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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 2 AND 3
LESSON #3
THE COMMISSION OF THE PROPHET
vMEMORY VERSE: MATTHEW 24:42
EEZEKIEL2
Ø READ EZE 2:1-10 GODS CALL
§ WHAT COMMANDS DOES GOD GIVEEZEKIEL?
· STAND UP AND LISTEN. (2, 8)
· DONT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK THE WORDOF GOD (6)
· DONT BE REBELLIOUS LIKE THEISRAELITES (8)
§ HOW DO THESE COMMANDS RELATE TO THECHRISTIAN LIFE?
DISCUSSION
Ø EZE 2:1-2 GOD CALLS A PROPHET
§ SON OF MAN (1)
· WE FIND THIS TITLE IN THE BOOKS OFDANIEL AND EZEKIEL TO REFER TO THESE TWO PROPHETS. ITIS USED TO EMPHASIZE THE SUFFERING NATURE OF THE OFFICE OF A PROPHET, THE PROPHETSHUMANITY, AS WELL AS HIS FAMILY RELATIONSHIP TO GOD AS A FATHER.
· JESUS USED THIS TITLE FOR HIMSELF INTHE GOSPELS. THEREFORE, IT IS CONSIDERED A MESSIANIC TITLE. EMPHASIZING THE HUMAN NATUREAND THE SUFFERING OF JESUS. JESUS USED IT TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH MANKIND.
§ THE SPIRIT ENTERED INTO ME(2)
· THE HOLY SPIRIT ACCOMPLISHES GODSCALL ON A PERSONS LIFE.
· THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES POWER TO A PERSONCALLED BY GOD..
¨ THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT PUTS APERSON TO WORK FOR JESUS CHRIST.
¨ IF GOD CALLS YOU TO DO A JOB, HE WILLGIVE YOU THE POWER TO COMPLETE IT.
¨ IF GOD CALLS YOU TO DO A JOB, HE WILLNOT FORSAKE YOU BEFORE IT IS COMPLETED.
Ø EZE 2:3-6 THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE OFISRAEL
§ GODS DESCRIPTION OF THESE PEOPLE:
· 1. A REBELLIOUS NATION
¨ THE WORD NATION THAT THEHEBREW USES IS A DERROGATORY WORD THAT WAS USUALLY USED FOR PAGAN, GENTILE NATIONS. GODSPEOPLE HAD SUNK TO THE SPIRITUAL LEVEL OF HEATHEN PEOPLE.
· 2. THEY REBELLED AGAINST GOD
· 3. THEIR ANCESTORS SINNED AGAINST GOD
· 4. THEY ARE DISOBEDIENT CHILDREN
· 5. THEY ARE STIFF HEARTED
¨ WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE STIFF HEARTED?(4)
Ø THE TERM DESCRIBES A HEART THAT CANNOTBE MOLDED AND CHANGED BY GOD.
§ IT IS LIKE CLAY THAT DOES NOT HAVEENOUGH WATER MIXED WITH THE CLAY TO MAKE IT PLIABLE. THEN THE QUALITY OF THE CLAY IS SAIDTO BE STIFF BECAUSE YOU CANT WORK IT AND MOLD IT INTO THE VESSEL YOUDESIRE.
· READ ISA 29:16 JER 18:6
§ WHAT ONE WORD DESCRIBES THE PEOPLE OFISRAEL?
· REBELLIOUS. THIS TERM IN SOME FORM ISUSED 7 TIMES IN THIS CHAPTER.
¨ REMEMBER THAT THE NUMBER 7 IS ASYMBOLIC NUMBER MEANING COMPLETE OR PERFECT.
Ø EZE 2:5 THE LOVE AND MERCY OF GOD DISPLAYED
§ EVEN THOUGH GODS PEOPLE WEREREBELLIOUS, GOD WOULD NOT GIVE UP ON THEM.
§ EVEN THOUGH THE JOB WOULD BE DIFFICULT,GOD WOULD SEND A PROPHET TO THEM.
Ø EZE 2:6 ENCOURAGEMENT FOR EZEKIEL
§ IF GOD GAVE YOU A DIFFICULT JOB ANDTOLD YOU AHEAD OF TIME THAT NO ONE WOULD LISTEN TO YOU, WOULD YOU BE TEMPTED TO GIVE UPBEFORE YOU STARTED?
· GOD EMPOWERS AND ENCOURAGES EZEKIEL TODO THE JOB EVEN THROUGH THE SUFFERING.
¨ EZEKIEL WILL SUFFER ANGRY, MOCKINGWORDS.= VERBAL ABUSE.
¨ EZEKIEL WILL SUFFER BRIERS ANDTHORNS = PHYSICAL ABUSE.
