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BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday January 25, 2015

THE SINS OF JERUSALEM

(The adultery of two sisters)

Ezekiel 22-23

As Ezekiel continues on with his stern messages concerning the certainty of Judah’s judgment to the leaders and people of Jerusalem, we see three themes developing here in chapter 22 that further highlight the nation’s defilement and judgment. First of all we see in verses 1-16, a message from the LORD on how HE is ready to judge HIS once beloved Jerusalem, who had now tainted the whole nation of Judah with her public display of ungodly behavior and corruption, even inside the church.

In verses 1-3 the LORD asks Ezekiel, “Son of man, are you ready to judge Jerusalem? Are you ready to judge this city of murderers.” It is as if now GOD is charging Ezekiel with the responsibility of being a “prosecuting attorney”, or a “judge” against Israel. Here in this passage GOD arms his prophet with the facts of HIS case against Jerusalem, so that he could confront her with her serious violations of the “Mosiac Law”.

In verses 6-12 GOD cites several sins that directly and specifically violate HIS “Ten Commandments”. They are;

·         Social injustice (v.7) – Fathers and mothers were contemptuously ignored (parental authority undermined). Resident foreigners were forced to pay for protection. Orphans and widows were wronged and oppressed.

·         Apostasy (v.8) – GOD’s holy things were despised inside the church, and HIS Sabbath day rests were also violated.

·         Idolatry (v.9) – the church was filled with idol worship, false witnessing, and lewdness.

·         Immorality (Vs.10-11) – adultery, incest, and rape was common.

·         Greed (v.12) – loan sharks and extortionists were everywhere.

When people cease to care, religion, morality, social customs, and values, all cease to function as mortar that holds together a society, and maintains ancient faith. Whenever the attitudes and behaviors that are detailed here in verses 7-12 begin to dominate society, it is a clear signal that that society is near the point of collapse.

The undermining of parental authority, government injustices that clearly take advantage of the poor and helpless among us, leadership that is indifferent to the best interest of those whom they are suppose to be serving, and an overwhelming indifference to the things of GOD, all stand as a clear indication that the end of GOD’s tolerance toward humanity is near.

We sorely need to apply the criteria presented to us here in the book of Ezekiel and decide for ourselves just where our own society stands at this point in our existence under GOD. Whenever we neglect GOD and move away from HIS spiritual foundation, our whole nation will automatically become corrupt and immoral, and just like other world dynasties of the past, ultimately we will fall.

In the second theme that is presented in this chapter, we see an analogy of a “refining furnace” (Vs.17-22). Here the LORD tells Ezekiel,

“Son of man, the people of Israel are the worthless slag that remains after silver is smelted. They are the dross that is left over—a useless mixture of copper, tin, iron, and lead.  So tell them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you are all worthless slag, I will bring you to my crucible in Jerusalem.  Just as silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin are melted down in a furnace, I will melt you down in the heat of my fury.  I will gather you together and blow the fire of my anger upon you, and you will melt like silver in fierce heat. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have poured out my fury on you” (NLT).

This analogy suggests that GOD will turn Jerusalem into “a furnace of affliction” or a “smelting pot of judgment” that would melt away and separate all of the worthless slag, or “dross” from the valuable silver. Most of the people in Israel had become like “useless dross” to GOD, because of their sin against HIM. Here GOD says that, after HE separates the dross from the silver, HE will then melt down the useless dross (burn the useless sinners) with the heat of HIS wrath.

In the third and final theme, or message (Vs.23-31), GOD focuses Ezekiel’s attention on “the sins of the church leadership” and their terrible “mixing of the holy with the profane” in the church, something that the modern-day church is extremely guilty of doing also. Here GOD tells Ezekiel;

 “Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: In the day of my indignation, you will be like a polluted land, a land without rain.  Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They make many widows in the land.  Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them.  Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money!  And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign Lord,’ when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them.  Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice.

 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.  So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

The recipients of GOD’s judgment in this passage are the princes, (or royal family, including Zedekiah) (v.25), the priests (the religious leaders) (Vs.26-27), and the prophets (false prophets, magicians, palm readers, etc) (v.28), who lead the people astray, and also those common folks (v.29) who mimic the oppressive acts and ways of their leadership against their own peers.

The royal family used their power to extract riches from the people, and they concocted unjust government schemes against the weak and the poor, to legally extort and take their money and possessions, sometimes even killing people in the process. They were like “lions”, plotting their conspiracies, while stalking their prey (vs.25). 

