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BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday August 16, 2015

THE DIVISIONS OF THE LAND

(Special offerings and celebrations)

Ezekiel 45-46

In Ezekiel 45, verses 1-7, the LORD tells Ezekiel that when the Israelites divide the land after their return from Babylon, they must first set aside a section for HIM as HIS holy portion. This piece of land must measure 8 1/3 miles long and 6 2/3 miles wide. A section of this land measuring 875 feet square was to be set aside for the Temple itself, with an additional strip of land 87 ½ feet wide left empty all the way around the Temple area (Vs.1-2).

Within this sacred plot of land, GOD instructed HIS prophet that there will be measured out, a strip of land 8 1/3 miles long and 3 1/3 miles wide, and within it, is where the Most Holy Place will be located. It is there that the holy priests will minister to the LORD in the sanctuary (Vs.3-4a). The priests will use this space for their homes, and the Temple will be located there also (v.4b).

The remaining strip of land next to the priests and the Temple (8 1/3 miles long and 3 1/3 miles wide) would be used as a living area for the Levites who worked in the Temple. They were to build their towns and villages there. Adjacent to the larger sacred area of land will be a somewhat smaller strip of land, 8 1/3 miles long and 1 1/3 miles wide where anyone in Israel can come to live (Vs.5-6).

And then there would be two special sections of land set apart for the prince. One of those sections will share a border with the east side of the sacred land and city, and the other section would share a border with the west side. Therefore, this strip of land would extend along the east side of the Jordan River, and on the west side of the Mediterranean Sea (Vs.7-8).

In verses 9-12 GOD uses “the offerings of HIS future promised blessings” to inspire, or exhort the coming princes, or leaders of Israel to repentance. The civil leaders of Israel’s pre-exilic days, because of their out-of-control greed and selfishness, had recklessly disregarded and ignored the rights of the common people that they were sworn to protect. Here in these verses we see these rules being set for the civil leaders to abide by, coming from the mind of GOD, and the mouth of Ezekiel;

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land. Stop expelling them from their homes, says the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁰ Use only honest weights and scales and honest measures, both dry and liquid. ¹¹ The homer will be your standard unit for measuring volume. The ephah and the bath will each measure one-tenth of a homer. ¹² The standard unit for weight will be the silver shekel. One shekel will consist of twenty gerahs, and sixty shekels will be equal to one mina.” (NLT)

Weights used in the Old Testament times varied somewhat, and oftentimes people used those variations to cheat their fellowman. Here GOD is admonishing the leaders to incorporate and use a more consistent way of measuring in the marketplace and elsewhere.

In verses 13-25 we see attention being given to “special offerings” and “celebrations”, starting with those offerings of the people that are presented to GOD by the princes, or civil leaders of Israel (Vs.13-17). Here the LORD sets aside a tax to be paid to the civil leader. These taxes would represent the various offerings that will be used to make atonement for the people who bring them, and those people are told to join the civil leader when he brings their offering. The civil leader would be required to provide all of the various offerings that were given at the various required festivals, and at the Sabbath days.

In the early spring, on the first day of each year, Nissan 1 (mid-April on Gregorian calendar), the sanctuary had to be purified. This day called for the sacrificing of a young bull with no physical defects as a “sin offering”, and perhaps represented a “Day of Atonement”, much like the one traditionally observed during the seventh month of the year (Leviticus 23:26-32). On this occasion the priest would take the blood from the bull and put it on the doorposts of the Temple, the four corners of the upper ledge on the altar, and, on the gateposts at the entrance to the inner courtyard. This was also done on the seventh day of the new year, for anyone who had sinned unintentionally through error, or ignorance (Vs.18-20).

On the fourteenth day of the new year the Passover was celebrated in all of Israel. The Passover would last for seven days, and during that time, only bread without yeast could be eaten. On the first day of the Passover the prince would provide a young bull as a sin offering for himself and the people of Israel (Vs.21-22). Every day, for the duration of the Passover feast, the prince would also prepare a burnt offering to the LORD. This daily offering required seven young bulls, and seven rams free of any defects, along with a provision of a half bushel of flour for a grain offering, and a gallon of olive oil with each bull and ram. It also required the sacrifice of a male goat each day as a sin offering (Vs.23-24).

And finally, during the seven days of the third festival, the “Festival of the Tabernacle”, or “Festival of Shelters”, which begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month each year (early autumn), the prince will provide the same sacrifices for the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the grain offering for himself and the people.

