Ezekiel 12:21-28

II. TWO POPULAR SAYINGS CORRECTED

12:21-28

TRANSLATION

(21) And the word OF the LORD came unto me, saying, (22) Son of man, what is this proverb that your people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged and every vision has perished? (23) Therefore say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I have made this proverb to cease, and they shall not make use of it any more in Israel; but speak unto them: The days draw near, and the word of every vision. (24) For there shall no longer be any lying vision, nor flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel. (25) For I the LORD shall speak, and the word which I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall not be prolonged any more; for in your days O rebellious house, I will speak, and I will perform it (oracle of the Lord GOD). (26) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (27) Son of man, Behold the house of Israel is saying, The vision which he sees is for distant days and of far off times he prophesies. (28) Therefore, say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD: All My words shall not be prolonged any longer, because I speak a word that it may be done (oracle of the LORD).

COMMENTS

Still another revelation came to the prophet (Ezekiel 12:21) in order to instruct him about how to deal with a perverse attitude which was current among those who were in Israel. Doubtlessly the same attitude was current among the Jews in Babylon. This attitude had crystallized into a clever, pithy, four-word Hebrew proverb (mashal) which was wielding tremendous influence among the Jews. Though prophet after prophet had come in the name of God predicting national doom, yet the days are prolonged, i.e., time passes, and the visions of doom and destruction never yet had materialized (Ezekiel 12:22). Throughout history such has been the cry of those with little or no faith.[273] In effect this proverb sneers at the prophet because his threats did not immediately and dramatically become reality. Perhaps the people had the notion that with the passage of time the power of the prophetic word became ineffective.

[273] Amos 6:3; Isaiah 5:19; Jeremiah 17:15; Matthew 24:48; 2 Peter 3:4.

For such careless unconcern and unbelief God had an answer. The perverse proverb would not be used much longer in the land. In a four-word counter-proverb Ezekiel underscored the fact that his prophecies of doom were not for some distant age. The days are at hand[274] when every word[275] of every ominous vision would come to pass (Ezekiel 12:23). The devastating flow of events would stop the mouths of charlatans who were specialists in vain vision and smooth divination[276] (Ezekiel 12:24). Optimistic promises of last-minute divine rescue for the Holy City would be discredited and false slogans, however catchy, would die. But God will speak,[277] and whatever He speaks will assuredly come to pass. As an evidence of grace, execution of divine wrath had in the past been delayed, but no more. The grace period was over. The present rebellious generation would not only hear the prophets speak the word of God, they would witness the Lord of history perform that word in their land and city.

[274] Compare the language of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2), Jesus (Matthew 4:17) and Paul (Romans 13:11).

[275] The Hebrew word dabhar means an effective word, word which has lasting power (Isaiah 55:11). In this context it would be correct to interpret it to mean fulfillment.

[276]Divination originally meant the use of external devices such as stars, birds, sticks or the entrails of animals to predict the future. It is impossible to be sure whether some of the false prophets in Babylon resorted to such techniques or whether Ezekiel simply used the term divination to underscore the worthlessness of their predictions.

[277] The pronoun I is emphatic in Hebrew.

In Ezekiel 12:26-28 Ezekiel deals with yet another perverse proverb. Some had grudgingly recognized an element of truth in the predictions of Ezekiel. They did not say that his vision had failed. Rather they were content with throwing the fulfillment into the distant future (Ezekiel 12:26). To those who transferred the divine threats to distant times God reaffirmed that His judgment was both absolute and imminent (Ezekiel 12:28). The destruction of the Temple and the Holy City, the departure of the divine presence from the sanctuary there, were already within measurable time distance.

The perverse proverbs of the sixth century Jews have from time to time resurfaced in the Christian age among those who are incredulous with regard to second-coming promises. Because nineteen centuries have passed since the hope of Jesus-' return was kindled, some skeptics have concluded that this doctrine can be relegated to the theological scrapheap. Others give credence to the doctrine, but in attitude and action assign the coming of the Lord to some distant age. But whether the promises of His coming have a near or distant fruition, the Christian is called upon to structure his life around the certainty and immediacy of the fulfillment. Those who tend to become weary in patient waiting should read anew 2 Peter 3:3-13.