Good Morning “Painful Sacrificers”. Today we are in Ezekiel 4.
We’ve wrapped up the first section of Ezekiel (his call) and now moved into Gods Prophecy regarding Jerusalem’s total destruction. We often think of Babylons siege of Jerusalem as just one event, but it was really 3 events.
The first time in 605 BC, the city of Jerusalem was taken and many of the citizens taken prisoner including the prophet Daniel. The Babylonian king allowed some Jews to remain and installed a new king to lead them. That king pledged loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar, but soon he rebelled. So the Babylonians returned and defeated the city a second time in 597 BC. After the second attack, a new wave of prisoners were taken into captivity - including Ezekiel. Finally in 586 BC, after a second revolt by another Jewish king, the Babylonians returned a third time to put an end to Israel’s defiance.
This time they utterly destroyed the city and the temple and removed the rest of the people. It’s this third siege that God calls Ezekiel to depict through action… no words. It’s like an object lesson that He will later explain… but for now, no words. This third siege is still about seven years away. Ezekiel is predicting the complete destruction of the city.
As you read this chapter, wrap your mind around the specifics. Ezekiel will lay on his side for 14 months, apparently only getting up to make food in a very specific symbolic way. Even his food and preparation demonstrates the incredible famine that is coming.
Talk about sacrifice. Kind of makes our volunteer opportunities, our degree of “sacrifice”, seem like a drop in the bucket doesn’t it. Our sacrifice should cost us something. It should hurt. David gives us this principle in 2 Samuel 24:24.
Love you all! Dig in!
We’ve wrapped up the first section of Ezekiel (his call) and now moved into Gods Prophecy regarding Jerusalem’s total destruction. We often think of Babylons siege of Jerusalem as just one event, but it was really 3 events.
The first time in 605 BC, the city of Jerusalem was taken and many of the citizens taken prisoner including the prophet Daniel. The Babylonian king allowed some Jews to remain and installed a new king to lead them. That king pledged loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar, but soon he rebelled. So the Babylonians returned and defeated the city a second time in 597 BC. After the second attack, a new wave of prisoners were taken into captivity - including Ezekiel. Finally in 586 BC, after a second revolt by another Jewish king, the Babylonians returned a third time to put an end to Israel’s defiance.
This time they utterly destroyed the city and the temple and removed the rest of the people. It’s this third siege that God calls Ezekiel to depict through action… no words. It’s like an object lesson that He will later explain… but for now, no words. This third siege is still about seven years away. Ezekiel is predicting the complete destruction of the city.
As you read this chapter, wrap your mind around the specifics. Ezekiel will lay on his side for 14 months, apparently only getting up to make food in a very specific symbolic way. Even his food and preparation demonstrates the incredible famine that is coming.
Talk about sacrifice. Kind of makes our volunteer opportunities, our degree of “sacrifice”, seem like a drop in the bucket doesn’t it. Our sacrifice should cost us something. It should hurt. David gives us this principle in 2 Samuel 24:24.
Love you all! Dig in!
Recent
Archive
2025
January
February
March
Categories
no categories
Tags
no tags