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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 28
LESSON #25
THE POWER BEHIND THE THRONE
v MEMORY VERSE: REV 12:10
v EZEKIEL 28 IS A VERY IMPORTANT CHAPTERIN THE ENTIRE BIBLE. IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL, WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING ABOUT A SERIES OFMONSTER KINGDOMS THAT AROSE IN HISTORY TO CONQUER AND SUBDUE NATIONS AND THOUSANDS OFPEOPLE. THERE ARE ONLY TWO PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE THAT TELL US THE SOURCE OF POWER BEHINDTHE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD: EZE 28 AND ISA 14.
v READ EZE 28:1-10 THE PROUD RULER, THE PRINCE OF TYRE
Ø WHO IS THIS PROUD RULER?
§ HE WAS THE KING OF TYRE AT THE TIME OFNEBUCHADNEZZARS ATTACK. HIS NAME WAS ETHBAAL III (591 BC TO 573 BC).
Ø WHAT CHARACTER QUALITIES DESCRIBE THEPRINCE OF TYRE?
§ THE SIN OF THE LEADER OF THE WEALTHYPHOENICIAN EMPIRE WAS THE SIN OF PRIDE.
· READ PRO 6:16-17
· WHY IS PRIDE SUCH A BIG SIN THAT ITAPPEARS AT THE TOP OF GODS LIST?
¨ PRIDE CARRIED TO EXTREME REPLACES GODWITH SELF. IT IS THE EXTREME FORM OF IDOLATRY.
§ THIS KING WAS A MAN WHO THOUGHT HE WASGOD. (2)
· THERE HAVE BEEN MANY KINGS INHISTORY WHO HAD THE SAME THOUGHT. IT SEEMS THAT PERSONAL POWER CORRUPTS SO COMPLETELY THATAN ULTIMATE SELF-DECEPTION REPLACES A VERYBASIC HUMAN REASONING.
¨ ACCORDING TO ROM 1:19-20, GOD HASPLACED WITHIN EVERY PERSON THE KNOWLEDGE THAT GOD EXISTS OUTSIDE OF A HUMAN BEING.THEREFORE, THE SIN OF PRIDE IS A FORM OF SELF-DECEPTION THAT THE PERSON OFTEN DOES NOTRECOGNIZE IT IN HIMSELF.
§ THIS KING WAS A WISE MAN. (3) HECONTROLLED A LOT OF THE WEALTH OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE CONTROL OF TRADE BY SEA.
· HE THOUGHT IT WAS A WISE DECISION TOREBEL AGAINST BABYLON. HOWEVER, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THE KING OF BABYLON, WOULD DESTROY HIM ANDHIS KINGDOM.
v READ EZE 28:11-19 THE ULTIMATE PROUD RULER, THE KING OF TYRE
Ø NOTICE THAT IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION OFEZE 28, THE PROUD RULER WAS CALLED THE PRINCE OF TYRE. IN THIS SECTION, THE PROUD RULER ISCALLED THE KING OF TYRE.
§ THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PERSONS.
· BIBLICAL PROPHECY OFTEN MAKES THIS VERYSTRANGE TYPE OF CHANGE. IT IS LIKE A LIZARD THAT CHANGES HIS COLORS. THE PROPHET BEGINS TOFOCUS ON THE NATURE OF A SPECIFIC PERSON (THE RULER OF TYRE), AND THEN, AS THE PROHETSFOCUS BECOMES MORE INTENSE, THE BEAST CHANGES COLORS, AND THE PROPHET SEES A WHOLE NEWDIMENSION.
· HOW CAN WE TELL THAT EZEKIEL IS NOTCONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT THE KING OF TYRE?
¨ NOTICE IN VERSE 13 IT SAYS THAT THISPERSON WAS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE ONLY 4 PERSONALITIES IN THEGARDEN OF EDEN: ADAM, EVE, SATAN, AND GOD. THERE WAS NO KING OF TYRE IN THE GARDEN OFEDEN.
