From Ezekiel 23-24

Ezekiel has had to make many sacrifices in the course of his ministry. Publicly judging his people would not have made him many friends. Lying down for more than two years and eating a cake made out of cow dung doesn’t sound healthy. Today the LORD will take his wife away. She is going to die.

This post is part of my bible in a year series.

Passage and Comments

15 The word of the LORD came to me: 16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. 17 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.” 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded. (Eze 24.15-18)

Bear in mind, in their culture I wonder if married men and women has as strong an emotional connection as we hope for today. That being said, Ezekiel’s wife died. This would hurt.

The LORD commands Ezekiel not to outwardly grieve, despite any strong feelings he would have felt.

Ezekiel tells people what is going to happen. She dies that night and the next morning he doesn’t grieve. Once again this is public. The people see that he does not grieve. So whats the point?

19 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?” 20 Then I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me: 21 ‘Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. 22 And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. 23 Your turbans shall be on your heads and your shoes on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but you shall rot away in your iniquities and groan to one another. 24 Thus shall Ezekiel be to you a sign; according to all that he has done you shall do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’ (Eze 24.19-24)

Ezekiel’s personal life is a reflection of Israel’s relationship with the temple sanctuary and their children.

Just as Ezekiel’s delight died, so too will the temple be ‘profaned’ and their sons and daughters killed. Just as Ezekiel did not grieve after his wife died, so too will they not grieve when these things happen to them as well. Instead they will ‘rot away in their iniquities and groan to one another’.

Ezekiel and his personal life will become a sign to the people of what is about to happen to them. The LORD afterwards has some comforting words.

25 “As for you, son of man, surely on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes and their soul’s desire, and also their sons and daughters, 26 on that day a fugitive will come to you to report to you the news. 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to the fugitive, and you shall speak and be no longer mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.” (Eze 24.25-27)

After all the predictions happen Ezekiel is notified by a fugitive. On that day Ezekiel’s ‘mouth will be opened and he will be no longer mute’. Most probably, Ezekiel will be allowed to grieve appropriately over the loss of his wife.

This will be another sign to the people and perhaps reflect how they will respond as well. They will grieve appropriately for the loss of Jerusalem and their children. They will grieve over their former sins and transgressions.

Story of Israel

“Ezekiel a sign. This prophet was commissioned to utter many words and to perform many actions which were of the nature of signs to Israel. But in this verse, by God’s own instruction, Ezekiel is directed, not to show, but to be, a sign to the people. In his own person, in his own remarkable experience, he typified great truths.” (Spence-Jones, H.D.M. ed., 1909. Ezekiel, London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)

Story of Jesus

The gospel also gives us a sign of what will happen to the second temple.

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. (Mk 11.12-25)

The fig tree withered and the temple was destroyed. Do you think God can still communicate to us in signs? What kinds of things would you look for? What do they predict?

Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2016. All Rights Reserved.