Ezekiel 24:15-18: The Death of Ezekiel's Wife

"So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died.

And on the next morning, I did what I was commanded." Ezekiel 24:18

Whenever I read through Ezekiel (which, I suppose I've only done once before this) there is always a story that pops out to me. It's found in Ezekiel 24 and has to do with the death of Ezekiel's wife. Let's look at it this morning and see how it gives us a great example of true, heart-felt obedience to God.

In Ezekiel 24, we find the city of Jerusalem under seige. Ezekiel isn't in Jerusalem, but the Lord is reporting to him what is going on there. Next, the Lord reveals to him an analogy of how he was going to destroy the city as if he was burning it in a pot of fire. Quite severe, is it not? Surely. But we serve a God who is severe, a God who does not pardon the sin of those who do not repent.

After this, we find a most peculiar command of God to Ezekiel: "Son of man [that is, Ezekiel], behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes [Ezekiel's wife] away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men" (Ezekiel 24:16-17). In summary, the LORD is saying here that he was going to kill Ezekiel's wife, but that he should not mourn whatsoever after it happened. He may mourn inwardly, but he was not to do so outwardly. This may seem odd, purposeless, or even cruel, but God had a purpose for it, as he was showing Israel the way in which they should act when the "delight of their eyes" (that is, Jerusalem) would be destroyed. Like Ezekiel mourned not for his wife's death, Israel was to mourn not for the death of Jerusalem.

Although we could talk more about the entire analogy that is going on here, which is certainly the main point of the story, I want to highlight something else this morning: Ezekiel's obedience. Note how the text speaks of Ezekiel's response to his wife's death: "And on the next morning, I did what I was commanded." What obedience to God was within the great prophet Elijah! When the delight of his life was taken away, Ezekiel followed Christ. Rather than petitioning with God, arguing with the Almighty, he took a firm stand on God's holy character, and trusted that what he was doing was best, and thus obeyed.

In application today, what would it be like if we followed Ezekiel's pattern of obedience? How much better would our lives be if we surrendered all to God, without question? Is this not what our LORD did? When Christ was on this earth, he joyfully went to the cross, obeying the will of the Father (Hebrews 12:1-3). Dear children of God, let us take this truth to heart this morning: to call ourselves a Christian is to obey God, not loathingly, but with a happy and immediate heart. Like Ezekiel, if we call ourselves Christians, we ought to be simply obedient, responding to God's commands in a joyful, uncomplaining way, and obeying him immediately, without delay. Let us seek to be more like Ezekiel, and ultimately more like Christ!

"As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take

the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." James 5:10