Sunday, June 19, 2016

Ezekiel 4

“Also take for yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of them for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it...Then He said to me, “See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it.” vv.9,15

Read chapter 4
Ezekiel eats poop!  Ok well he doesn't exactly eat it but has to cook his food over poop which probably get some remanent in the food.  At first the Lord tells him to cook it over human poop but then Ezekiel says how he's never defiled himself with food his whole life and won't do such a thing, so the Lord tells him to use cow poop instead (a common fuel for fire among Arabs).  Because they would soon be in a siege there would be no wood or be scarce for their needs and have to resort to other options.  Even in hardship, Ezekiel will not defile himself.  How do you or you see others lower standards for evil in hard times?
We also see that Ezekiel has to lay on his side for 390 days.  I have a hard time laying on my side for just a full nights sleep, I can't even imagine my body and restlessness doing that for that long.  Most likely Ezekiel didn't do this 24/7 but a times of the day when the people most likely were to see his conduct.  The laying on his side is symbolic for the siege that would be laid on them, the settled resolution of the besiegers till Jerusalem was taken. 
How often do actions speak louder than words!  We just need to pay attention and understand.  What actions of others have been speaking to you lately whether it be a warning, calling out of your sin, or challenge to do good?

No comments:

Post a Comment