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英文原文
The prophet has now come off his circuit, which he went as judge, in God's name, to try and pass sentence upon the neighbouring nations, and, having finished with them, and read them all their doom, in the eight chapters foregoing, he now returns to the children of his people, and receives further instructions what to say to them. I. He must let them know what office he was in among them as a prophet, that he was a watchman, and had received a charge concerning them, for which he was accountable, Eze 33:1-9. The substance of this we had before, Eze 3:17, etc. II. He must let them know upon what terms they stand with God, that they are upon their trial, upon their good behaviour, that if a wicked man repent he shall not perish, but that if a righteous man apostatize he shall perish, Eze 33:10-20. III. Here is a particular message sent to those who yet remained in the land of Israel, and (which is very strange) grew secure there, and confident that they should take root there again, to tell them that their hopes would fail them because they persisted in their sins, Eze 33:21-29. IV. Here is a rebuke to those who personally attended Ezekiel's ministry, but were not sincere in their professions of devotion, Eze 33:30-33.
1-9
The Watchman's Office; The Prophet a Watchman to Israel (587 BC)
守望者的職責；先知作以色列的守望者（主前587年）
¹ 耶和華的話又臨到我說： ² 「人子啊，你要對你本國的子民說：我若使刀劍臨到一地，那地的百姓若從他們中間取一人，立他為他們的守望者； ³ 他見刀劍臨到那地，若吹角警戒百姓， ⁴ 凡聽見角聲卻不受警戒的，刀劍若來把他除滅，他的血就必歸到他自己的頭上。 ⁵ 他聽見角聲卻不受警戒，他的血必歸到自己；那受警戒的卻必救自己的性命。 ⁶ 倘若守望者見刀劍來臨，卻不吹角，百姓也沒有受警戒；刀劍若來，從他們中間除滅了任何人，那人是因自己的罪孽被除滅；但我必向守望者手裏追討他的血。 ⁷ 「人子啊，我照樣立你作以色列家的守望者；所以你要聽我口中的話，替我警戒他們。 ⁸ 我對惡人說：『惡人哪，你必要死』；你若不開口警戒惡人離開他的道，那惡人必死在罪孽之中，我卻要向你手裏追討他的血。 ⁹ 倘若你警戒惡人轉離他的道，他仍不轉離，他必死在罪孽之中，你卻救了自己。」
先知曾奉神明確的吩咐，停止對猶太人說預言——正值耶路撒冷被圍困、被嚴密圍攻的消息傳來之時（結二十四27）。但如今耶路撒冷被攻取，兩年之後，他又受任命再次把話語指向他們；在那裏他的職任得以更新。神若完全撇棄他們，就不會差遣先知到他們那裏去；他若沒有為他們存留憐憫，也「不會」把「這樣的事」指示他們。在這幾節裏我們有，
一、守望者職責的說明——所交付的責任、所頒的吩咐，以及他與僱主之間所定的條款（結三十三2、6）。1. 假定是一種公共的危險促使守望者的設立——當「神使刀劍臨到一地」之時（結三十三2）。戰爭的刀劍，無論何時臨到一地，都是神所使來的；它是「耶和華的刀」，是他公義的刀，無論人抽它出鞘時是何等不義。在那樣的時候，當一國懼怕外來的入侵，為要得知仇敵一切動向，不被突然襲擊，卻能及早得著通知，好執起兵器、預備迎擊入侵者，他們就「取他們邊界上的一個人」——某個合適的人，住在邊境附近、正是那威脅中的危險所預期之處，因而熟悉那裏的一切通道——立他「為他們的守望者」。今世之子「在世事之上」正是這樣「較為聰明」。注意，一個人可以對整國人有公共的貢獻。君王與政治家是國家的守望者；他們當恆常殷勤，必要時當如守望者那樣為公共安全而冒險。2. 假定託付給守望者的是一項公共的信託，他要為其履行向公眾負責。他的職責是，（一）發現仇敵的逼近與前進；所以他不可盲目、不可睡覺，因為那樣他就不能「看見刀劍來臨」。（二）藉著吹角立即通知——或如我們當中的哨兵那樣，以鳴槍作危險信號。立他為守望者的人對他有特別的信任，相信他必信實履行這兩件事；他們以自己的性命冒險押在他的忠信上。如今，〔一〕若他盡了自己的本分——及時察覺一切在他職責範圍內的危險並加以警告——他就履行了所託，不僅「救了自己的性命」，也賺取了他的工資。百姓若不受警戒——或是因為他們不信他所給的通知，不信危險真有那麼大、那麼近；或是因為他們不留心，就在安逸中被仇敵襲擊——那是他們自己的錯；不可歸咎於守望者，他們的血是歸在自己頭上。若有人冒失地闖進危險的口裏，雖然聽見角聲，並被它告知危險在哪裏，「刀劍來」在他愚妄中「把他除滅」，他是「自取滅亡」（felo de se）；這愚妄人「毀滅了自己」。但〔二〕若守望者不盡他的職責——若他本可以看見危險卻沒有看見，因為他睡著了、或不留心、或望向別處；或（如這裏所假設的）他確實「看見了危險」，卻只顧自己的安全，「不吹角」「警戒百姓」，以致有人被突然襲擊而「在自己的罪孽中」（結三十三6）被剪除——被突然剪除，沒有時間呼求「主啊，求你憐憫我」，沒有時間悔改與神和好（這使情形更為嚴重，因為這可憐人「因自己的罪孽被除滅」）——他的血必向守望者的手追討；守望者必被定為有他的死罪，因為他沒有「警戒他」那危險。但守望者若盡了本分，百姓也盡了本分，那就一切安好；那警戒人的和那受警戒的，都救了自己的性命。
二、這對先知的應用（結三十三7、9）。1. 他是「以色列家的守望者」。他曾偶然對周圍的列國發過警告，但對以色列家，他是按職分作守望者，因為他們是「先知和聖約的兒女」。他們沒有像「那地的百姓」（結三十三2）那樣「立他為守望者」（因為他們對自己的靈魂不像對自己屬世的利益那樣，為其福祉著想而有所防備）；而是神為他們作了這事；他為他們設立了守望者。2. 他作守望者的職責，是向罪人警告他們因罪而有的悲慘與危險。這就是他當「從神口中聽見」並「對他們講說」的話。（一）神說了：「惡人必要死」；他必成為悲慘。除非悔改，他必從神和神裏面的一切安慰與盼望中被剪除，從一切美善中被剪除。他必仆倒，永遠臥在神的忿怒之下，那忿怒是靈魂的死，正如神的恩寵是靈魂的生。公義的神說了，便決不收回，全世界也不能反駁：「罪的工價就是死。」「罪既長成，就生出死來。」神的忿怒從天上顯明，不僅是攻擊惡人為國家——對他們宣告毀滅，而是攻擊惡人為個人——對他們在其個人地位上宣告毀滅，這地位要進入另一個世界並存到永遠，正如國家的地位並非如此。（二）神的旨意是要惡人受警告：「替我警戒他們。」這暗示這事有避免的可能，否則警告便是兒戲；不，這暗示神渴望這事能被避免。罪人「所以」受警告將來的忿怒，是叫他們「逃避」它（太三7）。（三）傳道人的工作是警戒他，對惡人說：「你必遭災」（賽三11）。神總括地說：「犯罪的靈魂必死。」傳道人的職責是把這話應用到個人身上，說：「惡人啊！你必要死，無論你是誰；你若仍在你得罪之中前行，那些罪必無可避免地成為你的毀滅。姦夫啊！強盜啊！醉酒的啊！起誓的啊！褻瀆安息日的啊！『你必要死』。」他必須這樣說，不是出於怒氣去激怒罪人，而是出於憐憫去「警戒惡人離開他的道」，警戒他「轉離」它，好使他存活。這要藉著公開忠心地傳講真道，並藉著向那些罪惡顯露之人的個人應用來完成。3. 若有靈魂因他疏忽職責而滅亡，他便為自己招了罪。「先知若不警戒惡人他惡道盡頭的毀滅，那惡人必死在罪孽之中；因為，雖然守望者沒有盡他的本分，罪人卻可以從寫成的話語、從自己的良心、從神加於別人的審判受警戒——藉這些他的口必被塞住，神在他的毀滅上必顯為公義。」注意，不悔改的罪人在大日不能以「他們的守望者沒有警戒他們，他們粗心、不忠」為藉口；因為，縱然他們如此，也必顯明「神並未沒有為自己留下見證」。「但他必不獨自在自己罪孽中滅亡；守望者也要被召來交帳：『我必向你手裏追討他的血。』瞎子領瞎子，必一同掉在坑裏。」你看神何等渴望罪人得救，他如此嚴厲地看待那些有責任的人不盡力阻止他們的毀滅。你也看見那些粉飾罪惡、在惡道上奉承罪人、以自己邪惡的生活縱容並堅固他們在惡行之中、鼓勵他們相信繼續前行仍可有平安的傳道人，到那日要交多少的帳。4. 他若盡了本分，即使看不見果效，也能從其中得著安慰（結三十三9）：「『你若警戒惡人離開他的道』——你若忠實告訴他其盡頭是什麼，並懇切召他轉離，他卻不轉離，反而在其中堅持——『他必死在罪孽之中』，而所給他的明確警告將加重他的罪與毀滅；但『你卻救了自己』。」注意，傳道人雖不能如願使許多聽道者得救，卻能靠恩典救自己，這是他們的安慰。
英文原文
The Watchman's Office; The Prophet a Watchman to Israel (587 BC)
¹ Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
² Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
³ If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
⁴ Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
⁵ He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
⁶ But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
⁷ So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
⁸ When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
⁹ Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
The prophet had been, by express order from God, taken off from prophesying to the Jews, just then when the news came that Jerusalem was invested, and close siege laid to it, Eze 24:27. But now that Jerusalem is taken, two years after, he is appointed again to direct his speech to them; and there his commission is renewed. If God had abandoned them quite, he would not have sent prophets to them; nor, if he had not had mercy in store for them, would he have shown them such things as these. In these verses we have,
I. The office of a watchman laid down, the trust reposed in him, the charge given him, and the conditions adjusted between him and those that employ him, Eze 33:2,6. 1. It is supposed to be a public danger that gives occasion for the appointing of a watchman—when God brings the sword upon a land, Eze 33:2. The sword of war, whenever it comes upon a land, is of God's bringing; it is the sword of the Lord, of his justice, how unjustly soever men draw it. At such a time, when a country is in fear of a foreign invasion, that they may be informed of all the motions of the enemy, may not be surprised with an attack, but may have early notice of it, in order to their being at their arms and in readiness to give the invader a warm reception, they set a man of their coast, some likely person, that lives upon the borders of their country, where the threatened danger is expected, and is therefore well acquainted with all the avenues of it, and make him their watchman. Thus wise are the children of this world in their generation. Note, One man may be of public service to a whole country. Princes and statesmen are the watchmen of a kingdom; they are continually to employ themselves, and, if occasion be, as watchmen, to expose themselves for the public safety. 2. It is supposed to be a public trust that is lodged in the watchman and that he is accountable to the public for the discharge of it. His business is, (1.) To discover the approaches and advances of the enemy; and therefore he must not be blind nor asleep, for then he cannot see the sword coming. (2.) To give notice of them immediately by sound of trumpet, or, as sentinels among us, by the discharge of a gun, as a signal of danger. A special trust and confidence is reposed in him by those that set him to be their watchman that he will faithfully do these two things; and they venture their lives upon his fidelity. Now, [1.] If he do his part, if he be betimes aware of all the dangers that fall within his cognizance, and give warning of them, he has discharged his trust, and has not only delivered his soul, but earned his wages. If the people do not take warning, if they either will not believe the notice he gives them, will not believe the danger to be so great or so near as really it is, or will not regard it, and so are surprised by the enemy in their security, it is their own fault; the blame is not to be laid upon the watchman, but their blood is upon their own head. If any person goes presumptuously into the mouth of danger, though he heard the sound of the trumpet, and was told by it where the danger was, and so the sword comes and takes him away in his folly, he is felo de se—a suicide; foolish man, he has destroyed himself. But, [2.] If the watchman do not do his duty, if he might have seen the danger, and did not, but was asleep, or heedless, or looking another way, or if he did see the danger (for so the case is put here) and shifted only for his own safety, and blew not the trumpet to warn the people, so that some are surprised and cut off in their iniquity (Eze 33:6), cut off suddenly, without having time to cry, Lord, have mercy upon me, time to repent and make their peace with God (which makes the matter much the worse, that the poor creature is taken away in his iniquity), his blood shall be required at the watchman's hand; he shall be found guilty of his death, because he did not give him warning of his danger. But if the watchman do his part, and the people do theirs, all is well; both he that gives warning and he that takes warning have delivered their souls.
