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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 8
LESSON #6
THE DEFILEMENT OF THE TEMPLE

MEMORY VERSE:  PSALMS 29:2

v     CHAPTER 8 OPENS THE SECOND MAJOR PARTOF THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL. LIKE THE FIRST PART OF THE BOOK, IT OPENS WITH A VISION OF THEGLORY OF THE LORD.

v     READ EZE 8:1-4   THE SECOND VISION OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD

Ø      THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON EZEKIELWHILE HE SAT TALKING TO THE JEWISH ELDERS.

§         EZEKIEL SUDDENLY SAW A VISION OF THELORD (2)

·        THE DESCRIPTION IS SIMILAR TO THAT OFCHAPTER 1 WHEN HE SAW JESUS CHRIST ON THE THRONE.

¨      FIRE

¨      BRIGHTNESS

¨      THE COLOR OF AMBER

§         “HE TOOK ME BY A LOCK OF MINE HEAD”(3)

·        EZEKIEL HAD SHAVED HIS HEAD IN CHAPTER5:1-3. HOWEVER, THIS VISION IS ABOUT A YEAR LATER AND HIS HAIR HAS GROWN OUT.

§         “THE SPIRIT LIFTED ME UP BETWEENEARTH AND HEAVEN” (3)

·        THE QUESTION ARISES AS TO WHETHER THISWAS JUST SOMETHING EZEKIEL SAW IN THE SPIRIT WORLD OR WHETHER HE WAS PHYSICALLY LIFTED UPIN THE SKY.

¨      THEOLOGIANS DIFFER IN THEIR OPIONIONSAS TO AN INTERPRETATION OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. DID THE ELDERS SITTING WITH EZEKIEL SEEHIM GO UP INTO THE SKY?

Ø      THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US.

§         “AND BROUGHT ME IN THE VISIONS OFGOD TO JERUSALEM” (3)

·        DID THE HOLY SPIRIT SPIRITUALLY TAKEHIM TO JERUSALEM OR DID THE HOLY SPIRIT TAKE HIM THERE PHYSICALLY?

¨      WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY. ALSO THEREARE A VARIETY OF OPINIONS REGARDING THIS QUESTION. HOWEVER, AS WE WILL SEE LATER, GODTELLS EZEKIEL TO DO SOME PHYSICAL ACTIONS, SO PERHAPS HE WAS ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY THERE INJERUSALEM.

Ø      WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT PAUL AND JOHNIN THE NEW TESTAMENT HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. (2COR 12:1-3 AND REV 4).

Ø      WE KNOW THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY ASUPERNATURAL EVENT.

Ø      WE ALSO KNOW THAT WHATEVER ACTUALLYHAPPENED IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT HE SAW AND WHAT HE LEARNED.

·        REMEMBER THAT EZEKIEL’S LOCATIONIS IN BABYLON DURING THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. HE WAS AMONG THE SECOND GROUP OF ISRAELITESTAKEN TO BABYLON. THERE WERE STILL MANY ISRAELITES LEFT IN THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAHAND IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM.

Ø      EZEKIEL SAID HE WAS TAKEN TO THE TEMPLEIN JERUSALEM, TO THE DOOR OF THE INNER GATE.

§         WHAT DID GOD CONSIDER SO IMPORTANTABOUT THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM THAT HE TOOK EZEKIEL THERE?

·        TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THETEMPLE WE NEED TO DISCUSS A LITTLE HISTORY.

¨      THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A PLACEOF WORSHIP IN THE BIBLE WAS WHEN GOD TOLD MOSES TO BUILD THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS.(THE BOOK OF EXODUS).

Ø      GOD GAVE MOSES PRECISE INSTRUCTIONS,DETAILS, AND DIMENSIONS OF EVERYTHING HE MUST MAKE FOR THE TABERNACLE.

Ø      WHEN THE TABERNACLE WAS COMPLETED, THEHOLY SPIRIT OF GOD DWELT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES WHEN THE ISRAELITES CAMPED IN THEWILDERNESS.

