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BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday October 26, 2014

THE LORD’S GLORY LEAVES THE TEMPLE

(Judgment on Israel’s leaders)

Ezekiel 10-11

In Ezekiel 10, after the righteous had received GOD’s “mark of protection”, and those who embraced evil had been slain by the executioners of the LORD, GOD now removes HIS glory from the defiled temple at Jerusalem. Each person’s destiny had been determined by his or her own character, and now, here this chapter, GOD is sending a clear message that HE will not share a temple with other gods.

The Israelites, who had polluted the sanctuary with idolatry, had left GOD no other choice but to depart from the midst of Jerusalem, as HE had done in symbolic fashion at Shiloh, when HE stripped HIS chosen people of the “Ark of the Covenant” that they trusted in so superstitiously, instead of trusting in HIM (1 Samuel 4 & Jeremiah 7:14-15).

In the opening verses of chapter 10, Ezekiel once again describes some of the same images that he saw in his vision in chapter 1, of the “Throne Chariot of GOD”, the crystal-like sky, the whirling wheels, and the angelic beings. Also here in this passage, the LORD gives the man in linen clothing another assignment, this time telling him to “Go between the “whirling wheels” beneath the cherubim, and take a handful of glowing coals and scatter them over the city” (v.2).

These burning coals had also been seen by Ezekiel in his earlier vision, and they symbolize GOD’s wrath. This time GOD was going to use the coals to purge HIS once-holy city of her sins. The cherubim were standing at the south end of the temple when the man in linen walked in, and the “cloud of glory” filled the inner courtyard, which signified GOD’s presence at the threshold of the sanctuary. At that time the glory of the LORD rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the door of the temple. The temple was then filled with the cloud of glory, and the temple courtyard glowed brightly also, with the brilliance of the glory of the LORD (Vs.3-4).

In verse 5, the moving wings of the cherubim made a loud and powerful sound, like the voice of GOD, and could be heard very clearly, even in the outer courtyard. The LORD now says to the man in linen, “Go between the cherubim and take some of the burning coals from between the wheels” (v.6). Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some of the live coals and put them in the hands of the man in linen clothing. Then the man took the coals and left the temple (Vs. 7-8).

Thereafter, the glory of the LORD moved from the door of the temple, and then, left the temple completely and hovered over HIS cherubim. And as Ezekiel watched, the cherubim flew to the east gate of the temple. This signified that the LORD had now withdrawn HIS protection from the temple and left it to the mercy of the ruthless Babylonians, as it would later come to pass.

In Ezekiel chapter 11, once again we see GOD’s announcement of judgment on the community leaders of Israel. Here the HOLY SPIRIT brings Ezekiel to the east gateway of the temple, where he saw 25 prominent men of Jerusalem standing. These were not the same 25 men who were worshiping the sun in chapter 8. Among these men were Jaazaniah, son of Azzur, and Pelatiah, son of Benaiah, and it was this distinguished group of men, whom, GOD held primarily responsible for all of the wicked council that was being given to the people of Judah.

The east gate was commonly the place where the elders of the city sat to administer justice, give advice, and oversee various legal matters, not unlike in a courthouse. These men had counseled against the prophecies of Jeremiah, telling the people of Judah to forget about his predictions of a coming Babylonian invasion. They urged the people of Judah, instead, to build houses (a sign of security and peace), for they were absolutely as safe in Jerusalem, as “meat in a cooking pot”.

In the Old Testament times, meat was seldom included in the daily diets of the Israelites. It was a precious commodity that, when available, was protected in a “cooking pot”. The analogy of the “meat” and the “cooking pot” reflects the view that the Israelites (the meat) who were precious to GOD, and, the walled city of Jerusalem (the cooking pot), were guaranteed to be protected by GOD from the Babylonians.

In verses 6-12, these secure images are somewhat shattered by Ezekiel’s, now famous, “prophesy of the meat in the pot”. The city elders had caused many people to die by advising them to ignore the prophet Jeremiah, and now the blood of those people was on their hands.

In verse 7, Ezekiel tells them that, “this city may be an iron pot, but the meat within are the victims of your injustice”, only they, will be protected. Therefore, for them (the elders), the city would not be an iron pot of protection, and in fact, they themselves, would be far from being safe at all, in Jerusalem. GOD would drag them all out of the city and slaughter them all along the way to Babylon. And even while Ezekiel was still speaking, Peletiah suddenly fell dead.

