babylon

‘God Bless It! God Bless It!’, Zechariah 4 and More

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‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ 

By God’s spirit I was fine, and my envisionment of treating myself later with ice cream helped, that’s how I got through the MRI chamber entrapment. Oh, tough, but doable. Nice breeze, nice time to rest, best view of lights above looking like sky with tree blossoms. But no music, sad, that might have helped, like in my previous MRI 7 years ago. So 20 minutes STUCK in the tube challenged me twice – pelvic hip scan then lumbar scan – for the pesky hamstring pull. It’s good to have good quality medical care and my socks said it all: “Without the Lab, Your Only Guessing.” Yes, we/I need real data for my health. 

And then, oh no, the fear of coughing, YIKES. You know when you try to stifle a cough and you try to focus on NOT coughing and you can’t help it. TOUGH. I only interrupted twice, had the squishy ball pump to signal needing to pause, and the technician was forgiving. 

I got through it... Yeah… Now, if I had had these visions of Zechariah, I probably would have been quite distracted and puzzling in my 20 minute moments, and then some, WOW… Zerubbabel of Judah rebuilt the temple of Jerusalem in the 500’s BC and is listed in the genealogy of Jesus, and (according to a quick google search and AI algorithms) scholars and non-scholars alike realize that any building up of Jerusalem, Judah-ites and Israelites, allows for Jesus physically and spiritually to come as Messiah, then and again. The prophecy detailed here goes with a plea that Jesus won’t come until the appointments time – depending upon the dedication of these exiled Judah-ites and Israelites back to God. WOW!

It’s OK if these are puzzling images, that’s why God sent angels to explain to Zechariah,  about Joshua and Zerubbabel (examples of listening to God and of Jesus, coming and recoming, of building and rebuilding). We can’t understand everything by ourselves – we can’t move mountains without God – NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT. 

But God Bless It. God Bless It, we can understand Jesus is Lord!

Amen

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The Bible Project video helps here:

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Zechariah 4-6 NKJV 

Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees

Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?”

So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”

Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”

So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘NOTBY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” [also translated: “God Bless It! God Bless It!”]

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”

Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”

Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”

So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”

The Flying Scroll

I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll. He asked me, “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.”

And he said to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished. The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’”

The Woman in a Basket

Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.”

I asked, “What is it?” He replied, “It is a basket.” And he added, “This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land.”

Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it.

Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

“Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me. He replied, “To the country of Babylonia to build a house for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”

Four Chariots

I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black, the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.

Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north.”

A Crown for Joshua

The word of the Lord came to me: “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak. Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.”

Praising God, Past Present Future, Nahum 1

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It’s time to get through these minor prophets, maybe quick like? Like Nahum 1 2 3, right? Well NO, my goal of an artificial finish date of writing through the old testament is unreasonable unrealistic and unbalanced – in other words I NEED TO SAVOR AND STUDY THESE DEEP CHAPTERS. 

Like the cat who will sit with me in the still of the morning, while writing, it’s good to savor the season of study, especially with some much good scripture to absorb.

And I’m now in the book of Nahum, inside the issues of Nineveh, where at one point Jonah, warning them, probably thought the inside of the whale was more desirable than being in evil Nineveh. We can see from previous chapters that Judah, the region of chosen people descendants of Jacob, was often upset by Nineveh. Nineveh on the map is in the Mesopotamian region, modern Iraq. 

Why so MANY stories about people in the old and new testaments? Stories of God’s prophets and messages? There’s something here to learn from the people of the pastby us now, and surely those of the future. We are told that there will be the greatest of awakenings yet to come, so surely the Lord had set up the biggest set of lessons and hopes, in these pages, stories of empires who rise and fall, peoples through David in whom God keeps the seed of Jesus kindled, and now in the reminder that God wants our attention still. Yes, every piece of the Word is alive.

Does God change His Ways or change people to see His Ways differently? I’d have to say the later. God has harsh treatment for Nineveh, calls out their evil, both in Jonah’s time and hundred years later in Nahum’s, yet we learn in the middle of Nahum 1, that God is merciful and the prophesies teach this:

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

Nahum was a prophet, an Elkoshite, this is where I dig a little deeper myself and consult scholars, including my favorite overview in the Bible Project videos ( I usually try to read the chapter first and then go to the video if needed). So, would we need to know what an Elkoshite is? Well, I like geography and knowing God’s calling for His Word to travel. Nahum’s messages were to travel to the area of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, which would take part in the crushing of the northern split kingdom of Israelites and Judah-ites, only to be crushed later by Babylon, who in itself was showing evil ways. The layers of turmoil remind us that these days turmoil is not new, and world powers now and to come have MUCH to learn from the past, especially how God is SOVEREIGN and will defeat the nations that rise up in evil ways.

