Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ezekiel 3:20

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Ezekiel 3:20. When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness — Which these words plainly state he may do, and commit iniquity, and die in his sin; and consequently die eternally, which is also here granted; if he have not been warned, though he die in his sin, the blood-the life and salvation, of this person also will God require at the watchman's hand. Pastor hunc occidit, quia eum tacendo morti tradidit. "This man the pastor kills; for in being silent, he delivers him over to death." - GREGORY. From these passages we see that a righteous man may fall from grace, and perish everlastingly. Should it be said that it means the self-righteous, I reply, this is absurd; for self-righteousness is a fall itself, and the sooner a man falls from it the better for himself. Real, genuine righteousness of heart and life is that which is meant. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.

And I lay a stumbling-block before him — That is, I permit him to be tried, and he fall in the trial. God is repeatedly represented as doing things which he only permits to be done. He lays a stumbling-block, i.e., he permits one to be laid.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

A faithful watchman (3:16-27)

As a watchman warns people in the city of a coming attack, so Ezekiel was to warn the exiles, so that they might turn away from sin and be saved from further calamity (16-17). If Ezekiel gave a warning and people ignored it, those people would bear the responsibility for their own death. But if Ezekiel failed to give the warning, Ezekiel would be held responsible for their death, and would himself suffer the death penalty (18-21).
Before Ezekiel began his ministry, God had one further instruction for him (22-23). Ezekiel was shown that he must speak God’s message only when God directed him. To emphasize this, God required Ezekiel not to speak or leave his house until God allowed him. In a dramatic demonstration of this restriction, God may have caused Ezekiel to suffer some sort of illness. Alternatively, Ezekiel may have voluntarily acted dumb and allowed someone to bind him with ropes. When God’s time came for Ezekiel to be released, he was to go and announce God’s message to the rebellious people (24-27).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE WATCHMAN'S RESPONSIBILITY (Ezekiel 3:16-21)

"And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth no sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul."

"Wicked man shall die in his iniquity… he shall die in his sin" "This warning that the sinner would die had a purely temporal reference," because, "As far as we can see, Ezekiel had little or no concept of a resurrection, still less of eternal life."J. B. Thompson, p. 71. Such a comment as this is unacceptable, because it limits the meaning of God's Word to what the commentator supposes the inspired writer had in mind. These words were not the words of Ezekiel, but the words of God; and the arbitrary judgment of any man should not be allowed to restrict their meaning to what the arbitrary judge supposes to have been the conviction of the prophet through whom God spoke. This type of erroneous commentary must be guarded against continually as having no validity whatever.

"I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel" This figurative use of "watchman" was used of Jeremiah's work (Jeremiah 6:17), and is also found in Habakkuk 2:1. Likewise, Christian elders are said to "watch" for the souls of their members (Hebrews 13:17).

The statement here that a righteous man who turns from his righteousness will die in his sins makes Calvinists very nervous; and Feinberg warned against using this passage to teach the possibility of apostasy; but nothing is any more unreasonable, unprovable, or unlikely than the old cliche that, "Once saved, always saved!" Angels sinned and lost their place in heaven; an apostle (Judas) fell from his place, which was taken by another; and Paul even warned the Galatians that, "Ye are fallen away from grace" (Galatians 5:4); and that did not mean that, "They had abandoned the basis of grace for works of their own,"Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Moody Press), p. 29. as Feinberg thought, but that, they had abandoned reliance upon the work of faith for reliance upon the works of the Law of Moses! The great warning of 1 Corinthians 10:12 is a total fraud unless there is genuine danger of falling for every Christian who ever lived. "Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall."

Nor is the old Calvinistic excuse that, "In case a Christian or the Old Testament follower of God should fall away, he was never actually saved anyway, being merely a hypocrite all the time!" Feinberg honored this false cliche as follows.

"From the context of this passage and the general teaching of the Scripture, we must conclude that "the righteous person" of this chapter was not one who had the root of regeneration, but was righteous in outward appearance and deed only."Ibid., p. 30.

The only thing wrong with such a comment is that it contradicts the sacred text which speaks of "a righteous man," not a hypocrite, nor a "pretended" righteous man, but a "righteous man."

There is, however, a legitimate softening of what is written here in the understanding of the passage by Keil.