In verses 14-21 we see that, instead of learning from what had just happened to Jaazaniah, Pelatiah and the others, those still left in Jerusalem, saw the fate of their fellow citizens as a boon for them (v.15). Therefore, the LORD sent a rather encouraging message to the surviving exiles, who, were already in Babylon. HE tells them that, despite what they had been hearing from the people left in Jerusalem, HE had not abandoned them, and would, to the contrary, be a sanctuary to them while they were in exile.

GOD promises also, that HE would one day return the exiles again to their homeland, and, at that time, a repentant Israel would remove every trace of the detestable idols that were being worshipped in Judah. GOD promised to put a new spirit, or attitude of worship, in them, so that they would, once again, be HIS people, and HE, would be their GOD (Vs.18-21).

However, as for now, the LORD was content just to withdraw HIS glory completely from the city and the nation that HE loved, so that their sins may its course, and humility, repentance, and truth of consequences, could be realized under GOD. And so the cherubim rose up beneath the glory of the LORD, and they all came to rest above a mountain east of Jerusalem. Afterwards, the HOLY SPIRIT carried Ezekiel back to Babylon, and so ended his vision and visit to Jerusalem. After arriving back in Babylon, he shared this divine experience with the other exiles (Vs.22-25).

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 October 12, 2014

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IDOLATRY IN THE TEMPLE

(The slaughter of idolatry)

Ezekiel 8-9

During the sixth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity in Babylon, while the leaders of Judah were meeting with Ezekiel in his home, the LORD took a hold of Ezekiel and began to show him a vision. It is no accident that this visionary experience occurs while the church leaders of Israel are present, as it is fully intended to explain to them, just why there is no hope for their homeland.

Ezekiel chapter 8 serves as the background for the phenomenal events of chapters 9-11, which depicts the withdrawal of GOD’s presence from the temple at Jerusalem. The first thing the LORD shows Ezekiel is a vision that appeared in the shape of a man, who, from the waist down, looked like a burning flame, and, from the waist up, looked like a gleaming amber (Vs.1-2). This man-like figure extended his hand and took Ezekiel by the hair, and the HOLY SPIRIT lifted him up into the sky, and transported him, in his vision, all the way back to Jerusalem.

Upon his arrival at Jerusalem Ezekiel was taken to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the temple, where a large idol had been placed there, that made the LORD very angry. Suddenly the glory of the GOD of Israel appeared to Ezekiel, as HE had appeared to him before, in the valley, down at the Kebar River a year earlier.

Ezekiel had been practically raised in the temple, but he had never before noticed the large idol that stood at the door of the church house. When we think about it, we should not be surprised, because many professed Christian Churches today, that have been defiled and profaned by our presence, and our unholy activities, actually does have “invisible demonic forces and idol gods”, that we’ve invited in, working and standing inside and outside on its grounds. However, we can’t see them unless we have “spiritual discernment from GOD”, which HE only provides to those who have a personal, experiential relationship with HIM. This vision, and all visions that GOD shares with the faithful, represent nothing more than GOD bestowing upon them, a “spiritual discernment” from on high, that allows us to clearly see those spiritually demonic forces that are at work all around us.

In verse 6, the LORD asks Ezekiel if he could now see what was going on outside, on the church house grounds, meaning HE had yet to show him what was going on inside the church. Here HE asks Ezekiel, “Do you see the great sins the people of Israel are doing (around the temple) to drive ME away? But come (follow ME), and you will see greater sins than these”. The closer we follow GOD, the more our sinful behavior is brought to our attention.

GOD then takes Ezekiel to the door of the Church courtyard where he could see an opening in the wall (v.7). HE instructed Ezekiel to dig into the wall where he uncovered a door to a hidden room. “Go in”, the LORD said, and see the unspeakable things going on in the church involving the leadership. Ezekiel went in and saw the walls engraved with symbols of all kinds of snakes, lizards, and hideous creatures (voodoo and witchcraft), and he also saw the various idols that were worshipped by the Church leaders and most of the people of Israel.

