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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 9 AND 10
LESSON #7
THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTS
MEMORYVERSE: EPHESIANS 4:30
v IN CHAPTER 8, GOD TOOK EZEKIEL TOJERUSALEM TO SEE THE DEFILEMENT OF THE TEMPLE. CHAPTER 9 CONTINUES EZEKIELSSUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE AT THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. THIS IS THE FOURTH OF EZEKIELSSEVEN REVELATIONS.
v EZEKIEL9
v READ EZE 9:1-11 THE GLORY OF GOD PREPARES TO LEAVE THETEMPLE
Ø THE SIX MEN (2)
§ PROBABLY THESE ARE ANGELS WHO APPEAR INHUMAN FORM. GOD FREQUENTLY USES ANGELS TO BRING JUDGMENT.
· THESE ARE PROBABLY GUARDIAN ANGELSWHOSE JOB IT WAS TO GUARD THE CITY OF JERUSALEM. (DAN 10:12-21)
Ø THE SEVENTH MAN WITH AN INKHORN (2)
§ BECAUSE THIS MAN APPEARS IN WHITELINEN, SOME TEACHERS IDENTIFY HIM AS THE PRE-INCARNATE JESUS CHRIST (AN APPEARANCE OFCHRIST BEFORE HIS BIRTH IN BETHLEHEM.). THIS INTERPRETATION IS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT TOTALLYCLEAR FROM THE SCRIPTURE. IF THIS PERSON IS NOT JESUS CHRIST, THEN HE IS PROBABLY ANOTHERANGEL WITH A SPECIAL MISSION.
§ HE IS DRESSED LIKE A PRIEST AND CARRIESTHE EQUIPMENT OF A SCRIBE.
· ON HIS BELT THE SCRIBE WORE A METAL ORLEATHER CONTAINER ABOUT 10 INCHES LONG AND AN INCH AND A HALF SQUARE. IT HELD REED PENSAND A CONTAINER OF INK.
¨ A SCRIBE LIKE THIS WOULD SIT AT THECITY GATE AND REGISTER CITIZENS AND IDENTIFY FOREIGNERS.
Ø THE GLORY OF THE GOD OF ISRAELWAS GONE UP FROM THE CHERUB (3)
§ THE CHERUBIM WERE THE 2 GOLD STATUES OFCHERUBIM ANGELS OVER THE MERCY SEAT OF THE ARK IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES.
· THIS WAS THE PLACE WHERE GODSPRESENCE DWELT BOTH IN THE TABERNACLE AND IN THE TEMPLE. .
§ BECAUSE THE JEWS WORSHIPPED IDOLS INGODS TEMPLE FOR MANY YEARS, WHY DID THE GLORY OF GOD TAKE SO LONG TO DEPART?
· THE GLORIOUS PRESENCE OF GOD WASPROBABLY ONLY PERIODICALLY PRESENT IN THE TEMPLE DURING THOSE YEARS OF INTENSE IDOLATRY.
¨ THE GLORIOUS PRESENCE OF GOD WILL NOTDWELL WHERE THERE IS SIN.
§ GOD IS MERCIFUL AND LONGSUFFERING.WITHMAN
· HE IS PATIENT WITH HIS PEOPLE. HE DOESNOT QUICKLY BRING JUDGMENT AND DESTRUCTION. (2PET3:9) HE DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO PERISH. HOWEVER, HE IS JUST AND MUST EVENTUALLY PUNISHSIN.
Ø THE MARK ON THE FOREHEAD (4)
§ ONE ANGEL IS TO MARK SOME PEOPLE ANDNOT OTHERS. WHY DO YOU THINK GOD PUTS A MARK ON THE FOREHEADS OF SOME PEOPLE?
· ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE, GOD CLEARLYMAKES A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO HIM BY FAITH AND THOSE WHO DO NOT.
¨ CHRISTIANS ARE SANCTIFIED, WHICH MEANSSET APART FOR HOLINESS. (1COR 1:2)
¨ THE HOLY SPIRIT SEALS 144,000 JEWISHWITNESSES IN THEIR FOREHEADS. (REV 7:3)
¨ TRUE CHRISTIANS HAVE A SEAL PLACED ONTHEM BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. (EPH 1:13-14)
§ THOSE WHO ARE MARKED IN EZE 9:4 ARE THEREMNANT THAT GOD WILL PRESERVE THROUGH THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE. THEMARK IS A SPIRITUAL DESIGNATION ON THOSE WHO WILL BE PROTECTED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD.
