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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 20
LESSON #18
THE LESSONS HISTORY TEACHES US
v MEMORY VERSE: 1CORINTHIANS 10:11
v THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT LIKEHISTORY. THEY THINK IT IS BORING. HOWEVER, GOD THINKS HISTORY IS IMPORTANT. FREQUENTLYTHROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT AND AT TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE AUTHOR WILL REVIEWHISTORY. UNFORTUNATELY, SCHOOLS TODAY DO NOT TEACH ENOUGH HISTORY. WE CAN OBSERVE THISFAILURE WHEN NEWS REPORTERS ASK THE SIMPLEST HISTORICAL QUESTIONS RANDOMLY ON A STREETCORNER. WHY DOES GOD THINK HISTORY IS SO IMPORTANT?
Ø CHRISTIANS ARE TO LEARN FROM HISTORY SOWE DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES. THERE ARESOME FAMOUS QUOTATIONS REGARDING THIS TRUTH:
§ HISTORY IS A VAST EARLY WARNINGSYSTEM — NORMAN COUSINS
§ THE ONE THING WE LEARN FROMHISTORY IS THAT WE DONT LEARN FROM HISTORY ANNONYMOUS
§ THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THEPAST ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT. GEORGE SANTAYANA
§ HISTORY TEACHES US THE MISTAKESWE ARE GOING TO MAKE! DR. LAURENCE J. PETER
v AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUTCHAPTER 20:
Ø IN EZE 20, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH GOD ISSAYING THAT EZEKIELS GENERATION WILL SUFFER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY BECAUSE OF WHATTHEIR ANCESTORS DID.
Ø HOWEVER, WE HAVE LEARNED IN THE BOOK OFEZEKIEL THAT MAN DOES NOT SUFFER PUNISHMENT FOR THE SINS HIS ANCESTORS COMMITTED.
Ø AND WE HAVE LEARNED IN THE BOOK OFEZEKIEL THAT SIN PATTERNS CAN BE PASSED DOWN FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT.
Ø THEREFORE, HOW WILL WE INTERPRETEZEKIEL 20?
§ EZEKIEL REVIEWS ISRAELS HISTORYBECAUSE THE CURRENT GENERATION WAS COMMITTING THE SAME SINS THEIR ANCESTORS COMMITTED.THEREFORE, THEY ARE EQUALLY GUILTY BEFORE GOD.
· IN OTHER WORDS, THEY SHOULD HAVELEARNED FROM HISTORY, BUT THEY DID NOT.
v READ EZE 20:1-4
Ø THE DATE: AUGUST 14, 591 BC, JUST A FEWYEARS BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IN 586 BC.
§ GOD CONTINUES TO WARN THE PEOPLE UNTILTHE VERY END. GODS LONGSUFFERING MERCY IS AVAILABLE UNTIL THE DESTRUCTION FINALLYCOMES.
v ISRAELS HISTORY:
v READ EZE 20:5-12 ISRAEL IN EGYPT, THE EXODUS, AND AT MT. SINAI
Ø GOD CALLED ABRAHAM AND SARAH FROM ALAND OF IDOLATRY TO THE PROMISED LAND. ABRAHAMS FAMILY DID NOT STAY IN THE PROMISEDLAND BECAUSE A LACK OF FAITH. SIXTYSIX MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY TOOK REFUGE IN EGYPT BECAUSEOF FAMINE. THEREFORE, GOD BUILT THIS FAMILY INTO A NATION WHILE THEY WERE IN EGYPT. WHENTHEY LEFT EGYPT 215 YEARS LATER, THEY NUMBERED ABOUT 2 MILLION PEOPLE. MANY OF THEMBROUGHT THEIR EGYPTIAN IDOLS WITH THEM EVEN THOUGH GOD PROVED THROUGH THE PLAGUES THAT HISPOWER WAS GREATER THAN THE POWER OF THE EGYPTIAN GODS.
Ø AT MT. SINAI, GOD TAUGHT THE PEOPLE HOWTO WORSHIP HIM, BUT THEY WANTED TO WORSHIP THE GOLDEN CALF. GOD GAVE THE PEOPLE HIS LAWS,BUT THEY CONSTANTLY BROKE THEM.
v READ EZE 20:13-26 ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS
Ø GOD BROUGHT THE ISRAELITES TO KADESH TOENTER THE PROMISED LAND. THEY FAILED THE TESTING OF THEIR FAITH AND REBELLED AGAINST GOD.THEREFORE, THEY HAD TO WANDER IN THE WILDERNESS FOR 40 YEARS.
v READ EZE 20:27-30 ISRAEL IN THE PROMISED LAND
Ø BEFORE THE ISRAELITES ENTERED THEPROMISED LAND, MOSES WARNED THEM TO OBEY GOD AND KILL ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND. IFTHEY DID NOT OBEY, THEIR CHILDREN WOULD FALL INTO IDOLATRY AND THEY WOULD LOSE THEPROMISED LAND.
v READ EZE 20:31-32 ISRAEL IN THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY
Ø IN THE MANNER THAT MOSES WARNED, ISEXACTLY THE WAY THAT THE ISRAELITES WERE LOSING THE LAND.
