Ezekiel serves as another object lesson for his people.
The Lord speaks to Ezekiel again and comments on the rebellious house of Israel who is in captivity with him. These people still thought they were just waiting out a short season while the war ranged at home. They weren't learning the lessons God had for them.
God tells Ezekiel to pack baggage and go into exile in the sight of the people. He wants the people to understand they are in exile. Ezekiel is also supposed to go out by night to show sneaking out into exile. Ezekiel complies and heads out by day in their sight and claws a hole in the wall and sneaks out at night in their sight.
Then, God instructions Ezekiel to answer the people when they asked what he's doing. Ezekiel is to explain that these events will be happening back in Jerusalem. The King will sneak out and night by drilling a hole in the wall but will be captured in a net God will cast. He will be brought to Babylon and will be blinded.
Everyone around the prince will scatter and the sword will follow them. They will know that God is the Lord and then they will be scattered across the nations and countries. The Lord will spare a remnant to spread the message of what happens because of the abominations to those nations where they go.
Next, as another object lesson, Ezekiel is to eat his food with trembling and drink with quivering and anxiety to show what it will soon be like for the inhabitants of Jerusalem due to the violence and land stripped of abundance. The city will be laid waste and the land desolate, so that they will know that He is God.
The Lord has a third message for Ezekiel in this passage. Apparently, there was a saying by these people that, "the days are long and every visions fails." This saying will die away and be replaced by a new saying, "the days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision."
For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I the Lord will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it,” declares the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 12:24-25
The Lord is absolutely done giving these scammers a chance to be honest with the people. From now on, what the Lord says is what will happen.
The people will want to believe that Ezekiel's warnings are for some future day, nothing bad is going to happen to them. Ezekiel is to correct their impression and let them know that what the Lord says now is going to be performed.
The Lord is taking every opportunity to get through to the captives. We are all so attached to our sin. When we've been getting away with it, we think we're entitled to it. We think the good times will always flow. We'd be better served to be sure we're keeping short accounts with the Lord and tuned in to His messages for us.