Instead of seeing walls that were engraved with images of cherubim and palm trees, which represented GOD’s guardians, and GOD’s fruitfulness and blessings, as GOD had instructed them to do in the plans for the temple (Ezekiel 41:25), Ezekiel saw that the walls  were engraved with Idols and symbols from Egypt (represented today most prominently in freemasonry and fraternities), idols and symbols from Canaan (represented today in Ishtar, avatar, and the cartoon figure “shaman King), and idols and symbols from Babylon (still represented in Tammuz, astrology, Ishtar). All these detestable idols were, and still are being worshiped in the temple of GOD.

All seventy elders were standing inside the secret room holding incense burners, with Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, their leader, standing in the middle. Every man was burning incense to these hidden idols when Ezekiel entered. This incense was also used by the elders in a misguided, twisted, and obviously useless attempt to shield their worship of these idols from the presence of GOD. In other words, using GOD’s idea of incense burning in worship (Leviticus 16:12-13), to try to conceal from HIM, the things they were doing against HIM (LOL).

GOD, WHO knew the hearts of these wicked men (and indeed all men), explains to Ezekiel that the elders actually believed that HE could not see them, and that HE had already abandoned Judah and left them at the mercy of the Babylonians (v.12). And so, under duress from their enemies, they had chosen to do the wrong thing, which was to take up further worshipping of other gods for their protection, secretly, because they did not trust the GOD of their forefathers. While facing the brunt of GOD’s anger for their open idol worship, this wayward group of churchmen simply moved their idol worship underground, forming a “secret fraternity”, if you will, against an all-seeing, all-knowing GOD. And sadly, this too, was not the full extent of Israel’s wickedness (v.13).

Ezekiel is then taken to the north gate of the temple by GOD (v.14), where he sees some Israelite women there sitting on the ground, and weeping (a form of worship) for the idol god, Tammuz. “Tammuz” is the Hebrew name for the Sumerian god, Dumuzi, who is the “god of spring vegetation”, and is also a pagan fertility god. They were praying and weeping to this idol god, in the LORD’s temple, in hopes that she would help end the drought in Judah that had been brought upon them by GOD, the CREATOR.

The LORD then takes Ezekiel into the inner courtyard of the temple, where at the entrance, between the foyer and the bronze altar, about 25 men were standing with their backs to the LORD’s temple, facing eastward, worshipping the sun (Osiris, or Ra, the sun god of Egypt).

The people of Judah had become so accustomed to mixing the profaneness of idol god worship with the purity of GOD’s Temple, that, it was now like second nature to them (v.17). The idol worship that had started with the church leadership in secret, had now spread, throughout the whole land of Judah, and had in fact, become commonplace, even in the church house! That is why GOD was so angry at HIS people in Judah, then, and that is why GOD is also angry with HIS professed Christian Church in this day and age.

Today’s Christian Churches still engage in such witchcraft practices as “miming”, mixing of gospel and secular music in worship services, self-promoting, using and wearing demonic symbols on our clothing in church, such as the so-called “peace sign” (Nero’s cross - which symbolizes “the destruction of Christianity”) and other anti-CHRIST symbols through fraternities and freemasonry. We continue to insult GOD on a regular basis by entertaining ourselves in worship services, literally “playing church” and fooling ourselves, really believing that what we are doing is “true worship”, because our spirituality is so “out-of-calibration”.

In Ezekiel chapter 9, in the second part of Ezekiel’s vision, the stage is now set for GOD’s judgment upon Judah. Here, with a thundering voice, GOD calls on HIS appointed slaughterers to rid the nation of its idolaters. Six men appeared, each armed with a battle club in his hand. One, however, who was dressed in linen, also carried a “writer’s case”, that was strapped to his side. They all went into the temple courtyard and stood beside the bronze altar, awaiting further instructions from the LORD (Vs.1-2).

At that time, the glory of the LORD arose from between the cherubim, and moved to the entrance of the temple. The LORD called the man dressed in linen and carrying the writer’s case, and instructed him to go throughout Jerusalem and mark the foreheads of all those whose heart were broken by the sin that flourished around them. This lets us know that, even though “true believers” will always be outnumbered in this life, the true believer is indeed, never alone. These marked individuals would become “the remnant” who would be saved from the destruction that was about to unfold in Jerusalem (Vs.3-4).

Then GOD instructed all the other men to follow the man in linen, and kill everyone whom he did not mark on the forehead, men, women, and children, and they were to start by killing the seventy elders that were there in the temple. The courtyard was littered with the bodies of the idolaters, and Ezekiel stood all alone and witnessed the carnage. He fell face down in the dust and cried out to the LORD for mercy, but no pity was shown upon the unfaithful (Vs.5-8).

