Ezekiel

Ezekiel 4: God warns of bread taken away

Begin in prayer

Before seeing Ezekiel's acted warning, let us ask God to help us face the seriousness of sin. Seek His help to listen with calm hearts, His nearness to our family and a clear sight of Christ in Ezekiel 4.

However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly.

Nehemiah 9:33

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Help us understand Your judgment and see why we need the saving mercy of Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

God commands Ezekiel to draw Jerusalem on a tile and act out a siege against it. He must lie on his left side for 390 days for Israel, then on his right for forty days for Judah. Each day represents a year of their iniquity. His weighed food and measured water show coming hunger and thirst. God permits cow's dung as baking fuel after Ezekiel objects to using human dung. The LORD will take away Jerusalem's bread, leaving its people fearful and wasting away in their sin.

As you read Ezekiel 4, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God will judge Jerusalem's sin and take away its bread.

God commands Ezekiel to act out the siege of Jerusalem before the people. The city on a tile, surrounded by siege works, makes the threatened attack plain to see. His days lying on each side bear the iniquity of Israel and Judah, with each day standing for a year. Measured food and water show the shortage the city will suffer under God's judgment. Ezekiel must bake bread using dung as fuel, a sign of Israel eating unclean bread among nations where God will drive them. When he objects that he has never eaten defiled food, God allows cow's dung instead of human dung. God will break Jerusalem's staff of bread, taking away the food that supports life. Fear, thirst and wasting away will come because of the people's sin.

How does Ezekiel 4 show us that God will judge Jerusalem's sin and take away its bread?

God makes His warning plain to see.

Ezekiel must draw Jerusalem on a tile and set siege works against it (verses 1 to 3). The iron pan stands between him and the city. God names this acted warning as a sign to Israel.

God counts the years of His people's sin.

Ezekiel must lie on his left side for Israel, then on his right side for Judah (verses 4 to 8). Each day stands for a year of their iniquity. God appoints these days and puts ropes on His prophet to complete the sign.

God will take away Jerusalem's daily bread.

The prophet must weigh his bread and measure his water (verses 9 to 17). These small portions show the coming shortage. God will take away Jerusalem's bread, and the people will waste away in their sin.

Memorize

Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 4:16

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what sin am I treating lightly, and have I asked Jesus to forgive me?

Ezekiel hears God say, “I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem.” The bread that keeps people alive will become scarce under His judgment. Ezekiel's actions leave no room to treat sin as a small matter. The Lord who gives daily food has authority to take it away.

We need more than a full table to be safe before Him. We need a Savior from sin and judgment. Jesus offered Himself for His people, bearing the penalty they owed to God. Through His death He finished their salvation, and that work fully meets their need. He rose to life again, having conquered death.

Please repent and trust Jesus, rather than resting in the comforts you can see. Come to Him, for He promises forgiveness to repentant sinners. Ask for His mercy as you thank Him for daily bread. The warning about Jerusalem calls us to take God's word seriously today.

Parent's note

Tell your children that Ezekiel's actions show God's judgment against sin, and Jesus died and rose to save sinners from judgment. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for warning us through His Word, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Don’t grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you won’t be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door.

James 5:9

Father, thank You for daily bread and for Your warning about sin. Forgive us for treating Your commands lightly, and help each one turn from sin and trust Jesus. Please teach us to receive Your gifts with thanks and obey Your Word this week. Amen.