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Commentary on Ezekiel 11 verses 14–21
Prophecy was designed to exalt every valley as well as to bring low every mountain and hill (Isa 40:4), and prophets were to speak not only conviction to the presumptuous and secure, but comfort to the despised and desponding that trembled at God's word. The prophet Ezekiel, having in the former part of this chapter received instructions for the awakening of those that were at ease in Zion, is in these verses furnished with comfortable words for those that mourned in Babylon and by the rivers there sat weeping when they remembered Zion. Observe,
I. How the pious captives were trampled upon and insulted over by those who continued in Jerusalem, Eze 11:15. God tells the prophet what the inhabitants of Jerusalem said of him and the rest of them that were already carried away to Babylon. God had owned them as good figs, and declared it was for their good that he had sent them into Babylon; but the inhabitants of Jerusalem abandoned them, supposing those that were really the best saints to be the greatest sinners of all men that dwelt in Jerusalem. Observe, 1. How they are described: They are thy brethren (says God to the prophet), whom thou hast a concern and affection for; they are the men of thy kindred (the men of thy redemption, so the word is), thy next of kin, to whom the right of redeeming the alienated possession belongs, but who are so far from being able to do it that they have themselves gone into captivity. They are the whole house of Israel; God so accounts of them because they only have retained their integrity, and are bettered by their captivity. They were not only of the same family and nation with Ezekiel, but of the same spirit; they were his hearers, and he had communion with them in holy ordinances; and perhaps upon that account they are called his brethren and the men of his kindred. 2. How they were disowned by the inhabitants of Jerusalem; they said of them, Get you far from the Lord. Those that were at ease and proud themselves scorned their brethren that were humbled and under humbling providences. (1.) They cut them off from being members of their church. Because they had separated themselves from their rulers and in compliance with the will of God had surrendered themselves to the king of Babylon, they excommunicated them, and said, "Get you far from the Lord; we will have nothing to do with you." Those that were superstitious were very willing to shake off those that were conscientious, and were severe in their censures of them and sentences against them, as if they were forsaken and forgotten of the Lord and were cut off from the communion of the faithful. (2.) They cut them off from being members of the commonwealth too, as if they had no longer any part or lot in the matter: "Unto us is this land given in possession, and you have forfeited your estates by surrendering to the king of Babylon, and we have thereby become entitled to them." God takes notice of, and is much displeased with, the contempt which those that are in prosperity put upon their brethren that are in affliction.
II. The gracious promises which God made to them in consideration of the insolent conduct of their brethren towards them. Those that hated them and cast them out said, Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to their joy, Isa 66:5. God owns that his hand had gone out against them, which had given occasion to their brethren to triumph over them (Eze 11:16): "It is true I have cast them far off among the heathen and scattered them among the countries; they look as if they were an abandoned people, and so mingled with the nations that they will be lost among them; but I have mercy in store for them." Note, God takes occasion from the contempts which are put upon his people to speak comfort to them, as David hoped God would reward him good for Shimei's cursing. His time to support his people's hopes is when their enemies are endeavouring to drive them to despair. Now God promises,
1.That he will make up to them the want of the temple and the privileges of it (Eze 11:16): I will be to them as a little sanctuary, in the countries where they shall come. Those at Jerusalem have the temple, but without God; those in Babylon have God, though without the temple. (1.) God will be a sanctuary to them; that is, a place of refuge; to him they shall flee, and in him they shall be safe, as he was that took hold on the horns of the altar. Or, rather, they shall have such communion with God in the land of their captivity as it was thought could be had nowhere but in the temple. They shall there see God's power and his glory, as they used to see them in the sanctuary; they shall have the tokens of God's presence with them, and his grace in their hearts shall sanctify their prayers and praises, as well as ever the altar sanctified the gift, so that they shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock. (2.) He will be a little sanctuary, not seen or observed by their enemies, who looked with an evil and an envious eye upon that house at Jerusalem which was high and great, Kg1 9:8. They were but few and mean, and a little sanctuary was fittest for them. God regards the low estate of his people, and suits his favours to their circumstances. Observe the condescensions of divine grace. The great God will be to his people a little sanctuary. Note, Those that are deprived of the benefit of public ordinances, if it be not their own fault, may have the want of them abundantly made up in the immediate communications of divine grace and comforts.
