20151105 Thursday, November 5 2015
Ezekiel 12: Zedekiah's Twilight Prophecy

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel"

The English-language word "twilight" originated from an Anglo-Saxon word that meant two light. It was used to refer to the faint light that occurs in the atmosphere for a short time after sunset or before sunrise. It occurs because, although the sun is below the ground horizon, it is, in effect, still above the atmosphere's horizon.

Twilight is used to translate the Hebrew word, pronounced awl-aw-taw, which refers to the same effect as the English word. People of ancient times were generally more familiar with astronomy (which has nothing to do with heathen astrology) because, apart from the fact that they could see the heavens much more clearly than those of the present world where artificial lighting has transformed the night sky into a light-gray fog, they also used the LORD's calendar in which days were marked from sunset to sunset.

While the Bible speaks of literal twilight, it sometimes also uses it metaphorically, or literally and metaphorically, as in this example from Ezekiel that prophesied the fate of Judah's last king, Zedekiah (see Zedekiah Of Judah), years before it happened.

The "twilight" capture and blinding of Zedekiah, as prophesied by Ezekiel:

"12:12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. 12:13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there." (Ezekiel 12:12-13 KJV)

It later happened exactly as prophesied.

"25:1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 25:2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

25:3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 25:4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. 25:5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.

25:6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 25:7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon." (2 Kings 25:1-7 KJV)

The prophecy in its entire context (see also The East Gate Vision and The Mark Of The Angel).

"12:1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

12:3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house. 12:4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity. 12:5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. 12:6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

12:7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

12:8 And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, 12:9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

12:10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them. 12:11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity. 12:12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. 12:13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there. 12:14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

12:15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries. 12:16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

12:17 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12:18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness; 12:19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. 12:20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

12:21 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 12:22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? 12:23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. 12:24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 12:25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

12:26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12:27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.

12:28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 12:1-28 KJV)

Fact Finder: How did the royal Messianic line survive and return so that the Messianic was born from it?
See How The Messianic Line Survived In Babylon