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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 24
LESSON #22
GODS MESSAGE THROUGH DEATH
v MEMORY VERSE: 1CORINTHIANS 15:20
v READ EZE 24:1-14 THE PARABLE OF THE IRON POT
Ø ON THE DAY THE BABYLONIAN KINGNEBUCHADNEZZAR.BEGAN TO ATTACK THE CITY OF JERUSALEM JANUARY 15, 588 BC, GOD GAVE EZEKIELTHE PARABLE OF THE IRON POT.
§ HOW DID EZEKIEL KNOW JERUSALEM WASUNDER ATTACK ON THE SAME DAY?
· THERE WAS NO CNN TELEVISION. ITWAS GOD WHO TOLD EZEKIEL ABOUT THE ATTACK.
¨ THIS SIEGE AROUND JERUSALEM LASTED 18MONTHS. THE CITY FINALLY FELL IN 586 BC. EZEKIEL DIDNT ACTUALLY GET THE NEWS FROMJERUSALEM UNTIL 5 MONTHS AFTER THE CITY WAS BURNED IN 586 BC. (EZE 33)
Ø THE LOSS OF THE CITY AND THE TEMPLE WASSUCH A DEVASTATING EVENT THAT THE JEWS IN CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON CELEBRATED 4 FEASTS TOCOMMEMORATE THE FOLLOWING DATES:
§ THE TENTH MONTH WHEN THE SEIGE BEGAN.
§ THE FOURTH MONTH WHEN THE WALLS WEREBREACHED.
§ THE FIFTH MONTH WHEN THE TEMPLE WASBURNED.
§ THE SEVENTH MONTH WHEN GOVERNORGEDALIAH WAS ASSASINATED.
¨ 589 BC BEGINS 70 YEARS OF GODSINDIGNATION.
Ø 589 BC IS THE DATE WHEN KING ZEDEKIAHREBELLED AGAINST KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR. THIS 70 YEAR TIME SPAN CONTINUES UNTIL 520 BC UNDERTHE PERSIAN KING DARIUS. (ZEC 1:7,12 HAG2:10,15, 18-20)
§ FOR THE SECOND TIME, EZEKIEL CALLSJERUSALEM, THE BLOODY CITY(6). (EZE 22:2) THE POT REPRESENTS THE CITY.
· THIS IS THE SECOND TIME EZEKIEL REFERSTO THE CITY AS A POT. (EZE 11:3).
¨ REMEMBER IN CHAPTER 11 THE JEWISHLEADERS SAID THEY WERE CHOICE MEAT IN A POT. THEY INDICATED THAT THE POT WOULD PROTECTTHEM. EZEKIEL AGREED THAT THEY WERE IN A POT BUT THAT GOD WOULD TURN UP THE HEAT OFDESTRUCTION.
§ THE SCUM (RUST) IN THE POTIS THE SIN OF THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM.
· PERHAPS YOU HAVE HEARD SOMEONE SAY,THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE SCUM OF THE EARTH.
¨ BECAUSE ALL HUMANS ARE SINFUL, WE AREALL IN THE SAME POT. WE ARE ALL FILLED WITH THE SCUM OF THE EARTH AS FAR AS GOD ISCONCERNED.
· WHEN THE POT IS HEATED AND THE MEATBEGINS TO BOIL, THE RUST FLOATS TO THE TOP.
¨ GODS CHASTISEMENT FORCES THE SINTO COME TO THE SURFACE IN OUR LIVES. GODS PURPOSE IS THAT WE MIGHT DEAL WITH THE SINAND CORRECT OUR BEHAVIOR.
§ THE MEAT IN THE POT WAS DUMPED OUTBECAUSE THE RUST CONTAMINATED IT.
· GOD WOULD EMPTY THE CITY OF JERUSALEMOF ALL ITS PEOPLE.
§ THEN THE POT WAS BURNED.
· THE CITY OF JERUSALEM WAS BURNED IN 586BC.
v READ EZE 24:15-27 THE SIGN OF THE DEATH OF EZEKIELS WIFE
Ø THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EZEKIEL HASMENTIONED VERY MUCH ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE.
§ HE HAD A YOUNG, JEWISH WIFE WITH HIM INBABYLON. THEY LOVED EACH OTHER VERY MUCH. THEN, SUDDENLY SHE BECAME SICK AND DIED.
· GOD TOLD EZEKIEL IN A DREAM (18) THATHIS WIFE WOULD DIE. THE DAY BEFORE IT OCCURRED.
· IT WAS A SUDDEN LOSS TO EZEKIEL, BUTREMEMBER THAT NOTHING CATCHES GOD BY SURPRISE.
· ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE ROLE OF APROPHET REQUIRED THAT HIS WHOLE LIFE WAS A MESSAGE FROM GOD TO THE PEOPLE (24). THE DEATHOF EZEKIELS WIFE IS NO EXCEPTION. GOD WANTS TO USE THIS TRAGEDY IN EZEKIELSLIFE IN THE SAME WAY HE WANTS TO USE EVERY EVENT IN OUR LIVES.
¨ WE HAVE SEEN IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIELWHERE GOD REQUIRED HIM TO ACT OUT CERTAIN MESSAGES IN RATHER BIZARRE WAYS.
§ GOD TOLD EZEKIEL NOT TO MOURN FOR HISWIFE.
· THIS SEEMS TO BE A RATHER CRUELCOMMAND. EZEKIEL LOVED HIS WIFE, BUT HE WAS NOT TO MOURN FOR HER. SHE WAS THE DELIGHT OFHIS EYES, BUT HE COULD NOT WEEP FOR HER OR SHED ANY TEARS. HE COULD ONLY GROAN QUIETLY ANDIN PRIVATE.
