1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord’s house, which looks eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
Ezekiel is still having his vision. Remember, he is sitting in his house in Babylon surrounded by the leaders of Israel who are in captivity with him. In his vision, however, he is in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Other than what the Bible says right here, we have no idea who these men are.
2 Then said He unto me, "Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:
3 "Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh."
The prophet Jeremiah is preaching right now for Jerusalem to give up to Babylon, go into captivity and build houses there, in Babylon. These leaders Ezekiel sees are telling the people that Jerusalem is as secure as an iron pot; it doesn’t matter what kind of fire goes on outside, they are safe here inside and should just go about their normal life, getting married and building houses there in Jerusalem.
In fact, Jerusalem was a very secure city. It was located on the top of a hill with a tunnel down to a spring of water, so a siege was very difficult. Human wisdom might have been justified in feeling secure. But God had promised destruction and what God promises, happens.
4 "Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man."
5 And the spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, "Speak; 'Thus says the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.'"
God knows our every thought.
6 "'Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.'"
The leaders of Jerusalem were responsible for the deaths of many prophets and other innocents.
7 "Therefore thus says the Lord God; 'Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.'"
“Yeah, this city can hold those inside safely, but those in safety won’t be you.”
8 "'Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,' says the Lord God.
9 "'And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.'"
God promises that their greatest fears will be realized; they will be captured by Babylon.
10 "'Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
11 "'This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel:'"
Even this well-fortified city will not protect the rebellious from God’s wrath.
12 "'And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked in My statutes, neither executed My judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.'"
When you choose to behave like those who don’t know God, He treats you like those who don’t know God.
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, "Ah Lord God! Wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?"
Pelatiah was one of the men Ezekiel saw in this vision. He evidently saw the man die in the vision. Ezekiel is distressed and afraid that all of Israel will be destroyed in the same way.
14 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
15 "Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'Get you far from the Lord: unto us is this land given in possession.'"
God explains that the people of Jerusalem are thinking themselves better than the rest of Israel who are already in captivity.
16 "Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.'"
God explains that He is protecting those already in captivity. He is their shelter.
17 "Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.'"
God promises to return those faithful of Israel to the land.
18 "'And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.'"
They will cleanse the land and serve the true God.
19 "'And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
20 "'That they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.'"
For a time after Israel returned to the Promised Land, they did serve God with their whole hearts. In fact, they never again went so strongly into idol worship.
21 "'But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads,' says the Lord God."
Though God did bring the righteous back to the land, He DID punish the evil.
22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
God removed His protection and blessings from the city.
24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
In the vision, God brought Ezekiel back to his house.
25 Then I spoke unto them of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me.
He told his company what he had just seen.