Ezekiel 12

Ezekiel 12 SYMBOLS AND SERMONSThe introductory phrase the word of the LORD came to me (Ezekiel 12:1) indicates the beginning of a new series of messages. In all likelihood, the symbolic actions and oracles recorded here date from the same time as those in the preceding section, viz., in the summer of 592 B.C. In this unit Ezekiel’ s purpose is to defend and reinforce the announcement of Jerusalem’ s coming judgment.

In Ezekiel each vision is followed by a message that expands and develops the concepts in the vision. Ezekiel’s inaugural vision (chs 1-3) is followed by the announcements of judgment on Jerusalem. The vision of Jerusalem’s iniquity and judgment (chs 8-11) is elaborated in chs 12-19. The focus is on the wickedness of the Judean leadership.

The messages in chs 12-14 have four subdivisions, with each subdivision itself being a logical bifid. Ezekiel has here incorporated (1) two symbolic actions that he performed (Ezekiel 12:3-20); (2) two popular sayings that he corrected (Ezekiel 12:21-28); (3) two scathing oracles that he delivered (Ezekiel 13:1-23); and (4) two objections to the judgment that he answered (14:1-23). ACTIONS Eze_12:1-22 In ch 12 Ezekiel was commanded to demonstrate to the captives in Babylon, through the medium of symbolic actions, the certainty of Judah’ s destruction. In the parable of the fugitive he assumes the role of a refugee who tries to flee a beleaguered city (Ezekiel 12:1-16). The second parable sets forth the hardships that will be experienced when Jerusalem comes under siege (Ezekiel 12:17-20). Prophecies of speedy deliverance were current in both Jerusalem and Babylon. The teaching of this section is especially aimed at countering this false optimism. Deportation of Judeans (Ezekiel 12:1-16) Preliminary observation (Ezekiel 12:1-2): The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 12:2) Son of man, you are sitting in the midst of a rebellious house. They have eyes to see, and do not see, ears to hear, but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel’ s congregation in Babylon was enough to discourage the most ardent preacher. They were indeed a rebellious house; they refused to see or hear the truth (Ezekiel 12:2). Ezekiel had been warned of this in his commission (Ezekiel 2:3-8), but now he experiences the reality of that truth. The exiles had refused to listen to the inspired explanation of their plight that Ezekiel had conveyed to them in sign and word during the previous twelve months.

They clung desperately— irrationally— to the conviction that God ultimately would deliver Jerusalem. Still the prophet must try to get through to them. The preacher’ s knowledge that his words will be ignored is never to be used as an excuse for not uttering those words. The truth must forthrightly be preached if only to justify the hearer’ s condemnation.

General instructions (Ezekiel 12:3): As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’ s baggage. Go into exile by day before their eyes. You will go like an exile from your place unto another before their eyes. Perhaps they will see, for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel was told to prepare for himself the kind of articles that a person might be permitted to carry on a journey into exile. The barest necessities— a staff, knapsack, drinking cup— might be among the articles gathered. These preparations were to be made by day so as to call attention to them.

Ezekiel’ s strange behavior must have been the talk of the exilic community. No doubt he had no lack of spectators to watch and gossip about his every action. Having gained their attention, Ezekiel was to imitate an exile by traveling from his place to an indefinite location outside his house. The object of this symbolic action was to attract the attention of the rebellious house (Ezekiel 12:3). Though discouraged by his lack of visible results, Ezekiel needed to be reminded that it was always possible that some might understand. Perhaps expresses doubt, but also hope. Specific instructions (Ezekiel 12:4-6) Verses 4-6 set forth in more detail how Ezekiel was to carry out his fugitive parable. His pantomime consists of wordless gestures, designed to attract attention and evoke questions.

Preparation (Ezekiel 12:4 a): Carry out your baggage like the baggage of an exile by day before their eyes. Ezekiel was to take the necessary “ props” out of his house and pile them up opposite his door. The baggage was to be assembled by day.