¨      WHEN THE ISREALITES SETTLED IN THEPROMISE LAND, THEY CONTINUED TO USE THE TABERNACLE AS A PLACE WHERE GOD’S PRESENCEDWELT.

¨      WHEN DAVID BECAME KING, HE WANTED TOBUILD A TEMPLE, BUT GOD TOLD HIM NO. DAVID’S SON SOLOMON MUST BUILD THE TEMPLE WHENHE BECAME KING.

Ø      SOLOMON’S TEMPLE WAS A MAGNIFICENTSTRUCTURE FILLED WITH WEALTH, GRANDEUR, AND BEAUTY. SOLOMON BUILT IT ACCORDING TO THEDETAILS AND SPECIFICATIONS THAT GOD GAVE TO SOLOMON.

Ø      AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOLOMON’STEMPLE, THE GLORY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES JUST AS HE HAD DWELT INTHE TABERNACLE.

§         SOLOMON’S TEMPLE WAS THE ONLYJEWISH TEMPLE THAT EVER HAD THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HEROD’S TEMPLE OF JESUS’DAY DID NOT HAVE THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

·        THE ANSWER TO OUR QUESTION ABOUT THEIMPORTANCE OF SOLOMON’S TEMPLE LIES IN THE FACT THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRITOF GOD WAS THERE.

§         WHAT WAS THE “SEAT OF THE IMAGE OFJEALOUSY”? (5)

·        READ 2CHR 33:1-5

¨      KING MANASSEH BUILT IDOLS TO BAAL INSOLOMON’S TEMPLE.

Ø      IN EXO 20:4-5 GOD TOLD HIS PEOPLE NOTTO MAKE IDOLS AND NOT TO WORSHIP THEM BECAUSE HE IS A JEALOUS GOD.

¨      “THE SEAT OF THE IMAGE OF JEALOUSY”PROBABLY REFERRED TO GOD’S JEALOUSY OF THE IDOLS MANASSEH PUT IN THE TEMPLE (696-641BC) MORE THAN 50 YEARS BEFORE EZEKIEL’S TIME.

v     READ EZE 8:5-18   ABOMINATIONS IN THE TEMPLE

Ø      GOD TELLS EZEKIEL TO DIG INTO A HOLE INTHE WALL OF THE TEMPLE. SO HE CAN SEE THE ABOMINATIONS IN THE TEMPLE. (8)

§         GOD EXPLAINS TO EZEKIEL THAT THE TEMPLEABOMINATIONS ARE THE REASONS WHY GOD MUST ALSO CAUSE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE WHENTHE CITY OF JERUSALEM FALLS.

·        ABOMINATION #1.

¨      THE IMAGE OF JEALOUSY IN THE TEMPLE ANDEVERY FORM OF CREEPING THING AND ABOMINABLE BEASTS IN IDOL FORM AND DRAWN ON THE TEMPLEWALLS (10).

Ø      THE PEOPLE HAD SUNK TO THE DEPTHS OFIDOLATRY WHERE PEOPLE HAD MADE IDOLS OF EVERY CONCEIVABLE CREATURE TO REPRESENT SOME PAGANGOD.

§         THE PRIESTS STORED THESE OLD IDOLS INTHE STOREROOMS AT THE SIDES OF THE TEMPLE. THE PRIESTS HAD BEEN STORING THEM THROUGH TIMEBACK INTO THE DEEPEST RECESSES OF THESE STOREROOMS. MANY OF THEM WERE FORGOTTEN COLLECTINGDUST. BUT MANY OF THEM WERE STILL USED.

·        THESE PEOPLE WORSHIPPED THE CREATURERATHER THAN THE CREATOR. 

¨      READ ROM 1:21, 25

·        ABOMINATION #2:

¨      SEVENTY ELDERS OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAELOFFERING INCENSE TO IDOLS (11-12).

Ø      IN ONE OF THESE SIDE ROOMS, ELDERS WERESECRETLY OFFERING INCENSE AND WORSHIPPING IDOLS.

§         THEY THOUGHT THAT GOD DID NOT SEE THEMBECAUSE THEY DID IT IN THE DARK IN SECRET.

§         THESE 70 ELDERS MADE UP A SECRET,CLANDESTINED GROUP THAT TURNED THEIR BACKS ON GOD TO WORSHIP IDOLS.

