Again a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, you’ve heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’ Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’ (Ezekiel 12:21–23, NLT)
In today’s reading, we see a proverb used among God’s people to dismiss what the prophets were saying. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others had all prophesied destruction and exile unless there was repentance. God’s patience in waiting for this repentance had been misunderstood. They were confident nothing would come to pass because nothing had happened for a long time. What a mistake! And how blinding is sin!
This reminded me of something more modern in our time. …that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” (2 Peter 3:3–4, NLT) This idea that because something hasn’t happened in a long time, therefore it won’t happen is not dead. While God is waiting for the precious fruit of souls, the wicked mock that Christ will not return.
How does the Bible instruct us to behave in the face of such mockery and scoffing? And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. (2 Peter 3:14, NLT)
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Ezekiel 9-12.