In Ezekiel 46, after instructing Israel on the religious feasts that are required by GOD, Ezekiel now informs GOD’s people on what GOD expects from them regarding their daily worship, and regarding keeping HIS regulations for the Sabbath Days and New Moon sacrifices. He begins by instructing the people that the east gateway of the inner wall must be kept closed during the six workdays each week. It was only to be opened on Sabbath Days, and those days of the New Moon offerings (v.1). On those days, the prince will enter the foyer of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the gatepost while the priests offer his burnt offerings and peace offerings up to the LORD. The details of those offerings are highlighted in verses 4-7. The civil leader (the prince) will worship inside the gateway passage and then go back out the same way he came in, and the gateway will remain open until the evening. Meanwhile, the common people will worship the LORD in front of the gateway on those Sabbath days, and days of New Moon offerings (Vs.2-7).

In verses 8-10, the LORD lays out the orderly way in which everyone will “enter” and “exit” the Temple. There was no entrance to the Temple on the west side, and the east gate was permanently restricted to everyone except the prince. Thus access and exits for the common people would be on the north and south sides of the Temple. Those who came in through the north gateway would have to exit through the south gateway, and those who entered through the south gateway would have to exit through the north gateway. And the prince could only enter and exit through the east gateway at all times. Unlike on Sabbath Days and New Moon Days, when the east gateway will remain open until the evening, on the days of special religious festivals, the east gateway will be closed immediately after the prince leaves. If the prince decides to give a “freewill offering” to the LORD, the east gateway will be opened for him (v.12).

In verses 16-18 the LORD says that; “If the prince gives a gift of land to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to him and his descendants forever. ¹⁷ But if the prince gives a gift of land from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it only until the Year of Jubilee, which comes every fiftieth year. At that time the land will return to the prince. But when the prince gives gifts to his sons, those gifts will be permanent. ¹⁸ And the prince may never take anyone’s property by force. If he gives property to his sons, it must be from his own land, for I do not want any of my people unjustly evicted from their property.”

The “Jubilee Year” comes once every fifty years and “goodwill gifts” are governed by those years for gifts that are given to servants. The Jubilee Year also affects the ownership of property that is sold to non-relatives, because every fifty years property that was sold to non-family members would have to revert back to the original owner (Leviticus 25:10-13). Land that was sold or given to family members would remain permanently with the buyer or beneficiary, and does not have to be returned to the original owner in the Jubilee Year. 

In verses 19-24 the “Temple Kitchens” where the sacrifices are prepared are addressed. In this passage the angelic being brings Ezekiel to the entrance of the north gateway and led him to the sacred rooms of the priests. He then showed Ezekiel a place at the extreme west end of their quarters. He explained to the prophet that this was where the priests cooked the meat from the guilt offerings and sin offerings, and bakes the flour from the grain offerings into bread. The cooking was done there to keep from having to carry the sacrifices through the outer courtyard where the general public was permitted to go.

Afterwards, he brought Ezekiel back to the outer courtyard and led him to each of the four corners of the area. In each corner there was an enclosure that measured 70 feet long and 52 ½ feet wide, surrounded by walls. All along the walls were fireplaces situated under a ledge of stone. These were the kitchens that were used by the Temple servants and assistants to boil the meat sacrifices offered by the people of Israel. When the people offered “fellowship offerings” to the LORD, they would be able to eat part of those offerings in a fellowship meal with other parishioners, as well as with the widows, orphans, and others who were in need of food provisions.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday July 26, 2015

THE LORD’S GLORY RETURNS

(The Temple ministries)

Ezekiel 43-44

In Ezekiel chapters 8-11 Ezekiel described how GOD’s glory left the Temple that King Solomon had constructed. HIS withdrawal symbolized HIS temporary removal of protection from the city of Jerusalem, and, from the Israelite people in general. Here in Ezekiel 43, the angelic being in Ezekiel’s vision brings him back around to the East Gateway of the Temple area. It is there that the glory of the LORD suddenly appears before Ezekiel just at it had before at the Kebar River, and also when GOD came to destroy Jerusalem. The sounds of HIS coming were like the roar of rushing water, and the whole landscape shone brightly when HE arrived, coming in through the east gateway of the temple (Vs.1-4).

Then the HOLY SPIRIT took Ezekiel into the inner courtyard as the glory of the LORD then filled the Temple itself. As the angelic being who was assigned to measure the temple area stood beside Ezekiel, a voice spoke to Ezekiel from inside the Temple saying;

“Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.  They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger.  Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever” (Vs.7-9) (NLT).

