Source: Marvin A. Sweeney, Reading Ezekiel: A Literary and Theological Commentary, Reading the Old Testament Series (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Incorporated, 2013), 35–42.
3. Ezekiel Watchman and Symbol.mp4
he Second Oracular Account of Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision.wav
This podcast delves into the second oracular account of Ezekiel's inaugural vision, specifically chapters 3:16–5:17, where YHWH commissions the prophet as a watchman and instructs him through symbolic actions. The text highlights how this section, following a seven-day period after Ezekiel's initial vision, details his responsibilities, drawing a connection between his prophetic role and his priestly background. Through various commands and symbolic acts, like lying on his side or shaving his head, Ezekiel is tasked with communicating YHWH's impending judgment against Jerusalem due to the people's corruption and defilement of the temple. The passage also emphasizes the consequences for both Ezekiel and the people depending on whether the warnings are heeded, ultimately portraying YHWH as the sovereign deity responsible for both judgment and potential restoration.
When we imagine a biblical prophet, the image that often comes to mind is of a commanding figure with a booming voice, delivering fiery speeches to crowds in the city square. We picture a public orator, a debater, a messenger whose primary tool is the spoken word. The story of the prophet Ezekiel, however, shatters this stereotype. His divine commission was not one of eloquent sermons, but of a bizarre and physically demanding imprisonment. His was a prophecy enacted through strange, unsettling, and deeply personal suffering—a mission where the prophet's own body became the parchment on which a terrifying message was written.
One of the most jarring commands given to Ezekiel was not to speak, but to be silent. According to the account in Ezekiel 3:24b–27, God informed him that he would be shut up inside his house, physically bound with cords so he could not leave. More than that, his tongue would cleave to the roof of his mouth, rendering him speechless.
This divine gag order carried a profound theological implication. As a priest, a key part of Ezekiel’s identity was the ability to intercede on behalf of the people—to represent them before YHWH and plead for atonement. This command stripped him of that crucial function.
The message was clear and grim: the time for debate, intercession, or atonement was over. Judgment against the people was so certain that their priest was to be silenced. Ezekiel was no longer a representative of the people to God; he was now purely a messenger from God to the people, and he could only speak the specific words of judgment that YHWH authorized. The source's author notes that this theological strategy—defending God by assigning total blame to the victims—is an ancient example of theodicy that becomes deeply problematic when viewed through a modern lens.
Since he was largely forbidden to speak, Ezekiel was commanded to communicate God’s message through a series of deeply symbolic and shocking public actions. His own body and daily life became the canvas for a year-long display of impending doom.