§ IDOLATRY WAS A HABITUAL SIN PATTERNPASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE OTHER. THEREFORE, THE PRESENT GENERATION OF EZEKIELSDAY WAS AS GUILTY AS THE PREVIOUS GENERATIONS.
v ISRAELS FUTURE:
v READ EZE 20:33-44 ISRAELS FUTURE KINGDOM
Ø WITH A MIGHTY HAND AND ASTRETCHED OUT ARM (33, 34)
§ THIS PHRASE IS AN INDICATION OF THESTRENGTH, POWER, AND DETERMINATION THAT GOD WILL USE TO BRING THE ISRAELITES BACK TO THEPROMISED LAND WHEN THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY ENDS. HOWEVER, ALL OF THE PROMISES GOD MAKESIN THIS SECTION OF EZE 20 WERE NOT FULFILLED AFTER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY.
· THEREFORE, WE MUST REMEMBER THEPROPHETIC LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE. PROPHECIES IN THE BIBLE HAVE A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT.
¨ THE FIRST FULFILLMENT IS A PARTIAL ONE.IT IS A SMALL EXAMPLE OF WHAT WILL OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.
¨ THE SECOND FULFILLMENT IS A COMPLETEFULFILLMENT, USUALLY IN THE LAST DAYS AROUND THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
Ø GODS FUTURE PROMISES IN THESECOND FULFILLMENT:
§ GOD WILL REGATHER THE JEWS FROM THEFOUR CORNERS OF THE WORLD. (33-34)
§ GOD WILL TAKE THE JEWS THROUGH ATERRIBLE JUDGMENT. (35-37)
· THE PHRASE TO PASS UNDER THE ROD(37) REFERS PROPHETICALLY TO THE FUTURE TRIBULATION PERIOD OF 7 YEARS.
¨ THE PHRASE LITERALLY REFERS TO ASHEPHERD WHO HOLDS OUT HIS STAFF AT THE DOORWAY TO THE SHEEPFOLD. THE SHEEP PASSED UNDERTHE ROD TO ENTER THE SHEEPFOLD. IF THERE WAS A SHEEP WHO DID NOT BELONG TO THE SHEPHERD,THE ROD WAS LOWERED AND THE WAY BLOCKED. PASSINGUNDER THE ROD WAS A TEST GIVEN BY THE SHEPHERD TO SEPARATE HIS SHEEP FROM HISNEIGHBORS SHEEP.
¨ GOD TELLS US HERE WHAT IS THE MAINPURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. IT IS TO BRING SUCH GREAT PRESSURE ON THE JEWS THATTHEY WILL TURN TO GOD IN DESPERATION AND SEEK A NEW COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. THEYWILL SEEK TO BELONG TO HIM AND ENTER HIS KINGDOM.
Ø ZEC 12:10-13:1 TELLS US THIS WILL OCCURWHEN THE JEWS SEE JESUS CHRIST RETURN TO THIS EARTH AT THE SECOND COMING.
§ GOD WILL BRING THOSE WHO RECEIVE JESUSCHRIST INTO HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. THEY WILL BE GODS SPECIAL PEOPLE FOR 1,000 YEARSWHEN HE WILL FULFILL ALL HIS PROMISES TO ABRAHAM AND DAVID. THEY WILL SERVE GOD ANDWORSHIP HIM. (40)
§ THOSE WHO LIVE WITH CHRIST IN HISKINGDOM SHALL KNOW THE LORD PERSONALLY, FACE TO FACE.
· REMEMBER THAT THE BOOK OF EZEKIELFREQUENTLY USES THE PHRASE, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THE LORD.
¨ EVERYTHING THAT GOD PERMITS TO HAPPENTO THE ISRAELITES HAS BEEN FOR THE PURPOSE THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THE LORD.
Ø FINALLY THEY WILL AT THE SECONDCOMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
v READ EZE 20:45-49 LEARN FROM HISTORY; LEARN FROM GEOGRAPHY
Ø EZEKIEL ADDS A SUBTLE WARNING TO ALLJEWS THAT ECHOS DOWN THROUGH TIME.