"To turn oneself from his righteousness" denotes the formal falling away from the path of righteousness, not mere "stumbling or sinning from weakness."Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 59.

We believe Keil's observation here is correct, because it is proved by the example of Peter who even denied the Lord but was nevertheless retained in the apostleship. It is never the making of a mistake, however serious, that results in the falling from grace on the part of a Christian, but a deliberate forsaking of the way of truth.

One final word about the possibility of such a fall is that of the following passage.

"As touching those who once were enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and powers of the age to come, and then fall away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance" (Hebrews 6:4-5).

It would be absolutely impossible to designate a true Christian any more explicitly than this is done in the first four lines of this passage; and yet the possibility of such a true Christian's falling away is dramatically stated.

The dramatic new light from this portion of the Old Testament is seen in the shift of emphasis from the Israelite conception of salvation as applicable to their nation, to that of its being the concern of every single individual.

"The passage anticipates the great moral principle of Divine government (Ezekiel 18) that each man is individually responsible for his own actions, and that he will be judged by these and these alone."Albert Barnes' Commentary, p. 113. People are never to be saved as nations, groups, races, or as any other classification, but as individuals.

"And I lay a stumblingblock before him" This cannot mean that God tempts any person whomsoever, because, "God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man" (James 1:13). "The expression here means that the temptations of the righteous are under God's providential control."Anton T. Pearson in Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 712.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

This passage anticipates the great moral principle of divine government Ezekiel 18:0 that each man is individually responsible for his own actions, and will be judged according to these and these alone.

Ezekiel 3:20

I lay a stumblingblock before him - I bring him to trial by placing difficulties and temptations in his way (compare Ezekiel 7:19; Ezekiel 44:12 margin; Ezekiel 14:3-4). It is true that God tempts no man in order to his destruction, but in the course of His Providence He permits men to be tried in order that their faith may be approved, and in this trial some who seem to be righteous fall.

Because thou ... his blood ... - So far as the prophet was concerned, the neglect of his duty is reckoned as the cause of the seemingly righteous man’s fall.

His righteousness ... - Or, righteousnesses, i. e. acts of righteousness. The “righteous” man here is one, who had hitherto done the “acts of righteousness” prescribed by the Law, but when trial came was shown to lack the “principle of righteousness.”

Ezekiel 3:21

The repetition of the word “righteous” is to be noted. There seems to be an intimation that sin is alien to the character of a “righteous” man. Compare 1 John 3:7-9.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Here God adds another part of duty which is incumbent on all Prophets. For they are first sent to bring back into the way those who had been alienated from God, then to retain those who are already within the flock, and to lead those onward to the goal who have already entered upon the course. We see, therefore, that Prophets ought to be occupied with both duties, so that they may not only recall to their obedience to God those who wander after their own lusts, but also confirm those who are, of their own accord, teachable already, and encourage them to persevere, and prevent them from failing away. Hence, after God has spoken concerning the correction of sinners who had strayed, he now adds another member. If, says he, the righteous man be turned aside from his righteousness, and thou hast not admonished him, he shall ate, and I will require his blood at thy hand Where in effect God signifies, that Prophets are guilty, not only if they do not exhort those who have withdrawn from the right way to retrace their steps, but also if they do not retain within their duty those who have already entered upon the right course. We must then have two objects in view, to recall those who have fallen into various errors, and to take care that those within the fold should not fall away, but be strengthened in perseverance. Hence it is now added, If the righteous shall turn aside, he indeed shall die, but his blood will I require

