EZEKIEL - CHAPTERS 12-15 "THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME, SAYING," (2026)
“THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME, SAYING,”
(Ezekiel 12-15)
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
March 11, 2008; February 24, 2026, Tuesday Morning Bible Study)
Here begins a new section of the book. Chapters 12-19 may be classified as distinct division of Ezekiel’s prophecy. They are not dated as to time given or recorded, but the theme is one of judgment for the nation’s continued disobedience and idolatry. Chapters 4-11 have repeatedly shown the certainty of Jerusalem’s destruction; Chapters 8-11 centered about the Temple. Chapters 12-19 present! the necessity for it. Chapter 12 deals with the judgment of the Throne of Israel (King Zedekiah). How futile was the people’s confidence that the kingdom and its capital would be spared?
God continues to deal with false preachers in high places!
Chapter 12 contains another symbolic action to emphasize Jerusalem’s impending fate: Ezekiel removed his household goods with no place to go. 12:4-7: Then shall you bring forth your stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and you shall go forth at evening in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity. Dig through the wall in their sight and carry out thereby. In their sight shall you bear it upon your shoulders and carry it forth in the twilight. You shall cover your face, that you see not the ground; for I have set you for a sign unto the house of Israel.
12:12 is an amazing, detailed prophecy of King Zedekiah’s fate his secret flight, capture and removal to Babylon. He was the last King of Judah. Five years later this came to pass when Zedekiah attempted a secret escape. The King was captured, his eyes were put out, and he was carried in chains to Babylon. 12:8 -13: In the morning came the Word of the Lord unto me, saying Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house said to you, ‘what are you doing?’ Say to them, I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall be carried away into captivity. And the prince (King Zedekiah) that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight and shall go forth; they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby; he shall cover his face, that he sees not the ground with his eyes. My net (Chaldean army) also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in snare (net of a hunter); and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there. (Jer. 52: 7-11; 11Kg. 25: 1-7). Josephus said that Ezekiel sent a copy of this prophecy to King Zedekiah! He adds that the king rejected the Word as being false.
Verses 14-16 deals with King Zedekiah’s departure into Babylon, being blinded by Nebuchadnezzar. 12:15 – They shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall scatter them among the nations, disperse them in the countries Jer. 52: 7-11; 11 Kg. 25: 1-7. Verses 17-20 deals with Ezekiel’s trembling pointing to the terrors of the approaching siege of Jerusalem. The people consider the announced judgments as belonging to the distant future, God promises to end their excuse for temporizing by declaring the imminence of those judgments: Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, eat your bread with quaking and drink your water with trembling and with carefulness. (21-28) their taunting proverbs come to nothing and the Word of the Lord would come to pass! “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, what is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel saying, “The days are prolonged, and every vision fails”? Tell them, therefore, thus says the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no longer use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them. The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. The Word that the Lord has spoken shall be done… The word of man shall fail, but the word of God shall stand. Thus, is introduced the next chapter concerning false prophets.
Chapter 13: Ezekiel has already pronounced the judgment of God on the city of Jerusalem the princes, and the king. Now in this chapter he rebukes the false prophets. The test of a true prophet is found in Deut. 13: 1-5; 18: 21-22. Jeremiah struggled with this in Jer. 5:30-31; 14:13-18; 23:9-40; 29:8-10; 21-23.
The following are principles for judging prophecy and prophets:
1. Does it edify? (1 Cor. 14:3).
2. Does it agree with the letter and the Spirit of the Word of God, the Scriptures? (11 Cor. 1: 17-20; Amos 3:3; 11 Pet. 1:21).
3. Does it exalt the Lord Jesus Christ? (1 Cor. 12: 1-3).
4. Does it bear witness with the spirit within those who hear it with an open heart? (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17)
5. Does it produce the fruit of life and liberty? (Matt. 7:16)
6. Does it come to pass? (Deut. 13: 1-5)
7. All prophecy is judged, being in the in-part realm of imperfection. (1Jn. 2:27; Jn. 10:27; Heb. 13:17; Acts 20:27; 1 Cor. 12:10; 14:29)
The false prophets spoke lies and were contaminated with paganistic divination. Their message was as useless as whitewash on a mud brick wall to protect it against a storm. False prophetesses were also denounced.
13:1-7: AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME, SAYING, …2b: say unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, hear ye the word of the Lord; thus says the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O Israel, your prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord says; and the Lord has not sent them; and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have you not seen a vain vision, and have you not spoken a lying divination, whereas you say, the Lord says it; albeit I have not spoken?
God wasn’t interested in Ezekiel’s popularity!
According to verse 9, these false prophets will not be able to enter into the Land of Israel. I would say for the church of the 21st century this means that the false prophets of today will not enter into His Glory. They shall not be in the assembly (secret council) of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing (register) neither shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD GOD.
Bro. Bill Britton comments on this:
What is the horrible thing…that these preachers were preaching that made God so angry at them? They were preaching peace to the people when there is no peace. They’re telling people, ‘Don’t worry. You’re not going to have to go through it. There’s not going to be a war with the Babylonians. God isn’t going to let us be taken…” (BB)
13:10: Because indeed they have seduced My people, saying, “Peace! When there is no peace---and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar.