Exit (Ezekiel 12:4 b): Go out in the evening before their eyes like those who go out to exile. The actual trek was to take place in the cool of the evening. At evening time he was to go forth like an exile seeking to evade the enemy. In this action Ezekiel was to assume the dejected demeanor and desperation of a man faced with the grim reality of exile.

Digging (Ezekiel 12:5): Before their eyes dig for yourself in the wall, then carry out through it. He was to dig through the wall in plain view of the people. The reference probably is to the wall of the courtyard around his house, not the wall of the city or of the house itself. Walls in Babylonia were built of sun-dried brick that could, with some exertion, be removed by hand. Through the hole in the wall, Ezekiel was to carry out his captive’ s baggage.

Luggage (Ezekiel 12:6 a): Before their eyes carry it upon a shoulder. Carry it out at twilight. Cover your face so you cannot see the ground… Once through the wall, he was to carry his exile’ s baggage upon his shoulder into the early evening darkness. He was to wear a covering over his face. This has the effect of making it impossible for him to see the ground.

Purpose (Ezekiel 12:6 b): because I have placed you as a sign to the house of Israel. In all this action Ezekiel was serving as a sign to the house of Israel, i.e., a warning of the impending doom facing Jerusalem.

Ezekiel’s compliance (Ezekiel 12:7): I did as I was commanded. My baggage I brought out like an exile’ s baggage by day. In the evening I dug for myself in the wall with my hand. At twilight I brought it out. Upon my shoulder I carried it before their eyes. Ezekiel faithfully carried out his instructions. During the day he brought forth his “ props.” That evening he dug through the walls with his hands. Digging with the hands, rather than with a pick, suggests that the fugitive tries to avoid the sound of tools.

Explanation to the prophet (Ezekiel 12:8-16) A question from the audience (Ezekiel 12:8-9): The word of the LORD came to me in the morning, saying, (Ezekiel 12:9) Son of man, have not the house of Israel, the house of rebellion, said unto you, What are you doing? Following the night in which Ezekiel made his symbolic escape, he received a revelation from God (v 8). Apparently not even Ezekiel was fully aware of the significance of the actions he had performed, except in the very general sense that it indicated the prospect of further exile for the Jews of Jerusalem. By means of a negative question, God alludes to the fact that many people had been interrogating Ezekiel about his strange behavior. General significance (Ezekiel 12:10-11): Say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD: This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel that are in the midst of them. (Ezekiel 12:11) Say: I am your sign! As I have done, so will it be done to them; with the captives they will go into captivity. Ezekiel was to inform the people that the burden— his prophetic message — had to do with the prince, i.e., King Zedekiah and all the house of Israel who still were in the midst of them i.e., the arrogant apostates in Jerusalem. Some who belonged to the true Israel still remained in the condemned city. To the exiles, Ezekiel was a sign or an illustration or an object lesson. What he had done in symbolic parody will actually befall the inhabitants of Jerusalem— they will be driven from their homeland (exile) and forced to settle in areas set apart for them by their conquerors (captivity).Unsuccessful escape effort (Ezekiel 12:12-15) Flight of the prince (Ezekiel 12:12): The prince who is in the midst of them will bear upon his shoulder that he may go out.

Through the wall they will dig to carry out through it. His face he will cover so that he will not be able to see the ground with the eye. In an attempt to avoid the fate of his people, the prince that is among them (Zedekiah) will flee by night (cf. 2 Kings 25:4). He will carry what meager belongings he could in a sack thrown over his shoulder. This exodus will be made through a hole while they (the royal servants) will be able to hastily dig through some palace wall. Zedekiah’s face will be covered for purposes of disguise and mourning so that he will not be able to see the ground.

The further significance of the covered face is found in the fact that Zedekiah was blinded at Riblah by the Chaldeans. From that time he could not see the ground upon which he trod.