The priests, who morally, were no better than Zedekiah and his royal family, used their power in the church, to pretty much do the same things that the royal family did. As church leaders, the priests violated GOD’s laws and defiled the church by “mixing the holy with the profane” things of this world. For example (modern-day), they could no longer see the difference between what is holy (i.e. praise dancing), and what is not (i.e. miming). In addition, they were not instructing, training, or teaching the people in the ways of GOD, and, in fact, they failed to even enforce the laws of GOD, period. Nor, did they keep HIS Sabbath days (v.26). And so the priests had become like “wolves”, who tear apart their victims (destroy the lives of the congregation) for the sake of money (v.27).

The false prophets in this passage were constantly announcing false visions that they claimed came from GOD, when GOD hadn’t told them anything at all, in fact, they didn’t even know GOD. They were the ones who were hired by the church leaders, and were used to “whitewash” over the “spiritual cracks” in the wall caused by their “mixing of the holy with the profane”, their idol worship, and other sins (v.28).

Over time, even the common people begin to further oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive the strangers among them of justice (v.29). GOD says HE searched high and low for a righteous person who could stand in the gap so that for that person’s sake, HE might spare Jerusalem, but none was to be found (Vs.30-31).

In Ezekiel 23 GOD uses the parable of “the two adulterous sisters”, “Oholah” and “Oholibah” to illustrate the unfaithfulness of Israel, and the certainty of HIS judgment against her. “Oholah”, which means “her tent”, and is probably in reference to the illicit worship centers that were set up in Dan and Bethel, represents “Samaria”, the capital of northern Israel. “Oholibah”, which means “MY tent is in her”, is more than likely a reference to the fact that GOD’s temple is in Jerusalem. She (Oholibah) represents “Jerusalem”, the capital of Judah, or southern Israel.

Even though GOD chose both of these sisters and made them HIS own, giving them many sons and daughters, they both still became “prostitutes” in Egypt, of their own free will, when they were very young (Vs.2-3). Then later, after GOD had retrieved them both, and returned them to HIS home (the “promised land”), Oholah, the older sister, begin to lust after her neighbor, the Assyrians. She became attracted to the young handsome men of that nation and began to prostitute herself to their idols, once again defiling herself, and proving that when she left Egypt, she did not leave the “spirit of prostitution” behind. Adultery was still in her spirit (Vs.5-8), and so GOD allowed her to be turned over to her lovers, and they stripped and killed her, and took all of her children and put them into slavery. Oholah’s name became known to every woman in the land as a sinner who received exactly what she deserved (Vs.9-10).

Even though Oholibah, the younger sister, had seen what her older sister’s sins had done to her, she still eagerly followed along in her footsteps anyway. In fact, she became even worse than her sister, totally abandoning herself to her own lust (v.11), not only defiling herself with the Assyrians (see King Ahaz - 2 kings 16 & Isaiah 7), but she also later became infatuated with the culture and idol gods of the Babylonians and began a relationship with them and invited them to her home (Vs.16-17) (see Hezekiah - 2 Kings 20:12-19). However she later became disgusted with them after she found out how brutal they were. As a lover they were extreme domestic batterers (physically abusive) (see 2 Kings 24).

Afterwards GOD became disgusted with Oholibah just as HE was with her older sister, because she had given herself to other gods and satisfied their lust (v.18). She even prostituted herself again in Egypt (King Zedekiah) remembering her sinful youth when she allowed herself to be fondled and caressed by them (Vs.18-21).

In verses 22-49 details GOD’s judgment on both Oholah and Oholibah, who had committed, both, adultery (by worshipping other gods) and murder under GOD (by sacrificing their children in the fires of Molech). In addition, they had defiled GOD’s temple by “mixing the holy with the profane” (worshiping GOD in ways that are pleasing to them, instead of pleasing GOD by following HIS directives for HIS Church), “making stuff up” from the “human ingenuity” of the world, thinking all the while, that it is pleasing to GOD. They also were terribly guilty of violating GOD’s Sabbath Days, which GOD says, “are intended as a sign to remind us that HE is the LORD our GOD” (Ezekiel 20:20).

Here in this passage GOD says that they will both “drink from the same cup of terror”, a cup that is large and deep, and in deep anguish, they would both drink of it to the very last drop. Then they will smash the cup and beat their own breasts in anger, and bear the full consequences of their lewdness and prostitution (Vs. 32-35).

This chapter concludes with GOD listing four purposes, or reasons, for judging HIS sinful people.