2.That God would in due time put an end to their afflictions, bring them out of the land of their captivity, and settle them again, them or their children, in their own land (Eze 11:17): "I will gather even you that are thus dispersed, thus despised, and given over for lost by your own countrymen; I will gather you from the people, distinguish you from those with whom you are mingled, deliver you from those by whom you are held captives, and assemble you in a body out of the countries where you have been scattered; you shall not come back one by one, but all together, which will make your return more honourable, safe, and comfortable; and then I will give you the land of Israel, which now your brethren look upon you as for ever shut out from." Note, It is well for us that men's severe censures cannot cut us off from God's gracious promises. There are many that will be found to have a place in the holy land whom uncharitable men, by their monopolies of it to themselves, had secluded from it. I will give you the land of Israel, give it to you again by a new grant, and they shall come thither. If there be any thing in the change of the person from you to them, it may signify the posterity of those to whom the promise is made. "You shall have the title as the patriarchs had, and those that come after shall have the possession."
3.That God by his grace would part between them and their sins, Eze 11:18. Their captivity shall effectually cure them of their idolatry: When they come thither to their own land again they shall take away all the detestable things thereof. Their idols, that had been their delectable things, should now be looked upon with detestation, not only the idols of Babylon, where they were captives, but the idols of Canaan, where they were natives; they should not only not worship them as they had done, but they should not suffer any monuments of them to remain: They shall take all the abominations thereof thence. Note, Then it is in mercy that we return to a prosperous estate, when we return not to the sins and follies of that state. What have I to do any more with idols?
4.That God would powerfully dispose them to their duty; they shall not only cease to do evil, but they shall learn to do well, because there shall be not only an end of their troubles, but a return to their peace.
(1.)God will plant good principles in them; he will make the tree good, Eze 11:19. This is a gospel promise, and is made good to all those whom God designs for the heavenly Canaan; for God prepares all for heaven whom he has prepared heaven for. It is promised, [1.] That God will give them one heart, a heart entire for the true God and not divided as it had been among many gods, a heart firmly fixed and resolved for God and not wavering, steady and uniform, and not inconstant with itself. One heart is a sincere and upright heart, its intentions of a piece with its professions. [2.] That he will put a new spirit within them, a temper of mind agreeable to the new circumstances into which God in his providence would bring them. All that are sanctified have a new spirit, quite different from what it was; they act from new principles, walk by new rules, and aim at new ends. A new name, or a new face, will not serve without a new spirit. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. [3.] That he will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, out of their corrupt nature. Their hearts shall no longer be, as they have been, dead and dry, and hard and heavy, as a stone, no longer incapable of bearing good fruit, so that the good seed is lost upon it, as it was on the stony ground. [4.] That he will give them a heart of flesh, not dead or proud flesh, but living flesh; he will make their hearts sensible of spiritual pains and spiritual pleasures, will make them tender, and apt to receive impressions. This is God's work, it is his gift, his gift by promise; and a wonderful and happy change it is that is wrought by it, from death to life. This is promised to those whom God would bring back to their own land; for then such a change of the condition is for the better indeed when it is accompanied with such a change of the heart; and such a change must be wrought in all those that shall be brought to the better country, that is, the heavenly.
(2.)Their practices shall be consonant to those principles: I will give them a new spirit, not that they may be able to discourse well of religion and to dispute for it, but that they may walk in my statues in their whole conversation and keep my ordinances in all acts of religious worship, Eze 11:20. These two must go together; and those to whom God has given a new heart and a new spirit will make conscience of both; and then they shall be my people and I will be their God. The ancient covenant, which seemed to be broken and forgotten, shall be renewed. By their idolatry, it should seem, they had cast God off; by their captivity, it should seem, God had cast them off. But when they were cured of their idolatry, and delivered out of their captivity, God and his Israel own one another again. God, by his good work in them, will make them his people; and then, by the tokens of his good-will towards them, he will show that he is their God.