13:13: I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it.
These false prophets were denounced for prophesying messages of hope without Divine authorization that misled the people into a false security without need for repentance. The false prophetesses were denounced for deceiving the people with false promises pampering the love of fleshly ease and personal indulgence of their victims with prophecies that distressed the righteous and encouraged the wicked.
13:16-17: That is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace, says the LORD GOD. Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart, prophesy against them.
13:22-23: Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life; Therefore, you shall see no more vanity nor divine divinations; for I will deliver my people out of your hand; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
Chapter 14: This chapter is a rebuke to the Elders of Israel who had come to inquire of the Lord. 14:2: AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ME, SAYING, Son of Man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?
These men were hypocrite, and like so many people today, make up their minds what they want to hear and then try to seek out a prophet to agree with their folly! The false prophets of the preceding chapter had preyed upon Israel and made merchandise of them, but they were able to do so because the nation was ready for such false utterances because of the misleading of their elders. Though Ezekiel addresses the exiles firstly, his message is designed for the entire nation.
(7-10) for everyone of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourns in Israel, which separates himself from me, and sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the Lord will answer him by myself; And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and you shall know that I am the Lord. And if the prophet be deceived when he has spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
A prophet can discern what a person’s motive is for seeking the Lord. If the prophet does give the man the answer he desires (thus allowing himself to be a party to the inquirer’s sin), then the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeks unto him.
They were denounced for inquiring of God without any intention to obey Him, nor with any inclination to depart from their idolatry upon which their hearts were set.
Bro. Bill Britton: “There were a lot of prophets in Israel…that prophesied out of their own heart, but somehow deep in their heart these elders know that this man Ezekiel has the Word of the Lord. A man that’s not willing to compromise, a man that’s willing to make a fool out of himself, as Ezekiel did, laying in the streets… to become, not just to speak, but to become a prophecy to the people! And this is where the idolatry in the last day end-time move of God is…its people have their idols in their hearts! Sometimes it’s a man, and when that man falls, their whole foundation crumbles; sometimes it’s a doctrine, and they will fight for that doctrine…and when you prove it to be wrong, they go to pieces, and can’t accept the truth…idols set up in their hearts! Sometimes it’s an organization or a church…This is a very serious thing…when you begin to go and hunt for a prophet to give you an answer to something, but you want your answer, you want the prophet to give you what you want to hear…if that prophet gets sucked into that thing…if he does not have the permission and be a push-button prophet as well as the man that he has spoken to…it’s a serious thing, that we make up our mind what we want to do and then try to get some prophet to confirm that so if it doesn’t work, we can blame the prophet for it or the Lord.” (BB)
Verses 12-20 paralled Jeremiah 7:16 and 15: 1-4. According to Jeremiah even Moses and Samuel, well known for their power in intercessory prayer would not avail to deliver the doomed city and her people. Ez. 14:20: Though Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, as I live, says the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. Judgment was inevitable; famine, evil beasts, the sword, and pestilence would be the instruments of the judgment. (Four = universal judgment of the Day of the Lord) The destruction of Jerusalem is now inevitable and the city will not be spared under any condition. The reference to these three patriarchs or Godly men show that they stood high in the estimate of God and had great covenantal influence.
1. Noah – the principle of Faith
2. Daniel – the principle of dedication or courage.
3. Job – the principle of patience or endurance.
14:22: Here again is the immunity of the saints. Yet behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and you shall see their way and their doings; and you shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done to it, says the Lord God.
Eastgate Ministries, Inc. is a remnant church. Let us stay bent over before the Lord, loving Him, and loving one another in the reverence and awe of the Lord.
Chapter 15: In chapters 15-17 appear three parables which show there is no hope of deliverance for Jerusalem. The people were hoping for aid from Edom, Amon, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt 17:15: But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still be delivered? .
In this chapter, we have the parable of the Vine. Because of sin and idolatry, God would root up the nation of Israel, Matthew 3:10: And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore, every three which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. He will plant a brand-New Vine, Christ Jesus. The branches from that planting would be men from every nation, making up the Holy Nation, the church whether Jew, Gentile, Slave, Free, Male or Female.
15:1-8: AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME SAYING, Son of Man what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? Or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. It is meet for any work?” When it was whole, it was not good for work; how much less shall it be worthless for work when the fire has devoured it and it is burned. Therefore, thus says the Lord God; as the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
The only use of the vine was fruit bearing. This wild vine was only fit to be burned in the judgments of the Lord. So, we see the worthlessness of Judah before the destruction of Jerusalem and much more so after that event.
We will start with chapter 16 next week. It is a parable of Israel as the unfaithful wife. The emphasis is on her base iniquity. No passage in Ezekiel is more vivid than this chapter which sets forth the dealings of God with Israel from the beginning. It is reminiscent of truths found in Isa. 1:21 and Hos. 1:2. The prophet understood that real repentance was to be produced by the love of Grace, and not the thunderings of Sinai. According to the Mishnah, this chapter was not to be read nor translated in public.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church, 10115 West Hidden Lakes Lane, Richmond, TX
Scripture is from K.J.V. and N.K.J.V. Text is from Principles of Present Truth by K.V. with quotes from Bill Britton. Bible study notes from 2008 (Pastor Sissom).