And so GOD would conditionally bring HIS divine glory back into the Temple in Jerusalem after the exiles returned, and reside there once again among HIS people. However, in verses 10-12, GOD tells Ezekiel to describe the Temple plans, that, HE had shown him, to the people of Israel, and, to do it in such a way that, it would bring to remembrance, the shame of all of their past sins. GOD wanted the people to feel the shame for all of the profane things that they had done in the old Temple, and let it be a deterrent from re-visiting those same old trespasses again, after they begin to assemble again in the new Temple. And only if the people repent of their past behavior, was he to describe the specifications of the construction of the new Temple.

GOD wanted HIS people to be able to see HIS grace through HIS promise of restoration, and be led to repent. Here HE stressed one basic primary law of the new Temple that must be adhered to at all times, and that is; ABSOLUTE HOLINESS! In fact, GOD says that the entire top of the hill where the Temple is built will be holy! And the Temple itself must be adorned with holiness, not human ideals and ingenuity.

Ezekiel was allowed by GOD to see the same glory that had once adorned the Temple of old in Jerusalem. Now GOD, would be coming back to Jerusalem, and resting in a rebuilt glorified physical edifice, where HE would also restore the Israelites relationship of friendship with HIM, and fulfill the covenant that HE had made with Abraham.

As Ezekiel’s prophecies continue to waver back and forward between pre-exilic, post exilic, and eschatological times, here in the passage of Ezekiel 43, verses 13-27, we find perhaps one of the more stronger arguments that the prophet’s foretelling of the coming post-exilic Temple may not be descriptions of a yet to come future eschatological restoration of Israel. Beginning in verse 13 of this chapter, we see the detailed description of plans for a sacrificial altar to be built in the new Temple.

Here we can see that there is a theologically based problem with this being an eschatological reference, instead of a post-exilic one, since CHRIST JESUS is the once-and-for-all-time sacrifice that won us our salvation. Therefore, this passage begs the question, Why will we need a sacrificial altar in the “Millennial Kingdom Temple? And the answer is that, we won’t. Here in this passage Ezekiel is clearly prophesying of the Temple that was built by the exiles who would return to Israel from Babylon.

In the Millennial Kingdom Temple there will be no need for a sacrifice altar or Levitical priests of the family of Zadok to minister before the LORD on behalf of the people for their sin because there will be no sinning in the Millennial times here on earth under the direct rule of CHRIST. GOD will have already cleansed us of our sin nature and filth and we will only have the desire to live like CHRIST (Ezekiel 36:26-29). There will be no sinful desires in the Millennial Kingdom as satan, sin, and death will be locked away for a thousand years.

In Ezekiel 44, when the angelic being brought Ezekiel back to the East Gateway in the outer wall, the prophet saw that it was closed. Then the LORD said to him,

“This gate must remain closed; it will never again be opened. No man will ever pass through it, for the LORD, the GOD of Israel, entered here. Thus, it must always remain shut. Only the prince himself may sit inside this gateway to feast in the LORD’s presence, but HE may come and go only through the gateway’s foyer” (Vs.2-3) (NLT).  

The east gate of the outer courtyard opened toward the Kidron valley, (where Ahithophel betrayed David, and, where Judas Iscariot betrayed JESUS) and the Mount of Olives. Ezekiel had seen the glory of the LORD enter into the Temple through that gate earlier, and HIS entry had now hallowed that gate and left it restricted from human usage. Only the prince (including JESUS, the prince of man and GOD) of the linage of King David will ever be able to enter in through the east gate, otherwise, it will never be opened again.

After hearing this, the angelic being led Ezekiel in through the north gate (the side that the priest’s rooms faced) to the front of the Temple where he then saw the glory of the LORD as it filled the Temple, and he fell to his knees with his face to the ground, in reverence to GOD’s presence (v.4).

In verses 5-9, the LORD says to Ezekiel;

“Son of man, take careful notice. Use your eyes and ears, and listen to everything I tell you about the regulations concerning the Lord’s Temple. Take careful note of the procedures for using the Temple’s entrances and exits.  And give these rebels, the people of Israel, this message from the Sovereign Lord: O people of Israel, enough of your detestable sins!  You have brought uncircumcised foreigners into my sanctuary—people who have no heart for God. In this way, you defiled my Temple even as you offered me my food, the fat and blood of sacrifices. In addition to all your other detestable sins, you have broken my covenant.  Instead of safeguarding my sacred rituals, you have hired foreigners to take charge of my sanctuary.