II. The application of this to the prophet, Eze 33:7,9.
1. He is a watchman to the house of Israel. He had occasionally given warning to the nations about, but to the house of Israel he was a watchman by office, for they were the children of the prophets and the covenant They did not set him for a watchman, as the people of the land, Eze 33:2 (for they were not so wise for their souls as to secure the welfare of them, as they would have been for the protection of their temporal interests); but God did it for them; he appointed them a watchman.
2. His business as a watchman is to give warning to sinners of their misery and danger by reason of sin. This is the word he must hear from God's mouth and speak to them. (1.) God has said, The wicked man shall surely die; he shall be miserable. Unless he repent, he shall be cut off from God and all comfort and hope in him, shall be cut off from all good. He shall fall and lie for ever under the wrath of God, which is the death of the soul, as his favour is its life. The righteous God has said it, and will never unsay it, nor can all the world gainsay it, that the wages of sin is death. Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, not only against wicked nations, speaking ruin to them as nations, but against wicked persons, speaking ruin to them in their personal capacity, their personal interests, which pass into the other world and last to eternity, as national interests do not. (2.) It is the will of God that the wicked man should be warned of this: Warn them from me. This intimates that there is a possibility of preventing it, else it were a jest to give warning of it; nay, and that God is desirous it should be prevented. Sinners are therefore warned of the wrath to come, that they may flee from it, Mt 3:7. (3.) It is the work of ministers to give him warning, to say to the wicked, It shall be ill with thee, Isa 3:11. God ways in general, The soul that sinneth it shall die. The minister's business is to apply this to particular persons, and to say, "O wicked man! thou shalt surely die, whoever thou art; if thou go on still in thy trespasses, they will inevitably be thy ruin. O adulterer! O robber! O drunkard! O swearer! O sabbath-breaker! thou shalt surely die." And he must say this, not in passion, to provoke the sinner, but in compassion, to warn the wicked from his way, warn him to turn from it, that he may live. This is to be done by the faithful preaching of the word in public, and by personal application to those whose sins are open.
3. If souls perish through his neglect of his duty, he brings guilt upon himself. "If the prophet do not warn the wicked of the ruin that is at the end of his wicked way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; for, though the watchman did not do his part, yet the sinner might have taken warning from the written word, from his own conscience, and from God's judgments upon others, by which his mouth shall be stopped, and God will be justified in his destruction." Note, It will not serve impenitent sinners to plead in the great day that their watchmen did not give them warning, that they were careless and unfaithful; for, though they were so, it will be made to appear that God left not himself without witness. "But he shall not perish alone in his iniquity; the watchman also shall be called to an account: His blood will I require at thy hand. The blind leader shall fall with the blind follower into the ditch." See what a desire God has of the salvation of sinners, in that he resents it so ill if those concerned do not what they can to prevent their destruction. And see what a great deal those ministers have to answer for another day who palliate sin, and flatter sinners in their evil way, and by their wicked lives countenance and harden them in their wickedness, and encourage them to believe that they shall have peace though they go on.
4. If he do his duty, he may take the comfort of it, though he do not see the success of it (Eze 33:9): "If thou warn the wicked of his way, if thou tell him faithfully what will be the end thereof, and call him earnestly to turn from it, and he do not turn, but persist in it, he shall die in his iniquity, and the fair warning given him will be an aggravation of his sin and ruin; but thou hast delivered thy soul." Note, It is a comfort to ministers that they may through grace save themselves, though they cannot be instrumental to save so many as they wish of those that hear them.
10-20
The Cavils of the People Answered (587 BC)
百姓的詰難得著答覆（主前587年）
¹⁰ 「所以你這人子啊，你要對以色列家說：你們這樣說：我們的過犯罪惡在我們身上；我們在其中消滅；我們怎能存活呢？ ¹¹ 你對他們說：主耶和華說：我指著我的永生起誓，我斷不喜悅惡人死亡，惟喜悅惡人轉離所行的道而活。以色列家啊，你們轉回，轉回吧！離開所行的惡道！你們何必死亡呢？ ¹² 所以你這人子啊，你要對你本國的子民說：義人的義，在犯罪之日不能救他；至於惡人的惡，在他轉離惡行之日也不能使他傾倒；義人在犯罪之日也不能因他的義存活。 ¹³ 我對義人說：他必定存活；他若倚靠自己的義而行罪孽，他所行的一切義都不被記念；他必因所犯的罪孽死亡。 ¹⁴ 再者，我對惡人說：你必定死亡；他若轉離他的罪，行公平公義； ¹⁵ 惡人若歸還當頭，償還所搶奪的，遵行生命的律例，不再犯罪；他必定存活，不致死亡。 ¹⁶ 他所犯的一切罪都不被記念；他行了公平公義，必定存活。 ¹⁷ 你本國的子民還說：主的道不公平；其實他們的道才不公平。 ¹⁸ 義人若轉離他的義而行罪孽，他必因此死亡。 ¹⁹ 惡人若轉離他的惡，行公平公義，他必因此存活。 ²⁰ 你們還說：主的道不公平。以色列家啊，我必按你們各人所行的審判你們。」
這些經文是我們從前已經領受過的內容的要旨（Eze 18:20等），並且如此充分、如此明確地宣告了人與神之間所立的條件（正如前一段是關於傳道人與神之間所立的條件），因此不足為奇，它們在此被重複，正如那些也被重複一樣，雖然我們從前已經領受過其要旨。在此請留意：
I. 百姓對神對待他們的作為所發出的詰難。神如今正在祂的護理中與他們理論，但他們未受割禮的心尚未謙卑下來，因為他們竭力要稱自己為義，雖然這樣做是將責任推給神。他們在褻瀆神的事上堅持兩件事，並在這兩件事上都是罪上加罪、在刑罰上再加痛苦：—
1. 他們質疑祂的應許和恩惠，認為其中沒有絲毫的善意和真誠（Eze 33:10）。神已經將「生命」擺在他們「面前」，但他們辯稱祂把它放在了他們夠不著的地方，因此不過是用提及它來戲弄他們罷了。先知不久前曾說過（Eze 24:23）：「你們必因自己的罪孽消滅」；他用那一句話作為對猶大和耶路撒冷警告的結語；如今他們拿這話來責備他，彷彿這話是絕對地說的，為要驅使他們陷入絕望；其實這話是帶著條件說的，為要使他們悔改。神的僕人所說的話，就是這樣被那些心存邪僻、慣於找茬的人所曲解。他把生命和幸福的指望擺在他們面前；他們卻要在此使他自相矛盾；「因為」（他們說）「我們的過犯罪惡在我們身上」，正如你常常告訴我們的，又如果我們必須照你所說的，在其中「消滅」，在毫無結果的悔改中度過悲慘的被擄歲月，「我們怎能存活呢？」若這是我們的命定，就無可救藥了。「我們死，我們滅亡，我們都滅亡了。」請注意，那些在被警告不要犯罪時仍因妄自假定而剛硬的人，到了被呼召悔改時卻往往陷入絕望，並斷定自己沒有活的指望，這是極其常見的事。
2. 他們質疑祂的警告和審判，認為其中沒有絲毫公義和公正。他們說：「主的道不公平」（Eze 33:17、20），暗示神在祂的作為中偏待人，在祂那裏有看人情面的事，並且祂對罪和罪人過於嚴厲，超過了應有的程度。
II. 這裏對這兩個詰難都給了令人滿意的答覆。
1. 那些對在神那裏尋得憐憫感到絕望的人，此處用一項莊嚴的宣告來答覆他們—神樂意施憐憫（Eze 33:11）。當他們說到自己要「在罪孽中消滅」時，神立刻差遣先知到他們那裏，盡速告訴他們：雖然他們的景況可悲，卻不是絕望，在以色列中「還有指望」。(1) 可以確定的是，神並不喜悅罪人的滅亡，也不渴望它。他們若要毀滅自己，祂必在自己得榮耀；但祂對此毫無喜樂，寧願他們「轉回而活」，因為祂的良善是祂最為榮耀的屬性，也是祂最為喜悅的屬性。祂寧願罪人轉回而活，也不願他們繼續前行而死亡。祂已經說了，也已經起誓了，好叫我們藉著這兩件永不改變的事—在兩件事上神都不可能說謊—得著大能的安慰。我們有祂的話語和祂的誓言；既然祂「不能指著比自己更大的起誓，就指著自己起誓」：「我指著我的永生。」他們質疑自己能否「存活」，即便他們確實悔改歸正了；不錯，神說，正如「我活著」那樣確定，真正的悔改者也必存活；因為「你們的生命與基督一同藏在神裏面」。(2) 可以確定的是，神在呼召罪人悔改上是真誠的、是認真的：「你們轉回，轉回吧，離開所行的惡道。」悔改就是轉離我們的惡道；這是神要求罪人去行的；這也是祂以再三懇切的話語催促他們去行的：「你們轉回，轉回吧。」巴不得他們被勸服而轉回，趕快轉回，不要耽延！只要他們肯「將所作的歸向耶和華」（Ho 5:4），祂就必使他們能如此行。因為祂曾說：「我必將我的靈澆灌你們」（Pr 1:23）。並且祂在此必悅納他們；因為這不僅是祂所命令的，更是祂所懇求的。(3) 可以確定的是，罪人若在不悔改中滅亡，是歸咎於他們自己；他們死是因為他們情願死；在這件事上他們行事極其荒謬、極不合理：「以色列家啊，你們何必死亡呢？」神本要聽允他們，他們卻不肯被聽允。