Capture of the prince (Ezekiel 12:13): I will spread out my net over him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him into Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, though he will die there. Zedekiah’ s escape efforts will not be successful. The arm of God, as well as the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, will be against him. His flight will be arrested by an act of God. The soldiers of the Chaldean army will act as agents of God to ensnare the apostate king. The king will be hauled off to Babylon, yet he will never see the land. This amazing prophecy was fulfilled when the Chaldeans blinded Zedekiah’ s eyes at Riblah (2 Kings 25:7).

Scattering of the forces (Ezekiel 12:14 a): All who surround him to help and all his forces, I will scatter to every wind. The royal bodyguard will desert their commander in the moment of crisis. They will flee for their lives with the Chaldean swordsmen in hot pursuit.

A learning experience (Ezekiel 12:14-15): I will empty the sword after them, (Ezekiel 12:15) that they may know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among nations, and disperse them in the countries. When these gloomy prophecies were fulfilled, the remnant of God’ s people scattered through the nations will realize that Yahweh is God of justice as well as salvation.

A note of hope (Ezekiel 12:16): But I will spare a few men among them from sword, famine and pestilence in order that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come, that they may know that I am the LORD. A few will survive the overthrow of Jerusalem— the sword, the famine, the pestilence. They will become truly converted. They will openly admit to their guilt in worshiping pagan abominations. They will realize for the first time the full significance of the name Yahweh. They will make known the name and claim of Yahweh among the heathen nations where they dwell. Through their testimony, heathen nations will recognize the justice of the exile and the righteous character of Yahweh who engineered it.

Suffering of Jerusalem’ s Inhabitants (Ezekiel 12:17-20) Ezekiel’s actions (Ezekiel 12:17-18): And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 11:18) son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and fear. After an interval of silence, another command came to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:17). He was to set forth symbolically the conditions that will exist in Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege. Meager rations of bread and water were to be consumed in a state of fear and anxiety. Earlier Ezekiel had symbolized vividly the starvation diet of the besieged city (Ezekiel 4:9-17). Here the focus is upon the acute terror that will grip the populace when the enemy besieged Jerusalem. The word trembling in Ezekiel 11:18 is elsewhere used only of earthquakes, and thus connotes the idea of violent shaking.

Ezekiel’s message (Ezekiel 12:19-20) The fear of the people (Ezekiel 12:19 a): Say unto the people of the land, Thus says the LORD to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, unto the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with fear, and their water they will drink with astonishment… So that there will be no misunderstanding of his actions, Ezekiel adds a thus says the Lord directed to the people of the land (his fellow exiles). It concerned those who still lived in Jerusalem. While much of what Ezekiel had said was directed to the national leaders, here he includes the working classes from the farms and villages. The days were coming when they will consume their meager provisions of bread and water with fear and astonishment. Cowering in a corner as one hunted down and dreading pursuit, Ezekiel portrayed the terror that will haunt the lives of the besieged in Jerusalem.

Desolation of the land (Ezekiel 12:19 b-20): that her land may be desolate from its fullness, because of the violence of all those who dwell in her. (Ezekiel 12:20) The inhabited cities will become desolate. The land will be an astonishment, that you may know that I am the LORD. Her land, i .e., Jerusalem’ s land, was to become desolate from its fullness. The land was to be stripped of its possessions. The punishment, though severe, will be just because of the violence— the oppression and rebellion— of the inhabitants.POPULAR SAYINGS Eze_12:21-28"The Days are Prolonged” (Ezekiel 12:21-25) A current proverb (Ezekiel 12:21-22): And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 12:22) Son of man, what is this proverb that your people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged and every vision has perished? Still another revelation came to the prophet (Ezekiel 11:21) in order to instruct him about how to deal with a perverse attitude that was current among those who were in Israel. The same attitude was current among the Jews in Babylon. This attitude had crystallized into a clever, pithy, four-word Hebrew proverb (masal) that was wielding tremendous influence among the Jews. Though prophet after prophet had come in the name of God predicting national doom, yet the days are prolonged, i.e., time passes, and the visions of doom and destruction never materialize. Throughout history such has been the cry of those with little or no faith.

