Scripture

“For I am the Lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfil my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Observation

The Lord tells Ezekiel to enact an exile. He is to bring a few items such as an exile would bring. He is to leave the house through a hole in the wall. As he walks away, he is to cover his face so he cannot see the land he is leaving.

Then Ezekiel is to explain this to the people. The people even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem to go into exile. Even Zedekiah will leave through a hole in the wall carrying a pack. He will cover his face and not see the land he is leaving. He will be captured and taken away, but he will not see the land of the Babylonians.

People say that time passes and prophecies come to nothing. The Lord will change this proverb because whatever the Lord says will come to pass. There will be no delay. The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled.

Application

Whenever the Lord gives a prophetic message, it will come to pass. In fact, this was one of two tests that God gave to Moses to determine if a prophecy was really from the Lord.

There were many prophecies about the coming exile. These had not yet come to pass, so people were thinking the Lord was not going to act.

But the Babylonians did come and with them came famine, disease and death.

Everything the Lord does comes at the right time. If we believe God has said something and it seems to be delayed, it will happen at a time we do not expect and in a way that we could never have imagined.

Even when there is a prophetic word that is given, we must wait in faith, knowing that God will do what He says.

Listen

Lord, what do you want to say to me about this passage?

Keith, the key is to trust me and to know that I always keep my promises.

In its time I will do it swiftly. What seems to be slow and delayed is not. Every good thing that I have promised will come to pass.

Be patient and trust me.