Here it may be asked, how can the just turn aside, since there is no righteousness without the spirit of regeneration But the seed of the Spirit is incorruptible, (1 Peter 1:23,) nor can it ever happen that his grace is utterly extinguished; for the Spirit, is the earnest and seal of our adoption, for God’s adoption is without repentance, as Paul says. (Romans 11:29.) Hence it may seem absurd to say, that the just recedes and turns aside from the right way. That passage of John is well known — if they had been of us, they had remained with us, (1 John 2:19,) but because they have departed, that falling away proves sufficiently that they were never ours. But we must here mark, that righteousness is here called so:, which has only the outward appearance and not the root: for when once the spirit of regeneration begins to flourish, as I have said, it remains perpetually. And we shall sometimes see men borne along with a wonderful ardor of zeal for the worship of God, and to be urged to promote his glory beyond even the very best men; indeed we shall see this, but, says Paul, God knows those who are his own. (2 Timothy 2:19.) Hence it is not wonderful that God under the name of righteousness here commends virtues which deserve praise before men, even if they do not spring from a pure fountain. Thus we see it. often happens that the righteous are alienated, and turn aside from the right way. This passage, then, ought to stir us up to seek from God continually a spirit of perseverance, because such is our propensity to sin, that we immediately flow in different directions like water, unless God strengthen us. When therefore we see the righteous themselves depart from the way, let us lea4 and become sure of the constancy of our own faith, only let our confidence be founded on the help of the Holy Spirit and not. in ourselves. In the meantime, we see that Christ did not pronounce this passage in vain: Happy are those who persevere unto the end, (Matthew 24:13,) because many fall away in the midst of their course, or reversing their steps, turn their backs upon God.

Now we must carefully remark what follows, his righteousness shall not be remembered, because some desire to bargain with God, so that if for a time they enter upon the pursuit of piety, that may be taken into account and avail in their favor. But we hear what God pronounces, all their righteousness shall not be remembered in the case of backsliders There is no encouragement to flatter ourselves into sloth and security, when God shows that unless we continue to the end, even the goal of our career, whatever else we attain unto, it is useless. He says, as clearly as words will express it, if he shall fall away, or recede, or turn aside from his righteousness and shall commit iniquity We must mark this diligently, because we know that the very best men often fall away; but here a falling away is intended, where any one casts himself headlong on impiety: hence to commit iniquity is to give oneself up entirely to impiety; as when John says, that those who are born again of the Spirit of God do not commit sin, (1 John 3:9,) he means, are not addicted to sin, even if as yet they dwell among many infirmities and failings: as also Paul says, that sin dwells in us, but does not reign. (Romans 6:12.) Hence to commit sin is to give oneself up to sin. But God says, I will place, or for placing, or if I shall have placed, a stumblingblock before his face Punishment is here called a stumblingblock, when God demonstrates his vengeance against apostates. Although a stumblingblock may also be called actual admonition, as the phrase is; but because that is too far-fetched, I receive it simply, if the righteous shall have turned aside: but I shall have rendered the reward which he deserved, he shall die, because thou hast not admonished him: in his unrighteousness shall he die: thus I point it off, for interpreters seem to me improperly to have mingled together — he shall die, and — he shall die in his iniquity. Now that threat which we have seen is repeated, namely, that all prophets who have deserted their office are guilty before God, because their sloth differs little from perfidy: for God considered them worthy of the greatest honor, since he committed souls to them, which, as we have said, he esteems so dear and precious. But if they reject this trust committed to them, we see that they not only act injuriously to man, but are also ungrateful to God; and their sluggishness is not only united with perfidy, but also with sacrilege, because they permit Satan to snatch from God what was his own. Just as if any watchman should desert his post and betray it to the enemy; because when they see some wander and others desert, it is clear that this does not arise from ignorance, as we have said, but to the snares of Satan and lust are those exposed whom Christ has redeemed with his blood: hence as we have said, this their treachery is without excuse.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 3

Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and then go and speak to the house of Israel ( Ezekiel 3:1 ).

In other words, devour it and then go give it forth. You see, that's really what the ministry is all about. You devour the Word of God and then you give it forth to the people, where it is now a part of you. You read and absorb the Word until it becomes a part of your very life, and then you give it out unto others.

So I opened my mouth, he caused me to eat that scroll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat it, and fill your bowels with this scroll that I give to you. Then I did eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, and get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with them my words. For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech ( Ezekiel 3:2-5 )

Notice he sent to the house of Israel. You're not sent to a bunch of strangers, foreigners, people with the language that you have difficulty with. You can't understand.

but you're sent to the house of Israel; Not to many people of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, I had sent thee unto them, they would have hearkened ( Ezekiel 3:5-6 ).

If I'd send you to these heathen, they would have listened to you. But I'm sending you to the house of Israel.

But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all of the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house ( Ezekiel 3:7-9 ).

They're going to give you some dirty looks, but don't be afraid. Speak My word.

Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all of my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in your heart, and hear with thine ears ( Ezekiel 3:10 ).

So, receive in your heart, hear with your ears all of these words. Let them become a part of your life.

And go, get thee to them of the captivity, the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; and whether they will hear or not. Then the spirit took me up ( Ezekiel 3:11-12 ),

Now, he's caught up by the Spirit.

I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing ( Ezekiel 3:12 ),

You remember like the rushing waters.

saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place. And I heard also the noise of the wings of these living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and the noise of a great rushing. So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. ( Ezekiel 3:12-13 ).

So, he had this fascinating experience now. As people say they've been taken up in these flying saucers and all, it would appear that he had somewhat a similar experience of an astro projection with these cherubim.

Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, those that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and I remained there astonished among them for seven days ( Ezekiel 3:15 ).

So he comes to the east of the captives, there at Telabib, and he's just astonished by what he sees. And he just sits there for seven days in silence, sort of overawed and astonished.

Now you remember when Job was having all of his difficulties and his friends came to comfort him, for seven days they didn't say a word. They just sat there in silence until Job opened up his mouth and began to complain about his condition. Sitting in silence. So here is Ezekiel doing much the same thing, just sitting in silence as he observes this whole scene of these people.

And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word of the LORD at my mouth, and give them warning from me ( Ezekiel 3:16-17 ).

So God is now calling him, commissioning him. "Look, I've made you a watchman. That's your commission. Your duty is two-fold: number one, hear My word; two, give them My word." Hearing the voice of God, hearing the word of God and then giving forth the word of God. This is always the method of God. There are many people who do not listen to God. Their ear is out of tune, out of frequency. God always uses those who are in touch with Him to reach those who are out of touch with Him. God uses you, in touch with Him, to reach the world out of touch with Him. And that is the primary purpose why you are still here. God has a work for you to do. God is wanting to touch this needy world. God uses those who are in touch with Him to, through them, touch the needy world. "Hear My word, and then speak My word to them."

Now, when I say to the wicked, You will surely die; and if you do not warn him, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul ( Ezekiel 3:18-19 ).

Now, look, I've set you as a watchman, and you are responsible to hear My word and to speak My word. And if I say to the wicked, "You're going to die," if you warn them and they listen, great, they will live. If they don't listen, at least you've delivered your soul. If you don't warn them and they die, then you're responsible. The blood is on your hands.

What does it mean to have the blood on my hands? What does it mean to fail in my service to God? If God is saying to the wicked, "Hey, you better turn," and God uses or calls me to be the spokesman to warn those people that they better turn from their wickedness or God's judgment is coming, and if I fail to do it and God's judgment comes and they're destroyed, what does that mean that their blood is on my hands? It means that God holds me responsible, and that the reward that I would have for faithful service will not be given to me.

Now, notice he wasn't told to convince the wicked to turn. He wasn't told to argue with them. He was only told to declare to them the warning of God. That's all. We so often in our Christian experience make the mistake of thinking that we've got to somehow convert people to Jesus Christ. You can't convert them to Jesus Christ. God doesn't call you to convert people to Jesus Christ. He calls you to warn people. And therein is the calling of God. "I've called you, " He said, "to warn them." You've got to obey it. You've got to be responsible.

Now, again, When a righteous man does turn from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, and he shall die ( Ezekiel 3:20 ):

In other words, here's a guy turned from God, going down the wrong path, and God puts the stumblingblock that's going to trip him into hell.

and because thou has not given him a warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at your hand ( Ezekiel 3:20 ).

What does this have to do with eternal security? Really nothing. We're dealing in the Old Testament. And that righteousness which existed in the Old Testament was the righteousness of obedience to the law; whereas the righteousness that we have in the New Testament is the righteousness that is imputed to us by our faith in Jesus Christ. So you're dealing with a different righteousness.

Secondly, there is an association, because there are many who have made a profession, and there are many today who do profess to be Christians, but whose lives are being lived after the flesh. And I don't care what profession you might make. John surely warns us that there are people who are making false professions. "He that saith he is in the light, and walks in darkness lies. He doesn't know the truth. He that says he has no sin deceives himself. God's truth isn't in him. If a man say... " and men say a lot of things, but there's got to be a corresponding action in his life. If I say I'm walking in the light, and yet I am living after the flesh and walking in darkness, I'm only deceiving myself. The truth isn't in me. And there are a lot of people who have deceived themselves because they have made verbal professions of faith, but there is no fruit in their life to indicate any change. And they are still living and walking after the flesh. And yet, the Word of God plainly warns us concerning those works of the flesh.

