Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 263

"At evening my wife died"

Text: Ezekiel 24:18

THE DEMISE OF EZEKIEL’S WIFE

Ezekiel was given a startling word from the Lord. His wife would be taken from him and he must be prepared to obey the Lord even in his personal time of distress.

“Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
‘Son of man, behold,
I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke;
yet you shall neither mourn nor weep,
nor shall your tears run down.
Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead;
bind your turban on your head,
and put your sandals on your feet;
do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.’
So I spoke to the people in the morning,
and at evening my wife died;
and the next morning I did as I was commanded.”
Ezekiel 24:15-18

1. God’s revelation to Ezekiel.

a) Ezekiel’s wife.

i) She was described as “the desire of (his) eyes”.

ii) They obviously had a great marriage.

b) She will die:

i) “With one stroke”

ii) Her death would be sudden and swift.

2. Ezekiel’s response I.

a) He was not to mourn and weep.

b) He was not to let his tears fall.

c) He may “sigh” but in silence.

i) Sighing funeral mourning was usually loud and noisy.

ii) The normal mourner was allowed to “sigh” loudly in public in a funeral scenario.

3. Ezekiel’s response II.

a) He was not to have a normal funeral ceremony.

b) He was to make no mourning for the dead.

c) He must continue to live as if life was normal.

i) He was to dress normally, with a turban on his head.

ii) He was to continue with his daily activities, with sandals on his feet.

iii) He was to speak normally and not refrain from speaking.

iv) He was not to eat “the bread of sorrow”.

4. This word from the Lord.

a) It was proclaimed to the people who came to Ezekiel.

b) In the evening, Ezekiel’s wife died,

c) Ezekiel chose to obey the Lord fully!