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Ezekiel’s Call
2 And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.
“But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.
(ESV)
Ezekiel 2 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
It is intriguing to consider that God’s Spirit entered Ezekiel in order to empower him to complete the task. This was not always the case in the OT as God sovereignly chose those individuals who would be miraculously filled. Today, we know all believers are full of the Holy Spirit and they are permanently filled.
The other fact to consider is that Ezekiel is called to proclaim God’s Word no matter what. He is asked to digest the Word of God and then reflect it to others. Not much different than today, right? The downside is that God knows there will be conflict and push back. It is comforting to know that Ezekiel can proclaim God’s Word and let the chips fall where they may.
Finally, we must ask the question on everyone’s mind. Does Ezekiel actually eat the scroll? And if so, what is the purpose?
“Once ingested, he discovers the taste to be pleasant. Since the satisfaction cannot derive from the content of the message on the scroll (lamentation, moaning, and woe), the sweet sensation must arise from the personal and direct encounter with the divine word. [The psalmists also discovered the word of Yahweh to be “sweeter than honey” (Psa 19:11 [Eng. Psa 19:10]; Psa 119:103). Ezekiel’s prophetic experience is echoed by John in Rev 10:9-10.] The effect appears to have been intentional, a divine means of softening Ezekiel’s resistance to his calling.”
New International Commentary – Old Testament
No matter how bitter the calling is, following Jesus brings the ultimate satisfaction. It doesn’t matter if we experience “success” or not. The true nourishment in this lifetime comes from obedience to God in the truest sense of His Word. We will follow no matter the cost and even when nothing “good” is happening.