The LORD told Ezekiel that the sins of Israel were too great, and they were not willing to repent. The entire land of Judah had been ravished by sin, and the people no longer believed that the LORD had a presence in the land (v.9). They viewed their nation-wide troubles as a sign that GOD had forsaken them. However, their troubles were, in reality, a product of their own ungodly behavior. We have to come to realize that we are not supposed to see GOD in our sins, but rather, in our obedience to HIM.

And so, it must not go unnoticed that the man dressed in linen apparently finished his task a lot sooner than the executioners did, as there were obviously many more idolaters than there were people who were faithful to the LORD, a condition that has held true in each generation since then, and still holds true in this day and age. Idolatry, witchcraft, and all sorts of profaneness are still just as prevalent in the Christian Church today as it has ever been, and perhaps, dare I say, even more so.

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 September 28, 2014

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TWO MESSAGES OF COMING JUDGMENT

(The coming of the end)

Ezekiel 6-7

In Ezekiel chapter 6 GOD tells the prophet Ezekiel to turn his head towards the mountains of Israel with hostile intentions, and warn them of the wrath that HE was about to bring upon HIS once beloved nation, Judah. The instrument of GOD’s judgment was now being sharply aimed at its intended target, ready to punish her for all of her idolatry, and the building of pagan shrines in the mountains, valleys, and ravines of Israel.

Instead of worshiping the only wise GOD in the temple at Jerusalem, the Israelites had permeated the land of Israel with all sorts of Canaanite religious practices, and was worshiping in the shrines, in “high places”, of false gods throughout the land. Ezekiel was told by GOD to address his message to the land, but by doing so, in truth, he was really focusing on the people’s immoral use of the land through their idol worship.

Here in Ezekiel 6, verses 4-7, GOD is making it known, just what HIS intentions were for the nation of Judah. Here HE says;

“All of your altars will be demolished, and your incense altars will be smashed. I will kill your people in front of your idols. I will lay your corpses in front of your idols and scatter your bones around your altars. Wherever you live will be in desolation. I will destroy your pagan shrines, your altars, your idols, your incense altars, and all the other religious objects you have made. Then when the place is littered with corpses, you will know that I am the LORD” (NLT). 

In verses 8-10, just like in the New Testament book of Acts (Acts 8:1-4 & 18:1-2) GOD uses persecution and judgment to forcefully move HIS people around so that HIS Word may forcefully carried to every part of the world (Matthew 11:12). Here in this passage we see that those people, who receive GOD’s message in their heart, will become the remnant that will receive salvation because they are able to recover their lost faith.

But first, GOD will have to scatter this remnant to various parts of the world (the Jewish Diaspora) so that they will, through experiencing and chasing after idol gods, be reminded of the goodness of the only wise, true GOD. They will then long to return to HIM (repent), and hate themselves (humble themselves) for all of their unfaithfulness and wickedness toward their CREATOR. They will begin to speak, or preach, of GOD’s goodness wherever GOD has forcefully driven them to, and thus, the Gospel of GOD will be forcefully advanced all over creation.

In verses 11-14 GOD instructs Ezekiel to clap his hands and stamp his feet in horror, as a way to ironically express the actual joy that GOD HIMSELF feels whenever HE destroys idolatry, breaks down false god practices and strongholds, and purges sin from HIS greatest creation. However, GOD is always saddened whenever HIS people have to suffer HIS wrath because of their own doing. Ezekiel was to shout a mocking cry of derision that mimicked those who viewed Judah’s destruction from a human standpoint, rather than from a divine one. GOD was determined to purge Judah of her sin despite the terrible cost she would have to pay.

In Ezekiel 7, verses 1-13, another message from GOD comes to Ezekiel. And while this prophecy too, is directed toward Judah in the sixth century, it is also a message that comes to us, from across the spans of time, and it foreshadows a similar eschatological time at history’s end. Here, however, GOD is warning of the final destruction of Judah, which occurred in 586 B.C. GOD unleashed HIS anger upon Judah because of her disgusting behavior towards HIM. And HE showed them no pity, “repaying them” GOD says, for all of their evil.

