"Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity." (Eze. 4:4)
It is possible at times for prophets or people to forget or lose sense of the gravity of the word as time slips by. They may even fail to see it as they saw it or lose interest. Perhaps, therefore, a sign such as this or a strong symbolic vision or experience could play an important role in reinforcing the memory with God's urgent word. (Cf. Prophetic visions, actions, writings, Ezekiel's signs, Agabus' acts, The Mt.of Transfiguration experience). But, we are told to look into the mirror and not forget what we saw (2Pet.1:19; James 1:22-24).