2. 那些對在神那裏尋得公義感到絕望的人，此處用一項莊嚴的宣告來答覆他們—神在對待人類兒女時所依循的審判準則，這準則本身就帶著自身公義的證據；凡奔跑的人都可以讀出其中的公義。猶太民族作為一個民族，如今已經「死了」；它在各個意義上、各個目的上都已被毀。因此先知必須針對個人來對付，而關於他們的審判準則，與關於一個民族的準則十分相似（Jer 18:8-10）。若神論到一國說要建立、要栽植，那國卻行惡，祂就收回祂的恩惠，任憑它毀滅。但若祂論到一國說要拔出、要毀壞，那國卻悔改，祂就撤銷判決，拯救它。此處也是如此。簡而言之，最貌似敬虔的宣信者，若背道，就必在他們背離神的背叛中永遠滅亡；而最惡名昭彰的罪人，若悔改，就必在他們歸向神的回轉中永遠蒙福。這在此被反覆宣告，因為它應當被反覆思想，並向我們自己的心傳講。對這群遲鈍麻木的百姓，必須將此諄諄教誨，他們說「主的道不公平」；因為這些審判準則顯而易見地公義，除了重複宣告之外，無需別的證實。
(1) 那些曾大肆宣認信仰的人，若丟棄他們的宣認，離棄神的善道，變得放蕩、屬肉體、世俗化，他們從前所作的宣認以及他們用以維持宣認聲譽的一切宗教操練，都不能使他們得益，他們必在自己的罪孽中滅亡（Eze 33:12-13、18）。[1] 神對「義人」說：「他必定存活」（Eze 33:13）。祂藉著祂的話語、藉著祂的僕人如此說。行事為人端正的人，他自己的心告訴他，他的鄰舍也告訴他：他必存活。像這樣的人 surely 必是蒙福的。並且可以確定的是，他若在義中堅持到底、堅忍不移，並且為此在他所行的義上誠實無偽，他若真的如他表面那樣好，他必存活；他必繼續住在神的愛中，永遠在那愛中蒙福。[2] 然而，那些對自己有極大指望、別人也對他們有極好評價的義人，卻有因信賴自己的義而轉向罪孽的危險。此處就是這樣假設的情形：「他若倚靠自己的義而行罪孽」，開始以犯罪為業—他不僅失了腳步，更偏離進入了邪路，並在其中堅持。這或許是義人的情形，而這正是他信賴自己義的結果。請注意，許多傑出的宣信者因對自己的驕傲自恃和自信而毀了自己。他信賴自己義的功勞，以為他已經使神欠了他許多的債，如今他可以放膽犯罪，因為他有足夠的義行儲備可以補償；他幻想自己日後無論行了甚麼惡事都不再有危險，因為已有如此多的善行預先抵銷。又或者，他信賴自己義的力量，以為自己如今在善道上已經站穩，可以投身於任何試探之中，試探也不能勝過他，於是因對自己充足的自恃而被引誘去犯罪。因在罪的邊界上放膽妄為，他終於被拖入地獄的深處。這正是法利賽人滅亡的原因；他們「以自己為義」，以為他們冗長的禱告和一週禁食兩次，足以抵償他們侵吞寡婦家產的罪行。[3] 義人若「轉向罪孽」，又不歸回他們的義，就必在自己的罪孽中滅亡，他們從前所行的一切義—一切的禱告、一切的施捨—都必被遺忘。不提他們的善行，不記念他們的善行；要被忽略，彷彿從未有過。「義人的義，在犯罪之日不能救他」脫離神的烈怒，脫離律法的咒詛。當他成了叛徒和反叛者，拿起武器反對他合法的君王，他以自己從前是忠心臣民、對政權有許多貢獻來為自己辯護，是無濟於事的。不；他「不能存活」。記念他從前的義，無論在「他犯罪」之「日」，對神的公義或對他自己的良心都不能帶來滿足，反而在兩者的評估中大大加重了他背道的罪和愚妄。因此「他必因所犯的罪孽死亡」（Eze 33:13）。又（Eze 33:18），「他必因此死亡」；而這是歸咎於他自己。
(2) 那些生活邪惡的人若悔改歸正，離棄惡道，成為敬虔，他們的罪必蒙赦免，並必得稱義、蒙拯救，只要他們在歸正中堅忍。[1] 神「對惡人說：你必定死亡。你所行的道通向毀滅。你罪的工價就是死，你的罪孽不久就要成為你的毀滅。」對義人說的是「你必定存活」，為要鼓勵他在義道上繼續堅忍；他卻妄用了這話，因而被放膽去犯罪。對惡人說的是「你必定死亡」，為要警告他不要在惡道上堅持；他卻善用了這話，因而被激勵歸向神、歸回本分。如此，神的話語中的警告，因著神的恩典，對某些人成了「叫人活活的香氣，就活了的香氣」；而神的話語中的應許，因著他們自己的敗壞，對別人卻成了「叫人死死的香氣，就死了的香氣」。當神對惡人說「你必定死亡」，是永遠地死，是要把他「嚇得」—不是失了理性，而是「離開罪惡」。[2] 有許多惡人正急速奔向自己的毀滅，卻被神的恩典感化，回轉悔改，過聖潔的生活。他「轉離他的罪」（Eze 33:14），決心不再與它有任何關係；並且作為他為所犯之錯悔改的證據，他「歸還當頭」（Eze 33:15），就是他無情地從窮人手中奪去的，「他償還所搶奪的」，把他不義地從富人手中搶來的歸還。他不僅「停止作惡」，更「學習行善」；他「行公平公義」，在對神和對人的本分上都心存敬畏—這是極大的改變，因為不久之前他既不敬畏神，也不尊重人。但神的恩典之能所成就的，正是許多如此驚人而又蒙福的改變。他從前走在死亡和毀滅者的路上，如今卻行在「生命的律例」中，行在神誡命的路上，那路既有其中的生命（Pr 12:28），也有其盡頭的生命（Mt 19:17）。他並在這善道上堅忍，「不再犯罪」，雖然不能免於殘存的軟弱，卻不再受任何罪的轄制。他不為自己的悔改而後悔，也不再回到他從前所放縱的那些大罪中去。[3] 如此悔改歸回的人，必逃脫他正奔向的毀滅，他從前的罪也必不妨礙他蒙神悅納。不要讓他在自己的罪孽中消滅，因為他若承認並離棄罪，必尋得憐憫。他「必定存活，不致死亡」（Eze 33:15）。又（Eze 33:16），「他必定存活」。又（Eze 33:19），「他行了公平公義，必因此存活」。但他從前所行的惡不會被記念來對付他嗎？不；他不會為此受罰（Eze 33:12）：「至於惡人的惡」，雖然極其可惡，「然而在他轉離惡行之日，也不能使他傾倒。」如今它既成了他的憂傷，就不再作他的毀滅。如今他與罪之間既有了一道確定的隔離，他與神之間也就不再有隔離。不但如此，他甚至不會因這些罪被責備（Eze 33:16）：「他所犯的一切罪都不被記念」，既不成為他得赦免的障礙，也不削弱他得安慰的甘甜，更不成為為他所預備的榮耀上的任何瑕疵或虧損。
如今把這一切放在一起，然後判斷「主的道」豈不「公平」，這豈不在罪人的毀滅上稱義神，又在悔改者的拯救上榮耀神。整件事的結論是（Eze 33:20）：「以色列家啊，雖然你們如今都捲入共同的災禍之中，然而在屬靈和永恆的狀態中，必有人與人的區分，我必按你們各人所行的審判你們。」雖然他們被成群地擄去，好魚和壞魚被網在同一張網裏，然而在那裏祂必將貴重的和卑賤的分別出來，並「照各人的行為報應各人」。因此神的道是公平的、無可指摘的；但至於「你本國的子民」，神把他們交給先知，如同從前交給摩西一樣（Ex 32:7）：「他們是你的百姓；我幾乎不能認他們為我的。」至於他們，「他們的道不公平」；他們所養成的這種與神和祂先知爭論的方式，是荒謬而不合理的。在神與祂受造之間的一切爭論中，最終必被發現：祂是對的，而他們是錯的。
英文原文
The Cavils of the People Answered (587 BC)
¹⁰ Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
¹¹ Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
¹² Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
¹³ When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
¹⁴ Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
¹⁵ If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
¹⁶ None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
¹⁷ Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
¹⁸ When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
¹⁹ But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
²⁰ Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
These verses are the substance of what we had before (Eze 18:20, etc.) and they are so full and express a declaration of the terms on which people stand with God (as the former were of the terms on which ministers stand) that it is no wonder that they are here repeated, as those were, though we had the substance of them before. Observe here,
I. The cavils of the people against God's proceedings with them. God was now in his providence contending with them, but their uncircumcised hearts were not as yet humbled, for they were industrious to justify themselves, though thereby they reflected on God. Two things they insisted upon, in their reproaches of God, and in both they added iniquity to their sin and misery to their punishment:—1. They quarrelled with his promises and favours, as having no kindness nor sincerity in them, Eze 33:10. God had set life before them, but they plead that he had set it out of their reach, and therefore did but mock them with the mention of it. The prophet had said, some time ago (Eze 24:23), You shall pine away for your iniquities; with that word he had concluded his threatenings against Judah and Jerusalem; and this they now upbraided him with, as if it had been spoken absolutely, to drive them to despair; whereas it was spoken conditionally, to bring them to repentance. Thus are the sayings of God's ministers perverted by men of corrupt minds, who are inclined to pick quarrels. He puts them in hopes of life and happiness; and herein they would make him contradict himself; "for" (say they) "if our transgressions and our sins be upon us, as thou hast often told us they are, and if we must, as thou sayest, pine away in them, and wear out a miserable captivity in a fruitless repentance, how shall we then live? If this be our doom, there is no remedy. We die, we perish, we all perish." Note, It is very common for those that have been hardened with presumption when they were warned against sin to sink into despair when they are called to repent, and to conclude there is no hope of life for them. 2. They quarrelled with his threatenings and judgments, as having no justice or equity in them. They said, The way of the Lord is not equal (Eze 33:17,20), suggesting that God was partial in his proceedings, that with him there was respect of persons and that he was more severe against sin and sinners than there was cause.