· THE HEBREW WORD FOR MARK IStau, WHICH IS THE LAST LETTER OFTHE HEBREW ALPHABET. IN EZEKIELS DAY. THEY WROTE THIS LETTER IN THE FORM OF A CROSS.
v SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
Ø NOTICE THAT GODS JUDGMENT BEGANAT THE TEMPLE AT THE PLACE WHERE ANIMALS WERE SACRIFICED ON THE ALTAR FOR SIN. DO NOTTHINK THAT THIS IS ONLY AN OLD TESTAMENT PHENOMENON.
§ READ 1PET 4:17
· JUDGMENT BEGINS AT THE HOUSE OF GODBECAUSE SIN HAS NOT BEEN DEALT WITH IN BOTH THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT. WHY?
¨ BELIEVERS ARE TO BE THE SALT AND LIGHTOF THE EARTH. IF BELIEVERS DO NOT JUDGE THEMSELVES AND DETERMINE TO LIVE HOLY LIVES, GODWILL BRING THE JUDGMENT.
v EZEKIEL10
v READ EZE 10:1-7 THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTS: FROM THE HOLY OF HOLIES TO THE TEMPLE ENTRANCE
Ø THERE IS A REFERENCE TO THE VISIONEZEKIEL HAD IN CHAPTER 1 ABOUT THE CHARIOT, THE WHEELS, AND THE ANGELS.
§ REMEMBER THIS CHARIOT REPRESENTED THEMANIFESTED PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE GLORY OF GOD.
§ EZEKIEL INDICATES THAT THIS PRESENCE OFTHE HOLY SPIRIT IS THERE IN THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. (1-2)
· THE MAN IN WHITE LINEN WAS TO TAKE THECOALS OF FIRE AND SCATTER THEM OVER THE CITY. (2)
¨ THESE WERE COALS FROM THE ALTAR OFBURNT OFFERING WHERE ANIMALS WERE SACRIFICED FOR SIN.
¨ SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING THESE COALS WERESYMBOLICALLY SCATTERED OVER THE CITY OF JERUSALEM.
Ø IT IS A PROPHETIC STATEMENT THAT THEBABYLONIANS WOULD BURN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE.
v READ EZE 10:8-22 THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTS: FROM THE TEMPLE ENTRANCE TO THE MOUNTAINS EAST OFJERUSALEM
Ø THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTS IN STAGES. ITIS AS THOUGH GOD IS WAITING AT EACH STEP TO SEE IF HIS PEOPLE WILL REPENT AT THE LASTMOMENT WHEN THEY SEE THE GLORY OF GOD DEPART.
§ THE PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM WERE SO BLINDEDBY SIN, THEY WERE HARDLY AWARE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THEY DID NOT EVEN NOTICE THAT GODSPRESENCE WAS LEAVING THEM.
· SIN DOES THAT. WHEN WE BEGIN TOPRACTICE SIN HABITUALLY IN OUR LIVES, THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS US OF IT. IF WE DO NOT OBEYTHE CONVICTION AND REPENT, OUR CONTINUAL SIN SEARS OUR CONSCINCE. (BURNED SO THAT THENERVE ENDINGS HAVE NO FEELING)
¨ EVENTUALLY, LITTLE BY LITTLE, THE HEARTIS HARDENED TOWARD GOD UNTIL THE HOLY SPIRIT NO LONGER CONVICTS A PERSON OF SIN. IN THISCASE, THE PROCESS BEGINS BY GRIEVING THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ENDS WITH BLASPHEMY OF THE HOLYSPIRIT.
Ø READ EPH 4:30 HEB 3:8-13, 17 MAT 12:31
§ SIN MAKES THE HOLY SPIRIT GRIEVE (FEELSAD). CONTINUAL SIN WITHOUT REPENTANCE CAUSES THE PERSON NOT TO NOTICE THE CONVICTION BYTHE HOLY SPIRIT.
§ THEN, WHEN THE PERSON NO LONGER CARESABOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN HIS LIFE, HE BEGINS TO BLASPHEME (SPEAK EVIL AGAINST) THEHOLY SPIRIT. AT THAT POINT, THE HOLY SPIRIT NO LONGER CONVICTS A PERSON OF SIN BECAUSE THEPERSON HAS HARDENED HIS HEART.