With one blow after another (605, 597, & 586 B.C.), GOD brought total disaster and destruction upon Judah, completing HIS punishing assault for their detestable practices in a span of less than twenty-years. The day of final judgment did come however, and it came at a time when Israel’s wickedness had reached an all-time high, and their violence fell back on them just when pride and wickedness hit its climax.

This passage of Ezekiel tells us that all of Judah’s wealth was swept away (economic consequences), and both buyers and sellers could find no reason to rejoice over their sell, or, grieve over their losses. In other words, the buyer who normally would rejoice over his acquisition was not happy, because ultimately, he was not able to possess that which he had purchased. And the one who was forced to sell his possessions, did not grieve over them, because he would have lost his them anyway, due to the Babylonian takeover. No one person, whose life was twisted in sin, was ever able to recover his or her loss (v.13).

Here we are also reminded that, in that day, no human effort counted for much, and although Judah called upon her military to stem off the powerful Babylonians, all of their efforts were of non-effect. In fact, she was able to show very little resistance to Nebuchadnezzar, who had been called by GOD to punish the Israelites thoroughly for their spiritual rebellion against HIM.

Verses 17-20, gives us a sad and vivid description of the result of Israel’s response to GOD’s onslaught upon them. Here it tells us that the once powerful Israelite's “hands went limp” and “knees became weak as water”, and the only thing that they could do was to “lament their condition” and began throwing away their money like worthless trash, because they finally realized that their wealth could not save them. In fact, in verse 20 it says that they actually became disgusted with their wealth.

The vivid images of moral and material weaknesses that are seen here, remind us, and indeed, cautions us, of the deceptive impact, that, wealth has on sin. Those who allow themselves to become corrupted by wealth remain arrogant as long as everything is going well. However, when GOD’s judgment arrives, all things that, we once deemed powerful, suddenly becomes the picture, or personification, of utter weakness. 

                                                                                                    

Over the next seven years, Ezekiel spoke several carefully dated prophesies concerning the judgment of Judah, however, after the final destruction of Judah in 586 B.C., Ezekiel fell silent for twelve years. After that period of silence, he resumed his ministry with a new and different message. It was a glowing announcement of GOD’s intention to restore Judah to her glory with the coming of a Messianic Kingdom at a much later date.

The book of Ezekiel will always remain as one of the most fascinating prophetic accounts in Scripture, simply because of the various unusual ways of which GOD commanded him to deliver HIS messages to the people of Israel while in Babylon. GOD’s use of Ezekiel with visions, symbols, and parables make his ministry unique in all of the annals of biblical history.

The message delivered by Ezekiel is based solely on the holiness of GOD, which, by the way, never changes. It serves as both, a warning, and a promise. It warns us that GOD will continue to punish evil, and it promises us that GOD will continue to remain faithful to HIS people. The book of Ezekiel exhibits how GOD’s unbreakable promises are fulfilled in both respects, as we see how the nation of Judah falls to Babylon, and, as we continue our studies through HIS Word, we see exactly how Judah was restored according to HIS promise (also see the books of Ezra and Nehemiah). However, we still have yet to realize the coming eschatological promise of the Millennial Kingdom of CHRIST JESUS that is also prophesied about in this book, and remains an invaluable element of motivation in the ideology of “The Christian Hope”.

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 September 14, 2014

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A SIGN OF THE COMING SIEGE, AND JUDGMENT

Ezekiel 4-5

First, I need to re-emphasize the fact that true prophets of GOD demonstrate HIS message with their whole life, body, and actions, and only to a lesser degree, with their mouths. This is because the LORD knows that people will not listen to HIS prophets any more than they are willing to listen to HIM, through the reading of HIS Word. And so GOD commands that HIS true prophets be willing to demonstrate HIS message to the people through physical acts, rather than words, most of the time (Ezekiel 3:24-27 & Ezekiel  chapters 4-5).

In Ezekiel 4 we see just such an example in GOD’s instructions to the prophet Ezekiel as to how HE wanted him to demonstrate a message to Israel, warning them of the final invasion and siege of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian forces had already invaded Judah twice, the first time in 605 B.C., and once again in 597 B.C., however, this next invasion would be to the total destruction of GOD’s chosen nation.

