Reading:  Ezekiel 24-27
Posted:  September 11, 2014


It seems ironic that we should be discussing violence and bloodshed on such a poignant day in U.S. history.   But remember, we have been reading about the fall of Israel, Judah and specifically Jerusalem for almost a month.   I doubt that 9/11 and our reading of Jerusalem's fall are related in any way that matters, but it does seem to be a little more personal today.

It's striking that God takes away Ezekiel's wife as a sign to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  I imagine many pastors today struggling with the idea of God causing me grief, or allowing bad things to happen.  We learn in Scripture that God always works for the good of those who love him.  So how is taking Ezekiel's wife "working for good?"      

It's a question that defies the simple answer.  It could be that we are simply seeing things from a different perspective than God is.   Much like a child who cries when you take something away from them, we are sad when someone is taken from us.   But children often cry when you take away things temporarily...because they don't understand that when their bottle isn't visible it doesn't mean that it's gone.   They don't understand "see you later".   Children cry when we take things from them that could hurt them.    I'm not saying that Ezekiel's wife was taken for these reasons...we know why God took her.  He did it to make a point.    Our struggle stems from our lack of understanding about where she is now.    We don't see her, so we think she is "gone", and that's not fair.   But she isn't gone, nor is she unhappy where she is.  As much as she loved her husband and he loved her she wouldn't come back here even if she could.  

God is free to use people for whatever purpose He desires.   He often uses Christians to spread the message of salvation, and many times it's at the cost of their lives.

Tyre was one of the largest seaports of it's time.  It was thought to be virtually indestructable, because it was built both on an island, and the mainland.   When Nebuchadnezzar attacked, he destroyed the mainlan portion, but left the island.  He was unable to defeat it.   Later, Alexander the Great would use the remains of the mainland city to build a causeway out to the island and capture it.   After Alexander, the city was torn down, and the island leveled...just like the scripture says.   Today, the area is best known for it's fishing.   Again, just like the Bible says.  

I read somewhere that all seven prophecies spoken against Tyre were fulfilled.  The chances of someone speaking 7 prophecies and having them all come true is like flipping a coin and getting "heads" 25 times in a row.   That's one in 75 million.  (1:75,000,000)      Just like the death of Ezekiel's wife, the accuracy of his prophecies is a sign for us.    We should be listening and applying what we hear to our own lives, so that we don't fall under God's judgement as well.

PR