THE NINTH YEAR: Cp date also, Zec 8:19. The time of the
siege: cp also 2Ki 25:1; Jer 39:1; 52:4.
Eze 24:13
BECAUSE I TRIED TO CLEANSE YOU BUT YOU WOULD NOT BE
CLEANSED FROM YOUR IMPURITY, YOU WILL NOT BE CLEAN AGAIN UNTIL MY WRATH AGAINST
YOU HAS SUBSIDED: What a lesson. We must never ignore God's willingness to
purge us and make us righteous. It is our choice. Let us make the right one: Isa
5:4-6, 2Co 7:1; Mat 23:37,38. By the time we reach the state of Rev 22:11, it
will be too late.
Eze 24:16
The untimely death of Ezekiel's wife marks the tragedy of the
destruction of the temple. Israel had a desire to the temple like Ezekiel had
for his wife -- though it is clear that Israel did not have a love for the
temple. It was just a symbol to them.
The fact that Ezekiel was forbidden to mourn demonstrated to
Israel that Yahweh was not mourning for the destruction of the temple and the
taking captive of His people (v 21). Such was their depravity that the "throne
of the Lord" was no longer as important to Him as the reproof of His
people.
Eze 24:18
Vv 18,19: "Ezekiel's wife died. His heart was bleeding; but he
received orders from his divine Master that he should not mourn, nor weep, nor
make any sign of mourning whatever. It was a strange command, but he obeyed it.
The people understood that Ezekiel was a prophet to them in all that he did; his
actions did not concern himself alone. He was a teacher, not only by his words,
but by his acts; so the people gathered round him, and said to him, 'What is the
meaning of this? It has some bearing upon our conduct; tell us what it has to do
with us.' He soon explained to them that, before long, they also would lose by
sword, and pestilence, and famine, the dearest that they had, and they would not
be able to have any mourning for the dead. They would be themselves in such a
state of distress that the dead would die unlamented, the living having enough
to do to mourn over their own personal sorrows. It was a terrible lesson, and it
was terribly taught" (CHS).