In verse 1 GOD instructs Ezekiel to take a large brick and set it down in front of him, and draw a map of the city of Jerusalem on it, including its walls. Then, he was to build siege ramps against the walls, and surround Jerusalem with enemy camps and battering rams. Next, he was to take an iron griddle and place it between himself and the city. Afterwards he was to turn toward Jerusalem and demonstrate with his body how the enemy would attack the city (Vs.1-3).

Then the LORD instructed Ezekiel to lie on his left side (v.4) and place the sins of Israel on himself, and bear those sins for 390 days, one day for each year of their sin against GOD (starting with King Solomon) since the time of the split of the “United Kingdom” of Israel (1 Kings 11-12).

In verse 6 the LORD instructs Ezekiel to, after 390 days, turn over and lie on his right side for 40 days, one day for each year of Judah’s sin of idolatry against GOD, all the while ignoring the warnings of HIS prophet Jeremiah, during the final 40 years of its existence, prior to the Babylonian invasion.

Ezekiel was to continue his demonstration of a siege against Jerusalem by lying there with his armpits bared the entire time. GOD even tied him up with ropes so that he couldn’t turn from side to side until the days of his demonstration had ended (Vs.7-8).

Before the demonstration of the message of the siege began, GOD had Ezekiel to gather certain foods (wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt) and mix them together in a storage jar. These were to be used to make bread for himself during his demonstration. He was told to ration the food out (8 ounces per day), and to eat it at set times. Also, he was to measure out a jar of water to drink each day, and he was to drink it only at set times (Vs.9-11).

Ezekiel was also told to bake his bread over a fire while all the people were watching using dried “human feces” as fuel. He was then to eat the bread in their presence to demonstrate how Judah would eat defiled bread in the land of Babylon, where HE would soon send them (Vs.12-13).

When Ezekiel protested this particular order by GOD to “eat defiled bread” baked by human dung (v.14), the LORD gave him permission instead, to use “cow dung” (v.15). All this was to show how GOD would make food and water scarce and unclean, and the people of Judah would eat and drink it in despair and dismay, and some would waste away because they will refuse to accept it (Vs.16-17).

In Ezekiel 5 we see even more physical demonstrations of GOD’s message by Ezekiel using his own body. This time GOD commands him to take a sharp sword and use it as a razor to shave his beard and head. The prophet is then told to weigh the hair on a scale in three separate parts (v.1). Shaving one’s head and beard was not only a sign of mourning in those days, but it was also a sign of humiliation, and even repentance, in some cases.

Ezekiel was told to place a third of the hair at the center of his map of Jerusalem, and after his demonstration of the siege had ended, he was to burn the hair there on the rock. Then, he was to scatter another third across his map and chop it up with his sword. However, he was to keep just a bit of that portion of hair, and tie it up in his robe. He was instructed to take a few of those hairs out and throw them into the fire. The fire would then spread from that small remnant and destroy all of Jerusalem (Vs.2-4).

This is how GOD HIMSELF explains the illustrations by Ezekiel regarding HIS coming judgment on Judah in verses 5-13 (NLT):

⁵ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is an illustration of what will happen to Jerusalem. I placed her at the center of the nations, ⁶ but she has rebelled against my regulations and decrees and has been even more wicked than the surrounding nations. She has refused to obey the regulations and decrees I gave her to follow.

⁷ “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: You people have behaved worse than your neighbors and have refused to obey my decrees and regulations. You have not even lived up to the standards of the nations around you. ⁸ Therefore, I MYSELF, the Sovereign Lord, am now your enemy. I will punish you publicly while all the nations watch. ⁹ Because of your detestable idols, I will punish you like I have never punished anyone before or ever will again. ¹⁰ Parents will eat their own children, and children will eat their parents. I will punish you and scatter to the winds the few who survive.

¹¹ “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will cut you off completely. I will show you no pity at all because you have defiled MY Temple with your vile images and detestable sins. ¹² A third of your people will die in the city from disease and famine. A third of them will be slaughtered by the enemy outside the city walls. And I will scatter a third to the winds, chasing them with my sword. ¹³ Then at last MY anger will be spent, and I will be satisfied. And when my fury against them has subsided, all Israel will know that I, the Lord, have spoken to them in my jealous anger.”

