The Prophet’s Wife Dies
May 16, 2021
Commentary
The Lord announced to Ezekiel that his beloved wife (The desire of your eyes)was about to die suddenly (vv 15-18). However, as an object lesson to Israel, the Lord commanded the prophet not to mourn outwardly over her death, as was the custom (vv. 20-24). Instead he could only groan to himself. He was not allowed to mourn for his dead wife in order to show his fellow exiles that they were not to morn over Jerusalem when it was destroyed. Any personal sorrow felt would soon be eclipsed by national sorrow over the horror of the city’s total destruction. Obeying God can carry a high cost. The only grief more excruciating than losing your spouse and not being allowed to grieve would be to lose eternal life because you did not obey. When his wife died shortly thereafter, Ezekiel obeyed the Lord’s instructions. Ezekiel obeyed God fully, even as Hosea did when he was told to mary an unfaithful woman (Hosea 1:2-3). In both these cases, these unusual events were intended as symbolic acts to picture God’s relationship with His people. When the people observed his silence, they inquired about its significance. He explained that they were not to mourn publicly over the downfall of their beloved city and its temple (vv. 25-27), just as he refused to lament over his wife’s death.
For some time Ezekiel had not been allowed to speak except when God gave him a message to deliver to the people When Jerusalem finally fell, a fugitive would bring Ezekiel the news. At that time the Lord would remove Ezekiel’s muteness (Ezekiel 3:26-27; 33:21-22). He would now speak openly and freely with the survivors of the catastrophe, warning and encouraging them. The restriction would soon end when Jerusalem was destroyed and all of Ezekiel’s prophecies about Judah and Jerusalem had come true (33:21-22).
Application
I should be as whole hearted in my obedience to the Lord as Ezekiel was. I can begin by doing all that God commands me to do, even when I don’t feel like it.
Ezekiel 24:15– 27 (NET)
15 The Lord’s message came to me: 16 “Son of man, realize that I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a jolt, but you must not mourn or weep or shed tears. 17 Groan to moan for the dead, but do not perform mourning rites. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your lip and do not eat food brought by others.”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I acted just as I was commanded. 19 Then the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”
20 So I said to them: “The Lord’s message came to me: 21 Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Realize I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the source of your confident pride, the object in which your eyes delight, and your life’s passion. Your very own sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword. 22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lip or eat food brought by others. 23 Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn or weep, but you will rot for your iniquities and groan among yourselves. 24 Ezekiel will be an object lesson for you; you will do all that he has done. When it happens, then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’
25 “And you, son of man, this is what will happen on the day I take from them their stronghold—their beautiful source of joy, the object in which their eyes delight, and the main concern of their lives, as well as their sons and daughters: 26 On that day a fugitive will come to you to report the news. 27 On that day you will be able to speak again; you will talk with the fugitive and be silent no longer. You will be an object lesson for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Illustration: The Costly Work of Obedience
Sexual impurity has become rampant in the church because we’ve ignored the costly work of obedience to God’s standards as individuals, asking too often, “How far can I go and still be called a Christian?” We’ve crafted an image and may even seem sexually pure while permitting our eyes to play freely when no one is around, avoiding the hard work of being sexually pure. (Every Man’s Battle; ‘Winning the war on Sexual Temptation (page 58).