Dave Burnette's Commentary

Ezekiel Chapter 12

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Ezekiel
Date Penned: (571 BC)
Overview: To Announce God's Judgement and Salvation (c 1-5)
Theme: Messages of Doom (c 1-24)
Message: Punishment is Certain (v 1-28)


Ezekiel 12 Commentary

(12:1)  Ezekiel played the role of a captive being led away to exile, portraying what was about to happen to King Zedekiah and the people remaining in Jerusalem. The exiles knew exactly what Ezekiel was doing because only six years earlier they'd had to hastily pack whatever they could as they left Jerusalem for Babylonia as slaves going into exile. Ezekiel was demonstrating that the people in Judah and Jerusalem should not trust the king or the capital city to save them from the Babylonian army--only God could do that. He was also pointing out that the exiles who hoped for an early return from exile would be disappointed. Ezekiel's graphic demonstration was proven correct to the last detail. But even though he warned them, many tuned him out and refused to listen. 

(12:10-12) Zedekiah - Zedekiah, Judah's last king (597-586 BC), was reigning in Jerusalem when Ezekiel gave these oracles (messages) from God. Ezekiel showed the people what would happen to Zedekiah. Jerusalem would be attacked again, and Zedekiah would join the exiles already in Babylon. Zedekiah would be unable to see because Nebuchadnezzar would have his eyes gouged out (2 Kings 25:3=7; Jeremiah 52:10-11). 

(12:21-28)  These two short messages were warnings that God's words would come true--soon! Less than six years after these warnings were given, Jerusalem would be destroyed. Yet the people were skeptical. Unbelief and false security led them to believe the prophet's words would never be fulfilled. The apostle Peter dealt with this problem in the church in reference to the prophecies about the coming return of Jesus (2 Peter 3:9). It is dangerous to say that Jesus will not return in your lifetime or to regard his coming as being so far in the future that it is irrelevant today. All that God says is sure to happen. Every one of Ezekiel's prophetic visions would be fulfilled. Don't assume you have plenty of time to get right with God.

 


David Burnette's Life Application


Faith in God's Word

 

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue the Book of Ezekiel with Chapter 12. In our text today we see Ezekiel demonstrating the exile to the people of God yet they refused to believe due to their lack of faith. In making application we see that many struggle with faith in the words of God from the Bible. The truth is that if it is written in the Bible we can believe and stand on its words as truth. Even the things to come will come to pass which should cause us to walk by faith on the truth in the Bible. How about you? Do you stand and make decisions on the truths of the Bible? Let us learn from our text today and example of Ezekiel to remember that God's Word is truth and we are to live on the truths, making decisions, and living for the Lord based on the promises found in the Bible.

 

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Ezekiel 12

Ezekiel 12

 1The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,

 2Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

 3Therefore, 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 be a rebellious house.

 4Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.

 5Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.

 6In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

 7And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

 8And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,

 9Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

 10Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.

 11Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.

 12And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.

 13My 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.

 14And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

 15And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.

 16But 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 heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

 17Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

 18Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;

 19And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

 20And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

 21And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

 22Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

 23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.

 24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

 25For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

 26Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying.

 27Son 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 the times that are far off.

 28Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.