Overview: Compare with the vision in ch3, the people of Israel's stubbornness towards God was outrageous.
Ob and In:
1. v.1-3 A command to eat the scroll-experience the sweetness in the mouth.
(BKC) His task as a prophet was to deliver God’s word to God’s people.
2. v.4-7 A message that the house of Israel was unwilling to listen bc they are not willing to listen to God.
(NET) Moses (Exod 3:19) and Isaiah (Isa 6:9–10) were also told that their messages would not be received...A similar description of Israel’s disobedience is given in 1 Sam 8:7.
(BKC) In contrast with the open reception Ezekiel would receive from other nations, Israel was not willing to listen to him...Their spiritual deafness was acquired over long years of exposure to and rejection of God’s word given by the prophets. Israel’s response to God in the past was a harbinger of the response Ezekiel could expect...Rebellion had made its way into the royal household, the temple, the courts of justice, and into every city and town in the land. Though individuals here and there were still responding to the Lord, the nation as a whole had turned from Him.
3. v.8-14 repeated word: hard
v.7b the whole house of Israel is hardheaded (BKC) Figuratively “forehead” expresses determination or defiance
v.8 I have made your face adamant to match their faces, and your forehead hard to match their foreheads.
v. 9 I have made your forehead harder than flint—like diamond!
v.14 the hand of the LORD rested powerfully on me
The reason that God made Ezekiel "hard-face" was because Israel was hard-face and hardheaded. God guaranteed the hardness because of His power.
The hardness was needed for Ezekiel because:
a. The rebellious of Israel and they would do something to make Ezekiel afraid. v.9b "Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house.”
b. Their indifference v.11b whether they pay attention or not
4. From sweet to bitter v.3, 14
Bitterly=(BDB) of feeling, temper
(NET) The traditional interpretation is that Ezekiel embarked on his mission with bitterness and anger, either reflecting God’s attitude toward the sinful people or his own feelings about having to carry out such an unpleasant task. L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 1:13) takes “bitterly” as a misplaced marginal note and understands the following word, normally translated “anger,” in the sense of fervor or passion. He translates, “I was passionately moved” (p. 4). Another option is to take the word translated “bitterly” as a verb meaning “strengthened” (attested in Ugaritic).
my spirit full of fury=(BDB) the rage of my spirit
Summary and reflection: Before God sent out Ezekiel to speak to Israel He had already knew that Israel was not willing to listen. Instead of aborting His plan, He told His servant to continue to carry out the mission with His power. Do not afraid and do not be discouraged when they were indifference to the message. As the servant of God, Ezekiel first tasted the sweetness when he received God's word himself. Then when he was about to enter the "field" the Holy Spirit lifted him up and he was full of God's rage towards the people.
If I am God, will I still go to the people if I know they are unwilling to listen?
If I am Ezekiel, will I still obey God to face the challenge and rejection? (No applause or praise will be heard. No one will think you have a successful ministry or look up to you. No comfortable life...Those are not the necessity in life, but follow and obey God is).
Do I taste the sweetness when I prepare for bible study or SS?
Do I share God's feeling towards the people?
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