A Suffering People Scorned by Man and Comforted by God
Ezekiel 11:14-20
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,…


Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, thy brethren, etc.

I. A SUFFERING PEOPLE SCORNED BY THEIR BRETHREN WHO THOUGHT THEMSELVES SECURE. (Ver. 15.) A considerable number of the fellow countrymen of Ezekiel were, like him, suffering the privations and sorrows of exile; and the people that still remained in Jerusalem, instead of pitying the exiles, despised and insulted them. They spake of them:

1. -As rejected of God. "Unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the Lord;" or, "Be ye far from Jehovah." These proud dwellers in Jerusalem thought that the presence of the Lord Jehovah was confined to the temple in that city, that the captives in Babylon were cut off from his presence, and rejected by him. They judged from outward appearances, and concluded that, because they were still in their own land and in the sacred city, while their brethren were in exile, they were the favoured people of God, and their brethren were cast off by him. And they came to this conclusion not sorrowfully because of the privations of their brethren, but with Pharisaic self-complacency and cruel disdain.

2. As having no portion in the land of Israel. The inhabitants of Jerusalem assumed that they who had gone into captivity had forfeited their estates, and that those estates should become the property of those who remained in the country. They said, "Unto us is this land given in possession." That which they unjustly denied to their exiled brethren they claimed for themselves. They arrogated to themselves an exclusive position as a people near unto the Lord, and exclusive possession of the land which he had given unto the whole of the Israelites. By their spirit and conduct these inhabitants of Jerusalem remind us of some in our own age who "profess and call themselves Christians," and who claim that only in their community can salvation be found, that only as administered amongst them are the sacraments valid, and that the Church of which they are members is the only true one. They could heartily join with the self righteous people of Jerusalem in saying, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, are these." But not they who think themselves holiest and nearest to God, or who have the greatest reputation for religion amongst men, are most highly esteemed by him, but rather "the poor in spirit," the "lowly in heart." "The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, dwells with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit." It was not the proud Pharisee, but the penitent publican, that" went down to his house justified:... forevery one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

II. A SUFFERING PEOPLE VINDICATED AND COMFORTED BY THE LORD GOD. (Vers. 16-20.) The despised captives are vindicated and consoled by several gracious and encouraging assurances, which we will briefly notice.

1. That they were the true people of God. "Son of man, thy brethren, thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly." The Prophet Jeremiah had already declared that the Israelites who were in exile were better in the sight of God than those who remained in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 24.). And now Ezekiel is told that his true brethren, brethren in spirit as well as according to the flesh, are to be found, not in Jerusalem, but among the exiles by the river Chebar. To them, as Hengstenberg points out, the future of the kingdom of God belonged, while "those who remained in Jerusalem, notwithstanding their high pretensions, were doomed to destruction." "All the house of Israel wholly," as contrasted with "the inhabitants of Jerusalem," is to be understood as a general statement, since there was in Jerusalem a godly remnant (Ezekiel 9:4-6). and amongst the exiles there were some who were not faithful to the Lord Jehovah (Ezekiel 14:1-5). But, in the main, the true Israel was to be looked For, not in Jerusalem, but among the exiles in Babylon. How different in this respect was the Divine estimate from that of the Pharisaic dwellers in the sacred city I And may it not be in our day that to him who "seeth not as man seeth," not they who boast their privileges and piety, but the despised and- lowly, are the genuine Israel of God?

2. That they should find in the Lord God ample compensation for their lost privileges. "Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little Sanctuary in the countries where they shall come." It is more correct to translate, "I will be to them a Sanctuary for a little" time or season, referring to the comparatively short period of their captivity. Though they were far removed from their "holy and beautiful house," yet they should have communion with God; for he himself would be present with. them, and the realization of his presence transforms any place into a hallowed temple. The people of Israel were too prone to regard the presence of God as confined to the temple at Jerusalem, or at most to the Holy Land. Under this impression, the Prophet "Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." The Lord God, in assuring them that he would be to them as a sanctuary during their exile, corrects this error, and gives the germ of the precious truth that the devout and humble spirit may offer acceptable worship and hold blessed communion with him anywhere. And in this assurance we have an anticipation of the inspiring declaration of our Lord, "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth," etc. (John 4:23, 24). In the presence of God with them as a Sanctuary the exiles would find- compensation for their enforced absence from their homes and from the temple and its ordinances. We have here a test of godly character. When the heart is truly and thoroughly right with God it finds compensation in him forevery privation and loss. The assurance that we have him for our Portion will sustain and satisfy us in time of sorest need, and enable us to sing-

"Jesus, to whom I fly,
Doth all my wishes fill,
What though created streams are dry,
I have the Fountain still


Stripped of mine earthly friends,
I find them all in One;
And peace and joy that never ends,
And heaven in Christ begun."


(C. Wesley.)

3. That they should be restored to their country and privileges by the Lord God. "Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." The inhabitants of Jerusalem said, "Unto us is this land given in possession;" but in answer thereto the Lord says to the exiles, "I will give you the land of Israel." And the promise was fulfilled when "the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia" to proclaim permission to them to return to their own land and to rebuild the temple of the Lord Jehovah - a permission of which more than forty thousand availed themselves. "It is well for us," says Matthew Henry, "that men's severe censures cannot cut us off from God's gracious promises. There are many that will be found to have a place in the holy land whom uncharitable men, by their monopolies of it to themselves, have secluded from it."

4. That they should receive from the Lord the highest spiritual favours. (Vers. 18-20.) Here is the assurance unto them of four spiritual blessings.

(1) Unity of heart towards God. "I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you." Their heart had long been divided between the true God and idols, but it should be fixed upon him. By means of the discipline of the Captivity, their hearts were united to fear his Name. Such, in fact, has been the case; for since their return from Babylon they have not bowed down to idols.

(2) Tenderness of heart towards God. "And I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them an heart of flesh." By resisting his will and Word and by persisting in sin they had hardened their hearts; and he promised to give them a heart "soft and susceptible of the impressions of Divine grace. The promise is essentially Messianic, although a beginning of its fulfilment is already to be recognized in the period immediately after the return from the exile" (Hengstenberg). Resistance of Divine influence and rebellion against Divine commands still harden human hearts. "Take heed... lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." St. Paul speaks of some who have so hardened their heart as to be "past feeling" (Ephesians 4:18, 19). It is only God by his grace that can change the stone to flesh, and make the hard heart tender in penitence and piety.

(3) Conformity of conduct to the will of God. This follows as a consequence of the change of heart. The renewed heart leads to a reformed life. Their reformation had two chief aspects - the renunciation of their sins, particularly the complete severance of themselves from idolatry (ver. 18), and their positive compliance with the holy will of God. This was the end aimed at in putting the new spirit within them: "That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances." The piety of the heart must and will be seen in the practice of the life. If the fountain be purified, the stream will be pure.

(4) Confirmation in the most exalted and blessed relationship. "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God." This follows in natural order what has gone before. By the renewal of their hearts he restores them to himself as his chosen people; and by the obedience of their lives to him they testify that he is their God. This relationship is the richest of all blessings; it comprises all needful good, and crowns every other blessing. If "the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall want nothing." "If God be for us, who can be against us?" "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the Strength of my heart, and my Portion forever." - W.J.



Parallel Verses
KJV: Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

WEB: The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,




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