As Paul said, "For the works of the flesh are manifest which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strifes, seditions, heresy, envyings, murder, drunkenness, revelry, and such like of which I tell you. I've told you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" ( Galatians 5:19-21 ).

Now I don't care what profession you've made. If you're living and walking after the flesh, if you are living in the practice of sin, opposed to God, I don't care what righteous things you may have done. Your very life is denying Jesus Christ and faith in Jesus Christ, through which faith God imputes righteousness to us. But your very life denies Him, and you're going to perish in your sin.

And God is commissioning Ezekiel to warn the people of the truth of God. "That's what you got to do, Ezekiel, and once you do, you've delivered your soul." And I'm warning you, as the servant of God, according to the Word of God and my understanding of the Word of God, if you continually are living after the flesh, not walking after the Spirit, not being led by the Spirit, not seeking the things of the Spirit, it makes no difference what profession you may have made, your life is denying Christ. And many people have been lulled into a false sense of security by false prophets who encourage them to just live however you want. It doesn't really matter. "Just send your offering in and things will be okay." Don't believe them.

And the hand of the LORD was there upon me ( Ezekiel 3:22 );

And this is, again, the third time he uses this phrase.

and he said unto me, Arise, and go forth into the plain, and I will talk with thee there. So I arose, and I went forth into the plain ( Ezekiel 3:22-23 ):

Now this is from the river Chebar. He left and went to the plain. Now he had sort of a divine transport to the river Chebar, but he has to walk away.

Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face ( Ezekiel 3:23 ).

God isn't limited to one locality. He's everywhere, and He's in the plain as well as by the river. And sometimes He will give directions and will allow you to do things one way, but then other times it's different ways. Our problem is that we try to pattern God. "Well, now, this is the way that God did it before," as though God has to continue in the same pattern. And we oftentimes make mistakes of thinking that God is patterned and God is bound to one method or one way. And we as men so easily fall into that rut of trying to do, "Well, this is the way, you know, they did it. This is the way our fathers did it." You know, and we get in these ruts. And that's one of the problems with the church. It's so filled with "rutuals" that it doesn't communicate to people anymore.

Then the spirit entered into me, and he set me upon my feet ( Ezekiel 3:24 ),

Notice, He's always setting him on his feet. It's interesting, he's always falling on his face every time he sees the glory of the Lord, falls on his face, and then the Spirit comes along and sets him up on his feet.

and he spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within your house. But thou, Son of man, behold, they're going to put bands on thee, they're going to bind thee with them, and you shall not to go out among them ( Ezekiel 3:24-25 ):

Now, go, set yourself in the house. But they're going to come and bind you there.

And I will make your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth, and you're going to be dumb, you're not going to be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house ( Ezekiel 3:26 ).

Now, I'm going to smite you with dumbness. You're not going to be able to talk to them. Now, he's just been commissioned to tell them, but for a period now he's not going to be able to speak.

But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear ( Ezekiel 3:27 );

Now remember over and over in the New Testament Jesus said, "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear." Now, this was to impress upon Ezekiel the fact that he wasn't to just blurt out his own ideas to these people, but he was to wait until God spoke, and when God spoke then he was to speak. But not before. And to insure it, God was just going to smite him with dumbness so he couldn't. Sometimes I wish God would smite me with dumbness. I wish I could take back some of the things I have said.

and he that forbeareth, let him forbear ( Ezekiel 3:27 ):

If they don't listen, so what.

they're a rebellious house ( Ezekiel 3:27 ).

Don't bother with that. You just tell them what I tell you to tell them. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

5. Ezekiel’s role in Israel 3:16-21

This section describes God’s formal induction of Ezekiel into the prophetic office in legal language designed to impress his pastoral accountability on him (cf. Jeremiah 6:16-21).

