At the onset of Ezekiel's ministry, and telling of the reasons for his ordination, the impenitent conduct of the Good Figs as they existed then and the method employed to bring them to repentance was pointedly emphasized. Let this sink down into your ears, my reader! Ezekiel was raised up to combat the deception which was whelming to devour the basket of Good Figs! Oh, how long had they been romanced by lies!? How hardly would they divorce the erroneous doctrines they held so dear, namely Unconditional Eternal Security! May the LORD rebuke it. Ezekiel, being carried away in the 3rd Captivity (Ezek. 1:2), was commissioned as a Prophet to the people of the Captivities, the Good Figs, but, my reader... they weren't good yet! The people identified by God as the Good Figs were in such a deplorable estate that the LORD called them "impudent", "stiffhearted", "rebellious", and "hardhearted" (Ezek. 2:3-4, 7, 3:7). This was not an easy situation. These people were so wretched and stouthearted, Ezekiel was commanded by God, "And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious House" (Ezek. 2:6). Being so late in the Tribulation Period, one might wonder why Ezekiel was raised up! With only 6 years left until the last major Captivity of Judah would take place (the 5th Captivity), what was his purpose?