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EZEKIEL,THE PROPHET OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
v UNFORTUNATELY THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL ISNOT OFTEN STUDIED. IT IS AN IMPORTANT BOOKFOR OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE GLORY OF GOD. IT HAS ITS DIFFICULT AND MYSTERIOUS PARTS SIMPLYBECAUSE WE ARE LIMITED BY OUR HUMANITY TO FULLYUNDERSTAND THE GLORY OF GOD. HOWEVER, THEREIS MUCH WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS BOOK ABOUT REVERENCE FOR GOD AND HIS HOLY NAME. AMONG OTHERTHINGS, A STUDY IN EZEKIEL WILL HELP US TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
v WRITTEN BY:
Ø THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL WAS WRITTEN BY THE PROPHET, EZEKIEL. WHAT DO WE KNOWABOUT THIS MAN, EZEKIEL?
§ THE NAME EZEKIEL MEANS = GODSTRENGTHENS
§ HE WAS A PRIEST FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVIWHO NEVER SERVED AS A PRIEST BECAUSE HE WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE IN THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY.INSTEAD OF SERVING GOD AS A PRIEST, GOD USED HIM AS A PROPHET TO THE CAPTIVE JEWS INBABYLON.
§ JEREMIAH, DANIEL, AND EZEKIEL WERE ALLPROPHETS DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. EACH HAD HIS OWN UNIQUE MINISTRY. HOWEVER, THE THREEPROBABLY NEVER MET EACH OTHER IN BABYLON. EZEKIEL MAY HAVE MET DANIEL BEFORE THECAPTIVITY. EZEKIEL DID KNOW ABOUT JEREMIAHS MINISTRY AND HIS PROPHECIES.
§ EZEKIEL WAS ABOUT TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLDWHEN HE WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE TO BABYLON. HE BEGAN HIS PROPHETIC MINISTRY ABOUT FIVE YEARSLATER. (POSSIBLY JULY 31, 593 BC). HE WAS COMMISSIONED AS A PROPHET ON THE DAY HE WASELIGIBLE TO BECOME A PRIEST (30 YEARS OLD).
Ø THERE ARE THREE BIBLICAL PROPHETS WHOWROTE BOOKS IN THE BIBLE WHILE THEY WERE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE PROMISED LAND. EZEKIEL WASONE OF THEM, DANIEL WAS THE SECOND ONE, AND THE APOSTLE JOHN WAS THE THIRD. (HE WROTEREVELATION FROM THE ISLE OF PATMOS). ALL THREE USED VISIONS AND SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE TOREVEAL AN APOCALYPTIC MESSAGE (A MESSAGE CONCERNING THE END TIMES).
v WRITTENTO:
Ø THE PROPHECIES IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIELARE WRITTEN TO A VERY DISCOURAGED GROUP OF JEWS (FROM BOTH THE NORTHERN KINGDOM AND THESOUTHERN KINGDOM) DURING THE DARKEST DAYS OF THEIR HISTORY. THEREFORE, THE MESSAGES ARETHE MOST SPIRITUAL OF ALL THE PROPHETS, THE MOST UPLIFTING, AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL.
v DATEAND HISTORICAL TIME PERIOD: ABOUT 596 BC.
Ø THE JEWS OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OFJUDAH WERE TAKEN INTO THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY IN THREE GROUPS AT THREE DIFFERENT DATES:
§ 1. DANIEL WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE BY KINGNEBUCHADNEZZAR IN 605 BC. THIS DATE IS THE FIRST DEPORTATION AND BEGINS THE 70 YEARS OFCAPTIVITY.
§ 2. EZEKIEL WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE IN 597 BC(?) DURING THE SECOND DEPORTATION IN THE TIME OF KING JEHOIACHIN WHO REIGNED ONLY 3MONTHS.
§ 3. THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEMAND THE REMAINING JEWS WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE IN 586 BC. THIS IS THE THIRD DEPORTATION.
Ø EZEKIELS PROPHETIC MINISTRYCOVERED 22 YEARS FROM 593 BC. TO 571 BC. (THIS COVERS THE YEARS OF EZEKIELS LIFEFROM THE AGE OF 30 TO THE AGE OF 52).
v WHERE:
Ø EZEKIELS LOCATION DURING THECAPTIVITY AND THE PLACE FROM WHERE HE WRITES THE BOOK IS THE RIVER CHEBAR (KEBAR). THISWAS A CANAL THAT BRANCHED EAST OFF OF THE EUPHRATES RIVER NORTH OF THE CITY OF BABYLON.
§ THE AREA IS NOW IRAQ AND THENEAREST CITY IS CALLED NIPPUR.
v FREQUENTWORDS AND PHRASES:
Ø TO KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD REPEATED 70 TIMES IN THIS BOOK.
§ THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PHRASE TELLS USGODS PURPOSE FOR SENDING EZEKIEL TO SPEAK TO HIS PEOPLE.
· THE JEWS HAD FORGOTTEN GOD. THEY DIDNOT REVERENCE HIS NAME. THEY HAD LOST ALLRESPECT FOR GODS NAME AND GODS GLORY BECAUSE THEY BLAMED HIM FOR THEBABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY.
Ø SON OF MAN REPEATED93 TIMES IN THIS BOOK.
§ THIS TITLE ALSO OCCURS IN THE BOOK OFDANIEL.
§ IT IS A MESSIANIC TITLE. WHAT DOES THATMEAN?
· IT IS A TITLE USED FOR JESUS CHRIST. INFACT IT IS THE TITLE JESUS OFTEN USED FOR HIMSELF (APPROX. 82 TIMES) BECAUSE IT REFERS TOHIS HUMANITY AND MORTALITY.
Ø REBELLIOUS REPEATED16 TIMES IN THIS BOOK.
§ IT IS USED TO REFER TO THE JEWISHPEOPLE OF THAT TIME WHO TURNED THEIR BACK ON GOD.
v THEME OF THE BOOK:
Ø THE GLORY AND THE CHARACTER OF GOD.
§ BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY OF THE PHRASE,TO KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD, WE WILL TAKE THE THEME FOR OUR STUDY FROMEZEKIELS MESSAGE.
· WE WANT TO GET TO KNOW THE CHARACTER OFGOD AND HOW HE DEALS WITH PEOPLE AND NATIONS.
· WE ALSO WANT TO GET TO KNOW THE HOLYSPIRIT BETTER. HE IS THE PERSON WHO MANIFESTS THE GLORY OF GOD.
· WE WILL ALSO SEE GODS PLAN FORTHE LAST DAYS AND RELATE IT TO OTHER PROPHETIC BOOKS SUCH AS REVELATION.
v STRUCTUREAND STYLE OF THE BOOK:
Ø THE BOOK IS ARRANGED CHRONOLICALLY INTIME.
Ø THE BOOK IS DIVIDED INTO 2 MAJORSECTIONS:
§ THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK IS ABOUTJUDGMENT
§ THE SECOND HALF IS ABOUT RESTORATION
Ø EZEKIEL USES PROVERBS, VISIONS,PARABLES, SYMBOLIC ACTS, AND ALLEGORIES TO BRING GODS MESSAGE TO A STUBBORN PEOPLE.
v OUTLINE:
Ø I. THE GLORY OF THE LORD AND THE PROPHETS CALL (CHAPTERS 1-3)
§ 1.SEEING GODS GLORY (CHAPTER 1)
§ 2.HEARING GODS WORD (CHAPTER 2)
§ 3.BECOMING GODS WATCHMAN (CHAPTER 3)
Ø II.THE GLORY OF THE LORD AND THE FALL OF JERUSALEM (CHAPTERS 4-24)
§ 1. THE JUDGMENT PREDICTED (CHAPTERS 4-7)
§ 2. GODS GLORY DEPARTS (CHAPTERS8-11)
§ 3. GODLESS LEADERS EXPOSED (CHAPTERS 12-17)
§ 4. GODS JUSTICE DEFENDED (CHAPTERS 18-21)
§ 5. THE END OF THE CITY (CHAPTERS 22-24)
Ø III. THE GLORY OF THE LORD AND THENATIONS JUDGED (CHAPTERS 25-32)
§ 1. AMMON (25:1-7)
§ 2. MOAB (25:8-11)
§ 3. EDOM (25:12-14)
§ 4. PHILISTIA (25:15-17)
§ 5. TYRE (26:1-28:19)
§ 6. SIDON (28:20-24)
§ 7. EGYPT (CHAPTERS 29-32)
Ø IV. THE GLORY OF THE LORD AND THEFUTURE OF ISRAEL (CHAPTERS 33-48)
§ 1. THE CITY OF JERUSALEM RESTORED (CHAPTERS 33-34)
§ 2. THE LAND OF ISRAEL RENEWED (CHAPTERS 35-36)
§ 3. THE NATION OF ISRAEL RESURRECTED ANDREUNITED
(CHAPTERS 37-39)
§ 4. THE TEMPLE AND THE PRIESTHOODREESTABLISHED (CHAPTERS 40-48)
v SOURCES FOR OUR STUDY:
Ø EZEKIEL BY J. VERNON McGEE
Ø BE REVERENT: BOWING BEFORE OUR AWESOME GOD BY WARREN W. WIERSBE
Ø THE BIBLE KNOWLEDGE COMMENTARY : OLDTESTAMENT; JOHN W.WALVOORD AND ROY B. ZUCK
Ø THE COMING RUSSIAN INVASION OF ISRAEL BY THOMAS S. McCALL AND ZOLA LEVITT
Ø VARIOUS MISC. NOTES
BACKGROUND REGARDING BIBLEPROPHECY
v THEPROPHET:
Ø THE ROLE OF A PROPHET WAS A VERYDIFFICULT ONE. THE JEWISH PEOPLE HATED THEIR PROPHETS. THEY DID NOT LIKE THE MESSAGES THATTOLD THEM ABOUT THEIR SIN AND THE COMING JUDGMENT. IN FACT, MOST OF THE TRUE PROPHETS OFGOD WERE KILLED BY THEIR OWN PEOPLE. THE ROLE OF THE PROPHET TOOK A LOT OF BOLDNESS ANDCOURAGE. THEY WERE IGNORED, RIDICULED, PERSECUTED AND KILLED.
Ø THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHET AND THE LIFEOF THE PROPHET BECAME INTER-TWINED. IN OTHER WORDS, THE LIFE STYLE OF THE PROPHET BECAMEPART OF HIS MESSAGE. HE LIVED OUT OR ACTED OUT HIS MESSAGES. THEREFORE, WE WILL SEE THEPROPHET DO SOME VERY STRANGE, RATHER CRAZY, THINGS IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLESATTENTION.
v WORDS OF PROPHECY:
Ø OFTEN WORDS OF PROPHECY ARE SYMBOLIC INNATURE. WHENEVER THAT IS THE CASE, WE WILL LOOK FOR MEANINGS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BIBLE.
§ REMEMBER, THE BIBLE IS A UNIFIED WHOLEAND USUALLY INTERPRETS ITSELF. THEREFORE, THE SYMBOLIC MEANINGS WILL HAVE A CONSISTENTMEANING THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.
§ WE WILL INTERPRET THE PROPHETICMESSAGES AS LITERALLY AS WE CAN. FOR THE SYMBOLIC PARTS, WE WILL ARRIVE AT ANINTERPRETATION AND CONSIDER THE INTERPRETATION LITERALLY AS WELL.
v RULES REGARDING PROPHECYINTERPRETATION:
Ø THERE IS ONE VERY IMPORTANT RULEOF PROPHETIC MESSAGES THAT IS TRUE THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION. IT ISCALLED THE LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE.
§ THE LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE: IT SAYS THAT EVERY FUTURE PREDICTION HAS A DOUBLEFULFILLMENT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
· THE PROPHET SEES THE FUTURE WITHOUTREFERENCE TO THE PASSAGE OF TIME. HE SEES EVENTS.
· A RABBINIC RULE OF SCRIPTUREINTERPRETATION SAID THAT IF A FUTURE EVENT WAS MENTIONED MORE THAN ONCE, IT WOULD HAVE ADUAL FULFILLMENT.
¨ THERE WOULD BE A NEAR FUTUREFULFILLMENT.
THE EVENT WOULD BE PARTIALLY FULFILLED AT SOME TIME WITHIN THELIFETIME OF THE PROPHET.
¨ THERE WOULD BE A DISTANT FUTUREFULFILLMENT. THE EVENT WOULD BE COMPLETELY FULFILLED AT SOME TIME IN THE FAR DISTANTFUTURE. (USUALLY IN THE LAST DAYS AROUND THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST).
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 1:1-28THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DONOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 1:1-28
Ø READ EZE 1:1-28
§ READ REV 4 AND 5
· WHAT SIMILARITIES DO YOU SEE BETWEENJOHNS VISION IN REVELATION AND EZEKIELS VISION?
MEMORYVERSE: PSALMS 8:1
