God’s ordering Ezekiel to shave his head and beard were a big deal. The Law forbade men to cut their beards and hair. That had become such a part of their culture that men were never neatly trimmed and certainly not clean-shaven. Recall from II Samuel 10 the humiliation of the men of King David’s delegation to Ammon who were shorn by the Ammonites. This was a time when men of all the area cultures spent a lot of time and effort grooming their hair, as evidenced by the carvings of men with curled hair and beards. Given all of this, why would God have Ezekiel cut off his hair? I believe it accomplished a number of purposes. It was a dramatic attention-getter. It conveyed the humiliation of the nation in their judgment. It demonstrated that God didn’t impose the destruction lightly.
A third of his people dead by famine or plague, a third dead by sword and left to rot, a third scattered to the wind to be pursued with drawn sword. That’s a lot of suffering. Don’t think by His tone that God didn’t care, for He doubtless cared very much. If He allowed His reputation to be diminished with the defeat of His people and destruction of the temple that bore His name, He was willing to suffer loss to correct them with the promised judgment. He demonstrated that willingness further when He came to earth bodily and suffered great torment and humiliation. As much suffering as the object lesson of Ezekiel’s hair represented for the people, God suffered as well. Contemplate that. Almighty God suffers with the sin of His creation, when He could simply reject them. Does that amaze you? Tell Him so! Run to Him in grateful love!
In case you missed it in today’s reading, Ezekiel was carried by God to Jerusalem to witness the sin going on there. His question to the prophet, “Is it a trivial matter?” indicates that the people he saw considered their sin a trivial matter. God didn’t consider it trivial. Is there anything in your life or character that you and God see differently? The example of God’s people given to us in today’s reading encourages us to ask God that question. Listen for His response – expect it with the intention of responding to make any correction indicated when He does. Don’t treat as trivial what He reveals.
In the judgement these Old Testament people suffered for the sin they considered trivial, they ended up moaning in caves because of their sin. One day everyone who persists in seeing his actions and character differently than God sees them, will no longer be able to deny the truth. Why not acknowledge the truth now, make it right with God and seek His help to be saved from sin, rather than wait until judgment leaves you moaning about your sin and the plight to which it has led?