Shut Your Mouth - Open Your Mouth - Ezekiel 19-24

Ezekiel 24:24-27 (ESV Strong's)
24 Thus shall Ezekiel be to you a sign; according to all that he has done you shall do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’
25 “As for you, son of man, surely on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes and their soul's desire, and also their sons and daughters, 26 on that day a fugitive will come to you to report to you the news. 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to the fugitive, and you shall speak and be no longer mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”

Shut Your Mouth - Open Your Mouth

Before we understand the above verses and draw a practical lesson from them, we ought to read this passage from Solomon’s preaching:

Ecclesiastes 3:4 (ESV Strong's)
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

This passage from Ecclesiastes highlights what is going on in the above message from and to and through Ezekiel.   In chapter 24 the prophet is told that his wife is going to die, suddenly.   He is told to mourn briefly and in silence.   He is to then be an example to the nation of Israel.   As God brings Israel into captivity, He is going to destroy their stronghold, their joy, their glory, the delight of their eyes, their soul’s desire and their sons and daughters.   Ezekiel is NOT to mourn for them.   However, when Jerusalem falls a “fugitive” will escape and report to Ezekiel what is happened and then, and only then, will Ezekiel’s mouth open.   Note what happens in just a few chapters:

Ezekiel 33:22-23 (ESV Strong's)
22 Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me the evening before the fugitive came; and he had opened my mouth by the time the man came to me in the morning, so my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
23 The word of the LORD came to me:

This prophecy was fulfilled a short time later.  Ezekiel opens his mouth and begins to speak about the future restoration of the remnant.   Why is God doing all this?  The last part of Ezekiel 24:27 tells us:

“... and they will know that I am the Lord.”   That phrase is used countless times in this section and throughout the book.   God is doing a work in their lives so that they know “that I am the Lord.”   That is why God works in all our lives.  He wants us to know Him, deeply.   When captivity, hardship, struggle or pain or sorrow come, we can know the purpose is for us to see the majesty of God.  There is a time to open our mouths in praise and a time to close our mouths to mourn.   God does not want us rejoicing over sin.  He wants us to rejoice that we know Him as a result of the work He does in our midst.