Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 17; 2 Corinthians 10; Ezekiel 24; Psalm 72
Ezekiel 24:24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
The prophet Ezekiel was made a living parable to the people of Israel. Like the other prophets, God used the circumstances of his life as a drama to get his message across to the people. He once built a little city and using toy soldiers put the city to the sword to show what would happen to Jerusalem. He lay on his side tied down for numerous days to show how long their bondage would last. He broke a hole in his house to show that the people would be taken away from the city.
Other prophets did similar things. Isaiah walked through the land naked preaching for a period of time to show the shame of God’s people. Hosea married a harlot who had children that were not his to show the infidelity of Israel and the faithfulness of Jehovah. These things brought real pain, shame and difficulty to the life of the prophet. God’s Spirit was grieved. He wanted the people to know how much they had hurt him and how far away from him they had gone. But, in my opinion, here is the worst one:
Ezekiel 24:15-18 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
Ezekiel knew what was coming. He got up that morning and preached and that evening, his wife died. He was not allowed to mourn her death because it was a sign to the people of what was coming upon them in the near future. The temple of God was going to be profaned and many of their sons and daughters were going to fall by the sword. A terrible time was coming.
A people dull of hearing were being aroused. God was trying to get their attention. Ezekiel was a sign to them. What kind of signs is God showing to us today? How is his Spirit grieved by apostasy in our day? Will we listen and repent? Will we turn back to the Lord Jesus Christ and his Word? Will we do as we are commanded like Ezekiel did?
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
In Christ,
Rody