In effect this proverb sneers at the prophet because his threats had not immediately and dramatically become reality. Perhaps the people had the notion that with the passage of time the power of the prophetic word became ineffective.

Response to the proverb (Ezekiel 12:23-25) A counter-proverb (Ezekiel 12:23): Therefore say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I have made this proverb to cease, and they will not make use of it any more in Israel; but speak unto them: The days draw near, and the word of every vision. God had an answer, for the careless unconcern and unbelief of his people. The perverse proverb will not be used much longer in the land. In a four-word counter-proverb, Ezekiel underscored the fact that his prophecies of doom were not for some distant age. The days are at hand when every word of every ominous vision will come to pass.

Cessation of false prophecy (Ezekiel 12:24): For there will no longer be any lying vision, nor flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel. The devastating flow of events will stop the mouths of charlatans who were specialists in vain vision and smooth divination (Ezekiel 12:24). Optimistic promises of last-minute divine rescue for the holy city will be discredited. False slogans, however catchy, will die. Fulfillment of God’s word (Ezekiel 12:25): For I the LORD will speak, and the word that I will speak will come to pass. It will not be prolonged any more; for in your days O rebellious house, I will speak, and I will perform it (oracle of the Lord GOD). While false prophet ceases, God will speak. Whatever he speaks will assuredly come to pass. As an evidence of grace, execution of divine wrath had in the past been delayed, but no more. The grace period was over. The present rebellious generation will not only hear the prophets speak the word of God, they will witness the Lord of history perform that word in their land and city.

“For Distant Days”(Ezekiel 12:26-28): A current proverb (Ezekiel 12:26-27): The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 12:27) Son of man, Behold, the house of Israel is saying, The vision that he sees is for distant days; of far off times he prophesies. Some had grudgingly recognized an element of truth in the predictions of Ezekiel. They did not say that his vision had failed. Rather they were content with throwing the fulfillment into the distant future.

Response to the proverb (Ezekiel 12:28): Therefore, say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD: All my words will not be prolonged any longer, because I speak a word that it may be done (oracle of the LORD). To those who transferred the divine threats to distant times, God reaffirmed that his judgment was both absolute and imminent. The destruction of the temple and the holy city, and the departure of the divine presence from the sanctuary, were already drawing near.

