Ezekiel 24:18-24 – Shaped through trials.

In Ezekiel 24: 15-17, the prophet was told by God of his wife's impending death.  She would be seized by death suddenly. And when that happens, Ezekiel is told not to mourn her passing. Verse 18 tells us that in that morning even though he was told of his wife's impending death, he went about ministering as usual. Just imagine what must have gone through his mind as he was speaking to the people. How could he speak with such calmness knowing what would be happening to his wife?  

And as God had told him, when he returned him that evening, his wife died suddenly. The next morning, he obeyed as he was instructed. He did not mourn the death of his wife. Naturally, by not mourning the tragedy caused the people to raise the question.  Wondering why he was not mourning his wife’s death, they asked, “Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?”

So, in verses 20-24, Ezekiel then explained what he was going through meant. Judah was about to lose everything they loved, just as much as a man who had lost his wife to death. Jerusalem was about to lose the temple the nation loves, treasures, and cherishes.  And the people of Judah, their sons and daughters, who were not taken into exile would fall by the sword. Even as that happens, the people Ezekiel was talking to would be stunt. And being in Babylon, they would not be given the space to mourn publicly. Instead, they would groan and pine away in their sin with indescribable grief.   

The crux of the message of verse 24 is this. What happened to Ezekiel was a sign to the people. Whatever he had experienced would be the experience of the people. Just as Ezekiel lost his precious, the temple which the people cherish, and love would be lost.  Just as Ezekiel was not allowed to mourn, so the people would also not be given the space and latitude to mourn. What a tragedy!

The lesson: obeying God does not immune us from tragedy. In fact, in Christian living along with the good and pleasant moments, we will have some unpleasant ones. When unpleasant things happen to us, we must learn to see it in the light of Romans 8:28. Paul said, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Our hard moments are the “all things” that God will use to bring about our good. What “good” does God bring out of our lives through those hard moments? God is using them to shape us and make us more like Christ. Remember Christlikeness is God’s goal for our lives and hard moments cause us to draw nearer to Him. Therefore, we must learn to exult even in tribulation.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest d for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.  

(Annie Johnson Flint)