Ezekiel 12:1-16 The word of the LORD also came to me, saying,… The word of the Lord also came unto me, saying, Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, etc. "Now begin the amplifications," says Hengstenberg, "the marginal notes, so to speak, on the great text in ch. 8-11., which extend to ch. 19., and these terminate in a song, corresponding to the song in the first group in ch. 7. The approaching catastrophe of Jerusalem forms the central point throughout. The prophet is inexhaustible in the announcement of this, as the false patriotism was inexhaustible in its announcements of salvation." We are not certain whether this parable of Ezekiel's removing was really acted by him or only visional. But we incline to the opinion that it was internal and visional, for the following reasons: 1. This communication (vers. 1-16) refers chiefly to the king and the people in Jerusalem, while the prophet dwelt at Tel-Abib. So that so far as the people principally interested in it are concerned, it would be as impressive to them if it took place in the region of the prophet's soul as if it were outwardly enacted in a country far away from them. 2. The prophet is represented as dwelling in the midst of the people to whom this communication chiefly applies, and as doing these things in their sight; but seeing that he actually dwelt at Tel-Abib on the Chebar, we think that his dwelling and acting spoken of in this chapter must have been visional. 3. If it had been an actual and external occurrence it would not, at least in one respect, have well answered the end designed. That end was to set forth the truth that the king and the people in Jerusalem should be carried into captivity. But inasmuch as Ezekiel was already in exile, if he actually went forth thus from his Babylonian residence, the action would more fitly symbolize the return of the exiles to their own land than the carrying of others into exile. Such a return many of the exiles were hoping for and expecting speedily; and the prophet was not likely to be told to do anything that would encourage the vain expectation. Jeremiah had already written to them, exhorting them to build houses and settle peacefully in the land of their captivity, because they should not return to their own land until seventy years of exile were accomplished. For these reasons we incline to the opinion that the doings of vers. 3-7 were not external and actual, but internal and visional; but, as we have said above, we are not certain of this. Of this we feel assured, that, if they were visional, they were impressed upon the mind of Ezekiel with all the vividness of actual transactions. But, happily, this question does not affect the permanent and universal teachings of the incident. Notice - I. THE DEPLORABLE MORAL CONDITION OF REBELLIOUS SINNERS. "Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house," etc. 1. A condition of sad moral obtuseness. "Which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not" (cf. Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 6:9, 10). The will of God was made known unto them, and they had the mental and moral faculties which are necessary for its apprehension, yet they did not apprehend it; they misapprehended or disregarded it. "When men see, hear, and do not profit by their seeing or hearing, then they neither see nor hear in Scripture sense." In this respect how great is the moral insensibility, not only of the openly profane, but of many who attend the public means of grace! They unite in forms of public worship without any spiritual improvement; they hear the ministry of redemptive truth without any saving impression. They "have eyes to see, and see not; they have cars to hear, and hear not." 2. Moral obtuseness arising from persistent wickedness. "For they are a rebellious house." Their moral insensibility was a consequence of their habitual sin. "The cause is all from themselves; the darkness of the understanding is owing to the stubbornness of the will." The practice of sin blunts the spiritual susceptibilities, tends to destroy the capacity for receiving religious impressions or perceiving spiritual truth; and when fully developed it ends in moral sensibility, and makes a man "past feeling." II. THE PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE OF THE DIVINE EFFORTS FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WICKED. "Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing," etc. (ver. 3). Many means had been tried to lead them to repentance, but without a satisfactory result. Still, God does not yet abandon them, but directs that other means shall be tried, saying, "It may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house." The truth must "be set before their eyes," says Hengstenberg, "in rough, palpable, overpowering reality, if it is to find entrance to their minds, and succeed in emancipating them from those dreams of the future which are preventing their repentance.... The greater the weakness of their eyes, the more conspicuous must he the exhibition of the truth." God is unwilling to abandon the wicked to their sin and doom. He has long patience with them, sends to them messenger after messenger, and employs means after means, both various and oft-repeated, in order to lead them to turn from sin to himself. In illustration and confirmation of this, see Ezekiel 33:11; Jeremiah 44:4; Hosea 11:8, 9; Nehemiah 9:26-31; Matthew 21:33-44. And in the incident before us, he not only addresses to them this stirring parable to arrest their attention and awaken their consideration, but he also instructs the prophet to make known to them the interpretation of it, that even the most indifferent and the most insensible might be made acquainted with the truths communicated. III. THE EXTRAORDINARY DIVINE APPEAL TO THE INCONSIDERATE AND REBELLIOUS PEOPLE. This parable (vers. 3-7) was the Lord's appeal to the insensible and rebellions people. It does not require any exposition from us, as the inspired interpretation is here given (vers. 8-16), and this also is interpreted by its remarkable fulfilment in history. But we may mark the several stages of the mournful history here predicted, the fulfilment of which is recorded in 2 Kings 25.; Jeremiah 39:1-10; Jeremiah 52:1-30. 1. Here is a picture of the king and people of Jerusalem going into captivity. (Vers. 3, 4, 10, 11.) "The stuff for removing," or "baggage of the emigrant" (vers. 3, 4), "is the equipment made by one who enters on a journey never to return." And "as they that go forth into captivity," or "like the removals of the emigrant" (ver. 4), signifies, according to Hengstenberg, "in the costume and with the maimer of emigrants; 'with a bag on the shoulder and a staff in the hand;' 'sad and with drooping head.'" Thus Ezekiel was to typify the departure of prince and people into exile. 2. Here is a picture of going into captivity by sorrowful and stealthy flight. (Vers. 5-7, 12.) He is to go forth in the twilight so as to elude the vigilance of the enemies, and with his face covered so as not to see the b loved land which he is leaving. And all the accounts of the flight agree that it was made in fright and furtively under cover of night. 3. Here is a veiled announcement of the king's deprivation of sight and an explicit declaration of his destination as an exile. (Ver. 13.) According to Josephus ('Ant.,' 10. 7:2), Ezekiel sent an account of this prophecy to Jerusalem to strengthen the influence of Jeremiah with the king, who was personally considerably disposed to heed the counsel of that prophet. But the king compared the announcements of the two prophets, and finding that while Jeremiah said he should be carried in bonds to Babylon, Ezekiel said he should not see it, he disbelieved both of them. And yet the event showed that both of them were true. The king was carried as a prisoner to Babylon, but he did not see it, for Nebuchadnezzar had put out his eyes at Riblah in the land of Hamath. 4. Here is a declaration that the king should be left without defence or helper. "I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands" (ver. 14). And the sacred historian tells us that when the army of the Chaldeans overtook the fleeing king "in the plains of Jericho, all his army were scattered from him." 5. Here is the intention expressed to spare a small remnant for the acknowledgment of the supremacy of Jehovah and the confession of their sins. (Vers. 15, 16.) Only "a few men," or "men of number," should be left, i.e. so few that they might be easily counted; and they should be spared in order that they might acknowledge the many aggravated and persistent sins of the people, which had led to these stern judgments, and so vindicate the justice of God in the infliction of them. And by these judgments they would become convinced that Jehovah is the living and the true God. "They shall know that I am the Lord." These words, which "recur as a refrain" in these prophecies, we have already considered (in Ezekiel 6:7, 10). CONCLUSION. Learn: 1. The peril of disregarding the Word of the Lord. Such conduct, persisted in, leads to spiritual blindness and deafness. 2. The obligation of the good to put forth persistent efforts for the conversion of the wicked. 3. The importance of employing various means for the conversion of the wicked. - W.J. Parallel Verses KJV: The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, |
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