Movatterモバイル変換

Ezekiel 3:10,17
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears…

Jeremiah 1:7,17
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, Iam a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak…

Jeremiah 23:28
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. Whatis the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

whether

Ezekiel 2:5
And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for theyare a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

most rebellious [HEB] rebellion

whether they listen or refuse to listen
This phrase acknowledges the potential rejection of the message by the audience. It reflects the persistent rebellion of Israel, a theme prevalent throughout the Old Testament. The prophet's duty is to deliver the message, not to ensure its acceptance, similar to the parable of the sower in the New Testament (Matthew 13:3-9), where the sower spreads the seed regardless of the type of soil. This highlights the sovereignty of God in the process of revelation and response.

for they are rebellious
The Israelites are described as rebellious, a recurring characterization in the prophetic books. This rebellion is not just against the prophet but against God Himself. Historically, this rebellion can be traced back to the wilderness wanderings (Numbers 14:9) and continued through the monarchy and into the exile. The term "rebellious" also connects to the broader biblical narrative of humanity's rebellion against God, which is ultimately addressed through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly obeyed where humanity failed.

• God’s directive is crystal clear: Ezekiel is to pass on only what the Lord says, not personal opinions or cultural slogans. “The word of the LORD came to me” (Ezekiel 1:3) sets the tone for his entire ministry.

• This echoesJeremiah 1:7—“You must go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I command you”. The messenger’s authority lies in God’s message, not the messenger himself.

• It reminds us today of2 Timothy 4:2, where Paul urges, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season”. Faithfulness means sticking to Scripture even when it collides with prevailing opinions.

•1 Peter 4:11 reinforces the principle: “If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God”. Our confidence comes from the certainty that God’s Word is living and active.

• God prepares Ezekiel for varied responses. Obedience to the commission is not conditioned on audience acceptance.

•Isaiah 55:11 promises that God’s Word “will not return to Me empty”; the proclamation accomplishes divine purposes regardless of visible results.

• Jesus highlighted the same dynamic in the parable of the soils (Matthew 13:14-15): some hear and understand, others harden their hearts.

• Paul described his preaching as “the fragrance of Christ” that can be life to some, death to others (2 Corinthians 2:14-17). Our role is sowing; God handles the harvest.

• The hard-won honesty of Scripture: God names the problem. Israel’s rebellion stretches back generations (Deuteronomy 9:24: “You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day I knew you”).

• Recognizing rebellion shapes expectations. Ezekiel isn’t shocked when pushback comes; forewarned, he stands firm.

•Hosea 4:16 paints the same picture—“Israel is stubborn, like a stubborn heifer”—yet God still reaches out.

•Romans 1:18-21 exposes humanity’s universal tendency to suppress truth, making the need for uncompromised proclamation even more urgent.

Ezekiel 2:7 charges every servant of God to deliver His Word faithfully, regardless of audience reaction, because humanity’s root problem is rebellion against the Creator. Our task is proclamation; God supplies the power and determines the outcome.

(1) a ground of encouragement in the fact that the words would be given by Jehovah (romp.Jeremiah 1:7, 17;Matthew 10:19, 20); and

(2) a warning against the intermingling of lower thoughts and a self-originated message (Ezekiel 13:7;Ezekiel 22:28).They are most rebellious; literally, the Hebrew being a noun,they are rebellion, orstubbornness, itself.

Parallel Commentaries ...