Ezekiel 11:1-13 They’re Cooked
God judges the political leaders for their leading the people away from Him. They think they are safe within the city walls but they’re ‘cooked’ for their own sins.
I’m going to come right out and say it. I did NOT understand the phrase; “This city is a cauldron and we are the meat” (verse 3b). So, being I didn’t understand it, I Googled it. The interpretation I found makes perfect sense to me now. Hopefully it will to you too. Before we get to the meaning though, we have a little way to walk with Ezekiel first.
Ezekiel has been following the movements of the four cherubim and the glory of God as it left the Temple and moved to the Eastern gate. Now, the Spirit picks him up and moves him to join God’s glory at the Eastern gate. God has something more to show him.
At the gate, God points out a group of “princes of the people” gathered there. My bible helps tells me that this was a political group. Possibly the court of King Zedekiah. There were twenty-five men gathered there. God said that “These are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in the city” (verse 2b). They are the ones telling the people to get comfortable within the walls of the city. They advise no new construction but for the people to ‘enjoy the knowledge that they are safe within the city’s walls’.
This isn’t their exact words but it carries the meaning. “The time is not near to build houses” (verse 3a) means that it is not safe to leave the city to procure building material or even scout out land on which to build. There is PLENTY of housing for those who remain in the cities. That is because the people who owned those houses are already in captivity. Everyone can simply move into an already furnished house and take up living there.
The second part of the political or religious officials is the part I had to look up. First of all, I included “religious” here because Israel’s religious leaders were generally their political leaders too. Or at least they were in Jesus’ time.
The ‘platitude’ here was “This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat” (verse 3b) is explained like this: “This seems to be a proverbial expression, signifying no more than this, “We are as safe in this city as flesh in a boiling pot; the walls of the city shall be to us as walls of brass, and shall receive no more damage from the besiegers about it than the cauldron does from the fire under it.” (Studylight.org).
This makes a lot of sense when thinking about what the false prophets and leaders were telling the people compared to what God is telling them. The false prophets are saying that they are safe within the walls of Jerusalem. Nothing will hurt them as long as they stay inside. I have a question for them. What about when the food runs out within the walls? How are you going to get more? Those of the siege aren’t going away. IF God was protecting them within the walls then I could get behind their mentality. But even they have said “The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see” (chapter 9:9b). HOW would they think that staying within the walls would protect them, unless they actually believed God would watch over them too. Or were they truly so self-deluded that they thought they could do it on their own without God?
God put His hand on Ezekiel and told him exactly what to say to these men. In essence, God told them they are NOT ‘the meat in the cauldron’ but will be yanked out of that ‘safe place’ and given over to their worst fears. The very reason the doors of the city are barred shut is to avoid being ‘struck down by the sword’ of those encamped around them. God is going to make what they fear the most, their reality. Their ‘goose is cooked’ because of their sins. They will be DRAGGED from the pot and ‘thrown to the dogs’ to feast on.
Ezekiel does exactly as God instructed him to do. He speaks the words God put in his heart and on his lips. SO powerful are God’s words that one man dies just hearing them. This freaks Ezekiel out and he falls on his face before the Lord again. This is twice now that Ezekiel has asked the same question; “Ah, Lord God! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?” (verse 13b).
No. Ezekiel, God will not kill of EVERYONE, but He WILL clean house. The man in linen has already gone through ALL the people and marked those who were still faithful to Him. THESE people will be kept safe from what is to come. Those that have rejected Him have nothing but death to look forward to. And the kind of death that they were dreading.
There are false teachers still working in this world today. It is up to us to listen to the Holy Spirit as He warns us away from these people. Some of them might come right from the pulpit. Don’t swallow ANYTHING without first running it past Him. HE will give you insight for he speaks ONLY what is true.
Father God, guard my heart from false prophets. Hel p me to see false teachers for what they really are. Don’t let me get taken in by them. I’m certainly not looking for ‘rosy skies’. I’m looking forward to Jesus’ return and I KNOW that things have to get worse before You return. I PRAY You find me waiting on You instead of asleep at the wheel.