Ø PRINCIPLES TO REMEMBER:
§ 1. GOD CALLS BELIEVERS TO DO SPECIFICJOBS FOR HIM.
§ 2. GOD GIVES YOU THE POWER OF THE HOLYSPIRIT TO COMPLETE THE JOB HE HAS CALLED YOU TO DO.
§ 3. THE MESSENGER OF GOD IS RESPONSIBLETO SHARE GODS MESSAGE, BUT HE IS NOTRESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE MESSAGE. THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOLYSPIRIT AND THE PERSON WHO HEARS IT.
v EZEKIEL 3
Ø READ EZE 3:1-3 PREPARATION OF THE PROPHET
§ GOD TELLS EZEKIEL TO EAT A PARCHMENTSCROLL. ISAIAH AND JOHN RECEIVED THE SAME COMMAND.. (JER 15:16 REV 10:8-10).
· ACCEPTING THE SCROLL TO EAT MEANT HEACCEPTED THE JOB OF A PROPHET.
· WHILE THIS IS SYMBOLIC AND HAS ASPIRITUAL MEANING, EZEKIEL PROBABLY DID LITERALLY EAT A SCROLL. THIS KIND OF STRANGEACTIVITY WAS COMMON TO THE LIFE OF A PROPHET. THEY LITERALLY ACTED OUT THE MESSAGES.
· WHAT DOES THE SCROLL REPRESENT?
¨ THE SCROLL REPRESENTS THE WORD OF GODIN WRITTEN FORM..
Ø EZEKIEL WAS TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THEWORD OF GOD BEFORE HE EVER WENT OUT TO SPEAK. IT MEANS HE HAD TO DO MORE THAN JUST READIT. HE HAD TO DIGEST IT SO THAT IT BECAME A PART OF HIM AND HIS LIFE.
Ø THE SCROLL HERE IS REMINISCENT OF THESCROLL WRITTEN ON THE FRONT AND BACK IN REV 5.
§ IN REV 5, THE SEALS ON THE SCROLL OPENA PERIOD OF JUDGMENT ON THIS EARTH THAT WILL COME IN THE FUTURE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
· IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL, THE MESSAGES OFEZEKIEL FROM THE WORD OF GOD ARE MESSAGES OF JUDGMENT ON A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE.
Ø OF WHAT SIGNIFICANCE ARE VERSES 1-3?
§ UNLESS WE KNOW THE WORD OF GOD, WE HAVENO MESSAGE, AND WE ARE UNPREPARED.
§ NOTICE THAT WHEN EZEKIEL ATE ANDDIGESTED THE WORD OF GOD, IT WAS SWEET IN HIS MOUTH.
· THE MORE YOU GET TO KNOW AND UNDERSTANDTHE WORD OF GOD, THE SWEETER IT BECOMES. YOU CANT BE IN LOVE WITH JESUS UNLESS YOULOVE HIS WORD.
Ø READ EZE 3:4-11 EZEKIELS TASK
§ GOD SENDS EZEKIEL TO BE A PROPHET TOHIS OWN PEOPLE. HE DOES NOT NEED TO LEARN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE TO TELL THEM WHAT GOD WANTSTHEM TO KNOW.
· EVEN THOUGH THEY WILL NOT HEED HISMESSAGE, THEY WILL KNOW THAT GOD LOVES THEM ENOUGH TO SEND A PROPHET TO THEM.
§ GOD GIVES EZEKIEL STRENGTH TO ENDUREPERSECUTION. REMEMBER THAT EZEKIELS NAME MEANS, GOD STRENGTHENS.
· I HAVE MADE THY FACE STRONG ANDTHY FOREHEAD STRONG (8)
¨ THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES EZEKIELPERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION TO SPEAK A DIFFICULT MESSAGE.
¨ THE VISUAL ILLUSTRATION HERE IS THAT HEWILL BE LIKE A BILLY GOAT BUTTING HEADS WITH REBELLIOUS JEWS. THEY ARE A HARD-HEADEDPEOPLE BUT GOD WILL MAKE EZEKIELS HEAD HARDER..
Ø READ EZE 3:12-14 THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY AND THE HAND OF THE LORD
§ EZEKIEL RETURN S TO THE DESCRIPTION OFTHE GLORY OF THE LORD AND THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT HE DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 1.WHY?
· GOD IS MOVING! EZEKIEL WANTS US TO KNOWTHAT HIS COMMISSION AS A PROPHET COMES DIRECTLY FROM GOD, AND THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLYSPIRIT GIVES HIM POWER. GOD IS MOVING TO WORK OUT HIS PLAN.
