John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 12

Because God was about to give a command to His servant, He wished to inspire him with fortitude of mind, so that when he saw that he was spending his labor in vain, he would not withdraw from his course. For we know how severe that temptation is to God’s servants when they speak to the deaf, and not only is their teaching rejected but even refused with disgrace.

They think, therefore, that nothing is better than silence, because where their word is so despised it only exposes the name of God to the reproaches of the ungodly. Now then we understand for what purpose God admonishes His Prophet about the stubborn rebellion of the nation. The Prophet had experienced enough, and more than enough, how unmanageable the Israelites were, but God confirms by His judgment what the Prophet had discovered sufficiently in practice.

Then we must observe another reason, for God not only commanded His Prophet what to say, but He also added an outward symbol, as we shall see. But the Prophet might object that it would be ridiculous to take a staff, a traveler's bag, and a hat, like a traveler about to begin a journey. Nor is it doubtful that the Israelites, out of perversity, derided what he was doing as a childish game.

So that the Prophet would not think what he was commanded to do was absurd, God instructs him and gives him the reason for His plan. He says, therefore, the house of Israel is rebellious, and then He expresses the greatness of their stubborn rebellion, namely, that they are deaf, though equipped with ears: that they are blind, and yet do not lack eyes. God here shows that the Israelites could not defend their error, as if they had sinned without consideration; but He attributes their neither hearing nor seeing to their obstinacy.

And this must be diligently noted, because hypocrites, when convicted, grasp as much as possible at this excuse: that they fell through error or ignorance. But God, on the contrary, here pronounces that the Israelites were blind and deaf, and shows that their blindness was voluntary.

When, therefore, unbelievers pretend that they have not been illuminated by the Lord, it may be conceded to them that they are blind and deaf. But we must often proceed beyond this, since their own obstinacy is the source of their blindness and deafness; and God blinds them because they will not admit the light offered them, but stop their ears.

Indeed, in God’s judgments, the causes do not always appear, for we sometimes see a whole nation blinded without any reason apparent to us. But as far as the ten tribes are concerned, there can be no excuse for their error, since they were brought up from childhood in God’s law, so that their pride and contempt caused God to reject them.

Hence they were so stupefied that they neither saw with their eyes nor heard with their ears. And this the Prophet expresses significantly: they hear not, he says, since they are a rebellious house; He does not say it is because their senses do not penetrate to the secrets of God, are not sufficiently acute, or are not equipped with such great prudence; but because they are a rebellious house, that is, because they have stupefied themselves. Therefore, it happens that they neither hear nor see.

Now God instructs His prophet in what He wishes him to do. He orders him to take "vessels for journeying"; that is, He orders him to prepare for a long journey, even for exile, for exile is the subject here. A person who is compelled to leave home to go into a foreign land collects whatever he can carry with him—namely, his clothes, shoes, hat, pouch, and staff, and other things of that kind, if he has even a little money.

Therefore, the prophet is advised to prepare himself for his journey, by which he represents the situation of those who were about to be dragged into exile. For this reason, he is ordered to prepare for himself vessels for traveling. The Latins call garments, as well as other goods, "vessels." Consequently, the proverbial expression "to collect goods" means "to remove baggage" (in a military phrase) or "to take away one's belongings." But He orders this to be done in the daytime, so that the Israelites may see what is done.

Then the prophet is ordered to move from one place to another. As I have said, this might appear childish. Cicero describes certain legal fictions where those who went to law about a field, when called upon to plead, had, so to speak, an imaginary way of inspecting it.

Since it was too troublesome for the judge to mount his horse and ride over various fields, they retained an ancient and customary ceremony: the plaintiff would say, "The land which you say is yours, I claim for myself and say is mine. If you wish to dispute with me legally, I summon you to the spot." The defendant would reply, "As you summon me there, I in return answer your summons."

The judge then arose and moved from his place, and so an imaginary action took place. Cicero derides that role-playing, saying it is unworthy of the seriousness of a court of law. But such was the action of the prophet: he took his hat, cloak, staff, shoes, and other things, and changed his place as if he were actually moving.

However, he only went a short distance. But God had previously said that He was dealing with a perverse nation and therefore needed such symbolic actions.

We must also note the specific wording: if by chance they should see, because they are a rebellious house. For here God, as it were, makes the outcome of His teaching conditional when He says, if perhaps they should hear. The reason is added: the people's hardness of heart was so great that they could scarcely be turned to obedience by any teachings or signs.

Meanwhile, let us learn from this passage that we must persevere when we spend our strength for God, even if success does not correspond to our labor. This instruction is especially necessary because when God imposes any duty on us, we often question its outcome. Consequently, our motivation wanes, as we are seldom willing to lift a finger unless we foresee a successful result.

Therefore, because we are always too focused on the fruit of our labor, this passage should be carefully considered. It is here that God sends His prophet and yet adds the condition, if by chance they should listen. Whatever the outcome may be, we must obey God; if our labor does not yield results, God still wishes us to obey Him.

The other verses must now be added—

Ezekiel is verbose in this narration. But in the beginning of the book, we said that because the teacher was sent to men who were very slow and stupid, he therefore used a rough style. We also added that he had acquired it partly from the custom of the region in which he lived.