Ezekiel Chapter TwelveVerse 1 VARIOUS AGAINST (Ezekiel 12-19) ACTED THE SIEGE AND There is very little need for any special help in understanding this chapter. The judicially hardened condition of the Chosen People, including even those of the captivity, had left them unwilling to hear the word of God; and yet both Jeremiah in Jerusalem and Ezekiel in Babylon continued their faithful ministries. The necessity for God’s prophets to continue their efforts to guide the Chosen People into the Truth derived from the fact that a proliferation of false prophets were shouting their false assurances of the safety and security of Jerusalem, and their equally false promises of a short captivity for the exiles and their speedy return to Jerusalem. Of course, the message of the false prophets was extremely attractive to the hardened people of God, and that made it very difficult for them to believe God’s true prophets. It was almost impossible for the people to accept the bitter facts that practically none of them would ever return to Jerusalem, that Jerusalem would be destroyed, along with the temple, that the few survivors would be deported to join the other captives in Babylon, and that “the righteous remnant” would be derived from a few of the captives who, in the second generation, would indeed find their way back to Jerusalem. It was due to the very great difficulties of the situation that special miracles attended some of the prophecies of Ezekiel. The sudden death of Pelatiah in Ezekiel 11 was one such miracle; and the exact prophecy of the capture, blinding, and deportation of Zedekiah, all of which was most circumstantially fulfilled shortly after the prophecy was given, is another. It was also the severe difficulty of conditions under which Ezekiel prophesied that resulted in the use of dramatic, enacted prophecies of the siege, deportation, terror, and hardships of the people. There was no way that even the most unwilling of the captives could have failed to understand what God’s message actually was. “The purpose is evident throughout this whole section of Ezekiel 12-19, namely, that of presenting the necessity for the exile and the moral cause of it."[1]Ezekiel 12:1-6“The word of Jehovah also came unto me, saying, Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing; and thou shalt go forth thy self at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile. Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face that thou see not the land: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.“GOD AN ENACTED This command to Ezekiel, “Stands under the same date as Ezekiel 8:1, namely 592-1 B.C.;"[2] and this means that the fulfillment of it was only about four or five years after this prophecy was enacted. There were no great difficulties involved in Ezekiel’s following these instructions. It had been only a few years since he himself and thousands of others were exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon; and he would have remembered exactly what the exiles would have carried, the manner of their loading it, and what would be necessary. All of his exiled neighbors would also have recognized the significance of such a back-pack, designed to be carried by exiles. “In their sight …” (Ezekiel 12:3-4). These words appear no less than six times in four verses, indicating that the purpose of the prophet’s actions was that of getting as much public attention as possible; and it is easy to suppose that such actions did indeed attract a lot of attention and speculation upon the possible meaning of what Ezekiel did. The covering of the face was a symbol of the people’s sorrow in leaving their homeland. It also appears that this might have been a prophecy of the blinding of Zedekiah, or a reference to his flight at night, when he could not see the land. Verse 7 “And I did as I was commanded; I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for removing, and in the even I digged through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.“This verse merely notes that Ezekiel carded out the Lord’s instructions exactly. Verse 8 “And in the morning came the word of Jehovah unto me, saying, Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou? Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: this burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are. Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them; they shall go forth into exile, into captivity. And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, for he shall not see the land, because he shall not see the land with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.““This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem …” (Ezekiel 12:10). The word “burden” refers to a prediction of some woeful event, and was often used by God’s prophets to describe the prophecy of doom to some city or some individual, as, for example, in the case of Nahum’s “burden of Nineveh.” Here, the message is that this prophecy of capture, blindness, and captivity applies to Zedekiah, the puppet king of Nebuchadnezzar’s on the throne of Judah. G. A. Cooke, and other radical critics, denominate this prophecy as a “post eventum” prophecy, without any authority whatever, against all evidence, and in spite of the historical corroboration of the fact that the prophecy was spoken long before Zedekiah’s fall. What is the basis of this scholarly blindness? It is based upon the critical dictum that, there is no such thing as predictive prophecy, a silly and irresponsible rule that has no basis whatever except in the prejudice of evil men who are simply unwilling to believe God’s Word. Did not the Hebrew Scriptures prophesy the whole person and works of the Son of God afull quarter of a millennium before our Lord was born? Did they not name the town where he would be born, eight centuries before the event? Only a fool can accept the critical dictum that there is no such thing as predictive prophecy. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF In the paragraph before us, we have the prophecy of Zedekiah’s flight from Jerusalem by night, his capture, his blinding, and his deportation to Babylon. It just happens that Ezekiel dates his prophecy (Ezekiel 8:1), about five years prior to its fulfillment. Canon Cook reminds us that, “The genuineness of Ezekiel and the position of this passage within it are beyond dispute. Jeremiah 39:4,2 Kings 25:4 provide a Scriptural record of the historical fulfillment; and the only legitimate inference is that Ezekiel received his information from above."[3]Note that Cook stated that the facts here are “beyond dispute.” How is this true? The Jewish historian, Josephus records the fact that Zedekiah himself was familiar with Ezekiel’s prophecy, which definitely means that the prophecy did not originate after the king’s death. Zedekiah himself heard the prophecies both of Jeremiah and of Ezekiel, for Ezekiel’s prophecy had been sent to Jerusalem; but Zedekiah did not believe their prophecies for the following reason. The two prophets agreed with one another in all other things: (1) that the city should be taken, (2) Zedekiah himself would be taken captive and carried to Babylon. Zedekiah was told by Jeremiah that his eyes should see Nebuchadnezzar; but Ezekiel prophesied that Zedekiah would never see Babylon. Zedekiah thought that contradicted Jeremiah who had prophesied that Zedekiah would indeed be carried to Babylon. Therefore, he disbelieved what they both said, condemning them as false prophets![4]This event is too well documented, both in the Bible and in history for it to be intelligently denied. Poor old Zedekiah, like many another skeptic, fancied that he found a contradiction in God’s Word; but both prophecies were most accurately and circumstantially fulfilled.