Ø THEREFORE, THIS PERSON IN EZE 28:11-19IS NOT THE SAME PRINCE OF TYRE, ETHBAAL III, THAT EZEKIEL BEGAN TO DESCRIBE.
§ WHO IS THE PROUD KING OF TYRE?
· HE IS SATAN. HE IS THE POWER BEHIND THEWORLD KINGDOMS OF WHICH TYRE IS JUST AN EXAMPLE.
¨ READ LUK 4:5-8
Ø THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THAT JESUS KNEWSATAN WAS THE POWER BEHIND THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD. SATAN OFFERED THESE KINGDOMS TOJESUS IN EXCHANGE FOR WORSHIP. IF SATAN DID NOT IN FACT TRULY POSSESS THESE KINGDOMS,JESUS WOULD HAVE TOLD HIM THEY WERE NOT SATANS TO GIVE.
§ READ EPH 2:2 AND 2CO 4:4
¨ FROM THESE SCRIPTURES IT IS CLEAR THATSATAN IS THE POWER BEHIND THE WORLD SYSTEM. HE IS THE ONE WHO DECEIVES THE NATIONS OF THISWORLD.
Ø OF COURSE, WHILE SATAN IS THE INFLUENCEBEHIND THIS WORLD SYSTEM OF NATIONS, OUR GOD HAS THE ULTIMATE CONTROL OF THE WORLD IN HISHANDS.
§ WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT SATAN FROM EZE28:11-19?
· SATAN WAS CREATED IN BEAUTY AND WISDOM(12).
¨ USUALLY THE PICTURE THAT COMES TO OURMINDS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SATAN IS AN UGLY CREATURE WITH HORNS, A FORKED TAIL, APITCHFORK, AND A RED SUIT.
Ø FROM WHERE DOES THIS REPRESENTATION OFSATAN COME?
§ THIS REPRESENTATION OF SATAN BEGAN INTHE LITERATURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES THAT REPRESENTED THE GOD BACCHUS OR PAN FROM GREEKMYTHOLOGY. BACCHUS WAS THE GOD OF PLEASURE AND WINE. FROM THE WAIST DOWN HE HAD THE BODYOF A GOAT.
¨ THE BIBLICAL REALITY IS THAT SATAN WASA BEAUTIFUL CREATED WINGED ANGEL.
Ø HE WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL THEANGELS, CLOTHED WITH MANY BRILLANT COLORS.
Ø HE WAS GIFTED WITH MUSIC. (13)
Ø HE WAS GIFTED WITH WISDOM. (12)
Ø HE WAS A CHERUBIM ANGEL, CLOSE INPROXIMITY TO GOD, AND GUARDING THE PRESENCE OF GOD. (14)
Ø HIS ANGELIC NAME WAS LUCIFER, SON OFTHE MORNING.
§ READ ISA 14:12-17
· ISAIAH TELLS US THAT LUCIFERS SINWAS PRIDE. HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE A PRIDEFUL SPIRIT?
¨ NOTICE THE NUMBER OF PERSONAL PRONOUNSCENTERED ON SELF. THERE ARE 5 PERSONAL PRONOUNS, I, IN VERSES 13-14.
¨ IF A PERSON TALKS MOSTLY ABOUT HIMSELF,HIS ACTIVITIES, HIS CONCERNS, HIS DESIRES, HIS LIFE, THAN HE DOES ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE,THERE IS A SPIRIT OF PRIDE. BECAUSE A PERSON IS OFTEN BLINDED TO IT, THAT PERSON NEEDSPRAYER FOR GOD TO REVEAL IT TO HIM.
Ø THE RESULTS OF THE PRIDEFUL REBELLIONBY SATAN (LUCIFER):
§ GOD CAST HIM TO EARTH TO BECOME THE GODOF THIS WORLD SYSTEM. (EZE 28:17)
· THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT EVENTHOUGH SATAN WAS CAST OUT OF HEAVEN, HE STILL HAS ACCESS TO THE HEAVENLY THRONE ROOM OFGOD. HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
¨ READ REV 12:7-10
Ø SATAN ACCUSES BELIEVERS BEFORE GOD DAYAND NIGHT.
