Ezekiel 3:23

Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face. THE GLORY OF THE LORD STOOD THERE - (. "This was the appearance of the likeness glory of the Lord")....

22-27 Let us own ourselves for ever indebted to the mediation of Christ, for the blessed intercourse between God and man; and a true believer will say, I am never less alone than when thus alone. When the Lord opened Ezekiel's mouth, he was to deliver his message boldly, to place life and death, the blessing and the curse, before the people, and leave them to their choice....

A fresh revelation of the glory of the Lord, to impress upon Ezekiel another characteristic of his mission. Now he is to learn that there is “a time to be silent” as well as “a time to speak,” and that both are appointed by God. This represents forcibly the authoritative character and divine origin of the utterances of the Hebrew prophets....

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 3:1 EAT THAT THOU FINDEST, etc. The iteration of the command of Ezekiel 2:8 seems to imply, like the words, "be not thou rebellious," in that verse, some reluctance on the prophet's part. In substance the command was equivalent to that of Revelation 22:18, Revelation 22:19. The true prophet does not choose his message (Acts 4:20); his "meat" is to do his Lord's will (John 4:34), and he takes what he "f

THEN I AROSE AND WENT FORTH INTO THE PLAIN,.... He was obedient to the heavenly vision, which was owing to the hand of the Lord being upon him; the power of the Spirit and grace of God influences and engages to obedience; he went forth where he was ordered, though he knew not what would be said to him, or what he should see there: AND, BEHOLD, THE GLORY OF THE LORD STOOD THERE; the glorious Person described in Ezekiel 1:26; AS THE GLORY WHICH I SAW BY THE RIVER OF CHEBAR; Ezekiel 1:1; which vision was repeated for greater certainty, and to confirm the prophecies delivered to him, and to encourage him in the performance of his office: AND I FELL ON MY FACE; as he did before, when he first saw this glorious object,...

CHAPTER S 3:15-7:27 The Judgment Announced, the Four Signs and Their Meaning, and the Two Messages This section extends from chapter 3:15 to the close of the seventh chapter. The prophet is told of his great responsibility as watchman, and has to enact four signs. Two solemn messages close this section. The first message first predicts that the sword is to come upon the land and disperse them; the second message predicts the end. _ 1. The new charge and Ezekiel's new experience (Ezekiel 3:15) _ 2. The sign of the tile (Ezekiel 4:1) on (Ezekiel 4:4) 3. The sign of the prophet's physical position (Ezekiel 4:4

A PERIOD OF SILENCE. Another ecstatic mood falls upon Ezekiel, accompanied by a vision similar to the former (ch. 1) but not this time described. The Divine voice seems to decree for him a period of temporary silence and inactivity. Perhaps Ezekiel 3:25 should read, I will lay bands on thee and bind thee: at any rate, he is restrained in some way, whether, as some suppose, by some physical disability (_e.g._ catalepsy) or merely by the angry incredulity of his hearers, from proclaiming his message in public. He does not open his mouth, except in his own house to those who consult him privately (_cf._ Ezekiel 8:1), until his message is confirmed by the fall of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 33:21 f.)....

BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos._ App-6. the glory, Sc. See note on Ezekiel 1:28....

Ezekiel 3:22-27. The prophet abandons public exercise of his ministry The verses form the preface to ch. 4 24, all the prophecies that bear upon the fate of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, up to its fall. The prophet under the "hand" of God goes out into the "valley," and the same Theophany appears to him as at the first by the river Chebar. He is in communication with the same great God, and all his actions are determined by his commands. According to the interpretation put upon ch. Ezekiel 1:1 to Ezekiel 3:21 above, he had exercised his office of watchman among the people, speaking to them publicly in the name of the Lord, for some time. Possibly the time was not very long, for this passage comes in under the same gene

IV. THE RESTRICTION ON SERVICE 3:22-27 TRANSLATION (22) And the hand of the LORD came upon me there, and He said unto me, Rise, go out into the plain, and there I will speak with you. (23) And I arose and went out unto the plain, and behold there the glory of the I,ORD was standing as the glory which I saw beside the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. (24) And the Spirit came on me and made me stand upon my feet, and He spoke to me, and said unto me, Go shut yourself up in the midst of your house. (25) And as for you, son of man, behold fetters will be placed upon you, and you shall not go out in their midst. (26) And your tongue shall cleave unto the roof of your mouth so that you will be dumb and you shall not become to them a man of reproof for they are a rebellious house. (27) But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD....