8-3:3). The prophet must communicate all God's words to the people (Ezek 3:16-27). Ezekiel was not responsible for their response, but he was responsible for his own faithfulness. 

EZEKIEL 1:1-3 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month,

while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions

of God. 2 (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, 3 the word of

the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the

river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

Ezekiel describes the vision he had of heaven at the very beginning of the book. This is one of only four visions of heaven in Scripture. The others are found in Isaiah, Daniel, and Revelation.

EZEKIEL 2:1-3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak

with you.” 2 And as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I

heard Him speaking to me. 3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of

Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted

against Me to this very day.

EZEKIEL 3:1-3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to

the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3 And He said to me, “Son

of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it,

and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

EZEKIEL 3:4-9 Then he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words

to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or a difficult language

but to the house of Israel— 6 not to the many peoples of unintelligible speech or a difficult

language, whose words you cannot understand. No doubt, if I sent you to them, they would

listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to

listen to me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted. 8 Look, I have made

your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 I have made your

forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them or discouraged by the look

on their faces, though they are a rebellious house.”

EZEKIEL 3:10-15 Next he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully to all my words that I

speak to you and take them to heart. 11 Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell

them, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.” 12 The Spirit then

lifted me up, and I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me—bless the glory of the Lord in his

place!— 13 with the sound of the living creatures’ wings brushing against each other and the

sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. 14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me

way. I left in bitterness and in an angry spirit, and the Lord’s hand was on me powerfully. 15 I

came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were living by the Chebar Canal, and I sat there among them

stunned for seven days.

EZEKIEL 3:16-21 Now at the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of

man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my

mouth, give them a warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but

you do not warn him—you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to

save his life—that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his

blood. 19 But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked

way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself. 20 Now if a righteous person

turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he

will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin, and the righteous acts he did will

not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 21 But if you warn the righteous

person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to your

warning, and you will have rescued yourself.”

Intro

The call

Ezekiel 1:1–3 NASB95

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

Highlights of Ezekiel 1:4-28 are:

• A storm of fire coming from the sky.

• Four living creatures which had human form (later referred to as cherubim).

• Four faces and four wings and their feet were like a calf ’s hoofs.

• One face was that of a man; the other three were lion, ox, eagle.

• Burning coals of fire, lightning, torches coming from the chariot.

• Four wheels with eyes on the rims of each.

The Word

Ezekiel 2:1–3 NASB95

Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!” As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.

Ezekiel 3:1–3 NASB95

Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.

James 1:22–25 NASB95

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

The Commission

Ezekiel 3:4–9 NASB95

Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. “For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you; yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. “Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. “Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.”

Ezekiel 3:10–15 NASB95

Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely. “Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ ” Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me, “Blessed be the glory of the Lord in His place.” And I heard the sound of the wings of the living beings touching one another and the sound of the wheels beside them, even a great rumbling sound. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of the Lord was strong on me. Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them.

Ezekiel 3:16–21 NASB95

At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. “Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. “Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. “However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”

Conclusion