¨ JOB 1 TELLS US THAT SATAN APPEAREDBEFORE GOD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH GOD ABOUT JOB.
· HOWEVER, REV 12 TELLS US THAT THEREWILL COME A DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WHEN SATAN WILL NO LONGER HAVEACCESS TO THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD.
¨ GOD WILL CAST SATAN OUT OF HEAVEN TOTHE EARTH. THEN HE WILL INDWELL THE ANTICHRIST. (REV 13:4)
Ø WITH THIS IDEA WE HAVE COME FULL CIRCLEIN OUR LESSON OF EZE 28. THE PRINCE OF TYRE WAS A HUMAN BEING WHO LIVED IN THE DAYS OFEZEKIEL. HOWEVER, THE PRINCE OF TYRE PREFIGURES THEANTI-CHRIST.
§ THE POWER BEHIND THE THONE OF THEPRINCE OF TYRE WAS SATAN, THE FALLEN ANGEL. THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL BE A PROUD LEADER OF THEWORLD WHO WILL BE INDWELT BY SATAN. SATAN WILL BE THE POWER BEHIND HIS THRONE.
§ THE END OF SATAN (LUCIFER):
· EZE 28:19 SAYS THERE WILL BE A DAY WHENSATAN WILL NOT EXIST. WHEN WILL THAT OCCUR?
¨ READ REV 20:10
Ø AFTER THE 1,000 YEAR MILLENNIAL REIGNOF JESUS CHRIST ON THIS EARTH, SATAN IS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE THAT BURNS FOREVER.
Ø THERE IS ONE MORE VERY IMPORTANT POINTTO MAKE ABOUT SATAN AND HIS INTERNATIONAL ROLE BEHIND THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD.
§ NOTICE EZE 28:16 AND 18 MENTION THEWORD MERCHANDISE.
· HOW DOES SATAN INFLUENCE NATIONS OF THEWORLD?
¨ HE DOES IT BY PROMOTING THE PRIDE OFWEALTH THROUGH THE CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF MONEY AND THE MATERIAL POSSESSIONS OF THEWORLD.
Ø WORLD TRADE WAS EXACTLY THE ROUTE TOPOWER AND WEALTH TRAVELLED BY ETHBAAL III OF TYRE.
Ø WORLD TRADE AND THE CONTROL OF MONEY ISTHE ROUTE THOUGH WHICH THE ANTICHRIST WILL GAIN WORLD POWER.
v READ EZE 28:20-24 JUDGMENT ON SIDON
Ø SIDON WAS A SISTER CITY TO TYRE, 20MILES UP THE COAST. THEY WERE BOTH PART OF THE PHOENICIAN KINGDOM. SIDON WAS THE OLDERCITY, BUT TYRE WAS THE MOST PROSPEROUS.
§ EZE 28:24 MENTIONS THE STORY IN 1KI16:30-31, WHICH TELLS US ABOUT THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN KING ETHBAALS DAUGHTER, JEZEBEL,AND KING AHAB OF ISRAEL. IT WAS THIS POLITICAL MARRIAGE THAT BROUGHT THE IDOL WORSHIP OFBAAL INTO ISRAEL.
Ø THEREFORE, GOD WILL JUDGE SIDON ALONGWITH TYRE AND JERUSALEM.
§ HOWEVER, THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE. TYREWAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. SIDON WAS ATTACKED BUT NOT DESTROYED. THE CITY EXISTS TODAY EVENTHOUGH THE PHOENICIAN KINGDOM DOES NOT.
· TODAY, THE CITY OF SIDON IS THE PORTWHERE OIL FLOWS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.
v READ EZE 28:25-26 ISRAELS FUTURE RESTORATION
Ø AFTER THESE PASSAGES ABOUT JUDGMENT ONISRAELS SURROUNDING ENEMIES, GOD GIVES HOPE TO ISRAEL.
