Ezekiel chapter 12

vs 19

So they will be pretty much waiting day by day, anxious in knowing that their time is coming, and that right soon. The violence charge is obviously important - it's been repeated several times. What is it talking about more specifically? I don't really know. I think I've said previously that it could just be the general sort of wickedness that comes with being wicked, or perhaps even the sort of violence that comes from worshipping idols?

vs 20

All the little satellite towns that don't have huge walls like Jerusalem are going to be toast. And this is where most of the land is worked from too, so even if Jerusalem were to survive, they would have nothing. Not that they will. Remember, it's not an urban society, so most people still live outside the big cities.

vs 21

What now?

vs 22

I assume people were saying this as if all the things they'd heard about God weren't true.

vs 23

Uh oh. Of course, anyone who is anyone knows that the longer you wait for something, the more likely it is to happen.

vs 24

See, this is the sort of thing that God can say, and make true. We can make grand statements like this, but then someone just comes along and proves us wrong, usually instantly and for no other purpose than nihilism. But God can say "no more false visions" and you can actually trust that it was so. You might think, "But how can God make that promise? Can't someone just make up a false vision and prove him wrong?" No. God can just shut their minds. Imagine how freaky that would be.

vs 25

Oh, snap. So even if someone does speak a false vision, God is saying, "Listen up, because everything I say I am going to make happen right the hell now. A few hundred years is too long ago? I'm going to say it, and then without delay you're going to suffer it. " Is that really a preferred choice?

vs 26

This verse gets old.

vs 27

And you know what? Fair enough? I mean, if you think of Moses and Joshua and such as 'former prophets', then you realise a lot of what was said back then hasn't come to pass yet for these Israelites. Now, don't get me wrong, lots of it has, and so I think they should have gotten the message. But it makes me wonder - how many people will hear a sermon about Jesus returning and say, "Ahh, that's not going to happen for thousands of years" only to find it in fact happens in 30 days?

vs 28

You see, God was being gracious in delaying his actions. But now, they want it? They got it. Even if they don't want it, they got it. So tough.