We know from Scripture that God sometimes brings sorrow into the lives of His people to bring Glory to Himself and to bring about good for His people.
No better example exists than that of the prophet Ezekiel. He was taken to Babylon early in the captivity of Judah, and he was used by God to prophesy Jerusalem's utter destruction as the judgment of God against Israel's idolatry and bloodshedding. He also glimpsed a beautiful sight of the Savior as God's Shepherd and great King in the future, and the rebuilding of the temple in glorious times to come.
But God required of Ezekiel some very hard things: he was imprisoned, struck dumb several times, and required to lie on his side for more than a year's time to publicly portray God's impending destruction of Israel.
Most tragically, the Lord told Ezekiel that he would take away the delight of his eyes, and that this would be a sign to Israel of the utter destruction of Jerusalem. That afternoon, God struck Ezekiel's wife dead.
God explained that Ezekiel was a sign witness to Israel, so that when His judgment came, they would know that He is the only true God and that judgment came from His hand upon them.
Ezekiel never got to see the results of his sorrow, but God used his life to persuade Israel to abandon idolatry and trust in Him alone.
We believers have received far greater riches of grace than Ezekiel ever dreamt - we have received the full Gospel of Christ, our sins have been atoned for by His sacrifice, and we have the promise of eternal life in glory with Him.
Ezekiel was a sign witness to God's wrath. The Saints today are sign witnesses to God's saving Grace!
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
