Ezekiel 4:1-3 – Sin will erect a barrier between us and God

Remember, the book of Ezekiel has three broad segments. Firstly, would be Ezekiel’s messages on the judgment on Judah and Jerusalem. Secondly would be the messages of judgement of the nations and finally would be the messages on the restoration of Judah and the temple in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was the heart of Judah and represented the glory of the nation. It was the center of activities of her life, especially her religious life. Now it had become the center of sin and had to be judged. For all that she represents, for her to be judged was unthinkable. Yet it had to happen because of the nation’s unfaithfulness and waywardness. Here Ezekiel was debunking the deceptive notions pedalled by false prophets that the city was sacred and would not fall.

Ezekiel's message on God’s judgment on Judah began by picturing the siege of Jerusalem. Apart from orally proclaiming God’s message, prophets would at times dramatically act out the message. So, in Ezekiel 4, we see the prophet being instructed by God to present the message of the siege of Jerusalem by acting out the siege of the city.  

Addressing Ezekiel with the title son of man, a term that he was commonly referred to in this book, God told him what he was to do. He was to “…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.”  He was to present a model of the city of Jerusalem being sieged.  Besides, Ezekiel was also asked to take a piece of metal grill used for a cooking stove and set it up as a barrier between him and the besieged city depicted by the model.  From behind the grill Ezekiel was to show menacing gestures against the model to dramatize a city being besieged.  

The metal grill was a symbol of the barrier between God and them. Because of their waywardness, there was now a barrier between them at God that would cut off their cry to Him.  Sin always erects barriers between God and us. Unless we repent in contrition and return to God, it will be the hindrance that will prevent Him from hearing and answering our cries.  As we journey with God, we must remind ourselves of what was said in Isaiah 59:1-2:

 

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
    or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
but your iniquities have made a separation
    between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
    so that he does not hear.