Ezekiel 2:3

And He said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, the expression here referring to Israel as a nation, not as the Lord's people, to a rebellious nation, on a level with the heathen nations, that hath rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, even unto this very day. Those who should have been true sons of him who wrestled and prevailed in faith with God and man had sunk to the level of the heathen world, with its rebellious attitude over against all that was right and good.