§ THE FIRE IN THE SOUTH HAS A SUBTLE2-FOLD MEANING:
· IT FIRST REFERS TO THE HISTORICALBURNING OF JERUSALEM AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH IN 586 BC.
¨ THE ISRAELITES SHOULD HAVE LEARNED FROMTHEIR HISTORY THAT IT PAYS TO BE OBEDIENT TO GOD.
¨ THE JEWS TODAY SHOULD LOOK BACK ATTHEIR HISTORY AND HEED THE WARNINGS OF HISTORY.
Ø THE JEWS HAVE KEPT ALIVE VERYSUCCESSFULLY THE HORRORS OF HITLERS HOLOCAUST. THEY SAY THAT THEY DO THIS SO THAT ITWILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY WANT ALL PEOPLE TO LEARN FROM HISTORY.
§ HOWEVER, THE JEWS, AS GODS CHOSENPEOPLE, DO NOT LEARN THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON FROM HISTORY. THE HOLOCAUST WILL HAPPENAGAIN IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE GODS SON,JESUS CHRIST.
· THE PROPHETIC FIRE OF JUDGMENT ALSORELATES TO THE GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITION OF THE LAND JUST TO THE SOUTH OF ISRAEL CALLED THENEGEV. TODAY IT IS A DESOLATE DESERT WHERE THERE IS NO WATER. BECAUSE EZEKIEL SPEAKS OF AFOREST, THIS AREA AT ONE TIME HAD SUFFICIENT WATER.
¨ THERE WAS LITTLE WATER THERE WHEN THEISRAELITES WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS. GOD MIRACULOUSLY GAVE THEM WATER FROM THE ROCK.
¨ HOWEVER, THIS LAND WAS NOT ALWAYS INSUCH A DESOLATE CONDITION. IN GENESIS WHEN ABRAHAM AND LOT DECIDED TO SEPARATE, LOT CHOSETHE LAND TO THE SOUTH AROUND THE DEAD SEA BECAUSE IT WAS WELL WATERED AND GOOD FOR FLOCKS.IT WAS THE BEST LAND. IT WAS A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.
Ø BEFORE 1948 YOU WOULD NOT HAVE CALLEDTHIS LAND OF ISRAEL A PROSPEROUS LAND. GOD HAS BLESSED THE NEW NATION OF ISRAEL TODAY ANDTHE LAND HAS BLOSSOMED.HOWEVER, IT STILL HAS NOT REGAINED THE ABUNDANT BEAUTY IT HAD INTHE BOOK OF GENESIS.
§ BECAUSE OF MANS SIN, GOD JUDGESTHE LAND. THEREFORE, EVEN THE HISTORICAL CONDITION OF THE LAND IS A TESTIMONY OF THECONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.
v APPLICATION FOR US TODAY:
Ø WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM BIBLICALHISTORY?
§ WE CAN LEARN GODS WAYS AND HOW HEDEALS WITH PEOPLE AND NATIONS.
§ WE CAN LEARN WHAT GOD EXPECTS SO WE DONTREPEAT HISTORYS MISTAKES. THIS IS WHY WE STUDY THE OLD TESTAMENT SO WE MIGHT KNOWHIM.
Ø WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM OUR OWN HISTORY?
§ WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR OWN FAMILYHISTORY, THE PATTERNS OF SIN THAT HAVE BEEN PERPETUATED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT SOWE MIGHT AVOID THEM AND CLAIM CHRISTS VICTORY OVER THEM.
§ WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR OWN MISTAKES THELESSONS THAT GOD WANTS US TO LEARN. IN THIS WAY, WE WONT REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES.
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 21
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 20
Ø AFTER THINKING ABOUT YOUR OWN HISTORYAND THE HISTORY OF YOUR FAMILY, WHAT MAJOR LESSONS IS GOD TEACHING YOU TODAY?
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 21
Ø READ EZE 21:1-32
§ VERSES 3 AND 4 ARE VERY DIFFICULTVERSES. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS, GOD IS CUTTING OFF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED?
§ WHICH VERSES TELL YOU THAT THE KING OFBABYLON WILL REMOVE THE LAST KING OF THE LINE OF DAVID UNTIL MESSIAH COMES?
§ THE PROFANE, WICKED PRINCE OFISRAEL (25) REFERS TO KING ZEDEKIAH. HOWEVER, HE IS A PREFIGURE OF WHAT PERSON INTHE LAST DAYS?
§ ¿WHY IS ZEDEKIAH A PREFIGURE?
v MEMORY VERSE: REVELATION 13:8
