A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
Related Articles
RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 11
MEMORY VERSE: EZEKIEL 11:19
v CHAPTER 11 CONCERNS ITSELF WITH THEGOVERNMENT LEADERS STILL IN JERUSALEM. BABYLON ALREADY HAD CONQUERED THE NATION OF ISRAEL.MOST OF THE PEOPLE WERE ALREADY CAPTIVE IN BABYLON. HOWEVER THE GOVERNMENT OF BABYLON LEFTJUDAHS KING ZEDEKIAH ON THE THRONE. THERE WAS STILL A PUPPET GOVERNMENT INJERUSALEM. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SUBSERVIENT TO KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR IN BABYLON.HOWEVER, THESE GOVERNMENT RULERS NOT ONLY REBELLED AGAINST GOD, BUT THEY ALSO REBELLEDAGAINST KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
v READ EZE 11:1-13
Ø TWENTY FIVE MEN AT THE GATE
§ THIS IS THE EASTERN GATE BETWEEN THETEMPLE AND THE MT. OF OLIVES.
· THE CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICES WERE AT THECITY GATE.
§ THESE 25 MEN ARE THE GOVERNMENTLEADERS. EZEQUIEL MENTIONS SOME BY NAME:
· JAAZANIAH SON OF AZZUR
¨ HIS NAME MEANS = GOD HEARS
Ø THIS IS NOT THE JAAZANIAH SON OFSHAPHAN THAT WE SAW IN CHAPTER 8 OFFERING INCENSE TO IDOLS.
Ø IT IS POSSIBLE THAT AZZUR, JAAZANIAHSFATHER, IS MENTIONED IN JER 28:1-4. THAT MEANS JAAZANIAH IS A BROTHER OF HANANIAH, A FALSEPROPHET, WHO OPPOSED JEREMIAH.
· PELATIAH
¨ HIS NAME MEANS = GOD DELIVERS.
§ NOTICE THE MEANINGS OF THEIR NAMES INRELATION TO WHAT THEY SAID IN VERSE 3.
· THEY TOLD THE PEOPLE THAT GOD WOULDHEAR THEIR PLEAS AND GOD WOULD DELIVER THEM FROM THE ENEMY. POLITICALLY, THESE LEADERSTRUSTED IN A TREATY THEY MADE WITH EGYPT. THEY EXPECTED EGYPT TO COME AND DELIVER THEMFROM THE BABYLONIANS. THEREFORE, THEY ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO BUILD NEW HOUSES IN JERUSALEMAND LIVE AS THOUGH NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN TO THEM. THEY PROPHESIED PEACE AND PROSPERITY.HOWEVER, EGYPT HAD BECOME A DEVISIVE AND WEAK NATION. THE EGYPTIANS WERE HELPLESS AGAINSTTHE BABYLONIANS.
¨ EGYPT IN THE BIBLE SYMBOLIZESWORLDLINESS.
Ø GODS PEOPLE MUST LEARN TO RELY ONGOD AND NOT THE WORLD SYSTEMS.
¨ READ JER 29:4-7
Ø JEREMIAH TOLD THE PEOPLE TO SETTLE DOWNIN BABYLON. THEY SHOULD FIND HOUSES FOR THEMSELVES AND PLANT GARDENS BECAUSE THE CAPTIVITYWOULD LAST FOR 70 YEARS. THEY WOULD HAVE PEACE IF THEY DID NOT REBEL AGAINST BABYLON.
Ø FALSE PROPHETS SAID THE CAPTIVITY WOULDNOT LAST LONG. THEY PROPHESIED THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD SOON RETURN TO ISRAEL. THEYENCOURAGED THE PEOPLE TO REBEL AGAINST BABYLON.
Ø THESE LEADERS WERE EVIL. THEY WOULDFIND WAYS TO BENEFIT THEMSELVES FINANCIALLY IN ANY SITUATION.
¨ MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM WANTEDTO BELIEVE THE FALSE PROPHETS.
Ø THIS CITY IS THE CAULDRON AND WEBE THE FLESH (3)
§ IN OTHER WORDS, THE CITY OF JERUSALEMIS A POT OF ABUNDANT PROVISION AND THE PEOPLE THERE ARE IN CHARGE OF IT. THE CITY IS ASSECURE AS MEAT BOILING IN A POT.
· THE IDEA IS THAT THE PEOPLE LEFT INJERUSALEM WERE CHOICE PIECES OF MEAT WHILE THOSE ALREADY TAKEN CAPTIVE WERE THE SCRAPS OFMEAT FIT FOR DOGS. WHAT PRIDE!
