Ezekiel 12:27
“Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is the subtle difference between outright scoffing and a more sophisticated dismissal. The people acknowledge Ezekiel has visions and prophecies, but they choose to believe these are for a distant future, effectively neutralizing their urgency and personal relevance. This isn't a denial of God's word, but a dangerous deferral, like saying "someday" when you mean "never."
The people of Israel, hearing Ezekiel's dire prophecies of judgment, aren't denying the visions outright but are dismissing them as distant future events, not to be feared in their lifetime. They believe the pronouncements are for far-off times and therefore don't pose an immediate threat. This verse highlights their tendency to rationalize and postpone the consequences of their actions, a dangerous complacency that God intends to address.
Have you ever heard someone dismiss a serious warning by saying, "Oh, that's ages away" or "That's not my problem"? It turns out, this isn't a new way of thinking.
This verse shows how people in Ezekiel's day used distance in time to avoid facing God's truth.
The Comfort of 'Later'
In Ezekiel 12:27, the people of Israel hear Ezekiel's prophecies of judgment. But their response isn't outright denial. Instead, they say:
This is a subtle but dangerous form of spiritual avoidance. It's like saying, "Okay, I acknowledge there might be a problem, but it won't affect me, not anytime soon."
This attitude allows them to:
The people thought they were cleverly deflecting Ezekiel's words. But God's perspective is different. He wants us to know that His Word and His timing are not to be trifled with.
The Immediacy of God's Word
While the people claim Ezekiel's visions are "far off," God's response, as seen in the following verses (though not in this specific text), is to reveal that judgment is, in fact, imminent.
Understand the original words
ben 'adam · Hebrew Noun phrase
The title used by God to address the prophet Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and frailty in contrast to God's divine transcendence. It highlights the prophet's role as a representative of humanity before God.
chazon · Hebrew Noun
A divine revelation, message, or prophetic insight given by God to His prophets. It often refers to a supernatural sight or communicative encounter with the divine reality.
niba' · Hebrew Verb
To declare a message from God; to speak under divine inspiration regarding future events, present spiritual realities, or moral instruction.
Many of the exiles living in Babylon heard Ezekiel's dire prophecies about Jerusalem's destruction. Instead of accepting the impending doom, they rationalized that these pronouncements were for a distant future, not their present reality.
c. 597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieges Jerusalem and deports King Jehoiachin and a large number of citizens, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
c. 593 BC
Ezekiel's First Vision
Ezekiel receives his initial prophetic vision of God's glory departing from the Temple, marking the beginning of his ministry among the exiles.
c. 587/586 BC— this verse
Second Babylonian Deportation and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling more of the population. This catastrophic event marks the climax of God's judgment.
c. 586 BC
Ezekiel Prophesies Judgment
Ezekiel delivers prophecies of judgment against Judah, which are met with skepticism and disbelief by many exiles who believe the prophecies are distant.
This passage shows a similar disbelief in prophecy, where Hananiah boldly pronounces that the Babylonian exile will be short, directly contradicting Jeremiah's message and highlighting the human tendency to deny or downplay impending judgment.
2 Peter 3:4Peter addresses a similar skepticism among early believers who question the promised return of Christ, saying 'Where is the promise of his coming?' This mirrors the Israelites' dismissive attitude towards Ezekiel's prophecies as being 'far off'.
Amos 6:3This verse speaks to a similar complacent denial of judgment, where people think 'You are putting far from you the day of disaster and bringing near the seat of violence,' showing a long-standing pattern of ignoring God's warnings.
Luke 12:46Jesus tells a parable about a servant who thinks his master's return is delayed, leading him to abuse others. This illustrates the danger of believing judgment or accountability is 'far off,' as it breeds complacency and sin.
pooleEzekiel 12:27: "Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off."
Some of the less judicious and the more credulous are abused by these sort of men. Say; think, and hope, and so discourse it, that the prophet is a good man and true prophet, but surely his visions look to after-times; we do not think his visions vain, but we hope they are not to come on us, and in our days. Now these God will…
gillEzekiel 12:27: "Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off."
Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say,.... Either they of the ten tribes in Babylon, or the Jews in Judea, who were also Israelites: these the Lord directs the prophet to take notice of, and be a witness of what they said; since he himself, as a prophet, was concerned in it: the vision that he seeth is for many d…
What's easy to miss here is the subtle difference between outright scoffing and a more sophisticated dismissal. The people acknowledge Ezekiel has visions and prophecies, but they choose to believe these are for a distant future, effectively neutralizing their urgency and personal relevance. This isn't a denial of God's word, but a dangerous deferral, like saying "someday" when you mean "never."
The people of Israel, hearing Ezekiel's dire prophecies of judgment, aren't denying the visions outright but are dismissing them as distant future events, not to be feared in their lifetime. They believe the pronouncements are for far-off times and therefore don't pose an immediate threat. This verse highlights their tendency to rationalize and postpone the consequences of their actions, a dangerous complacency that God intends to address.
The people of Israel, hearing Ezekiel's dire prophecies of judgment, aren't denying the visions outright but are dismissing them as distant future events, not to be feared in their lifetime. They believe the pronouncements are for far-off times and therefore don't pose an immediate threat. This verse highlights their tendency to rationalize and postpone the consequences of their actions, a dangerous complacency that God intends to address.
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"“Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’" — What's easy to miss here is the subtle difference between outright scoffing and a more sophisticated dismissal. The people acknowledge Ezekiel has visions and prophecies, but they choose to believe…
