If God said that tomorrow he would take away your wife (or someone very close to you) how would you react? This is exactly what God said to Ezekiel in the following passage:

Ezekiel 24
16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

This passage is so amazing to me. Ezekiel was obviously close to his wife and would miss her badly. God said that she was the desire of his eyes. But here following the direct command of God, Ezekiel is willing to allow God to take his wife, and also to not even stop to mourn over her.

We see later in the chapter that the death and Ezekiel’s reaction (or lack thereof) was crucial in getting the attention of the Jewish people although ultimately to no avail, but if God required this of you, would you do it?

Related posts:

1. A Few “What Ifs…” From the Bible
2. Interpreting Scripture