¨ WHY?
Ø BECAUSE EZEKIEL HAD TOLD THE PEOPLE HISWIFE, THE DELIGHT OF HIS EYES, WAS GOING TO DIE. THE PEOPLE KNEW THE EVENT HAD SOMENATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE. THEREFORE, THEY ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE.
§ THE PEOPLE CONSIDERED THE CITY OFJERUSALEM AND SOLOMONS MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE TO BE THE DELIGHT OF THE EYES. THEY LOVEDTHE CITY AND THOSE PEOPLE STILL LEFT THERE IN JERUSALEM. MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN CAPTIVITYIN BABYLON STILL HAD MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES BACK IN JERUSALEM.
§ THE DEATH OF EZEKIELS WIFE WAS ATRAGEDY EQUAL TO THE TRAGEDY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM.
Ø JUST AS EZEKIEL DID NOT MOURNPUBLICALLY FOR HIS WIFE, THE PEOPLE WERE NOT TO MOURN PUBLICALLY FOR THE DESTRUCTION OFJERUSALEM.
§ THEY WERE TO REPENT OF THEIR SINS ANDBEGIN A NEW LIFE. THEY MUST COME TO KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. (24) THEY WERE NOT TO LOOK BACK,BUT THEY WERE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE.
Ø FROM EZEKIEL CHAPTER 3 UP TO THISPOINT, GOD CAUSED EZEKIEL TO BE UNABLE TO SPEAK EXCEPT TO SPEAK GODS MESSAGES.
§ JUST AS EZEKIEL IS NOW ABLE TO SPEAK,THE PEOPLE MUST BE ABLE AND WILLING TO SPEAK TO THOSE WHO HAVE ESCAPED THE DESTRUCTION OFJERUSALEM AND WHO ARE BROUGHT TO CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON. THEY MUST SPEAK GODS MESSAGEOF REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS. THEY MUST SPEAK GODS MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THEFUTURE.
v APPLICATION:
Ø HOW DO WE APPLY EZEKIELS MESSAGETO OUR LIFE TODAY?
§ THERE ARE TWO APPLICATIONS:
· REMEMBER THAT TRIALS (THE BOILING POT)BRING THE RUST OF SIN TO THE SURFACE.
¨ WHEN THAT HAPPENS REMEMBER TO REPENT OFTHE SIN.
§ JUST AS EZEKIEL WAS TOLD NOT TO MOURNFOR HIS WIFE, THE CHRISTIAN IS NOT TO MOURN INTENSLY FOR A LOVED ONE WHO HAS DIED. WHY?
· READ 1TH 4:13-14
¨ DEATH DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME MEANINGFOR A BELIEVER AS IT DOES FOR A NON-BELIEVER.
Ø THE CHRISTIAN HAS THE HOPE OF BEINGWITH CHRIST FOR ETERNITY AND THE HOPE OF SEEING CHRISTIAN LOVED ONES AGAIN.
Ø OF COURSE, WE ARE SAD WHEN A LOVED ONEDIES. THIS SADNESS IS MORE FOR OURSELVES WHO MUST REMAIN ON THIS EARTH.
§ OUR SADNESS AND TEARS ARE NOT THE SAMEAS THE DEEP MOURNFUL GRIEF GOD TOLD EZEKIEL TO AVOID. THAT IS THE GRIEF OF HOPELESSNESSAND DEPRESSION.
¨ THE DEATH OF EZEKIELS WIFE WAS TOBE A MESSAGE TO THE ISRAELITES IN CAPTIVITY.
Ø CHRISTIANS CAN USE A FUNERAL SERVICE TOLIFT UP THE MESSAGE THAT JESUS CHRIST BRINGS ETERNAL LIFE TO THOSE THAT BELIEVE. OFTENFUNERAL SERVICES ARE THE ONLY TIMES WHEN NON-BELIEVERS COME INTO A CHURCH.
§ WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEMESSAGE OF SALVATION!
§ WHAT A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE CHRISTIANWHO HAS DIED AND GONE TO BE WITH THE LORD IF HIS FUNERAL SERVICE IS A TESTIMONY OF HISLOVE FOR THE LORD!
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 25
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 24
Ø IF YOU ARE PRESENTLY GOING THROUGH ADEEP TRIAL IN YOUR LIFE, ASK YOURSELF WHAT SINS ARE BOILING TO THE SURFACE. DONTFORGET TO CONSIDER SUCH SINS AS UNBELIEF AND UNFAITHFULNESS, ETC. IF THE HOLY SPIRIT DOESNOT BRING ANY SPECIFIC SINS TO MIND, THEN ASK YOURSELF WHAT LESSONS GOD IS TRYING TO TEACHYOU THROUGH THIS TRIAL. WRITE YOUR RESPONSES HERE.
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 25
Ø READ EZE 25:1-7 JUDGMENT ON THE AMMONITES
§ OF WHAT SIN WERE THE AMMONITES GUILTYTHAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (3) (GEN 19:33-38)
Ø READ EZE 25:8-11 JUDGMENT ON THE MOABITES
§ OF WHAT SIN WERE THE MOABITES GUILTYTHAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (8) (GEN 19:33-38)
Ø READ EZE 25:12-14 JUDGMENT ON THE EDOMITES
§ OF WHAT SIN WERE THE EDOMITES GUILTYTHAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (12) (GEN 25) (OBADIAH )
Ø READ EZE 25:15-17 JUDGMENT ON THE PHILISTINES
§ OF WHAT SIN WERE THE PHILISTINES GUILTYTHAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (15)
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 18:3