·         To end wickedness in the land (v.48a)

·         To instruct others of the consequences of sin (48b)

·         To punish those who are guilty (v.49a)

·         To bring to all people, to the saving knowledge of GOD (v.49b)

And GOD’s purpose for judgment in this world still holds true in this day. Stay tuned.

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 January 11, 2015

THE REBELLION OF ISRAEL

(The LORD’s sword of judgment)

Ezekiel 20-21

Ezekiel chapters 20-24 detail the history of Judah’s sin and corruption against GOD. The prophet Ezekiel had already presented us with a picture of that history in his parable in chapter 16. However, starting here in chapter 20, he begins to give us a more direct presentation of that history, and also another warning of judgment, and promise of restoration.

The chapter begins the same way that chapters 8 and 14 do, with Israel’s Church leaders coming to Ezekiel seeking a message and advice from the LORD. It is now during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity in Babylon, and only about five years before the final destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.

The message the LORD gives HIS corrupt leaders is, of course, not the one that they were seeking. In verse 3 the LORD tells Ezekiel to give them this message from the sovereign LORD instead; “How dare you come to ask for MY help! As surely as I live I will tell you nothing. This is the word of the sovereign LORD!”

GOD then instructs Ezekiel to bring judgment on the leaders of Israel and confront them regarding the sinful practices of their forefathers and how they themselves were continuing on in those despicable practices. The LORD wanted them to look back on those bad choices that they had made, and HE wanted them to see the evil direction in which those sinful choices had led them, and the people of Israel, who followed their instructions and leadership.

While Israel was in captivity in Egypt they had began to adopt and worship the Egyptian gods as idols, and when they were freed, many of them continued to worship those idols in secret, despite GOD’s exposing of those same “demon possessed idols” with the “ten plagues” before HE freed them. And although they had broken their vows to be loyal to GOD, GOD, WHO is faithful, did not abandon them (Vs.4-10). Even while in the wilderness of the Negev, where GOD had led them to safety, and given them HIS laws to live by at Sinai, the Israelites had already began to rebel against HIM through their detestable practices, worshipping some of the Egyptian idols that they had carried away from Egypt with them during their exodus.

GOD made plans, and even threatened to pour out HIS anger on the Israelites while they were still in the desert, but after several intercessions by Moses, GOD held back to give them more time to repent, and turn back to HIM. HE also wanted to protect the honor of HIS OWN name in front of the pagan nations around them, who might misconstrue the reason for destroying HIS people, whom HE had pledged to protect, and take care of (Vs.13-14).

GOD did, however, swear to the Israelites, while they were still in the wilderness, that, HE would not allow them to enter into “the promised land” that HE had given them, because they had “Rejected HIS laws, ignored HIS will for them, and violated HIS Sabbath days rest. And so GOD showed mercy on them, even though the Israelites, themselves, had lost their hearts to the idols of Egypt.

Judgment has never been a sign that GOD has abandoned HIS people, but rather, it should always be seen as evidence that GOD is committed to HIS people, even though they have failed miserably in their commitment to HIM. Israel deserted the GOD of their ancestors, time and time again, and began to “shack up” with other gods. But GOD has always revealed through HIS actions that HIS love for us is far greater than all of our sins against HIM.

Even though GOD extended HIS opportunities of blessings to yet a second generation of Israelites, while they were still in the wilderness of the Negev, the same response of sinful behavior was repeated by that generation. Therefore, their destruction was deserved, and based on their own demerits, not their parents. God, through HIS boundless mercies however, did not destroy the second generation for their sins, although HE did impose a certain degree of judgments against them (Vs.15-22).

The first judgment, “dispersion” (v.23), was exacted upon the nation of Israel just prior to their entry into “the promised land”. However, GOD encouraged HIS people to obey HIS covenant, and he delineated the “blessings” that would come through obedience, and the “problems” that would automatically come from disobedience (see Deuteronomy 28).

God’s second judgment was to “abandon Israel to her own sins” (v.25), by allowing her to go ahead and practice the customs of the pagan nations around her, knowing full well they could never keep their stringent laws, which also required the people to sacrifice their own children to the false gods and idols that they worshipped (v.26). And so GOD’s act of “turning them over to sin” is the way that HE allows “our sins to run their course” so that we may experience the consequences of our sins so that we can earnestly repent and be restored back into a right relationship of friendship with HIM.

