Ezekiel 24  Ezekiel was 30 years old when he started his ministry as a prophet.  It was the 5th year of the "exile of King Johoiachin".. July 31, 593 BC ( according to the Bible Knowledge Commentary).   Ezekiel had been taken captive with the King in March of 597 BC, so he had been with the exiles by the Chebar River for 4 years.  As part of his commission from the Lord, Ezekiel was informed that he would not be able to speak.. except the words of the Lord.  It was a sign to those in exile with him.

Here in chapter 24, Ezekiel tells us that it is the ninth year, the 10th month and the 10th day - January 15, 588 BC.  The Lord  tells Ezekiel that this is the day, " this very day" that the "king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem".   He also tells Ezekiel that a day is coming when a refuge who has escaped the destruction of Jerusalem will come to him, "  On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be dumb no longer. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord." 

It is the 12th year, on the fifth day of the tenth month.. January 9th, 585 BC when the news actually reaches Ezekiel. His messages of destruction and judgement are fulfilled and witnessed.  Proven to be true. And the Lord opens Ezekiel's mouth again. ( Ezekiel 33:22)  Seven years of silence.. only able to speak what God said.  

Ezekiel illustrates the fall of Jerusalem by a parable of a boiling pot.   A fire is kindled.  A pot is filled with choice pieces of the meat and with bones.  It is cooked until even the bones are burned. The pot is emptied and still burned until it glows in the fire and even the rust is gone in the fire.  It is thoroughly cleansed by the fire.  The message is this, " In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I would have cleansed you, yet you are not clean, you will not be cleansed from your filthiness again, until I have spent My wrath on you. "  ( v 13)

" I would have cleansed you..."  He was willing.. they were not.  He wanted them.  They did not want Him.  He would have saved them .. but they refused.  Israel would hear this message finally...  but it  was too late.  Judgement had come.. exactly as the Lord had said it would..   The message still rings out through the ages and there are still many.. masses that need to hear it!   In our world, where filthiness fills the hearts of all mankind.. God still calls us to come to Him.. He says that He will take our filthy rags and make our scarlet stains as white as snow.   It is heart-breaking to think of those who will  stand before Him at the judgement seat, who will hear those words.. too late... for they refuse to listen. ..  " I would have cleansed you... "

Ezekiel faces one more challenge in this chapter.  " Son of man, behold I am about to the from you the desire of your eyes with a blow; but you shall not mourn, and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come."    Ezekiel writes this, " So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died."  Even then, Ezekiel obeyed the Lord.  He did not weep or mourn.  He dressed as he normally would.. no signs of the sorrow he surely felt.  No public display of the great loss.   He was a sign for the exiles.  When the news came that the sanctuary was profaned.. "the delight of their souls". They were not to weep or mourn or tear their clothing.  It was done.

Father in heaven, we lift our eyes and hearts to You, for You are our holy God and there is none like You.  You are our Savior and King.  You have provided the cleansing that we must have.. lest we "rot away in [our] iniquities" ( v23)  as the Israelites did.  Lord, deliver us from evil and the evil one.  Cleanse us from all unrighteousness .  Bring us into Your kingdom of grace and truth.  In Jesus Christ our Lord we come, bowing before the Throne with grateful hearts.  Amen.