24-Apr-2025 – He bore our punishment
Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem: And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about – Ezekiel 4:1,2
This is one of the toughest portions of the Bible. The things Ezekiel had to do as a symbol to show what is coming towards the people of Israel, were very hard to do. From this portion also we can understand the wonderful work of God and how he uses people in our life to direct us, admonish us, gather us and lead us again.
And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight – Ezekiel 4:12
From this verse, we can understand that Ezekiel had to do these things infront of them. So, the people will look the strange things Ezekiel is doing and will at least be astonished, some might have asked. But at the end of the day, the whole city will talk about this.
The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest – Ezekiel 1:3
From this we can clearly understand that Ezekiel was the priest. So, whatever he does or says, people will understand that he was talking on-behalf of the God himself. So, the first thing is, God uses the spiritual leaders to convey his message according to the situation. Some times they may convey it directly, sometimes like Ezekiel, via symbols or strange activities, they may convey as per the will of God.
Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity – Ezekiel 4:4
From this portion we can understand that God is counting what kind of things the people of Israel were doing. In this verse we can see that the God is counting the inquities, sinful works committed by the people. Not only that, he prepared his punishment and judgement according to the things done by them.
Now, we are in the New Testament age. This portion is a very good reminder to understand how much we are forgiven. The Israelites were indulging in sinful activities and iniquities for over a 390 years. And God prepared a punishment for them. 390 years represents the life of at least 3 to 4 generations. What about individually then? Our life span itself is of 70 or 80.
All through our life, we are prone to fall, prone to backslide, prone to sin and many a times we will fall also. All the punishment God rightly judged, is decreed and declared for each one us. But that letter was nailed on the cross and the punishment was removed from us.
In Ezekiel’s time, he was only as a symbol he bore the punishment but our Lord Jesus Christ, truly bore our punishment and gave us redemption. This is the most wonderful work of God for us.
Now after being a born again believer also, we are still prone because our flesh is still alive, and it’s influence with world is still alive. But we have the spirit revived to receive from God. Now, when we commit sin, then also it will be counted, but when we confess, repent, and change, that punishment will be nullified by considering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
The key is confessing, repenting and removing it from our life. Then the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, will cleanse us from all uncleanliness and make us holy unto God.
Prayer
Dear loving heavenly Father, thank you for your wonderful love and grace. Thank you for teaching us how the punishment was transferred from us. How you have paved our way of salvation and otherwise what happens with a parallel from the life of Israel during Ezekiel’s time. Help me to set my things right and please you with my life. I pray in the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen!
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