Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 5. This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations] I have made this city the most eminent and the most illustrious in the world.
Some think that these words refer to its geographical situation, as being equally in the center of the habitable world. But any point on a globe is its center, no matter where laid down; and it would not be difficult to show that even this literal sense is tolerably correct. But the point which is the center of the greatest portion of land that can be exhibited on one hemisphere is the capital of the British empire. See my Sermon on the universal spread of the Gospel.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The preparation of the prophet for his work. (Ezek. 3:1-11) His office as that of a watchman. (Ezek. 3:12-2) The restraining and restoring his speech. (Ezek. 3:22-27)
Ezek. 3:1-11 Ezekiel was to receive the truths of God as the food for his soul, and to feed upon them by faith, and he would be strengthened Gracious souls can receive those truths of God with delight, whic speak terror to the wicked. He must speak all that, and that only which God spake to him. How can we better speak God's mind than with his words? If disappointed as to his people, he must not be offended The Ninevites were wrought upon by Jonah's preaching, when Israel wa unhumbled and unreformed. We must leave this unto the Divin sovereignty, and say, Lord, thy judgments are a great deep. They wil not regard the word of the prophet, for they will not regard the rod of God. Christ promises to strengthen him. He must continue earnest in preaching, whatever the success might be.
Ezek. 3:12-21 This mission made the holy angels rejoice. All this wa to convince Ezekiel, that the God who sent him had power to bear his out in his work. He was overwhelmed with grief for the sins an miseries of his people, and overpowered by the glory of the vision he had seen. And however retirement, meditation, and communion with God may be sweet, the servant of the Lord must prepare to serve his generation. The Lord told the prophet he had appointed him a watchma to the house of Israel. If we warn the wicked, we are not chargeabl with their ruin. Though such passages refer to the national covenan made with Israel, they are equally to be applied to the final state of all men under every dispensation. We are not only to encourage an comfort those who appear to be righteous, but they are to be warned for many have grown high-minded and secure, have fallen, and even die in their sins. Surely then the hearers of the gospel should desir warnings, and even reproofs.
Ezek. 3:22-27 Let us own ourselves for ever indebted to the mediatio of Christ, for the blessed intercourse between God and man; and a tru believer will say, I am never less alone than when thus alone. When the Lord opened Ezekiel's mouth, he was to deliver his message boldly, to place life and death, the blessing and the curse, before the people and leave them to their choice _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew כה3541 אמר559 אדני136 יהוה3069 זאת2063 ירושׁלם3389 בתוך8432 הגוים1471 שׂמתיה7760 וסביבותיה5439 ארצות׃776
