CHAP. XII.
Ezekiel is ordered, by removing his goods, and breaking through
the wall of his house, to give the people a sign of the taking of Jerusalem, of Zedekiah's flight, and of the captivity of the Jews, 1-16; by eating and drinking with trembling and anxiety, to prefigure the famine, and the consternation of the Jews during the siege, 17-20; and to declare that this ruin was near at hand; as a rebuke to those who profanely spake of it as distant, 21-28.
THE word of the LORD also came unto
me, saying,
2 Son of man, a thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house .
3 Therefore , thou son of man, prepare
a 2:3,6-8. 3:9,26,27. 17:12. 24:3. 44:6. Deut. 9:7,24. 31:27. Ps. 78:40. Is. 1:23. 30:1,9. 65:2. Jer. 4:17. 5:23. 9:1- 6. Dan. 9:59. Acts 7:51,52. b Deut. 29:4. Is. 6:9,10. 29:9- 12. 42:19,20. Jer. 5:21. Matt.
13:13,14. Mark 4:12. 8:17,18. Luke 8:10. John 9:39-41.12 40. Acts 28:26,27. Rom. 11:7, 8. 2 Cor. 3:14. 4:3,4. Eph 4 18. 2 Thes. 2:10,11.
c 10-12. 4:1,&c. 5:1,&c. Jer. 18:1,&c. 18:2, &c.19:1,&c. 27:2
V. 14-25.
ble in counselling and vindicating it, and bold in carrying it into execution; they encourage numbers to harden themselves in rebellion The Lord often reserves for himself those against God, and to adopt and persist in the persons, of whom we had little hopes; and most pernicious and impious designs.
But leaves to their own pride and lusts, such as they should be reminded, that they must ren- we had better expectations of: while they, der an account to him, for all the mischief done whom he afflicts and man despises, are comby their influence; for all the blood shed in monly nearer the kingdom of heaven, than unjust and unnecessary wars, which their their more prosperous and self-confident worldly policy has occasioned; and for all the neighbors.
Many are ready to imagine that murder, that takes place in consequence of they are exclusively the people of God, while their oppression, persecution, and unrighteous others are gone far from him; when, in fact, decrees.
How awfully do some men of this they are idolizing some form or creed, and description "multiply their slain," not only have no part or lot in the matter: and those through the streets of a single city, or the dis- who rejoice in the calamities of their brethtricts of a kingdom, but through whole conti- ren, because they expect gain from them, nents, nay, in every quarter of the globe! and and who are ready to anathematize and injure they will at length be as inuch distinguished them for conscience' sake, are strangers to by their punishment, as they now are by their "the power of godliness." But wherever the crimes.
But carnal policy is connected with Lord casts the lot of those who truly fear him, infidelity: and such persons turn the oracles of he will be "a sanctuary" unto them: they canGod into ridicule, and persuade themselves and not be scattered to a distance from his protectothers, that no evil shall happen unto them. ing providence, from his throne of grace, from If they cannot entirely shake off all regard to the consolations of his Spirit, or "communrevelation, they conclude, that the wrath of ion with the Father and his son Jesus Christ:" God denounced against transgressors is doubt- and he will gather into his heavenly kingful, or at least distant; and that they may dom, from every country under heaven, all safely indulge their inclinations, and pursue those who have been delivered by his grace their rebellious schemes, for some time longer; from their detestable things and abominathat they have many years of life before them; tions.
But without "the one heart and the and that they shall be able to take care of their new spirit," which he bestows; except he take souls at last. The love of the world, and dis- away the hard and stony heart, and give us like to religion, give Satan and his factors an the heart of flesh; we shall never truly reamazing advantage against men, in tempting pent, or believe and obey the Gospel.
When them to this procrastination: and thus they se- the sinner feels his need of these blessings; let duce and ruin one another, until at length, him bring these promises to the throne of grace, when "they are crying, Peace, peace, sudden and present them as prayers in the name of destruction cometh upon them, and they shall Christ, and they will surely su be performed. not escape." ( Notes , Dan . 5:1-9. Luke 12:15 ( Note , Acts 5:29-31.) Then sin will be loath-21. 16:19-31.
