I have not said in vain, etc. The thought of that self-loathing and repentance reconciles Ezekiel to his work. To "labour in vain" is the great misery of all workers for God. A time will come when he shall see that God has not sent him to such a work "in vain."
What before was dark will be made clear unto him (comp. Ezekiel 14:23). Ezekiel's words, "not in vain," are echoed frequently by St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15:14, 1 Corinthians 15:58; 2 Corinthians 6:1; Philippians 2:16, et al.
). The corresponding phrase, "I have broken their eyes," sounds strange to us; but, after all, the heart is not literally broken more than the eyes, and figuratively the same words may be applied to either, so that there is no need for supposing, with some critics, that a more appropriate verb has been dropped out.
Eyes and heart were alike involved in the sin (Ezekiel 20:7, Ezekiel 20:8, Ezekiel 20:24; Numbers 15:39), and both came under the same chastisement that was to lead them to repentance.