After GOD delivered the second generation into the “promised land” they continued to blaspheme and betray HIM. They continued to offer up sacrifices and incense at the idol god shrine called “Bamah” (which means “High Place”), for example (v.29), and kept prostituting themselves with other detestable idols. Therefore, GOD says HE will not answer their request for help from their wicked and corrupt leaders. If they continued to desire to be like the nations around them, they would never be able to request for HIS help in their “self-imposed mess”. To the contrary, GOD says HE will bring them out of the lands of their pagan surroundings, and judge them in their wildernesses face to face. And HE will never accept gifts from a people whose hearts lie with other gods and demonic influences (Vs.34-44).

And finally in verses 45- 49 GOD instructs Ezekiel to prophesy against the fields of the Negez (the southern wilderness), and warn the demons that had been receiving the worship of HIS people that HE would burn even every green and dry tree that had been used to shade their incense altars. GOD would set every inch of the land of the Negev on fire and the terrible flames would not ever be quenched.  

In Ezekiel 21, we see what is now known as “the four messages of the sword”. Here in this passage GOD tells Ezekiel to now look toward Jerusalem and prophesy against Israel and her defiled sanctuaries. Here in verses 3-7, we see the first of those four messages:

“Tell her, This is what the Lord says: I am your enemy, O Israel, and I am about to unsheath MY sword to destroy your people—the righteous and the wicked alike.  Yes, I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked! I will draw MY sword against everyone in the land from south to north.  Everyone in the world will know that I am the Lord. MY sword is in MY hand, and it will not return to its sheath until its work is finished. Son of man, groan before the people! Groan before them with bitter anguish and a broken heart.  When they ask why you are groaning, tell them, ‘I groan because of the terrifying news I have heard. When it comes true, the boldest heart will melt with fear; all strength will disappear. Every spirit will faint; strong knees will become as weak as water. And the Sovereign Lord says: It is coming! It’s on its way!” (NLT)

This is a passage that so perplexed the translators of the “Septuagint” (the first Greek translation of the Bible) that they actually changed the word meaning “righteous” to “unrighteous”. However, the HOLY SPIRIT has shown me that, actually, here in this passage, GOD is declaring that HE will clean up, or, “cut off” the whole defiled religious system that had been set up in Jerusalem and throughout Judah, and was falsely claiming to represent HIM, and HIS ideology.

Even the presence of a few righteous people would not prevent GOD from making a “clean sweep” of Jerusalem. Here GOD is not vowing to cut the righteous people off from HIM, but rather, when the wheat is allowed to grow with the tare, eventually the whole crop becomes “choked out” by the useless weeds that are present. Therefore, GOD will have to wipe out the whole crop and start anew (Christianity through CHRIST JESUS). The righteous, who would become a part of the “collateral damage” (suffer for goodness sake) would move on from this life to a life in eternity in Heaven with GOD, while the wicked in this passage will be cast into the eternal inferno (Ezekiel 20:47) that we know as “Hell”. This is an example of “dikaousune” a word from the biblical Greek, which describes “the goodness in GOD’s judgment”

The second message, verses 8-17 is a poetic song written in three stanzas that concern GOD’s judgment, and speaks of how a “sword” will be used by the divine executioner of GOD to punish Israel. Here Ezekiel says;

Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, give the people this message from the Lord:

*

“A sword, a sword
    is being sharpened and polished.
 It is sharpened for terrible slaughter
    and polished to flash like lightning!
Now will you laugh?

*
    Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power!
 Yes, the sword is now being sharpened and polished;
    it is being prepared for the executioner.

 “Son of man, cry out and wail;
    pound your thighs in anguish,
for that sword will slaughter my people and their leaders—
    everyone will die!   It will put them all to the test.
    What chance do they have?
    says the Sovereign Lord.

*

 “Son of man, prophesy to them
    and clap your hands.
Then take the sword and brandish it twice,
    even three times,
to symbolize the great massacre,
    the great massacre facing them on every side.
 Let their hearts melt with terror,
    for the sword glitters at every gate.
It flashes like lightning
    and is polished for slaughter!
 O sword, slash to the right,
    then slash to the left,
wherever you will,
    wherever you want.
 I, too, will clap my hands,
    and I will satisfy my fury.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

·         In the first stanza GOD’s sword is sharpened and polished much like a soldier might prepare for battle so that his weapon would be most effective when the time comes.

·         The second stanza identifies who the sword is being sharpened and prepared for, and it is, of course, the leaders and the people of Judah.

·         The third stanza details the work of the sword and how it will utterly destroy Judah and the LORD’s anger against her would be satisfied.

