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EZEKIEL 21
LESSON #19
THE PROFANE AND WICKED PRINCE THAT WILL COME
MEMORY VERSE: REVELATION13:8
v PREVIOUSLY IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL, WEHAVE SEEN THAT GOD PLEADS WITH THE ISRAELITES TO REPENT, AND AT THE SAME TIME WARN THEM OFTHE COMING DESTRUCTION.
v IN EZE 21, GOD HAS CLOSED THE DOOR TOREPENTANCE. IT IS TOO LATE TO TURN BACK. DESTRUCTION IS INEVITABLE. THE DATE OF EZE 21 IS591 BC. THE DESTRUCTION CAME IN 586 BC. (5 YEARS LATER.)
Ø THERE IS A POINT IN A NATIONSHISTORY WHEN THE TIDE OF EVENTS IS INEVITABLE. ISRAEL HAD REACHED THAT POINT.
v EZE 21 IS ORGANIZED AROUND 4 MESSAGESCONCERNING A SWORD.
Ø THE WORD SWORD IS USED 19 TIMES IN THISCHAPTER.
v READ EZE 21:1-7 MESSAGE #1: THE SWORD IS DRAWN
Ø THE TARGET FOR GODS JUDGMENT ISJERUSALEM, THE TEMPLE, AND THE LAND OF JUDAH.
§ VERSES 3 AND 4 ARE VERY DIFFICULTVERSES, ESPECIALLY THE PHRASE, GOD IS CUTTING OFF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED?
· IT SEEMS TO SAY THAT THE RIGHTEOUSPEOPLE WILL DIE ALONG WITH THE WICKED PEOPLE. HOWEVER, PREVIOUSLY IN EZEKIEL, WE LEARNEDTHAT GOD PROMISED TO DELIVER THE RIGHTEOUS REMNANT TO BABYLON. THEY WOULD BE SAVED FROMPHYSICAL DEATH. (EZE 18:1-24)
¨ BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE WORD OF GODHAS A CONSISTENT INTERPRETATION AND DOES NOT CONTRADICT ITSELF, WE MUST SOLVE THISPROBLEM. THERE ARE TWO POSSIBILITIES:
Ø THE RIGHTEOUS WHO ARE CUTOFF ARE NOT THE TRUE REMNANT OF BELIEVERS. THEY ARE THOSE WHO PRETEND TO BERELIGIOUS, BUT THEY ARE NOT TRUE BELIEVERS.
Ø THE WORDS CUT OFF COULDMEAN SEPARATED FROM THE LAND. THE UNRIGHTEOUS ARE CUT OFF BY DEATH, AND THE TRUE RIGHTEOUSREMNANT ARE CUT OFF FROM THE LAND BY CAPTIVITY.
§ THE SWORD IS IN THE HAND OF GOD. HE ISTHE ONE BRINGING JUDGMENT EVEN THOUGH HE IS USING A PAGAN NATION.
· GOD IS A SOVEREIGN GOD WHO IS INCONTROL OF ALL NATIONS AND PEOPLE WHETHER THEY ARE BELIEVERS OR NOT.
Ø EZEKIEL WAS TO ACT OUT THE GRIEF ANDTHE ANGUISH BY CRYING ALOUD. WHEN THE PEOPLE ASKED HIM WHAT WAS WRONG, HE TOLD THEM ABOUTTHE DESTRUCTION THAT WOULD COME.
v READ EZE 21:8-17 MESSAGE #2: THE SWORD IS SHARPENED
Ø THIS MESSAGE IS A POETIC SONG OFJUDGMENT IN THREE PARTS (8-10a, 11-12, 14-17).
§ THE FIRST PART OF THE SONG (8-10a)
· GODS SWORD IS SHARPENED WITH ASTONE AND THEN POLISHED.
¨ IT VISUALIZES A SOLDIER PREPARING HISWEAPONS FOR BATTLE.
¨ GOD WILL USE A SWORD BECAUSE ISRAELHATED THE ROD OF GODS DISCIPLINE (10). MORE DRASTIC MEASURES ARE NEEDED.
· EZEKIEL WAS TO AGAIN CRY ALOUD AND WAILSO THE PEOPLE WOULD ASK HIM, WHAT IS WRONG?
§ THE SECOND PART OF THE SONG (11-12):
· THE VICTIMS OF THE SWORD:
¨ THE SWORD WILL BE USED AGAINST THEISRAELS PRINCES (KINGS) AND THE PEOPLE.
· EZEKIEL WAS TO AGAIN CRY ALOUD WITHGREAT PAIN.
§ THE THIRD PART OF THE SONG (14-17)
· THE WORK OF THE SWORD WILL BE SWIFT ANDTERRIBLE IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
· EZEKIEL WAS TO CLAP HIS HANDS AND HITHIS BODY AS THOUGH A SWORD HIT HIM. THIS WAS TO GET THE PEOPLES ATTENTION.