God wants our attention. 

God wants us to praise and listen. That IS the unchanged GOD of past present and future. Jesus, took away the sting of sin and death and God will defeat all evil once and for all. Pray for that day and our Way getting there…

I will contemplate the Lord in these readings in many ways these days. Just because there’s chaos in the world doesn’t mean God isn’t calming inside. We learn, listen, work and wait. We work on sharing the Word, because it is the Word that saves the oppressed. 

Let us praise, for God’s rallying for His children, forever.

Amen

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Nahum 1 – A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies.

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry.

Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him.

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

Whatever they plot against the Lord he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time. They will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine; they will be consumed like dry stubble. From you, Nineveh, has one come forth who plots evil against the Lord and devises wicked plans.

This is what the Lord says: “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be destroyed and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, Judah, I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”

The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh: “You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the images and idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile.”

Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.

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Good Bible Project video:

HOT as the Cooking Pot!

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Whoa to the WHOA!

Boiling Hot – hot enough to cook the pot!

Well, that is not just how our weather has been, but that was the real big message to the people of Jerusalem – God’s serious business of telling the wayward people they were out of line – including “put her blood on the bare rock”…

“You will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.”

WOW! Really – our cooking pot of temperature is nothing to the wrath of God – we have the blood of Jesus to cover us and woe to those not accepting. We are not worthy but He is Worthy and His Righteousness will set us free – and we are covered…

Like a great break from the heat – today – or by anytime getting to a respite area – we need to get into God’s shade. We need to feel the breeze. We need to know that we are the blessed ones and live thankful to Him.

Remember the past. Honor the present. Hope for the future – I hope that the people of Jerusalem then would have – we certainly know Ezekiel was reminded to too!

Amen

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Ezekiel 24:1-14

Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot
In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, record this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. Tell this rebellious people a parable and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Put on the cooking pot; put it on 

and pour water into it.
Put into it the pieces of meat,
    all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;
     take the pick of the flock.
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
    bring it to a boil 
    and cook the bones in it.

“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed,
    to the pot now encrusted,
    whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
    in whatever order it comes.

“‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
    She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
    where the dust would cover it.
To stir up wrath and take revenge
    I put her blood on the bare rock,
    so that it would not be covered.

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
    I, too, will pile the wood high.
So heap on the wood
    and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
    mixing in the spices;
    and let the bones be charred.
Then set the empty pot on the coals
    till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
    and its deposit burned away.
It has frustrated all efforts;
    its heavy deposit has not been removed,
    not even by fire.

“‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.

“‘I the Lord have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Lord Have Mercy, Ezekiel 21-22

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Tough going – but tougher not going – that is both the readings and the writings about doomed Jerusalem in Ezekiel’s many many chapters – but the toughest is the Wrath of the Lord against this lot of sinners and ignorer-ers and armies raised for destruction – that is tougher to see than anything to read – and God means it!

A friend was watching the Hallmark Channel – loves that they all have happy endings – I don’t watch those shows – I know and understand the genre – but I am not going to watch them – and I am not going to sugar coat my readings of Ezekiel – it is TOUGH going reading – and yet I can look at it and say “not me” – WELL… We should not say that – because WE ARE the Ezekiels the Lord needs today. We should all say “maybe would have been me” – “maybe still me” – “maybe things that I hide and don’t let others see”  – “BUT LORD FORGIVE ME!” – “Lord, I need You, Lord have Mercy. YES JESUS, THANKFULLY!”

Jesus is the Mercy we all make for in a plea.

In the writing of Ezekiel – handed down from the Lord – he talks about the sword coming against the nation of Jerusalem from Babylon – the king himself getting a false omen appearance that the Lord is putting into his hands – the Lord using evil for eventual good.

The Lord pouring wrath and yet making a path.

This path will restore their walk – but for now? Jerusalem must suffer and let Ezekiel talk.

Amen and here is talk of the Lord’s punishment (again).

Many chapters of the beginning of their end.

Lord have Mercy.

Amen

Ezekiel 21-22
New King James Version
Babylon, the Sword of God
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel; and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off both righteous and wicked from you. Because I will cut off both righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north, 5 that all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore.” ’ Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes. And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord God.”

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ Say:

‘A sword, a sword is sharpened
And also polished!
Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter,
Polished to flash like lightning!
Should we then make mirth?
It despises the scepter of My son,
As it does all wood.
And He has given it to be polished,
That it may be handled;
This sword is sharpened, and it is polished
To be given into the hand of the slayer.’

“Cry and wail, son of man;
For it will be against My people,
Against all the princes of Israel.
Terrors including the sword will be against My people;
Therefore strike your thigh.

