Ezekiel 33:24
“Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is that these people aren't just acknowledging Abraham's story; they're twisting it. They focus on the promise of the land to Abraham, highlighting that he was one man, while they are many, so it must be theirs. This argument completely ignores the crucial condition attached to the promise: obedience and righteousness, which they demonstrably lacked.
Ezekiel has just received news that Jerusalem has fallen, a devastating blow. Now, he's told about the few people left behind in the devastated land of Israel. Instead of repenting, they’re actually boasting and deceiving themselves, clinging to a false sense of security based on their lineage from Abraham. They argue that since Abraham, a single man, was promised the land, they, as many descendants, surely have an even stronger claim to it, even while living in the ruins.
Imagine returning to your home after a devastating war. Everything is ruined, but a small group is still there, claiming it as theirs. What would that look like?
The people left in the 'wastes' of Israel were in a dire situation. The land, once fertile and full of life, was now desolate after the Babylonian invasion. These weren't the faithful who had been exiled; they were a remnant who had stayed behind, perhaps hiding or even returning after fleeing. They were living among the ruins, a picture of both their physical surroundings and their spiritual condition. Their 'inheritance' was a landscape of destruction, and their faith, like the land, had become barren.
It's easy to lean on our family name and heritage to justify our place. What happens when that heritage becomes an excuse?
The core of their argument was: 'Abraham was one, but he got the land. We are many, so surely it's ours!' They were twisting a foundational promise of God's covenant. Abraham was promised the land, but his possession was based on faith and obedience, not just his lineage. These people, however, were using their numbers and their descent from Abraham as a basis for an unconditional claim. They believed their Abrahamic bloodline automatically secured their right to the land, regardless of their actions or current spiritual state. It was a faithless claim built on a distorted understanding of God's promises.
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What's the difference between being promised something and actually possessing it? And what does that tell us about God's faithfulness?
There's a subtle but crucial distinction these people ignored: the difference between God's promise and actual possession. Abraham received the promise of the land; he lived as a sojourner in it, never owning a large plot. God's promise was about faithfulness to a covenant, which would eventually be fulfilled through Abraham's descendants. But these people were in the land, yet it was ruined. They were clinging to the idea of inheriting it as if that alone guaranteed their rightful, secure possession. They confused being present in a devastated land with God's blessing of a restored, fruitful inheritance. Their claim lacked the acknowledgment that God's promises often come with conditions of faithfulness and obedience.
Understand the original words
ben-adam · Hebrew Noun phrase
A title used frequently for Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity in contrast to the majesty of God. It highlights the prophet's role as a representative of mankind before God and God's messenger to man.
Abraham · Hebrew Noun
The patriarch chosen by God to be the father of a great nation. In theology, he is the model of faith and the recipient of the covenant promises, including the land, which were based on God's grace and his obedience.
erets · Hebrew Noun
In biblical usage, this refers to the historical territory promised by God to Abraham and his descendants. It is a sign of God's covenantal blessing, conditional upon the nation's faithfulness to Him.
The people left in the devastated land of Israel were a remnant, possibly acting like outlaws or bandits, clinging to a misplaced sense of entitlement based on their ancestry. They ignored the reality of their destroyed cities and the conditions of God's promises, a dangerous delusion that Ezekiel was sent to confront.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Exile of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling a significant portion of its population. This event marks the beginning of a period of dispersion and loss for the Israelite people.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army lay siege to Jerusalem, exiling many prominent citizens, including members of the royal family and skilled workers, to Babylon. This event marks the start of the Judahite exile.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, the Babylonians deport more of Judah's population and its king, Jehoiachin, to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel is among this group.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. A remnant is left behind in the devastated land.
c. 582 BC
Third Wave of Deportations
Nebuchadnezzar conducts further deportations from Judah, including those who had fled to surrounding nations. This reduces the Jewish population even further.
c. 586-571 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry to the Exiles
Ezekiel delivers his prophetic messages in Babylon to the exiled community, addressing their despair, sin, and their hopes for restoration, including refuting their false sense of security.
This passage directly echoes the promise God made to Abraham about his numerous descendants, which these inhabitants twist to justify their own claims without considering their disobedience.
Matthew 3:9John the Baptist confronts a similar misplaced pride in Abrahamic descent, warning that God can raise children from stones, highlighting that physical lineage alone doesn't guarantee favor.
John 8:39Jesus directly challenges the Jews who boast about their lineage, stating that true children of Abraham do the deeds of Abraham, mirroring the false reasoning of those in Ezekiel's time.
Romans 4:13This passage clarifies that Abraham's inheritance of the world was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith, contrasting with the legalistic and prideful claims of the inhabitants of wasted lands.
Jeremiah 7:1-15Similar to Ezekiel's context, Jeremiah warns against a false sense of security based on dwelling in God's temple and claiming Abrahamic heritage, even while living wickedly.
clarkeEzekiel 33:24: "Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance."
Abraham was one - If he was called to inherit the land when he was alone, and had the whole to himself, why may we not expect to be established here, who are his posterity, and are many? They wished to remain in the land and be happy after the Chaldeans had carried the rest away captives.
pooleEzekiel 33:24: "Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance."
They that inhabit; who were left behind, having either hid themselves, but now come out of their holes, or returned from neighbour countries, whither they fled, or permitted by the conqueror to stay and plant vineyards. Wastes; places once very fruitful and abounding with people, but now by the spoil o…
What's easy to miss is that these people aren't just acknowledging Abraham's story; they're twisting it. They focus on the promise of the land to Abraham, highlighting that he was one man, while they are many, so it must be theirs. This argument completely ignores the crucial condition attached to the promise: obedience and righteousness, which they demonstrably lacked.
Ezekiel has just received news that Jerusalem has fallen, a devastating blow. Now, he's told about the few people left behind in the devastated land of Israel. Instead of repenting, they’re actually boasting and deceiving themselves, clinging to a false sense of security based on their lineage from Abraham. They argue that since Abraham, a single man, was promised the land, they, as many descendants, surely have an even stronger claim to it, even while living in the ruins.
Ezekiel has just received news that Jerusalem has fallen, a devastating blow. Now, he's told about the few people left behind in the devastated land of Israel. Instead of repenting, they’re actually boasting and deceiving themselves, clinging to a false sense of security based on their lineage from Abraham. They argue that since Abraham, a single man, was promised the land, they, as many descendants, surely have an even stronger claim to it, even while living in the ruins.
"“Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.’" — What's easy to miss is that these people aren't just acknowledging Abraham's story; they're twisting it. They focus on the promise of the land to Abraham, highlighting that he was one man, while th…
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