Ezekiel 24:1-27

Can we all agree to skip Ezekiel 24?

This is one of the last chapters with Ezekiel addressing Israel. He will shift to other nations next. But, if you asked my wife, I'm the guy who skips the tension in movies. Like, I'm totally fine with fast forwarding through the conflict. I really don't enjoy when people intentionally hurt others. So, you have these love movies, where the whole movie they have been drawing closer and closer, and then all of a sudden one does something stupid and creates conflict that nearly separates the two until they come back together. I skip the middle. Ezekiel 24 is a tough one for me. Generations of God restoring and relating to His people Israel. He chose them out of all the other nations. He chose Abraham. He saved Israel out of Egypt. He protected them against other nations.

We can't forget who's we are. We can't forget who's our neighbor is.

Who created you?

Who created your neighbor?

Who died for your neighbor?

Who knew your neighbor before they were even born?

Who knew your son before you knew you were pregnant?

Our God has known us. Our God has loved us. Our God has died for us. Do you think God cares when someone takes the life of someone God has known and loved? What if you just kept doing it? What if every time you had a child, someone came and murdered them.

It's easy to read God's Word without feeling God's heart.

We cannot disconnect Ezekiel from Genesis. Or disconnect Ezekiel from Exodus. The same God who has love us in creation and through calling is the same God who will not put up with his people murdering and abusing each other.

Can we let God be angry?

Ezekiel 24:1–27 CSB

1 The word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month: 2 “Son of man, write down today’s date, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3 Now speak a parable to the rebellious house. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Put the pot on the fire— put it on, and then pour water into it! 4 Place the pieces of meat in it, every good piece— thigh and shoulder. Fill it with choice bones. 5 Take the choicest of the flock and also pile up the fuel under it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it. 6 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Woe to the city of bloodshed, the pot that has corrosion inside it, and its corrosion has not come out of it! Empty it piece by piece; lots should not be cast for its contents. 7 For the blood she shed is still within her. She put it out on the bare rock; she didn’t pour it on the ground to cover it with dust. 8 In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance, I have put her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered. 9 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Woe to the city of bloodshed! I myself will make the pile of kindling large. 10 Pile on the logs and kindle the fire! Cook the meat well and mix in the spices! Let the bones be burned! 11 Set the empty pot on its coals so that it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt inside it; its corrosion will be consumed. 12 It has frustrated every effort; its thick corrosion will not come off. Into the fire with its corrosion! 13 Because of the depravity of your uncleanness— since I tried to purify you, but you would not be purified from your uncleanness— you will not be pure again until I have satisfied my wrath on you. 14 I, the Lord, have spoken. It is coming, and I will do it! I will not refrain, I will not show pity, and I will not relent. I will judge you according to your ways and deeds. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ” 15 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow. 17 Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.” 18 I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded. 19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?” 20 So I answered them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Also, the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword. 22 Then you will do just as I have done: You will not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners. 23 Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep but will waste away because of your iniquities and will groan to one another. 24 Now Ezekiel will be a sign for you. You will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord God.’ 25 “As for you, son of man, know that on that day I will take from them their stronghold—their pride and joy, the delight of their eyes, and the longing of their hearts—as well as their sons and daughters. 26 On that day a fugitive will come to you and report the news. 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to talk with him; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”

What it meant to them:

1. God judged Israel because of their sin.

2. Israel deserved a message with a cost.

Ten Imperatives

No Wailing

No Weeping

No Tears

Groan Quietly

Do not observe mourning rites

Put on your festive turban

Put on your sandals

Do not shave your mustache

Do not eat bread of the mourners

3. Israel needed hope, but couldn’t grasp the necessity.

Israel’s cost is similar to Ezekiel’s

Temple and their children

The temple is the passion and delight of their lives

The children are the passion and delight of their lives

1 Kings 20:5–6 CSB

5 The messengers then returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent messengers to you, saying, “You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.” 6 But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your palace and your servants’ houses. They will lay their hands on and take away whatever is precious to you.’ ”

Hosea 9:16 CSB

16 Ephraim is struck down; their roots are withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will kill the precious offspring of their wombs.

Israel’s mourning is similar to Ezekiel’s

The Medium (Ezekiel) has become the message (wrath and grace). Ezekiel has become a suffering servant.

John 3:36 CSB

36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

Ezekiel opening his mouth opens the way for a new message, a message of the dawn of a new age. An age of hope and salvation.

The refugee was a sign of God’s judgment being carried out to its fullest.

Ezekiel 6:8–10 CSB

8 “Yet I will leave a remnant when you are scattered among the nations, for throughout the countries there will be some of you who will escape the sword. 9 Then your survivors will remember me among the nations where they are taken captive, how I was crushed by their promiscuous hearts that turned away from me and by their eyes that lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves because of the evil things they did, their detestable actions of every kind. 10 And they will know that I am the Lord; I did not threaten to bring this disaster on them without a reason.

Ezekiel 14:21–23 CSB

21 “For this is what the Lord God says: How much worse will it be when I send my four devastating judgments against Jerusalem—sword, famine, dangerous animals, and plague—in order to wipe out both people and animals from it! 22 Even so, there will be survivors left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. Indeed, they will come out to you, and you will observe their conduct and actions. Then you will be consoled about the devastation I have brought on Jerusalem, about all I have brought on it. 23 They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done what I did to it.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Isaiah 40:1–3 CSB

1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of hard service is over, her iniquity has been pardoned, and she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” 3 A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

What it means to us:

God’s Judgment is not without cause.

God’s Message is not without cost.

The trouble you experience in life is not always the price of your sin, but sometimes it is a message to those who do sin.

What if God used your troubles to redeem your neighbor?

What if the cost you pay to follow Jesus leads to others finding salvation in Jesus?

Hosea was told to marry an unfaithful wife and Ezekiel was to lose his wife. Being called to serve God isn’t an easy task, but it’s one that his an eternal impact.

Can I just encourage you for a moment: live your life, with a faith and obedience, that when you endure suffering, you can be confident that your suffering is not punishment from God but instead an opportunity for the world to see your faith and obedience for their own salvation. That might be the greatest act of selfless love.

Ezekiel was willing to take the cost of someone else’s sin in order to be a message of salvation. Jesus was willing to take the price of someone else’s sin for the salvation of someone else. The greatest act of love was be willing to endure suffering for someone else’s sake. We can’t be perfect like Jesus, but by faith we can be confident that our suffering is not punishment but is our way of enduring hell on earth while proclaiming Jesus has conquered it through the cross and resurrection.

This is why I fast forward. That’s why we often want to avoid the Ezekiel 24 type seasons. I don’t like seeing people hurt. Not Ezekiel, not my savior Jesus, not my family, not you or your family. But, what if your suffering leads to someone elses salvation.

That’s a humility, sacrifice, and love that only God can give.

What pain would you endure for your family, for your friends, for your coworkers?

John 9:1–4 CSB

1 As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. 4 We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.

God’s Hope brings comfort.

The world needs to see some refugees coming out of the wake of hell on earth with holiness.

Gospel Response:

What’s your cause?

What’s your cost?

What’s your comfort?