Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"I will draw out the sword after them"
Text: Ezekiel 12:14
AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE CAPTURE
Zedekiah who rules Judah in the absence of King Jehoiachin sought to contrive ways to escape the Babylonians. He had chosen idolatry and was full of wicked ideas. He was the one who burned the writings of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:20-26).
“And the prince who is among them
shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out.
They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it.
He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes.
I will also spread My net over him, and he shall be caught in My snare.
I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans;
yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there.
I will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his troops;
and I will draw out the sword after them.”
Ezekiel 12:12-14
1. The prince.
a) This was the denigrating word used to describe king Zedekiah.
b) He was the one Ezekiel sought to portray as a sign from God.
c) He and his followers tried to dig their way through the city walls of Jerusalem.
d) They made their attempt at twilight.
e) He covered his face so much that he could barely see the ground.
2. God’s net.
a) A word of warning had been given by Jeremiah to Zedekiah.
b) He was told that he would not be able to escape from the Babylonians
(Jeremiah 34:1-4).
c) This word was also spoken by Ezekiel.
d) Zedekiah would be arrested and killed in Babylon!
3. The followers of Zedekiah.
a) These were his advisors.
b) They were his friends.
c) They too would suffer the same fate as Zedekiah.
d) They would be:
i) Scattered
ii) Slain by the sword