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Commentary on Ezekiel 12 verses 1–16
Perhaps Ezekiel reflected with so much pleasure upon the vision he had had of the glory of God that often, since it went up from him, he was wishing it might come down to him again, and, having seen it once and a second time, he was willing to hope he might be a third time so favoured; but we do not find that he ever saw it any more, and yet the word of the Lord comes to him; for God did in divers manners speak to the fathers (Heb 1:1) and they often heard the words of God when they did not see the visions of the Almighty. Faith comes by hearing that word of prophecy which is more sure than vision. We may keep up our communion with God without raptures and ecstasies. In these verses the prophet is directed,
I. By what signs and actions to express the approaching captivity of Zedekiah king of Judah; that was the thing to be foretold, and it is foretold to those that are already in captivity, because as long as Zedekiah was upon the throne they flattered themselves with hopes that he would make his part good with the king of Babylon, whose yoke he was now projecting to shake off, from which, it is probable, these poor captives promised themselves great things; and it may be, when he was forming that design, he privately sent encouragement to them to hope that he would rescue them shortly, or procure their liberty by exchange of prisoners. While they were fed with these vain hopes they could not set themselves either to submit to their affliction or to get good by their affliction. It was therefore necessary, but very difficult, to convince them that Zedekiah, instead of being their deliverer, should very shortly be their fellow-suffered. Now, one would think it might have been sufficient if the prophet had only told them this in God's name, as he does afterwards (Eze 12:10); but, to prepare them for the prophecy of it, he must first give them a sign of it, must speak it to their eyes first and then to their ears: and here we have, 1. The reason why he must take this method (Eze 12:2): It is because they are a stupid, dull, unthinking people, that will not heed or will soon forget what they only hear of, or at least will not be at all affected with it; it will make no impression at all upon them: Thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, whom it is next to impossible to work any good upon. They have eyes and ears, they have intellectual powers and faculties, but they see not, they hear not. They were idolaters, whose character it was that they were like the idols they worshipped, which have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, Psa 115:5, Psa 115:6, Psa 115:8. Note, Those are to be reckoned rebellious that shut their eyes against the divine light and stop their ears to the divine law. The ignorance of those that are wilfully ignorant, that have faculties and means and will not use them, is so far from being their excuse that it adds rebellion to their sin. None so blind, so deaf, as those that will not see, that will not hear. They see not, they hear not; for they are a rebellious house. The cause is all from themselves: the darkness of the understanding is owing to the stubbornness of the will. Now this is the reason why he must speak to them by signs, as deaf people are taught, that they might be either instructed or ashamed. Note, Ministers must accommodate themselves not only to the weakness, but to the wilfulness of those they deal with, and deal with them accordingly: if they dwell among those that are rebellious they must speak to them the more plainly and pressingly, and take that course that is most likely to work upon them, that they may be left inexcusable. 2. The method he just take to awaken and affect them; he must furnish himself with all necessaries for removing (Eze 12:3), provide for a journey clothes and money; he must remove from one place to another, as one unsettled and forced to shift; this he must do by day, in the sight of the people; he must bring out all his household goods, to be packed up and sent away (Eze 12:4); and, because all the doors and gates were either locked up that they could not pass through them or so guarded by the enemy that they durst not, he must therefore dig through the wall, and convey his goods away clandestinely through that breach in the wall, Eze 12:5. He must carry his goods away himself upon his own shoulders, for want of a servant to attend him; he must do this in the twilight, that he might not be discovered; and, when he has made what shift he can to secure some of the best of his effects, he must himself steal away at evening in their sight, with fear and trembling, and must go as those that go forth into captivity (Eze 12:4); that is, he must cover his face (Eze 12:6) as being ashamed to be seen and afraid to be known, or in token of very great sorrow and concern; he must go away as a