§         ONE OF THESE MEN IS JAAZANIAH, THE SONOF SHAPHAN.(11)

·        IT IS INTERESTING THAT EZEKIEL MENTIONSTHIS MAN BY NAME AS THOUGH HE IS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE HIM THERE WORSHIPPING PAGAN GODS.WHO WAS HE?

¨      HE WAS AN IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL LEADEROF JEWISH SOCIETY. HIS FATHER, SHAPHAN, FOUND THE SCRIPTURES IN THE DAYS OF KING JOSIAHTHAT BROUGHT A REVIVAL TO THE NATION. (2CHR 34). SHAPHAN HAD 3 OTHER SONS WHO ALL SERVEDGOD FAITHFULLY BY PROTECTING THE PROPHET, JEREMIAH, FROM DEATH (JER 26:24), PROTECTINGJEREMIAH’S SCROLL OF PROPHECIES FROM DESTRUCTION (JER 36:12), AND DELIVERING THATSCROLL TO THE CAPTIVE JEWS IN BABYLON. (JER 29:1-3).

¨      BECAUSE OF THIS GODLY HERITAGE, EZEKIELIS SURPRISED TO SEE JAAZANIAH WORSHIPPING IDOLS.

·        ABOMINATION #3:

¨      WOMEN WEEPING FOR THE IDOL (TAMMUZ) INPERFORMANCE OF FERTILITY RITES IN THE GATE OF THE TEMPLE (14).

Ø      EVERY YEAR IN THE FALL WOMEN CELEBRATEDTHE DEATH OF THE BABYLONIAN GOD, TAMMUZ. (THE GREEKS CALLED THIS GOD ADONIS AND THEEGYPTIANS CALLED HIM OSIRIS.) THEY CELEBRATED HIS DEATH BY WEEPING. AFTER HIS DEATH, THEYBELIEVED THAT TAMMUZ WENT DOWN TO THE WORLD OF THE DEAD. THEY WOULD REJOICE IN THE SPRINGWHEN TAMMUZ WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY ISHTAR (ASTARTE), WHO WAS HIS WIFE AND HIS MOTHER.

§         DO NOT THINK THAT CHRISTIANITY IS ANYDIFFERENT FROM OLD JUDAISM? LIKE JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY IS NOT FREE FROM PAGAN RELIGIONS.MANY OF OUR PRACTICES AT EASTER TIME COME FROM THE BABYLONIAN RELIGION OF THE WORSHIP OFTAMMUZ OR ESTARTE. IN FACT WE GET THE NAME “EASTER” FROM THE GODDESS ISHTAR ORASTARTE. WE GET THE IDEA OF CHICKENS, EGGS, AND RABBITS FROM THE IMMORAL SEXUAL PRACTICESOF FERTILITY RITES OF THIS RELIGION.

·        ABOMINATION #4:

¨      THERE WERE TWENTY-FIVE MEN IN THE INNERCOURT NEAR THE ALTAR.

Ø      THIS PLACE WAS WHERE THE PRIESTSSACRIFICED THE ANIMALS TO GOD. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE ONLY THE PRIESTS WERE TO GO. BUT THESEMEN WERE NOT PRIESTS. THEY WERE WORSHIPPING THE SUN WITH THEIR BACKS TO GOD. (16)

§         THE WORSHIP OF A SUN GOD WAS COMMON INEGYPT AND BABYLON.

·        THE PRIESTS HAD REVIVED THE WORSHIP OFTHE BABYLONIAN SUN GOD, SHAMASH, IN DEFIANCE OF DEU 4:19.

Ø      THE RESULTS OF THESE TEMPLEABOMINATIONS:

§         “THEY HAVE FILLED THE LAND WITHVIOLENCE” (17)

·        ONE RESULT OF A NATION TURNING THEIRBACK ON GOD IS A SOCIETY WHERE VIOLENCE RULES.

