“RESTORATION OF THE EXILES”

This study focuses on Ezekiel 11:14-22. The whole passage shows the condition of the

people whom the prophet was with—they were in exile. What does it mean to be exiled? It was

believed in the ancient east that the deity and the land are inseparable—they belonged together.1

When a community worships a certain god, they worship in the land where the god they believed

to be present. In that case, the exiles cannot worship Yahweh. In line with that, “the exiles

therefore believed that, if they were to worship at all, it would necessarily be the gods of

Babylon”.2

They are disconnected from Yahweh since they believed that the only place where

Yahweh can be found is in their homeland. Moreover, it will imply that those who are in the

exile have no assurance from Yahweh unlike those who remained in Jerusalem.3 On the other

hand, those who remained in Jerusalem had the thinking that they are the righteous ones, the pure

ones unlike those who are in exile. Surprisingly, here comes the unexpected event—Yahweh has

become a sanctuary “for a while” to the exiles in Babylon. Yahweh’s presence is not confined in

the land of Jerusalem. “In one place the outward forms remain and we considered essential, so

that those who have them refuse to recognize that those who are without them also belong to

God”.4 Those who envied those who remained Jerusalem were going to receive the words that

give them assurance and promises that they will be returned to their homeland, and that Yahweh

will change their “stony hearts into a natural heart” for them to become the people of God even if

they are not in the land of Jerusalem. This study will discuss each verse while making use of the

1
Walther Eichrodt, Ezekiel, A commentary (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1970), 112.
2
Ibid.
3
The Interpreter’s Bible, The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Version, Vol. 6,
(Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1956), 121.
4
Ibid.
commentaries of several scholars. However, this study does not guarantee equal attention on

each of the verses.

Many scholars believe that v. 14, the introductory formula shows that this whole section

is not one of Ezekiel’s vision experience—it is a message that does not say about “vision or

action”.5 However “it still concerns the divine answer to a speech of the citizen of Jerusalem”.6

Moreover, it is believed to be deliberately used to form an epilogue to chapter 8:11 in their final

version.7 Eichrodt held that it is universally claimed that date of passage was from the time

before the temple was destroyed.8

In verse 15, there is a question as to who these Brothers, kinsmen and the whole house of

Israel are—the people whom Yahweh mentions to Ezekiel to receive the words of Yahweh.

Brownlee suggests that these persons could be the blood brothers and close kin of Ezekiel whose

lands were dispossessed.9 The context was that there was an extensive law which “regulates

redemption and return of close possessions”.10 Thus, it speaks of Ezekiel’s right to claim the land

of his close relative to claim the possession that was taken away from them. This is the time

when it was reminded to Ezekiel that he can do something to help his close relatives and brothers

to claim their possessions.11 The possessions that are talked about here are obviously the lands

that they used to possess. The whole house of Israel is obviously the whole community of exiles

5
I have two sources of this idea: Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet
Ezekiel, Translated by Ronald E. Clements, edited by Frank Moore Crosss and Klaus Baltzer (Philadelphia: Fortress
Press, 1969),260. and Walther Eichrodt, Ezekiel, A commentary, 142.
6
Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 260.
7
Walther Eichrodt, Ezekiel, A commentary, 143.
8
Ibid.
9
William H. Brownlee, Ezekiel 1-19, World Biblical Commentary, vol. 28 (Waco, TX: Word Books
Publisher, 1986), 164.
10
Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 261.
11
Ibid.
which goes beyond the relatives of Ezekiel.12 Going back to the verse, the reason why it is

expressed this way: “your brethren, your kinsmen, and the house of Israel” is to emphasize that

the word of Yahweh must address each of the exiles, one by one, without exception.13 The

phrase they are far away from the Lord is a bit ambiguous because it somehow literally mean

that they are far from Yahweh because they are in the strange land, but it on the other hand

means in a spiritual sense—they are totally disconnected from Yahweh.14 Anyway, it can also

mean in both sense. For Zimmerli, it speaks of having no assurance of sacraments as a sign for

their salvation and of Yahweh’s presence itself.15 The people in the exile, each of the exiles, can

repossess their land even if they are far from their homeland as promised by Yahweh even if the

reality has been affirmed that they are far from Yahweh either in literal sense or in spiritual

sense, or both.

