#1142 Ezekiel 12 A Sign For You

 

The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. 3 As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4 You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile. 5 In their sight dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it. 6 In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.”

7 And I did as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.

8 In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.’ 11 Say, ‘I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes. 13 And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there. 14 And I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. 15 And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. 16 But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the Lord.”

17 And the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink water with trembling and with anxiety. 19 And say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord God concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink water in dismay. In this way her land will be stripped of all it contains, on account of the violence of all those who dwell in it. 20 And the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

21 And the word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have about the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.’ But say to them, The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the Lord; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord God.”

26 And the word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be performed, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 12 ESV

Ezekiel 12

The reason why he must take this method (v. 2): It is because they are a stupid, dull, unthinking people, that will not heed or will soon forget what they only hear of, or at least will not be at all affected with it; it will make no impression at all upon them: Thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, whom it is next to impossible to work any good upon. They have eyes and ears, they have intellectual powers and faculties, but they see not, they hear not. They were idolaters, whose character it was that they were like the idols they worshipped, which have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, Ps. 115:5, 6, 8. Note, Those are to be reckoned rebellious that shut their eyes against the divine light and stop their ears to the divine law. The ignorance of those that are wilfully ignorant, that have faculties and means and will not use them, is so far from being their excuse that it adds rebellion to their sin. None so blind, so deaf, as those that will not see, that will not hear. They see not, they hear not; for they are a rebellious house. The cause is all from themselves: the darkness of the understanding is owing to the stubbornness of the will. Now this is the reason why he must speak to them by signs, as deaf people are taught, that they might be either instructed or ashamed. Note, Ministers must accommodate themselves not only to the weakness, but to the wilfulness of those they deal with, and deal with them accordingly: if they dwell among those that are rebellious they must speak to them the more plainly and pressingly, and take that course that is most likely to work upon them, that they may be left inexcusable. - Matthew Henry

Who have eyes to see - Who has seen more than Israel? To them were given the oracles, the feasts, the sacrifices. Remember those that could still see them that got off the ark, were the same to rebel at Babel. The Israelites in the wilderness witnessed immense signs and wonders, the parting of the Red Sea, being fed from heaven and watered from rocks, yet they murmured and complained. Korah started an uprising against God's prophet and His priest, and they were swallowed up by the earth. These saw that God meant what He said, but they still did not believe.

…24So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25“I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. 26But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.… John 10: 24-26

…35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light. 36But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works I am doing— testify about Me that the Father has sent Me. 37And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,… John 5: 35-37

Who have ears to hear - They have been given the prophets, the reading of the word of God, the sure testimony of Scripture. This people has God's law and what it says about those who violate His law, yet they have stupid sayings as well, which we shall see soon enough, that they hear but they don't believe, which is evident in their response. They heard Isaiah, who did speak of things afar off, but he also predicted things that were near, like when Assyria fled from Jerusalem. When he said things they didn't want to hear, as did Jeremiah, and now Ezekiel, they chose to believe against a good record, against the law, and so willfully committed themselves to ignorance. If you will not have the truth then what is left?

…16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”…

…19I ask instead, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding.” 20And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.” 21But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”… Romans 10: 16-21

Prepare for yourself an exile's baggage - Now he is to act out before them someone going into exile, which should be familiar to all of them as exiles. It is a long walk from Jerusalem to Babylon, and one can only take what he can carry and only what he can find to bring. 

Perhaps they will understand - This is important, for he is becoming a sign to them, and in this sign is a prophecy that will happen not so far off. They already know what God's word says about sin and about false prophets, but they don't like to believe things that go against their feelings. Now here is another reformer, someone bringing them back to the supremacy of God's word, showing that He will do what He says and that they should not look lightly upon His patience. None of the false prophets have been able to do this, and they continue to give a message of non repentant, insincere works without any remorse over sin, hoping that the temple and their ancestry.com that traces back to Abraham will suffice. Jeremiah said the captivity would be 70 years and called the people to repent, yet these false prophets said 2 years and were idolaters, greedy, sexually immoral themselves, so whose message was more popular?

