Ezekiel Chapter 33
1 The LORD's word came to me, saying,
2 "Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them, 'When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from amongst them, and set him for their watchman;
3 if, when he sees the sword come on the land, he blows the trumpet, and warns the people;
4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and doesn't heed the warning, if the sword comes, and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.
5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and didn't take warning. His blood will be on him; whereas if he had heeded the warning, he would have delivered his soul.
6 But if the watchman sees the sword come, and doesn't blow the trumpet, and the people aren't warned, and the sword comes, and takes any person from amongst them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.'
7 "So you, son of man: I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word from my mouth, and give them warnings from me.
8 When I tell the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you don't speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man will die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at your hand.
9 Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he doesn't turn from his way; he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.
10 "You, son of man, tell the house of Israel: 'You say this, "Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we pine away in them. How then can we live?" '
11 Tell them, ' "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why will you die, house of Israel?" '
12 "You, son of man, tell the children of your people, 'The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him in the day of his disobedience. And as for the wickedness of the wicked, he will not fall by it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither will he who is righteous be able to live by it in the day that he sins.
13 When I tell the righteous that he will surely live; if he trusts in his righteousness, and commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but he will die in his iniquity that he has committed.
14 Again, when I say to the wicked, "You will surely die;" if he turns from his sin, and does that which is lawful and right;
15 if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he will surely live. He will not die.
16 None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done that which is lawful and right. He will surely live.
17 " 'Yet the children of your people say, "The way of the Lord is not fair;" but as for them, their way is not fair.
18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he will even die therein.
19 When the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he will live by it.
20 Yet you say, "The way of the Lord is not fair." House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways.' "
21 In the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, one who had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, "The city has been defeated!"
22 Now the LORD's hand had been on me in the evening, before he who had escaped came; and he had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
23 The LORD's word came to me, saying,
24 "Son of man, those who inhabit the waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, 'Abraham was one, and he inherited the land; but we are many. The land is given us for inheritance.'
25 Therefore tell them, 'The Lord GOD says: "You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood. So should you possess the land?
26 You stand on your sword, you work abomination, and every one of you defiles his neighbour's wife. So should you possess the land?" '
27 "You shall tell them, 'The Lord GOD says: "As I live, surely those who are in the waste places will fall by the sword. I will give he who is in the open field to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves will die of the pestilence.
28 I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment. The pride of her power will cease. The mountains of Israel will be desolate, so that no one will pass through.
29 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, because of all their abominations which they have committed." '
30 "As for you, son of man, the children of your people talk about you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak to one another, everyone to his brother, saying, 'Please come and hear what the word is that comes out from the LORD.'
31 They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don't do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.
32 Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they don't do them.
33 "When this comes to pass-behold, it comes-then they will know that a prophet has been amongst them."
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Ezekiel Chapter 33 Guide
Ezekiel next delivered a series of messages concerning the chosen nation. The first message described the function and responsibilities of the prophet under the figure of a watchman. In the day of danger a watchman was appointed to give notice of the approach of an enemy. If he did his duty and his warning was not heeded, the blood of the slain would be on their own heads. If he failed to give warning and people were slain their blood would be on his head. That was the position occupied by Ezekiel. Set by Jehovah as a watchman for Israel, his duty was to hear the word from the mouth of the Lord and deliver it to the people. If he did so, and the wicked persisted in wickedness, the soul of the prophet would be delivered.
He was then to declare to the people who were lamenting the judgment of their sins that Jehovah had no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from his ways and live. Past acts of righteousness would not atone for present transgression. Past sin would be pardoned if the sinner turned to Jehovah. On the basis of this announcement the prophet defended Jehovah against the people who charged Him with being unequal in His ways.
Immediately after the delivery of this message, fugitives from the sack of Jerusalem came to the prophet. This had been foretold (24:25-27), and the prophet had been instructed that when they came his mouth would be opened and he would be no more dumb. This prophecy he now declared was fulfilled, and he opened his mouth and foretold that desolation of the land was still determined, and that even those left in the waste places would be destroyed.
This message closed with a rebuke of the people, who, aroused and even interested by the messages of the prophet, had gathered together to hear them, being interested in them as those would be who listened to a lovely song and a pleasant voice and capable playing on an instrument. Their interest was sensual rather than spiritual. The difference between the two may always be detected by the consequent attitude of those who hear. Sensuality hears and does nothing. Spirituality hears and obeys.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 33 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Ezekiel's duty as a watchman. -- (1-9)
- He is to vindicate the Divine government. -- (10-20)
- The desolation of Judea. -- (21-29)
- Judgments on the mockers of the prophets. -- (30-33)
Verses 1-9
The prophet is a watchman to the house of Israel. His business is to warn sinners of their misery and danger. He must warn the wicked to turn from their way, that they may live. If souls perish through his neglect of duty, he brings guilt upon himself. See what those have to answer for, who make excuses for sin, flatter sinners, and encourage them to believe they shall have peace, though they go on. How much wiser are men in their temporal than in their spiritual concerns! They set watchmen to guard their houses, and sentinels to warn of the enemies' approach, but where the everlasting happiness or misery of the soul is at stake, they are offended if ministers obey their Master's command, and give a faithful warning; they would rather perish, listening to smooth things.
Verses 10-20
Those who despaired of finding mercy with God, are answered with a solemn declaration of God's readiness to show mercy. The ruin of the city and state was determined, but that did not relate to the final state of persons. God says to the righteous, that he shall surely live. But many who have made profession, have been ruined by proud confidence in themselves. Man trusts to his own righteousness, and presuming on his own sufficiency, he is brought to commit iniquity. If those who have lived a wicked life repent and forsake their wicked ways, they shall be saved. Many such amazing and blessed changes have been wrought by the power of Divine grace. When there is a settled separation between a man and sin, there shall no longer be a separation between him and God.
Verses 21-29
Those are unteachable indeed, who do not learn their dependence upon God, when all creature-comforts fail. Many claim an interest in the peculiar blessings to true believers, while their conduct proves them enemies of God. They call this groundless presumption strong faith, when God's testimony declares them entitled to his threatenings, and nothing else.
Verses 30-33
Unworthy and corrupt motives often lead men to the places where the word of God is faithfully preached. Many come to find somewhat to oppose: far more come of curiosity or mere habit. Men may have their hearts changed. But whether men hear or forbear, they will know by the event that a servant of God has been among them. All who will not know the worth of mercies by the improvement of them, will justly be made to know their worth by the want of them.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.