“So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigners, including those who live among the people of Israel, will enter my sanctuary if they have not been circumcised and have not surrendered themselves to the Lord”.

Here GOD is demanding “absolute holiness” from his people, the people who call themselves by HIS name, and in today’s society, that means “Christians”. The only way that man can be holy is by closely adhering to the Word, wisdom, and directives of GOD at all times. Man has already proven that he will not adhere to GOD’s holy standards when given a chance to administer his own human ingenuity into GOD’s program in the Church.

We must turn from the practice of allowing people to minister in the Temple, who do not exhibit through their behavior, that they really have a heart for GOD (v.7). There is to be no hiring of people to work on staff who are not firmly rooted in the word of GOD, and who have not first proven themselves by testing, to be free of worldly ideas that can be used to profane the Temple.

Only those who have experienced a “spiritual circumcision” of the heart, and exhibits such through their behavior at all times, may be able to minister in the Temple. This is something that Ezra, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, and the returning exiles heavily stressed when they began to put GOD’s plan that was given to Ezekiel, into practice (Ezra 4:1-3, Nehemiah 13:1-9).

In verses 10-16 GOD identifies the Levites who were eligible to minister before HIM in the new Temple at Jerusalem. The men of the tribe of Levi, who abandoned GOD and caused Israel to stray away to foreign gods and idol worship, would not be able to minister as priests (in a spiritual capacity) in the new Temple (v.10). However, they could be used (in a physical capacity) as Temple guards and gatemen, and, they may also be allowed to slaughter the animals that are brought to the Temple for sacrifices, and assist the people in minor areas (v.11). They were not allowed to touch any of the holy things, or holy offerings so that they might bear the shame of their sins against GOD. They were to serve only as Temple caretakers relegated to doing maintenance work, and helping people in a general way (Vs.12-14).

The Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, on the other hand, who had continued to minister faithfully in the pre-exilic Temple while all the other priests fell into sin, would be the only men who could serve as GOD’s ministers in the post-exilic Temple. They alone, would be able to stand in GOD’s presence and offer sacrifices and fulfill all of HIS requirements (Vs.15-16).

For those priests of the family of Zadok, who were to minister in GOD’s presence, there were special clothing and dressing requirements that needed to be adhered to. For instance, when they entered into the gateway to the inner courtyard, they had to wear only linen clothing. They could wear no wool garments while on duty in the inner courtyard, or the Temple itself. They also had to wear linen undergarments and turbans, and could wear nothing that would make them perspire (Vs.17-18).

Those clothes that were worn while ministering to GOD could not be worn outside the inner courtyard where the general public might gather. Those garments must be left in the sacred rooms that were provided for the priests. This would help the people to understand the importance of distinguishing between that which is holy, and that which is common, and to not confuse the two (v.19).

In verses 20, we see the regulations GOD set for the way priests can wear their hair, it can neither be too long, nor could it be shaved off completely, but it must be trimmed on a regular basis. The priests must never drink wine before entering the courtyard to serve the LORD (v.21), GOD wants HIS ministers to operate only under the influence of the HOLY SPIRIT while in HIS service.

In verses 22-23 we see the restrictions GOD places on priests who desire to be married. First of all they must choose their wives only from the virgins of Israel, or from the widows of the priests. They cannot marry widows of non-priests, or divorced women period.

Included among the duties of the priests, are that they must act as judge to resolve disagreements between the followers of GOD, using GOD’s regulations and directives as their guide (v.24a). The priests themselves must also be careful to obey all of GOD’s instructions and laws concerning all of the sacred GOD-appointed festivals, and to see to it that the Sabbath Days are set apart, and kept apart as holy for all time (v.24b).

Regarding priests being in the presence of the dead, they are restricted to only close family members such as their father, mother, child, brother, or unmarried sister (v.25), however, even after these occurrences, he must be ritually cleansed and satisfy a seven-day waiting period before he can come to the Temple to minister again, and at that time, he must offer up a sin offering for himself (Vs.26-27).

Finally we see that priest can own no property, as GOD is his only inheritance (v.28). All of their food will come from the tithes and offerings of the people (v.29). The first of all the offerings that are set apart for GOD will belong to the priests. And finally in verse 31 we see the meat restrictions that are applied by GOD to those who minister before HIM in the Temple. The priest must never eat the meat of strangled birds and animals, birds and animals that die of natural causes, or birds and animals that die after being attacked by other animals.

