FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9
Scripture: Ezekiel 4
In Ezekiel 4, Ezekiel had the assignment in portraying a siege in Jerusalem. So he had to build a mound wall against the wall of Jerusalem, placing battering ramps all around. And his assignment then got very difficult – he had to lay on his left side one day for every year of the iniquity of the House of Israel, 390 days. And he had to lay on his right side one day for every year of the iniquity of the House of Judah, 40 days. Then the assignment got even more difficult. In verses 9-12, God restricted the amount of food and water Ezekiel was allotted and mandated that he cook his food using his own waste as fuel. It is hard to imagine flavoring food with human waste. Ezekiel protested that the assignment would make him defile himself. And God said he could instead use the waste of cows. And He said in verses 16-17, “Son of man, surely I will cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall drink water by measure and with dread, that they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed with one another, and waste away because of their iniquity.” Ezekiel was called to demonstrate what was coming because people refused to repent for their sin. Being a prophet has always been a difficult job, and Ezekiel’s assignment is a prime example. But God’s purpose was for Ezekiel to demonstrate Israel and Judah’s sin so that they could understand the judgment that was coming upon them. He was trying to gain a harvest of repentance out of Jerusalem. Are our prophets today showing us the judgment that is coming so that we can gain some repentance? Walking in obedience gives us the authority to move the judicial Hand of God. If we do not walk in obedience, we will not have the authority to move His Hand. This is part of the platform of subduing kingdoms. The question is, how many are willing to accept it?