Scripture

“I am requiring you to bear Israel’s sins for 390 days, one day for each year of their sin. After that, turn over and lie on your right side for 40 days, one day for each year of Judah’s sins.”

Observation

The Lord tells Ezekiel to take a large clay brick and draw a map of Jerusalem on it. He is to lay out a model of an invading army.

Next, Ezekiel is to lie on his left side for 390 days. This will represent him bearing the sins of Israel over 390 years. He is to move to his right side for 40 days to bear the sins of Judah for 40 years.

Prior to this, he is to get some grains and produce bread to sustain him over this time. The amounts stated are siege rations, that is, just enough to sustain life.

The Lord tells Ezekiel he is to cook this bread over a fire of human dung. Ezekiel protests that this would make him defiled and he has never done anything to defile himself. The Lord relents and allows him to cook using cow dung.

The Lord says that a siege is coming and food and water will be severely rationed.

Application

These actions by Ezekiel are described as prophetic sign acts. They are a visual depiction of what God is about to do.

Ministry and christian life are not intended to make us comfortable, much less wealthy. The gospel must define us and constrain our behaviour. There are things we must do and places we must go at the Lord’s command. There will be things we are not permitted and places we must not go because the Lord requires it. Christianity is living for our Lord and not living our best life for ourselves.

Listen

Lord, Ezekiel had a very unusual ministry. What can I learn from him?

Keith, Ezekiel, like the other great disciples of history, was totally surrendered to my purposes. His life was mine, so it was not a burden for him to perform this visual message over that time scale.

People sing songs that say “All for Jesus,” but rarely understand what that actually means for them. Following in my ways must be more than a nice song, more than a theory. Every follower must take up their cross every day and surrender every ambition back to me.