Acts 12:20-23. 1 Thes . 5:1- ed, the Savior will become precious, the heart 3.) We should, therefore, plainly protest will be made humble and contrite, the conagainst these devisers of mischief, and wicked science tender; and the converted sinner will counsellors: we should shew them the folly be inclined and enabled to "walk in the statutes and impiety of their words, and remind them of God, and keep his ordinances and do them." that God knows all their thoughts and contri- (Notes, Tit . 2:11-14.) Such are indeed the We should also meditate on the same Lord's people, and he is their God and Portion: truths, with reference to ourselves; that we but they differ as much from notional professmay watch our hearts and lips, and earnestly ors of evangelical truths, as from Pharisaical pray to our God to examine and keep them for despisers of them: and this sensibility of heart us.
The worst fears of ungodly men will come and conscience is the chief discrimination beupon them, and often by those sinful means tween the true Christian and all other men.which the they use to secure themselves: and As for those, whose hearts are habitually set when sinners fear the sword of man more than upon their idolatries and iniquities; they are the wrath of God, he will sometimes expose evidently under the dominion and condemnathem to both; and execute his judgments upon tion of their sins, and God will deal with them them in this world as well as in the next. | according to the covenant of works, and "recThus he often singles out the ringleaders in ompense their ways upon their own heads." impiety, infidelity, and and wickedness, ss, and ren- And though he will not forsake his people; yet ders them warnings to others, that they they may he may be driven away from any part of his repent and avoid such destructive paths. visible church, by the hypocrisy hypocrisy and iniquity ( Num . um . 14:36-38.
Notes , Num. 16:28-34. Jer . of those, who are called by by his name: and woe 28:15-17. 29:21-23.) But while these awful be to them, when he withdraws his presence, dispensations verify the words of God's faith- glory, and protection! p Finally, whatever minful servants; they cannot but be deeply affect-isters learn from the word or Spirit of God, whether concerning his judgments or his mercies, they must faithfully declare it to all the [489
vances.
ed by them, and will still plead with him to have mercy on those who remain. VOL. IV.
thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: dit may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
1 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity. 5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GoD; - This burden concerneth1 the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground
6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twi-with his eyes. light: thou shalt 'cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: & for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
7 And I did so as I was commanded: 'I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
8 And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me, saying,
9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
13 My Pnet also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: 9 and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the
sword after them.
15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.
m 2 Kings 9:25. Is. 13:1. 14:28. Mal. 1:1.
n 7:27. 17:13-21. 21:25-27. Jer. 21:7. 24:8. 38:18.
| Heb. by removing go into captivity. Jer. 15:2. 52:15, 28-30.
o 6. 2 Kings 25:4. Jer. 39:4. 52.7.
p 17:20. 19:8,9. 32:3. Job 19: 6. Ps. 11:6. Is. 24:17,18. Jer. 50:24. Lam. 1:13. 3:47. 4:19,
20. Hos. 7:12. Luke 21:35.
q 2 Kings 25:5-7. Jer. 34:3. 39:7.52:9-11.
г 5:10-12. 17.21. 2 Kings 25: 4,5.
5 5:2,12. 14:17,21. Lev. 26:33. Jer. 42:16,22.
t 16,20. 5:13. 6:7,14. 7:4. 11:10 24:27. 25:11. 26:6. 28:26. 38: 33. 39:28. Ex. 14:18. Ps. 9 16.
people, as far as they have opportunity afforded conduct more significant, he was ordered to them.
NOTES.
CHAP. XII. V. 1-7. Ezekiel does not seem, for the present, to have had any more visions of the divine glory; but to have received revelations from God in the more ordinary manner of other prophets. - Even the captives, among whom he dwelt, were "a rebellious house" like their brethren in Judah; who would not use their senses and faculties, or avail themselves of the instructions of God's word and providence, for their advantage! ( Marg . Ref . a, b.- Notes , Deut . 29:4. Is . 6:9,10. Jer. 5:20-25. Matt . 13:14-17.