III. Here is a threatening of wrath against those who hated to be reformed. As, when judgments are threatened, the righteous are distinguished so as not to share in the evil of those judgments, so, when favours are promised, the wicked are distinguished so as not to share in the comfort of those favours; they have no part nor lot in the matter, Eze 11:21. But, as for those that have no grace, what have they to do with peace? Observe, 1. Their description. Their heart walks after the heart of their detestable things; they have as great a minds to worship devils as devils have to be worshipped. Or, in opposition to the new heart which God gives his people, which is a heart after his own heart, they have a heart after the heart of their idols; in their temper and practice they conformed to the characters and accounts given them of their idols, and the ideas they had of them, and of them they learned lewdness and cruelty. Here lies the root of all their wickedness, the corruption of the heart; as the root of their reformation is laid in the renovation of the heart. The heart has its walks, and according as those are the man is. 2. Their doom. It carries both justice and terror in it: I will recompense their way upon their own heads; I will deal with them as they deserve. There needs no more than this to speak God righteous, that he does but render to men according to their deserts: and yet such are the deserts of sin that there needs no more than this to speak the sinner miserable.
(Verse 17 and following) Therefore, speak and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall go there and remove all offenses and all abominations from it. And I will give them one heart (or I will give them a new heart) and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, so that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and do them; then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.' But as for those whose heart follows their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their way upon their own heads," declares the Lord God. This is a divine message to those who were captive in the land of Babylon, to the brothers of the prophet Ezekiel, and to the near ones to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem (or Israel) said: 'You have gone far from the Lord, the land has been given to us as a possession.' But these are the words that follow: 'I will gather you from the peoples and give you the land of Israel.' And when you have entered, you shall remove all idols, because of which you have offended God, and I will give you a unified heart of fear and servitude to God, so that you may not serve diverse idols, or any other than what you had before. And I will give a new spirit in your midst, according to what is written: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:12). And I will remove from you a heart of stone, that is, a hard heart, according to what Stephen, the first martyr in Christ, spoke: Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart (Acts 7:51). And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the people of Israel go (Exod. VII). And I will give them a heart of flesh, a soft and tender heart, that they may receive the commandments of God, so that they may be written on the tablets of their carnal hearts. Therefore, a soft heart is given and a hard heart is taken away, so that they may walk in my precepts, keep my judgments, and be a people of God. And the Lord, who was previously an adversary, shall be their God. But those who do not correct their previous sins with repentance, but follow after their abominations, I will repay them according to what they deserve, so that their ways may be upon their heads. These things are believed by many to have happened under Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, and under Jesus, the son of Josedec, the high priest, and under Ezra and Nehemiah, to the tribe of Judah, and to those who returned with them. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, who were taken captive under King Zedekiah of Judah, or who fled with Jeremiah to Egypt, are believed to have been dispersed into all lands and not to have returned to the city of Jerusalem. But the full conversion of those who were captive and the remnant of Israel is understood in Christ, when the remnant was saved, and three thousand believed in one day, and again five thousand (Acts 2); and others, of whom James speaks to the apostle Paul: Do you see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed? hi, all the imitators of the Law are. But even the proud daily inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem, whose hearts walk after their stumbling blocks and abominations, deserve the offense of God, but those who were outside, with their stony heart removed and a very soft heart accepted, return to the Church through repentance, and they walk in the precepts of the Lord and keep His judgments, and they become the people of the Lord, and the Lord, whom they formerly offended, becomes their God.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 11:21 delivers a stark and unyielding divine pronouncement of judgment against those in Jerusalem whose hearts remain stubbornly entrenched in idolatry and morally repugnant practices. In sharp contrast to the preceding promises of spiritual renewal and restoration offered to the faithful remnant, this verse asserts God's unwavering justice, declaring that the full, inescapable consequences of their chosen path of rebellion and spiritual defilement will be brought directly upon their own heads by the sovereign Lord GOD. It profoundly underscores that sin originates in a corrupted heart and inevitably culminates in just retribution.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse serves as the concluding and climactic statement of a significant section (Ezekiel 11:14-21) where God addresses the exiles in Babylon, detailing the differing fates of Jerusalem's inhabitants. While the preceding verses (Ezekiel 11:16-20) offer a message of profound hope and restoration for the scattered remnant—promising to gather them, give them a new heart and a new spirit, and empower them to walk in God's statutes—verse 21 stands in stark, judicial opposition. It meticulously outlines the grim fate of those who defiantly reject this path of repentance, choosing instead to cling to their defiling practices. This verse immediately precedes the solemn vision of the glory of the Lord departing from the city (Ezekiel 11:22-23), a powerful symbolic act signifying the imminent, divinely ordained destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, a judgment directly precipitated by the very abominations condemned herein.