§ IT IS AN INTERESTING CONTRAST THAT WESEE IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL. WE SEE GOD PUNISH HIS OWN PEOPLE FOR THEIR MANY SINS INCLUDINGIDOLATRY. THEN WE SEE GOD PUNISH ISRAELS ENEMIES IN THE SAME WAY. HOWEVER, IN THISPASSAGE GOD SHOWS US HOW HE MAKES A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS OWN PEOPLE AND THOSE WHODO NOT BELONG TO GOD. THEY MAY BOTH SUFFER THE SAME PUNISHMENT FOR THE SAME SINS, BUT HEREIS THE DIFFERENCE.
· GOD WILL RESTORE ISRAEL. THESE OTHERNATIONS CEASED TO EXIST.
· GOD MADE UNCONDITIONAL PROMISES TO HISPEOPLE THAT HE WILL FULFILL.
§ THIS PROPHECY WAS PARTLY FULFILLED WHENTHE ISRAELITES RETURN ED TO THEIR LAND AFTER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. WE COULD SAY THISWAS THE FIRST FULFILLMENT.
§ THIS PROPHECY WAS NOT COMPLETELYFULFILLED BECAUSE VERSE 26 TELLS US THAT ISREAL WILL DWELL SAFELY IN THE LAND. SINCE THEBABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, ISRAEL HAS NEVER LIVED SAFELY IN THE LAND. TODAY SAFETY IN THE LANDOF ISRAEL IS EVEN LESS SECURE.
· WHEN WILL GOD COMPLETELY FULFILL THISPROPHECY?
¨ IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF JESUSCHRIST, PEACE AND PROSPERITY WILL COVER THE EARTH. THIS IS WHEN ISRAEL WILL DWELL SAFELYIN THE LAND. THIS IS THE SECOND FULFILLMENT.
v APPLICATION FOR US TODAY:
Ø IF LUCIFER, A BEAUTIFUL ANGEL CLOSE TOTHE PRESENCE OF GOD, FELL INTO THE SIN OF PRIDE, HOW SUSCEPTIBLE WE ARE TO THAT SAME SIN!
§ PRIDE IS A DEVASTATING THING. ITDESTROYS KINGS AND KINGDOMS. IT DESTROYS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. IT DESTROYS FAMILIES, ANDIT DESTROYS CHURCHES. IT IS A SIN THAT GOD HATES AND JUDGES.
Ø AS INDIVIDUALS, WE GET OUR WORTH FROMGOD, NOT FROM OURSELVES, OR FROM ANYTHING THAT WE DO. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD USES THOSEPEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING, THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE OBEDIENT, AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO GIVE HIM THEGLORY FOR THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 29 AND 30
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 28
Ø WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF PRIDE FROM TIME TOTIME. PRAY AND ASK GOD TO MAKE YOU STRONGLY AWARE OF WHEN THAT SIN IS EVIDENT IN YOURLIFE. REPENT AS THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS YOU OF THIS SIN.
Ø USUALLY THERE ARE CERTAIN SITUATIONS INOUR LIVES THAT TEMPT US INTO THIS SIN OF PRIDE. MAKE A LIST OF THOSE THAT COME TO MIND FOREXAMPLE:
§ WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU TO DO SOMETHINGPUBLICALLY.
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 29 AND 30
Ø AS YOU READ, REMEMBER THAT EGYPT IS ABIBLICAL SYMBOL OF ___________________
Ø READ EZE 29:1-21
§ WHAT SINS DOES GOD MENTION THAT CAUSEEGYPT TO DESERVE JUDGMENT? (6-7, 9)
§ WHAT WILL BE THE EFFECTS OF GODSJUDGMENT ON EGYPT?
Ø READ EZE 30:1-26
§ WHAT PERIOD OF TIME IS THE TIMEOF THE NATIONS? (3)
v MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 30:1
