Pam Padgett ... teacher
God instructed Ezekiel in what to do to show the people the things that
would come upon them because of their iniquities. One of the things
Ezekiel was to do was to make barley cakes and bake them with dung from
man, showing that the children of Israel would eat defiled bread among the Gentiles ...
Ezekiel 4:9
Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles,
and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread
thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon
thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. 10 And
thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a
day:from time to time shalt thou eat it. 11 Thou shalt drink also water
by measure, the sixth part of an hin:from time to time shalt thou drink.
12 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with
dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. 13 And the Lord said, Even
thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the
Gentiles, whither I will drive them.
When Ezekiel heard that he was to bake the cakes with dung from man, he
cried out to God because he had never polluted himself by such things
before. God heard his cry, and gave him cow's dung to use in baking the
bread ...
Ezekiel 4:14
Then said I, Ah Lord God! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for
from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of
itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into
my mouth. 15 Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for
man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
As I read this account of Ezekiel crying out to God, not wanting to
pollute himself, I was reminded of Peter crying out to God when he saw all
manner of common and unclean animals and was told to kill and eat of them.
An
angel had been sent to Cornelius, a centurion in Caesarea, and told him
to send men to bring Peter from Joppa. As the men Cornelius sent were nearing Joppa, Peter was given a vision ...
Acts 10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew
nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the
sixth hour: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten:but while
they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a
certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at
the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner
of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things,
and fowls of the air.
Acts 10:13
And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter
said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or
unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God
hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and
the vessel was received up again into heaven. 17 Now while Peter doubted
in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the
men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house,
and stood before the gate, 18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which
was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 19 While Peter thought on the
vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise
therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I
have sent them.
When Peter came to Cornelius, Peter told him
that although it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with those of
other nations, God had shewed him to call no man common or unclean ...
Acts 10:27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many
that were come together. 28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it
is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come
unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not
call any man common or unclean.
As Peter taught those gathered together about Jesus, the Holy Ghost fell on them, and they were baptized ...
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost
fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision
which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that
on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For
they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered
Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized,
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded
them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to
tarry certain days.
Both Ezekiel and Peter were concerned about defiling themselves in the
sight of God and cried out to God, and God answered them. For Ezekiel, he was given cows dung
for baking instead of human dung. For Peter, God used the vision to show Peter to go and preach the gospel to the Gentiles, something
Peter otherwise would not have considered doing since the Jews were not
to keep company with those of other nations.
As they cried out to God, God helped them move forward
according to HIS will. They didn't try to work out their concerns by
their own minds; they turned to God, trusting God to help them do what was right in HIS sight.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.