II. Here is a satisfactory answer given to both these cavils.
1. Those that despaired of finding mercy with God are here answered with a solemn declaration of God's readiness to show mercy, Eze 33:11. When they spoke of pining away in their iniquity God sent the prophet to them, with all speed, to tell them that though their case was sad it was not desperate, but there was yet hope in Israel. (1.) It is certain that God has no delight in the ruin of sinners, nor does he desire it. If they will destroy themselves, he will glorify himself in it, but he has no pleasure in it, but would rather they should turn and live, for his goodness is that attribute of his which is most his glory, which is most his delight. He would rather sinners should turn and live than go on and die. He has said it, he has sworn it, that by these two immutable things, in both which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation. We have his word and his oath; and, since he could swear by no greater, he swears by himself: As I live. They questioned whether they should live, though they did repent and reform; yea, says God, as sure as I live, true penitents shall live also; for their life is hid with Christ in God. (2.) It is certain that God is sincere and in earnest in the calls he gives sinners to repent: Turn you, turn you, from your evil way. To repent is to turn from our evil way; this God requires sinners to do; this he urges them to do by repeated pressing instances: Turn you, turn you. O that they would be prevailed with to turn, to turn quickly, without delay! This he will enable them to do if they will but frame their doings to turn to the Lord, Ho 5:4. For he has said, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, Pr 1:23. And in this he will accept of them; for it is not only what he commands, but what he courts them to. (3.) It is certain that, if sinners perish in their impenitency, it is owing to themselves; they die because they will die; and herein they act most absurdly and unreasonably: Why will you die, O house of Israel? God would have heard them, and they would not be heard.
2. Those that despaired of finding justice with God are here answered with a solemn declaration of the rule of judgment which God would go by in dealing with the children of men, which carries along with it the evidence of its own equity; he that runs may read the justice of it. The Jewish nation, as a nation, was now dead; it was ruined to all intents and purposes. The prophet must therefore deal with particular persons, and the rule of judgment concerning them is much like that concerning a nation, Jer 18:8-10. If God speak concerning it to build and to plant, and it do wickedly, he will recall his favours and leave it to ruin. But if he speak concerning it to pluck up and destroy, and it repent, he will revoke the sentence and deliver it. So it is here. In short, The most plausible professors, if they apostatize, shall certainly perish for ever in their apostasy from God; and the most notorious sinners, if they repent, shall certainly be happy for ever in their return to God. This is here repeated again and again, because it ought to be again and again considered, and preached over to our own hearts. This was necessary to be inculcated upon this stupid senseless people, that said, The way of the Lord is not equal; for these rules of judgment are so plainly just that they need no other confirmation of them than the repetition of them.
(1.) If those that have made a great profession of religion throw off their profession, quit the good ways of God and grow loose and carnal, sensual and worldly, the profession they made and all the religious performances with which they had for a great while kept up the credit of their profession shall stand them in no stead, but they shall certainly perish in their iniquity, Eze 33:12,13,18. [1.] God says to the righteous man that he shall surely live, Eze 33:13. He says it by his word, by his ministers. He that lives regularly, his own heart tells him, his neighbours tell him, He shall live. Surely such a man as this cannot but be happy. And it is certain, if he proceed and persevere in his righteousness, and if, in order to that, he be upright and sincere in it, if he be really as good as he seems to be, he shall live; he shall continue in the love of God and be for ever happy in that love. [2.] Righteous men, who have very good hopes of themselves and whom others have a very good opinion of, are yet in danger of turning to iniquity by trusting to their righteousness. So the case is put here: If he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, and come to make a trade of sin—if he not only take a false step, but turn aside into a false way and persist in it. This may possibly be the case of a righteous man, and it is the effect of his trusting to his own righteousness. Note, Many eminent professors have been ruined by a proud conceitedness of themselves and confidence in themselves. He trust to the merit of his own righteousness, and thinks he has already made God so much his debtor that now he may venture to commit iniquity, for he has righteousness enough in stock to make amends for it; he fancies that whatever evil deeds he may do hereafter he can be in no danger from them, having so many good deeds beforehand to counterbalance them. Or, He trust to the strength of his own righteousness, thinks himself now so well established in a course of virtue that he may thrust himself into any temptation and it cannot overcome him, and so by presuming on his own sufficiency he is brought to commit iniquity. By making bold on the confines of sin he is drawn at length into the depths of hell. This ruined the Pharisees; they trusted to themselves that they were righteous, and that their long prayers, and fasting twice in the week, would atone for their devouring widows' houses. [3.] If righteous men turn to iniquity, and return not to their righteousness, they shall certainly perish in their iniquity, and all the righteousness they have formerly done, all their prayers, and all their alms, shall be forgotten. No mention shall be made, no remembrance had, of their good deeds; they shall be overlooked, as if they had never been. The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him from the wrath of God, and the curse of the law, in the day of his transgression. When he becomes a traitor and a rebel, and takes up arms against his rightful Sovereign, it will not serve for him to plead in his own defence that formerly he was a loyal subject, and did many good services to the government. No; he shall not be able to live. The remembrance of his former righteousness shall be no satisfaction either to God's justice or his own conscience in the day that he sins, but rather shall, in the estimate of both, highly aggravate the sin and folly of his apostasy. And therefore for his iniquity that he committed he shall die, Eze 33:13. And again (Eze 33:18), He shall even die thereby; and it is owing to himself.
(2.) If those that have lived a wicked life repent and reform, forsake their wicked ways and become religious, their sins shall be pardoned, and they shall be justified and saved, if they persevere in their reformation. [1.] God says to the wicked, "Thou shalt surely die. The way that thou art in leads to destruction. The wages of thy sin is death, and thy iniquity will shortly be thy ruin." It was said to the righteous man, Thou shalt surely live, for his encouragement to proceed and persevere in the way of righteousness; but he made an ill use of it, and was emboldened by it to commit iniquity. It was said to the wicked man, Thou shalt surely die, for warning to him not to persist in his wicked ways; and he makes a good use of it, and is quickened thereby to return to God and duty. Thus even the threatenings of the word are to some, by the grace of God, a savour of life unto life, while even the promises of the word become to others, by their own corruption, a savour of death unto death. When God says to the wicked man, Thou shalt surely die, die eternally, it is to frighten him, not out of his wits, but out of his sins. [2.] There is many a wicked man who was hastening apace to his own destruction who yet is wrought upon by the grace of God to return and repent, and live a holy life. He turns from his sin (Eze 33:14), and is resolved that he will have no more to do with it; and, as an evidence of his repentance for wrong done, he restores the pledge (Eze 33:15) which he had taken uncharitably from the poor, he gives again that which he had robbed and taken unjustly from the rich. Nor does he only cease to do evil, but he learns to do well; he does that which is lawful and right, and makes conscience of his duty both to God and man—a great change, since, awhile ago, he neither feared God nor regarded man. But many such amazing changes, and blessed ones, have been wrought by the power of divine grace. He that was going on in the paths of death and the destroyer now walks in the statues of life, in the way of God's commandments, which has both life in it (Pr 12:28) and life at the end of it, Mt 19:17. And in this good way he perseveres without committing iniquity, though not free from remaining infirmity, yet under the dominion of no iniquity. He repents not of his repentance, nor returns to the commission of those gross sins which he before allowed himself in. [3.] He that does thus repent and return shall escape the ruin he was running into, and his former sins shall be no prejudice to his acceptance with God. Let him not pine away in his iniquity, for, if he confess and forsake it, he shall find mercy. He shall surely live; he shall not die, Eze 33:15. Again (Eze 33:16), He shall surely live. Again (Eze 33:19), He has done that which is lawful and right, and he shall live thereby. But will not his wickednesses be remembered against him? No; he shall not be punished for them (Eze 33:12): As for the wickedness of the wicked, though it was very heinous, yet he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness. Now that it has become his grief it shall not be his ruin. Now that there is a settled separation between him and sin there shall be no longer a separation between him and God. Nay, he shall not be so much as upbraided with them (Eze 33:16): None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned unto him, either as a clog to his pardon or an allay to the comfort of it, or as any blemish and diminution to the glory that is prepared for him.
