Bible Question:
Please explain Ezekiel chapter 12.
Bible Answer:
Nebuchadnezzar had invaded the southern kingdom of Israel, called Judah, and deported thousands of Jews to the city of Babylon in 605 B.C. He invaded again in 597 B.C. These invasions should have been warnings to the Jews that God was serious about their rebellious hearts and idol worship. They needed to seek God, but they did not do that. The survivors in Jerusalem and Judah did not repent but believed that the prophesies about the future destruction of Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple given by Jeremiah and Ezekiel were false. They had a heart problem. That is the message of Ezekiel 12:21-22.
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are long and every vision fails’?” Ezekiel 12:21-22 (NASB)
The Israelites in Jerusalem did not believe Ezekiel’s prophecies that another invasion would occur in 588 B.C. resulting in both the temple being burned and in the destruction of Jerusalem. The statement “the days are long” was an attempt to explain Ezekiel’s prophecies had not yet occurred. Some were saying the reason Ezekiel’s prophecies had not happened yet was because the days were long. It was sarcasm. The days were unusually long. Some of the people stated that Ezekiel’s prophecies had not been fulfilled because they were false. So, Yahweh commanded Ezekiel to tell the people that the days were coming when every prophecy will be fulfilled.
But tell them, “The days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision. For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I the LORD will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed. Ezekiel 12:23b-25a (NASB)
Ezekiel 12 was another warning from God to the Israelites that the destruction of both the temple and Jerusalem was coming very soon.
Taking Baggage Into Exile
Sign of the Baggage
God had told the prophet Ezekiel to give them a sign of the coming destruction by acting as if he were going into exile before the “rebellious house.” He was to take some baggage and dig a hole through a wall. His baggage would represent or symbolize the baggage of exile because those . . .
. . . who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 12:2 (NASB)
They did not listen to the prophet’s words. So, maybe they would “listen with their eyes.” So Ezekiel prepared his baggage during the day (v. 3-4) as God had directed, and then in the evening, he dug through a wall (v. 4-7) as one seeking to escape from the invaders. Ezekiel’s actions were successful because people started asking “What are you doing?” (v.9). So God told Ezekiel to tell them that he, Ezekiel, was a sign to them that most of the Israelites in Canaan would go into exile too (v. 10-11). Ezekiel prophesied that “the prince,” or Zedekiah, who was in Jerusalem, would go into exile and not see Babylon (2 Kings 25:1-7). Zedekiah was called the prince because the real king of Canaan, King Jehoiakim, was already in exile in Babylon.
Ezekiel’s “sign” was fulfilled later when Nebuchadnezzar’s army defeated Zedekiah’s army, and then captured Zedekiah, who had left the city and was fleeing in the plains of Jericho (2 Kings 25:4-7; Jeremiah 39:4-10; 52:5-10). Zedekiah’s sons were killed and his eyes were blinded. Then he was taken to Babylon.
Promise of the Invasion
Then God promised that the destruction of Israel would not be delayed any longer.
Therefore say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘I will make this proverb cease so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel. But tell them, The days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision. For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I the LORD will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it,’ declares the Lord GOD.'” Ezekiel 12:23-25 (NASB)
The Jewish historian Josephus records the following:
Ezekiel also foretold in Babylon what calamities were coming upon the people, which when he heard, he sent accounts of them unto Jerusalem; but Zedekiah did not believe their prophecies, for the reason following: It happened that the two prophets agreed with one another in what they said as in all other things, that the city should be taken, and Zedekiah himself should be taken captive. But Ezekiel disagreed with him and said that Zedekiah should not see Babylon; while Jeremiah said to him, that the king of Babylon should carry him away thither in bonds; and because they did not both say the same thing as to this circumstance, he disbelieved what they both appeared to agree in, and condemned them as not speaking truth therein, although all the things foretold him did come to pass according to their prophecies . . .[1]
Conclusion:
Ezekiel 12 describes a skit that was performed by the prophet Ezekiel. The purpose was to help the rebellious people in Jerusalem to repent. Ezekiel 12 is a strong warning that while God gives us time to repent, He will not wink at our sin forever. He will often warn and warn, but not always. Yes, He is merciful and long suffering, but He hates evil. He will not allow His saints – His righteous ones – to sin and sin forever. Eventually, He will bring suffering into a sinning person’s life to encourage that person to stop sinning – if that person really belongs to Him. God wants a relationship with us, but He wants a holy one centered in love!
References:
1. Josephus. The Antiquities of the Jews. 10.7.2