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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 116

"The days are prolonged, and every vision fails"

Text: Ezekiel 12:22

PROVERBIAL SAYINGS

Proverbial sayings exist everywhere, in every land, and over many generations. Not all proverbs are of Biblical significance. Some proverbs were quite perverse and they had to be addressed.

“And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
‘Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have
about the land of Israel, which says,
‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fail’?
Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD:
‘I will lay this proverb to rest,
and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.’
But say to them, ‘The days are at hand,
and the fulfilment of every vision.”'”
Ezekiel 12:21-23

1. The word of the Lord.

a) This was a clear and direct word from God.

b) It is of divine worth because it is pure truth.

2. The proverbs of men.

a) They are common sayings.

b) They are not always correct or true.

3. A proverb in the land of Israel.

a) “The days are prolonged, and every vision fails”

b) Thoughts communicated in this erroneous proverb.

i) It was a criticism of God’s prophetic word.

ii) It questioned the veracity of God’s visions given through the prophets.

iii) It suggests that the visions, the words of God fail.

iv) There is serious doubt that God would fulfil His word given.

v) The days drag by but the word of the Lord was not yet fulfilled.

vi) The “delay of fulfilment of God’s word” caused people to end up in unbelief.

vii) Each vision of God was rebutted by quoting this proverb.

4. God’s response.

a) He will lay this proverb to rest, once and for all.

b) They will no longer use this proverb.

c) The days were at hand.

d) The vision of God for the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem
would soon be fulfilled.

e) They cannot say that God’s word was devoid of power and fulfilment.