2:1 Yahweh instructed Ezekiel to stand on his feet because the Lord wanted to speak with him.
"Not paralysis before him is desired by God, but reasonable service. . . . It is man erect, man in his manhood, with whom God will have fellowship and with whom he will speak."71
The title "son of man"is a distinctive one in this prophecy and stresses the humanity of the prophet in contrast to the deity of the glorious Lord. The Hebrew title appears 93 times in Ezekiel and only once elsewhere in the Old Testament (Dan. 8:17).72"Son of"indicates a close relationship even when it does not describe literal sonship (e.g., "son of death,"i.e., someone deserving to die, 1 Sam. 10:31; or "son of peace,"i.e., a person associated with peace, Luke 10:6).
"By this title Ezekiel would be reminded continually that he was dependent on the Spirit's power, which enabled him to receive the message of God (v. 2) and to deliver it in the power and authority of the Lord--'This is what the Sovereign LORD says' (v. 4)."73
2:2 The Holy Spirit entered Ezekiel as the Lord spoke to him and enabled him to stand up and to hear what the Lord was saying (cf. 3:24; Exod. 4:10-15; 31:1-11; 1 Sam. 10:9-11; Ps. 51:11; Jer. 1:4-19; Dan. 8:18; Acts 2:4; Eph. 5:18; et al.).
2:3 The Lord explained that He was sending Ezekiel to the Israelites who were rebellious and had rebelled against Him. The current generation and their forefathers had transgressed against the Lord to the present day by violating the Mosaic Covenant. The history of Israel had been "one unbroken apostasy."74
"The word rebellious' can be understood as the key to the attitude of Israel throughout the book."75
"Though the technical language of covenant is sparse in Ezekiel, the notion of covenant is everywhere presupposed."76
2:4 The people to whom God was sending Ezekiel were stubborn and obstinate (lit. hard-faced and hard-hearted), like children often are. The prophet was to announce to them what their master Yahweh said. Ezekiel used the title "Lord God"(Heb. adonay Yahweh, Sovereign Yahweh) 217 times. It emphasizes both God's sovereign authority and His covenant-keeping faithfulness.77
2:5 As a result of Ezekiel's ministry these people would know that a prophet had been among them, that God had sent a messenger to them, whether they chose to listen or not. They might not listen because they were a rebellious "house"(nation), but Ezekiel was not to change his message to accommodate his hearers.
