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"Defiled bread"

Text: Ezekiel 4:13

EATING DEFILED BREAD

The Jews had very strict dietary laws. Even how food is being prepared is taken into consideration. Ezekiel was astonished at what the LORD had instructed him to do.

“Then the LORD said,
‘So shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles,
where I will drive them.’
So I said,
‘Ah, Lord GOD! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now;
I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts,
nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth.’
Then He said to me,
‘See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste,
and you shall prepare your bread over it.'”
Ezekiel 4:13-15

1. Among the Gentiles.

a) Babylon was one of the Gentile cities.

b) There were other Gentile cities that absorbed the Jewish captives.

c) They were essentially captive-slaves.

2. Eating defiled bread.

a) Ezekiel has to experience the suffering of all the Jewish captives.

b) They would have to eat “defiled bread”.

3. Ezekiel’s candid concern.

a) He had kept himself well from his youth.

b) He had never eaten that which was considered defiled:

i) That which had died by itself.

ii) Animals torn by beasts.

iii) Nor any abominable food.

iv) Ezekiel had kept a strict kosher diet all this while.

4. God’s graciousness.

a) Ezekiel may gather cow dung instead of human waste.

b) Cow dung was used in ancient days as fuel for the fire.

c) He would still need to have a fire to bake his bread.

d) The regular sources of fuel would become scarce because of the siege.

e) It would still be very difficult to obey this word from the LORD.