In verses 18-27 we see the third message of Ezekiel from the LORD in this chapter. Here the LORD instructs Ezekiel to make a map and trace two routes on it for the sword of King Nebuchadnezzar to follow. HE further tells him to put a “signpost” on the road that comes out of Babylon where the road forks into two directions. One road led to Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, and the other road led to Judah and the walled city of Jerusalem.

As the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road he is faced with making a decision as to who to attack first, Rabbah or Jerusalem. He will call his magicians, says the LORD, who will use witchcraft to decide which way to go, and their use of divination tells them to attack Jerusalem first, and they did. The LORD told Ezekiel that the people of Jerusalem will think that it is a mistake, but the king of Babylon will remind them that King Zedekiah had rebelled against him and thereby, had broken their treaty. And so now again the Israelites guilt was crying out against them, because they had sinned against GOD and had refused to repent.

In the fourth and final message of this chapter, Ezekiel is told to prophesy against the Ammonites for their mockery. They had breathed a sigh of relief and even mocked Jerusalem when Babylon had earlier chosen to attack Jerusalem instead of them. Their magicians and false prophets had given false visions concerning GOD’s sword of judgment, and so too, they would be punished just as their neighboring Israelites were. They would die by the same sword of Babylon shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem was complete (Vs.28-32).

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

Larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday December 21, 2014

THE JUSTICE OF A RIGHTEOUS GOD

(A funeral song for Israel’s kings)

Ezekiel 18-19

In Ezekiel 18 the prophet Ezekiel receives yet another message from GOD, this time regarding HIS sovereignty and righteousness in judgment, and how we are all, as individuals, responsible for our own actions and behavior. In chapters 15-17 Ezekiel had already delivered three other messages, or parables that were designed to convict the nation of Judah of her sins against GOD. Here in this chapter, the prophet’s message returns to the bluntness necessary to drive home to Judah, their personal, individual responsibility for their own iniquities.

He begins this chapter with a proverb that must have been very familiar to Israel, because it had also been quoted by the prophet Jeremiah, just a few years earlier (Jeremiah 31:29). Here GOD asks Ezekiel about this proverb since it had been circulating among the Israelites for some time now. The proverb states that, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste” (Ezekiel 18:2 - NLT).

The point of this proverb was that, the children of Israel believed that they were suffering because of the sins of their parents. In other words, the Israelites felt that GOD was punishing them because of the sins of their ancestors, and not because of any fault of their own, and this of course, was ridiculous. In fact, the very thought of this proverb depicts GOD as being “unjust”. GOD saw a great need to refute this false doctrine, and so HE called it to the attention of HIS prophet Ezekiel. Like most false doctrine, a trace of truth is used in order to make it sound plausible, and this particular proverb was no exception.

In the “Decalogue” (Ten Commandments) of GOD’s Word (Exodus 20:5, 34:6-7, & Deuteronomy 5:9), we see a few examples of where GOD talks about punishing the children of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate HIM. However, the whole point of these passages is that “the effects of sin are serious and long-lasting”, not that GOD punishes the innocent for their ancestors evils literally. There is always a chance that our iniquities and mistakes will affect others at some future date, but that backlash lies with us as responsible human beings, not with GOD. GOD gives us wills that are free (freedom of choice), and our choices always, invariably, will affect someone else, be they family members or not, in the future.

Here in this passage, GOD presents us three hypothetical case examples to show how we as individuals are responsible for our own choices in life:

·         In case number one HE presents to us, the example of a righteous man who does what is lawful and right under GOD. He does not worships idols, or engage in forbidden sexual activities such as adultery, homosexuality, etc. He is merciful to his creditors, does not rob the poor, he gives food to the hungry and provides clothing to those in need. He gives loans without interest, stays away from injustice, and faithfully considers at all times, what is right by GOD. This particular person is just, and will be honored, and be allowed to live with GOD in eternity.

·         In case number two GOD presents us with another supposition. Suppose the son of that same righteous man grew up to be a robber, or a murderer and just refuses to do right, in fact, he does exactly the opposite of the father. Should such a sinful person go unpunished because of the reputation of his father? No! GOD says, that person must be punished according to his own iniquities, and not spared because of his father’s righteous behavior.

·         In the third case scenario GOD says, “Suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son, who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of lifestyle” for himself. He, instead, chooses to live the righteous lifestyle of his grandfather. That son will not be punished because of his father’s sins, but rather will be blessed as his grandfather was. And bear in mind, it is not because of his grandfather’s righteous choices and decisions that he is blessed, but rather, it will be because he himself personally made the right choices under GOD.

