The vision that Ezekiel has of the nation’s leaders in Jerusalem took place before the fall of Jerusalem, while King Zedekiah ruled, in case you are confused about the time. Recall that the books of Ezekiel and Jeremiah overlap. The prophecy he speaks in chapter 12 about the prince refers to King Zedekiah. Recall that those under siege in Jerusalem did break through the wall of the city and flee, but Zedekiah was caught by the Babylonians. He was indeed taken to Babylon but didn’t see it because they put out his eyes before sending him on his way.
Chapters 10 and 11 are very sad chapters: Ezekiel describes God’s glory leaving the Temple and leaving the city of Jerusalem, and no one there even noticed. Remember that the people still living in Jerusalem felt very safe because they were certain that God would never allow the destruction of His temple for His name’s sake and because His glory dwelled there. They failed to miss His glory when it left, were unaware that their hope was gone.
Compare the departing of God’s glory with His filling the Temple in I Kings 8:1 – 9:9. Do you suppose that He would leave again, if He did then? Would His people be aware that He had departed?
We may not feel like we are filled with His glory as His New Testament dwelling place on earth, but His word teaches us that His Spirit is in us if we know Him (I Corinthians 3:16). Notice all that Ezekiel saw in this vision: this was going on while the people going about their business in the Temple were unaware of it. What do you suppose is going on around us that we are not aware of?
We of course don’t know the names of the men Ezekiel mentioned he saw in Jerusalem, but they would have been well-known to his audience in Babylon. The hearers probably were incredulous that such men were doing such things. What would people who know you say if they could witness what goes on behind closed doors? It’s going to be scandalous unless God does the transforming work He promised again in chapter 11 verses 19 and 20. Do you need to confess anything to God and ask for Him to do that transforming work in you? Or is praise a more appropriate response to the warning given by the examples in today’s reading?