“Because it is a testing,
And what if the sword despises even the scepter?
The scepter shall be no more,”

says the Lord God.

“You therefore, son of man, prophesy,
And strike your hands together.
The third time let the sword do double damage.
It is the sword that slays,
The sword that slays the great men,
That enters their private chambers.
I have set the point of the sword against all their gates,
That the heart may melt and many may stumble.
Ah! It is made bright;
It is grasped for slaughter:

“Swords at the ready!
Thrust right!
Set your blade!
Thrust left—
Wherever your edge is ordered!

“I also will beat My fists together,
And I will cause My fury to rest;
I, the Lord, have spoken.”

The word of the Lord came to me again, saying: “And son of man, appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to go; both of them shall go from the same land. Make a sign; put it at the head of the road to the city. Appoint a road for the sword to go to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem. For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver. In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem: to set up battering rams, to call for a slaughter, to lift the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a siege mound, and to build a wall. And it will be to them like a false divination in the eyes of those who have sworn oaths with them; but he will bring their iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.

‘Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end, thus says the Lord God:

“Remove the turban, and take off the crown;
Nothing shall remain the same.
Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted.
Overthrown, overthrown,
I will make it overthrown!
It shall be no longer,
Until He comes whose right it is,
And I will give it to Him.” ’

A Sword Against the Ammonites
“And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,’ and say:

‘A sword, a sword is drawn,
Polished for slaughter,
For consuming, for flashing—
While they see false visions for you,
While they divine a lie to you,
To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain
Whose day has come,
Whose iniquity shall end.

‘Return it to its sheath.
I will judge you
In the place where you were created,
In the land of your nativity.
I will pour out My indignation on you;
I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath,
And deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy.
You shall be fuel for the fire;
Your blood shall be in the midst of the land.
You shall not be remembered,
For I the Lord have spoken.’ ”

Sins of Jerusalem
Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations! Then say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself. You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult.

“Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you. In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths. In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they commit lewdness. In you men uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women who are set apart during their impurity. One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter. In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord God.

“Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst. Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and will do it. I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”

Israel in the Furnace
The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.’ ”

Israel’s Wicked Leaders
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’  The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken. The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.  Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.

Exile Yourself Ezekiel – Ezekiel 12

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Do you ever feel like you’re living as an example to others? To aware of others watching us in normal life and to know we are Christians by our love. It’s our living out an exile here on earth, apart from complete reconciliation with the Lord which will complete us one day. Showing not signs of the times but LOVE. God is love, so to show love, mercy, kindness is to show God. We can show the future of reconciliation even if the world is not there yet.

In Ezekiel’s time, He also had to show the future – but a harsh one for disobedient Jerusalem-living Israelites bound for Babylon. He had to work his calling as an example. Ezekiel play acted out the prophecies, not just speak them. 

‘They will know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries. But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

Interestingly, as God calls Ezekiel ‘Son of man’, Jesus calls Himself that when He came. Jesus demonstrated the love as well as the authority as well as chosen exile into a broken world, until the time God appointed the fulfillment of the Scriptures and Jesus being raised from the dead. It is forgiveness fulfillment’s finest hour.

The fulfillment of a Savior came, and Jesus will come again and fulfill the rest of the prophecies – all in God’s Timing. The remnants are in place, the gathered are gatherable. Let us live out our time as knowing we are LOVED… and keep moving too.

Amen 

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Again, love David Suchet, who was a TV actor in BBC dramas, a good way to listen to the scriptures: https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/suchet/nivuk/Ezek.12

Ezekiel 12

The exile symbolised
The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.

‘Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious people. During the daytime, while they watch, bring out your belongings packed for exile. Then in the evening, while they are watching, go out like those who go into exile. While they watch, dig through the wall and take your belongings out through it. Put them on your shoulder as they are watching and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign to the Israelites.’

So I did as I was commanded. During the day I brought out my things packed for exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulders while they watched.

In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, did not the Israelites, that rebellious people, ask you, “What are you doing?”

‘Say to them, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: this prophecy concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the Israelites who are there.” Say to them, “I am a sign to you.”

‘As I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into exile as captives.

‘The prince among them will put his things on his shoulder at dusk and leave, and a hole will be dug in the wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land. I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die. I will scatter to the winds all those around him – his staff and all his troops – and I will pursue them with drawn sword.

‘They will know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries. But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, tremble as you eat your food, and shudder in fear as you drink your water. Say to the people of the land: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: they will eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who live there. The inhabited towns will be laid waste and the land will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”’

There will be no delay
The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: “The days go by and every vision comes to nothing”? Say to them, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.” Say to them, “The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel. But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfil whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord.”’

The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, the Israelites are saying, “The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.” ‘Therefore say to them, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: none of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.”’