¨ FROM GODS PERSPECTIVE, THEOPPOSITE WAS TRUE. (JER 24:1-7)
· THROUGH EZEKIEL, GOD TOLD THE PEOPLETHAT THESE MEN WERE FALSE PROPHETS DEVISING EVIL. GOD WOULD NOT DELIVER ISRAEL BECAUSE GODSTOPPED LISTENING TO THEIR CRIES FOR HELP. (2)
¨ INSTEAD, GOD WOULD CAUSE THE SECURE POTOF MEAT TO BECOME A POT OF JUDGMENT WITH THE HEAT TURNED UP TOO HIGH TO SURVIVE IT. (7,11)
Ø GODS TRUE INTENTION (9-11)
§ GOD WILL CAUSE THE LEADERS TO DIE INTHE BORDERS OF ISRAEL. WHY?
· BECAUSE THESE LEADERS HAD KILLED TRUEBELIEVERS IN GOD AND LAID THEM IN THE STREETS. (9)
¨ THEY WERE NOT WORTHY TO RULE THE CITY.AND THEY WERE NOT WORTHY TO DIE IN THE CITY.
§ WHEN THESE LEADERS DIE, THEY WILL KNOWTHEY WERE WRONG. IT IS THROUGH JUDGMENT THAT THEY WILL KNOW JEHOVAH IS GOD, BUT IT WILL BETOO LATE FOR THEM.
· HISTORY PROVES EZEKIELS PROPHECYCAME TRUE. THESE LEADERS WERE DEPORTED TO RIBLAH, SYRIA AND KILLED (2KI 25:18-21)
Ø GODS CONFIRMATION (13-15)
§ WHILE EZEKIEL PROPHESIED, PELATIAHDIED. IT WAS A TASTE OF THE JUDGMENT THAT WOULD COME.
§ EZEKIEL IS SO AMAZED BY THISCONFIRMATION THAT HE PLEADS WITH GOD FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE FAITHFUL REMNANT.
v READ EZE 11:14-21 THE REMNANT AND THE LITTLE SANCTUARY
Ø FROM WHERE WILL COME THE REMNANT THATGOD PROMISES TO PROTECT?
§ THE FAITHFUL REMNANT COMES FROM THOSEALREADY IN BABYLON LIKE DANIEL AND EZEKIEL.
· TO THE FAITHFUL REMNANT IN FOREIGNCOUNTRIES, GOD IS THE LITTLE SANCTUARY
· AS A GOOD PARENT, EVEN THOUGH GODPUNISHES HIS CHILDREN, HE DOES NOT TOTALLY ABANDON THEM. .
· EVEN THOUGH THE HOLY SANCTUARY ISDESTROYED, THE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE WITHOUT A REFUGE AND A PLACE OF GODS PRESENCE.
· THEY CAN PERSONALLY MEET WITH GODANYWHERE.
¨ NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS KNOW THISASPECT OF THE WORSHIP OF GOD IS TRUE. WE CAN WORSHIP GOD ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME. CONTINUALLYHE IS OUR SANCTUARY.
¨ HOWEVER, FOR THE OLD TESTAMENT JEW,THIS WAS A TOTALLY NEW IDEA.
Ø THE PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE. (17-20)
§ GOD PROMISES HE WILL GATHER THE JEWSFROM MANY COUNTRIES.
§ GOD WILL GIVE THEM THE LAND OF ISRAELAGAIN.
§ THE PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER PRACTICEIDOLATRY.
§ THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE A UNIFIED HEART.
§ THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE A NEW SPIRIT.
§ THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE A SOFT HEARTTOWARD GOD.
§ THE PEOPLE WILL BE OBEDIENT TO GOD.
Ø THE FULFILLMENT OF THESE PROPHECIES:
§ WERE ALL THESE PROMISES FULFILLED? NO,ONLY SOME OF THEM.
· THE RETURN TO THE PROMISED LAND:
¨ REMEMBER OUR PROPHETIC LAW OF DOUBLEREFERENCE? IT SAYS THAT IF A PROPHECY IS MENTIONED MORE THAN ONCE, IT HAS A DOUBLEFULFILLMENT.
¨ GOD BROUGHT 60,000 JEWS BACK TO ISRAELAFTER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. THAT IS THE FIRST FULFILLMENT.
Ø HOWEVER, IT IS AN INCOMPLETEFULFILLMENT. THE JEWS WERE IN THE PROMISED LAND BUT THEY DID NOT CONTROL IT.
Ø THEY DID NOT CONTROL THE LAND UNTIL1948 WHEN ISRAEL BECAME AN INDEPENDENT NATION. THAT IS THE SECOND FULFILLMENT.
