NOTES for Eze 12:1-28
Once again the prophet preaches through a symbolic action, carrying his belongings out of the house and breaking through the wall. We understand what he means or, more precisely, what the Lord entrusted Ezekiel to say. But why must the prophecy about Jerusalem's fate be proclaimed not to its inhabitants, but far from the city, in the land of Babylon?
Apparently because the prophet is addressing the exiles: those who have not lost their inner ties with their native city and are at the same time able to heed his words and understand them better than most of those who remained in Jerusalem. These very exiles, separated from the main body of the people and having experienced and reconsidered much, can become not yet the faithful remnant, but already a likeness of that remnant which preserves faithfulness and is therefore the seedling of a restored people. They can once again become bearers of the teaching of faith and are therefore already ready to hear and receive prophetic words. If this is so, it must be affirmed that prophecy must not cease and that the corresponding proverb is false. It is true that the apostle Paul will later begin to teach that “prophecies will cease” (1 Cor 13:8), but in fact he will be speaking about something else: even if prophecies cease, love will never disappear. Those who repeated this proverb during the prophets' lifetime thereby revealed that they had lost hope in the Lord and did not know His love.
Therefore, when we hear popular sayings today as well, such as “we are not saints” or “miracles do not happen,” we should not yield to them. It is better to turn once more to the Source of faith.