Ezekiel 33:21–33

Read the passage.

Finally word reaches the exiles that Jerusalem has fallen. A fugitive brings the news and Ezekiel’s mouth is opened so that he can speak normally again. However, the Lord still has more things for him to tell the people.

In this passage, the prophet addresses two groups of people. The first group are those who remain in Judah hiding in the wilderness from the Babylonians. They continue to believe they are the inheritors of the land promised to Abraham’s descendants, but they are not following in the ways of the God of their fathers. They continue to commit abominable practices that have been forbidden to the people of Israel, so the Lord is going to scrub them away and cleanse the land of their sin.

The second group that is addressed are the exiles living in Babylon. If you’re reading it for the first time, it sounds like it’s going to be good things that they hear. They encourage each other to sit under the prophet’s teachings and listen to him. That’s good, right? But no, they hear but they do not obey. Instead, they consider him to be nothing more than evening entertainment. They have their hearts set on what they will do and they are not interested in being dissuaded from it. We are told that some judgement will come on them, which will remind them of who the Lord is, but not what that judgement will be. Likely, we will find out if we keep reading.

Your words are always true and You bring about everything You have said You will do.