Ezekiel 12:7-11: a reflection

7I did so as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for moving, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought it out in the dark, and bore it on my shoulder in their sight. 8In the morning, the LORD’s word came to me, saying, 9“Son of man, hasn’t the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10“Say to them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.”’ 11“Say, ‘I am your sign. As I have done, so will it be done to them. They will go into exile, into captivity.

God commands the prophet Ezekiel to act out a message: to pack his belongings as for exile, and to carry them out through a hole dug in the wall, in the sight of the people. When they ask what he is doing, he is to explain: I am your sign; as I have done, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile. Ezekiel's own actions, his very life, became the message; he preached not only with words but by what he did, embodying the warning God gave. I am your sign, he says: his life itself carried the message.

Notice how Ezekiel's life itself became the message: I am your sign. God did not give the message only in words; he had Ezekiel embody it, act it out, so that his very actions preached. Ezekiel was himself the sign, the message made visible in a life. What he did, not only what he said, carried God's word to the people. His life was the sermon; he preached by what he was and did, and not by words alone.

That is worth taking to heart, for our lives too are a kind of message to those around us, preaching by what we do and are. We can think that our witness to God is only a matter of words, of what we say; but Ezekiel was himself a sign, and our lives too speak, preaching by our actions, our conduct, what we are, not only by our words. What you do, and what you are, is a message to those who watch, as Ezekiel's actions were a message to Israel. Remember that your life itself is a kind of sign to those around you, preaching by your conduct and character, not only by your words; let your life, then, speak truly of God, embodying what you profess, as Ezekiel's life embodied the word God gave him. Be mindful that you preach by what you do and are, not only by what you say, and let your life be a sign that points others truly to God.

Lord, you commanded the prophet Ezekiel to act out a message: to pack his belongings as for exile, and carry them out through a hole dug in the wall, in the sight of the people. When they asked what he was doing, he was to explain: I am your sign; as I have done, so will it be done to them. Ezekiel's own actions, his very life, became the message; he preached not only with words but by what he did. I am your sign, he says: his life itself carried the message. Show me how Ezekiel's life itself became the message. You did not give the message only in words; you had Ezekiel embody it, act it out, so that his very actions preached. What he did, not only what he said, carried your word. His life was the sermon. Take that to my heart, for my life too is a kind of message to those around me, preaching by what I do and am. I can think that my witness to you is only a matter of words; but Ezekiel was himself a sign, and my life too speaks, preaching by my actions, my conduct, what I am, not only by my words. What I do, and what I am, is a message to those who watch. Help me remember that my life itself is a kind of sign to those around me, preaching by my conduct and character, not only by my words. Let my life, then, speak truly of you, Lord, embodying what I profess, as Ezekiel's life embodied the word you gave him. Help me be a sign that points others truly to you.