Ezekiel 2

Chapter 2 of Ezekiel forms the central part of the account of Ezekiel's prophetic call, which is commonly treated as a unit spanning chapters 1–3. In Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel, living in exile by the river Chebar, saw the glory of the LORD and fell upon his face. In this chapter God begins to speak to him directly.

Outline

• Verses 1–2 God says, "Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee." The spirit then enters Ezekiel and sets him on his feet. (Korean Bibles render the word for "spirit" differently: the Korean Revised Version uses sin, while the New Korean Revised Version uses yeong.)
• Verses 3–5 God sends Ezekiel to the children of Israel, a rebellious nation of "impudent children and stiffhearted" (that is, hardened and obstinate). He is to declare, "Thus saith the Lord GOD." Whether they hear or refuse to hear, God says, they will know that a prophet has been among them.
• Verses 6–7 Though briers and thorns are with him and he dwells among scorpions, Ezekiel is commanded not to be afraid of their words or their looks, but to speak God's words to them.
• Verses 8–10 God tells Ezekiel not to be rebellious but to open his mouth and eat what He gives him. A hand is stretched out, and a scroll appears, written within and without with lamentations, mourning, and woe.

Key Verses

• Ezekiel 2:5 "And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them." This verse shows that the prophet's mission lies in proclaiming the word itself rather than in the response of the audience.
• Ezekiel 2:7 "And thou shalt speak my words unto them." This makes clear that the prophet delivers God's words, not his own.
• Ezekiel 2:8 "Open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee." This command leads into the scene in the following chapter in which Ezekiel eats the scroll.

Characters and Setting

• Ezekiel: a prophet of priestly descent who had been carried captive to Babylon.
• The LORD: the One who calls and sends Ezekiel.
• The children of Israel: those to whom Ezekiel is sent. The text calls them a "rebellious house."
• The setting, continuing from chapter 1, is the river Chebar in the land of Babylon (no place names are mentioned again in this chapter).

Points for Reflection

• The title "son of man": In the book of Ezekiel, son of man is the form of address God uses for Ezekiel more than ninety times. It is generally understood to denote a frail human being standing before God. Interpreters differ on how it relates to "one like the Son of man" in Daniel 7 or to the title "Son of man" that Jesus used of Himself in the Gospels.
• The coming of the spirit: The text speaks only of "the spirit." Christian tradition has sometimes read this in connection with the work of the Holy Spirit.
• The scroll: In this chapter the scroll is only spread out; the actual eating takes place in Ezekiel 3. In the New Testament, Revelation 10 likewise contains a scene in which the apostle John receives and eats a little book, and Revelation 5 features a book written within and on the backside.

In the Korean Church

The phrase "whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear," together with the call narrative of chapters 1–3, is frequently cited in sermons on calling, the preacher's mission, and evangelism.