Exile. This week Ezekiel is to portray it and then God tells him to explain it and to say that He will act fast. Focus on the lesson. We will see it again, the ‘know without any doubt that I am God’. You do, know that, right? God knows, He sees, He hears everything. He is omniscient and omnipresent and all powerful. Blessed be His Name.
Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the consistency, the reminders, the absolutely knowable things we can find in Scripture. Help us, lead us, reveal all the lessons we can learn in this chapter. Thank You, Lord.
Please read Ezekiel 12:1-3
Ezekiel Prepares for Exile
1 The word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, you live among a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious people. 3 Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for exile, and move into exile during the day when they will see you; even go into exile from your place to another place as they watch. Perhaps they will understand even though they are a rebellious people.”
Does that sound familiar? Jesus often tells them they have seeing eyes but don’t see, hearing ears but don’t hear. Make sure you are not one of those people. So how do we do that? Listen. Pray. Ask. Look for Him.
Please read Ezekiel 12:4-6
4 “Bring your [a]provisions and supplies out during the day as they watch, as provisions and supplies for [going into] exile. Then you shall go out at evening as they watch, as those going into exile. 5 Dig through the wall as they watch and go out through the hole. 6 As they look on, load the provisions and supplies on your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.”
God sets so many signs over the years for these people. Lord, may we not miss any signs you set for us. Open our eyes and let us see, open our ears and let us perceive.
Obedience is Far Better
Please read Ezekiel 12:7
7 I did as I had been commanded. I brought out my provisions and supplies during the day, like the provisions and supplies of an exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I brought out my provisions and supplies in the dark, carrying it on my shoulder as they watched.
Obedience. That’s all He wants. Obedience. Yet they chose to go their own way and for that, there are consequences.
Please read Ezekiel 12:8-10
8 In the morning the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, asked you, ‘What you are doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “This [b]oracle (a burden to be carried) concerns the prince (Zedekiah) in Jerusalem as well as all the house of Israel who are there.”’
See, He hears all. Every word. Every intention. Every action. He is all aware. When you see that does it make you want to change anything about your life?
A Sign
Please read Ezekiel 12:11-16
11 Say, ‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 The prince who is among them will load his provisions and supplies on his shoulder in the dark and go out. They will dig a hole through the wall to go out. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 I will also spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the [c]Chaldeans; yet he will [d]not see it, though he will die there. 14 I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them. 15 So they will know and understand fully that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the [pagan] countries. 16 But I will leave a few [survivors] who will escape the sword, the famine, and the virulent disease, that they may confess all their repulsive (idolatrous) acts among the nations where they go, and may know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.”
Specific judgment, specific messages. Not trying to confuse, He’s very clear in what He says. And what He says, He will do, so when you see it, you will know and understand fully that He is the Lord. Blessed are you who don’t need to see to believe.
Fear and Trembling – Exile Imminent
Please read Ezekiel 12:17-20
17 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18“Son of man, eat your bread with anxiety, and drink your water with trembling and with fear. 19 Then say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because their land will be stripped and looted of its fullness because of the violence of all those who live in it. 20 The cities that are inhabited will be in ruins and the land will be deserted; and you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.”’”
No Delay – Exile is Coming
Please read Ezekiel 12:21-25
21 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are long and every vision fails’? 23 Therefore tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “I will put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, “The days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there will no longer be any false and empty vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I the Lord will speak, and whatever word I speak will be accomplished. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and I will fulfill it,” says the Lord God.’”
He hears it all. His answer will not be delayed. Everything He says will be fulfilled. Praise God.
Please read Ezekiel 12:26-28
26 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 27 “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies of the times that are far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be fulfilled completely,”’” says the Lord God.
You can count on that too. “Whatever word I speak will be fulfilled completely.” Praise God.
Footnotes[a] Ezekiel 12:4 -provisions and supplies’ Lit baggage.
[b] Ezekiel 12:10 -oracle- I.e. an urgent message the prophet is under compulsion to proclaim.
[c] Ezekiel 12:13 -Chaldeans- The Chaldeans became the dominant people in Babylonia when Merodach-baladan declared himself king of Babylon. The words “Chaldean” and “Babylonian” are used interchangeably.
[d] Ezekiel 12:13 -not see it, though he will die there.- This prophecy was fulfilled as recorded in several Old Testament passages, especially note Jer 52:7-11. King Zedekiah’s eyes were blinded in Riblah before he was taken to Babylon, where he died. Therefore he did “not see it,” even though he died there.