Again, the word of the Lord came to me, saying. This is repeated to confirm what was before spoken, and that they might assure themselves that there would be a certain and speedy accomplishment of what the Lord had said by his prophet. read more
In your days - will I say the word, and will perform it - Even these mockers shall live to see and feel this desolation. This is more particularly intimated in the following verses. read more
Verse 26 Here indeed such detestable blasphemy as we lately heard is not condemned in the Jews: but oblique ridicule, the tendency of which was first of all to weaken all confidence in Prophecy, and then to get rid of all heavenly doctrine. Those who are now condemned by the Prophet did not dare to bluster against God with swollen cheeks, but when others concluded the Prophecies to be vain and frivolous, because the time was put off, they said — it may happen that God will accomplish what he... read more
The snare of unbelief. Faith has the power to make the distant near. It obliterates distance of time and space. But unbelief reverses the effect. It looks in at the wrong end of the telescope, and reduces realities to a mere speck. Unbelief corrupts all blessing; it makes sour the very cream of God's kindness. "Because judgment is not speedily executed," incorrigible rebellion makes a mock of retribution. I. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF DISTANT JUDGMENT IS GREAT KINDNESS . The... read more
The word of the Lord discredited and vindicated. "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel?" etc. I. THE WORD OF THE LORD DISCREDITED . 1 . It was discredited in various degrees. 2 . It was discredited in open expression. "Behold, the house of Israel say, The vision that he sooth is for many days," etc. (verse 27). In the case of those who entirely discredited the word of the Lord by the... read more
The human proverb and the Divine. National proverbs embody national thinking, national sentiments, national habits. They sometimes convey counsels of wisdom. But they are sometimes superficial and all but valueless. As in the case here recorded, such frivolous and misleading sayings need to be replaced and substituted by the dictates of inspiration, of infallible wisdom, and undying truth. I. A SPECIOUS PROVERB OF HUMAN WISDOM . 1 . Its import. This was twofold—it... read more
The words imply another interval of silence, meditation, and then a fresh utterance to the same effect as before. In this case ( Ezekiel 12:27 ) we trace a slight modification in the language of the gainsayers. They recognize Ezekiel both as a seer and a prophet. They do not say that his vision "faileth." They content themselves with throwing the fulfilment into the distant future. Their thought is that of the proverb which has been ascribed to more than one king or statesman, Apres moi le... read more
As in Ezekiel 7:0, the nearness of the judgment is foretold.Ezekiel 12:22The land of Israel - is put generally for the land where the children of Israel dwelt, whether at home, or in exile. There was prevalent a disregard for the true prophets, which is ever followed by a recognition of the false. First, the true prophet is rejected because it is thought that his prophecies fail. Then men persuade themselves that if the prophecy be true it respects some distant time, and that the men of the... read more
Messages to be heeded (12:17-28)Ezekiel’s starvation diet symbolized the shortage of food in Jerusalem during the last great siege (see 4:9-17). He was now told that, when he ate, he was to act as if he were stricken with terror, to emphasize the horror of the events about to overtake Jerusalem (17-20).Many of the exiles doubted the truth of the messages that Ezekiel announced. They argued that days, months, and even years passed, but they did not see his prophecies fulfilled (21-22). God’s... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 12:21-28
Various methods had been used to awaken this secure and careless people to an expectation of the judgments coming, that they might be stirred up, by repentance and reformation, to prevent them. The prophecies of their ruin were confirmed by visions, and illustrated by signs, and all with such evidence and power that one would think they must needs be wrought upon; but here we are told how they evaded the conviction, and guarded against it, namely, by telling themselves, and one another, that... read more