Ezekiel 5, verses 5-13 contains GOD’s accusation and case against the nation of Judah. HIS chosen people had angered HIM by lowering their standards and chasing after the idol gods of the pagan nations around them. They had rebelled against HIS laws and decrees and thereby, had wittingly ignored their revelation and knowledge of HIS sovereignty. And so what follows in verses 14-17, is GOD’s verdict after finding them guilty as charged. God would judge them without pity, and all who defiled HIS temple, by mixing the holy with the profane, would perish by fire. Those who remained would be forcefully scattered abroad and be used to tell people of distant lands of the fate of those who reject the only wise sovereign GOD of the universe, WHO is our SAVIOR, through JESUS CHRIST. 

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

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BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

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BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday August 31, 2014

EZEKIEL’S CALL AND COMMISSION

(A call to be “watchmen” for our fellowman)

Ezekiel 1-3

In 605 B.C., after crushing combined Assyrian and Egyptian forces at Carchemish on the banks of the Euphrates River, Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army moved south and invaded Syria-Palestine. They later invaded Judah (on three separate occasions – 605, 597, & 586 B.C.), conquering it, and making it a “vassal state”, during the reign of King Jehoikim.

During the first invasion of Judah (605 B.C. – 2 Kings 24:1-7, 2 Chronicles 36:5-8), Nebuchadnezzar took a number of young Jewish nobles, including Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the future prophet Daniel (Daniel 1:1-7). Jehoikim surrendered and became a “puppet king”, or “vassal king” of Nebuchadnezzar, and he paid monetary tributes to the powerful king of Babylon for nearly three years.

After three years of submission, Jehoikim decided to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, bringing about another invasion in early 597 B.C. At that time, he himself, was chained and carried off to Babylon after an eleven-year reign. His younger brother, Jehoiachin, took over his throne, but after only a three-month and ten day reign, he was summoned into Babylon, and then replaced with his uncle, Zedekiah, by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36:9-16).

During this second invasion (597 B.C.), Nebuchadnezzar deported an even larger group of Judah’s upper and middle class citizens to Babylon, and among this group was a young twenty-six year old priest in training named, Ezekiel. This group of Jewish captives was placed in the region of Tel Aviv, along a wide canal that links two branches of the Euphrates known as the Kebar River. There, they were treated more as colonists than slaves and enjoyed many privileges.

It was there on the banks of the Kebar River, that, in 593 B.C., a now thirty old Ezekiel received his calling from GOD (Ezekiel 1 & 2). Thirty years old is the minimum age that priests are actually allowed to begin serving in the temple (Numbers 4:1-3). And so, as the LORD would have it, it was from that place, that Ezekiel first served the LORD by delivering his first prophetic message to his fellow captives in Babylon.

The first half of the book of Ezekiel focuses on the LORD’s coming judgment of Judah. The prophet Ezekiel is given the task of explaining to the Israelites already in captivity, the details of GOD’s judgment against them, and why they were being judged. The account of Ezekiel’s calling is the most lengthy and detailed account of any prophet in Scripture, including Isaiah and Jeremiah. However, like those two men, Ezekiel is made aware of his calling by GOD through a vision of the glory and majesty of HIS being.

In Ezekiel chapter 1, the prophet gives us a vivid description of his, now famous, “vision of living beings”. It happened during the fifth year of King Jehoichin’s captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel tells us that he saw a great storm approaching from the north (where GOD is) driving a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone brilliantly. There was a fire inside the cloud that glowed like gleaming ember, and out of the center of the cloud came four living beings shaped like humans, only they had four faces, the four faces of perhaps the greatest of the GOD’s creation, and two pairs of wings. Here we see described, the faces of the human (the greatest of all GOD’s earthly creation), the lion (the king of the beast), the ox (the symbol of strength among domesticated animals), and the eagle (the king of the fowls of the air). The following is how Ezekiel described the beings that he saw:

·         The beings had four faces (human, lion, ox, and eagle) each looking in a different direction. (v.6)

·         Each being had two pairs of wings. (v.6)

·         They stood upright like humans, but they had calves feet that split the hoof, and were burnished like bronze. (v.7)

·         Beneath their wings were human hands. (v.8)

·         They were able to fly in any direction without turning. (v.9)

·         These living beings looked like bright coals of fire, or brilliant torches, and lightning flashed back and forth between them. (v.13)

·         The living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning. (v.14)  

In verses 15-21 Ezekiel describes “GOD’s Throne-Chariot”, an image that depicts the sovereignty of GOD in all things. The visions which Ezekiel says looked like living beings are the same as those seen by the Apostle John in Revelations 4, and are of the same order of angels called “Cherubim”. The wheels and the rapid movement of the large structures under the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, which were described by Ezekiel, depict the universal movement and freedom of GOD.

