Skip to content
Ezekiel / Signs of Exile and the Futility of False Hopes
Navigation
A A
The Vision of God's Glory and the Living Creatures Ezekiel's Commission and the Eating of the Scroll Ezekiel Appointed as Watchman and Made Speechless Symbolic Acts of Siege and Judgment on Jerusalem Judgment on Israel for Idolatry The Day of the Lord: Impending Disaster Visions of Temple Abominations The Execution of Jerusalem's Wicked and the Marked Few The Departure of God's Glory from the Temple Condemnation of Jerusalem's Leaders The Departure of God's Glory and Promise of Restoration Signs of Exile and the Futility of False Hopes Condemnation of False Prophets and Diviners Elders' Idolatry and Its Consequences Judgment on Nations and the Limits of Intercession Jerusalem Portrayed as a Useless Vine Jerusalem's Infidelity: Shame, Judgment, and Vindication The Parable of the Two Eagles: Zedekiah's Folly Individual Responsibility and the Call to Repentance A Lament for Israel's Princes Israel's History of Rebellion and Divine Judgment Punishment for Profane Worship and Promise of Restoration A Prophecy Against the Mountains of Israel The Sword of the Lord: Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations Jerusalem's Corruption and the Search for a Righteous Remnant The Sisters' Harlotry: Samaria and Jerusalem Condemned The Boiling Pot: Prophecy of Jerusalem's Siege The Sign of Ezekiel's Wife's Death: Judgment and Changed Lament Oracle Against Ammon Oracles Against Moab and Seir Judgment on the Philistines Oracle Against Tyre The Fall of Tyre Foretold Lamentation for Tyre, the Merchant City The Pride and Fall of Tyre's Ruler Judgment on Sidon and Promise of Israel's Security Egypt's Humiliation and Years of Desolation The Day of the Lord Against Egypt and Its Allies Egypt Compared to the Fallen Cedar: Pride and Doom Lament for Egypt's Collapse and Descent into Sheol The Watchman's Duty and Personal Responsibility Report of Jerusalem's Fall and the People's Alarm Condemnation of Bad Shepherds and Promise of a Good Shepherd Judgment on Edom for Rejoicing over Israel Promise of Israel's Restoration and Spiritual Renewal The Valley of Dry Bones: National Revival The Two Sticks: Unity of Israel and the Davidic Covenant The Invasion of Gog and Its Defeat Vision of the Future Temple: Introduction and Commission Measurements of the Outer Court and Gateways Courtyard Entrances and Portico Dimensions Inner Court Entrances and Chambers Vestibules and Side Entrance Specifications Details of Inner Chambers and Gate Structure Porches, Chambers, and Steps of the Temple Court Priests' Chambers and the Prince's Quarters The Inner Sanctuary and Holy Place Measurements Priestly Chambers and the Inner Court Layout The Return of God's Glory to the Temple Altar Design and Sacrificial Regulations Temple Gates, Priestly Roles, and Exclusions Land Allotments and the Prince's Portion Worship Regulations: Offerings, Festivals, and the Prince The Life-Giving River Flowing from the Temple Division of the Land and Inheritance Boundaries Tribal Allotments in the Restored Land The City Gates and the Name: 'The Lord Is There'

Signs of Exile and the Futility of False Hopes

Ezekiel 12:1-28

12
Chapter 12
1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 Son of Adam, you dwell in the midst of a house of rebellion. They have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a house of rebellion. 3 And you, son of man, prepare for yourself vessels of exile and go into exile by day before their eyes. You shall go into exile from your place to another place before their eyes. Perhaps they will see, for they are a house of rebellion. 4 You shall bring out your belongings as the belongings of an exile by day in their sight, and you shall go out in the evening in their sight, as the goings-out of exile. 5 Before their eyes, dig through the wall for yourself and bring out through it. 6 Before their eyes, on your shoulder you shall bear it; in darkness you shall bring it out. You shall cover your face, and you shall not see the earth, for I have given you as a sign to the house of Israel. 7 And I did so just as I was commanded. I brought out utensils as utensils of exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall for myself by hand in darkness. I brought them out over my shoulder; I carried them before their eyes. 8 And the word of the LORD came to me in the morning, saying: 9 Son of Adam, has not the house of Israel, the house of rebellion, said to you, "What are you doing?" 10 Say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: The chieftain—this burden—in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel which they are in their midst. 11 Say, "I am your sign; just as I have done, so it will be done to them: they will go into exile, into captivity." 12 And the prince who is among them will bear it on his shoulder in darkness, and he will go out through the wall they dig to bring it out through it; he will cover his face so that he does not see the earth with his eye. 13 And I will spread out my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. And I will bring him to Babel, land of the Chaldeans, and he will not see it, and there he will die. 14 And all who are around him, his helpers, and all his bands I will scatter to every wind, and I will draw a sword after them. 15 And they will know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them over the lands. 16 And I will leave a remnant of them from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, so that they may recount all their abominations among the nations where they go, and they shall know that I am the LORD. 17 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18 Son of man, you shall eat your bread with trembling, and you shall drink your water with agitation and anxiety. 19 You shall say to the people of the land, This is what the Lord GOD says to the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread in anxiety, and they will drink their waters in desolation, in order that her land may be desolate, full of violence, all the inhabitants in her. 20 And the cities that are inhabited will be cut off, and the earth will be a desolation, and you will know that I am the LORD. 21 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying. 22 Son of man, what is this proverb to you on the land of Israel, saying, "The days will be prolonged, and every vision will perish"? 23 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord the LORD: I will make this mashal cease, and they will not use it any longer in Israel. Rather, speak to them: the days have drawn near, and the word of every vision. 24 For there will no longer be any vision of emptiness or divination of smoothness in the midst of the house of Israel. 25 For I, the LORD, will speak what I will speak, a word, and it will be done; it will not be delayed any longer. For in your days, O house of rebellion, I will speak a word and I will do it, says the Lord GOD. 26 The word of the LORD came to me, saying. 27 Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, "The vision that he sees is for many days, and for distant times; he prophesies." 28 Therefore say to them, This is what the Lord GOD says: No longer will all the words that I speak be delayed—a word, and it will be done! says the Lord GOD.