The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 73

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 4-7.-The :privileged and the unprivileged. It is impossible to read this hngungc without being reminded of the parallel language recorded to have been uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Prophet Ezekiel was assured that, whilst his messaae would be rejected by his fellow-countrymen, it would have been received with gratitude and faith bad it been addressed to a Gentile nation. Aud our Lord, in upbraidina the unbelief of Capernaum, declared that the tidings he proclaimed would have bbeen received with joy and would have induced repentance had they'been addressed to Tyre and Sidon-nay, to Sodom and Gomorrah! It must indeed have rendered the mission of Ezekiel doubly difficult to be assured beforehand of the hardness of heart and the incredulity of the house of Israel. Yet it was a divinely appointed discipline to which he was subjected; and it was a wholesome, albeit a painful, preparation for the discharge of a distressing service, to be told that his words should be rejected, and yet to be bidden to utter them in the name and by the authority of his God. I. THE LESS FAVOURED WOULD 'WELCOME THE DIVINE MESSENGER AND THE DIVINE MESSAGE. People of a strange speech, the prophet was assured, would, had he been sent to them, certainly have hearkened unto him, How is this to be accounted for? Such people would have been favourably inclined to the herald of God's justice and mercy: 1. By their surprise at an unwonted instance of God'a condescension and gracious interest. 2. By their gratitude for words of warning and of promise. 3. By their 'responsiveness to the interposition on their behalf of a new power brought to bear upon their moral nature. 4-. By the hope of Divine acceptance and of a new and better life awakened by the su=ons in their nature. IL THE HIGHLY FAVOURED WILL MEET THE DIVINE MESSENGER AND THE DIVINE MESSAGE WITH D.""DIFFERENCE, UNBELIEF, AND mnESPONBIVENESS. 1. Privilege is often associated with moral obduracy. 'l'he expression used is very severe: "Of a hard forehead, and of a stiff heart." It is observable, and very significant, that the historians and prophets of the Hebrews, so far from flattering their countrymen, used with regard to them language of stern upbraiding and denunciation, reproached them with their unbelief, rebelliousness, hardness of heart, and stiff-necked attitude towards Divine authority. And such reproach was abundantly justifie,l by the facts of their history. They were chosen to privilege, not in virtue of any excellence of their own, but in the sovereign wisdom and mercy of the Lord, The more God did for them, the less they heeded his commandments. Not that this condemnation applied to all; there were those "faithful among the faithless;" but generally speaking, the Jews were a disobedient and rebellious race. 2. 'l'his moral obduracy leads to the rejection of God's messenaers. 0 "'l'he house of Israel "-so the Lord forewarned Ezekiel-" will not hearken uuto thee." The same truth was expressed by our Lord himself centuries afterwards, when he reproachfully reminded his kindred according to the flesh that through long centuries messengers from God had been sent to their forefathers, only to be ill treated, wounded, and slain. Ezekiel was only to be treated as similarly autho- rized messen"ers of God both before and afterwards. 3. God's messengers are rejected by those who have rejected God himself. Most terrible are the words of the Lord to Ezekiel: "'rhey will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto ME." God had spoken unto Israel in the events of past history, and in the directions and reproaches of cooscience. Ezekiel might well believe that there was no special reBSOn oil. m.1-27.J THE DOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKlEL. 59