Ezekiel, 12
4. You will gather your things, an exile's baggage, by day to be seen by them, and you will leave in the evening as for a departure of deportees. While they look on,
4. You will gather your things, an exile's baggage, by day to be seen by them, and you will leave in the evening as for a departure of deportees. While they look on,
Ezekiel 12 describes the prophet's view of the exile of Judah and the consequent fall of Jerusalem. God instructs Ezekiel to act as an exile, making people realize the inevitability of the approaching exile. The verses related to the topics addressed in Ezekiel 12 are:
Jeremiah 29:4-7: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, to all the exiles I have deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruits. have children and daughters; Marry your children and daughters, and give them in marriage; and seek the peace of the city where I deport you and pray to the Lord in your favor, for in your peace you will have peace. " This verse encourages exiles to build a new life for themselves in Babylon and to adjust to their new reality.
Ezekiel 3:17-18: "Son of man, I gave you through the house of Israel; when you hear a word from my mouth, you will warn you of my part. When I say to the wicked: you will surely die; and you don't You warn you, you do not even talk to warn the wicked of your wicked path, to save your life, that wicked will die for your iniquity; but your blood I will require you from your hand. " This verse talks about Ezekiel's responsibility as a prophet of alerting the people about God's judgment, so that they can repent and be saved.
Jeremiah 39:1-2: "In the ninth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came with all his army against Jerusalem and silent. And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah in the fourth Month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into. " This verse describes the fall of Jerusalem, which was the event that Ezekiel was prophesying that would happen.
Ezekiel 12:21-23: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, who is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, who says, Do the days last, and all vision fades? Therefore, say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, I shall cease this proverb, and will no longer be repeated in Israel, but say unto them, The days are close, and the vision of the whole prophet will be fulfilled. " This verse shows that God is aware of people's thinking that prophecy will never be fulfilled and that He is about to act to prove that His words are true.
Psalm 52:3-4: "You love evil more than good, the lie more than the truth. You love every pernicious word, O deceiving language!" This verse talks about the importance of truth and honesty, something Ezekiel emphasizes in talking about the consequences of the sins of the people.
“Esforce-se, mesmo se for um pouco, mas sempre…” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
