◄ Ezekiel 3:25 ►
And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes, and you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.
Study Bible
And you, son of man
The phrase "son of man" is a title used frequently in the book of Ezekiel, emphasizing the prophet's humanity and his role as a representative of the people. In Hebrew, "ben adam" underscores the connection between Ezekiel and the rest of humanity, highlighting his role as a mediator between God and Israel. This title also foreshadows the use of "Son of Man" in the New Testament, where it is applied to Jesus Christ, emphasizing His incarnation and identification with humanity.

behold
The word "behold" is a call to attention, urging the listener or reader to pay close attention to what follows. In Hebrew, the word "hinneh" serves as a divine spotlight, indicating the importance of the message. It is a reminder that the events described are not merely historical but carry spiritual significance, demanding reflection and understanding.

they will put ropes around you
The imagery of "ropes" suggests restraint and limitation. In the historical context, this could symbolize the opposition Ezekiel faced from his contemporaries who were resistant to his prophetic message. Spiritually, it represents the constraints placed upon those who are called to deliver God's message, often facing societal or spiritual opposition. The ropes signify the challenges and trials that come with obedience to God's call.

and bind you with them
The act of binding further emphasizes the theme of restriction. In Hebrew culture, binding was often associated with captivity or punishment. For Ezekiel, this binding is both literal and symbolic, representing the spiritual bondage of Israel due to their disobedience. It also reflects the cost of discipleship, where the prophet is bound by his commitment to God's word, regardless of personal freedom.

so you cannot go out among the people
This phrase highlights the isolation that often accompanies prophetic ministry. Ezekiel's inability to "go out among the people" signifies the separation required to maintain spiritual integrity and focus on God's message. Historically, prophets were often set apart, both physically and spiritually, to deliver God's word without the influence of societal pressures. This separation underscores the holiness and distinctiveness required of those who serve as God's messengers.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the Israelites during their Babylonian exile. Known for his vivid visions and symbolic actions.

2. The Israelites
The people of God who are in exile in Babylon due to their disobedience and idolatry. They are the primary audience of Ezekiel's prophecies.

3. Babylon
The place of exile for the Israelites. It represents both physical captivity and spiritual rebellion against God.

4. God
The sovereign Lord who communicates His will and judgments through His prophets, including Ezekiel.

5. The Binding
A symbolic act where Ezekiel is physically restrained, representing the spiritual and communicative restrictions placed upon him by God.
Teaching Points
Prophetic Obedience
Ezekiel's binding symbolizes the cost of obedience to God's call. As believers, we may face restrictions or challenges when following God's will.

Spiritual Captivity
The physical binding of Ezekiel reflects the spiritual captivity of the Israelites. We must examine areas in our lives where we might be spiritually bound and seek God's freedom.

Symbolic Actions
God often uses symbolic actions to communicate deeper truths. We should be attentive to how God might be speaking to us through circumstances and events.

Isolation for Reflection
Ezekiel's isolation can be seen as a time for reflection and preparation. In our spiritual walk, periods of solitude can be opportunities for growth and deeper communion with God.

Perseverance in Ministry
Despite the restrictions, Ezekiel remained faithful to his calling. We are encouraged to persevere in our ministry, even when faced with obstacles.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Ezekiel's experience of being bound relate to the challenges we face in obeying God's call today?

2. In what ways can physical or spiritual captivity manifest in our lives, and how can we seek God's deliverance?

3. How can we discern and respond to symbolic actions or events that God might use to communicate with us?

4. What role does isolation play in our spiritual growth, and how can we use such times effectively?

5. How can we remain faithful and persevere in our ministry or calling, even when faced with significant challenges or restrictions?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 20:2
Jeremiah, another prophet, also faced physical restraint and persecution, highlighting the common challenges prophets faced.

Acts 21:11
Agabus, a New Testament prophet, uses a symbolic act to convey a message, similar to Ezekiel's binding.

Isaiah 6:9-10
Isaiah's commission to speak to a people who will not understand, paralleling Ezekiel's mission to a rebellious house.
Sermons
God's Servants are Told What to ExpectW. Greenhill, M. A.Ezekiel 3:25
Liberty Compatible with Bodily RestraintEzekiel 3:25
Restraints in Serving the LordD. G. Watt, M. A.Ezekiel 3:25
The Silenced Prophet, a CalamityJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 3:22-27
The Temporary Suspension of the Active Ministry of the ProphetW. Jones Ezekiel 3:24-27
People
Ezekiel
Places
Chebar, Tel-abib
Topics
Bands, Behold, Bind, Bound, Cords, Forth, Goest, Lay, Midst, O, Placed, Prisoning, Ropes, Therewith, Thick
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 3:25

     5507   rope and cord

Library
Cæsarius of Arles.
He was born in the district of Chalons-sur-Saone, A. D. 470. He seems to have been early awakened, by a pious education, to vital Christianity. When he was between seven and eight years old, it would often happen that he would give a portion of his clothes to the poor whom he met, and would say, when he came home, that he had been, constrained to do so. When yet a youth, he entered the celebrated convent on the island of Lerins, (Lerina,) in Provence, from which a spirit of deep and practical piety …
Augustus Neander—Light in the Dark Places

Boniface, Apostle of the Germans.
BONIFACE, or Winfried, as they called him in Anglo-Saxon, born at Crediton in Devonshire, in 680, deserves to be honoured as the father of the German Church, although he was by no means the first who brought the seeds of the Gospel to Germany. Many had already laboured before him; but the efforts which had been made here and there did not suffice to secure the endurance of Christianity amongst the many perils to which it was exposed. Christianity needs to be linked with firm ecclesiastical institutions, …
Augustus Neander—Light in the Dark Places

Epistle xxxiv. To Venantius, Ex-Monk, Patrician of Syracuse .
To Venantius, Ex-Monk, Patrician of Syracuse [1331] . Gregory to Venantius, &c. Many foolish men have supposed that, if I were advanced to the rank of the episcopate, I should decline to address thee, or to keep up communication with thee by letter. But this is not so; since I am compelled by the very necessity of my position not to hold my peace. For it is written, Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet (Isai. lviii. 1). And again it is written, I have given thee for a watchman …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Greatness of the Soul,
AND UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF; WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FOR GOOD. By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682 Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unlettered mechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents of one volume, could by possibility know …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Servant's Inflexible Resolve
'For the Lord God will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like a flint.'--ISAIAH l. 7. What a striking contrast between the tone of these words and of the preceding! There all is gentleness, docility, still communion, submission, patient endurance. Here all is energy and determination, resistance and martial vigour. It is like the contrast between a priest and a warrior. And that gentleness is the parent of this boldness. The same Will which is all submission …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration: …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9

The Prophet Jonah.
It has been asserted without any sufficient reason, that Jonah is older than Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,--that he is the oldest among the prophets whose written monuments have been preserved to us. The passage in 2 Kings xiv. 25, where it is said, that Jonah, the son of Amittai the prophet, prophesied to Jeroboam the happy success of his arms, and the restoration of the ancient boundaries of Israel, and that this prophecy was confirmed by the event, cannot decide in favour of this assertion, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

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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