It all happened as the prophets said. Zedekiah did indeed see Nebuchadnezzar face to face in Riblah in Hamath, but he never saw Babylon, despite the fact of his being carried captive to Babylon and eventually dying there. Nebuchadnezzar blinded Zedekiah at Riblah after forcing the unhappy king to witness the execution of all of his sons. Verse 14 “And I will scatter to every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the word after them. And they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them though the countries. But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.“Here it appears that one of God’s reasons for leaving any survivors at all was that he might have witnesses unto all generations of the gross sins and abominations of the Chosen People. “I will scatter all … who were there to help Zedekiah… and all of his bands (soldiers) …” (Ezekiel 12:14). This also happened exactly as prophesied. “But those friends and captains of Zedekiah who had fled with him out of the city, when they saw their enemies near them, they left him and dispersed themselves, some one way, and some another … so they took Zedekiah alive, when he was deserted by all but a few; and with his children and his wives, they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar."[5]Verse 17 “Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with fearfulness; and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate and despoiled of all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.“This is an enacted prophecy of the hardships of the siege, and it bears a good deal of similarity to the passage in Ezekiel 4:9-17, especially Ezekiel 12:16-17; “But, whereas the earlier passage stresses the scarcity of food and water during the siege, this passage is designed to prophesy the terror and fearfulness of it."[6]The additional truth here is that all of the outlying cities of Judah will also be destroyed along with Jerusalem itself, as stated in verse 19, the very same verse. As for the notion that Ezekiel could not have addressed people in Judah while he himself was in Babylon, the words of Josephus, quoted above, show clearly that all of Ezekiel’s prophecies were also read and studied in Jerusalem. “The people of the land …” (Ezekiel 12:19). Some have objected to this expression, for it generally meant land-owners of the wealthier class of people; and as Ezekiel was in Babylon, such a term could not be applied to the captives; but the objection has no weight. The message here was to the “the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel.” Verse 21 “And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, what is this proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say to them, The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For there shall be no more any false vision, nor any flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am Jehovah; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed; it shall be no more deferred: for in your days, O rebellions house, I will speak the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord Jehovah.“EZEKIEL ANSWERS A FALSE PROVERBThese words and some of the following prophecies deal with the problem of true and false prophecy. The unbelievers, encouraged by the false prophets, were saying, “Look, we’ve heard all this before. Nothing happens; things are going on just the same as always.” Very well, the Lord says here, “Your wicked generation is the very one that shall indeed see every vision fulfilled, every prophecy vindicated, and all the predictions against the apostate nation happening just like the true prophets said.” This proverb appears in the Hebrew here literally, as, “The days lengthen; the vision fails."[7] In those days, even as today, a catchy proverb can be a very bad influence, if it is founded upon a falsehood. In all generations, there have been echoes of this same attitude. The apostle Peter declared that, “In the last days, mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4). Verse 26 “Again the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of times that are far off. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, saith the Lord Jehovah.“ANOTHER FALSE PROVERB REFUTEDAlthough the problem created by this false proverb was very similar to the one addressed in the previous paragraph, “There is a slight variation. The gainsayers are not saying here that, `The vision faileth’; they indeed recognize Ezekiel as a prophet; but they throw the fulfillment of his words into the far distant future."[8]The refutation of such false views would appear in the complete fulfilment of the prophecies in the very near future. From the time of this chapter until the total ruin of Jerusalem and all Judah, along with the slaughter of most of the people, the burning of the temple, the capture, blinding, and captivity of their king, and the deportation of the pitiful remnant to Babylon where they would join their other unbelieving brethren in their captivity until it was all fulfilled was only a matter of four or five years. When? All of this, the last ugly detail of it, happened within a time-frame of only four or five years. Allowing some eighteen months for the siege, the events prophesied in this very chapter began to unfold only three and one half years after the prophecies were given to Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 12:1

Ezekiel 12:1. Instead Of using a vision God spoke directly to the prophet.