¨      WE OBVIOUSLY EXPERIENCE THAT IN OURSOCIETY TODAY. THE STATISTICS ABOUT THE RISE IN SCHOOL VIOLENCE CAN BE TRACED TO THE YEARTHE SUPREME COURT TOOK PRAYER OUT OF THE SCHOOLS. THEN WE TOOK THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OUT OFTHE SCHOOLS AND WONDER WHY THERE ARE SO MANY SCHOOL SHOOTINGS.

·        THERE IS A DOWNWARD PROGRESSION THAT WESEE IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL WHICH LEADS TO JUDGMENT:

¨      1. PEOPLE LOSE THEIR FEAR OF GOD. THENRELIGIOUS LEADERS DEFILE THE WORSHIP OF GOD. (8:1-18)

¨      2. THE PEOPLE ARE BLIND TO IT ANDTHEREFORE DOOMED. (9:1-10:22)

¨      3. THE GOVERNMENT LEADERS ARE DECEIVED.(11:1-25)

§         “THEY PUT THE BRANCH TO THEIR NOSE”(17)

·        THIS EVIDENTLY WAS A COMMON SAYING OFEZEKIEL’S DAY THAT WE DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT MEANING. SOME THEOLOGIANS SAY IT WAS LIKEOUR SAYING, “TO THUMB YOUR NOSE AT SOMEONE”. OTHERS SAY IT WAS A RITUAL THAT WASPART OF PAGAN WORSHIP. AND OTHERS SAY IT MEANS THAT IDOL WORSHIP CAUSED A BAD SMELL IN GOD’SNOSE.

¨      TRUE OLD TESTAMENT WORSHIP WASCONSIDERED A PLEASING SMELL TO GOD. (LEV 1:9)

§         GOD WILL JUDGE THE NATION, THE PEOPLE,AND THE TEMPLE WITHOUT ANY PITY.

v     APPLICATION:

Ø      WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS CHAPTERABOUT OUR WORSHIP TODAY?

§         WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORSHIPIS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.

·        OUR WORSHIP OF GOD SHOULD BE IN THE WAYTHAT HE DESIRES…IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

§         WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORSHIPIS ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD.

Ø      WHEN THE OLD TESTAMENT TALKS ABOUT ATEMPLE AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD, WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY REMEMBER THAT IN THE NEW TESTAMENTAGE, IN WHICH WE NOW LIVE, OUR BODIES ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

§         THEREFORE, OUR WORSHIP OF GOD ISRELATED TO WHAT WE DO IN OUR BODIES. (1COR 6:19)

·        READ ROM 12:1-2

¨      THOSE VERSES TELL US THAT OUR “REASONABLESERVICE “ (THE WORD ACTUALLY MEANS WORSHIP) IS TO KEEP OUR LIFESTYLE FREE FROM THESINS OF THE WORLD.

Ø      ALL THE ABOMINATIONS TOLERATED IN THEOLD TESTAMENT TEMPLE ARE ILLUSTRATIONS OF ABOMINATIONS THAT CHRISTIANS TOLERATE IN THEIRLIVES. REMEMBER THAT GOD SEES THE DEEPEST, MOST SECRET PLACES IN OUR HEARTS. IT IS THEPRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT REVEALS THESE SECRET ABOMINATIONS TO US. GOD WANTS US TOCLEAN OUT THESE SECRET PLACES.

§         DISCUSSION:

·        WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE ABOMINATIONS INCHRISTIANS THAT WE THINK GOD DOES NOT SEE?

HOMEWORK

EZEKIEL 9 AND 10

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

v     APPLICATION OF EZE 8:

Ø      IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU NEED TO IMPROVEYOUR SERVICE (WORSHIP) OF GOD BY CHANGING SOME ABOMINABLE PRACTICES IN YOUR LIFESTYLE?

Ø      HOW DO YOU PLAN TO WORK ON IT THISWEEK?

v     PREPARATION FOR EZE 9 AND 10

Ø      READ EZE 9:1-11

§         WHY DO YOU THINK GOD PUTS A MARK ON THEFOREHEADS OF SOME PEOPLE AND NOT OTHERS (4)?

Ø      READ EZE 10:1-22

§         WHY DO YOU THINK THE GLORY OF THE LORDDEPARTED (18)?

v     MEMORY VERSE: EPHESIANS 4:30