Mark 8:17-21.) After all that they had heard and experienced, they still expected that Jerusalem would be preserved from the Chaldeans: they deemed themselves unhappy in bondage, and hoped to be speedily restored to their country: this led them to neglect the duties of their situation, to listen to false prophets, to reject the word of God, and thus to rebel both against his commandments and providence. (Notes, Jer. 29:4 -15.) To certify them therefore of the vanity of their hopes, the prophet was ordered to make ready his furniture for removing to another habitation, in the sight of the people, and then to carry it, or some part of it, to a distant place; in hopes, (speaking after the manner of men,) "that the people would consider, though they were a rebellious house." Thus he was directed to spend the day about his furniture, and in the evening to go forth as one afraid of being carried away captive: and to render his
dig or break through the wall of his house, and to go forth by that opening, carrying part of his property, or some provisions, with him, as desirous to escape the enemy; and to cover his face, not only as in distress, but to disguise himself for fear of being detected. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref.e -g.) Having received these orders, he punctually obeyed them; and thus set before the eyes of the captive Jews the plundering of Jerusalem of all its treasures, and the removal of them and of the inhabitants to Babylon; the vain endeavors of the Jews to escape, and to carry off their property; and especially the conduct and fate of Zedekiah. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . h, i.- Note , 815.)
V. 8-15. Either the people had ridiculed the prophet's conduct, or they had contemptuously disregarded it. ( Marg . Ref . k, l.- Note , 20:49.) He was therefore commanded to inform them, that "this burden," or prophetic sign of impending judgments, respected Zedekiah, the prince in Jerusalem, "under whose shadow they hoped to live among the nations;" ( Note , Lam . 4:20.) as well as all those of the families of Israel, who yet remained in their own land. As Ezekiel had removed his furniture, and changed his habitation; so would their property and persons be removed into another land: and the king himself would flee from the conquerors in the dusk of the evening, with a burden on his shoulder, and a covering on his face, in order to disguise himself; whilst his attendants would break through the wall to forward his escape. But the Lord would spread
LORD.
16 But I will leave a few men of shall be laid waste, and the land shall be them from the sword, from the famine, and desolate, and ye shall know that I am the from the pestilence; * that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; y and they shall know that I am the LORD.
[Practical Observations.]
17 T Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
18 Son of man eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that the land may be desolate from tall that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.
20 And the cities that are inhabited
u 6:8-10. 14:22,23. 1s. 1:9. 6: a 1 Kings 17:10-12.
13. 10:22. 24:13. Jer. 4:27. b 6:6,7,14. 36:3. Is. 6:11. Jer.
30:11. Am. 9:3,9. Matt. 7:14. 4:27, 9:10,11. 10:22. 18:16.
24:22. Rom. 11:4,5.
* Heb. men of number. Gen. 13:16. Is. 10:19. Rom. 9:27.
14:22,23. 36:31. Lev. 26:40, 41. Jer. 3:24,25. Dan. 9:512.
y Deut. 29:24-28. 1 Kings 9: 6-9. Jer. 22:8,9.
z 4:16,17. 23:33. Lev. 26:26, 36. Deut. 28:48,65. Job 3:24.
Ps. 60:2,3. 20:5. 102:4-9.
32:43. 33:10,12. Mic. 7:13. Heb. the fulness thereof. Ps. 24:1. 1 Cor. 10:26,28.
c 7:23. Gen. 6:11-13. Ps. 107: 34. Jer. 6:7. Mic. 3:10-12. d 15:6-8. Is. 3:26. 7:23,24, 24: 3,12. 64:10,11. Jer. 4:7,2329. 12:10--12, 16:9. 19:11. 24: 8-10. 25:9. 34:22. Lam. 5: 18. Dan. 9:17.
21 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
22 Son of man, * what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision
faileth?