  

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

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BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

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BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday July 12, 2015

THE INNER COURTYARD AND TEMPLE

(Rooms for the priests)

Ezekiel 41-42

In Ezekiel 41 the plans for the post-exilic inner courtyard and Temple continues (from 40:47-49). There Ezekiel had stood in the inner courtyard and looked toward the Temple building itself. Afterwards, the angelic being brought Ezekiel into the Holy Place, the large main room of the Temple, where he measured the columns that framed the doorway. However, in verse 3 we notice that when the angelic being went into the “inner room”, the holiest of the Holy Place to measure it, he went in alone, leaving Ezekiel in the outer room. In Jewish tradition, and according to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 16), only one priest could enter the “Most Holy Place”, and then, only once a year to offer sacrifices for sin.

After measuring the 35 feet square inner room of the Holy Place, the angelic being measured the Temple wall finding it to be 10 ½ feet thick. There was a row of storage rooms for “tithe offerings” along the outside wall, each room 7 feet wide. These rooms were built in three levels, one above the other, with 30 rooms on each level, and each level being wider than the one below it. This corresponded to the narrowing of the Temple wall as it rose up higher, and probably symbolized GOD’s restricting man’s access into HIS presence until JESUS came to render us direct access to the FATHER. There was also a stairway that led from the bottom level to the top level.

In verses 12-15 we see the size of the “Temple proper”, its courtyards, and a large building situated to the west of the Temple. In verses 16-20 we see that the Holy Place, the Most Holy Place, and the foyer were all paneled with wood. All the walls were decorated with carvings of cherubim, each with two faces, and with palm tree carvings between each of the cherubim. These decorations symbolized GOD’s protection and peace (the cherubim), and GOD’s fruitfulness, and blessings (the palm trees).

These decorations are also in sharp contrast to the “witchcraft carvings” of the snakes, lizards, and detestable things that were found on the walls of “the secret room of the priests” in the old pre-exilic, defiled Temple, that GOD destroyed in Jerusalem with Nebuchadnezzar’s army in 586 B.C. (Ezekiel 8:9-10).  

In Ezekiel 42, taking up at verse 1, the angelic being leads Ezekiel out of the Temple Courtyard by way of the North Gateway. Upon entering the north courtyard they came to a group of rooms that were situated against the north wall of the inner courtyard. The group of structures measured 175 feet long and 87 ½ feet wide.

One block of rooms overlooked the inner courtyard, and another block of rooms faced the outer courtyard. The two blocks of rooms were separated by a 17 ½ feet walkway that extended the entire 175 feet length of the complex, and all of the doors to the rooms faced north (the direction of GOD). There were three levels of these rooms, and each of the rooms on the upper levels were narrower than the rooms beneath them, allowing for a walkway in front of them for access. There was also two identical blocks of rooms on the south side of the inner courtyard between the Temple and the outer courtyard.

The angelic being told Ezekiel that these rooms are holy, and are there for the priests who offer up sacrifices to the LORD to eat the most holy offerings, and, to store up the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings from the people (v.13). When the priests left the Holy Place, they were not allowed to go directly to the outer courtyard, or the common part of the Temple until they had, first, removed the “holy garments” that were worn during ministering. They had to put on other clothing before entering any part of the building complex that was open to the public (v.14). The total size of the area was 875 feet on both the north, and the south side, (a total of 765,625 square feet of space) with a wall continuing all the way around, separating the Holy Place from the common section of the Temple (Vs.15-20).

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander  

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

            Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                                 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website

Clinton Family Portrait - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday June 21, 2015

THE SLAUGHTER OF GOG’S ARMY

(Plans for the new Temple area)

Ezekiel 39-40

In Ezekiel 38 GOD tells Ezekiel to prophesy against Gog (the chief prince), the ruler of Meshech and Tubal (Magog), two nations that were located in the area of present-day Russia, and all of her allies. Here the LORD says to tell Gog that after HE has driven him to attack Israel, HE will then cause him and his multi-national army to be defeated and slaughtered by the Israelites in the mountains of Judah (Vs.1-5).

In addition, the LORD says HE will make the hordes of their dead bodies (men and animals), a feast for vultures and wild animals to devour. This direct supernatural intervention by GOD is intended by HIM to both, prove HIS role as the sovereign judge of the universe, and, to show HIS faithfulness to the ancient covenant promise that was given to HIS servant Abraham (Vs.6-8).

