Ezekiel 14:12
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
The word of the LORD
This phrase signifies divine communication, a hallmark of prophetic literature. In Hebrew, "word" is "dabar," which implies not just spoken words but also actions and events. The "LORD" is "YHWH," the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. This phrase underscores the authority and authenticity of the message, reminding us that the words are not Ezekiel's own but are divinely inspired. Historically, prophets were seen as God's mouthpieces, and this introduction assures the audience of the divine origin of the forthcoming message.

came to me
The phrase indicates a direct and personal encounter between God and the prophet. The Hebrew verb "hayah" (came) suggests an occurrence or event, emphasizing the active role of God in initiating communication. This personal interaction highlights the intimate relationship between God and His prophets. It also serves as a reminder that God actively seeks to communicate with His people, often through chosen individuals who are receptive to His voice.

saying
This word introduces the content of the divine message. In Hebrew, "amar" (saying) is used to denote speech, often introducing direct quotations. It prepares the reader for the specific instructions or revelations that follow. The use of "saying" here is a formal introduction, common in prophetic literature, that signals the transition from the narrative to the divine message itself. It emphasizes the importance of the words that follow, urging the audience to pay close attention to the divine instruction or warning that is about to be delivered.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the recipient of God's messages, tasked with delivering them to the Israelites.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who communicates His will and judgments through His prophets.

3. Israel
The nation to whom Ezekiel is prophesying, currently in exile due to their disobedience and idolatry.

4. Babylonian Exile
The period during which the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, serving as a backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecies.

5. Prophetic Revelation
The event of God revealing His word to Ezekiel, emphasizing the seriousness of Israel's sin and the impending judgment.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of Sin
Ezekiel 14:12 reminds us that sin has serious consequences, and God communicates His displeasure through His prophets.

God's Sovereignty
The passage underscores God's control over nations and His right to judge them according to His righteousness.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets like Ezekiel serve as God's mouthpieces, delivering messages that call for repentance and warn of judgment.

The Need for Repentance
Just as Israel was called to turn from their wicked ways, we too must examine our lives and repent of sin.

God's Faithfulness
Despite the judgment, God's communication through Ezekiel shows His ongoing relationship with His people and His desire for their restoration.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Ezekiel's role as a prophet during the Babylonian exile influence the message he delivers in Ezekiel 14:12?

2. In what ways does the concept of God's sovereignty, as seen in Ezekiel 14:12, challenge or comfort you in your current circumstances?

3. How can we apply the lessons of repentance from Ezekiel's time to our personal lives today?

4. What parallels can you draw between the warnings given to Israel in Ezekiel and the messages to the churches in Revelation 2-3?

5. How does understanding the historical context of the Babylonian exile enhance our interpretation of Ezekiel's prophecies?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 18
This chapter discusses the potter and the clay, illustrating God's sovereignty over nations, similar to how He addresses Israel's fate through Ezekiel.

Isaiah 1
Isaiah's call for repentance and the consequences of sin parallel Ezekiel's messages of judgment and the need for Israel to turn back to God.

2 Chronicles 36
Chronicles the fall of Jerusalem and the exile, providing historical context to Ezekiel's prophecies.

Romans 11
Discusses God's faithfulness to Israel despite their disobedience, echoing the themes of judgment and hope found in Ezekiel.

Revelation 2-3
The letters to the churches in Revelation reflect the call to repentance and the consequences of ignoring God's warnings, similar to Ezekiel's messages.
A Delusion DispelledEzekiel 14:12-14
Good Men: Their Power and Their WeaknessD. Thomas, D. D.Ezekiel 14:12-14
Noah, Daniel, and JobBishop Harvey Goodwin.Ezekiel 14:12-14
The Limit of InfluenceJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 14:12-14
Human Atonement ValuelessJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 14:12-23
People
Daniel, Ezekiel, Job, Noah
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Saying
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 14:11

     7348   defilement

Ezekiel 14:1-11

     8648   enquiring of God

Library
Education of Jesus.
This aspect of Nature, at once smiling and grand, was the whole education of Jesus. He learned to read and to write,[1] doubtless, according to the Eastern method, which consisted in putting in the hands of the child a book, which he repeated in cadence with his little comrades, until he knew it by heart.[2] It is doubtful, however, if he understood the Hebrew writings in their original tongue. His biographers make him quote them according to the translations in the Aramean tongue;[3] his principles
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

"Thou Shalt Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother. "
From this Commandment we learn that after the excellent works of the first three Commandments there are no better works than to obey and serve all those who are set over us as superiors. For this reason also disobedience is a greater sin than murder, unchastity, theft and dishonesty, and all that these may include. For we can in no better way learn how to distinguish between greater and lesser sins than by noting the order of the Commandments of God, although there are distinctions also within the
Dr. Martin Luther—A Treatise on Good Works

"All Our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags, and we all do Fade as a Leaf, and Our Iniquities, Like the Wind, have Taken us Away. "
Isaiah lxiv. 6, 7.--"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Not only are the direct breaches of the command uncleanness, and men originally and actually unclean, but even our holy actions, our commanded duties. Take a man's civility, religion, and all his universal inherent righteousness,--all are filthy rags. And here the church confesseth nothing but what God accuseth her of, Isa. lxvi. 8, and chap. i. ver.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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