Ezekiel 11

Ezekiel 11 depicts a vision in which God reveals the corruption of Jerusalem's leaders, who misguided the people with false counsel and selfish leadership. Through this vision, Ezekiel witnesses a divine judgment upon these leaders for their wrongdoing. However, the chapter also carries a message of hope, as God promises to restore His people after a period of correction. The chapter concludes with a vision of God’s glory departing from Jerusalem, symbolizing His departure from the city due to its rebellion.

Ezekiel 11:1 (NKJV)
1 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the East Gate of the Lord’s house, which faces eastward; and there at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.

In this verse, Ezekiel is carried by the Spirit to the East Gate, where he sees prominent leaders of Jerusalem, including Jaazaniah and Pelatiah. These men, influential in the city, represent the corrupt leadership that guided the people away from God’s commands. By specifically naming these individuals, the passage underscores their responsibility for leading the nation astray and highlights the serious consequences of spiritual and moral corruption.

Ezekiel 11:2-4 (NKJV)
2 And He said to me: “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city,
3 who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.’
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!”

God reveals to Ezekiel that these leaders are responsible for devising evil plans and misleading the people. They falsely comforted the people by saying they were safe in Jerusalem, comparing the city to a protective "caldron" and themselves as "meat" inside it, implying they were untouchable. This metaphor demonstrates their arrogance and misconception about security, even though their actions led the city toward judgment. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy against them, signifying His rejection of their leadership.

Ezekiel 11:5-6 (NKJV)
5 Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said to me, “Speak! ‘Thus says the Lord: “Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
6 You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.” ’ ”

The Spirit empowers Ezekiel to convey God’s message, exposing the leaders' inner thoughts and their disregard for human life. Their mismanagement and sin led to many deaths in Jerusalem, filling the city’s streets with casualties. By revealing this, God highlights the tragic consequences of corrupt leadership and the neglect of moral responsibility, emphasizing that He is aware of every thought and action that has led to such devastation.

Ezekiel 11:7-8 (NKJV)
7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the caldron; but I shall bring you out of the midst of it.
8 You have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,” says the Lord God.

God reverses the leaders’ metaphor, affirming that those who died due to their failures are indeed “the meat” in the caldron, not the leaders themselves. Contrary to their assumption of safety, God declares that they will be brought out and judged by the sword they fear. This shift symbolizes a divine reckoning, where they will face the consequences of their own actions and be removed from their supposed “safety” in the city.

Ezekiel 11:9-10 (NKJV)
9 “And I will bring you out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and execute judgments on you.
10 You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”

Here, God promises to bring these leaders out of Jerusalem and hand them over to foreign nations, where they will face divine judgment. The mention of “the border of Israel” underscores the humiliation of being punished outside their homeland, a fate often reserved for the defeated. Through this judgment, they will recognize God’s sovereignty, realizing the reality of His power and authority over their lives.

Ezekiel 11:11-12 (NKJV)
11 “This city shall not be your caldron, nor shall you be the meat in its midst; I will judge you at the border of Israel.
12 And you shall know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes nor executed My judgments, but have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you.”

God reiterates that Jerusalem will not be a protective “caldron” for them, emphasizing that their security is an illusion. Their judgment at Israel’s border reinforces their accountability for abandoning God’s laws and adopting the practices of surrounding nations. This departure from God’s statutes is the root of their downfall, and through His judgment, they will finally acknowledge His authority and understand the consequences of their actions.

Ezekiel 11:13 (NKJV)
13 Now it happened, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?”

As Ezekiel delivers God’s message, Pelatiah dies, symbolizing the imminent judgment on corrupt leaders. Witnessing this, Ezekiel is deeply distressed and intercedes for the people, fearing that God’s wrath may lead to the complete destruction of Israel. This response reflects Ezekiel’s compassion and his hope for mercy on behalf of the remnant, showing his commitment to Israel’s welfare despite its sins.

Ezekiel 11:14-15 (NKJV)
14 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
15 “Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get far away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’ ”

God shifts His focus to those exiled, whom Jerusalem’s inhabitants dismissed as abandoned by the Lord. The residents claimed that they alone deserved the land, a self-righteous belief that revealed their arrogance and contempt toward the exiled. By addressing Ezekiel’s “brethren,” God reveals His awareness of the marginalized and reassures them of His continuing care, challenging the exclusivity claimed by those still in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 11:16-17 (NKJV)
16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.” ’
17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ’ ”

God reassures the exiles that He will be their sanctuary even in foreign lands, promising His presence despite their displacement. He also foretells a future gathering, where they will return to Israel. This message of hope counteracts the despair of exile, showing that God’s faithfulness extends beyond Israel’s borders and that restoration is part of His plan.

Ezekiel 11:18-20 (NKJV)
18 “And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.
19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,
20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.”

God envisions a future where the people return and cleanse the land from idols. He promises a “new heart” and spirit, symbolizing inner transformation and a genuine commitment to His ways. This transformation marks a shift from rebellion to obedience, fostering a restored relationship between God and His people. By removing their “stony heart,” God enables them to fully embrace His statutes, solidifying His covenant with them.

Ezekiel 11:21 (NKJV)
21 But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.

God issues a warning to those who cling to idolatry, emphasizing that they will face the consequences of their actions. This verse establishes a clear contrast between the faithful remnant and those who persist in rebellion, reinforcing that divine justice will ultimately prevail. Those who reject God’s ways will be accountable for their choices, underscoring the importance of devotion to Him.

Ezekiel 11:22-23 (NKJV)
22 So the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them.
23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city.

Ezekiel witnesses the departure of God’s glory from Jerusalem, symbolizing His withdrawal from the temple and city. This departure reflects the severity of Jerusalem’s rebellion, marking the end of His protective presence. By standing on the eastern mountain, God indicates both His sorrow over leaving and His readiness to watch over His people, even from a distance, until their eventual repentance and return.

Ezekiel 11:24-25 (NKJV)
24 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 So I spoke to those in captivity of all the things the Lord had shown me.

Ezekiel is returned to Babylon, where he shares the vision with the exiles. This closing scene emphasizes Ezekiel’s role as a messenger, tasked with encouraging the captives despite the bleakness of Jerusalem’s fall. By revealing God’s judgment and His promise of restoration, Ezekiel reassures the exiles that they remain in God’s plan, encouraging them to stay faithful in their exile.