“Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. “Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. “Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel.” (vv.1-3)
Here we see God’s faithful prophet, Ezekiel, following God’s instructions, in performing the first of five symbolic actions (4:1–5:4), which he then interpreted (5:5–17) against Israel. In the first three verses we see, he created a model of Jerusalem and represented it as under siege in order to give warning of the city’s impending doom (fulfilled in 2 Kings 25).
Ezekiel goes on to preform four other symbolic actions depicting the coming judgment God would carryout upon the nation for violating God’s laws and their covenant with Him. This was the message (one of judgment), God gave to Ezekiel to begin his ministry.
These actions, which took over a year to complete, were mortifying for Ezekiel. He probably became something of a public spectacle, not to mention that no one likes bearers of bad news. The loss of his beard was culturally humiliating. God was mindful of such things and graciously granted the prophet’s request not to have to cook with human excrement (4:14–15).
Israel’s idolatry had made God’s name a mockery among the nations. Despite having God’s law and God’s love, the people had done worse evils than the pagan nations around them. Therefore, God’s judgments were just and would restore His good name. Yes He is loving and not willing that any should perish, but He is also holy and just. One whom we will all stand before one day.
The Truth: “And when I have spent my wrath upon them,” He said, “they will know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal” (5:13).
Here we see God’s faithful prophet, Ezekiel, following God’s instructions, in performing the first of five symbolic actions (4:1–5:4), which he then interpreted (5:5–17) against Israel. In the first three verses we see, he created a model of Jerusalem and represented it as under siege in order to give warning of the city’s impending doom (fulfilled in 2 Kings 25).
Ezekiel goes on to preform four other symbolic actions depicting the coming judgment God would carryout upon the nation for violating God’s laws and their covenant with Him. This was the message (one of judgment), God gave to Ezekiel to begin his ministry.
These actions, which took over a year to complete, were mortifying for Ezekiel. He probably became something of a public spectacle, not to mention that no one likes bearers of bad news. The loss of his beard was culturally humiliating. God was mindful of such things and graciously granted the prophet’s request not to have to cook with human excrement (4:14–15).
Israel’s idolatry had made God’s name a mockery among the nations. Despite having God’s law and God’s love, the people had done worse evils than the pagan nations around them. Therefore, God’s judgments were just and would restore His good name. Yes He is loving and not willing that any should perish, but He is also holy and just. One whom we will all stand before one day.
The Truth: “And when I have spent my wrath upon them,” He said, “they will know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal” (5:13).
