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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 16:1-34
v MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 5:8
v EZEKIEL 16 IS ANOTHER PARABLE RELATINGTO ISRAEL. IT IS THE PARABLE OF THE ABANDONED BABY AND THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE. WE WILLCONSIDER IT IN TWO SECTIONS.
v READ EZE 16:1-14 THE ABANDONEDBABY
Ø THE IDENTITY OF THE ABANDONED BABY. WHO DOES THE BABY REPRESENT? (1-5)
§ THE BABY REPRESENTS THE CITY OFJERUSALEM WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF ALL OF ISRAEL.
· CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BABY (THE CITYOF JERUSALEM):
¨ BIRTH WAS IN THE LAND OF CANAAN.
¨ THE FATHER WAS AN AMORITE AND THEMOTHER WAS A HITTITE.
Ø AT ONE TIME BEFORE JOSHUA BROUGHT THEISRAELITES INTO THE PROMISED LAND, THE CITY OF JERSUALEM BELONGED TO THE AMORITES. THEN ITBELONGED TO THE HITTITES. (GEN 10:15-16 DEU20:17 1CHR 11:4-9 JUD 19:10-12) THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE CITY OFJERUSALEM WERE CALLED JEBUSITES.
¨ AT THE BIRTH, THE CORD WAS NOT CUT ANDTHE BABY WAS NOT WASHED, CLOTHED, AND LOVED. (4)
Ø AT FIRST THE CITY WAS SO UNIMPORTANTTHAT NO ONE PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO IT.
¨ THE UNWANTED BABY WAS THROWN INTO THEFIELD.
Ø THE CITY WAS NEGLECTED AND UNWANTED.
¨ THEN GOD SAW THE NEGLECTED BABY (CITY)AND TOLD IT TO LIVE. (6)
¨ GOD WASHED THE BABY, ANOINTED IT WITHOIL (9)
Ø REMEMBER THAT OIL REPRESENTS THEANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
¨ GOD CLOTHED THE ABANDONED BABY ANDBLESSED IT WITH RICH ABUNDANCE UNTIL IT GREW TO BE A YOUNG WOMAN. (7-11)
¨ GOD SAYS, I SPREAD MY SKIRT OVERTHEE. (8)
Ø THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THE JEWISHPRACTICE OF ENTERING INTO A MARRIAGE COVENANT. (RUTH 3:9)
§ THE PARABLE IMAGE CHANGES FROM THEABANDONED BABY, JERUSALEM, TO THE WHOLE NATION OF ISRAEL, THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE.
· SUMMARY:
¨ GOD TELLS US IN THIS CHAPTER HOW MUCHHE BLESSED HIS PEOPLE FOR MANY YEARS. HE PROSPERED THEM WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF CROPS FROMTHE LAND. HE PROSPERED THEM WITH TREMENDOUS PHYSICAL BLESSINGS AND GREAT WEALTH.
§ WHO DOES THE NEW WIFE REPRESENT? (6-14)
· THE WHOLE NATION OF ISRAEL IS THE WIFEOF GOD.
v READ EZE 16:15-34 THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE
Ø ISRAEL WAS BEAUTIFUL AND BLESSED BY GODWITH GREAT ABUNDANCE DURING THE TIMES OF DAVID AND SOLOMON. OTHER NATIONS ENVIED ISRAELFOR HER GREAT WEALTH, POWER, AND PRESTIGE.
§ READ 1KI 10:6-7
§ CHARACTERISTICS AND SINS OF THEUNFAITHFUL WIFE:
· PRIDE IN HER BEAUTY AND WEALTH
· SHE BECAME A HARLOT.
¨ THIS REFERS TO SPIRITUAL IDOLATRY.ISRAEL TURNED FROM GOD WHOM SHE HAD MARRIED AT MOUNT SINAI WHEN SHE ENTERED INTO THEMOSAIC COVENANT.
· WHO ARE THE CHILDREN THAT THE WIFEKILLED? (20-21)
¨ IN THE PRACTICE OF IDOLATRY, ISRAELSACRIFICED CHILDREN TO PAGAN IDOLS. THIS REFERS ESPECIALLY TO THE GOD MOLECH.
Ø SOUTH OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM WAS THEVALLEY OF HINNON (GEHENNA). A LARGE BRONZE IDOL OF MOLECH STOOD IN THIS VALLEY. ISRAELITESBUILT A FIRE UNDER THE IDOL AND HEATED IT UNTIL IT GLOWED RED. THEN THEY PUT CHILDREN INTHE ARMS OF THIS HOT IDOL AS A SACRIFICE TO THIS GOD.
