Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. – Ezekiel 24:16
Ezekiel was going to lose his wife. | WATCH ON YOUTUBE
This was a shocking message God had for Ezekiel. God said, his wife would suddenly and unexpectedly die, ‘with one blow.’ But Ezekiel was not to mourn. He was forbidden to be sorrowful. He was to groan silently. He was not to weep nor show any outward, traditional signs of mourning or loud wailing. Furthermore, he was to announce to the people that this was to happen.
Wonder what that must have been like for Ezekiel. What would he have told his wife? The loss of his wife would naturally be painful. The phrase ‘delight of your eyes’ indicates a dear and loving relationship between Ezekiel and his wife. All through the book of Ezekiel, we see him as a man of deep emotion. He often wept over the fate of Jerusalem and Judah. He would be deeply affected by this sudden loss.
And yet, the Bible says Ezekiel obeyed God. Ezekiel was determined to honor God by obeying Him despite his own feelings and pain. So Ezekiel the prophet, reported to the people the next morning that his own wife would die. And she died that evening.
Mourning the loss of a loved one is natural. This is a one-off incident in the Bible and not a pattern. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). Ezekiel needed a specific command from God not to do it.
Ezekiel’s obedience even in this painful situation is a powerful example.
Lord, may I honor you in all circumstances of life, I pray.
Extended Reading — Ezekiel 24-27
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