They placed unfounded trust in their own devices, leading to inevitable ruin.
“who say, ‘[Is] not the time near to build houses? This city is the pot and we are the flesh.’” (v.3) These words are spoken by certain leaders in Jerusalem who believed that the promised judgment was not near and that their city was a secure place. Ezekiel, the prophet active from around 593 BC to 571 BC during the Babylonian exile, receives a vision regarding the rebellious heart of these leaders. Jerusalem, located in the southern part of the Levant, stands as a focal point for Ezekiel’s prophecies, especially since its people often misunderstood their standing before God. Here, the metaphor of the pot represents the city, while the flesh symbolizes the people who assume they are protected within it, illustrating their false sense of security in the face of impending disaster.
“who say, ‘[Is] not the time near to build houses? This city is the pot and we are the flesh.’” (v.3) also indicates a dismissive attitude toward the seriousness of God’s warnings. By saying that it’s not time to build houses (or in some interpretations, that they can continue building without fear), these leaders show complacency. In context, this complacency challenges the idea that exile and judgment were around the corner. The pot-and-flesh image highlights their presumption: they saw themselves as comfortably “cooking” in a safe vessel, not realizing that God’s judgment was about to disrupt their illusion of security.
From a broader biblical perspective, this verse reminds us of the danger of ignoring divine warning. Like the people in Jerusalem who assumed they were safe, those who disregard God’s calls to repentance risk being caught unaware (Luke 21:34-36). Jesus also lamented how Jerusalem often resisted the prophets and spurned the message of repentance, likening it to a city that kills the messengers sent to it (Matthew 23:37). In the same way, Ezekiel’s audience needed to confront the reality of their disobedience rather than cling to a misguided confidence in the city’s fortifications.
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Ezekiel 11:3 meaning
“who say, ‘[Is] not the time near to build houses? This city is the pot and we are the flesh.’” (v.3) These words are spoken by certain leaders in Jerusalem who believed that the promised judgment was not near and that their city was a secure place. Ezekiel, the prophet active from around 593 BC to 571 BC during the Babylonian exile, receives a vision regarding the rebellious heart of these leaders. Jerusalem, located in the southern part of the Levant, stands as a focal point for Ezekiel’s prophecies, especially since its people often misunderstood their standing before God. Here, the metaphor of the pot represents the city, while the flesh symbolizes the people who assume they are protected within it, illustrating their false sense of security in the face of impending disaster.
“who say, ‘[Is] not the time near to build houses? This city is the pot and we are the flesh.’” (v.3) also indicates a dismissive attitude toward the seriousness of God’s warnings. By saying that it’s not time to build houses (or in some interpretations, that they can continue building without fear), these leaders show complacency. In context, this complacency challenges the idea that exile and judgment were around the corner. The pot-and-flesh image highlights their presumption: they saw themselves as comfortably “cooking” in a safe vessel, not realizing that God’s judgment was about to disrupt their illusion of security.
From a broader biblical perspective, this verse reminds us of the danger of ignoring divine warning. Like the people in Jerusalem who assumed they were safe, those who disregard God’s calls to repentance risk being caught unaware (Luke 21:34-36). Jesus also lamented how Jerusalem often resisted the prophets and spurned the message of repentance, likening it to a city that kills the messengers sent to it (Matthew 23:37). In the same way, Ezekiel’s audience needed to confront the reality of their disobedience rather than cling to a misguided confidence in the city’s fortifications.