Now lay all this together, and then judge whether the way of the Lord be not equal, whether this will not justify God in the destruction of sinners and glorify him in the salvation of penitents. The conclusion of the whole matter is (Eze 33:20): "O you house of Israel, though you are all involved now in the common calamity, yet there shall be a distinction of persons made in the spiritual and eternal state, and I will judge you every one after his ways." Though they were sent into captivity by the lump, good fish and bad enclosed in the same net, yet there he will separate between the precious and the vile and will render to every man according to his works. Therefore God's way is equal and unexceptionable; but, as for the children of thy people, God turns them over to the prophet, as he did to Moses (Ex 32:7): "They are thy people; I can scarcely own them for mine." As for them, their way is unequal; this way which they have got of quarrelling with God and his prophets is absurd and unreasonable. In all disputes between God and his creatures it will certainly be found that he is in the right and they are in the wrong.
21-29
Message to Inhabitants of Judah; Rebuke to the Proud Jews (587 BC)
對猶大居民的宣告；對驕傲猶太人的責備（主前587年）
²¹ 我們被擄第十二年十月初五日，有人從耶路撒冷逃出來到我這裏說：城已被攻破了。 ²² 逃出來的人還未到的前一天晚上，耶和華的手按在我身上，開了我的口；到第二天早晨他來到我這裏，我的口就開了，我就不再啞口。 ²³ 耶和華的話臨到我說： ²⁴ 「人子啊，住在以色列地荒廢之處的人如此說：亞伯拉罕獨自一人能得這地為業，我們人數眾多，這地是賜給我們為業的。 ²⁵ 所以你要對他們說：主耶和華如此說：你們帶血吃肉，舉目仰望你們的偶像，又流人的血；你們還能得這地為業嗎？ ²⁶ 你們倚仗刀劍，行可憎的事，各人玷污鄰舍的妻；你們還能得這地為業嗎？ ²⁷ 你要對他們如此說：主耶和華如此說：我指著我的永生起誓，在荒廢之處的人必倒在刀下，在田野的我也必交給野獸吞吃，在保障和洞穴裏的必遭瘟疫而死。 ²⁸ 我必使這地全然荒涼，她所誇耀的威勢必歸無有；以色列的山必荒涼，無人經過。 ²⁹ 他們就知道我是耶和華，因他們所行的一切可憎之事，我使這地全然荒涼。」
我們在此看到：
I. 耶路撒冷被迦勒底人焚燒的消息傳到以西結那裏。這城在被擄第十一年五月被焚毀（Jer 52:12-13）。此事的消息由一位親眼目睹毀滅的人在被擄第十二年十月傳到先知那裏（Eze 33:21），距事情發生已過了將近一年五個月；我們可以設想，此時耶路撒冷與巴比倫之間比以往更頻繁地保持聯繫，他早就聽到了消息。但這是他第一次從一個逃難者—從一個逃出來的人—那裏得到消息，那人能詳細地、動情地敘述這事。所給他的記號就是這樣一個人來到他這裏，因他自己是僅僅逃出火焰的（Eze 24:26）：「那日逃脫的人必來到你這裏，使你親耳聽見」，比以往更清楚，從一個能說「這一切悲慘的景象是我親眼看見」的人那裏聽見。
II. 他所受的神聖感動和影響，以預備他承受這沉重的消息（Eze 33:22）：「耶和華的手在我身上，在他未到以先，開了我的口」，向以色列家說我們在本章前半部分所看到的話。如今他「不再啞口」；他如今更自由更大膽地說預言，因事件的發生證明他是真先知，使那些反對他的人蒙羞。從Eze 24:1到Eze 32:32的一切預言純粹是關於周圍列國的，先知從主領受這些預言時，很可能不是口頭傳講的，而是書面的；因為他不能當面「對亞捫人說，對推羅說，對法老說」如此如此，只能藉著寫給有關之人的書信，正如撒迦利亞不能說話時就寫字；在此他與以往一樣確實在執行先知的職分。請注意，即使被沉默的僕人也可以藉著寫信和探訪作許多善事。但如今先知的「口開了」，使他能「對他本國的子民說話」。很可能在這三年中，他一直如同朋友一般不斷向他們說話，提醒他們他從前所傳的信息，但他從未作為先知憑感動向他們說話，直到如今—當「耶和華的手臨到他」，更新他的委任，給他新的指示，並「開了他的口」，賜他能力「按他所當說的」向百姓說話。
III. 他所受託的特別信息，關於那些仍留在「以色列地」、「住在那地荒廢之處」的猶太人（Eze 33:24）。請看罪造成了何等的破壞。以色列的「城邑」如今成了以色列的荒場，因為全都成了廢墟；少數逃脫刀劍和被擄的人仍住在那裏，開始考慮重新定居。這時距耶路撒冷的毀滅已有一段時間，在此之前不久，基大利（一位謙遜的人）和他的朋友被殺；但也許此時約哈難和與他同夥的「狂妄人」正處於高勢（Jer 43:2）；在他們決定下埃及之前—耶利米曾反對他們—很可能他們的計劃是要在以色列地的荒廢之處建立自己，在此以西結反對他們，很可能託那帶來耶路撒冷毀滅消息的人帶去了這信息。或者，也許此處被預言攻擊的可能是另一批猶太人，他們留在那地，指望在那裏扎根，並在約哈難和他的軍隊下埃及之後獨佔全地。如今我們在此看到：
1. 這些留在以色列地「荒廢之處」的猶太人的驕傲。雖然神關乎他們的護理已經非常使人謙卑，且仍然非常具有威脅性，他們卻傲慢得令人無法忍受，滿有安全感，應許自己平安。帶消息給先知說耶路撒冷被攻破的人，可能（很可能）不能告訴他這些人所說的話，但神告訴他：「他們說：這地是賜給我們為業的」（Eze 33:24）。「我們的同伴既已離去，如今全地因生還權歸我們所有，或者因沒有繼承人而作為佔有者歸我們；我們如今必獨處地上中央，全地歸我們所有。」這表明他們在神沉重的手下極為麻木，也表明他們一貫的自私和狹隘心胸；他們以國家的毀滅為樂，只要他們希望從中獲利；他們不在乎全地是否「都荒涼」，只要自己能獨佔產權—一個不足以引以為榮的貧窮產業！他們竟厚顏無恥地將自己的情形與亞伯拉罕相比，以「我們有亞伯拉罕為我們的祖宗」自誇。「亞伯拉罕，」他們說，「獨自一人，一個家庭，卻得了這地為業，安然享受了許多年；但我們人數眾多，比他更多的家庭；這地是賜給我們為業的。」(1) 他們以為自己能像亞伯拉罕一樣從神那裏確立對這地的所有權：「神若將這地賜給他—他只是一個敬拜祂的人—作為他事奉的賞賜，祂更必將這地賜給我們—我們是許多敬拜祂的人—作為我們事奉的賞賜。」這表明他們對自己的功勞何等自負，彷彿他們比他們的祖宗亞伯拉罕的功勞更大，然而亞伯拉罕也不是因行為稱義的。(2) 他們以為自己能像亞伯拉罕一樣保住對這地的佔有，抵擋迦勒底人和一切入侵者：「他若只有一人就能守住，何況我們人數眾多，又有比他那三百生養的精練壯丁更多的兵力，豈不更能守住嗎？」這表明他們對自己的力量何等自信；他們既已佔有，就決定守住。
2. 對這驕傲的抑制。既然神的護理既不能使他們謙卑，也不能使他們恐懼，祂就差遣他們一個信息，足以兼作兩者。
(1) 為使他們謙卑，祂告訴他們他們仍在堅持的邪惡，這使他們完全不配得這地，因此他們不能期望神會將這地賜給他們。一個審判接著一個審判臨到他們，但他們並沒有如所期望的那樣從那些恩典的途徑中受益；他們仍未改革，怎能期望「得這地為業」呢？「*你們還能得這地為業嗎？*甚麼！你們這樣邪惡的人？我怎能將你放在兒女之中，將美地賜給你呢？」（Jer 3:19）。你們想必從不反省自己，否則你們倒要希奇自己竟然還在活人之地，而不是期望得這地為業。因為你們豈不知道自己有多壞嗎？」[1]「你們對禁戒的食物毫無良心：你們帶血吃肉」，直接違背了神將地的佔有權賜給挪亞和他兒子時所定的誡命之一（Ge 9:4）。[2]「拜偶像—那背約的罪，那嫉邪的神因它被特別激怒而使你們的國家荒涼—仍然是最容易纏累你們的罪，你們對它有強烈的傾向：你們舉目仰望你們的偶像，這是一個記號，表明雖然也許你們不如從前那樣多向他們屈膝，但你們的心仍舊向著他們，仍戀慕他們。」[3]「你們仍像從前一樣兇殘、殘忍、野蠻：你們流人的血，流無辜人的血。」[4]「你們倚靠自己力量、自己的膀臂、自己的弓，不倚賴、不顧念神和祂的護理：你們倚仗刀劍」（Eze 33:26）；你們以為可以靠武力橫行一切，將一切據為己有。」那些有以實瑪利的性情—「他的手要攻擊人」（Ge 16:12）—和以掃決心「靠刀劍度日」（Ge 27:40）的人，怎能期望得著以撒的產業（正如他們所行的）呢？我們遇見過那些（Eze 32:27）死了以為除非枕著劍就不能在地下安息的人。此處我們遇見那些活著以為除非腳踏著劍就不能在地上站穩的人，彷彿劍既是最軟的枕頭又是最堅固的柱子；雖然是罪，是罪，首先拔出了劍。但感謝神，也有人更明白，他們站在神大能和應許的扶持上，將頭枕在神聖之愛的懷中，「不倚靠自己的刀劍」（Ps 44:3）。[5]「你們犯了各樣可憎的事，特別是『各人玷污鄰舍的妻』，這是最大等級的可憎之事；*你們還能得這地為業嗎？*甚麼！你們這樣卑鄙的人？」請注意，那些活在悖逆耶和華之中的人，不能期望「得這地為業」，也不能在今世或來世享受任何真正的安慰或幸福。
(2) 為使他們恐懼，祂告訴他們神為他們預備的進一步審判，這些審判將使他們完全無法佔有這地，不能抵擋仇敵。他們說自己要得這地為業嗎？神說他們不能，祂已起了誓：「我指著我的永生說。」雖然祂起誓說祂不喜悅「罪人死亡」，但祂也起誓說那些堅持不悔改和不信的人「斷不得進入祂的安息」。[1] 那些在城中的—此處稱為「荒廢之處」的—必「倒在刀下」，或死於迦勒底人的劍—他們來為基大利被殺報仇，或死於彼此的劍下—在他們的內訌中。[2] 那些在田野的必被野獸「吞吃」，在人口稀少時野獸自然成群，無人管轄和制伏牠們（Ex 23:29）。當敵人的軍隊離開那地之後，在那裏仍然沒有安全。「惡獸」是四樣「大審判」之一（Eze 14:15）。[3] 那些在「保障和洞穴」中的—以為自己在人工或天然的堅固要塞中安全，因為人的眼睛不能發現他們、人的箭矢不能及到他們—在那裏全能者的箭必找到他們；他們「必遭瘟疫而死」。[4] 全地，甚至以色列地—那曾經是萬國之榮美的—必「全然荒涼」（Eze 33:28）。「荒涼，荒涼」，全地如同荒涼本身所能使之的那樣荒涼。「以色列的山」，那些多結果子的山，甚至錫安聖山也不例外，必「荒涼」；道路無人行，房屋無人居，「無人經過」；正如所警告的（De 28:62）：「你們的人數必剩下稀少。」[5] 「她所誇耀的威勢」—無論她以甚麼誇耀為榮、以甚麼為力量而信靠的—必被止息。[6] 這一切的原因非常壞；是「因他們所行的一切可憎之事」。是罪作了這一切破壞，使列國荒涼；因此我們當稱之為可憎。[7] 然而這一切的效果將是非常好的：「那時他們就知道我是耶和華」，是耶和華他們的主，當「我使這地全然荒涼」時，他們必歸回效忠。那些在一切受造之物帶來的安慰都落空、都荒涼之時，仍不被迫認識自己對神的倚賴的人，實在是頑梗不化、不可教誨。
英文原文
Message to Inhabitants of Judah; Rebuke to the Proud Jews (587 BC)
²¹ And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
²² Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
²³ Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
²⁴ Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.
²⁵ Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?
²⁶ Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?
²⁷ Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
²⁸ For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through.
²⁹ Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.
Here we have,
I. The tidings brought to Ezekiel of the burning of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. The city was burnt in the eleventh year of the captivity and the fifth month, Jer 52:12,13. Tidings hereof were brought to the prophet by one that was an eye-witness of the destruction, in the twelfth year, and the tenth month (Eze 33:21), which was a year and almost five months after the thing was done; we may well suppose that, there being a constant correspondence at this time more than ever kept up between Jerusalem and Babylon, he had heard the news long before. But this was the first time he had an account of it from a refugee, from one who escaped, who could be particular, and would be pathetic, in the narrative of it. And the sign given him was the coming of such a one to him as had himself narrowly escaped the flames (Eze 24:26): He that escapes in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thy ears, to hear it more distinctly than ever, from one that could say, Quæque ipse miserrima vidi—These miserable scenes I saw.
