Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezekiel 9-12.

Ezekiel spoke his prophecies to the Israelites who were already in exile before the fall of Jerusalem.  While some of what he said was directed at those remaining in Jerusalem, most of it was about them but directed at those already in exile.  In this passage he makes that clear.  Ezekiel told those living in exile that those living in Jerusalem considered them to be cast off from God, that only those who were still in Jerusalem were the true heirs of Israel.  Those remaining in Jerusalem thought that they were safe because they were God’s Chosen People, living in God’s Holy City.  They also believed that it was their right to take over the land of those who had been taken to exile revoking any claim those people or their descendants might have.  Many of those remaining in Jerusalem refused to see their own sins, somehow believing themselves exempt from obeying God’s laws.  Ezekiel then tells the exiles that God had protected them while in exile and had plans to bring them back to Him and to the land He had given their ancestors.  Ezekiel also points out that not all of those living in Jerusalem were ignoring God’s laws; some of them mourned the terrible sins being committed around them.

I am having trouble putting in words the point I am trying to make here.  In Jerusalem, there were those living among the “blessed” who mourned and lamented the horrible things being done by those around them.  In exile, there were those living “far from God”, who sought to do His will, who sought His forgiveness.  Ezekiel told both that God saw them and would protect them.  There were also two groups whom Ezekiel warned of imminent disaster: those who believed their special status with God allowed them to do as they pleased, and those who believed they need not fear God at all.  Ezekiel assured those who feared God’s punishment and sought His will that they need not fear.  Let us do God’s will and not fear the disaster His word tells us is coming, while calling on those around us to turn from their wickedness (note: some of them practice that wickedness to fill the emptiness they feel because they believe there is no God).

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.