Visions of the Kingdom: Week 27

Ezekiel 24:1-27: The Cooking Pot

• 24:2 "on this very day" - Ezekiel is like a news service. But recording the date before the snail mail arrives will be a confirmation of his prophecies.
• 24:3 "put the pot on the fire" - Ezekiel may be acting this out in real life. Earlier, the exiles compared Jerusalem to a metal pot used to keep meat safe from scavenging animals. Now they will be simmered in that pot during the long siege.
• 24:5 "pile the bones under it" - ESV says pile the logs. But animal bones were and are commonly used as fuel, and the ash used for fertilizer.
  "bones" is feminine plural, which Ezekiel elsewhere always uses to refer to human bones (as in verse 10). "simmer the cuts" - ESV says simmer the bones, but the Hebrew literally says "simmer the cuts". Perhaps the study notes will explain their translation.
• 24:7 "poured it on the bare rock" - in violation of Levitical law, Leviticus 17:13, which required the blood to be poured out on the earth, and covered with dirt. The blood of the people of Jerusalem would not be covered, nor the bodies receive a proper burial. As today, the Babylonians would use a mass grave.
• 24:11,12 Jerusalem refused to be purified, so now it is burned up pot and all.
• 24:15 Ezekiel is told his beloved wife will die. Even a prophets love life is dedicated to God. His loss will be a sign to the exiles.
• 24:21 "the desire of your eyes" - the exiles thought God would never destroy His sanctuary, hence Jerusalem was safe.
  "the sons and daughters you have left" - their loved ones would also perish.
• 24:23 their loss would be so devasting, they would be unable to properly grieve, but waste away in stunned disbelief.