This fascinating chapter is full of symbolism regarding God’s judgement on Israel for their generations of sin.
” ‘…take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it… Jerusalem. And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it… Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around… Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it. For the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their punishment. For I assign to you a number of days, 390 days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment… And when you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah. Forty days I assign you, a day for each year.’ ” (v1-2, 4-6 abr)
Ezekiel is commanded to build a diorama and act out a scene depicting a siege against Israel / Judah that lasts for 390 + 40 years. During the 430 day enactment he is to consume a small ration water and bread that’s baked over dung to symbolize how scarce their resources will be. There are more symbols including a barrier separating God from Israel, God’s righteous arm of judgement, and restraints showing Israel’s inability to change their circumstances. All of this is presumably done in public, so the people can see.
I’m not sure about you, but I learn visually. God asks many prophets to use visual aids in their presentations which helps visual people like me. Even if you’re not a visual learner, to see Ezekiel doing this every day for 14+ months should certainly get your attention, and hopefully get God’s point across.
I encourage us to pay attention to God teaching. God is ever-present, waiting for us to pay attention to Him. The problem is, we’re often too busy full schedules and screen time (I’m guilty of this). Let’s intentionally set time aside each day, even if we start with 5 minutes, to sit silently in the presence of God and listen for His voice.
Father God, our Sovereign Lord and Compassionate King, thank you for constant presence. May we learn to seek Your voice daily, and heed Your teachings, so we may turn from sin and invest in Your kingdom. In the name of Jesus who set the greatest example of listening to Your voice, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training