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Similarly if a righteous person turned to sin and Ezekiel failed to warn him of its consequences, even though the Lord would put him to death, the Lord would hold Ezekiel responsible for not warning him. The obstacle that the Lord promised to put in the path of the righteous man who had turned aside to sin was the warning that Ezekiel should provide.

"The saint needs the watchman’s warnings as much as the sinner does." [Note: Taylor, p. 69.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Again, when a righteous [man] doth turn from his righteousness,.... This is to be understood not of one that is truly righteous, or is justified by the righteousness of Christ; for such can never turn from that righteousness, or be in an unjustified state; seeing that is the righteousness of God, and an everlasting one; but of one that is denominated righteous, from "his" own righteousness, from a righteousness "which he hath done", as is afterwards expressed; one that is outwardly righteous before men, that is outwardly reformed, that has a righteousness of his own, consisting of a little negative holiness, and a few moral performances; from such righteousness a man may apostatize, and go into a vicious course of life:

and commit iniquity; live in sin, make a trade of it; lead a life, the whole series and course of which is nothing else but sin; in this sense, one that is born of God, and has the righteousness of Christ revealed from faith to faith unto him, and lives by faith upon it, cannot commit sin, 1 John 3:9;

and I lay a stumbling block before him; the Targum renders it, "the stumbling block of sins"; which designs either an occasion of sinning, which God permits, leaving him to his own lusts, and suffering him to fall thereby; and by this means he is discovered to be what he is, not a truly righteous man, but only one in appearance; that looked like a righteous person, but secretly a sinner, and now the Lord by such means exposes him openly; so Jarchi and other Jewish Rabbins; but Kimchi's father interprets the stumbling block of prosperity in this world u: or rather the punishment of sin is meant, as Kimchi himself observes; and the Septuagint renders it "torment"; since this follows up on his turning from righteousness, and committing sin; and seems to be explained by the next clause:

he shall die; the second death:

because thou hast not given him warning: of the dreadful evil of apostasy, and the sad estate of apostates, and the danger they are in, their last estate being worse than the first:

he shall die in his sin; of apostasy, and for it, being never to be recovered and brought to repentance:

and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; according to the "Keri" or marginal reading it is, "his righteousnesses"; all his works of righteousness which he hath done; and which reading is followed by the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and the eastern versions; these shall not be remembered, neither in this world nor in that to come; no account shall be taken of them, nor shall they be reckoned as a righteousness unto him:

but his blood will I require at thine hand; 1 John 3:9- :.

u Vid. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 86. 2.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,   17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.   18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.   19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.   20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.   21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

      These further instructions God gave to the prophet at the end of seven days, that is, on the seventh day after the vision he had; and it is very probably that both that and this were on the sabbath day, which the house of Israel, even in their captivity, observed as well as they could in those circumstances. We do not find that their conquerors and oppressors tied them to any constant service, as their Egyptian task-masters had formerly done, but that they might observe the sabbath-rest for a sign to distinguish between them and their neighbours; but for the sabbath-work they had not the convenience of temple or synagogue, only it should seem they had a place by the river side where prayer was wont to be made (as Acts 16:13); there they met on the sabbath day; there their enemies upbraided them with the songs of Zion (Psalms 137:1; Psalms 137:3); there Ezekiel met them, and the word of the Lord then and there came to him. He that had been musing and meditating on the things of God all the week was fit to speak to the people in God's name on the sabbath day, and disposed to hear God speak to him. This sabbath day Ezekiel was not so honoured with visions of the glory of God as he had been the sabbath before; but he is plainly, and by a very common similitude, told his duty, which he is to communicate to the people. Note, Raptures and transports of joy are not the daily bread of God's children, however they may upon special occasions be feasted with them. We must not deny but that we have truly communion with God (1 John 1:3) though we have it not always so sensibly as at some times. And, though the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven may sometimes be looked into, yet ordinarily it is plain preaching that is most for edification. God here tells the prophet what his office was, and what the duty of that office; and this (we may suppose) he was to tell the people, that they might attend to what he said and improve it accordingly. Note, It is good for people to know and consider what a charge their ministers have of them and what an account they must shortly give of that charge. Observe,