23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GoD; 51 will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
24 For there shall be no more any vain vision, nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
25 For I am the LORD: * I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for 1 in your days, m O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
Whenever he ate or drank, he was required to act like a man in great terror and anxiety; as if he feared, that some one would rob him of his food, or as if he were eating his last meal, and must then perish by hunger and thirst. ( Notes , 4:9-17. Lev . 26:25,26. 1 Kings 17:10
his net for him, and take him in his snare; for the Chaldeans would overtake him, and carry him to Babylon; yet he should not see that city, though he would die there. ( Marg . Ref . m-q.) Jeremiah had predicted, that his eyes should see the eyes of the king of Babylon; (Note, Jer. 34:1-5, v . 3.) and here Ezekiel fore--16, v . 12.) This denoted, that the inhabittold, that he should not see Babylon; and Jose-ants of Jerusalem, and those who remained
phus says that he thought these two prophecies inconsistent with each other, and therefore believed neither of them: yet both were exactly accomplished, when he was brought to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, and there had his eyes put out, and was then carried to Babylon. ( Notes , 17:15-21. 21:25-27. 2 Kings 25:1-7.)-The Lord moreover declared, that all the Jews, who adhered to Zedekiah, and
in the land, would soon endure far greater miseries, than their captive brethren had done: when they would, with astonishment, terror, and excruciating solicitude, perceive famine increasing upon them, and expect to have their scanty morsel taken from them by some other starving wretches, or to be slain while eating it; or that they must soon eat their last meal, and then die miserably by hunger. For the
survived the taking of the city, should be scat-city and those parts of the land which were
tered through the nations, and be pursued by his judgments: and by the accomplishment of these predictions, they should be convinced that he was the eternal JEHOVAH, the Creator and Lord of all. ( Marg . Ref . r-t.)
V. 16. It was the purpose of God, to leave a remnant of the Jews, who should escape all the divers kinds of death which cut off the rest, and who might declare among the heathen all their abominations. Either the conduct of this remnant would be so very atrocious, that the heathen might see the reason of the Lord's dealings with them, by witnessing their aban
still inhabited, would surely and speedily be desolated, because of the violence, oppression, and impiety of the inhabitants. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref .)
doned wickedness; or, being brought to re-prophets had failed. ( Notes , 26-28. 7:2-15.
pentance, they would confess their abominable idolatries aud iniquities, and acknowledge the justice of God in his severity towards them: that so the heathen also might be made acquainted with the power, truth, and holiness of Israel's God. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . -Notes , 6:8-10. 14:22,23.)
V. 17-20. The Lord next directed the prophet to instruct the people by another sign.
V. 21-25. Emboldened by the long-suffering of God, and despising the declarations of his prophets, the Jews, (both in captivity and in the land of Israel,) commonly used to say to each other, "The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth;" so that this became a proverb among them. ( Marg . Ref . e, f.) They had been long threatened and were still spared; and they concluded that the visions of the 11:1-3. Is . 5:18,19. Jer. 5:10-13. Am. 5:1820. 2 Pet . 3:1-4.) But the Lord assured them, that the event should speedily cause this impious proverb to cease: for the days were at hand, when every vision would take effect. Then the false prophets would be silenced, and their lying divinations detected: for the Lord would speak by his prophets, and cause his word to be noticed by immediately perform
ing it, in their days, and upon the very persons to whom it was spoken. ( Marg . Ref . g-m. Note , Zech . 1:5,6.)
V. 26-28. Perhaps, after the former message, the Jews altered their proverb; and instead of saying, that "the vision failed," they only said, that it related to remote times and distant events. Or, this proverb was used at the same time, by such as did not openly avow their infidelity. The Lord, however, ordered his prophet to assure them, that the time of his patience was expiring, and that he would immediately fulfil his most alarming predictions. -This could not, at the most, be more than four or five years before the destruction of Jerusalem.-'My threatenings shall come to pass in 'your own days, and ye shall have ocular de'monstration of their truth.' Lowth . ( Marg . Ref . ) PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. V. 1-16.
of his hope, and the reasons of his conduct; ( Note , 1 Pet . 3:13-16.) that he may be able to speak pertinently and convincingly to the consciences of those who make inquiries.— The word of God concerns princes, as well as their subjects. Indeed in great national calamities, superior stations only expose men to more imminent perils, and more acute sufferings; and in the eternal world, they will expose ungodly men to the deeper condemnation. The greatest princes will sometimes submit to extreme hardships and debasement, to save their lives: they will endure fatigue, appear disguised like the meanest of their subjects, and be glad to be mistaken for them: what then should we not be willing to venture, renounce, suffer, or stoop to, to save our souls "from the wrath to come!" This may certainly be effected by all, who diligently seek it in the way of the gospel: whereas
It is often a painful trial to the faithful ser-men's most earnest endeavors to preserve their
lives often prove ineffectual; or they are so taken in the Lord's net, that life is rendered as bitter, as death is dreadful. While ringlead
vants of God, that they are constrained to dwell among those, who are most rebellious against him. Men have eyes, ears, and understandings; but, as fallen and apostate crea-ers in rebellion against God are singled out
for punishment; such as concur with them will not escape: and either the open detection of crimes, or men's penitent confessions, will justify God before the whole world, in all the threatenings of his word, and in all the judgments which he inflicts.