II. The divine impressions and influences he was under, to prepare him for those heavy tidings (Eze 33:22): The hand of the Lord was upon me before he came, and had opened my mouth to speak to the house of Israel what we had in the former part of this chapter. And now he was no more dumb; he prophesied now with more freedom and boldness, being by the event proved a true prophet, to the confusion of those that contradicted him. All the prophecies from Eze 24:1-32:32 have relation purely to the nations about, it is probable that the prophet, when he received them from the Lord, did not deliver them by word of mouth, but in writing; for he could not Say to the Ammonites, Say unto Tyrus, Say unto Pharaoh, etc., so and so, but by letters directed to the persons concerned, as Zacharias, when he could not speak, wrote; and herein he was as truly executing his prophetic office as ever. Note, Even silenced ministers may be doing a great deal of good by writing letters and making visits. But now the prophet's mouth is opened, that he may speak to the children of his people. It is probable that he had, during these three years, been continually speaking to them as a friend, putting them in mind of what he had formerly delivered to them, but that he never spoke to them as a prophet, by inspiration, till now, when the hand of the Lord came upon him, renewed his commission, gave him fresh instructions, and opened his mouth, furnished him with power to speak to the people as he ought to speak.
III. The particular message he was entrusted with, relating to these Jews that yet remained in the land of Israel, and inhabited the wastes of that land, Eze 33:24. See what work sin had made. The cities of Israel had now become the wastes of Israel, for they lay all in ruins; some few that had escaped the sword and captivity still continued there and began to think of re-settling. This was so long after the destruction of Jerusalem that it was some time before this that Gedaliah (a modest humble man) and his friends were slain; but probably at this time Johanan, and the proud men that joined with him, were at the height (Jer 43:2); and before they came to a resolution to go into Egypt, wherein Jeremiah opposed them, it is probable that the project was to establish themselves in the wastes of the land of Israel, in which Ezekiel here opposed them, and probably despatched the message away by the person that brought him the news of Jerusalem's destruction. Or, perhaps, those here prophesied against might be some other party of Jews, that remained in the land, hoping to take root there and to be sole masters of it, after Johanan and his forces had gone into Egypt. Now here we have,
1. An account of the pride of these remaining Jews, who dwelt in the wastes of the land of Israel. Though the providence of God concerning them had been very humbling, and still was very threatening, yet they were intolerably haughty and secure, and promised themselves peace. He that brought the news to the prophet that Jerusalem was smitten could not tell him (it is likely) what these people said, but God tells him, They say, "The land is given us for inheritance, Eze 33:24. Our partners being gone, it is now all our own by survivorship, or, for want of heirs, it comes to us as occupants; we shall now be placed alone in the midst of the earth and have it all to ourselves." This argues great stupidity under the weighty hand of God, and a reigning selfishness and narrow-spiritedness; they pleased themselves in the ruin of their country as long as they hoped to find their own account in it, cared not though it were all waste, so that they might have the sole property—a poor inheritance to be proud of! They have the impudence to compare their case with Abraham's, glorying in this, We have Abraham to our father. "Abraham," say they, "was one, one family, and he inherited the land, and lived many years in the peaceable enjoyment of it; but we are many, many families, more numerous than he; the land is given us for inheritance." (1.) They think they can make out as good a title from God to this land as Abraham could: "If God gave this land to him, who was but one worshipper of him, as a reward of his service, much more will he give it to us, who are many worshippers of him, as the reward of our service." This shows the great conceit they had of the own merits, as if they were greater than those of Abraham their father, who yet was not justified by works. (2.) They think they can make good the possession of this land against the Chaldeans and all others invaders, as well as Abraham could against those that were competitors with him for it: "If he, who was but one, could hold it, much more shall we, who are many, and have many more at command than his 300 trained servants." This shows the confidence they had in their own might; they had got possession, and were resolved to keep it.
2. A check to this pride. Since God's providences did neither humble them nor terrify them, he sends them a message sufficient to do both.
(1.) To humble them, he tells them of the wickedness they still persisted in, which rendered them utterly unworthy to possess this land, so that they could not expect God should give it to them. They had been followed with one judgment after another, but they had not profited by those means of grace as might be expected; they were still unreformed, and how could they expect that they should possess the land? "Shall you possess the land? What! such wicked people as you are? How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land? Jer 3:19. Surely you never reflect upon yourselves, else you would rather wonder that you are in the land of the living than expect to possess this land. For do you now know how bad you are?" [1.] "You make no conscience of forbidden fruit, forbidden food: You eat with the blood," directly contrary to one of the precepts given to Noah and his sons when God gave them possession of the earth, Ge 9:4. [2.] "Idolatry, that covenant-breaking sin, that sin which the jealous God has been in a particular manner provoked by to lay your country waste, is still the sin that most easily besets you and which you have a strong inclination to: You lift up your eyes towards your idols, which is a sign that though perhaps you do not bow your knee to them so much as you have done, yet you set your hearts upon them and hanker after them." [3.] "You are as fierce, and cruel, and barbarous as ever: You shed blood, innocent blood." [4.] "You confide in your own strength, your own arm, your own bow, and have no dependence on, or regard to, God and his providence: You stand upon your sword (Eze 33:26); you think to carry all before you, and make all your own, by force of arms." How can those expect the inheritance of Isaac (as these did) who are of Ishmael's disposition, that had his hand against every man (Ge 16:12), and Esau's resolution to live by his sword? Ge 27:40. We met with those (Eze 32:27) who, when they died, thought they could not lie easy underground unless they had their swords under their heads. Here we meet with those who, while they live, think they cannot stand firmly above ground unless they have their swords under their feet, as if swords were both the softest pillows and the strongest pillars; though it was sin, it was sin, that first drew the sword. But, blessed be God, there are those who know better, who stand upon the support of the divine power and promise and lay their heads in the bosom of divine love, not trusting in their own sword, Ps 44:3. [5.] "You are guilty of all manner of abominations, and, particularly, you defile every one his neighbour's wife, which is an abomination of the first magnitude, and shall you possess the land? What! such vile miscreants as you?" Note, Those cannot expect to possess the land, nor to enjoy any true comfort or happiness here or hereafter, who live in rebellion against the Lord.
