§ 4. FURTHER PROPHECIES OF ISRAEL'S GUILT AND APPROACHING PUNISHMENT (EZEKIEL 12-19) This is a somewhat miscellaneous group of prophecies intermediate in date between the preceding (August-September, 591 b.c.) and succeeding (July-August, 590 b.c.) sections. It includes fresh symbols of exile, fligh... [ Continue Reading ]
SYMBOLS OF EXILE, FLIGHT, AND FAMINE Ezekiel's audience being blind to the meaning of the vision he has just described, he is commanded to give them, in new symbolic actions, a further representation of the coming fate of Jerusalem and its king and people. He is told to gather together such things a... [ Continue Reading ]
The story of the vision seems to have produced no impression.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STUMBLINGBLOCK, etc.] idolatry: see Ezekiel 7:19. SHOULD I BE ENQUIRED OF?] Such enquiry was a mockery of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
DESERTS] RV 'waste places,' ruins. THAT I MAY TAKE, etc.] Sin hardens the heart and so leads on to destruction. This is a self-acting law of divine retribution, and so in a sense the result is God's doing. But God does not seek to ensnare men. On the contrary, He pleads with them to forsake their e... [ Continue Reading ]
GAPS] RM 'breaches.' HEDGE] RV 'fence.' The false prophets did nothing to repair or strengthen Israel's defences. THE WALL] Some understand the town-wall of Tel-abib, or the wall of the courtyard of Ezekiel's house, but we cannot be sure that these walls existed, The house-wall itself may be meant,... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY WOULD CONFIRM THE WORD] RV 'that the word should be confirmed.' TWILIGHT] RV 'dark,' and so in Ezekiel 12:7,... [ Continue Reading ]
CAPTIVITY] RV 'removing,' as in Ezekiel 12:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
The false prophets would have no share in the restoration of Israel which Ezekiel foretold. When he hath spoken a tiling'] RV 'and speaketh a word.' A true prophet will not answer insincere enquirers at all, but will leave it to God to answer them by destruction (Ezekiel 12:7). To give any answer is... [ Continue Reading ]
A WALL] RM 'a slight wall,' the vain defences of Jerusalem. AND ONE BUILT, etc.] RV 'and when one' (the people) 'buildeth up a wall, behold they '(the false prophets) 'daub it,' etc. UNTEMPERED _morter_] or whitewash. The. false prophets could only give the wall a specious appearance of strength. _... [ Continue Reading ]
COVER THY FACE] A natural emblem for disguise and secrecy, but with a special reference, as Ezekiel 12:13 shows, to Zedekiah's blindness. THAT he SEE NOT] RV 'because he shall not see.'... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL LEAVE A FEW] This is really an explanation of the symbol in Ezekiel 5:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
PILLOWS] probably 'amulets,' supposed to have magical virtues. They were worn by the false prophetesses themselves (Ezekiel 12:20). ARMHOLES] RV 'elbows,' RM 'joints of the hands.' The amulets were worn in some way on the arms or wrists. KERCHIEFS] or 'fillets.' These were apparently veils put over... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL YE POLLUTE] RV 'ye have profaned.' HANDFULS OF BARLEY, etc.] The fees received by the false prophetesses. DIE and LIVE] see on Ezekiel 3:18. This whole passage should be read in the light of the description of the true prophet's duty in Ezekiel 3:16;... [ Continue Reading ]
TO MAKE _them_ FLY] RM 'as birds.'... [ Continue Reading ]
ON PROPHECY, TRUE AND FALSE After rebuking certain prevalent forms of contempt for prophecy (Ezekiel 12:21), Ezekiel reproves the false prophets (Ezekiel 13:1) and false prophetesses (Ezekiel 13:17) of Israel. A visit from the elders next supplies the occasion for an announcement of the principles... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezekiel's message frequently takes the shape of a criticism of current proverbs, as in Ezekiel 11:3; Ezekiel 12:25; Ezekiel 18:2; Ezekiel 20:32. The truth of prophecy may be judged by its moral tendency. Whatever encourages sin betrays itself as false: see Jeremiah 23:22. BY PROMISING HIM LIFE] RV... [ Continue Reading ]
VAIN VISION.. FLATTERING DIVINATION] Forms of false prophecy, more fully exposed in Ezekiel 13. These had been unfulfilled, and this had led to contempt for all prophecy. But God's true word would no longer be confounded with such things.... [ Continue Reading ]
PROLONGED] RV 'deferred,' and so in Ezekiel 12:28. _(B) FALSE PROPHETS REPROVED (EZEKIEL 13:1)_ False prophecy accompanied true prophecy in Israel like its shadow. While the true prophets spoke in God's name a message which they had really received from Him, the false prophets used God's name to sa... [ Continue Reading ]