V. 17-28.
tures, they are utterly destitute of a disposition to make a proper use of them, or of the advantages which they enjoy. This is the essence of their rebellion, and cannot possibly be allowed as an excuse for it: it counteracts all the endeavors of God's servants to instruct, convince, warn, or affect them; and it often discourages them from repeating the unsuccessful attempt.
They should not, however, yield to despondency, but rather devise or adopt more and other methods of engaging the attention, convincing the judgment, or reaching the heart and conscience; "if God peradventure will give" sinners "repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will:" ( Note , 2 Tim . 2:23-26.) for none can know but those may hereafter consider, who have been hitherto most rebellious.
To this end, the minister must not shrink from any hardship or personalinconvenience, which can evince his own deep conviction of the truth and importance of his message; nor should he fear the ridicule or reproach, which he may incur in the performance of his duty.
He should especially at all times speak and act, as a man who is deeply convinced, that "here he hath no continuing city," and who is continually preparing for a removal; who expects changes, disappointments, and difficulties, until that period arrives; and who is assured, that there can be "no peace for the wicked," in any place or station or rank in life. He also should seek to have his answered vengeance will form an awful demonstraready, when called upon to explain the grounds || tion to them of the truth of the scriptures.
Abused plenty generally ends in pinching want: and we may profitably meditate on the horrors of famine, when men grudge each other, and even themselves, every morsel, and behold with terror and anguish the speedy approach of more dreadful extremities: for we may thence learn to be thankful, moderate, and liberal, in our use of plenty; and the more to hate and dread sin, which thus forfeits or imbitters all our comforts; and not only desolates cities and nations, but ruins the souls of unnumbered multitudes.
It is a grievous sign of deep degeneracy, when profane, infidel, and immoral speeches become proverbial: but the Lord notices them, and will call to account those who use them, and will at length put them to silence and shame. - "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are wholly set in them to do evil:" ( Note Ec . 8:11-13.) but, however men may wilfully mistake reprieves for pardons, and the Lord's long-suffering for "the failure of the vision," the days are at hand when they will find every word of God to take effect.
Then flattering teachers and infidels will be confuted and condemned; and the execution of his threaten
6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith; and the LORD hath not sent them: and they
b 34:7,9. 1 Kings 22:19. Is. 1: 10. 28:14. Jer. 28:15.29:2024,31,32. Am. 7:16,17.
( 18. 34:2. Jer. 23:1. Matt. 23:13-29. Luke 11:42-47, 52. 1 Cor. 9:16.
d Prov. 15:2,14. Lam. 2:14. Hos. 9:7. Zech. 11:15. Matt. 23:16 26. Luke 11:40. 1 Tim. 6:4. 2 Tim. 3:9.
Heb. walk after.
↑ Or, things which they have not seen. 6,7. Jer. 23:23-32. e Cant. 2:15. Mic. 2:11. 3:5. Matt. 7:15. Rom. 16:18. 2 Cor. 11:13-15. Gal. 2:4. Eph. 4:14. 2 Thes. 2:9,10. 1 Tim. 4:1,2. Tit. 1:10-12. Rev. 13:11-14. 19:20.
f 22:30. Ex. 17:9-13. 32:11,
12. Num. 16:21,22,47,48. 1
Sam. 12:23. Ps. 106:23. Jer. 15:1. 23:22. 27:18. Mal. 1:9.
Or, breaches. Is. 58:12. Lam. 2:13,14.
Heb. hedged the hedge.
g Job 40:9. Ps. 76:7. Is. 27:4. Rev. 16:14. 20:8,9.
h 30:3. Is. 2:12. 13:6,9. 34:8. Joel 1:15. 2:1,31. 3:14. Am. 5:13-20. Zeph. 1:14-18. 2: 2,3.
Mul. 4:5. 1 Thes. 5:2. 2 Pet. 3:10. Rev. 6:17.
i 23. 12:23,24. 22:28. 2 Pet. 2: 18.
k 21:23,29. Jer. 14:14. 29:8. Zech. 10:2.
17. Jer. 23:31,32. 28:2,15.
NOTES.