Tyndale Open Study NotesEzekiel 2

Old Testament prophetic books often begin with a “call narrative.” A call narrative describes how God chose and sent a prophet to serve in this role (for example, Jeremiah 1:4–19).

This account showed that the prophet’s message was legitimate. It made clear that the prophet spoke as the Lord’s ambassador (a representative sent with authority). The call narrative also introduced important themes that the book would explain more fully later.

In Ezekiel, the call narrative focuses on the Lord’s coming judgment on his people.

Being a prophet was not a career that someone chose. It was also not a role passed down from father to son, as the priesthood was.

God himself called prophets to their task. Because of this, many prophets included the story of their call in their writings (see, for example, Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1:4–19; Jonah 1:1–2).

stand up: God gave Ezekiel strength through the Spirit so that he could obey this command. God raised him to his feet.

Later, God would do something similar for the people as a whole (compare Ezekiel 37:4–10). What God later did for the nation, he first did for the prophet.

The Lord often addressed Ezekiel as son of man. In Hebrew, this phrase is ben-’adam, which means "son of Adam." It can also mean “human being.”

This title reminded Ezekiel that he was human. He stood before heavenly beings, but he was different from them. He was a mortal person, created from the dust of the earth

The title also set Ezekiel apart from the people of Israel. The Bible often calls them “sons of Israel.” They were descendants of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28). The name Israel means “he struggles with God.”

At that time, Israel was a rebellious nation. By calling Ezekiel son of man, the Lord showed that Ezekiel did not stand with their rebellion. Instead, he stood as a faithful human servant before God.

As a son of Adam, Ezekiel represented a new beginning. God empowered him by the Spirit (the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit) to live in careful obedience. His life showed that it was possible to respond to God with faithfulness.

In this way, Ezekiel became a sign of hope to the exiles. Even in judgment, God was preparing a faithful people.

Jesus later used the title son of man for himself. This title points both to his humanity and to his heavenly authority. In Daniel 7:13–14, a figure “like a son of man” receives authority and an eternal kingdom from God. In Revelation 1:13–20), this title is used for the risen and exalted Christ. Jesus brings together the human meaning of the title and its heavenly meaning.

By obeying where Adam failed, Jesus became the first member of God’s new community of faith. All other children of Adam find hope in him.

Israel was stubborn and hard-hearted (unwilling to listen and obey). They would not listen to Ezekiel. His message would not show results right away. However, they would later know that a prophet had been among them speaking God’s word.

Ezekiel's ministry would be as difficult as walking through a patch of briers and thorns and stinging scorpions.

Ezekiel was responsible only for delivering God's message faithfully, not for how people responded to it.

Ezekiel should not be like the disobedient and rebellious people around him. The first man, Adam, disobeyed God's command not to eat the fruit of knowledge, which seemed desirable (Genesis 2:17). Ezekiel was to obey by eating God's words, which seemed undesirable.

The scroll contained so many words of judgment that writing covered both sides. This showed how serious the message was.

Ezekiel had to announce the curses for breaking the covenant (God’s promises and commands) to a rebellious people (see Deuteronomy 28:15–68; compare Zechariah 5:2–4).

This scroll full of judgment is a clear picture of the message in Ezekiel 1–24.