How should Ezekiel 12:23 influence our patience in awaiting God's plans? Setting the scene of Ezekiel 12:23 “Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will put an end to this proverb, and they will quote it no more in Israel.’ But say to them, ‘The days draw near, and every vision will be fulfilled.’” What God was correcting in Ezekiel’s day • A popular proverb sneered, “The days are long, and every vision fails” (v. 22). • People assumed prophetic warnings were empty because nothing seemed to happen. • God declared the proverb would be silenced; His word was on the verge of literal fulfillment. Timeless truths for our patience today • God hears every murmur of impatience or cynicism; He answers it with the certainty of His word. • Apparent delay never equals uncertainty. “Every vision will be fulfilled.” • God’s timetable is exact. When He says “the days draw near,” events move with unstoppable precision. Practicing patient expectation • Anchor hope to Scripture, not to visible circumstances. • Measure time by God’s promises, not by human calendars. • Replace “nothing is happening” talk with declarations of faith: “The days draw near.” • Refuse to recycle modern versions of the old proverb (skeptical memes, doubt-filled jokes, resigned attitudes). Reinforcing passages • Habakkuk 2:3 — “Though it delays, wait for it; it will surely come and will not delay.” • Hebrews 10:36-37 — “You need perseverance… ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay.’” • James 5:7-8 — “Be patient… the Lord’s coming is near.” • 2 Peter 3:8-9 — “The Lord is not slow… but is patient with you.” Practical checkpoints • Guard your speech: eliminate defeatist sayings that contradict God’s promises. • Cultivate daily reminders of fulfilled prophecies; they prove His track record. • Encourage others with the certainty that God ends every cynical proverb. • Continue faithful obedience—service, prayer, witness—knowing fulfillment could break in at any moment. Summary encouragement Ezekiel 12:23 calls us to reject the notion that God’s plans stall. He ends the old proverb of doubt and replaces it with a declaration of imminent fulfillment. Trust His timetable, speak words of confident hope, and keep serving; the day of His purpose is nearer than we think. |
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