Historical & Cultural Context: Ezekiel prophesied during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile, specifically between 593-571 BC, a time of profound national and spiritual crisis for the kingdom of Judah. Despite the initial deportations and the impending siege, many inhabitants and leaders within Jerusalem harbored a false sense of security, believing the city and Temple to be inviolable. This security was tragically misplaced, given their widespread idolatry and pervasive moral corruption. The "detestable things and their abominations" refer to the deeply ingrained pagan worship practices adopted from surrounding Canaanite and Mesopotamian cultures. These included the worship of foreign deities like Baal and Asherah, often involving abhorrent rituals such as cultic prostitution and even the horrific practice of child sacrifice, as explicitly condemned elsewhere (Ezekiel 16:20-21 and Ezekiel 20:26). These were not mere external rituals but profound expressions of a spiritual apostasy that fundamentally violated the covenant God had established with Israel, thus provoking His righteous and holy wrath.
Key Themes: Ezekiel 11:21 powerfully contributes to several overarching and interconnected themes prevalent throughout the book of Ezekiel. Foremost among these is Divine Judgment, emphasizing God's unwavering and righteous response to unrepentant sin, particularly the pervasive idolatry and moral corruption of His covenant people. It highlights the crucial theme of Individual Accountability, asserting that each person bears the direct consequences of their own choices, especially concerning the Condition of the Heart—which the verse identifies as the true seat of allegiance, devotion, and moral character. The phrase "heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things" vividly portrays this internal corruption. The verse also implicitly reinforces the theme of God's Sovereignty and His steadfast commitment to justice, starkly contrasting the inevitable fate of the wicked with the promised Restoration and Spiritual Renewal reserved for the faithful remnant (as powerfully articulated in passages like Ezekiel 36:26-27).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 11:21 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment and the nature of spiritual rebellion. The most striking is Metaphor, particularly evident in the phrase "whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things." Here, the "heart," the seat of inner life, is personified as "walking," vividly depicting a deliberate, chosen path or lifestyle. Furthermore, the "heart of their detestable things" is a profoundly unsettling and vivid image, suggesting that the very essence, spirit, or core nature of their idols has captivated and corrupted their inner being, thereby guiding their actions and desires. This creates a powerful picture of profound spiritual allegiance to that which is anathema to God. The phrase "I will recompense their way upon their own heads" is a classic Idiom, a common and powerful expression in ancient Near Eastern legal and moral contexts, signifying that the consequences of one's actions will directly and deservedly fall back upon the perpetrator. It powerfully emphasizes the principle of just retribution. Finally, the verse stands in stark Contrast to the preceding promises of a new heart and spirit for the repentant remnant (Ezekiel 11:19-20). This sharp juxtaposition highlights the two divergent paths available to humanity—one of repentance and renewal, the other of stubborn rebellion—and their respective, diametrically opposed outcomes, thereby amplifying the severity and inevitability of the judgment for those who choose the latter.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 11:21 serves as a profound and unyielding statement on divine justice, unequivocally asserting that God's judgment is neither arbitrary nor capricious but a direct, righteous, and just response to the internal condition and external actions of humanity. It underscores the critical importance of the heart's allegiance, revealing that true sin is fundamentally a matter of misplaced devotion, where anything that displaces God from His rightful, supreme position becomes an "abomination." The universal spiritual principle of "reaping what one sows" is powerfully articulated, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to holding individuals accountable for their choices and ensuring that persistent rebellion against His holy character inevitably leads to self-inflicted consequences. This verse serves as a stark and enduring reminder of the gravity of idolatry, not merely as a ritualistic offense but as a fundamental betrayal of the covenant relationship and a profound defilement of the human heart.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 11:21 functions as a timeless and convicting mirror, inviting us to deeply and honestly examine the true allegiance of our own hearts. While ancient Israel grappled with tangible, physical idols, the complexities of the modern world present a myriad of subtle or overt "detestable things" and "abominations" that can insidiously capture our devotion—whether it be the relentless pursuit of wealth, power, pleasure, status, self-sufficiency, or even certain ideologies, relationships, or comforts that subtly usurp God's rightful and supreme place in our lives. This verse challenges us to profoundly consider what we truly "walk after"—what consumes our thoughts, directs our passions, shapes our decisions, and defines our ultimate purpose. It is a sobering reminder that persistent rebellion against God's revealed will, originating from a heart alienated from Him, inevitably leads to dire consequences. The principle of divine recompense is not merely an Old Testament concept but a universal spiritual law: the path we choose ultimately determines our spiritual destination and the fruit we bear. Therefore, true spiritual health, flourishing, and freedom begin with a heart wholly and unreservedly devoted to God, actively seeking His transformative grace to turn away from anything that defiles and to wholeheartedly embrace His life-giving ways.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What exactly are "detestable things" and "abominations" in this context?
