Signs of the Coming Captivity

12:1 The word of Jehovah also came unto me, saying,

The days of Ezekiel lying on his side were now over. The Word of God came to Ezekiel once again.

12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house.

Judah had been in captivity for several years, but she still believed that she would come out of captivity. She had physical eyes and ears, but she could not see or hear spiritual truths. Moses predicted this same lack of spiritual vision and hearing in Deuteronomy 9. Isaiah complained about this same blindness and deafness in Isaiah 6. Jeremiah complained that Israel was spiritually blind and spiritually deaf.

12:3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.

Because of the spiritual blindness and deafness of Israel, Ezekiel would act out their coming captivity. Exiles would be able to take four things with them into their captivity - a staff, a knapsack, a water bottle, and a drinking cup. God was hoping that the rebellious people in Jerusalem would see Ezekiel act these things out and repent.

12:4 And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing; and thou shalt go forth thyself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.

Ezekiel would act out this captivity every morning and evening.

12:5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.

The huts in Jerusalem were built with stone, but the huts in Babylon were built with mud. Ezekiel was to dig a hole in his mud hut.

12:6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the land: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

The purpose of Ezekiel's actions was to serve as a sign to Judah that they were headed into captivity.

12:7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for removing, and in the evening I digged through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

Ezekiel did as he was commanded.

12:8 And in the morning came the word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

The Word of God came to Ezekiel during the next morning.

12:9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

Judah was curious, so they asked for the meaning of Ezekiel's symbolic act.

12:10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.

A burden is a heavy message of judgment. The prince in Jerusalem was King Zedekiah. Jehoiakin was the true king, but he was still living as a captive in Babylon. Therefore, Zedekiah was called a prince, because Jehoaikin was still alive and was recognized as the true king of Judah.

12:11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.

The sign was for Judah. What the nation of Judah saw Ezekiel act out would be what would eventually happen to Judah.

12:12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, because he shall not see the land with his eyes.

Because the gates of the city would be built up by the Babylonians during the siege, then King Zedekiah would have to dig a hole under the walls to get out of the city alive. He would be captured and blinded by the Babylonians. The fulfillment of his blindness would be found in 2 Kings 25, Jeremiah 39, and Jeremiah 52.

12:13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.

Ezekiel predicted that King Zedekiah would be captured in a net by the Babylonians and be blinded. This prophecy would be fulfilled in 2 Kings 25, Jeremiah 39, and Jeremiah 52. Rabbinic legends reported that there was a 25-mile underground tunnel from Jerusalem to Jericho. Babylonians were chasing a gazelle, which led them to the entrance of the tunnel, where Zedekiah was captured. This was rabbinic legend. This tunnel has never been discovered. This is another example of rabbinic mythology.

12:14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his military; and I will draw out the sword after them.

Ezekiel predicted that the people of Judah would be scattered into all of the surrounding nations. The soldiers would be scattered as well. This fulfillment would be found in 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 52.

12:15 And they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries.

When Ezekiel's and Jeremiah's prophecies were fulfilled, then Judah would know that Jehovah is the one true God.

12:16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Only a few men would survive the sword, famine, and pestilence of the Babylonian siege.

12:17 Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

The word of God came to Ezekiel once again.

12:18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with fearfulness;

Ezekiel was commanded to eat bread and drink water in fear.

12:19 and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, and despoiled of all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

In the future, Judah would experience famine. This famine would cause them to eat and drink with fear and trembling, not knowing when their next meal would come. This fulfillment was found in 2 Kings 25 and in Jeremiah 52.

12:20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

The cities of Judah would become waste lands. These Jewish cities would become ghost towns. After the Jews were exiled to Babylon, then there would be no one left living in the land of Judah.

The Presumptuous Proverb

12:21 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

God spoke to Ezekiel once again. God commanded Ezekiel to give this new message to the captives in Babylon.

12:22 Son of man, what is this proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

God told Ezekiel that every single prophesy would be fulfilled. This proverb meant “That it will never happen.” The people would not believe Ezekiel, because his prophecies were not yet fulfilled. They were refusing to believe the Word of God from a personally-sent prophet of God. This message of Ezekiel was that God's judgment would be coming soon.

12:23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I 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 fulfillment of every vision.

God would fulfill Ezekiel's prophecy, so Judah would not be allowed to use this proverb anymore.

12:24 For there shall be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

God would eliminate the false prophets out of Israel.

12:25 For I am Jehovah; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed; it shall be no more deferred: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord Jehovah.

God made a promise, using His covenant name of Jehovah. He would fulfill these prophecies of Israel.

12:26 Again the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

The Word of God came to Ezekiel once again.

12:27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many day to come, and he prophesieth of times that are far off.

Judah was not worried about these prophecies of Ezekiel, because they were too far into the future to affect them.

12:28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Since Judah was not concerned about the late fulfillment of this prophecy, God decided to give an immediate fulfillment of this prophecy.