READ EZE21:18-27 MESSAGE #3: THE SWORD IS DIRECTED TOWARD JERUSALEM
Ø THE TWO ROADS OF DESTRUCTION
§ THE PROPHECY DESCRIBES KINGNEBUCHADNEZZAR OF BABYLON STANDING AT THE JUNCTION OF TWO ROADS. ONE ROAD LED TOJERUSALEM. THE OTHER ROAD LED TO THE NATION OF AMMON. THE KING WAS TRYING TO DECIDE WHICHNATION TO ATTACK FIRST.
· HE USED PAGAN DIVINATION TO DECIDE. HETHREW ARROWS UP IN THE AIR TO SEE IN WHICH DIRECTION THEY WOULD FALL. THIS PAGAN PROCEDUREWOULD TELL HIM WHICH ROAD TO TAKE.
· GOD MAKES THE DECISION FORNEBUCHADNEZZAR EVEN THOUGH NEBUCHADNEZAR THINKS IT IS HIS PAGAN GODS.
· THIS PROPHECY WAS LITERALLY FULFILLED.NEBUCHADNEZZAR ATTACKED JERUSALEM FIRST, LATER THE AMMON CAPITAL CITY OF RABBAH (TODAYCALLED AMMAN, JORDAN), AND THEN HE ATTACKED THE CITY OF TYRE.
¨ THE AMMONITES ALSO HAD REBELLED AGAINSTBABYLON AND SOUGHT INDEPENDENCE LIKE ISRAEL. AMMON AND ISRAEL WERE ENEMIES FOR A LONGTIME, BUT THEY CONSPIRED TOGETHER TO BE FREE FROM BABYLON. THIS ACTION CAUSED AMMONSOWN DESTRUCTION. THIS WAS THE END OF THE NATION OF AMMON AND ITS PEOPLE. THERE IS NO SUCHNATION AS AMMON TODAY.
¨ THERE WAS A THIRD CITY THAT REBELLEDAGAINST BABYLON. IT WAS THE CITY OF TYRE. THE CITY OF TYRE WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT MILITARYOBJECTIVE. THEREFORE, NEBUCHADNEZZAR SAVED HIS ATTACK ON THIS CITY FOR LAST.
v READ EZE 21:28-32 THE SWORD OVER THE AMMONITES
Ø GOD WILL BLOW THE FIRE OF JUDGMENTHOTTER SO BABYLON WILL TOTALLY DESTROY THIS NATION OF AMON. (31)
§ IN THIS WE SEE THE MERCY OF GOD UPONTHE JEWS. WHILE THERE WAS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ON JERUSALEM FOR THEIR SINS, GOD DID NOTALLOW BABYLON TO TOTALLY ANNIHILATE THE JEWS. NATIONS LIKE AMMON, EDOM, MOAB, ANDPHILISTIA NO LONGER EXIST.
v READ EZE 21:24-27 THE PROPHECY OF THE PROFANE AND WICKEDPRINCE
Ø THE PROFANE, WICKED PRINCE IN VERSE 25IS KING ZEDEKIAH. PREVIOUSLY WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS LAST KING FROM THE LINEAGE OF KINGDAVID. HE MADE A PEACE TREATY WITH BABYLON TO BE A PUPPET KING UNDER KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR. THEN HE BROKE HIS PEACETREATY AND REBELLED.
§ GOD SAYS KING ZEDEKIAH WILL BE THE LASTKING BEFORE THE MESSIAH COMES. (26-27) WHEN THE MESSIAH COMES, GOD WILL GIVE HIM THEKINGDOM. HE WILL BE THE NEXT KING FROM THE LINEAGE OF DAVID.
Ø WHILE THIS PROFANE, WICKED PRINCEREFERS INITIALLY TO KING ZEDEKIAH, THERE IS ALSO A SECOND FULFILLMENT.
§ REMEMBER OUR PROPHETIC LAW OF DOUBLEREFERENCE. IT IS A PROPHECY THAT HAS 2 FULFILLMENTS, ONE NEAR IN TIME TO THE DATE THEPROPHECY IS GIVEN, AND ONE IN THE DISTANT FUTURE.
· HOW DO WE KNOW THIS PARTICULAR PROPHECYHAS A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT?
¨ THERE ARE SEVERAL FREQUENT LITTLEPHRASES THROUGHOUT PROPHETIC SCRIPTURE THAT GIVE US THE CLUE.
Ø WHEN YOU SEE ANY REFERENCE TO THETIME OF THE END, OR THE END OF SOMETHING, OR THE LAST DAYS,IT REFERS TO THE END OF THE AGE WHEN JESUS CHRIST RETURN S AT THE SECOND COMING.
§ WE SEE THIS REFERENCE IN VERSE 25;INIQUITY SHALL HAVE AN END. DANIELUSES A SIMILAR PHRASE IN DAN 11:35.