· THE PRACTICE OF IDOLATRY:
¨ THE JEWS NEVER AGAIN PRACTICED IDOLATRYAFTER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. THAT IS THE FIRST FULFILLMENT.
¨ HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE ONE EXCEPTION INTHE FUTURE WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST SETS UP HIS STATUE IN THE TEMPLE. MANY JEWS WILL THINK HEIS THE MESSIAH AND WORSHIP THAT IDOL.
Ø HOWEVER, THE 144,000 FAITHFUL JEWISHWITNESSES WILL BE A FAITHFUL REMNANT. THEY WILL NOT FALL INTO THAT IDOLATRY. THIS IS THESECOND FULFILLMENT.
· A NEW SOFT HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT OFOBEDIENCE:
¨ THIS PROPHECY HAS NOT BEEN FULFILLED.TODAY WE DO NOT SEE THE NATION OF ISRAEL TURNING TO GOD IN REPENTANCE.
Ø EXCEPT FOR A FEW INDIVIDUAL JEWS, WE DONOT SEE THE MAJORITY OF JEWS TURN TO JESUS CHRIST. THEY ARE NOT A BORN AGAIN PEOPLE.
Ø HOWEVER, THERE WILL COME A DAY WHENTHIS WILL HAPPEN. AT THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST, THE JEWS WILL LOOK AT JESUS COMEIN THE CLOUDS, AND THEY WILL RECEIVE HIM AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR. (ZEC 12:10)
§ READ JER 31:33-34
· THIS IS THE SAME NEW COVENANTTHAT GOD REPEATS IN HEBREWS 8:10-11.
· THIS IS THE SAME NEW COVENANTTHAT GOVERNS THIS AGE OF GRACE IN WHICH WE NOW LIVE.
· THIS IS THE SAME NEW COVENANTBY WHICH ALL GENTILE BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHIRST ENTER INTO GODS FAMILY.
§ THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF JESUS CHRISTWILL BEGIN WHERE EVERY PERSON HAS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. THAT WILL BETHE COMPLETE FULFILLMENT OF THIS PROPHECY.
· THE JEWS WILL BE GODS SPECIALPEOPLE AGAIN.
· THIS TIME THE JEWS WILL BE OBEDIENT TOGOD.
v READ EZE 11:22-25
Ø THE FINAL DEPARTURE OF THE GLORY OF GOD
§ THE PRESENCE OF THE GLORY OF GODLINGERED OVER THE MT. OF OLIVES BEFORE IT DEPARTED FROM THE NATION.
§ THEN, WHEN THERE WAS NO REPENTANCE, THEGLORY DEPARTED PERMANENTLY AND WOULD NOT RETURN UNTIL JESUS CHRIST CAME AS A BABY.
· WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THE MT. OFOLIVES?
¨ THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THETRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS OCCURRED. THE DISCIPLES SAW HIM FILLED WITH GODS GLORY.
¨ THIS IS WHERE JESUS LEFT THE EARTH ANDASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AFTER HIS RESURRECTION.
¨ THIS IS WHERE JESUS CHRIST WILL Return AT THE SECOND COMING.
Ø THE END OF THE VISION:
§ GOD RETURN S EZEKIEL TO BABYLON WHERETHE PROPHET TELLS ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CAPTIVITY WHAT HE LEARNED.
v APPLICATION:
Ø EVEN THOUGH GOD PROMISES PUNISHMENT FORTHE SINS OF THE PEOPLE, GOD GIVES ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE FAITHFUL.
§ EVEN THOUGH WE GO THROUGH PROBLEMS ANDTHE TESTING OF OUR FAITH, GOD NEVER LEAVES US. HE DOES NOT LEAVE US WITHOUT PROVIDING ASANCTUARY OR A REFUGE.
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 12
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 11
Ø IF YOU ARE GOING THOUGH A DIFFICULTTIME IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW, WHAT LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENTS DO YOU SEE TO PROVE THAT GOD HASNOT FORSAKEN YOU?
Ø IF YOU CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING, LOOKFOR SOME ENCOURAGEMENTS THIS WEEK AND WRITE THEM HERE.
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 12
Ø READ EZE 12:1-28
§ IN THIS CHAPTER, HOW MANY TIMES DOES ITSAY, THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD?
§ IF YOU HAVE A GOOD DEFINITION FOR THEWORD TRUTH, WHAT IS IT?
§ HOW CAN YOU KNOW FOR SURE WHETHERSOMETHING IS TRUE OR FALSE?
v MEMORY VERSE: JOH 8:32