Ø WHAT NEW FEATURES DO WE SEE IN THISVISION THAT WERE NOT IN THE VISION IN CHAPTER 1?
§ THE CHERUBIM ANGELS HAVE EYES ALL OVERTHEM. (12)
· IN CHAPTER 1 ONLY THE WHEELS HAD EYES.
¨ REMEMBER THAT THE EYES REPRESENTED THEALL-SEEING AND THE ALL-KNOWING NATURE OF GOD.
§ THE WHEELS ARE MAKING A SOUND. (13)
§ THE CHERUBIM HAVE FOUR FACES BUT ONE OFTHE FACES IS THAT OF A CHERUB INSTEAD OF AN OX. (14)
· THIS DIFFERENCE IS ONLY BECAUSE OFEZEKIELS PHYSICAL POSITION AS HE LOOKS AT THE VISION. FROM WHERE HE WAS STANDING HECOULD SEE ONE OF THE FACES OF THREE CHERUBIM. THEREFORE, ON ONE CHERUB HE SAW THE FACE OFAN EAGLE, ON ANOTHER CHERUB, HE SAW THE FACE OF A MAN, ON ANOTHER CHERUB HE SAW THE FACEOF A LION. THEN HE SEES THE FOURTH CHERUB. IT IS OBVIOUSLY THE FACE OF AN OX, BUT FROMEZEKIELS POSITION HE DOES NOT SEE THIS FACE. HE IDENTIFIES HIM AS THE CHERUB BECAUSETHIS IS THE ONE WHO GIVES THE COALS TO THE OTHER ANGEL.
v SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
Ø WHY DID THE GLORY OF THE LORD DEPART?
§ THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTED FROM THETEMPLE BECAUSE OF:
· IDOLATRY
· EVIL PRIESTS WHO PRACTICED CORRUPTIONAND VIOLENCE
· EVIL GOVERNMENT LEADERS WHO PRACTICEDCORRUPTION AND VIOLENCE
· UNBELIEF BY THE PEOPLE
Ø WHAT CAUSES THE GLORY OF GOD TO DEPARTFROM THE CHRISTIAN?
§ WE MUST QUALIFY THAT QUESTION.
· IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TOUNDERSTAND THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER WAS DIFFERENT INTHE OLD TESTAMENT THAN IT IS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AGE IN WHICH WE NOW LIVE.
¨ IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE HOLY SPIRITDID NOT PERMANENTLY INDWELL A BELIEVER. HE ONLY CAME UPON A PERSON PERIODICALLY FOR ASPECIFIC PURPOSE OR TASK.
Ø THAT IS WHY DAVID PLEADED WITH GOD NOTTO TAKE THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM HIM WHEN HE SINNED WITH BATHSHEBA. (PSA 51:11)
¨ IN THIS NEW TESTAMENT AGE, THE HOLYSPIRIT COMES TO LIVE INSIDE THE BELIEVER WHEN HE IS BORN AGAIN. HE LIVES INSIDE OF USPERMANENTLY AND DOES NOT LEAVE. (JOH 14:16-17)
§ WHILE THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES NOT DEPARTFROM THE CHRISTIAN, THE ANOINTING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN DIM. SIN DIMS THE GLORY OF GOD INYOUR LIFE. (1THE 5:19)
· THE WORD QUENCH IS LIKEPUTTING WATER ON A FLAME.
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 11
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 9 AND 10
Ø HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THE PRESENCE OFTHE GLORY OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE?
Ø WERE THERE TIMES IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOUEXPECTED THE PRESENCE OF THE GLORY OF GOD TO ANNOINT YOU, AND IT DID NOT HAPPEN?
Ø WHY DO YOU THINK IT DID NOT HAPPEN?
Ø WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THESE TWOCHAPTERS ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE GLORY OF GOD?
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 11
Ø READ EZE 11:1-25
§ WHAT DID MOST OF THE PEOPLE INJERUSALEM BELIEVE WOULD HAPPEN TO THE CITY?
§ FROM WHERE WILL COME THE REMNANT THATGOD PROMISES TO PROTECT?
v MEMORY VERSE: EZEKIEL 11:19