Answer: In the Old Testament, particularly in the prophetic books like Ezekiel, "detestable things" (shiqqûwts) and "abominations" (tôwʻêbah) are exceptionally strong terms used to describe practices and objects that are utterly repugnant, morally disgusting, and profoundly offensive to God. While they can encompass various forms of moral corruption and societal injustice, their primary and most frequent reference in this context is to idolatry and the associated pagan rituals that Israel had adopted from surrounding nations. This included the worship of foreign gods (such as Baal and Asherah), the use of cultic prostitution within religious rites, and most horrifically, the practice of child sacrifice (as seen in Ezekiel 16:36 and Ezekiel 20:31). These were not merely minor offenses but fundamental violations of God's covenant with Israel, representing a profound spiritual defilement and a direct affront to His holy character.
How does this verse relate to the concept of divine justice?
Answer: Ezekiel 11:21 is a clear and forceful articulation of divine justice, specifically emphasizing the principle of retributive justice. The phrase "I will recompense their way upon their own heads" signifies that God will directly and actively ensure that the consequences of their actions fall precisely and justly upon the perpetrators. This is not arbitrary or vindictive punishment but a righteous and proportional response to their chosen "way" of rebellion, idolatry, and moral corruption. It powerfully demonstrates that God is perfectly righteous, holy, and just, and therefore will not allow sin to go unaddressed or unpunished. His justice ensures that those who persistently reject His ways and cling to what is abominable will ultimately bear the full and inescapable weight of their choices, thereby affirming His holy character and upholding the moral order of His creation. This concept is echoed throughout Scripture, as in Psalm 7:16.
Is this judgment only for ancient Israel, or does it have relevance for believers today?
Answer: While Ezekiel 11:21 was indeed spoken to ancient Israel within a specific historical and covenantal context, its underlying principles are timeless, universal, and profoundly relevant for believers today. The core message is about the condition of the human heart and the inevitable consequences of misplaced devotion, or idolatry. Though modern believers may not bow down to physical statues, anything that takes God's rightful, supreme place in our hearts—whether it is wealth, power, pleasure, self, personal comfort, or even good things idolized—becomes a contemporary "detestable thing" or "abomination." The spiritual principle that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7) remains eternally true. This verse serves as a perpetual and urgent warning against spiritual apathy, moral compromise, and the insidious dangers of allowing anything to usurp God's supreme authority and affection in our lives, reminding us that true spiritual health and blessing require a heart fully surrendered to Him.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 11:21, with its stern declaration of divine recompense for hearts devoted to "detestable things" and "abominations," finds its profound and glorious Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Humanity's "way" of sin and pervasive idolatry, which justly deserved the full weight of divine recompense upon their own heads, was fully and perfectly borne by Christ on the cross. He became the ultimate and spotless sacrifice, taking upon Himself the very judgment that sinful humanity deserved (as powerfully prophesied in Isaiah 53:5 and gloriously fulfilled in 2 Corinthians 5:21). Furthermore, where the Old Covenant revealed humanity's inherent inability to consistently walk after God's heart, Christ, through His perfect and unwavering obedience, flawlessly fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law (Matthew 5:17). More gloriously still, the promise of a "new heart" and a "new spirit" (foreshadowed in Ezekiel 11:19 and Ezekiel 36:26) is powerfully realized in the New Covenant through saving faith in Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Believers are now empowered to have their hearts transformed from walking after "detestable things" to walking in the Spirit, truly loving God and obeying His commands from a place of renewed desire (Romans 8:4). Thus, Christ not only bore the recompense for our past idolatry but also provides the divine means to overcome its power in our present lives, enabling us to live with hearts wholly devoted to God.