Chapter 2 Ezekiel is commissioned and tested
Ezekiel is not addressed by his name in the whole book, but he is referred to several times as ‘son of man.’ This has a strong connotation of indicating his place in the creation order. In this chapter the prophet receives his commission and a test of obedience from the Lord.
2:1 And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” 2 Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. 3 And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. 4 For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.
The speaker is the man sitting on the throne is in fact the Lord. The Lord comes straight to the point and commands Ezekiel to go to his own people the children of Israel a rebellious nation just as their fathers were. The Lord further describes the Israelites as an impudent and stubborn people. Ezekiel is further commanded to speak directly to the Jews in the manner of ‘thus says the Lord’ whether they would listen to him or not.
6 “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. 7 You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
The Lord commands Ezekiel not to live in fear of these people though he will have to listen to their horrible words and demeanour towards him that he could expect from these rebels against God. Ezekiel is to be different and be hungry to receive God’s word.
9 Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10 Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.
A hand now stretched out to the prophet and scroll was in the hand. As the Lord opens the scroll Ezekiel sees that there is writing on both sides of the scroll. The subject matter was very grave and consisted of lamentations mourning and woe.