poor broken tradesman, who, when he is forced to shut up shop, hides his head, or quits his country. Thus Ezekiel must be himself a sign to them; and when perhaps he seemed somewhat backward to put himself to all this trouble, and to expose himself to be bantered and ridiculed for it, to reconcile him to it God says (Eze 12:3) "It may be they will consider, and will by it be taken off from their vain confidence, though they be a rebellious house." Note, We must not despair even of the worst, but that yet they may be brought to bethink themselves and repent; and therefore we must continue the use of proper means for their conviction and conversion, because, while there is life, there is hope. And ministers must be willing to go through the most difficult and inconvenient offices (for such was this of Ezekiel's removing), though there be but the it may be of success. If but one soul be awakened to consider, our care and pains will be well bestowed. 3. Ezekiel's ready and punctual obedience to the orders God gave him (Eze 12:7): I did so as I was commanded. Hereby he teaches us all, and ministers especially, (1.) To obey with cheerfulness every command of God, even the most difficult. Christ himself learned obedience, and so we must all. (2.) To do all we can for the good of the souls of others, to put ourselves to any trouble or pains for the conviction of those that are unconvinced. We do all things (that is, we are willing to do any thing), dearly beloved, for your edifying. (3.) To be ourselves affected with those things wherewith we desire to affect others. When Ezekiel would give his hearers a melancholy prospect he does himself put on a melancholy aspect. (4.) To sit loose to this world, and prepare to leave it, to carry out our stuff for removing, because we have here no continuing city. Arise, depart, this it not your rest, for it is polluted. Thou dwellest in a rebellious house, therefore prepare for removing; for who would not be willing to leave such a house, such a wicked world as this is?
II. He is directed by what words to explain those signs and actions, as Agabus, when he bound his own hands and feet, told whose binding was thereby signified. But observe, It was not till morning that God gave him an exposition of the sign, till the next morning, to keep up in him a continual dependence upon God for instruction. As what God does, so what he directs us to do, perhaps we know not now, but shall know hereafter.
1.It was supposed that the people would ask the meaning of this sing, or at least they should (Eze 12:9): "Hath not the house of Israel said unto thee, What doest thou? Yes, I know they have. Though they are a rebellious house, yet they are inquisitive concerning the mind of God," as those (Isa 58:2) who sought God daily. Therefore the prophet must do such a strange uncouth thing, that they might enquire what it meant; and then, it may be hoped, people will take notice of what is told them, and profit by it, when it comes to them in answer to their enquiries. But some understand it as an intimation that they had not made any such enquiries: "Hath not this rebellious house so much as asked thee, What doest thou? No; they take no notice of it; but tell them the meaning of it, though they do not ask." Note, When God sends to us by his ministers he observes what entertainment we give to the messages he sends us; he hearkens and hears what we say to them, and what enquiries we make upon them, and is much displeased if we pass them by without taking any notice of them. When we have heard the word we should apply to our ministers for further instruction; and then we shall know if we thus follow on to know.
2.The prophet is to tell them the meaning of it. In general (Eze 12:10), This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem; they knew who that was, and gloried in it now that they were in captivity that they had a prince of their own in Jerusalem, and that the house of Israel was yet entire there, and therefore doubted not but in time to do well enough. "But tell them," says God, "that in what thou hast done they may read the doom of their friends at Jerusalem. Say, I am your sign," Eze 12:11. As the conversation of ministers should teach the people what they should do, so the providences of God concerning them are sometimes intended to tell them what they must expect. The unsettled state and removals of ministers give warning to people what they must expect in this world, no continuance, but constant changes. When times of trouble are coming on Christ tells his disciples, They shall first lay their hands on you, Luk 21:12. (1.) The people shall be led away into captivity (Eze 12:11): As I have done, so shall it be done unto them; they shall be forced away from their own houses, no more to return to them, neither shall their place know them any more. We cannot say concerning our dwelling-place that it is our resting-place; for how far we may