Ezekiel 2:9
Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me, and in it was a scroll,
Then I looked
This phrase marks a pivotal moment of attention and awareness for Ezekiel. The Hebrew root for "looked" is "ra'ah," which means to see or perceive. This is not merely a physical act of seeing but a spiritual awakening to the divine revelation. In the context of Ezekiel's prophetic calling, this signifies a readiness to receive God's message. It is a reminder that spiritual insight often begins with a deliberate focus on God’s presence and actions.

and saw a hand
The "hand" in biblical literature often symbolizes power, action, and authority. In Hebrew, "yad" is the word for hand, and it frequently represents God's intervention in human affairs. The imagery of a hand reaching out to Ezekiel suggests divine initiative and the personal nature of God's communication. It is a powerful reminder that God actively reaches out to His prophets and people, guiding and equipping them for their mission.

reaching out to me
This phrase emphasizes the personal and direct nature of God's interaction with Ezekiel. The act of reaching out indicates an intentional and purposeful gesture. In the Hebrew context, this conveys God's willingness to bridge the gap between the divine and human realms. It is an assurance that God is not distant but actively involved in the lives of His servants, offering guidance and revelation.

and in it was a scroll
The "scroll" is a significant symbol in biblical prophecy, representing the written word of God. In Hebrew, the word for scroll is "megillah," which denotes a rolled-up document. Scrolls were the primary means of recording and preserving important texts in ancient times. The presence of a scroll in this vision underscores the authority and permanence of God's message. It signifies that what Ezekiel is about to receive is not just a verbal communication but a divinely inscribed mandate, carrying the weight and authority of God's eternal word.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, called by God to deliver His messages to the Israelites.

2. The Hand
Represents God's divine intervention and communication with Ezekiel, symbolizing authority and the delivery of His word.

3. The Scroll
A symbol of God's message, containing His words of lamentation, mourning, and woe, which Ezekiel is to deliver to the people.
Teaching Points
Divine Communication
God uses various means to communicate His will to His people, emphasizing the importance of being attentive to His messages.

The Authority of God's Word
The scroll signifies the authority and seriousness of God's message. Believers are called to respect and adhere to the teachings of Scripture.

The Role of the Prophet
Ezekiel's role as a prophet is to faithfully deliver God's message, regardless of its content. This teaches us the importance of being faithful messengers of God's truth.

Preparation for Ministry
Just as Ezekiel was prepared to receive God's word, believers must prepare their hearts and minds to understand and share God's message.

The Weight of God's Message
The scroll's content of lamentation, mourning, and woe reminds us that God's messages can be challenging, but they are necessary for spiritual growth and repentance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the hand and scroll in Ezekiel 2:9 enhance our understanding of God's communication with His prophets?

2. In what ways can we prepare ourselves to receive and understand God's messages today, similar to how Ezekiel was prepared?

3. How does the concept of a scroll in Ezekiel 2:9 connect with other instances of scrolls in the Bible, such as in Revelation 10 or Jeremiah 36?

4. What can we learn from Ezekiel's example about the responsibility of sharing God's message, even when it is difficult?

5. How can we apply the authority and seriousness of God's word, as symbolized by the scroll, to our daily lives and decision-making processes?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Revelation 10:8-11
Similar imagery of a scroll being given to John, symbolizing the reception and proclamation of God's message.

Jeremiah 36
The scroll given to Jeremiah, which contains God's words for the people, emphasizing the importance of written revelation.

Psalm 40:7-8
The concept of a scroll in which God's will is written, highlighting the importance of obedience to God's word.
The ScrollJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 2:9
Ministers Exposed to Corruption by Their PeopleN. Emmons, D. D.Ezekiel 2:8-10
The Bible: a Record of Human SorrowsU. R. Thomas.Ezekiel 2:8-10
The God-Made MinisterA. Whyte, D. D.Ezekiel 2:8-10
The Bread of HeavenJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 2:9-3:3
The Vision of the Roll; Or, a View of the Prophetic MessageW. Jones Ezekiel 2:9-3:3
People
Ezekiel, Israelites
Places
Chebar
Topics
Behold, Book, Extended, Forth, Roll, Scroll, Stretched, Therein, Written
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 2:9-3:4

     5515   scroll

Ezekiel 2:9-3:11

     9250   woe

Ezekiel 2:9-10

     5899   lament

Library
Endurance of the World's Censure.
"And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them; neither be afraid of their words, though briars 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 ii. 6. What is here implied, as the trial of the Prophet Ezekiel, was fulfilled more or less in the case of all the Prophets. They were not Teachers merely, but Confessors. They came not merely to unfold the Law, or to foretell the Gospel,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Epistle xxxvi. To Maximus, Bishop of Salona .
To Maximus, Bishop of Salona [113] . Gregory to Maximus, &c. When our common son the presbyter Veteranus came to the Roman city, he found me so weak from the pains of gout as to be quite unable to answer thy Fraternity's letters myself. And indeed with regard to the nation of the Sclaves [114] , from which you are in great danger, I am exceedingly afflicted and disturbed. I am afflicted as suffering already in your suffering: I am disturbed, because they have already begun to enter Italy by way
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Epistle Xlv. To Theoctista, Patrician .
To Theoctista, Patrician [153] . Gregory to Theoctista, &c. We ought to give great thanks to Almighty God, that our most pious and most benignant Emperors have near them kinsfolk of their race, whose life and conversation is such as to give us all great joy. Hence too we should continually pray for these our lords, that their life, with that of all who belong to them, may by the protection of heavenly grace be preserved through long and tranquil times. I have to inform you, however, that I have
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

St. Malachy Becomes Bishop of Connor; He Builds the Monastery of iveragh.
16. (10). At that time an episcopal see was vacant,[321] and had long been vacant, because Malachy would not assent: for they had elected him to it.[322] But they persisted, and at length he yielded when their entreaties were enforced by the command of his teacher,[323] together with that of the metropolitan.[324] It was when he was just entering the thirtieth year of his age,[325] that he was consecrated bishop and brought to Connor; for that was the name of the city through ignorance of Irish ecclesiastical
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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