When we blame others for our faults and misfortunes, we inevitably deny our own guilt, and, through human ingenuity, claim innocence and perfection, that, in our own minds, justify our sinful behavior against GOD. In this passage of scripture, GOD is clearly saying, in no uncertain terms, that, “the person who sins is the person who pays the consequences”, not our children, and, not anyone else.

Every human being has to make an account for the deeds done in his or her lifetime. GOD will judge each of us according to our own actions, good or bad, and so we must turn away from our sins and be drawn instead to the more GODly things in life, lest we allow our sins to destroy us. We have to put our rebellious ways behind us, in order that we may grasp and obtain “a new heart” (new GODly way of thinking), and “a new SPIRIT” (new GODly influence), walking in “the newness of life”, that is, CHRIST JESUS. When we make the right and GODly decisions, GOD’s mercy towards us will “win out” over HIS judgment against us (James 2:13b).

GOD does not wish to see any of us perish by permanently separating ourselves from HIM through our sins. Instead, HE wishes for us live eternally with HIM through our new found relationship with CHRIST JESUS. GOD does not enjoy punishing us for sins, but rather HE relishes in the thought that we will choose to be blessed by HIM for our obedience.

GOD’s wish has always been that all men will be saved by their freedom to choose CHRIST JESUS over the lure of satan, who wishes for us to lose our hearts to the temporal pleasures of this world, and thereby, follow him into the pits of Hell.

In Ezekiel 19 we see a “dirge”, “lament”, or, “funeral song” composed especially for the kings of Israel (who are actually referred to as “princes” in this passage) who had led the nation into sin and rebellion against GOD. This is the first of five funeral songs in the book of Ezekiel, the one here directed against Israel, three others that were directed against Tyre (26:17-18, 27:32-36, 28:12-19), and a fourth directed against Egypt (32:1-16).

These songs are usually recited in honor of the dead, and they expressed the good qualities of that person, and the tragedy felt by their death. Israel’s last human hope was that Zedekiah would be able to free them from the yoke of oppression that was put on them, in their minds, by Nebuchadnazzer. They still hadn’t accepted the fact that it was GOD, not Babylon, who was in control of their destiny.

Here in chapter 19 Ezekiel dashes Israel’s false hopes in a funeral lament that is chanted over Israel’s leaders, specifically, Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, the last three “cubs of the lioness”, in “the Davidic Line of kings”. Jehoahaz had been captured and taken to Egypt by Pharaoh Neco, where he later died. Jehoiachin had already been captured by the Babylonians in their first invasion in 605 B.C., and now Zedekiah, was destined to be taken into captivity in Babylon in less than five years (586 B.C.). And so Israel’s obituary is written well before the ultimate fall of Jerusalem, and it was being sung here for the Davidic Dynasty, and the end of its rule (Vs.1-9).

In verse 10-14, we see encrypted into this funeral song, the fourth of the Old Testament’s five “Vineyard Analogies” that GOD uses to depict the nation of Israel.

¹⁰“Your mother was like a vine
    planted by the water’s edge.
It had lush, green foliage
    because of the abundant water.
¹¹ Its branches became strong—
    strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter.
It grew very tall,
    towering above all others.
It stood out because of its height
    and its many lush branches.
¹² But the vine was uprooted in fury
    and thrown down to the ground.
The desert wind dried up its fruit
    and tore off its strong branches,
so that it withered
    and was destroyed by fire.
¹³ Now the vine is transplanted to the wilderness,
    where the ground is hard and dry.
¹⁴ A fire has burst out from its branches
    and devoured its fruit.
Its remaining limbs are not
    strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter.

“This is a funeral song, and it will be used in a funeral.” (NLT)

Ezekiel had already stated in chapters 16 and 17 just why Israel went from a state of blessings, to a state of disaster. Israel (the vine) had forgotten the source of her blessing, and here in this analogy, we can clearly see how Israel’s past glory contrasted sharply with the condition that she now appears to be in, in the final years leading up to the Babylonian invasion and destruction, at the hands of Nebuchadnazzer, the worker of GOD’s judgment.

We know now that ultimately, Israel fell to Babylon, and GOD’s judgment also affected the royal Davidic line of kings. These prophecies against Judah, all focus on her history and that history now records, that, after Zedekiah, no king from the Davidic line ever replaced him. In fact, it will not be until CHRIST returns, that a ROYAL KING, in the line of David (JESUS) will come to reign, not only over Israel, but indeed, over the whole world. 

