The Silent Treatment

In the twelfth chapter of Ezekiel we see God using Ezekiel to warn Judah about their coming captivity. Although it is a story directly related to Judah and the judgement God brought upon them for their disobedience, there is also a lesson we can learn from Ezekiel’s obedience to God’s instructions.

“And I did as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for an exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight. In the morning, the word of the LORD came to me,” (Ezekiel 12:7-8)

Ezekiel had been given instructions from God to pack up his bags as an exile would when fleeing his country. Nothing fancy, but a few items that would enable one to flee and still survive. He was then told to take that baggage out during the day in the sight of the people. This was not a hidden act of obedience. It was to be in full sight of those in the neighborhood. He was then to go out in the evening, taking his baggage as though going into exile and dig a hole in the wall. After completing it, he was to take his baggage and go through the hole. At dusk he was to take the baggage and hoist it onto his shoulder and carry it out. Again, this was to be done in the sight of the people and not some hidden act.

From outward appearances, what Ezekiel was told to do didn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense. Was he leaving? Was he himself going into some unexplained and undeserved exile? What are the neighbors going to think? He may not have understood what God’s purpose was, but he obeyed nonetheless. He listened to God’s command and did what he was told, not questioning why he was doing it.

After digging the hole in the wall and walking out with his baggage, it would appear that he spent the night there. There is no mention that he and God discussed what he was doing or what was going to happen. A night with no further instruction or illumination. A night of silence. He might have thought, “Did I really hear God tell me to do this? What was the purpose? All I see is a hole in the wall. I’ve got my bags packed with nowhere to go and now, here I sit. I’ve done what He asked, now what?”

It may have been a long night for Ezekiel. Did he stay up wondering what the next step was? Did he wonder if there was going to BE a next step or was this it? Did he finally go to sleep out of sheer exhaustion or did he sleep peacefully, knowing that he had obeyed God’s instructions and that is all that mattered? Scripture doesn’t give us those details. No matter what happened during the night, what is important is what happened the next morning.

After a night of silence, God once again spoke to Ezekiel: “In the morning the word of the LORD came to me…” After a night of silence, God spoke. Are we willing to obey God even if it means we may not understand? Are we willing to do what God instructs us, even if it means moments of waiting, moments of silence from Him? If we are willing to obey God, we will hear from Him again. Are we obedient enough to wait through the silence? God will speak…are we ready to listen?