Ø THE SECOND FULFILLMENT OF THE PROFANE,WICKED PRINCE THAT WILL COME:
§ THE PERSON WHO FITS THIS DESCRIPTION INTHE LAST DAYS IS THE ANTICHRIST WHO RULES DURING THE 7 YEAR PERIOD OF TRIBULATION ONEARTH. HE WILL BE A PROFANE AND WICKED RULER.
§ THEREFORE, BECAUSE SCRIPTURE SETS UPTHIS PARALLEL IN RELATION TO THE FIRST COMING AND THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST, WECAN SAY THAT KING ZEDEKIAH WAS A PREFIGURE OF THE ANTICHRIST.
· WHAT DID KING ZEDEKIAH DO THAT MAKESHIM A PREFIGURE OF THE ANTICHRIST?
¨ READ DAN 9:27
Ø THE ANTICHRIST WILL CONFIRM A TREATYFOR 7 YEARS (1 PROPHETIC WEEK) WHICH WILL ALLOW THE JEWS TO RESUME ANIMAL SACRIFICE INJERUSALEM. HOWEVER, THE ANTICHRIST WILL BREAK HIS TREATY AFTER 3 ½ YEARS (IN THE MIDDLEOF THE PROPHETIC WEEK).
§ KING ZEDEKIAH MADE A TREATY WITHBABYLON AND THEN BROKE IT. THIS ACTION MAKES HIM A PREFIGURE OF THE ANTICHRIST.
Ø NOTICE THE PARALLEL THAT GODESTABLISHES HERE IN EZEKIEL:
§ ZEDEKIAH IS THE LAST KING OVER ISRAELBEFORE THE FIRST COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
· FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PARALLEL,EZEKIEL MAKES NO MENTION OF THE LONG TIME SPAN BETWEEN KING ZEDEKIAH AND THE FIRST COMINGOF CHRIST.
§ THE ANTICHRIST IS THE LAST EARTHLYRULER BEFORE THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
§ AFTER KING ZEDEKIAH AND BEFORE THEFIRST COMING OF CHRIST, THE ISRAELITES ENDURED THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY FOR 70 YEARS. ITWAS A PERIOD OF HARDSHIP AND TESTING.
§ BEFORE THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, THEJEWS WILL ENDURE SEVERE HARDSHIP AND TESTING FOR 7 YEARS.
· COMPARE THE NUMBERS::
¨ NUMBER 7 REPRESENTS GODS COMPLETEOR PERFECT NUMBER.
¨ NUMBER 7 (COMPLETE OR PERFECT) TIMES 10 (A GOVERNMENTAL NUMBER FOR GODSSTANDARD) EQUALS 70.
Ø THEREFORE, WE CAN SAY THAT THEBABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY (70 YEARS) IS A TYPE OR PREFIGURE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD (7YEARS).
§ THESE PARALLELS ARE ESTABLISHED HERE INTHE BOOK OF EZEKIEL AND FULLY DEVELOPED IN THE BOOK OF ISAIAH AND CONFIRMED IN THE BOOK OFDANIEL.
v APPLICATION:
Ø HOW CAN WE APPLY THIS CHAPTER TO OURLIVES?
§ IN THIS CHAPTER WE SEE THE SOVEREIGNTYOF GOD. HE HAS A PLAN FOR HIS PEOPLE THAT SPANS ALL OF TIME ON THIS EARTH. HE ISFULFILLING. THAT PLAN. AS WE STUDY HIS WORD, HE GIVES US LITTLE GLIMPSES OF HIS PLAN.THESE GLIMPSES ENCOURAGE US BECAUSE WE KNOW HE IS IN CONTROL. IF WE LOVE HIM, HE WILL TAKEUS THROUGH THE DARKEST VALLEYS OF LIFE. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO US THAT IS NOT ACCORDING TOHIS PLAN.
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 22
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION FOR EZE 21
Ø WHAT PERSONAL SITUATION ARE YOUPRESENTLY GOING THROUGH FOR WHICH THIS CHAPTER GIVES YOU ENCOURAGEMENT?
Ø FIND A SCRIPTURE THAT WILL ENCOURAGEYOU. MEMORIZE IT SO YOU CAN REMIND YOURSELF OF GODS PRESENCE AND CONCERN.
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 22
Ø READ EZE 22:1-16 THE SINS OF ISRAEL
§ WRITE HERE THE NEW THINGS YOU HAVELEARNED IN THIS SECTION.
Ø READ EZE 22:17-22 THE PARABLE OF THE DROSS IN THE FURNACE
§ BECAUSE OF THE PARALLELS WE DISCUSED INCHAPTER 21, EXPLAIN HOW THIS PASSAGE REFERS TO THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
Ø READ EZE 22:23-31 THE SINS OF THE LEADERS
§ WHEN EZEKIEL REFERS TO PRINCES, HE ISPROBABLY TALKING ABOUT KING ZEDEKIAH AND HIS FAMILY. IF THAT IS TRUE, AND ZEDEKIAH IS APREFIGURE OF THE ANTICHRIST, WHAT DO YOU LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST?
MEMORYVERSE: DANIEL 8:23
