Ezekiel 11

When Ezekiel 11 commences, we are taken back to Ezekiel 8 for a close up look at the 25 men that had intentionally turned their backs on the temple in order to worship the sun in the east.  And the question is why?  Why does God want us to get a better look at these men?

I believe the second time around is speaking to the future – that 6th Gentile world power.  He wants us to know these men’s character by what they do and say; and one of the things we find is that these men were stingy, despite all God’s blessings – they were stingy with the stranger, and they were stingy with their own families!  And, such will be the case with that final Gentile world power – they will be stingy with the world, and they will be stingy with their own kind.

Daniel 11:21 tells us about a vile person who will take power via lies and will immediately start with the deceit to gain even more power with just a few supporters.  This vile person will do what the forefathers hadn’t done – he will work to undermine the “strongholds” of the nation, the things that make the nation strong.

Ezekiel 11 shows us we will know this vile person by what he does and what he says:

1. He will be a liar who gains power by lying – he won’t need a conquering army to do this.
2. He will be stingy with the world – not just with the stranger but also, with his own kind.
3. He will undermine the very things that make the nation strong.

Does this sound familiar?