GOD will also punish the homeland of those nations who invade Israel, with a devastating military destruction, and those who think they live in safety at home, will be destroyed all the way to the coastlands. And so Magog, the nation who brainstorms the invasion of Judah, will herself be destroyed in the end, along with all of her allies. Through all of this, the Israelites, and all the nations of the world will come to know that GOD is holy, and will not tolerate the profaneness of their sins.

After the destruction of the multi-national army, the people of Israel would walk around and gather up the massive amount of weapons that were once used by the dead soldiers, and store them up, and use them as fuel, for next seven years. The LORD says that they will need nothing else to use as fuel, no wood from the forest, or the fields will be needed, the massive amount of weapons will be enough to satisfy their need for fuel for a period of seven years (Vs.9-10).

In the eschatological sense, this seven-year period represents the “tribulation period” spoken about by JESUS (Matthew 24), and by the Apostle John (Revelation 6). The worldwide catastrophes of the first three and a half years of Daniel’s “seventy week prophecy” are clearly seen in this passage of Ezekiel. Throughout the remainder of the tribulation period, and into the beginning of the Millennium, the nation of Israel will be burning the weapons of Magog, and will not need to cut down a single tree.

Next the LORD says HE will make a vast graveyard for Gog and his army in the “Valley of Travelers” (Valley of Abarim), east of the Dead Sea, the area that is now present-day Jordan. The valley will be so filled with corpses that no one will be able to pass through it, and the name of that place will be changed, and be called the “Valley of Hamon Gog”, which means, “the valley of the hordes of Gog” (v.11).

It would take Israel seven months the clear the area of corpses and bury them, with literally everyone in Israel chipping in to help with the huge task. And at the end of the seven months, special crews would be assigned to search the land for any remaining skeletons so that they too can be buried. Whenever more bones were found, there would be a marker placed beside them so that the burial crew could spot them and take them to be buried in the valley. This “operation clean-up” would be so huge that they will actually set up a town in the valley called “Hamonah” (which is a form of the Hebrew term for “hordes”) to reside in while completing this enormous task (Vs.12-16).

In verses 17-20, GOD calls for the “bird and wild animal feast” on the dead bodies, to begin. The birds and animals “would eat the flesh” and “drink the blood” of all those who were slain in the great battle, including the dead horses that they rode in on. All would be consumed by the vultures and wild animals as a “sacrificial feast” that had been prepared by the LORD.

In verses 25-29 the restoration of Israel begins. There the LORD says that HE will end the captivity of Israel for the sake of HIS OWN holy reputation. There will be a “new order” in Israel after the people return from Babylon, and they will once again experience a restored relationship of friendship with GOD. In fact, in the final nine chapters of this book of Ezekiel, we’ll see exactly how this new order is established. A new temple will be built, and a new service of worship will be established so that the people would again enjoy access to GOD. And then finally, a new division of the land will be established for all the tribes of Israel.

In Ezekiel 40, during the twenty-fifth year of Israel’s captivity in Babylon, and fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., the LORD took Ezekiel up in a vision and placed his mind back in Israel on top of a very high mountain. There HE showed Ezekiel what appeared to be a city just to the south of where he was standing. As GOD brought him closer, he could see a man (an angelic being) whose face shone like bronze, standing next to one of the gateway entrances. The man held a measuring tape and a measuring rod in his hand (Vs.1-3).

GOD then instructs Ezekiel to watch and listen to everything that HE was going to show, and say to him. HE was going to show him many things that he will have to tell the captives when his mind returns to Babylon. GOD had already promised to rebuild HIS sanctuary among HIS people once again, and here in chapter 40, is the onset of those plans for a “Post-exilic Temple” that will literally be built after the exiles return from Babylon.

GOD’s judgment against Israel was assured, when HE removed HIS glory from the temple at Jerusalem which had been constructed, and defiled by King Solomon and the people, bringing to an end, the “United Kingdom” of Israel. The climax of Israel’s restoration, and the reconstruction of the temple, will bring about the occasion when GOD’s glory will re-enter the new sanctuary in the midst of Jerusalem.