Ezekiel 12:2

Ezekiel 12:2. Ezekiel and most of the Jews were in Babylon at the time he was doing his work as a prophet. At the same time there were still some left in Jerusalem, for that city had not yet been destroyed. That event was about due and would be the 3rd stage of the captivity. But in spite of the two events that had taken place, referred to as the 1st and 2nd captivities, as well as other evidences of God’ s truth, many of the Jews doubted that their capital would really be destroyed. Some of them in Babylon even professed to hope that they would soon return to Jerusalem which they would find unharmed. Eyes and ears which see and hear not, means they refused to use their own senses to perceive the truth.

Ezekiel 12:3

Ezekiel 12:3. The prophet was told to do some more “ acting” which we have previously seen. (See at 1 Kings 20:35.) In this case it was to emphasize the prediction that the people still left in Jerusalem would soon be moved out and taken to another place. Stuff means the outfit that one would use or need when going from one place to another. That i3, the articles one would especially need were he going to spend some time in a strange locality. With these articles Ezekiel was to go through the motions of moving in the sight of the rebellious house or people.

Ezekiel 12:4

Ezekiel 12:4. Day and even are both named in a significant manner. He was to use the day in making the preparation, and when evening came he was to go out with the movements of one who had been banished from his native land.

Ezekiel 12:5

Ezekiel 12:5. The town where Ezekiel and other captives were living would he enclosed with a wall. He was to make an opening through that wall large enough for a man to pass through, then let the people see him leave by way of the opening.

Ezekiel 12:6

Ezekiel 12:6. Covering Ills face while going through this performance would indicate that the prophet was not seeing his own way in it, but was being directed by an unseen force. This would serve as a sign to the Israelites: the word Is from MOPHETH which Strong defines. “ A token or omen.” By such an unusual performance of the prophet it was hoped to impress the people that something important was about to take place.

Ezekiel 12:7

Ezekiel 12:7, This verse merely records the carrying out of the orders which the prophet had received from the Lord.

Ezekiel 12:8

Ezekiel 12:8. The scenes described in the preceding verses produced some interest among the people as the night was passing, and in the morning the Lord spoke again.

Ezekiel 12:9

Ezekiel 12:9, God knew the people had asked the prophet for an explanation of his actions, and He was ready to furnish the answer.

Ezekiel 12:10

Ezekiel 12:10. Burden is a figure of speech and means an important prophecy or other message was about to be delivered. The prince in Jerusalem was Zedekiah, who was left on his throne there by the king of Babylon, but who was reigning only as a subject-king under Nebuchadnezzar. There were also some of the inhabitants of the city left in it and they were included in the house of Israel that are among them.

Ezekiel 12:11

Ezekiel 12:11. This verse connects the acting of the prophet witb the event that was to be its fulfillment. Ezekiel was to tell his people that it was performed in their sight as a sign. (See the explanation of this word at verse 6.1 Them and they are pronouns that stand for the persons mentioned in the close of the preceding verse. The prediction was that they were to go into captivity, meaning the “3rd captivity.”

Ezekiel 12:12

Ezekiel 12:12. The apparent secrecy that Ezekiel maintained would prove to have foreshadowed some of the actions of Zedekiah. He had been warned to be submissive to the king of Babylon since the whole transaction of the captivity was of the Lord, but he thought he could etude the enemy and escape. Dig through the wall is what Ezekiel actually did as a sign, but it is used figuratively of Zedekiah. However, he did attempt to escape by means of the wall, and did it in the twilight or night. The fulfillment of this is recorded in 2 Kings 25:4 and Jeremiah 39:4.

