Things are about to get serious in Babylon. I hope you’re ready. Welcome back—today we’re reading Ezekiel chapters 10 through 13.
We begin with a striking image in Ezekiel 10:2:
“The Lord said to the man clothed in linen, ‘Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.’ And as I watched, he went in.” (NIV)
Charles Ellicott notes, “Hitherto, in Ezekiel 9, he has been employed only in a work of mercy and protection. It is not without significance that now the same person is made the agent of judgment” (1). The man clothed in linen—often interpreted as a prefiguring of Christ—is no longer just marking the faithful. He is now commanded to scatter coals of judgment.
Whitewashed Wall
In Ezekiel’s day, false prophets were actively countering the warnings of Jeremiah. They preached peace when there was no peace, assuring the people that because they were God’s chosen, living in the land He gave them, they had nothing to fear. Ezekiel 13 describes their deception as “whitewash”—a superficial cover-up of spiritual rot.
This same spirit is alive today. Prosperity preachers and digital prophets flood our screens with messages of inclusion and tolerance, often stripped of repentance and holiness. They preach a God who never judges, who exists only to affirm. But Ezekiel reminds us: even the man clothed in linen—Jesus—is not here merely to teach us to love and sing hymns. He is love, yes, and we must emulate His character. But He is also coming back to pour out judgment on humanity (Rev. 19:11–16).
God Who Does Not Change
The modern humanist movement teaches that we can do whatever makes us happy. It elevates personal fulfillment above divine truth. In doing so, it creates an idol—a god in our own image. But this is not the God of the Bible. As Stephen Fowl writes, “Idolatry becomes not just the worship of carved images, but the elevation of abstract realities like greed, autonomy, and comfort” (2).
Ezekiel’s message is clear: God does not change. Whether in Jerusalem, Babylon, or Los Angeles, He is sovereign. He speaks to His prophets at different times—morning, night, in visions and acts—but His message is consistent. Truth does not shift with culture.
Miracles of Protection
God is loving, and we can count on His protection when we walk in obedience. History offers powerful examples of divine intervention:
The Miracle of Dunkirk (1940): Over 330,000 Allied soldiers got rescued from the beaches of France during WWII. Hitler inexplicably halted his advance, allowing Operation Dynamo to succeed. Churchill called it a “miracle of deliverance” (3)(4).
The Miracle of the Andes (1972): A Uruguayan rugby team survived a plane crash in the Andes and endured 72 days in freezing conditions. Sixteen survivors emerged, attributing their endurance to divine provision. Their story is told in the films Alive and Society of the Snow (5).
These miracles remind us that God’s hedge of protection is real—even in devastation.
The Cost of Truth
But truth comes at a cost. Today, speaking up—even on social media—can get you fired or demoted. Yet that is nothing compared to what Dietrich Bonhoeffer faced. In Nazi Germany, he confronted the sins of churches that had aligned with Hitler, calling out their betrayal of Christ. He helped form the Confessing Church, trained underground pastors, and eventually they executed him for his resistance (6).
Bonhoeffer’s courage echoes Ezekiel’s. Both stood against religious corruption. Both paid dearly. And both figures remind us that we must speak the truth, even when it costs us everything.
The Gift of Sight
People can easily lead us astray. It’s been happening since before Ezekiel—and it’s happening now. That’s why we must pray, as Ezekiel did, that God would “give them eyes to see and ears to hear” (Ezek. 12:2).
When we don’t, we risk the fate of Zedekiah. After rebelling against Babylon, he was captured. Nebuchadnezzar forced him to watch the execution of his sons, then blinded him, leaving that horror as his last vision (2 Kings 25:7) (7).
But there is hope. Jesus came to restore sight—not just physically, but spiritually.
“He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind…” (Luke 4:18) (8)
We must pray for this vision—for ourselves and for those around us—while time remains.
Tomorrow, we will read Ezekiel 14-16.
Bibliography
Charles Ellicott, Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, 1878.
Stephen Fowl, Idolatry, Christian Humanist Profiles, 2020.
“Dunkirk Evacuation,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2025.
Nolan, Christopher, dir. Dunkirk. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2017.
“Miracle of the Andes,” History.com, 2021.
“Church Struggle and Resistance,” Bonhoeffer Initiative, 2025.
“The Last King of Judea,” JewishHistory.org.
“Luke 4:18 Meaning,” ChristianityPath.com, 2025.