Here in this passage Ezekiel gives a detailed description of the measurements done by an angelic being, in accordance with GOD’s plan for the restoration of the temple, starting with the East Gateway Vs.5-16). Then, in verses 17-19 he describes the Outer Courtyard which measured 175 feet from the inner gateway to the outer gateway. Next the North Gateway is measured by the angelic being and all of its measurements matched those of the East Gateway. The windows, the foyer, and the palm tree decorations were also identical to those of the East Gateway (Vs.20-23), and likewise all measurements and decorations were the same at the South Gateway (Vs.24-27). In verses 28-49 we see a measured description of the Gateways to the Inner Courtyard (Vs.28-37), the rooms for preparing sacrifices (Vs.38-43), the rooms for the priests (Vs.44-46), and the Inner Courtyard and Temple (the Temple proper) (Vs.47-49).

Ezekiel is told to write down the details of the Temple plans and worship regulations, and, to inform the Israelites so that they will closely adhere to the design, and follow all of GOD’s directives for worship. It is the same attention to details that GOD has always called for in HIS plans for erecting HIS place of worship, from the construction of the Tabernacle at Shiloh, to the construction of Solomon’s original Temple at Jerusalem. And it is clear here that, at least, Ezekiel understood his instructions in a literal sense, rather than in an allegorical way, as many scholars now seem to suggest.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday May 31, 2015

THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES

(A message for Gog)

Ezekiel 37-38

In Ezekiel 37, verses 1-14, GOD gives the prophet Ezekiel a vivid illustration of the things that HE had promised in Ezekiel 36, concerning the restoration of Israel. The vision of “the dry bones revived” accentuates the fact of GOD’s sovereign power and ability to fulfill HIS promises. At that time, Israel was dead as a nation, and could see no way, as to how they could be extricated from their present condition. In their minds, restoration, at that time, seemed impossible.

In Ezekiel 36, verse 26, GOD promised to, first, put a “new (human) spirit”, or “desire” in the people of Israel, and then later (v.27), embody them with HIS HOLY SPIRIT, to help lead and guide those who desire to obey and live by HIS laws and directives, into all righteousness and eternity with HIM in Heaven. There HE was describing an eschatological time, when mankind would be cleansed of his “sin nature”, or desire to rebel against GOD and what is right and true.

Here in Ezekiel 37, GOD explains further, just what that kind of future event of transformation could be likened to. In this chapter, HE gives Ezekiel two signs that illustrate and confirm the promised resurrection and re-uniting of HIS chosen nation. The first is the sign of the “dry bones in the valley (Vs.1-14), and the second is the sign of “the two sticks” (Vs.15-28), the reuniting of northern Israel and Judah.

Using the power of HIS HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, takes Ezekiel to a valley that was filled with the dry, sun-bleached bones of human remains. Then, GOD asks HIS prophet this question; “Son of man, can these bones become living bodies again?” In other words, is there any way for life and flesh to be restored to these sun-baked bones that you see before you?

Knowing the human impossibility of what GOD was asking him, Ezekiel answered his LORD in the only way that a trusting man of faith could ever answer, when he responded, “Only YOU LORD know the answer to that”. He knew that only GOD could accomplish a task of that magnitude.

God then orders HIS servant Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones around him and immediately the transformation from “death to life” had begun. Ezekiel began to hear the rattling of bones all across the valley floor, as the bones of each body began to re-attach themselves as they had been before. Then, he watched in utter amazement as muscle and flesh began to form over the bones, and the skin began to cover the, still lifeless, sinews of the reconstructed human figures.     

Then GOD instructs Ezekiel to speak to the wind that it may breathe life into the restored bodies that lay around him in the valley, and when he did, the great army of humanity, stood to its feet. Then GOD said to Ezekiel, “These bones represent the nation of Israel”. She has become a nation that could be likened to dry bones, as all hope had been sucked from her existence. Her anticipation of ever being released from Babylonian captivity had dried up long ago, like the dry bones in that visionary valley.

And now, GOD would open up their graves of exile, and cause them to rise again into health and prosperity. And so, we see a “physical restoration” symbolizing “the national restoration of Israel”, and we also see in this passage, a return to faith in GOD, which symbolizes a “spiritual restoration”.

These events would occur in such a way, that, all involved would know that it was the LORD WHO was responsible for their revived fortunes. In addition, GOD promised to indwell each of HIS people (the revived bodies), with a HOLY SPIRIT from on high that would cause them to know that HE is sovereign, and, that HE has kept HIS promise to them, alive.