be tossed from it before we die we cannot foresee. (2.) The prince shall in vain attempt to make his escape; for he also shall go into captivity. Jeremiah had told Zedekiah the same to his face (Jer 34:3): Thou shalt not escape, but shalt surely be taken. Ezekiel here foretels it to those who made him their confidence and promised themselves relief from him. [1.] That he shall himself carry away his own goods: He shall bear upon his shoulder some of his most valuable effects. Note, The judgments of God can turn a prince into a porter. He that was wont to have the regalia carried before him, and to march through the city at noon-day, shall now himself carry his goods on his back and steal away out of the city in the twilight. See what a change sin makes with men! All the avenues to the palace being carefully watched by the enemy, they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby. Men shall be their own house-breakers, and steal away their own goods; so it is when the sword of war has cancelled all right and property. [2.] That he shall attempt to escape in a disguise, with a mask or a visor on, which shall cover his face, so that he shall be able only to look before him, and shall not see the ground with his eyes. He who, when he was in pomp, affected to be seen, now that he is in his flight is afraid to be seen; let none therefore either be proud of being looked at or over-much pleased with looking about them, when they see a king with his face covered, that he cannot see the ground. [3.] That he shall be made a prisoner and carried captive into Babylon (Eze 12:13): My net will I spread upon him and he shall be taken in my snare. It seemed to be the Chaldeans' net and their snare, but God owns them for his. Those that think to escape the sword of the Lord will find themselves taken in his net. Jeremiah had said that king Zedekiah should see the king of Babylon and that he should go to Babylon; Ezekiel says, He shall be brought to Babylon, yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there. Those that were disposed to cavil would perhaps object that these two prophets contradicted one another; for one said, He shall see the king of Babylon, the other said, He shall not see Babylon; and yet both proved true: he did see the king of Babylon at Riblah, where he passed sentence upon him for his rebellion, but there he had his eyes put out, so that he did not see Babylon when he was brought thither. These captives expected to see their prince come to Babylon as a conqueror, to bring them out of their trouble; but he shall come thither a prisoner, and his disgrace will be a great addition to their troubles. Little joy could they have in seeing him when he could not see them. [4.] That all his guards should be dispersed and utterly disabled for doing him any service (Eze 12:14): I will scatter all that are about him to help him, so that he shall be left helpless; I will scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the countries (Eze 12:15), to be monuments of divine justice wherever they go. But are there not hopes that they may rally again? (he that flies one time may fight another time); no: I will draw out the sword after them, which shall cut them off wherever if finds them; for the sword that God draws out will be sure to do the execution designed. Yet of Zedekiah's scattered troops some shall escape (Eze 12:16): I will leave a few men of them. Though they shall all be scattered, yet they shall not all be cut off; some shall have their lives given them for a prey. And the end for which they are thus remarkably spared is very observable: That they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; the troubles they are brought into will bring them to themselves and to their right mind, and then they will acknowledge the justice of God in all that is brought upon them and will make an ingenuous confession of their sins, which provoked God thus to contend with them; and, as by this it shall appear that they were spared in mercy, so hereby they will make a suitable grateful return to God for his favours to them in sparing them. Note, When God has remarkably delivered us from the deaths wherewith we were surrounded we must look upon it that for this end, among others, we were spared, that we might glorify God and edify others by making a penitent acknowledgment of our sins. Those that by their afflictions are brought to this are then made to know that God is the Lord and may help to bring others to the knowledge of him. See how God brings good out of evil. The dispersion of sinners, who had done God much dishonour and disservice in their own country, proves the dispersion of penitents, who shall do him much honour and service in others countries. The Levites are by a curse divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel, yet it is turned into a blessing, for thereby they have the fairest opportunity to teach Jacob God's laws.