§ LATER THIS LOCATION BECAME THE GARBAGEDUMP OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM WHERE FIREBURNED CONTINUALLY. JESUS REFERRED TO THIS PLACE AS A SYMBOL OF JUDGMENT AND AN ETERNALHELL.
· THE NAMES OF THE NATIONS THAT ISRAELTRUSTED IN INSTEAD OF TRUSTING IN GOD:
¨ EGYPT (26)
¨ PHILISTINES (27)
¨ ASSYRIANS (28)
¨ BABYON (29) (CHALDEA)
· ISRAEL WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE USUALPROSTITUTE. (31-34)
¨ USUALLY A MAN PAYS THE PROSTITUTE, BUTISRAEL, THE PROSTITUTE, PAID HER LOVERS.
Ø ISRAEL USED HER WEALTH TO MAKE IDOLS.SHE GAVE HER WEALTH TO THESE PAGAN RELIGIONS.
§ SUMMARY:
· ISRAEL FAILED TO GIVE THANKS AND GLORYTO GOD FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS GOD HAD GIVEN HER. THEREFORE, SHE FELL INTO IDOLATRY.
¨ A FAILURE OF GIVING THANKS TO GOD,THEREFORE, CAN LEAD A PERSON INTO IDOLATRY.
Ø WHEN A PERSON DOES NOT RECOGNIZE GOD ASHIS SOURCE OF SUPPLY, HE BEGINS TO ATTRIBUTE HIS SUCCESS TO SOME OTHER SOURCE, SUCH AS HISJOB, HIS GOOD EDUCATION, HIS INTELLIGENCE, ETC.
§ READ EPH 5:19-20
Ø WE MUST, THEREFORE, REMEMBER TO GIVETHANKS TO GOD FOR EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES. HE IS OUR ONLY SOURCE OF BLESSINGS.
Ø GODS RESPONSE TO ISRAELSSPIRITUAL IDOLATRY:
§ GOD CUT ISRAELS MATERIAL WEALTHAND BLESSINGS.
§ GOD GRADUALLY CUT THE AMOUNT OF LANDISRAEL POSSESSED.
v APPLICATION:
Ø HOW DOES THIS PASSAGE IN EZEKIEL RELATETO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?
§ JUST LIKE JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL, WE ARENOT WORTHY OF GODS GREAT BLESSINGS. BEFORE WE CAME TO KNOW GOD WE WERE LIKE THEABANDONED BABY. WE WERE LOST IN OUR SINS AND FAR AWAY FROM GOD. WE WERE DIRTY IN OUR SINS.THEN GOD PICKED US UP. HE LOVED US. HE WASHED AWAY OUR SINS BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.HE ANOINTED US WITH THE OIL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN WE TRUSTED CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR. HETOLD US TO LIVE WHEN HE GAVE US NEW BIRTH. HE CLOTHED US WITH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST.THEN, HE BLESSED US WITH ALL KINDS OF BLESSINGS, SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL.
§ JUST LIKE GOD CHOSE ISRAEL TO BE HISWIFE, CHRIST CHOSE THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH TO BE HIS BRIDE.
v DISCUSSION:
Ø READ JAM 4:4-10
Ø READ 2COR 11:1-4
§ IN WHAT WAYS DO CHRISTIANS TODAY ACTJUST LIKE A SPIRITUAL PROSTITUTE?
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 16:35-63
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION FOR EZE 16:1-34
Ø IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU TAKEN GOD FORGRANTED AND FAILED TO GIVE HIM THANKS?
Ø IN PRAYER, ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU ANDBEGIN TO THANK HIM FOR ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. MAKE A LIST OF SOME OF YOURBLESSINGS HERE.
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 16:35-63
Ø READ EZE 16:35-63
§ WHAT WAS THE PUNISHMENT FOR ADULTERY INTHE OLD TESTAMENT?
· READ LEV 20:10
§ WHAT WAS THE PUNISHMENT FOR PROSTITUTESIN THE OLD TESTAMENT?
· READ LEV 21:9
§ WHAT WAS THE PUNISHMENT FOR IDOLATRY INTHE OLD TESTAMENT?
· READ DEU 13:12-18
Ø WHAT WERE THE SINS OF THE CITIES OFSODOM AND SAMARIA? (46-52)
Ø READ GEN 19:4-5
Ø WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THESE 3 CITIES(SODOM, SAMARIA, AND JERUSALEM)?
v MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 57:18