GOD provides “New Life” for all who seek it, and we only need to ask, in faith, to receive it. The vision that GOD showed so vividly to Ezekiel that day, was just the LORD’s way of revealing to us that HE is able, and also willing, to grant us a free pass into an eternity with HIM, all at the expense of CHRIST JESUS, our LORD and SAVIOR, if, we are willing to accept HIS benevolence.

In verses 15-28 we see the second of the two signs featured in this passage, and it is the sign of the two sticks. It is prophecy of the re-uniting of northern Israel and Judah. In verses 15-19 GOD says;

 ^… “Son of man, take a piece of wood and carve on it these words: “This represents Judah and its allied tribes. Then take another piece and carve these words on it: ‘This represents Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel.’  Now hold them together in your hand as if they were one piece of wood.  When your people ask you what your actions mean, say to them, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take Ephraim and the northern tribes and join them to Judah. I will make them one piece of wood in my hand”.

After the death of King Solomon, Ephraim, the tribe that made up northern Israel, had torn itself away from southern Israel (Judah), and the remaining tribes. Northern Israel had since been conquered by the Assyrians in 722 B.C., and had been intermixed with Assyrian relations that formed the hated Samaritans people of JESUS’ day. They were half breed Jews who were no longer accepted by their southern counterparts.

Here in this passage GOD promises a re-unification of the two estranged nations into “one nation under GOD”, indivisible, once again. Here, GOD is again speaking of an eschatological time when the “Millennial Kingdom” of CHRIST will be formed here on earth at history’s end. One KING will rule over the whole earth at that time, JESUS CHRIST, of the lineage of David. At that time, all people on earth will only desire to worship CHRIST and obey GOD the FATHER completely. HE will be our GOD, and we will be HIS people, and Israel will hold a special place in that world as GOD’s chosen people forever (Vs.20-28).

Through GOD’s faithfulness and power, we can all enjoy “new life” just for the asking, and HE will always “restore” and “unite” the people who share a common allegiance to CHRIST JESUS. Some believe that this particular passage of scripture does speak of the present Jewish state, and if it does, then the coming of the MESSIAH must be drawing near, however, whenever CHRIST does return, the remainder of these prophesies will find their fulfillment in a great movement toward HIM as the MESSIAH of all mankind. It is then when GOD’s promises of restoration and blessing, can and will, be completely realized, consummated, and fulfilled.

In Ezekiel 38, we see the sixth and final series of prophesies uttered by the prophet Ezekiel prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Here he prophesies against “Gog” (ro’sh – “the chief prince”) and the land of “Magog (the area of modern-day Russia, eastern Turkey, and Iran) where he ruled. He foretells an event in the distant future when Gog will invade Israel while she is at peace. GOD tells Ezekiel in verses 3-9, to announce to the chief prince;

“… Gog, I am your enemy! ⁴ I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army—your horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords. ⁵ Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. ⁶ Gomer and all its armies will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north, and many others.

⁷ “Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. ⁸ A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. ⁹ You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud.”

The LORD further states that, at that time evil thoughts will come into the mind of Gog and cause him to devise an evil scheme against Israel that involves several allies (v.10). And while GOD does not cause this hostility toward Israel to happen, HE does seem to create the conditions which will lead Gog to outwardly express his hostility against Israel.

This passage presents the picture of a scenario where Gog will be joined in his attack by other nations who will come from different directions to ascend upon Israel. In verse 5 Ezekiel identifies those nations that will ally with Meshech and Tubal (Russia) as Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia), and Put (Libya). And so, these territorial references at least suggest that parts of Russia, eastern Turkey, and Iran will likely be involved.

And so Gog, feeling that Israel is quite vulnerable at that time, will seize the opportunity to pounce upon this peaceful and confident, revived nation, and attempt to capture its now vast amounts of plunder and take the surviving populace back to their own countries as slaves.

However, little does Gog know that this attack will be used by GOD, to show HIS sovereignty, and power in the world. By going against Israel, all those nations will come to know GOD, and as a result of their failed attack, Israel will be empowered further, and GOD HIMSELF will be even more glorified (Vs.14-16).

When all those armies reached Israel, GOD interrupted their charge with a massive earthquake that spread fear and confusion throughout their military ranks. During this confusion, all communications broke down between the four invading nations, causing them to actually begin attacking each other. In addition to disease, heavy rainfall, hail, and burning sulfur (probably volcano ash) added to their problems, all of which were forms of “natural disasters” that can only be controlled by the hand of GOD (Vs.17-23). 

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

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