Ezekiel 11

The Spirit lifted Ezekiel and placed him in the Lord's house to where twenty-five men, the prices of the people, stood. God told Ezekiel that  these were the men who devised iniquity and gave wicked counsel, who say, 'The time is not near to build houses, this city is the caldron, and we are the meat..."

God told Ezekiel to prophesy against them!

The Spirit fell upon Ezekiel and commanded him to tell the princes that God knows the thoughts they have and that they "...feared the sword; and [God] will bring a sword upon [them]. And [He] will...deliver [them] into the hands of strangers, and execute judgments on [them]. [They] shall fall by the sword. [He] will judge [them]...then [they] shall know that [He] [is] the Lord, for [they] have not walked in [God's] statutes nor executed [His] judgments, but have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around [them]."

Ezekiel fell on his face and cried with a loud voice, asking God, "Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?"

But God assured him and told him to tell those in captivity that although they have been sent far away to live among the Gentiles, scattered throughout other countries, "yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone." God promised: 

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. 

And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. 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, 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. 

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. 

Then the Glory of the Lord went up to the Mt. of Olives and the Spirit took Ezekiel back to Chaldea (Babylon), where he will tell those in captivity of  what was shown to him.

COMMENTARY

This prophecy in Ezekiel 11 is against the rulers who are still in Jerusalem. They are in rebellion against God (and Nebuchadnezzar). They mistakenly think they are going to survive there in Jerusalem, alone. They believe Jerusalem is all theirs, since everyone has gone, and that they will have peace and prosperity. 

However, God knew their thoughts, like He knows our thoughts. He knew the rulers had slain anyone who was faithful to the Lord. Now God is going to judge them, and again, His purpose was that they may know Him. 

Also, since Ezekiel was concerned about the preservation of Israel after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, He asked about the remnant. God said there will be a remnant and they will see God, and they will be able to approach Him. God will give them a new heart and spirit within them, and they will obey Him alone.**

**I think it is a good time to point out here that this promise (about the new heart and spirit) has not happened, yet. The Jewish people are a worldly people, still, and they have not turned back to their God. This is definitely a prophecy of the future. 

Furthermore, God will bring those who seek after Him back to the land. (By that time the remnant will be less than 60,000 people who return after the 70 years.) 

Finally, the glory of the Lord went from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives, and Ezekiel was brought back to Babylon to tell the people what he was shown -- that the prophets had lied to them and that Jerusalem will be destroyed. He will tell them why God will judge them, yet, the people will not listen to him.