crazy commands

i'm in ezekiel now - i started it earlier this week, and already it has some crazy stuff in it.

Today was Ezekiel 4-5.
God tells Ezekiel to draw the city of Jerusalem, and then draw it being seiged. Then He tells him to put an iron pan in between him and the city. After that, He tells him to lie on his side for 390 days bearing the sins of Israel on him. After 390 days was over, Ezekiel was to turn over on the other side (his right side) and lie down for another 40 days, bearing the sins of Judah. God told him that He would tie him up with ropes so that he couldn't turn from one side to the other until the days were up.

THEN God tells him what He should eat and how he should prepare it. Ezekiel gets wheat, barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt (all foods representing a vegetarian diet - meagar provisions for a beseiged city according to my Bible note). For starters - millet and spelt sound awful. He was to eat about 8 ounces of food a day at certain "set times". He was also only allowed about 2/3 quarts of water a day. Now if 2 cups are in 1 pint, and 2 pints are in one quart - He's got less than 4 cups of water a day to drink... and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's hot over there. That's just what Ezekiel got to have - now here's how he had to cook it

Initially, God told him to bake it in front of people, using human excrement as fuel. Why? Because it was to symbolize how Israel would have to eat defiled food when they were driven out because of their sin. Ezekiel told the Lord he had never eaten anything unclean or defiled himself, and the Lord agreed to let him bake his food over cow manure instead (how nice!).

Then God tells Ezekiel in Chapter 5 to shave his head and beard with a sword - and after the days of lying on his side were up, he was to divide the hair up and put it in different places around the city as a symbol of what was to happen with Israel.

I've been amazed at what the Lord has asked and commanded of those who seek Him in the Old Testament.
Abraham to just pack up and move on a promise
Moses, a fugitive who couldn't hardly speak, to return and lead a nation out of slavery
Joshua, to go up against many nations at once in battle with the promise that God would fight for him.
Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea, the list goes on. Crazy things, like marrying a whore and constantly taking her back. Like going up in front of those who want you dead and speaking the word of God, hoping He comes through with the whole "I'll protect you" promise.
but more than that - I'm amazed at their faith. They knew the voice of God and were crazy about Him - so crazy that they did what He asked.
I want that - I can't say I want to lie on my side for over a year and eat barley cooked over cow dung, I don't want that - but I want that kind of faith and wholehearted committment.