(2.) To terrify them, he tells them of the further judgments God had in store for them, which should make them utterly unable to possess this land, so that they could not stand it out against the enemy. Do they say that they shall possess the land? God has said they shall not, he has sworn it, As I live, saith the Lord. Though he has sworn that he delights not in the death of sinners, yet he has sworn also that those who persist in impenitency and unbelief shall not enter into his rest. [1.] Those that are in the cities, here called the wastes, shall fall by the sword, either by the sword of the Chaldeans, who come to avenge the murder of Gedaliah, or by one another's swords, in their intestine broils. [2.] Those that are in the open field shall be devoured by wild beasts, which swarmed, of course, in the country when it was dispeopled, and there were none to master them and keep them under, Ex 23:29. When the army of the enemy had quitted the country still there was no safety in it. Noisome beasts constituted one of the four sore judgments, Eze 14:15. [3.] Those that are in the forts and in the caves, that think themselves safe in artificial or natural fastnesses, because men's eyes cannot discover them nor men's darts reach them, there the arrows of the Almighty shall find them out; they shall die of the pestilence. [4.] The whole land, even the land of Israel, that had been the glory of all lands, shall be most desolate, Eze 33:28. It shall be desolation, desolation, all over as desolate as desolation itself can make it. The mountain of Israel, the fruitful mountains, Zion itself the holy mountain not excepted, shall be desolate, the roads unfrequented, the houses uninhabited, that none shall pass through; as it was threatened (De 28:62), You shall be left few in number. [5.] The pomp of her strength, whatever she glories in as her pomp and trusts to as her strength, shall be made to cease. [6.] The cause of all this was very bad; it is for all their abominations which they have committed. It is sin that does all this mischief, that makes nations desolate; and therefore we ought to call it an abomination. [7.] Yet the effect of all this will be very good: Then shall they know that I am the Lord, am their Lord, and shall return to their allegiance, when I have made the land most desolate. Those are untractable unteachable indeed that are not made to know their dependence upon God when all their creature-comforts fail them and are made desolate.
30-33
Hypocritical Professions (587 BC)
虛假的信仰宣告（主前587年）
³⁰ 人子啊，你本國的子民在牆上、在房屋門口仍在談論你；他們彼此對說，各對弟兄說：來吧，聽聽有甚麼話從耶和華出來。 ³¹ 他們來到你這裏如同百姓來到一樣；他們坐在你面前如同我的民；他們聽你的話卻不去行；因為他們口多顯愛情，心卻追隨財利。 ³² 看哪，你對他們如同奏美妙歌曲的人，有美好音色、善於彈奏樂器的；因為他們聽見你的話卻不去行。 ³³ 當這事來到—看哪，它必來—他們就知道在他們中間有了先知。
Eze 33:1-29對留在以色列地、作了蒙保守之憐憫的紀念卻仍不歸向耶和華的猶太人說了定罪的話；在這些經文中，那些如今在巴比倫被擄、在神的責罰之下卻仍未被改革的受到了責備。他們誠然沒有被控以與那些人相同的明顯惡行。他們作了一些宗教和敬虔的表面功夫；但他們的心在神面前不正。他們在此被控的罪是「藐視耶和華的使者」，是使他們罪惡之量滿盈的罪之一，這罪為他們招來了毀滅，卻仍未得醫治。他們以兩種方式嘲弄先知以西結：
I. 以嫉妒、惡意的私下議論，在他們自己中間盡一切可能的方法使他成為可鄙的。先知不知道這事，卻善意地以為那些當面對他說好話、如此表面尊敬和恭敬的人，必定不會在他背後說他壞話。但神來告訴他：「你本國的子民仍在談論你」（Eze 33:30），或「談論你」，我恐怕不是好話。請注意，公眾人物是常見的談論題材；人人都隨意批評他們。忠心的僕人不知道每天有多少惡言論及他們；不知道倒是好的；因為若知道，可能成為他們工作中不易克服的挫折。神留意一切針對祂僕人所說的話，不僅是正式決定的、起誓的，不僅是寫成的、以莊嚴和蓄意說出的，更包括在閒談中所說的，鄰舍晚間相遇時在「牆上、在房屋門口」所說的；無論他們使用何種言論自由，若他們誹謗或中傷神的任何僕人，神必向他們追討；祂的先知不會永遠作酒徒的歌。他們沒有罪狀可加於先知，卻喜歡以漫不經心、輕蔑、戲謔的方式談論他；他們開玩笑地說：「來，讓我們聽聽有甚麼話從耶和華而出；也許是新鮮事，可以娛樂我們，為我們提供談論的話題。」請注意，那些能將傳講和聆聽神話語如此大的特權和如此大的本分當作運動和嘲笑對象的人，已經到了極大的不敬虔程度，即使不是公開行的，而是在私下交談中行的。嚴肅的事當以嚴肅的態度談論。
II. 以在他們參與他的事奉中虛偽待他。假冒為善的人嘲弄神，也嘲弄祂的先知。但他們的假冒為善在神面前是敞開的，那日子將到，必如在此處一樣被揭開。請留意：
1. 這些人所做的表面宣告和他們藉口的華美。他們如同那些（Mt 15:8）「用嘴唇尊敬我，心卻遠離我」的人。(1) 他們勤奮而經常地參與恩典的途徑：「他們來到你這裏如同百姓來到一樣。」在巴比倫他們沒有聖殿或會堂，但他們到先知的家去（Eze 8:1），在那裏，很可能他們在「月朔和安息日」從事宗教操練（2Ki 4:23）。先知被捆綁時，神的道卻不被捆綁；百姓當沒有他們所願的靈魂幫助時，為他們所有的感恩；這是他們被擄中的復甦。如今這些假冒為善的人「如同百姓來到一樣」來了，如同先知任何聽眾一樣按時而早。說他們「如同百姓來到一樣」似乎暗示他們來的原因是因為別人來了；他們不是出於對神的良心而來，只是為作伴、為時髦，因為這如今是他們同胞的習慣。請注意，那些沒有愛神條例的內在原則的人，卻可能常常在其中外在遵守。該隱和亞伯一樣獻了祭；法利賽人和稅吏一樣上聖殿去禱告。(2) 他們在公眾聚會中行為非常端莊而恭敬；他們中間沒有人交頭接耳、嬉笑、東張西望或打瞌睡。他們「如同我的民一樣坐在你面前」，帶著一切莊重、安寧和心境的沉著。他們坐畢全程，沒有厭倦，也不盼望講道快快結束。(3) 他們非常留心所傳的道：「他們不是在想別的事，而是聽你的話」，注意到你所說的。(4) 他們假裝對先知有很大的好意和尊敬。雖然在他背後不肯說他一句好話，但當面他們「向他顯出許多愛」；對他和他的教訓假裝有很大關心，怕他在講道中太過勞累或使自己暴露於迦勒底人的危險，因為他們要被認作他最好的朋友和祝願者。(5) 他們在道中得了極大的喜樂；他們「以認識神的話為樂」（Isa 58:2）。「希律...聽約翰講道，就多照著行...並且樂意聽他」（Mk 6:20）。「你對他們如同奏美妙歌曲的人。」以西結的材料令人驚奇，他的語言優美，他的表達典雅，他的比喻貼切，他的聲音悅耳，他的傳講從容；因此他們聽他講道能坐得如同（用我們時代的話說）看戲或歌劇，或聽音樂會一般愉快。以西結對他們來說如同「有美好音色、善於彈奏樂器的人」。請注意，人們可能在理智上因神的道而喜悅，卻良心未被觸動、心未被改變—發癢的耳朵得了滿足，敗壞的本性卻未被成聖。
2. 這些宣告和藉口的虛偽；全是假的，全是兒戲。(1) 他們對神的道沒有真摯的愛慕。他們「顯出許多愛」時只是「口頭上」，從牙齒外面出來的，但他們的「心追隨財利」；他們一如既往地追求世界，一如既往地愛慕世界並與之結盟。聽道不過是他們的消遣和娛樂，偶爾一兩小時的可愛消遣。但他們的主要事業仍是農場和買賣；他們靈魂的傾向和偏好仍向著這些，他們的「內在思想」用在關乎這些的計劃上。請注意，貪婪是許多口稱宗教之人的毀滅之罪；是愛世界暗中將愛神的心從他們心中吞食了。「今世的思慮」和「錢財的迷惑」就是那「荊棘」，既「擠住了道」，也擠住了靈魂。那些在聽神的道時卻在想世俗事務的人，既不討神的喜悅，也不使自己得益。神的眼目在看顧如此行之人的心。(2) 他們對道不屈服。他們「聽你的話」，卻只是給你一個聽而已，因為他們「不去行」（Eze 33:31）。又（Eze 33:32）「他們不去行」。他們不肯因先知所能說的一切話，無論是憑權威還是憑論據，在任何一件事上克制自己、放棄任何一項所愛的罪、或應用自己於任何一項違反血肉之情的本分。請注意，有許多人以聽道為樂，卻不將行道當作良心；如此他們將房子蓋在沙土上，欺騙了自己。
3. 讓我們看看這事的結局如何：「他們的不信和漫不心能廢掉神的道嗎？」斷乎不能。(1) 神要證實先知的話，雖然他們輕視它、不把它當回事（Eze 33:33）。他所說的必應驗，一點一畫也不落空。請注意，律法的咒詛雖然可以被不敬虔的智者嘲弄，卻不能被挫敗。(2) 他們自己到為時已晚之時必懊悔自己的愚昧。當事情來到時「他們就知道」，知道要付代價，知道要蒙羞，「在他們中間有了先知」，雖然他們不過將他當作「有美好音色的人」。請注意，那些不肯考慮先知在他們中間、不肯在探訪之日仍持續時善加利用的人，當「關乎他們平安的事」「隱藏不讓他們看見」時，必被迫記念曾有一位先知在他們中間。那日子將到，空虛屬世的人對事物的看法必與如今不同，並要在他們曾輕看的事上感到分量。當他們看見事情完全應驗了預言時，他們必知道「有了先知在他們中間」，先知自己必作反對他們的見證，證明他們得了公正的警告卻不肯接受。當以西結離去—他們如今議論的對象—「不再有先知」、「無人指示他們還有多久」之時，他們就必記念曾有一位先知，卻不知道如何善用他。請注意，那些不肯因善用憐憫而認識其價值的人，公義地必因失去憐憫而認識其價值，如同那些應當渴望看見人子的一日、如今卻輕看、可能不得看見的人一樣。
英文原文
Hypocritical Professions (587 BC)
³⁰ Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.
