EXEGETICAL NOTES—“With a view to affect more deeply the minds of his fellow-captives Ezekiel had announced to him the disseverance of the tenderest of all earthly ties—the removal of her on whom he had ever been accustomed to look with affection and delight. This removal of his beloved wife was to be effected by a stroke, i.e., in so sudden and striking a manner as to show that it was an immediate visitation of God. Distressing, however, as this event would be, the prophet is commanded to exhibit no tokens of grief on the occasion.”—(Henderson.)
Ezekiel 24:16. “The desire of thine eyes.” Heb. “The delight of thine eyes,”—thus describing the prophet’s wife. A stroke. A sudden death inflicted by God. The word is the same as that which is rendered “plague” (Numbers 14:37; Numbers 17:13; 2 Samuel 24:21; 2 Samuel 24:25).
Ezekiel 24:17. “Forbear to cry.” Heb. “Be silent.” The prophet was to check the emotions which he would naturally feel. They are to be repressed by a solemn sense of God’s having interposed (Leviticus 10:7; Leviticus 21:10; Leviticus 21:12; Psalms 39:9). “Make no mourning for the dead.” “Though the High Priest was interdicted mourning for any person whatever (Leviticus 21:10), the ordinary priests were permitted to mourn for near relatives (Leviticus 21:2-3). Ezekiel, therefore, though of priestly descent, would have been under no restriction in this respect. He was, however, on the present occasion, though of the most trying nature, to appear as usual, not laying aside his turban and instead of it casting ashes on his head, nor going barefooted, nor covering the upper lip together with its moustachio (Leviticus 13:45; Micah 3:7). Neither was he to partake of the food which it was customary for friends to bring in token of their sympathy with the mourners. This in the original is called bread of men, i.e., what men usually furnish on such occasions.”—(Henderson.) “By the bread of men is meant that bread which the people were accustomed to send to the house of mourning in cases of death, to manifest their sympathy and to console and refresh the mourners, a custom which gave rise in the course of time to that of formal funeral meals. These are not mentioned in the Old Testament; but the sending of bread or food to the house of mourning is clearly referred to in Deuteronomy 26:14; Hosea 9:4; Jeremiah 16:7.—(Keil.)
Ezekiel 24:18. “I did in the morning as I was commanded.” On the morning following the death of his wife.
Ezekiel 24:21. “I will profane My sanctuary.” The profanation of the temple would be accomplished by its destruction. “The excellency of your strength.” “Israel based its might and strength upon the temple as the scene of the gracious presence of God, living in the hope that the Lord would not give up his sanctuary to the heathen to be destroyed, but would defend the temple, and therewith Jerusalem and its inhabitants (Jeremiah 7:4)”(Keil). “Your sons and your daughters.” “Many parents might, when they were carried away from Jerusalem, have been under the necessity of leaving their children of tender age behind them. These the Chaldeans should mercilessly put to the sword.”—Henderson.
Ezekiel 24:23. “Ye shall pine away for your iniquities.” The thought of their personal guilt would swallow up all the sorrows of bereavement. They would be made to feel that their own sins had brought all this overwhelming trouble upon them. “Mourn one toward another.” “Though prevented, by the circumstances in which they were placed in the land of their conquerors, from making any public manifestation of their sorrow, they would privately one to another give expression to their feelings of grief.”—Henderson.
Ezekiel 24:24. “Thus Ezekiel is a sign unto you.” “It is not an unexampled thing for the sacred writers to introduce their own names into their productions (Exodus 2:11; Numbers 12:3; Isaiah 20:3, Isaiah 20:3; Daniel 8:27). Ezekiel was a sign or significant typical representation, foreshadowing what was to take place in the experience of his countrymen. When the thing signified should happen, it would be an indubitable proof that Jehovah had revealed the event beforehand to his servant.”—(Henderson).
Ezekiel 24:25. Their strength. The word means rather “stronghold” or “fortress.” This was the temple in which they trusted, forgetting their true “fortress-rock” (Isaiah 17:10).
Ezekiel 24:26. “In that day.” This, like the expression “in the day,” in Ezekiel 24:25, refers to that day in which the temple was destroyed and the fugitive made his escape.
Ezekiel 24:27. “In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped.” “The day is referred to on which the fugitive arrived at the Chebar with the melancholy news. From the time of the temple’s actual destruction until this messenger should arrive the prophet ceased from his public labours, meanwhile leaving his predictions to produce their natural effect; but then he was again to stand forth, and pointedly appeal to the issue in proof of his divine commission.”—(Henderson).
HOMILETICS
JERUSALEM’S DESTRUCTION TYPIFIED BY THE DEATH OF EZEKIEL’S WIFE
Ezekiel himself is now to be a “sign” unto them by his personal calamities and sorrows. He was a highly gifted man, and called to an honourable office, but corresponding to this height of privilege is a depth of sorrow. The chosen symbol of Jerusalem’s destruction was to be the occasion of pain and grief to him. But he is taught to set the claims of his duty and of his office higher than those of natural affection. His bereavement is here regarded rather in its bearing on public utility than on his domestic happiness. It is as a man of sorrows that he shall accomplish his prophetic mission. In his deepest afflictions he shall be powerful, as never before, to arouse the people to repentance. His ministry, like that of a greater Prophet, exemplifies the power of the Cross. The death of Ezekiel’s wife is here regarded as a type of the destruction of the city.