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 December 7, 2014

JERUSALEM DEPICTED AS AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE

(GOD’s judgment on her prostitution)

Ezekiel 16-17

Being “chosen” was never supposed to be used by the Jewish people as a source of “pride”, but rather, it was supposed to be a reminder of how gracious GOD was to them when HE took something that had rendered itself to be useless and unwanted (the useless vine in chapter 15), gave it life, and then, made it into something beautiful, powerful, and respected, throughout the world.

In Ezekiel 16, GOD gave HIS prophet Ezekiel a message that strongly depicts Jerusalem as “an unfaithful wife” who prostituted herself at “no charge” to her clients. Here GOD says that the Israelites were acting no different than the Canaanite people, that HE had replaced with them, and that, they were acting as if their father were an Amorite, and their mother a Hittite (Vs.1-3).

In ancient times, female off springs were often unwanted, and were sometimes abandoned and left to die (Vs.4-5). Here GOD uses this unpleasant fact of life to depict the way HE found Israel. HE says they were abandoned at birth and no one took the slightest interest in their welfare. GOD found them, gave them life, and helped them to thrive as they grew into “a beautiful jewel”. GOD clothed them, nourished them, adorned them, made a covenant with them, and made them HIS own (Vs.6-14).

Taking up at verse 15, against the backdrop of all of GOD’s grace, Israel suddenly decided that she could live without having GOD fully involved in her life, and her pride slowly led her from under the protection of GOD, and into the vulnerable atmosphere of the world. She became like a prostitute who wouldn’t collect her fee, because she had become blinded to the fact of her own immorality. In fact, she was now actually paying the pagan partners of her “spiritual prostitution”, by using the very jewels, silver, and gold that GOD had given her, to build statutes and shrines for the men she grew to worship in the world (Vs.15-19).

The orphaned child (Israel) that GOD had saved and enriched beyond measure, was now abandoning HIM, becoming a spiritual and moral prostitute, who was exhibiting unbridled passion for the world around her. And the fact that GOD had raised her up to the highest pinnacle possible in life (GOD’s chosen people), made her actions all the more reprehensible, and her judgment, all the more certain.

Beginning in verse 35 Ezekiel delivers this resounding message of judgment against Judah for her immoral acts against the GOD WHO raised her up and gave her hope:

“Therefore, you prostitute, listen to this message from the Lord!  This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have poured out your lust and exposed yourself in prostitution to all your lovers, and because you have worshiped detestable idols, and because you have slaughtered your children as sacrifices to your gods,  this is what I am going to do. I will gather together all your allies—the lovers with whom you have sinned, both those you loved and those you hated—and I will strip you naked in front of them so they can stare at you.  I will punish you for your murder and adultery. I will cover you with blood in my jealous fury.  Then I will give you to these many nations who are your lovers, and they will destroy you. They will knock down your pagan shrines and the altars to your idols.  They will strip you and take your beautiful jewels, leaving you stark naked. They will band together in a mob to stone you and cut you up with swords.  They will burn your homes and punish you in front of many women. I will stop your prostitution and end your payments to your many lovers” (Vs.35-41-NLT).

GOD’s judgment upon Judah would put an end to her prostitution, and only after her destruction would the LORD’s jealous anger be satisfied. And don’t think that GOD is being petty or vindictive in HIS actions against Jerusalem. GOD meting out judgment is a very essential part of HIS holiness.

Starting in verse 46, we see the second part of Ezekiel’s parable being laid out. It is an analogy between Jerusalem and her sisters, Samaria and Sodom. Whereas Jerusalem already had a proverb concerning her fate, here GOD gives her another one, which says, “Like mother, like daughter” (v.44). It meant that “the traits of the parent were seen in the children”, and that Judah’s actions were characteristic of her heritage. Here GOD tells Judah, through Ezekiel, that;

“Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters in the north.  Your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters in the south. But you have not merely sinned as they did. You quickly surpassed them in corruption.  As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters.  Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.  She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen^.  “Even Samaria did not commit half your sins. You have done far more detestable things than your sisters ever did. They seem righteous compared to you.  Shame on you! Your sins are so terrible that you make your sisters seem righteous, even virtuous.  “But someday I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and Samaria, and I will restore you, too.  Then you will be truly ashamed of everything you have done, for your sins make them feel good in comparison.  Yes, your sisters, Sodom and Samaria, and all their people will be restored, and at that time you also will be restored.  In your proud days you held Sodom in contempt.  But now your greater wickedness has been exposed to all the world, and you are the one who is scorned—by Edom and all her neighbors and by Philistia.  This is your punishment for all your lewdness and detestable sins, says the Lord” (Vs. 46-58 – NLT).

