This time, it’s personal

Every day we’re asking four questions about part of the Bible. Today Bern Leckie answers:

What did I like about today’s passage?

It’s another day when “like” seems to be the wrong word. I’m struck by God’s comprehensive discipline of his people, not trying to correct a few errors on the fringe of what they do but striking at the heart of who they are.

Remember the saying, from chapter 11, that Israel used to say to itself, “This city is a pot and we are the meat in it”? People took pride in being great, the tender best bits of a stew, and protected by their container. In chapter 24, God takes that image and reinterprets it for their new, dire situation. The pot is actually impure, “encrusted” with corrosion which would ruin any decent stew. So instead the meat would be cooked on the fire, burned to the bone. As it turns out, Jerusalem’s walls would cease to protect its people, and many would perish in the flames of battle. Why? God calls it a cleansing. “Your impurity is lewdness” and the action against it will be destructive.

A turning point is coming, but not a nice one, and there is an astonishing twist. This is the bit which knocks me over – God expects Ezekiel to respond obediently when death comes for his wife. And he does. It’s not even as if he just has to get on with his job while mourning, but God tells him not to mourn. What sort of sign is this, and how does Ezekiel find the strength for it? This is the heart of this horror. I need to come back to it in a minute.

First, let’s look at what happens next. The turning point is sadly not one which leads people back into hope and reconciliation. Instead, God’s judgement moves out to neighbours taking pride or pleasure in Jerusalem’s fall. These are localised, personalised, highly uncomfortable prophecies. The longest is for Jerusalem’s long-time frenemy Tyre, a proud and famous trading city, supplier of cedar and skilled workers for Solomon’s temple, but also the royal family which gave Jezebel into Israel’s line of rulers, along with Baal worship and the infamous battle of the prophets in Elijah’s time.

Jerusalem and Tyre had history. They probably had strong trading relationships but rivalry too. Tyre must have loved the opportunity to thrive with Jerusalem “broken” but didn’t know that God would bring destruction to them too. It would be historic and memorable. But why?

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

I see two things here which reveal God’s character. One is a fire of justice. God wants our world and lives to be pure, not ruined by sin, greed, bloodshed, all the injustice we looked at yesterday. This doesn’t just apply to one chosen family but the whole world, including us.

But this business with Ezekiel’s wife – what is that? There is no justice in her death. It’s suffering for God’s anointed “son of man” who gets his direction and strength from God. This is like Jesus’ suffering, caused by sin, shared by God who is personal among us, not remote.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

Remember how seriously God takes sin and be more thankful for Jesus’ way to fix this.

Who am I going to share this with?

Other people I follow Jesus with.