¨ THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS THEREUPON HIM
Ø THIS PHRASE INTRODUCES GODSREVELATIONS TO EZEKIEL.
§ 1. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS USED IS IN EZE1:3 WHEN GOD GAVE HIM THE VISION OF HIS GLORY.
§ 2. THE SECOND TIME IT WAS USED IS INEZE 3:14 WHEN GOD SHOWED HIM THE APOSTASY OF HIS PEOPLE.
§ 3. THE THIRD TIME IT WAS USED IS IN EZE3:21 WHEN GOD MADE HIM AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE PEOPLE RESTRICTED GOD.
§ EZEKIELS ANGRY, BITTER RESPONSE(14)
· THE HEBREW WORDS INDICATE A VERY ANGRYSPIRIT. EZEKIELS ANGER AND BITTERNESS IS TOWARD HIS PEOPLE WHO HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD.IT IS A RIGHTEOUS ANGER.
Ø READ EZE 3:15-22 EZEKIELS JOBDESCRIPTION
§ NOTICE THAT EZEKIEL RECEIVES HIS JOBDESCRIPTION AFTER 7 DAYS. GOD TELLS HIM WHAT HE NEEDS TO KNOW IN GODS PERFECTTIMING.
· WHY WAS EZEKIEL ASTONISHED SITTINGAMONG HIS PEOPLE?
¨ HE SAT THEIR 7 DAYS LISTENING TO THEIRDEPTHS OF APOSTASY.
§ EZEKIEL IS TO BE A WATCHMAN. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
· EVERY CITY HAD A WATCHMAN ON THE CITYWALLS. THE WATCHMAN LOOKED OUT OVER THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE. HE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE ANDHEAR AN ARMY APPROACH FOR ATTACK LONG BEFORE THE PEOPLE DOWN IN THE CITY WOULD KNOW THEREWAS DANGER. IN HEBREW CULTURE, THE CITY EMPLOYED WATCHMEN FOR THREE SHIFTS. THE FIRST SHIFT WAS FROM THE MINUTE IT GOT DARK TOMIDNIGHT. THE SECOND SHIFT WAS FROM MIDNIGHT UNTIL THE ROOSTER CROWED AT ABOUT 2 OR 3 AM.THE THIRD SHIFT WAS FROM THE TIME THE ROOSTER CROWED UNTIL SUNRISE.
¨ IN OTHER WORDS, THE WATCHMAN WOULD KNOWWHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BEFORE ANYONE ELSE. IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION IN THATSOCIETY. THE SAFETY OF THE WHOLE CITY DEPENDED ON HOW WELL HE DID HIS JOB.
· EZEKIEL WILL KNOW IN ADVANCE WHATSPIRITUAL DANGERS PLAGUE GODS PEOPLE BECAUSE GOD WILL GIVE HIM THIS SUPERNATURALKNOWLEDGE.
§ EZEKIELS HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY(18-20):
· THERE ARE 4 SCENARIOS PRESENTED HERE:
¨ 1. PEOPLE DIE IN THEIR SINS BECAUSE THEWATCHMAN DOES NOT WARN THE PEOPLE OF THEIR SIN.(18)
¨ 2. PEOPLE DIE IN THEIR SIN BECAUSE THEYIGNORE THE WATCHMANS WARNINGS. (19)
¨ 3. THE RIGHTEOUS DIE BECAUSE THEYTURNED AWAY FROM GOD WHEN THE WATCHMAN DID NOT WARN THEM. (20)
¨ 4. THE RIGHTEOUS LISTEN TO THE WATCHMANSWARNINGS AND THEY ARE NOT JUDGED. (21)
· VERSES 18, 19, AND 20 PRESENT US WITH SOME VERY SERIOUS QUESTIONS:
¨ DOES GOD HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESINS OF ANOTHER PERSON IF I DID NOT WARN THAT PERSON OF THOSE SINS?
¨ IF I AM ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERYONE WHOHAS NOT HEARD GODS MESSAGE, HOW CAN I POSSIBLY WARN EVERYONE IN THE WORLD?
¨ IF I ATTEMPT TO WARN EVERYONE IN ORDERTO SATISFY THAT ACCOUNTABILITY, THEN AM I DOING WORKS FOR MY SALVATION. ¿YES OR NO?
