Ezekiel 11:1-4 – Live and walk discerningly.

In Ezekiel 10:19, the prophet saw in his vision the throne chariot ferrying God’s glory about to leave the temple into the city. At the gate, they halted momentarily. Continuing from there, Ezekiel in 11:1 said that the prophet was shown another scene at the east gate. In that vision, Ezekiel saw a group of 25 men, leaders of the Judah. This group of men was different from those whom he saw earlier in his vision in chapter 8. They were secular leaders of the community whereas those in Ezekiel 8 were priests serving in the temple. It was not unusual to see men gathering at the city gate because this was the place business was transacted. Among them were “Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.” Jaazaniah means God hears and Pelatiah means God delivers. Though these were wicked men, their names paradoxically proved that God truly could hear and deliver.  

These men were supposed to give godly counsel, but instead, they were dispensing wicked and evil advice to the people. They were one of the reasons why God was set on bringing Jerusalem to ruin. To understand the wicked counsel that they were giving to the people we need to refer to the prophecy in Jeremiah 21:8-10. The prophet Jeremiah was telling the people to submit to God’s will and yield to the Babylonians and not resist. But the leaders were saying the opposite. 

In telling the people that “the time is not near to build houses,” was an encouragement to resist the Babylonians. What they were saying was that their exile was not near, and it was not time for them to be building houses in a foreign land.  In the phrase, “This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat” they were falsely telling the people that they would be safe in Jerusalem. Like meat in the cauldron, they in Jerusalem would be protected and not be touched by the fire outside of it.  In other words, they in Jerusalem would not be harmed. What they said was the opposite of what Jeremiah was telling them to do.  Ezekiel was then told in verse 4 to prophesy against the false counsel that was given.  

The people of Jerusalem were gullible. It is important that we discern what we see and hear. Comfortable words can be deceiving and diametrically opposite to what God wants us to do. It is safer to stick to the words of godly and proven people with character than smooth talkers who give comforting words but lead us nearer to the brink of God’s judgment. Be discerning and watchful and don’t be gullible and take in words purported to be from God without discerning.