No Seeing or Hearing
Eze 12:1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
Eze 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
This describes many today who just cannot or do not want to hear the message of God's truth. This is being in rebellion.
Eze 2:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
It is foolishness to block out the things of God.
Jer 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
Satan will help you to block out the things of God; His word, His ways, until your heart becomes a dwelling place for unclean spirits.
2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Those of the world who dwell in darkness mock those who are Christians. An example is the Christian football player,Tebow, who has dedicated his life to Jesus Christ. He has made such an impact that there is a one million dollar price offered to any woman who can prove that she has slept with him. A million dollars paid by darkness to remove the light of one man's witness. Is our light shining like this? Will people see God in our lifestyle? Let's hope so. If we become like the world, we have no value for the kingdom of God, and the world will accuse us of being hypocrites. May we see and hear the things of God, may he be seen in us as a witness in a dark hour. Stay in prayer, and stay in the word. No ugly religious spirit, but the fruit of the spirit with love being uppermost in our lives. Love the LORD, His word, His people and the lost sheep. Bring in the stragglers and be one in Jesus, this is our mission of reconciliation. We will face opposition, so we must rely on the strength and direction of our LORD.
See This
The people could not hear or see the message of God, so the LORD has Ezekiel to do something as a visual aid, to make them curious. You have to get their attention, before they will see and hear.
Eze 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 be a rebellious house.
He was to get his stuff together, things to carry to a new place. He was not in Jerusalem in body, but in the vision he was. I suppose these things were to illustrate to those with him in captivity what was to come upon Jerusalem.
You know we in America have so much stuff that many have to make storage space for it all. What would you take with you if you were forced to leave to another land and could take only what you could carry with you?
Eze 12:4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.
Eze 12:5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Eze 12:6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
Eze 12:7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
Eze 12:8 And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
Eze 12:9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
Eze 12:10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
burden, massa' - load bearing or in another use, oracle of God. The word has two meanings. In Jer 23:33 it is used as an oracle.
Eze 12:11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
Eze 12:12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
Eze 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.
Eze 12:14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.
The "prince", Zedekiah
"yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there." Zedekiah would be blinded and taken inro captivity.
Why did the LORD give this illustration about what was coming to Jerusalem to the prophet who was already in exile among the Chaldeans? I suppose the word would get back to Jerusalem, Also, the LORD wants all future generations to see how he warned the rebellious and what would happen to them if they did not repent. It could happen to us, that we could be taken captive by an invader and carried off. Or perhaps the invader would come through the political system? The question is, who and what do we trust? Do we trust the LORD above all others? Will those around us be rebels, letting every foreign god in the nation to the point that they are no longer a nation trusting in God? A rebel rejects the true God and the LORD cannot be replaced. Choices are made and then the results follow. Speak the truth, show them the true word of God. We shall follow God and reap eternal blessings, a rebel will loose out.
Eze 12:17 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Eze 12:18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
For fear of the invaders.
Eze 12:19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.
Eze 12:20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Eze 6:10 And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.
Those in leadership have been saying for years that God must judge America for all of its sins. No one is concerned until things get harder, but will people repent and trust God?.
Zec 7:14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
Judgment not delayed
Eze 12:21 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 12:22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
Eze 12:23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; 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 effect of every vision.
Eze 12:24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
They would see the LORD's warnings come to pass, just as we are seeing the end time events come to pass. The true believer sees these things and prepares himself to meet the LORD. A true servant of God speaks truth, not flattery and false prophesies. They had turned from the truth to hear false prophets and false teachers. We see much division in the churches today because people want to hear their thoughts and emotions instead of the word of God. They want feel good messages and to sing emotional songs, but the LORD desires our worship in Spirit and in truth from the heart.
1Th 2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
Jer 14:14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Jer 14:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
Eze 12:25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 12:26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Eze 12:27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
Eze 12:28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Jeremiah was prophecying in Jerusalem at the same time Ezekiel was speaking.
Lam 2:14 Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.
Lam 2:15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
Lam 2:16 All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.
Keep looking for the Lord and pray without ceasing. We shall see the King of Glory!
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