(Ver. 4 seqq.) And you shall bring out your baggage like the baggage of an exile by day in their sight. And you shall go out in the evening before them, as one goes out into exile before their eyes. Dig through the wall for yourself, and you shall go out through it in their sight. You shall bear your baggage on your shoulders (Vulgate: you shall be carried): you shall escape in darkness (Vulgate: you shall be brought out). You shall cover your face, and you shall not see the ground: for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel. LXX: And you shall bring out your vessels of captivity by day in their sight. And you shall go out in the evening in their sight, as a captive goes out. Dig for yourself through the wall, and you shall pass through it in their sight. You shall be carried on your shoulders and go out in hiding. You shall cover your face, and you shall not see the ground, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel. The prophet is commanded to act in a manner that Sedecias will do in truth. Gather, he says, your belongings (for these are the vessels of the one who is crossing over), while they are watching. And after they have seen what you are going to do, you will go out in the evening in the likeness of the one who is crossing over. We read that Zedekiah, with the wall secretly pierced, fled during the night to the deserts of the Jordan, and there he was captured by the Babylonians, and this signifies the wall being pierced. But when he says, 'you will carry on your shoulders,' your belongings are understood, and whatever they are accustomed to carry as a solace on the journey while fleeing. In the darkness you will escape ((or: you will lead out)); may you not be seen by anyone. You will cover your face, or by the blindness that befell him, the eyes will be plucked out by Nebuchadnezzar; or so that it is not recognized that he himself is the king, and the concern of the servants will be greater. And what follows: And you will not see the land, that signifies that he who is blind is led into Babylon, and will not see it. For I have given you as a portent to the house of Israel: for both the words and the deeds of the prophets have been spoken and fulfilled as a sign and a figure. And in Zechariah, extraordinary men are called, because they foreshadow the future (Zech. III). And in Hosea, God says: I have been compared to the hands of the prophets (Hosea XII, 10). But those who want to understand Christ in the person of Ezekiel, take the vessels of captivity to mean the human body, and the pierced wall through which he broke the bars of hell, and rising, he appeared to the believers alone; carried on their shoulders when he ascended as the victor to heaven with the angelic powers, and he came forth in concealment and veiled his face, so that the divine majesty might not be seen in mortal flesh, and he does not see the earth, lest the earth shine in his eyes, which does not deserve to see him. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just (Ps. XXXIII, 16), and his face is turned away from the wicked. But they say that all these things were done in order to convert the hard hearts of the Israelite people to faith through the likeness of a man. And it is given as a sign to the house of Israel; according to what is written: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many, and for a sign which shall be contradicted (Luke II, 24).
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 12:6 presents a divinely orchestrated, public spectacle wherein the prophet Ezekiel is commanded to perform a symbolic act of exile: bearing his meager belongings on his shoulders, departing in the fading light of twilight, and covering his face to obscure his vision of the ground. This vivid, prophetic mime is explicitly designated by God as a "sign" for the persistently rebellious house of Israel, serving as a powerful, undeniable portrayal of the imminent Babylonian captivity and the desperate, humiliating flight of King Zedekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into a disorienting exile.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 12:6 is profoundly rich in Symbolism. Ezekiel himself is transformed into a living symbol, embodying the tragic fate awaiting Jerusalem and its inhabitants. His specific actions—bearing meager baggage, departing under the cloak of twilight, and covering his face—are not literal instructions for his personal travel but potent symbolic representations of the impending exile. The "baggage" symbolizes the scant possessions exiles would hastily gather; "twilight" symbolizes the hurried, desperate, and perhaps shameful nature of their flight; and "covering the face" symbolizes the humiliation, sorrow, and profound disorientation of those being led away, powerfully foreshadowing King Zedekiah's blinding. This innovative use of the prophet's body and actions as a Dramatic Prophecy is a defining characteristic of Ezekiel's unique ministry, rendering the abstract concept of divine judgment tangible, immediate, and unavoidable for his resistant audience. The entire passage functions as an Allegory, where the narrative of Ezekiel's personal departure directly mirrors the future reality of Jerusalem's devastating fall and the forced exile of its inhabitants. The explicit divine declaration, "I have set thee for a sign," serves as a crucial Metacommentary, directly explaining the purpose, significance, and divine origin of the symbolic act to the audience, ensuring its message is understood.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 12:6 powerfully illustrates God's unwavering commitment to communicate His will to humanity, even resorting to unconventional and dramatic means when His people prove resistant to conventional warnings. It underscores the profound severity of divine judgment against persistent rebellion, idolatry, and covenant unfaithfulness, demonstrating that God's covenant faithfulness encompasses both promised blessings for obedience and inevitable discipline for disobedience. The verse highlights the foundational principle that God sovereignly uses His chosen servants as instruments to convey His truth, transforming them into living parables for their generation. This prophetic act serves as a stark and sobering reminder that God's word, whether spoken or dramatized, will not return to Him void, but will infallibly accomplish His purposes, ultimately bringing about either repentance and restoration or righteous judgment.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel's dramatic performance in Ezekiel 12:6 compels us to deeply consider the multifaceted ways God communicates with humanity. For ancient Israel, it was a visceral, inescapable warning of impending judgment, meticulously designed to penetrate their spiritual apathy and denial. For believers today, this passage serves as a potent and timeless reminder of the gravity of God's warnings against sin and the inevitable, often painful, consequences of persistent disobedience and spiritual complacency. It calls us to cultivate a posture of profound attentiveness and humble responsiveness to God's voice, whether it comes through the clear declarations of His written Word, the subtle promptings of the Holy Spirit, or the challenging circumstances He sovereignly allows in our lives. Furthermore, like Ezekiel, we are called to be "signs" in our own generation—living testimonies of God's enduring truth, embodying the transformative principles of the Christian faith, and courageously pointing others to the redemptive power of the Gospel, even when it demands embracing uncomfortable, counter-cultural, or personally challenging positions. Our lives, lived in faithful obedience and humble witness, can serve as a visible, compelling demonstration of divine truth to a world desperately in need of God's light and grace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God command Ezekiel to perform such a strange, public act?
