Journal Through the Bible: Week 81 Wednesday

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Ezekiel chapter 12

Does God issue any commands?

• God told Ezekiel to pack his belongings for a move to another house as a lesson to the people. He was to remove his household contents in the daytime and move them at twilight. He was to dig in the wall and to wear a veil to obstruct his view of the ground as he walked.
• God told Ezekiel to tell the people who asked why he was removing the contents of his house to say that the message was for the prince of Jerusalem and all the house of Israel. It meant that there would be more people carrying some of their belongings into captivity, including the prince of Judah, Zedekiah, the acting king. These people would be captives just like Ezekiel and the others were.
• God told Ezekiel to eat his food and drink water while trembling in fear as a sign to everyone that those who were still inhabiting Jerusalem would eat and drink in fear of the Babylonian siege.
• God told Ezekiel to tell the Israelites to stop using their familiar proverb that said in essence that the days pass but the prophecies do not happen because many of the prophecies were about to be fulfilled.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised that the prince would not see the land of the Chaldeans although he would die there. (We know from reading in other scripture that this was fulfilled because Nebuchadnezzar put out  Zedekiah's eyes before marching him to Babylon with the other captives!)
• God promised to leave a remnant that would be scattered among the nations to show proof of their evil ways.
• God promised that the land of Judah would be laid waste so that the people would know that He is God.
• God promised that the days of which visions and prophecies predicted would no longer be far off but would be fulfilled very soon.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Ezekiel was a type of Christ in this passage. He left his home and moved at the will of the LORD as a sign to his nation. Jesus left the throne room of Heaven and came to earth at the will of the LORD as a sign to His nation. Ezekiel told them in verse 11 that he was their sign. Jesus told the Jews in the New Testament gospels that He was the sign sent from the Father and the miracles that He did testified of this.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• In Ezekiel's day people had a proverb saying that the days are prolonged and every vision fails. in other words, "We keep hearing the old prophecies but nothing ever happens! One day is like another!" Then the prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem happened. Peter said in II Peter chapter 3 that in the last days there would be (and now are!) scoffers who say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." Soon the prophecies concerning the coming of the Lord will happen.

Did anything in this passage stand out when you read it? Please share in the comments below!