Ezekiel 12

CHAPTER 12

The Exile Symbolized (12:1–28)

1–2 Here the Lord gives Ezekiel a new message, which he is to act out before the exiles in Babylonia. This time Ezekiel is told to act as if he were a Jew in Jerusalem getting ready to go into exile.

We must recall Ezekiel’s situation: he and many other Jews had already been exiled some years earlier. Ezekiel’s fellow exiles were a rebellious people (verse 1); they still had not repented; they still did not acknowledge that it was their own sin that had brought about their exile. They did not see or hear spiritual things (verse 2); their hearts were hardened (see Isaiah 6:910 and comment).

Furthermore, like the Jews still remaining in Jerusalem, the exiles believed that Jerusalem would never fall and that their exile would soon be over. But now Ezekiel is told to give them a sign, an acted–out prophecy, that the Jews in Jerusalem who escaped the sword would indeed be sent into exile, and that it would happen very quickly. Instead of the present exiles being freed, more exiles were going to join them! God’s purpose in giving Ezekiel such a message was to convince the exiles to accept their punishment and to repent of their sins.

3–7 In these verses God gives Ezekiel directions for acting out the role of an exile. He is to do this while his fellow exiles are watching. He is even to dig through the wall of his house (verse 5); he is to cover his face so that he doesn’t know where he is going (verse 6). The Lord still hopes that the exiles will see and understand what He is trying to communicate to them; He tells Ezekiel: “Perhaps they will under stand” (verse 3).

8–14 The exiles did not understand initially, but they were interested enough to ask Ezekiel: “What are you doing?” (verse 8).

Then God tells Ezekiel what answer to give them: Ezekiel is to be a sign for the exiles (verse 11); just as Ezekiel is doing, so it will be done to the Jews in Jerusalem. In particular, their prince (Zedekiah) will be exiled to Babylonia; but he will not see it (verses 12–13). This prophecy was fulfilled several years later when Nebuchadnezzar captured Zedekiah and put out his eyes (see 2 Kings 25:4–7); thus he never saw Babylonia.

15–16 In Old Testament times, people believed that when a nation was defeated it meant that that nation’s gods had failed. However, in the case of Judah, God would spare a few of His people so that they could testify to the nations that their God had not “failed”; it was because of their own sins that they had been driven into exile.

17–20 Here the Lord tells Ezekiel to act out another message for the people of the land, the exiles (verse 19). This time Ezekiel is to portray the anxiety and despair of the Jews in Jerusalem as they face the terror brought by the Babylonians. During times of blessing, the Jews had refused to learn from God; now God would teach them through times of judgment.

21–25 The Jews in Jerusalem had a proverb: . . . every vision (prophecy) comes to nothing (verse 22). Isaiah had prophesied a century earlier, and his prophecies hadn’t come true; Jeremiah had been prophesying about the fall of Jerusalem for many years, and his prophecies hadn’t come true either. But now God says He will put an end to that proverb, because the time has come for all those past prophecies to be fulfilled—without delay²⁰ (verses 23–25). What God has spoken He will now do. How much better it would have been for the Jews to have believed God’s warnings and averted disaster. How sad it is that so many people have to experience punishment and judgment before they learn that God is true to His word.

26–28 People avoid facing unpleasant truths in various ways. Some say: “It will never happen” (verse 22). Others say: “It will happen only in the distant future” (verse 27). But the Lord said to the people of Jerusalem–and to the exiles: “It will happen now. None of my words will be delayed any longer” (verse 28). And within a few years, Jerusalem fell.

Jesus has told us that He is coming again and that we should always be watchful and ready for His return. But we too become lax and careless; we live our lives as if He would never come—certainly not in our lifetime! But if we act like this we are in danger of becoming like those Jews in Jerusalem who thought the end would never come.

Jesus said: “Be on guard! Be alert! . . . If he (the Lord) comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping” (Mark 13:33,36). Fellow believers, let us always be ready for the Lord’s return; let us live as if we expected Him to come tomorrow (see Mark 13:32–37; 2 Peter 3:8–13).