Ezekiel 4:1-3 (ESV)
The Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized
“And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem. And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around. And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.
Ezekiel is a priest who became prophet while in captivity in Assyria. He was taken captive in the fall of Israel (the ten tribes to the north) in 720 BC and would be used by God to prophecy about the fall of Judah (the two tribes to the south) that would eventually fall to Babylon in 587/586 BC. While in captivity as a priest he was selected by God to give a very harsh message to the captives about this eventual fall of their brothers to the south of them. Although not surely worse then the message, the delivery of the message would be as equally harsh. Ezekiel was asked to speak to the nation who’s hearts would not listen to him. He is one of the few speakers who was told his audience would never listen and would, in fact, mock him and do the opposite of his message. But, he not only had to speak to this rebellious group he had to do it in some of the most unusual methods. In our day and age we might call what Ezekiel is called to do is play charades. He was told by God to act out several ways to illustrate God’s method of doom and gloom on the siege of Jerusalem by Babylon. In the above illustration he is to act out the siege by building a model of Jerusalem on the ground and lay a pretend siege against the model. In his day he didn’t have a fancy conference center to call everyone to come to him using powerpoint and social media videos. He rather had to go to the center of the town and act out like a street performer. He did this knowing fully that God had already told him they would not listen. He will eventually act out the siege by laying on his side for an entire year. He will act it out further by cook his meal over cow dung and rationing his food. This will simulate for those already in captivity what is about to happen in Jerusalem.
Ezekiel was given an impossible task. He was asked to speak to a group who were already captive, about a coming siege on the center of their worship (Jerusalem). He was told his audience would reject the message and him. He had to deliver the message in street theater, doing impossible tasks. Everyone would hate him at the end. And, by the way, had all this not happened he would have been an honored high priest in the Temple back in Jerusalem. Yet, Ezekiel performed his task. God has not called us to creature comforts in our service for Him. God has called us to obedience. Today’s preachers mostly is allowed to deliver his message in an air conditioned auditorium, with some of the highest tech known to man. Today’s spiritual teacher is mostly teaching to an audience of eager learners about their faith. Today’s pastor is allowed to use multimedia that brings the message alive with a graphic designer at the control switch. All Ezekiel had was dirt, stone, rope and dung. He didn’t stand behind a glass pulpit, he played in the dirt making a crude mock up of his beloved city. Before we complain what God has called us to do we might want to consider the prophets of old:
James 5:10 (ESV)
As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
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