Ezekiel 12 Notes

Ezek. 12.2: “eyes cannot see, ears cannot hear” because God gave them "a spirit of stupor/slumber," i.e., stupefied! Rom 11.7-10

·       Romans 11.7: Contra Calvin, cp. Judaism rejects Jesus, Acts 13.46.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, "It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.”

Why would God “blind/harden” your heart? Rom. 1.18-32

·       The “they” keeps piling up throughout the chapter;

·       2 Peter 2.20-22: v.22 “The wicked returns to its vomit, returns to roll around in its mud.”

Benson Commentary

"By their own willful prejudice [were furthered blinded/hardened], a metaphorical expression taken from the skin of the hand, made hard by labor [work of evil]."

Ezek. 12.12-14: Prophecy fulfilled, 2 Kgs 25:7; Jer. 52:11 Zedekiah blinded before being deported to Babylon.

·       12.16: “a few people left,” cp. Isa. 24.6 “few people are left.”

NOTE: “few people” = remnants for every surviving nation that makes it into the KOG, like the church/saints, Isa 19.18f. Zech. 14.16; Jer. 46.26; 48.47; 49.6; 49.39; Ezek. 16.53.

·       12.22: A call for patience in the face of unbelief: "Time passes and the end doesn’t come" cp. Mat 24.45-51, esp. v. 48 where “evil” people = “will not come back soon,” or he has come back!

NOTE: Delay/Pause: Mar 13.7-10; Luke 17.22; 18.1-8; 19.11-27; Mat 24.36-51; Mat 25.1-5; 14-19.

Ezek. 12.21, 23, 25: “soon” but not yet = “near” but not here:

·       “The Day of the Lord” is always “at hand”: Zeph. 1.14; Ezek. 30.3; Oba 1.15; Joel 1.15.