For the people declined by degrees from the polish of their language, and so it happens that the Prophet’s diction is not quite pure, but is intermixed with something foreign. As to the subject itself, there is no ambiguity, since God repeats that he should dig through a wall, and bring out his vessels by himself before their eyes. Here follows another part of the vision, namely, that there should be no free exit but that the Jews would desire to depart by stealth.

First, therefore, it is shown to the Prophet that the Jews who, while secure at Jerusalem boasted that all was well with them, should be exiles; then, that it would not be in their power to leave when they wished, unless perhaps they stealthily escaped the hands of the enemy through their hiding-place, as thieves escape by digging through a wall.

Then the application will follow, but it was worthwhile to state what God intended by this vision. Afterwards, everything is embraced. In their sight, he says, you shall bear upon your shoulder, that is, you shall be prepared and girded for a journey as a traveler, and this shall be done in the daytime; but in darkness, he says, you shall bring them forth; after your vessels have been prepared, wait for the evening; in the darkness afterwards you shall go forth.

Here he shows what I have already touched upon: when necessity expelled the Jews from their country, their departure would not be free, because they would be fortunate if they could snatch themselves away from the sight of their enemies in hiding-places and the darkness of the night.

He adds, you shall hide your face, and the clause, neither shall you look upon the earth, means the same thing. Anxiety and trembling are marked by this phrase. For instance, when he says, you shall hide your face, it signifies that the Jews would be so perplexed that they would fear every event that happened.

For those who fear everything veil their faces, as is well known. But this trembling is better expressed when he says, you shall not look upon the earth. For those who are in haste do not dare to lower their eyes even slightly in one direction or another, but are carried along to the place where they are going, and press forward with their eyes, because they cannot hasten with their feet as quickly as they desire.

Hence they seize their way, as it were, with their eyes. This is the reason why God says, you shall not look upon the earth, because I have set you, he says, for a sign to the house of Israel. Here God addresses the petulance of those who otherwise would laugh at what the Prophet was doing: what do you mean by that fictitious emigration?

Why do you not rest at home? Why do you here frighten us with an empty spectacle? God, therefore, so that the Jews should not obstinately despise what he shows them, adds that the Prophet was a sign or a wonder to the house of Israel. The word wonder is here taken in its genuine sense, though sometimes it has an unfavorable meaning.

We say that anything portentous is disagreeable, but a “portent” properly designates any sign of the future. When, therefore, men predict what is hidden, it is called a portent. And this is the meaning of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:18), where he says, Behold me, and the children whom God has given me, for signs and wonders.

He puts אתות, athoth, “signs,” in the first place, then מופתים, mophthim, “portents.” Here the Prophet speaks in the singular: I have given you for a wonder. But since Isaiah treats of the rest of the faithful, he then uses signs and portents, because Isaiah seems to imply something more: namely, that the people were so stupid that they so feared and abhorred God’s servants, as if they had met with a prodigy.

Here, therefore, the depravity of the people is to be noted, because when they saw any pious and sincere worshipper of God, they turned away their eyes as from a formidable prodigy. But now the Prophet speaks simply, that he had been placed for a prodigy to the house of Israel, because in truth this action was a presage of that future captivity which the Jews did not fear for themselves, and which was also incredible to the Israelites; from this came that penitence and weariness of which I have spoken.

But I do not object if anyone thinks that the Prophet speaks of a portent because the Israelites were struck with astonishment; however, the former sense is far more fitting. In this way, then, God distinguishes the action of the Prophet from all empty spectacles and so vindicates his servant from all opprobrium. Meanwhile, he signifies that although the Prophet was despised, he would nevertheless be true, and at the same time the avenger of contempt.

Here the Prophet relates that he had carried out what God had commanded. He was also aware that this action would be exposed to many jeers and reproaches. But he considered nothing as important as pleasing God; therefore, we should note the Prophet’s eagerness in carrying out God’s commands. For since to upright natures nothing is more unpleasant than reproach, he might have rejected the burden imposed upon him, because it provoked the laughter of all people.

But because God was pleased otherwise, he did as he was ordered. He says, therefore, that he carried away his belongings, as if they were belongings for captivity, or of migration, and that he did this during the day. It was as if he said that he had prepared whatever was necessary for the journey, as though he foresaw that a long march, even exile, was before him.

This, then, was the reason why he prepared his goods during the day. Now it follows, at evening he dug through the wall. This belongs to the second part of the sign, so that the Israelites might understand that every exit was blocked for the Jews, and that no safety remained except in hidden escape.

He also says it was done by the hand, from which it appears to have been done suddenly and chaotically. He says that he went out in darkness and carried things on his shoulder — specifically, to confirm what we have so often said: that the Jews had no hope of safety except under the cover of night. This was because they were besieged on every side and could not move in any direction, lest the enemy seize them. This is the reason why the Prophet says that he went out in darkness through the wall which he had dug through.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since you desire us to live in this world in such a way that we may journey onward until you gather us into your heavenly rest, that we may truly contemplate that eternal inheritance and direct all our efforts towards it. And next, grant that we may so journey in this world that we do not wander or stray from the path. Always focusing on the goal which you set before us, grant us to proceed on our way until we finish our course and enjoy that glory which your only-begotten Son has prepared for us through his own blood. — Amen.