24:15-17
Hosea is a prophet who had a terrible experience with his wife. She became a prostitute. God did this in order for him to understand the true nature of the situation. Ezekiel also had to go through a terrible experience, the loss of his wife. God tells him that his wife is about to die suddenly. Moreover, God says “I am about to to take away ...” this is not a random occurrence, it is the act of God. Often we will try to make out that these things are not God’s will or action, we will try and excuse God. The Bible does not do this. Ezekiel is not to make a show of mourning the loss of his wife, he is only allowed to “groan quietly”.
24:18
Ezekiel speaks to the people, and in the evening his wife dies. The people seem to realise that there is a prophetic message here. They would do this because of Ezekiel’s record, and the fact that he was not mourning his wife’s death. V15 makes it clear that he delighted in his wife. Ezekiel then explains the message. God is going to desecrate the temple and the city. This was the place that the people took delight in, but, like Ezekiel, they would not mourn over its loss. Instead they will waste away because of their sins. Ezekiel was a sign to them. The thought of this would be unbelievable to them, for the city and temple were so precious to them. Yet it would happen, then they would realise that God was the Sovereign Lord.
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