Dig through the wall - Remember the false prophets continue to advise the puppet king of Judah to rebel, but here is an enactment of him trying to escape when all their words fail.

…3By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. 4Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah, 5but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was separated from him.… 2 Kings 25: 3-5

You shall cover your face - This is a sign of shame. Jeremiah had already come to Zedekiah and told him what was to take place, but he was easily bullied by those elders that were there. He feared whatever was closer, whatever was in front of him, and he listened to the words of the prophet but did not change his course. It is also a disguise, not wanting to be recognized, probably so no one would say, "he went that way." Also, he has much blood on his hands as the leader of these people, and his failure to do what God said has cost many their lives, by starvation, disease and now the sword. So he probably is afraid to be recognized both by those that would betray him to Babylon and also by those who would like to hang him for poor leadership and now for running away. It was a hoax, a pipe dream, and he didn't stand up.

…2The LORD, the God of Israel, told Jeremiah to go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down. 3And you yourself will not escape his grasp, but will surely be captured and delivered into his hand. You will see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you will go to Babylon. 4Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the LORD says concerning you: You will not die by the sword;… Jeremiah 34: 2-4

Yet he shall not see it - Very interesting, he shall see the king of Babylon, and he will go to Babylon, yet he shall not see Babylon. He sees the king at Riblah, who makes his last sight that of his slaughtered sons, for then they gouge out his eyes, so that both prophets are right, he sees but then he doesn't see. 

…6The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment on him. 7And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. 2 Kings 25: 6-7

That they may declare their abominations - We had the word of God, saw the mercies of God, and we forsook God. He has brought upon us Babylon as His own snare, for He is Lord over all, His judgements are true. Those that dishonored Him in His patience will honor Him in His wrath.

With trembling and with anxiety - This is a sign of the coming siege upon Jerusalem. A man will eat his rations, drink his allotment, but not know if this will be his last, how long will the dwindling stores hold out? We know that they will come to eat their own children. It is a maddening thing when there is little food, then the mind things constantly of food, the body eats, but the mind still wants. A siege looks to cut off both water and food from coming in to the city.

The days grow long and every vision comes to nothing - "People have been saying this since Isaiah's time, that God would punish us, but look, we are still here." It actually goes back to Moses, and these stubborn people love their done wisdom sayings, they comfort each other in their ignorance, but Ezekiel will now inform them that this isn't that far off. They also had proverbs in Isaiah and Jeremiah's time about precept upon precept and the burden of the Lord. These were to mock the 

The days are prolongedwas actually an act of God’s mercy. “A saying had become current among them because God’s long-suffering, which should have led to repentance, was made an argument against His word.” (Feinberg)

…15Then the LORD appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. 16And the LORD said to Moses, “You will soon rest with your fathers, and these people will rise up and prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake Me and break the covenant I have made with them. 17On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, so that they will be consumed, and many troubles and afflictions will befall them. On that day they will say, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is no longer with us?’… Deuteronomy 31: 15-17

…12to whom He has said: “This is the place of rest, let the weary rest; this is the place of repose.” But they would not listen. 13Then the word of the LORD to them will become: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there,” so that they will go stumbling backward and will be injured, ensnared, and captured. Isaiah 28: 12-13

…35This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother: ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ 36But refer no more to the burden of the LORD, for each man’s word becomes the burden, so that you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of Hosts, our God. 37Thus you are to say to the prophet: ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and ‘What has the LORD spoken?’… Jeremiah 23: 35-37

But in your days - It's coming while you still have breath, before your generation passes, and you will know that He is the Lord. Sadly, we don't know how long we will live or what will be the length of God's patience. I use to think when I saw things get bad enough then I would repent, but no, sin does not work that way, unbelief is tied to fixed ignorance.

Spurgeon saw in this an excuse that many make to delay their trust in and surrender to God, especially many young people. “God knows the frivolity of your plea for delay, he knows that you yourself are doubtful about it, and dare not stand to it so as to give it anything like a solemn consideration. Very hard do you try to deceive yourself into an easy state of conscience concerning it, but in your inmost soul you are ashamed of your own falsehoods.” (Spurgeon)