Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
What is that proverb? The infidel scoff, that the threatened judgment was so long in coming it would not come at all had, by frequent repetition, come to be a "proverb" with them. This sceptical habit contemporary prophets testify to (Jeremiah 17:15; Jeremiah 20:7; Zephaniah 1:12). Ezekiel, at the Chebar, sympathizes with Jeremiah, and strengthens his testimony at Jerusalem. The tendency to the same scoff showed itself in earlier times, but not then developed into a settled "proverb" (Isaiah 5:19; Amos 5:18). It shall again be the characteristic of the last times, when "faith" shall be regarded as an antiquated thing (Luke 18:8), seeing that it remains stationary; whereas worldly arts and sciences progress, and when the "continuance of all things from the creation" will be the argument against the possibility of their being suddenly brought to a stand still by the coming of the Lord (Isaiah 66:5; 2 Peter 3:3-4). The very long-suffering of God, which ought to lead men to repentance, is made an argument against His word (Ecclesiastes 8:11; Amos 6:3).
The days are prolonged, and every vision falleth. Their two-fold argument:
(1) The predictions shall not come to pass until long after our time;
(2) They shall fail, and prove vain shadows. God answers both in Ezekiel 12:23; Ezekiel 12:25.