Message 31 The Boiling Pot Runs Over Scripture: Ezekiel 24: 1-27 (read) Ezekiel 24: 1-2 Our Lord also wanted His elect people the Jews to remember a day. This one however was not one to celebrate. It would be remembered with tears and sorrow. 2 Kings 25:1 - This was the 9th year that King Jehoiachin was held as a prisoner in Babylon. Ezekiel 24: 3-5 Our Holy God used an allegory to describe the conflict that was going on hundreds of miles away in the land of Judah by the use of a caldron. Ezekiel 11:1-13 The people were trapped in the city of Jerusalem surrounded by the army of the Babylonians. It was as if they were in a pot that was about to boil. The Babylonians began their assault by firing boulders against the walls and into the city. Once they softened up the defenses of the Jews then an all out assault would proceed. Everything was heating up and there was no way out of the pot. Ezekiel 24: 6-8 The judges, leaders and all the people of Judah were unashamed of their lives. The judges were corrupt, the leaders were contemptible and the people were callus to the violence and innocent blood that was being taken as the preferred ‘choice’. We read this evil attitude way back in the book of Genesis 4: 9-11. The blood of Abel cried out just the same as the blood of innocent people was also crying out to God. If it was blood that was shed ‘rightly’ (such as death by war), killing of murderers, and accidental deaths, then it would and could have been covered by dust [dirt]. The book of Leviticus has something to say regarding this chapter – Leviticus 17: 13 Isaiah 26: 21 Your sins will surely find you out. You see on TV each day the finding of bodies that were murdered. It is difficult to hide the evidence. Our Precious Jehovah Shammah is always there to reveal the sins of man. He will not let it be covered up. Trinity Baptist Church - AM Service - January 6, 2019 - Handout Ezekiel 24: 9-12 One thing that really bothers me is when people put something on the stove or microwave and then walk away without keeping an eye on their food. It happens over and over again that they forget to check on their food and you pick up the smell of something burning. No matter what we cooked, once you have burnt the food – everything in the house or office stinks. - Now picture a nice hot summer day and you are out jogging. You travel past a dead animal. How does it smell? Pretty bad! - Picture in your minds thousands of dead bodies swelling and smelling. That is one scent that is not easily forgotten. In the first instance Jerusalem can be seen as contributing to her own destruction. They went out of their way to do the evil and caused them exhaustion. In addition, our Holy Father expresses His weariness in putting up for so long with their sins. “It has frustrated all efforts; its heavy deposit has not been removed, not even by fire” describes the sinful lifestyles being so deeply ingrained that it cannot be erased. - Have you ever had a stain on your clothes or a household item that could not be removed? - What do you ultimately do? You throw the thing away. Ezekiel 24: 13 The rust, filthiness and scum are the vile sins that God has explained His attempts to purge. - The Lord tried twice before with the prior deportations. - These military actions by the Babylonians occurred in 605 and 597 BC. Our Holy Jehovah Sabbath – The Lord of Hosts, determined that the only effort to successfully eliminate the stain was the destruction of the city. Ezekiel 24: 14 The movie The Ten Commandments has a famous line by Pharaoh. He said to an order, ‘This it has been said, thus let it be written’. The Lord Most High Jehovah Elyon has now issued the same judgment. - Pharaoh has spoken. The verdict is sealed. There are no more appeals. No Supreme Pardon. The death sentence is to be carried out. - For all of us and our families, friends, co-workers, relatives and neighbors we need to pay serious attention to this teaching. It is not just some history lesson. If others or we continue to disobey Him, there will come a time of accounting. Ezekiel 24: 15-17 Anyone want to be a prophet? - Sure these guys had some pretty great things or gifts. God worked miracles through them. Trinity Baptist Church - AM Service - January 6, 2019 - Handout They heard directly from God Himself. Yet, when you read about what happened to them, how they were persecuted and killed, I think I would pass on the job. This may sound silly but my heart’s desire would be to have God pick me like He did Abraham and Moses. That He would love me more than David and Daniel and that I would have more anointing of the Holy Ghost than Elijah and Elisha. Pretty greedy on my part, huh? Out of all the hardships and difficult assignments, I believe that Ezekiel had the hardest. - We read now that the Righteous God Jehovah Tsidkenu, informs him that his wife is going to die and it will be for a sign to the Jews. It will not be the death that will cause the people to react but God’s instructions on how he was to act to this sorrow was the key issue. The Lord was giving Ezekiel this information about what would happen that very day. - Think with me about this. Ezekiel has just received this unbelievable message, ‘the desire of your eyes’. - Imagine looking up and seeing his wife moving about the house cooking or doing chores. How his heart must have been moved. - Would you tell her? ‘Hey honey; just wanted to let you know that you are going to die today’. - How do you handle such a message? On top of that, God tells him that he is not to cry or mourn for her. ‘Oh, by the way, you also need to know that there will not be any memorial service for you. And I will not be shedding any tears for you’. Say what? I would encourage you to make an effort to pray for pastors’ wives and children. The abuse and suffering that they have to go through because the husbands are trying to serve our Lord God is beyond anything that you could ever imagine or stand. These were the normal signs of mourning that Ezekiel was prevented from doing: 1. No wailing loudly 2. Cannot take off his priestly robes and hat [turban] 3. No scattering of dust and ashes 4. No mourning clothes 5. No isolation [taking off of sandals] 6. No covering face [veil] 7. No memorial service Ezekiel 24: 18 We read here that Ezekiel spoke to the people in the morning. - That night his wife has a stroke and died. What was this like of Ezekiel? How did he spend it? Watching his wife all day, trying to keep telling her how much he loved and appreciated her. How would you treat your loved ones if you knew that the same things were about to happen to them? Trinity Baptist Church - AM Service - January 6, 2019 - Handout Ezekiel 24: 19 Would this action taken by Ezekiel not also get your attention like it did the elders? It was not normal. He had been doing a lot of strange things but this act had really drawn their response. Ezekiel 24: 20-24 No Proverb or story is given – Only the answer to their question. You will note the term, ‘the desire of your eyes’. The Temple in Jerusalem would be totally destroyed. Being away as a captive in Babylon they will hear of the ruin but will not react emotionally. Their attitudes and hardness of heart kept them from responding with grave emotions even when they know that their relatives were also slain. Since they didn’t see them killed; oh well. ‘Out of sign, out of mind’ they say. It possibly did get them remorseful realizing that their hopes of returning to their homes and land was probably out of the question. The reality would cause them to fear and mourn for themselves. This is the first time our Holy Father spoke through Ezekiel in the third person. Our Lord was declaring to the people of Israel that Ezekiel was His mouthpiece. Ezekiel 24: 25-27 Ezekiel will once again be able to speak freely. This will occur when the news of the final battle reaches the captives in Babylon. There will be no further word from the Holy Yahweh until He lets the nations surrounding Israel how He is going to deal with them for their hatred and brutality towards His people. Conclusion Has God stopped speaking to you? Is so, why? He has not left – you have. Turn around and start communicating with Him again. I close with this Scripture passage of David’s wise advice to his son as listed in 1 Chronicles chapter 29: 9. 1 Chronicles 29:9 Like Solomon, if you seek Him, you will find Him. Try it! Trinity Baptist Church - AM Service - January 6, 2019 - Handout .