Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Ezekiel’s Silent Sorrow over the Destruction of Jerusalem

¹⁵ Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, ¹⁶ “Son of man, with one blow I’m going to take away from you the person you love the most. But you must not mourn, cry, or let tears run down your face. ¹⁷ Groan silently. Don’t grieve for the person who dies. Tie on your turban, and put on your sandals. Don’t cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat.”

¹⁸ So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I was ordered.

¹⁹ The people asked me, “Tell us, what do these things that you are doing mean to us?”

²⁰ I told them, “The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, ²¹ ‘Tell the nation of Israel, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m going to dishonor my holy place. You brag that my holy place gives you strength. It’s the thing you love the most. It’s your hearts’ desire. So the sons and daughters that you left behind will die in battle. ²² Then you must do as I did. Don’t cover your faces or eat the food that mourners eat. ²³ Leave your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. Don’t grieve or cry! You will waste away because of your guilt and groan to one another. ²⁴ Ezekiel is a sign to you. You will do everything he has done. Then you will know that I am the Almighty Lord.” ’

²⁵ “Son of man, on that day I will take their stronghold away from them. It makes them happy and proud. It is their hearts’ desire and the thing they love the most. I will also take away their sons and daughters. ²⁶ On that day a refugee will come to you to tell you the news. ²⁷ On that very day your mouth will be opened, and you will talk to the refugee. You will speak and not be silent anymore. You will be a sign to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

¹⁵ How can people tell the Good News if no one sends them? As Scripture says, “How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who announce the Good News.” ¹⁶ But not everyone has believed the Good News.

Isaiah asks, “Lord, who has believed our message?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message that is heard is what Christ spoke.

¹⁸ But I ask, “Didn’t they hear that message?” Certainly they did! “The voice of the messengers has gone out into the whole world and their words to the ends of the earth.”

¹⁹ Again I ask, “Didn’t Israel understand ⌞that message⌟?” Moses was the first to say, “I will make you jealous of people who are not a nation. I will make you angry about a nation that doesn’t understand.” ²⁰ Isaiah said very boldly, “I was found by those who weren’t looking for me. I was revealed to those who weren’t asking for me.” ²¹ Then Isaiah said about Israel, “All day long I have stretched out my hands to disobedient and rebellious people.”