Despite the event when they were removed far among nations and scattered over foreign

countries, as seen in verse 16, Yahweh came to them to be their sanctuary for a while. Brownlee

suggests that perhaps the reason why it is said that it is only for a while is that Yahweh will bring

them back to their homeland anyway.16 Also, seeing the context of the prophet and the exiles

when they still performed their worship in a limited place in Babylon, there came Yahweh who

manifested Himself in the midst of their limited worship.17 Worshipping in a limited place and in

a limited way of performing worship, practiced far from sanctuary, was still accepted gracefully

12
Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 261.
13
Ibid.
14
Ibid.
15
Ibid.
16
William H. Brownlee, Ezekiel 1-19, 164.
17
Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 262.
by Yahweh.18 Here, it now becomes understandable why it is depicted as though it is a little

sanctuary, but does not deny the reality of the real understanding of sanctuary. Behind those

hopelessness and frustrations that they couldn’t go back to the land where Yahweh dwells, that

they become useless to the future, that there is nothing they could do, here comes the act of

Yahweh that makes them rise again. “And such new hope was not without its attendant anxiety,

for it involved awesome responsibility”.19 In connection to verse 17, not only that Yahweh will

become their sanctuary but He also promised that they will be gathered together and will be back

to their homeland. It is the promise which does not only involve accompaniment and acceptance

of Yahweh but also the going back to the place where the exiles used to feel assured and at home

as they are convinced that they are Yahweh’s people and that Yahweh is with them. It may be

hard to imagine that the people mentioned here is the entire exiles, but no matter what they will

be brought home. Though it has been shown that Yahweh was with the exiles, there will still be

conditions that should be followed, by the grace of God, for them to become one of Yahweh’s

people. Verses 18-19 speak of abandoning all their sinful acts and sinful way of life. All acts of

idolatry shall be put away.20 Although, all these can be made possible through the grace of God.

God will change their stony heart into natural heart. Why heart? Because heart is the seat of

thought and will.21 The hardness of heart is depicted as stony heart, which must be replaced by a

real heart that is natural, a heart that gives place to life.22 “The enabling power would be

provided by God in the gift of a new spirit and a new heart”.23 It has been seen that because of

18
Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 262.
19
Peter C. Craigie, Ezekiel (Philadelphia: The westminster Press, 1983), 79.
20
D. M. G. Stalker, Ezekiel, Introduction and Commentary (London: SCM Press Ltd, 1986), 114.
21
Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 262.
22
Ibid.
23
Peter C. Craigie, Ezekiel, 80.
their sinful acts like idolatry has made them separated from God. It seems that there is no hope

for them to change unless God Himself makes them do so.24 Such act is beyond the capability of

humanity, but through the grace of God it has been made possible. The word They shall be my

people and I will be their God is the old covenant that Ezekiel used but he does not refer to the

old Sinai covenant but the new covenant even though he did not say the actual word ’new

covenant’.25 There are commandments of God that the people should be obedient with.

Although, it is somewhat like the old covenant. What is something new here is that it is Yahweh

who acts to put the grace of a natural heart within them for them to follow what God desires

them to do and to be. Even if for the mean time Yahweh will just be a small sanctuary to them,

time will come that Yahweh will again be completely their God and them as God’s people.26 On

the other hand, the last verse, verse 21, speaks about those who refuse to accept God’s grace and

commandment, whose hearts are devoted to their detestable abominations. For these persons,

“God’s judgment would be given a free hand to execute the death that lies hidden with sin”.27

24
D. M. G. Stalker, Ezekiel, Introduction and Commentary, 115.
25
Ibid..
26
Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 264
27
Ibid.
BIBLIOGRPAHY

Stalker, D. M. G. Ezekiel, Introduction and Commentary. London: SCM Press Ltd, 1986.

Eichrodt, Walther. Ezekiel, A Commentary. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1970.

Craigie, Peter C. Ezekiel. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1983.

Brownlee, William H. Ezekiel 1-19. World Biblical Commentary, vol. 28. Waco, TX: Word
Books Publisher, 1986.

Zimmerli, Walther. Ezekiel 1, A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel. Translated by
Ronald E. Clements, edited by Frank Moore Crosss and Klaus Baltzer. Philadelphia:
Fortress Press, 1969.

The Interpreter’s Bible, The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Versions.
Vol. 6. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1956.

Adelson A. Jaugan