Ezekiel 12:13

Ezekiel 12:13. This net referred to the forces of Babylon which the Lord was using in the overthrow of Jerusalem and its acting king. The apparent difficulty in the closing clause of this verse will be made clear by 2 Kings 25 : G, 7; Jeremiah 32:4.

Ezekiel 12:14

Ezekiel 12:14. Some of the men of war in Jerusalem thought to elude capture by following Zedekiah in his flight. This verse predicts their failure, and the historical account of it is in 2 Kings 25:4; 2 Kings 25:6.

Ezekiel 12:15

Ezekiel 12:15. Again we see the chief motive that was behind these great demonstrations against the unfaithful people of Israel from time to time was to make them know; that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 12:16

Ezekiel 12:16. These few were the “remnant” referred to frequently and the fulfillment is at Ezra 2:64. See the note at Jeremiah 14:12 regarding the sword, famine and pestilence, regarded as one form of judgment upon the evil nation.

Ezekiel 12:17

Ezekiel 12:17. Moreover means the same as furthermore. The Lord had something more to say to the prophet, and it was to be in connection with his next work.

Ezekiel 12:18

Ezekiel 12:18. This verse directed Ezekiel to do some more “acting.” He was not in any personal want but was to deai with the conditions of famine that were to come upon the jieopie still left in Jerusalem. The carefulness means he was to use the provisions sparingly as if they were being rationed out to him.

Ezekiel 12:19

Ezekiel 12:19. People of the land meant the Jews then in Babylon with the prophet, and inhabitants of Jerusalem were those still in the city but who were doomed to be soon removed. Ere that event took place they were to undergo the pangs of famine.

Ezekiel 12:20

Ezekiel 12:20. Some cities besides Jerusalem were still lingering on the verge of total destruction, and they, too, were soon to feel the final blows from Babylon.

Ezekiel 12:21-22

Ezekiel 12:21-22. The Jews persisted in denying the warnings that had been so often tittered to them and which had been backed up by so muck evidence of being from God. Just at the moment, most of the nation was in the land of Babylon, having been victims of the first or second stage of the captivity. And yet, when the prophet, declared that all Jerusalem and its remaining inhabitants were to be overthrown, they either denied the truth of it altogether, or else were saying that It was not to be for a long time. If a threatened judgment upon man does not come as soon as he expects, then the seeming delay is interpreted to mean that the prediction is false. Solomon had such a condition In mind when he wrote Ecclesiastes 8:11, and the same thought ia set forth in 2 Peter 3:4 regarding the end of the world.

Ezekiel 12:23

Ezekiel 12:23. Proverb ts used in the sense of something that is repeated frequently as if it were taken for granted to be a truth. But the Lord declared that it would he caused to cease, for the days are at hand when the threatened event will occur. All of Ezekiel’ s writings thus far were done between the 2nd and 3rd stages of the captivities, and that period altogether was only eleven years. But most of that had passed at the time we are now studying, hence the final downfall of the capital city was truly at liana.

Ezekiel 12:24

Ezekiel 12:24. Vain vision and flattering divination refers to the false predictions and unauthorized assurances that the evil leaders had been giving to the people. The actual fall of the city would certainly put an end to that.

Ezekiel 12:25

Ezekiel 12:25. in your days denoted that the very people to whom these threats had been made would live to see their fulfillment and would personally suffer in them.

Ezekiel 12:26

Ezekiel 12:26. The frequent repetition of such language as this verse will keep us mindful that the prophet was being inspired by the Lord in all his utterances.

Ezekiel 12:27

Ezekiel 12:27. The attention of the prophet was called to the clamors of the people, relative to the far-off date of the affliction that has been made against them.

Ezekiel 12:28

Ezekiel 12:28, Ezekiel was assured that the fulfillment was not far off, and the reader may see the account of Its fulfillment in 2 Kings 25:1-2.