24:1 The word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month:
Jehovah spoke again to Ezekiel on January 15, 588 B.C. This prophecy was given to the Jews at the Babylonian canals between the second and third deportation.
24:2 “Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.
Ezekiel was captive in Babylon, which was about 500 miles away from Jerusalem. He was told to write down this date, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon would lay siege to the city of Jerusalem on this exact day.
24:3 Recite a proverb to this rebellious house and say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “ ‘Set on the pot, set it on, pour water in it too; 24:4 add the pieces of meat to it, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder; fill it with choice bones. 24:5 Take the choice bone of the flock, heap up bones under it; boil rapidly, and boil its bones in it.
Ezekiel told another parable about Jerusalem. The pot was the city of Jerusalem. The meat were those who refused to leave the city of Jerusalem. The false prophets were telling the people that remaining in this pot would keep them safe. Ezekiel informed these people that the false prophets were wrong. The people were going to be boiled in the pot.
24:6 “ ‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the city of bloodshed, the pot whose rot is in it, whose rot has not been removed from it! Empty it piece by piece. No lot has fallen on it.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. Jerusalem was a bloody city who sacrificed her own children in the fire. The sin of Jerusalem has floated to the top of the pot, just as rust floats to the top.
24:7 For her blood was in it; she poured it on an exposed rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it up with dust.
When Jerusalem murdered her victims, she did not even attempt to cover up her crimes.
24:8 To arouse anger, to take vengeance, I have placed her blood on an exposed rock so that it cannot be covered up.
The blood of the innocent victims cried out to God, making Him extremely angry. Since Jerusalem had openly shed the blood of others, then God would openly shed her blood upon the bare rocks.
24:9 “ ‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the city of bloodshed! I will also make the pile high.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of world history. Trouble from God will come to the bloody city of Jerusalem.
24:10 Pile up the bones, kindle the fire; cook the meat well, mix in the spices, let the bones be charred.
Jerusalem will be cooked in the pot until she is well done.
24:11 Set the empty pot on the coals, until it becomes hot and its copper glows, until its uncleanness melts within it and its rot is consumed.
Jehovah will heat up and cook all of the impurities out of Jerusalem with extreme heat.
24:12 It has tried my patience; yet its thick rot is not removed from it. Subject its rot to the fire!
Jehovah was running out of patience. The rot which was floating on top of the pot was to be burned.
24:13 You mix uncleanness with obscene conduct. I tried to cleanse you, but you are not clean. You will not be cleansed from your uncleanness until I have exhausted my anger on you.
Jehovah tried many different methods to make Jerusalem pure, but they all failed. His only remaining choice was to destroy her.
24:14 “ ‘I the Lord have spoken; judgment is coming and I will act! I will not relent, or show pity, or be sorry! I will judge you according to your conduct and your deeds, declares the sovereign Lord.’ ”
There would be no more prophetic warnings for Jerusalem. She would be destroyed. Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. He has decreed that this destruction would take place.
24:15 The word of Lord came to me:
Jehovah spoke to Ezekiel once again.
24:16 “Son of man, realize that I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a jolt, but you must not mourn or weep or shed tears.
A son of man is one who is born in the human line of Adam. Jehovah was about to make Ezekiel very sad, but Ezekiel would not be able to mourn.
24:17 Groan in silence for the dead, but do not perform mourning rites. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your lip and do not eat food brought by others.”
Ezekiel was permitted to mourn in silence, but not openly. He was not to cover his lip as a sign of mourning. He was not to accept food from others.
24:18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I acted just as I was commanded.
Ezekiel told the people about his vision in the morning. His wife died that evening. Ezekiel did not mourn openly for his wife.
24:19 Then the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”
The people asked Ezekiel to prophetically explain the national significance of this event.
24:20 So I said to them: “The word of the Lord came to me:
Ezekiel explained to the people that Jehovah had spoken to him about these events to come.
24:21 Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Realize I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the source of your confident pride, the object in which your eyes delight, and your life’s passion. Your very own sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. Jehovah was about to destroy the Jewish temple. The temple was the pride and joy of the Jewish people. It brought their families together three times a year in joyous celebration. They felt that as long as the temple was standing in Jerusalem, then God would never allow any foreign power to take the city. The temple had become a good luck charm to the Jewish people. Not only was the temple to be destroyed, but all of their children were to be killed as well.
24:22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lip or eat food brought by others.
When the temple would be destroyed and their children were killed, then no one would bring food to one another. Every family in the whole nation would all be effected by the calamity.
24:23 Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn or weep, but you will rot for your iniquities and groan among yourselves.
Since every family would suffer loss, then there would be no one left to bring food for those who were mourning.
24:24 Ezekiel will be an object lesson for you; you will do all that he has done. When it happens, then you will know that I am the sovereign Lord.’
Ezekiel would become an object lesson for the people. Just as Ezekiel did not publicly mourn the death of his wife, neither would the exiles publicly mourn the destruction of the temple and the deaths of their friends, relatives, and children.
24:25 “And you, son of man, this is what will happen on the day I take from them their stronghold—their beautiful source of joy, the object in which their eyes delight, and the main concern of their lives, as well as their sons and daughters:
Ezekiel was a son of man, meaning that he was given birth through the genealogy of Adam. The Jewish temple was the delight, joy, and hope of the Jewish people.
24:26 On that day a fugitive will come to you to report the news.
Ezekiel was living in Babylon. A fugitive would escape and come to the house of Ezekiel to report the bad news of the temple destruction.
24:27 On that day you will be able to speak again; you will talk with the fugitive and be silent no longer. You will be an object lesson for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel was commanded to speak nothing to the people except for prophetic messages from Jehovah. When Ezekiel would receive the message of the temple destruction, then he would be able to speak by his own free will will once again. Then, everyone would know that Jehovah is the Lord.