Answer: God commanded Ezekiel to perform these dramatic, public acts because the people of Israel, particularly those residing in Jerusalem, had become spiritually hardened, dull, and profoundly resistant to conventional verbal warnings. They were steeped in a dangerous complacency, falsely believing that Jerusalem was impregnable due to God's presence in the temple. By having Ezekiel act out the impending exile—carrying meager baggage, departing under the cover of twilight, and covering his face—God provided a vivid, undeniable visual prophecy. This "sign" was meticulously designed to shock them into recognizing the grim reality and absolute certainty of the coming judgment and the Babylonian captivity, making the abstract concept of exile concrete and inescapable for a people who had stubbornly refused to listen to the spoken word. It was, in essence, a divinely orchestrated "street theater" intended to capture their attention and convey the urgent gravity of their spiritual and national predicament, mirroring other symbolic acts found in Ezekiel 4 and Ezekiel 5.
What is the significance of "twilight" and "covering the face" in this prophecy?
Answer: The timing of "twilight" (or dusk/darkness) signifies a hurried, desperate, and often secretive flight, characteristic of those fleeing a besieged city under duress, rather than an orderly, planned departure. It powerfully evokes a sense of urgency, fear, and profound disorientation. "Covering the face" carries multiple, poignant layers of meaning. It can symbolize deep shame and humiliation, as those in disgrace or profound sorrow might hide their faces. It also profoundly suggests the disorientation of not knowing where one is going, which would be an agonizing reality for exiles. Furthermore, this specific action directly foreshadows the tragic fate of King Zedekiah, who would indeed attempt to flee Jerusalem by night but would subsequently be captured and have his eyes put out by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:4-7). Thus, these meticulously detailed actions add profound emotional depth and precise prophetic foreshadowing to the symbolic act, making its message undeniably clear and impactful.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezekiel 12:6 directly prophesies the historical Babylonian exile of Israel, its deeper Christ-centered fulfillment illuminates the very nature of God's righteous judgment and His ultimate, redemptive plan for humanity. The profound shame, disorienting exile, and forced departure depicted in Ezekiel's symbolic act find their ultimate reversal and glorious transformation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the true Lamb of God, voluntarily bore the unbearable burden of humanity's sin and shame, not as an exile from God's presence, but as one who was "made sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). He willingly entered into the "twilight" of agonizing Gethsemane and the profound darkness of the cross, experiencing ultimate abandonment by God so that we, through faith, might be brought into God's marvelous light. Unlike King Zedekiah, whose eyes were tragically put out in judgment, Jesus, through His suffering and resurrection, miraculously opened the eyes of the spiritually blind (John 9:39). The "sign" of Ezekiel's forced and humiliating departure points forward to the ultimate "sign" of Jonah, which Jesus Himself referenced as His own death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 12:39-40). Through Christ's voluntary sacrifice and glorious resurrection, the ultimate "exile" of humanity from God's holy presence due to sin is definitively overcome, and a new, living path to eternal dwelling with God is irrevocably established (John 14:2-3). Thus, the prophetic warning of Ezekiel finds its redemptive climax and ultimate triumph in the person and finished work of Jesus, who transforms the just consequences of judgment into the boundless riches of grace for all who believe.