1. How did the Lord speak unto Ezekiel?
Through the Spirit: “(1) And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. (2) And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me” (Ezekiel 2:1-2).
The “He” was the one described as the “likeness of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 1:28). The “He” is contextually clarified as being “the Lord God” (Ezekiel 2:4).
The phrase “Son of man”…
Sometimes referred to Jesus (Daniel 7:13-14, Matthew 8:20, Matthew 9:1-6, Matthew 16:13-28, Luke 24:7, etc.).
Outside of this chapter, we will see Ezekiel referred to in this way many more times (Ezekiel 3:1, Ezekiel 3:3, Ezekiel 3:4, Ezekiel 3:10, Ezekiel 3:17, Ezekiel 3:25, Ezekiel 4:1, Ezekiel 4:16, Ezekiel 5:1, Ezekiel 6:2, Ezekiel 7:2, Ezekiel 8:5, Ezekiel 8:6, Ezekiel 8:8, Ezekiel 8:11, Ezekiel 8:12, Ezekiel 8:15, Ezekiel 8:17, Ezekiel 11:2, Ezekiel 11:4, Ezekiel 11:15, Ezekiel 12:2, Ezekiel 12:3, Ezekiel 12:9, Ezekiel 12:18, Ezekiel 12:22… and about 69 more times than what I just cited.
Daniel was once referred to in this way (Daniel 8:15-18).
This terminology is used in reference to generations of men in general (Psalms 8:4, Psalms 144:3, Jeremiah 49:18, Jeremiah 49:33, Jeremiah 50:40, Jeremiah 51:43, and Hebrews 2:6).
The Lord told Ezekiel to stand and that He would speak unto him for Ezekiel had fallen (Ezekiel 1:28).
The Spirit entered him… (Ezekiel 3:12-14) as such occurred to prophets of old (Numbers 11:25, I Samuel 16:13, II Samuel 23:2, Nehemiah 9:30, and II Peter 1:20-21).
The Spirit spake unto Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:24).
2. Who was Ezekiel being sent to?
The children of Israel: “And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day” (Ezekiel 2:3).
Sent by the Lord (cf. Jeremiah 1:7) to the children Israel as such was the work of the prophets of old (II Chronicles 36:14-16, Ezra 5:1, and Hebrews 1:1-2).
Ezekiel would have to work against false prophets (Ezekiel 13:16).
Israel was long rebellious (Deuteronomy 9:24, Ezra 9:7, and Nehemiah 9:16-18).
This was the trend of as displayed by their fathers (Jeremiah 3:25 and Acts 7:51-53).
3. Was Ezekiel expected to only speak to those who would listen?
No, he was to speak the Lord’s word regardless of whether or not they listened: “(4) For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. (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… (7) And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious” (Ezekiel 2:4-5; 7).
God sent Ezekiel though they were stubborn (Jeremiah 5:3).
Again, Israel never really changed from these characteristics (Deuteronomy 31:24-27 and Isaiah 48:1-8).
We must remember that God’s work and the teaching to accomplish such had a different goal then than now (Psalms 106:43-45; cf. Genesis 22:18, Matthew 1:1, and Hebrews 7:14). Besides that, this generation was mostly lost.
Now, we stop teaching when individuals display stubbornness because we are commanded to do so (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 10:14, II Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9-11, etc.) as the word CANNOT work on hard hearted people (Luke 8:1-15 and Acts 28:17-28).
The fact is, we are to constantly evaluate whether or not someone or a group of people are teachable (i.e. I Corinthians 3:1-3 and Hebrews 5:8-14).
“thou shalt say unto them… Thus…” (I Kings 22:14 and Jeremiah 26:2-3).
Whether they hear or not (Ezekiel 3:10-11), their choice (Acts 13:46).
They shall know a prophet had been among them (Deuteronomy 18:22, Ezekiel 33:9, and Ezekiel 33:30-33).
4. Should Ezekiel have feared the people?
No: “And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 2:6).
God told Ezekiel not to fear (Ezekiel 3:8-9; cf. Jeremiah 1:8 and Micah 3:8).
God referred to Israel as scorpions, briers, and thorns (Micah 7:4).
Words looks, etc. don’t matter (Luke 6:22-23).
5. What did Ezekiel have presented before him to eat?
A roll of a book that had written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe: “(8) But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. (9) And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;
(10) And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe” (Ezekiel 2:8-10).
Jeremiah 1:9 and Revelation 10:8-11; cf. Jeremiah 36:29-32