| Church School Lesson: The Medium Is The Message |
"The Medium Is The Message"
November 16, 2025
Background: Ezekiel 1:1-3; 2:1-3:27; 8:1-4; 11:22-25;24:15-24; 33:30-33; Print: Ezekiel 3:10-11; 24:15-24, 27;
Key Verse: Ezekiel 3:10; Devotional: 2 Corinthians 1:2-6
Ezekiel 3:10-11 (ESV)
10 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.
11 And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”
3:10-15 Now it was time for Ezekiel to be returned to the place where his ministry would begin, and it was quite a ride. He had started out among the exiles . . . by the Chebar Canal (3:15; see 1:1), and—don’t miss this—the Spirit . . . lifted him up to take him back there (3:12). But suddenly he heard a loud rumbling sound and found himself being transported on God’s chariot-throne by the four cherubim and the wheels (3:13).
Ezekiel 24:15-24 (ESV)
15 The word of the LORD came to me:
16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down.
17 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.
19 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?”
20 Then I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me:
21 ‘Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.
22 And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.
23 Your turbans shall be on your heads and your shoes on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but you shall rot away in your iniquities and groan to one another.
24 Thus shall Ezekiel be to you a sign; according to all that he has done you shall do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’
Ezekiel 24:27 (ESV)
27 On that day your mouth will be opened to the fugitive, and you shall speak and be no longer mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”
Ezekiel Chapters 3 and 24 (Commentary)
3:10-15 Now it was time for Ezekiel to be returned to the place where his ministry would begin, and it was quite a ride. He had started out among the exiles . . . by the Chebar Canal (3:15; see 1:1), and—don’t miss this—the Spirit . . . lifted him up to take him back there (3:12). But suddenly he heard a loud rumbling sound and found himself being transported on God’s chariot-throne by the four cherubim and the wheels (3:13).
24:15-19 Ezekiel had delivered his distressing message again and again, but now it would take a heartbreaking turn for him. The Lord was taking away his wife, the delight of his eyes, and forbidding him to lament or weep or let his tears flow at her death (24:16-17). It was a hard command, and Ezekiel had little time to prepare for the blow. That may be why the people were especially surprised at Ezekiel’s lack of outward mourning and wanted to know what it meant—sensing it was a prophetic message to them (23:18-19).
24:20-27 Ezekiel obliged them with a word from God. The prophet’s message was of overwhelming loss for his fellow exiles, who were about to lose their beloved city and many loved ones when Jerusalem was destroyed and her people slaughtered. But the exiles, like Ezekiel, would be unable to grieve because of the draining effect of God’s judgment (23:20-24). Once again, Ezek-iel stated the purpose of God’s judgment: When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord God (24:24). And when the news of the disaster came, Ezekiel’s mouth would be opened to talk with the messenger (24:27), since he had previously been forbidden to speak except what God told him to say (see 3:25-27).