      I. What the office is to which the prophet is called: Son of man, I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel,Ezekiel 3:17; Ezekiel 3:17. The vision he saw astonished him: he knew not what to make of that, and therefore God used this plain comparison, which served better to lead him to the understanding of his work and so to reconcile him to it. He sat among the captives, and said little, but God comes to him, and tells him that will not do; he is a watchman, and has something to say to them; he is appointed to be as a watchman in the city, to guard against fire, robbers, and disturbers of the peace, as a watchman over the flock, to guard against thieves and beasts of prey, but especially as a watchman in the camp, in an invaded country or a besieged town, that is to watch the motions of the enemy, and to sound an alarm upon the approach, nay, upon the first appearance, of danger. This supposes the house of Israel to be in a military state, and exposed to enemies, who are subtle and restless in their attempts upon it; yea, and each of the particular members of that house to be in danger and concerned to stand upon their guard. Note, Ministers are watchmen on the church's walls (Isaiah 62:6), watchmen that go about the city,Song of Solomon 3:3. It is a toilsome office. Watchmen must keep awake, be they ever so sleepy, and keep abroad, be it ever so cold; they must stand all weathers upon the watch-tower,Isaiah 21:8; Genesis 31:40. It is a dangerous office. Sometimes they cannot keep their post, but are in peril of death from the enemy, who gain their point if they kill the sentinel; and yet they dare not quit their post upon pain of death from their general. Such a dilemma are the church's watchmen in; men will curse them if they be faithful, and God will curse them if they be false. But it is a needful office; the house of Israel cannot be safe without watchmen, and yet, except the Lord keep it, the watchman waketh but in vain,Psalms 127:1; Psalms 127:2.

      II. What is the duty of this office. The work of a watchman is to take notice and to give notice.

      1. The prophet, as a watchman, must take notice of what God said concerning this people, not only concerning the body of the people, to which the prophecies of Jeremiah and other prophets had most commonly reference, but concerning particular persons, according as their character was. He must not, as other watchmen, look round to spy danger and gain intelligence, but he must look up to God, and further he need not look: Hear the word at my mouth,Ezekiel 3:17; Ezekiel 3:17. Note, Those that are to preach must first hear; for how can those teach others who have not first learned themselves?

      2. He must give notice of what he heard. As a watchman must have eyes in his head, so he must have a tongue in his head; if he be dumb, it is as bad as if he were blind, Isaiah 56:10. Thou shalt give them warning from me, sound an alarm in the holy mountain; not in his own name, or as from himself, but in God's name, and from him. Ministers are God's mouth to the children of men. The scriptures are written for our admonition. By them is thy servant warned,Psalms 19:11. But, because that which is delivered vivâ voce--by the living voice, commonly makes the deepest impression, God is pleased, by men like ourselves, who are equally concerned, to enforce upon us the warnings of the written word. Now the prophet, in his preaching, must distinguish between the wicked and the righteous, the precious and the vile, and in his applications must suit his alarms to each, giving every one his portion; and, if he did this, he should have the comfort of it, whatever the success was, but, if not, he was accountable.

      (1.) Some of those he had to do with were wicked, and he must warn them not to go on in their wickedness, but to turn from it, Ezekiel 3:18; Ezekiel 3:19. We may observe here, [1.] That the God of heaven has said, and does say, to every wicked man, that if he go on still in his trespasses he shall surely die. His iniquity shall undoubtedly be his ruin; it tends to ruin and will end in ruin. Dying thou shalt die, thou shalt die so great a death, shalt die eternally, be ever dying, but never dead. The wicked man shall die in his iniquity, shall fie under the guilt of it, die under the dominion of it. [2.] That if a wicked man turn from his wickedness, and from his wicked way, he shall live, and the ruin he is threatened with shall be prevented; and, that he may do so, he is warned of the danger he is in. The wicked man shall die if he go on, but shall live if he repent. Observe, he is to turn from his wickedness and from his wicked way. It is not enough for a man to turn from his wicked way by an outward reformation, which may be the effect of his sins leaving him rather than of his leaving his sins, but he must turn from his wickedness, from the love of it and the inclination to it, by an inward regeneration; if he do not so much as turn from his wicked way, there is little hope that he will turn from his wickedness. [3.] That it is the duty of ministers both to warn sinners of the danger of sin and to assure them of the benefit of repentance, to set before them how miserable they are if they go on in sin, and how happy they may be if they will but repent and reform. Note, The ministry of the word is concerning matters of life and death, for those are the things it sets before us, the blessing and the curse, that we may escape the curse and inherit the blessing. [4.] That, though ministers do not warn wicked people as they ought of their misery and danger, yet that shall not be admitted as an excuse for those that go on still in their trespasses; for, though the watchman did not give them warning, yet they shall die in their iniquity, for they had sufficient warning given them by the providence of God and their own consciences; and, if they would have taken it, they might have saved their lives. [5.] That if ministers be not faithful to their trust, if they do not warn sinners of the fatal consequences of sin, but suffer them to go on unreproved, the blood of those that perish through their carelessness will be required at their hand. It shall be charged upon them in the day of account that it was owing to their unfaithfulness that such and such precious souls perished in sin; for who knows but if they had had fair warning given them they might have fled in time from the wrath to come? And, if it contract so heinous a guilt as it does to be accessory to the murder of a dying body, what is it to be accessory to the ruin of an immortal soul? [6.] That if ministers do their duty in giving warning to sinners, though the warning be not taken, yet they may have this satisfaction, that they are jclear from their blood, and have delivered their own souls, though they cannot prevail to deliver theirs. Those that are faithful shall have their reward, though they be not successful.