Brightness has always been associated with GOD’s holiness and glory. In verse 22, Ezekiel describes a surface that is spread out over the sky that sparkled bright like crystal. Beneath that surface, the wings of each being stretched out to touch each other’s, and with their remaining pair of wings, they covered their own bodies. When they flew, their wings roared like waves of water crashing against the seashore, symbolizing the sound of the almighty GOD as HE spoke.

And at this point the LORD did speak from beyond that crystal sky, and above the heads of the angelic beings, appeared a majestic Throne made of blue sapphire. High above this throne was a figure shaped like a man, who, from the waist up, looked like gleaming, flickering amber. From the waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him appeared a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining through the clouds.

This is how Ezekiel says the glory of GOD appeared to him, and when he saw it, he fell face down to the ground as he heard a voice speaking to him from Heaven (v.28). It was at this point that the voice commanded him to “Stand up”. The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD then entered into young Ezekiel and set him on his feet. He listened carefully as the LORD gave him his calling and commission to speak to the, still rebellious people, of Israel (Ezekiel 2:1-5).

In the book of Ezekiel the term “son of man” is used 90 times by GOD to address HIS servant Ezekiel. It is most likely used by GOD to remind Ezekiel of his human frailty, and his connection to the people that he was being commissioned to prophesy to. In the New Testament, the term “SON of man” is given to JESUS to emphasize HIS humanity, and HIS dependence on the HOLY SPIRIT of HIS FATHER GOD.

True prophets of GOD are called to demonstrate HIS message with their whole life and body, and only to a lesser degree, with their mouth. This is because the LORD knows that people will not listen to HIS prophets any more than they are willing to listen to HIM, through the reading of HIS Word. And so GOD makes HIS prophet just as hard and stubborn as the people whom HE sends them to communicate with (Ezekiel 3:6-9). GOD commands that HIS true prophets be willing to demonstrate HIS message to the people through physical acts, rather than words, most of the time (Ezekiel 3:24-27 & Ezekiel  chapters 4-5).

In the biblical Greek, the word used to describe “the goodness of GOD’s discipline”, or “righteous judgment”, is “dikaiosune” (dik-ah-yos-oo-nay). It is a term that explains how the object of GOD’s judgment is always for the promotion of HIS plan for us, and the building of our character so that we may be effective in carrying out HIS plan for us, HIS way, not ours, throughout the world.

The role of the “watchman” is to always remain at his post, keeping alert for the event of any danger that might threaten the security of that, or those which he is assigned to protect. His duty was limited, but it was extremely important. He was responsible to give an alarm to make those whom he was duty-bound to protect, aware of their impending, and immediate danger. However, if those whom he sought to protect did not take heed to his warning, he could not be held responsible for their injury or demise.

In Ezekiel chapter 3, verses 16-27, GOD tells Ezekiel that HE has appointed him as a “watchman” over Israel, and whenever he received a message from GOD, he was responsible to pass it on to the people immediately. Here the LORD tells Ezekiel that;

“If I warn the wicked saying, “You are under penalty of death, but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. If you warn them and they keep on sinning and refuse to repent, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved your life because you did what you were told to do. If good people turn bad and don’t listen to MY warning, they will die. If you did not warn them of the consequences, then they will die in their sins. Their previous good deeds won’t help them, and I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. But if you warn them and they repent, they will live, and you will have saved your own life too”.

It is a powerful warning to those who say they were called to teach and preach the Word of GOD. The LORD will not hold blameless, those who block others from salvation through false teaching, and disobedience to the GOD they say they believe and hold dear to their hearts.

True men of GOD talk only when GOD tells them to speak, that way, they are never in danger of “making stuff up”, saying the LORD told them something, and the LORD “hasn’t said anything”. The LORD probably restrains men of GOD just as much as HE tells them to act, or speak (Vs. 24-26). And most of the time, when HE does let us speak, most people will ignore us anyway (v.27), just like they ignored all of GOD’s prophets, including the greatest ONE of all, JESUS CHRIST.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

                                                                                                                         

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