I. It would be a manifest visitation of God. “Son of man, behold I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke” (Ezekiel 24:16.) The hand of God was to be specially evident. “A stroke,” implying an action directed by an intelligent will; a calamity also sudden, like that of the pestilence which walketh in darkness. “In the day” (Ezekiel 24:25), the time of judgment was fixed. The destruction of the devoted city would be brought about, not by the accidents of history as men count them, but by the evident working of God’s will. The prophet had long known of the Divine purpose. For five years he had prophesied in dumb show, by parable, and by allegory of the final destruction of Jerusalem. Everything possible had been done to show the hand of God plainly revealed in this solemn work of judgment. Thus all will be forced at length to acknowledge the prophet’s Divine mission.
II. It would be an overwhelming sorrow. “Neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down” (Ezekiel 24:16). The prophet is also forbidden to observe the sad customs of the house of mourning (Ezekiel 24:17). The “sign” was to be the most solemn and expressive of all,—the sign of a silent sorrow. The grief would prove too deep for tears, too serious for the outward trappings of woe. It is a common saying, that “there is no sorrow like a dry sorrow.” It is saddest of all when the burden of the heart can find no relief in tears.
II. It would bring home to them the greatness of their sin. The prophet’s silent sorrow was a type of the fact that his guilty nation would be brought solemnly to acknowledge that God had interposed. When His hand is made bare in judgment, the confession must be, “I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it” (Psalms 39:9). The inhabitants of the city would be overcome with such a sense of guilt that it would swallow up every thought of bereavement (Ezekiel 24:23). They would now begin to receive the prophet’s message seriously, asking the question in solemn earnestness, “Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us?” (Ezekiel 24:19). They now begin to learn that the prophet is a “sign” unto them. Not only his words, but the stern realities of his life bear witness for God. The ruin of their city, now plainly seen to be a just judgment of God, would be an all-absorbing topic of conversation. They would be able to talk of nothing else, but “mourn one towards another” (Ezekiel 24:23). They would believe a human messenger when he comes to tell them a disastrous piece of news (Ezekiel 24:26). Thus they are compelled by stern facts to accept the prophet’s message, though they had long refused to believe him.
IV. It would bring them to the true knowledge of God (Ezekiel 24:27). The prophet had revealed the mind and will of God, but he was not believed. Now he shall speak with a power of instant conviction, for the messenger of evil tidings has arrived with news of the judgments which he had so long threatened in vain. He had laid before them the principles of righteousness, but now these are wrought out in stern facts to which they must listen. His words are now corroborated by a human messenger (Ezekiel 24:27). Thus the solemn realities of things, the solemnities of judgment must, sooner or later, be brought home to impenitent sinners, “Thou shalt be a sign unto them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.”
1. The resting in holy things, causes God to remove them, how dear soever they be unto us. “I will profane My sanctuary.” You confide in the outward means, you are taken with the outward splendour of the ceremonies and pomp of the Temple, but the spiritual true worship ye mind not. The temple, city and state are dearer to you than I am. Why is the Temple, and not Myself, “the excellency of your strength?” Why is that “the desire of your eyes,” and not Myself, who fill the Temple with My glory? Why are you troubled that it should be laid in the dust, and care not that My honour, My glory, My name are profaned amongst you!
2. Men’s sins sometimes bring them into such straits that though they have lost their dearest comforts, yet they dare not outwardly manifest sorrow for them. It was sad to lose their dearest comforts, and more sad that they might not ease their hearts by tears or sighings, and most sad that they must show no respect to their dead friends by any funeral rites. Jeremiah had predicted this sad condition (Jeremiah 16:6-7).
3. God may put His own faithful servants upon hard and unwonted things, thereby to declare what shall be the condition of the wicked. “Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign.” He hath not been suffered to mourn or weep; and why so? that he may be a sign unto you. You would not be taught by his doctrine, now you must be taught by his example; “according to all that he hath done shall ye do.” The things are harsh and unnatural that I (Ezekiel) have done, but it is for your sakes that I am put upon them; and ye shall do as I have done. Thus Isaiah was a sign (Isaiah 20:3).
4. Signs accomplished convince men of the truth and just proceedings of God. By the fulfilling of this sign foretold, ye shall be so convinced as to acknowledge Ezekiel was a true sign, made so by Me, and that I have dealt justly with you for your iniquities, in bringing you into such straits, as not to dare to mourn openly for your miseries. If Ezekiel have nothing to object against Me, from whom, being innocent, I took away the desire of his eyes, and forbade him to mourn for her; what can you object against Me, being so guilty as none more, if I send away your desirable things, and hem you about with my judgments and enemies, that you shall not dare to mourn?—Greenhill.