Ø IF EZEKIEL DECIDED NOT TO DELIVER GODSMESSAGES OF WARNING, THEN WOULD HE NOT BE SAVED? (19)
· THE KEY TO INTERPRETATION: WE MUSTREMEMBER THAT EZEKIEL LIVED IN A PERIOD OF LAW. HE WAS SAVED BY FAITH IN THE GRACE OF GODJUST LIKE ABRAHAM AND JUST LIKE WE ARE, BUT ALONGSIDE FAITH WAS THE EXTERNALRESPONSIBILITY OF THE MOSAIC LAW. GOD IMPRESSES UPON HIM HIS ACCOUNTABILITY TO LIVEACCORDING TO THE MOSAIC LAW WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INTERNAL SALVATION BY FAITH.(LEV 20)
¨ DISCUSSION: WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO UNSAVED PEOPLEIN THIS NEW TESTAMENT AGE OF GRACE?
Ø READ EZE 3:23-27 A SERMON IN ACTION
§ IN VERSE 23, EZEKIEL WENT TO THE PLAIN.THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME DETAILS ABOUT HIS VISIT TO THE PLAIN THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED HERE BYEZEKIEL. THE PEOPLE PROBABLY REFUSED HIS MESSAGE.
§ THEN IN VERSE 24, GOD TELLS HIM TO GOHOME. EZEKIEL REMAINS THERE FOR 7 YEARS (593-586 BC). HE GOES OUT ONLY FOR RARE SPECIALOCCASIONS (5:2; 12:3)
· THE PEOPLE BIND HIM IN HIS HOUSE.
¨ THIS IS PROBABLY NOT A LITERAL BINDING.INSTEAD IT PROBABLY MEANS THAT THE INDIFFERENCE OF THE PEOPLE RESTRICTED HIM.
· GOD TELLS HIM NOT TO GO OUT AND TALK TOTHE PEOPLE. HOWEVER, THE ELDERS CAN COME AND ASK HIM QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD. THEN THE ELDERSCAN SHARE HIS MESSAGES WITH THE PEOPLE.
· GOD CAUSES EZEKIEL TO BE DUMB EXCEPTFOR SPEAKING THESE MESSAGES THAT GOD GIVES HIM.
¨ GOD LIFTED THIS COMMAND OF SILENCE WHENTHE CITY OF JERUSALEM WAS DESTROYED. (24:25-27; 33:21-22)
§ THE PURPOSE FOR THIS SPECIAL SIGN OFSILENCE:
· THE PEOPLE OF GOD MUST NOT TAKE GODSWORD FOR GRANTED OR TREAT IT LIGHTLY.
¨ HE THAT HEARETH LET HIM HEAR(27)
Ø THE RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW GOD REMAINSWITH EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON WHO DECIDES FOR HIMSELF BY HIS OWN FREE WILL.
· THE PEOPLE WERE TO LEARN THAT WHEN GODSPEAKS YOU BETTER LISTEN AND OBEY.
v THECHARACTER OF CHRIST FROM EZEKIEL 1-3:
Ø CHAPTER 1 = HOLINESS, OMNIPOTENCE,OMNISCIENCE, OMNI-PRESENCE, DEITY, GLORY, KING, BEAUTY
Ø CHAPTER 2 = JUSTICE THAT CONSISTS OFMERCY AND JUDGMENT. JUSTICE THAT REQUIRES OBEDIENCE.
Ø CHAPTER 3 = MERCY AND PERSEVERANCE.
v PRINCIPLESTO REMEMBER:
Ø OBEDIENCE TO GOD IS BETTER THANREBELLION.
§ WHY?
· BECAUSE YOU ARE DEALING WITH THE SOVEREIGNLORD WHO KEEPS HIS COVENANT PROMISES (JEHOVAH ADONAI). THIS NAME IS THE NAME FOR GODTHAT EZEKIEL USED 217 TIMES IN THIS BOOK. IT ONLY OCCURS 103 TIMES IN THE REST OF THE OLDTESTAMENT.
Ø TO BE OBEDIENT, WE MUST BE LISTENING TOHIS WORD. TO LISTEN TO HIS WORD, WE MUST READ AND STUDY IT.
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 4 AND 5
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 2-3
Ø HOW GOOD ARE YOU AT LISTENING TO THELORD?
Ø HOW GOOD ARE YOU AT OBEYING THE LORD?
Ø WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE?
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 4
Ø READ EZE 4:1-17
§ THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST PORTRAYED INTHIS CHAPTER IS THAT CHRIST IS A JUSTJUDGE.
· IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU SEE THIS CHARACTERQUALITY DEMONSTRATED IN CHAPTER 4?
Ø READ EZE 5:1-17
§ THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST PORTARYED INTHIS CHAPTER IS THAT CHRIST IS A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE.
· IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU SEE THIS CHARACTERQUALITY DEMONSTRATED IN CHAPTER 5?
· WHERE DO YOU SEE AN INDICATION OF WHEREGOD PROMISES TO PROTECT A SMALL REMNANT OF FAITHFUL PEOPLE?
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 121:4