³¹ And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
³² And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
³³ And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
The Eze 33:1-29 spoke conviction to the Jews who remained in the land of Israel, who were monuments of sparing mercy and yet returned not to the Lord; in these verses those are reproved who were now in captivity in Babylon, under divine rebukes, and yet were not reformed by them. They are not indeed charged with the same gross enormities that the others are charged with. They made some show of religion and devotion; but their hearts were not right with God. The thing they are here accused of is mocking the messengers of the lord, one of their measure-filling sins, which brought this ruin upon them, and yet they were not cured of it. Two ways they mocked the prophet Ezekiel:—
I. By invidious ill natured reflections upon him, privately among themselves, endeavouring by all means possible to render him despicable. The prophet did not know it, but charitably thought that those who spoke so well to him to his face, with so much seeming respect and deference, would surely not speak ill of him behind his back. But God comes and tells him, The children of thy people are still talking against thee (Eze 33:30), or talking of thee, no good, I doubt. Note, Public persons are a common theme or subject of discourse; every one takes a liberty to censure them at pleasure. Faithful ministers know not how much ill is said of them every day; it is well that they do not; for, if they did, it might prove a discouragement to them in their work not to be easily got over. God takes notice of all that is said against his ministers, not only what is decreed against them, or sworn against them, not only what is written against them, or spoken with solemnity and deliberation, but of what is said against them in common talk, among neighbours when they meet in an evening, by the walls and in the doors of their houses, where whatever freedom of speech they use, if they reproach and slander any of God's ministers, God will reckon with them for it; his prophets shall not be made the song of the drunkards always. They had no crime to lay to the prophet's charge, but they loved to talk of him in a careless, scornful, bantering way; they said, jokingly, "Come, and let us hear what is the word that comes forth from the Lord; perhaps it will be something new, and will entertain us, and furnish us with matter for discourse." Note, Those have arrived as a great pitch of profaneness who can make so great a privilege, and so great a duty, as the preaching and hearing of the word of God, a matter of sport and ridicule, yea though it be not done publicly, but in private conversation among themselves. Serious things should be spoken of seriously.
II. By dissembling with him in their attendance upon his ministry. Hypocrites mock God and mock his prophets. But their hypocrisy is open before God, and the day is coming when, as here, it will be laid open. Observe here,
1. The plausible profession which these people made and the speciousness of their pretensions. They are like those (Mt 15:8) who draw nigh to God with their mouths and honour him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. (1.) They were diligent and constant in their attendance upon the means of grace: They come unto thee as the people come. In Babylon they had no temple or synagogue, but they went to the prophet's house (Eze 8:1), and there, it is probable, they spent their new moons and their sabbaths in religious exercises, 2Ki 4:23. When the prophet was bound the word of the Lord was not bound; and the people, when they had not the help for their souls that they wished for, were thankful for what they had; it was a reviving in their bondage. Now these hypocrites came, according to the coming of the people, as duly and as early as any of the prophet's hearers. Their being said to come as the people came seems to intimate that the reason why they came was because other people came; they did not come out of conscience towards God, but only for company, for fashion-sake, and because it was now the custom of their countrymen. Note, Those that have no inward principle of love to God's ordinances may yet be found much in the external observance of them. Cain brought his sacrifice as well as Abel; and the Pharisee went up to the temple to pray as well as the publican. (2.) They behaved themselves very decently and reverently in the public assembly; there were none of them whispering, or laughing, or gazing about them, or sleeping. But they sit before thee as my people, with all the shows of gravity, and sereneness, and composure of mind. They sit out the time, without weariness, or wishing the sermon done. (3.) They were very attentive to the word preached: "They are not thinking of something else, but they hear thy words, and take notice of what thou sayest." (4.) They pretended to have a great kindness and respect for the prophet. Though, behind his back, they could not give him a good word, yet, to his face, they showed much love to him and his doctrine; they pretended to have a great concern lest he should spend himself too much in preaching or expose himself to the Chaldeans, for they would be thought to be some of his best friends and well-wishers. (5.) They took a great deal of pleasure in the word; they delighted to know God's word, Isa 58:2. Herod heard John Baptist gladly, Mk 6:20. Thou art unto them as a very lovely song. Ezekiel's matter was surprising, his language fine, his expressions elegant, his similitudes apt, his voice melodious, and his delivery graceful; so that they could sit with as much pleasure to hear him preach as (if I may speak in the language of our times) to see a play or an opera, or to hear a concert of music. Ezekiel was to them as one that had a pleasant voice and could sing well, or play well on an instrument. Note, Men may have their fancies pleased by the word, and yet not have their consciences touched nor their hearts changed, the itching ear gratified and yet not the corrupt nature sanctified.
2. The hypocrisy of these professions and pretensions; it is all a sham, it is all a jest. (1.) They have no cordial affection for the word of God. While they show much love it is only with the mouth, from the teeth outward, but their heart goes after their covetousness; they are as much set upon the world as ever, as much in love and league with it as ever. Hearing the word is only their diversion and recreation, a pretty amusement now and then for an hour or two. But still their main business is with their farm and merchandise; the bent and bias of their souls are towards them, and their inward thoughts are employed in projects about them. Note, Covetousness is the ruining sin of multitudes that make a great profession of religion; it is the love of the world that secretly eats the love of God out of their hearts. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches are the thorns that choke the seed, and choke the soul too. And those neither please God nor profit themselves who, when they are hearing the word of God, are musing upon their worldly affairs. God has his eye on the hearts that do so. (2.) They yield no subjection to it. They hear thy words, but it is only a hearing that they give thee, for they will not do them, Eze 33:31. And again (Eze 33:32), they do them not. They will not be persuaded by all the prophet can say, either by authority or argument, to cross themselves in any instance, to part with any one beloved sin, or apply themselves to any one duty that is against the grain to flesh and blood. Note, There are many who take pleasure in hearing the word, but make no conscience of doing it; and so they build upon the sand, and deceive themselves.
3. Let us see what will be in the end hereof: Shall their unbelief and carelessness make the word of God of no effect? By no means. (1.) God will confirm the prophet's word, though they contemn it, and make light of it, Eze 33:33. What he says will come to pass, and not one jot or one tittle shall fall to the ground. Note, The curses of the law, though they may be bantered by profane wits, cannot be baffled. (2.) They themselves shall rue their folly when it is too late. When it comes to pass they shall know, shall know to their cost, know to their confusion, that a prophet has been among them, though they made no more of him than as one that had a pleasant voice. Note, Those who will not consider that a prophet is among them, and who improve not the day of their visitation while it is continued, will be made to remember that a prophet has been among them when the things that belong to their peace are hidden from their eyes. The day is coming when vain and worldly men will have other thoughts of things than now they have, and will feel a weight in that which they made light of. They shall know that a prophet has been among them when they see the event exactly answer the prediction, and the prophet himself shall be a witness against them that they had fair warning given them, but would not take it. When Ezekiel is gone, whom now they speak against, and there is no more any prophet, nor any to show them how long, then they will remember that once they had a prophet, but knew not how to use him well. Note, Those who will not know the worth of mercies by the improvement of them will justly be made to know the worth of them by the want of them, as those who should desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, which now they slighted, and might not see it.
先知如今已結束了他的巡迴——他曾奉神的名如同審判官一般,去審問鄰近的列國並向他們宣判。他在前八章裏讀完了他們一切的厄運之後,現在回到他本國的子民那裏,領受進一步的指示,當向他們說什麼。一、他必須讓他們知道,自己在民中擔任的是什麼職分——他是先知,更是守望者,並已從神領受關乎他們的託付,為此他必須交賬(結三十三1-9)。這事的要旨我們先前已見過(結三17等)。二、他必須讓他們知道他們與神之間的地位如何——他們正受審斷,正處於受試驗的境地:惡人若悔改就必不滅亡,義人若背道也必滅亡(結三十三10-20)。三、這裏有一段特別的信息,傳給那些仍留在以色列地的人——奇怪的是,他們竟在那裏漸漸安逸,自信能再次在那地扎根——要告訴他們,因他們仍固執於罪中,他們的指望必歸落空(結三十三21-29)。四、這裏有一段責備,針對那些親身來聽以西結講道、卻在敬虔的表現上並不真誠的人(結三十三30-33)。