      (2.) Some of those he had to deal with were righteous, at least he had reason to think, in a judgment of charity, that they were so; and he must warn them not to apostatize and turn away from their righteousness,Ezekiel 3:20; Ezekiel 3:21. We may observe here, [1.] That the best men in the world have need to be warned against apostasy, and to be told of the danger they are in of it and the danger they are in by it. God's servants must be warned (Psalms 19:11) that they do not neglect his work and quit his service. One good means to keep us from falling is to keep up a holy fear of falling, Hebrews 4:1. Let us therefore fear; and (Romans 11:20) even those that stand by faith must not be high-minded, but fear, and must therefore be warned. [2.] There is a righteousness which a man may turn from, a seeming righteousness, and, if men turn from this, it thereby appears that it was never sincere, how passable, nay, how plausible soever it was; for, if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us,1 John 2:19. There are many that begin in the spirit, but end in the flesh, that set their faces heavenward, but look back; that had a first love, but have lost it, and turned from the holy commandment. [3.] When men turn from their righteousness they soon learn to commit iniquity. When they grow careless and remiss in the duties of God's worship, neglect them, or a re negligent in them, they become an easy prey to the tempter. Omissions make way for commissions. [4.] When men turn from their righteousness, and commit iniquity, it is just with God to lay stumbling-blocks before them, that they may grow worse and worse, till they are ripened for destruction. When Pharaoh hardened his heart God hardened it. When sinners turn their back upon God, desert his service, and so cast a reproach upon it, he does, in a way of righteous judgment, not only withdraw his restraining grace and give them up to their own hearts' lusts, but order them by his providence into such circumstances as occasion their sin and hasten their ruin. There are those to whom Christ himself is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence,1 Peter 2:8. [5.] The righteousness which men relinquish shall never be remembered to their honour or comfort; it will stand them in no stead in this world or the other. Apostates lose all that they have wrought; their services and sufferings are all in vain, and shall never be brought to an account, because not continued in. It is a rule in the law, Factum non dicitur, quod non perseverat--We are said to do only that which we do perseveringly,Galatians 3:3; Galatians 3:4. [6.] If ministers do no give fair warning, as they ought, of the weakness of the best, their aptness to stumble and fall, the particular temptations they are in and the fatal consequences of apostasy, the ruin of those that do apostatize will be laid at their door, and they shall answer for it. Not but that there are those who are warned against it, and yet turn from their righteousness; but that case is not put here, as was concerning the wicked man, but, on the contrary, that a righteous man, being warned, takes the warning and does not sin (Ezekiel 3:21; Ezekiel 3:21); for, if you give instruction to a wise man, he will be yet wiser. We must not only not flatter the wicked, but not flatter even the righteous as if they were perfectly safe any where on this side heaven. [7.] If ministers give warning, and people take it, it is well for both. Nothing is more beautiful than a wise reprover upon an obedient ear; the one shall live because he is warned and the other has delivered his soul. What can a good minister desire more than to save himself and those that hear him?1 Timothy 4:16.