GRACE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP | 恩道堂

Chapters 12-19 deal with the stubbornness of exiles who conjured many reasons for not being faithful to God. The exiles had not grasped the serious consequences of Ezekiel’s warnings. They still hoped for an early return to Israel, for they viewed the continued preservation of Jerusalem and Judah as signs of hope. After all, Jerusalem was the eternal city. They refused to obey God who told them to settle down and multiply while in exile (Jer. 29:4-23). God wanted them to prepare for a difficult life in exile but they refused to their own hurt. When Ezekiel dramatized his exile to represent the soon exile of those in Jerusalem, his audience would understood because they had all experienced being exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem.

The exiles did not believe God’s word because God has been warning them for hundreds of years and the complete destruction of Jerusalem had not happened, so what Ezekiel said cannot be true. All the false prophets who prophesied about the safety of Jerusalem must be true. Others believed in God’s prophecy but thought it would not happen in their lifetime (v. 27). So God rebuked their foolish thinking and told them that He will fulfilled His prophecy soon and they will see it in their lifetime. About 5 years after this prophecy Jerusalem was completely destroyed in 586 B.C. People would not learn God’s character and warnings during a time of blessing, so tragically they will learn them during a time of judgment. God’s serious about His righteousness and judgment.

God is patient. Sadly sinful people misinterpret His patience to mean He is bluffing or not real. The same mindset exists when it comes to the return of Jesus who will judge the world with purifying fire and then setup His messianic kingdom on earth (2 Peter 3:4). People think Jesus has not come back for thousands of years so He must not be coming back. Such foolish mindset traps people in their sins. Pray that you will not be trapped in your sins by such foolish rationalization. Repent and exhort others to repent also. May you always be ready for the return of Jesus and not be in shame (1 John 2:28).

 

 

 

 

第12至19章经文论述的是被掳之民的固执；他们想出了很多可以对神不忠的借口。他们还未真正明白以西结警告中的严重后果。他们仍希望以色列能早日归回，因为他们视耶路撒冷和犹大的持续保守为盼望的迹象。毕竟，耶路撒冷是那永恒的城。他们拒绝听从神的话，也就是被掳时要安居此地，生育儿女（耶29:4-23）。神要他们为放逐的艰难日子做好准备，但他们拒绝这么做，结果受伤的是自己。当以西结将自己被掳的情景演出来时，观看的人必然会明白这一切，因为他们都有从耶路撒冷放逐至巴比伦的经历。

被掳之民不信神的话，因为神数百年来一直在警告他们，但耶路撒冷仍未完全被毁。因此，预言耶路撒冷会安全的假先知必然是真的。还有人虽然相信神的预言，却不认为他们会亲眼见到这事（27节），所以神斥责了他们愚昧的思想，告诉他们祂即将应验自己的预言，而他们必亲眼见到这事。约五年后，预言应验了——耶路撒冷在公元前586年完全被毁。以色列人民在神降福的日子里并没有理解神的品性与警戒，因此可悲的，他们将在审判的日子里学会这个功课。神十分认真看待祂的公义和审判。