Single lesson
Ezekiel 11: Evil in High Places
Ezekiel 11:1–12; Ezekiel 11:13–21; Ezekiel 11:22–25
Ezekiel 11:1–12 shows a prophetic message against leaders at the temple gate. The passage exposes proud advice, hidden thoughts, violence in the city, and Yahweh’s judgement on people who rejected his statutes. This lesson also brings together A Promise of Restoration, God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem.
Before you teach
In this passage, the Spirit brings Ezekiel to the east gate of Yahweh’s house, where he sees twenty-five men, including Jaazaniah and Pelatiah, described as princes of the people. Yahweh identifies them as men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel, then commands Ezekiel to prophesy against them.
Explain the central teaching of Ezekiel 11: Evil in High Places, using two details from the reading. This passage teaches that Yahweh knows corrupt counsel and judges leaders who fill a city with violence and refuse his statutes. The passage teaches that the Lord promises scattered people his presence, future gathering and a changed heart so they may live as his people. This passage teaches that Ezekiel’s message came from a vision shown by God, and Ezekiel faithfully reported it to the captives.
Welcome: Ezekiel 11: Evil in High Places
5 minIntroduce “Evil in High Places”, “A Promise of Restoration”, “God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem” and locate Ezekiel 11:1–12; Ezekiel 11:13–21; Ezekiel 11:22–25. This passage teaches that Yahweh knows corrupt counsel and judges leaders who fill a city with violence and refuse his statutes. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Ezekiel 11:1, Ezekiel 11:7, Ezekiel 11:12
Read and explain the passage
12 minEvil in High Places (Ezekiel 11:1–12): The passage begins as the Spirit lifts Ezekiel to the east gate of Yahweh’s house. There he sees twenty-five men at the doorway, including Jaazaniah and Pelatiah, called princes of the people. The setting matters because the message is directed at public leaders in a place connected with Yahweh’s house.
A Promise of Restoration (Ezekiel 11:13–21): The passage begins with a shock: while Ezekiel prophesies, Pelatiah son of Benaiah dies. Ezekiel falls on his face and cries to the Lord Yahweh, asking whether a full end will be made of the remnant of Israel. His question shows deep concern about what remains of the people.
God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11:22–25): The passage begins with movement: the cherubim lift their wings, the wheels are beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel is above them. These details show that Ezekiel is carefully reporting what he saw in the vision, naming its parts rather than giving a general summary.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Evil in High Places”, “A Promise of Restoration”, “God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Ezekiel 11:1, Ezekiel 11:13, Ezekiel 11:22
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What do the leaders mean when they say, “This is the cauldron, and we are the meat”?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that Ezekiel’s message came from a vision shown by God, and Ezekiel faithfully reported it to the captives. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Ezekiel 11:3, Ezekiel 11:7, Ezekiel 11:11, Ezekiel 11:16, Ezekiel 11:24, Ezekiel 11:25
Make and respond: Vision and message evidence map
12 minWork on “Ezekiel 11: Evil in High Places: Vision and message evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Evil in High Places”, “A Promise of Restoration”, “God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Ezekiel 11:1, Ezekiel 11:13, Ezekiel 11:25
Closing: return to God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem
3 minRevisit Ezekiel 11:22–25. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Ezekiel 11:22, Ezekiel 11:24, Ezekiel 11:25
Questions to explore
What do the leaders mean when they say, “This is the cauldron, and we are the meat”?
Notice how Yahweh answers the same picture and shows that the city will not protect them as they assume.
Ezekiel 11:3, Ezekiel 11:7, Ezekiel 11:11
What does the Lord promise to be for the scattered people while they are in other countries?
Notice that the promise is not only about future return but also about God’s presence with them where they are.
Ezekiel 11:16
What does Ezekiel do after the vision ends?
Notice the order in the text: the Spirit brings him to the captives, the vision ends, and then Ezekiel speaks to them all that Yahweh had shown him.
Ezekiel 11:24, Ezekiel 11:25
Make, think or respond
Ezekiel 11: Evil in High Places: Vision and message evidence map
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage describes”, “What is explained in the text”, “What question remains”.
- Read Ezekiel 11:1–12; Ezekiel 11:13–21; Ezekiel 11:22–25. Use “Evil in High Places”, “A Promise of Restoration”, “God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Circle an explanation the passage itself provides. Leave unexplained details as questions for further reading.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Ezekiel 11: Evil in High Places connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Evil in High Places”, “A Promise of Restoration”, “God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Ezekiel 11:1–12; Ezekiel 11:13–21; Ezekiel 11:22–25. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Ezekiel 11:1–12; Ezekiel 11:13–21; Ezekiel 11:22–25. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Ezekiel 11
1 Moreover the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of Yahweh’s house, which looks eastward. Behold, twenty-five men were at the door of the gate; and I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2 He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city;
3 who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’
4 Therefore prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man.”
5 Yahweh’s Spirit fell on me, and he said to me, “Speak, ‘Yahweh says: “Thus you have said, house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
6 You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.”
7 “ ‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Your slain whom you have laid in the middle of it, they are the meat, and this is the cauldron; but you will be brought out of the middle of it.
8 You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword on you,” says the Lord Yahweh.
9 “I will bring you out of the middle of it, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10 You will fall by the sword. I will judge you in the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.
11 This will not be your cauldron, neither will you be the meat in the middle of it. I will judge you in the border of Israel.
12 You will know that I am Yahweh, for you have not walked in my statutes. You have not executed my ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you.” ’ ”
13 When I prophesied, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”
14 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
15 “Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, the men of your relatives, and all the house of Israel, all of them, are the ones to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far away from Yahweh. This land has been given to us for a possession.’
16 “Therefore say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet I will be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they have come.” ’
17 “Therefore say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”
18 “ ‘They will come there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.
19 I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh,
20 that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
21 But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads,’ says the Lord Yahweh.”
22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23 Yahweh’s glory went up from the middle of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24 The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the captives. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 Then I spoke to the captives all the things that Yahweh had shown me.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.