All three of the cities mentioned, Samaria, Sodom, and Jerusalem could be likened to each other, because all three had chosen the lifestyle of a prostitute against GOD, by way of their idolatry and other sins. Sodom was destroyed by fire from Heaven (Genesis 18-19), and Samaria, at one time, the capital city of Northern Israel, was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C., and so, how could Jerusalem, whom GOD says had done much worse than those  other two, expect to fare any better than they did?

And even though the people of Israel never showed any real commitment to GOD’s covenant, GOD certainly did show HE was committed to them. That is why the restoration of Jerusalem would be assured, and GOD would actually go beyond this mess with HIS wife, Israel, and make an atonement so great, that it would not only reclaim HIS chosen people, but would also draw to HIMSELF, all the Gentile nations of the world, as well.

In Ezekiel 17 we find the parable, or the “allegory” (hidah) of the two eagles. These parables depict the rebellion of King Zedekiah of Jerusalem, against King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king whom GOD appointed to ultimately destroy Jerusalem in 586 B.C.

In verse 2 Ezekiel is told by GOD to deliver this message (Vs.3-10), in the form of a riddle, to the people of Israel;

“A great eagle with broad wings and long feathers,
    covered with many-colored plumage,
    came to Lebanon.
He seized the top of a cedar tree
     and plucked off its highest branch.
He carried it away to a city filled with merchants.
    He planted it in a city of traders.
 He also took a seedling from the land
    and planted it in fertile soil.
He placed it beside a broad river,
    where it could grow like a willow tree.
 It took root there and
    grew into a low, spreading vine.
Its branches turned up toward the eagle,
    and its roots grew down into the ground.
It produced strong branches
    and put out shoots.

 But then another great eagle came
    with broad wings and full plumage.
So the vine now sent its roots and branches
    toward him for water,
even though it was already planted in good soil
    and had plenty of water
so it could grow into a splendid vine
    and produce rich leaves and luscious fruit.

 “So now the Sovereign Lord asks:
Will this vine grow and prosper?
    No! I will pull it up, roots and all!
I will cut off its fruit
    and let its leaves wither and die.
I will pull it up easily
    without a strong arm or a large army.
 But when the vine is transplanted,
    will it thrive?
No, it will wither away
    when the east wind blows against it.
It will die in the same good soil
    where it had grown so well.”

In this enigmatic verse of scripture, “the first eagle” represents Nebuchadnezzar, and “Lebanon” (the land of great cedars) represents Jerusalem. The eagle goes to Lebanon (Jerusalem) and clips “the top of a cedar tree” (King Jehoiachin), and replants the bough in a city known for trade (Babylon). This referred to Nebuchadnezzar’s previous attack on Jerusalem in 597 B.C., when he re-established his control over the city, and then, deposed King Jehoiachin, carrying him back to Babylon in chains.

Nebuchadnezzar was not totally heartless in his siege, however, as he also took with him several young Jewish nobles (some of the seeds of the land) who could carry on in their tradition of worshipping the Almighty GOD of Heaven WHO sent him. And although he had greatly weakened Jerusalem, he did not totally destroy it at this time. Instead, he placed Zedekiah (a low spreading vine) in charge of Jerusalem as a “Vassal King”, and had him to “swear by the GOD of Israel” to be loyal to him.  

Then another eagle (Egypt) came along and influenced Zedekiah to break his oath, join them, and rebel against Babylon, and the plan of GOD. The results of Zedekiah’s rebellion, of course, were a disaster and “the low spreading vine” (Zedekiah) was stripped of its fruit.

In verses 22-24, in order to keep the people from becoming totally dejected and without hope, GOD promises through HIS prophet Ezekiel, that HE will take “another tender shoot” (JESUS) from “the top of a tall cedar” (the Davidic Line), and plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. It (JESUS) will become a noble cedar, sending forth branches and producing seed. “Birds of every sort” (Jews and Gentiles) will come to rest in it, finding shelter in its branches. And all the trees will know that it is HE, the LORD, WHO cuts down the tall tree, and helps the short tree, to grow tall. It is GOD WHO makes the green tree wither, and HE has the power to make the dead tree, live again.

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