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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 25
LESSON #23
GODS JUDGMENT ON FAMILY SINS
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 18:3
v CHAPTERS 25 32 IN THE BOOK OFEZEKIEL REFER TO PROPHECIES ABOUT THE NATIONS AROUND ISRAEL. THEREFORE, CHAPTER 25 BEGINSA NEW SECTION OF THE BOOK.
v READ PRO 11:31
Ø GOD CHASTIZED HIS OWN PEOPLE BYALLOWING THE BABYLONIANS TO DESTROY JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE. THAT DESTRUCTION IN 586 BCSHOULD HAVE BEEN A WARNING TO THE GENTILE NATIONS AROUND ISRAEL THAT HAD OPPOSED ISRAELFOR CENTURIES.
Ø GODS JUDGMENT IS BASED ON APROMISE HE MADE TO ABRAHAM IN GEN 12:1-3. GOD SAID HE WOULD CURSE THE NATIONS THAT CURSEDISRAEL.
§ ALL THE NATIONS THAT EZEKIEL MENTIONSIN THIS CHAPTER DO NOT EXIST TODAY. THIS FACT TELLS US THAT GOD IS FAIITHFUL TO FULFILLHIS PROPHECIES.
v READ EZE 25:1-7 JUDGMENT ON THE AMMONITES
Ø THE PEOPLE WITH A BAD BEGINNING:
§ THE AMMONITES CAME FROM ANINCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOT AND HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER. (GEN 19:33-38)
§ THE AMMONITES WERE ISRAELSENEMIES FROM THE TIME OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES. (JDG3:13 JDG 11)
§ THEY WORSHIPPED THE IDOLGOD, MOLECH, THAT DEMANDED CHILD SACRIFICE. THEY INTRODUCED THE ISRAELITES TO THISABOMINABLE RELIGION.
§ AN AMMONITE WOMAN WAS THEMOTHER OF REHOBOAM, WHO CAUSED THE REBELLION THAT SPLIT THE NATION OF ISRAEL INTO TWOKINGDOMS. (1KI 14:21, 31)
§ OF WHAT SIN DOES EZEKIEL SAY THESEPEOPLE WERE GUILTY THAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (3) (GEN 19:33-38)
· THE AMMONITES CHEERED WHEN BABYLONDESTROYED JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE. (25:3)
¨ THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH AND AMMONSIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THEIR REBELLION AGAINST THE BABYLONIAN KING,NEBUCHADNEZZAR. WHEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR ATTACKED THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM, THE AMMONITES THOUGHTTHEY WOULD ESCAPE DESTRUCTION. THEY
LAUGHED TOO SOON.
Ø THE PEOPLE WHOSE NATION WAS CUT OFF
§ GOD SAYS HE WILL CUT THIS NATION OFFOUT OF THE LIST OF COUNTRIES. (7)
· NEBUCHADNEZZAR ATTACKED AMMON AFTER THEFALL OF JUDAH AND TOTALLY ELIMINATED THE NATION. THE PEOPLE WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE TO BABYLON.THERE IS NO SUCH NATION TODAY. THE LAND NOW BELONGS TO THE NATION OF JORDAN.
v READ EZE 25:8-11 JUDGMENT ON THE MOABITES
Ø THE PEOPLE THAT ROSE ABOVE A BADBEGINNING:
§ THE MOABITES WERE MORE CIVILIZED THANTHE AMMONITES.
§ HOWEVER, THESE PEOPLE ALSO HAD A BADBEGINNING. THEY CAME FROM THE INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOT AND HIS OLDEST DAUGHTER.(GEN 19:33-38)
§ THE MOABITES WERE LONG-TIME ENEMIES OFISRAEL DURING THE TIME OF THE BOOKS OF NUMBERS AND DEUTERONOMY. (NUM 22-24 DEU 9)
§ BALAK, THE KING OF MOAB, HIRED THEPROPHET BALAAM TO CURSE ISRAEL THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY ISRAEL. (NUM 22-24)
§ RUTH, A GENTILE FROM MOAB, MARRIED AJEWISH MAN AND BECAME THE GREAT GRANDMOTHER OF KING DAVID.
§ OF WHAT SIN WERE THE MOABITES GUILTYTHAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (8) (GEN 19:33-38)
· THE PEOPLE SAID THAT THE KINGS OF JUDAH WERE LIKE HEATHENKINGS. (8)
¨ OF COURSE, IN A WAY THEY WERE RIGHT.THE KINGS OF JUDAH HAD BECOME EVIL JUST LIKE ALL OTHER NATIONS AROUND THEM. HOWEVER, ASFAR AS GOD WAS CONCERNED, THESE EVIL KINGS WERE STILL HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE. THEIR LINEAGEWOULD EVENTUALLY PRODUCE THE MESSIAH.
Ø THE OPEN SIDE OF MOAB:
§ GOD SAYS HE WILL OPEN THE SIDE OF THECITIES OF MOAB. THEY WILL BLEED PROFUESELY WHEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR ATTACKS. (9)
· THE PEOPLE WERE ALSO TAKEN CAPTIVE TOBABYLON. THE NATION OF MOAB DOES NOT EXIST TODAY. THE LAND NOW BELONGS TO THE NATION OFJORDAN.
v READ EZE 25:12-14 JUDGMENT ON THE EDOMITES
Ø THE NATION WITH AN UNGRATEFULBEGINNING:
§ THE EDOMITES ARE DESCENDED FROM ESAU.ESAU WAS UNGRATEFUL FOR THE BLESSINGS AND HERITAGE OF GOD. HE SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT TO HISYOUNGER BROTHER, JACOB, FOR A POT OF STEW. (GEN 25)
· HIS NAME EDOM MEANS RED.ESAUS SKIN HAD A REDDISH COLOR. THE STEW WAS RED. THE LAND WHERE HIS FAMILY SETTLEDWAS A LAND OF RED ROCKS.
§ THE EDOMITES WERE ENEMIES OF ISRAELFROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
· THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW THE ISRAELITES TOMARCH THROUGH THEIR LAND ON THE WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND. (NUM 20:14-21)
· THEY WERE ENEMIES DURING THE REIGNS OFKING SAUL AND KING DAVID. (1SAM 14 2SAM 8)
§ OF WHAT SIN WERE THE EDOMITES GUILTYTHAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (12) (GEN 25) (OBADIAH )
· CONSTANT WARFARE AND REVENGE AGAINSTISRAEL IS THE REASON EZEKIEL GIVES FOR THEIR DESTRUCTION.
¨ YOU WOULD THINK THIS BIT OF HISTORYWOULD BE A WARNING TO NATIONS WHO FIGHT AGAINST ISRAEL TODAY!
· PSALM 137:7 TELLS US THAT THE EDOMITESREJOICED WHEN THE BABYLONIANS ATTACKED JERUSALEM. THEY ENCOURAGED THE BABYLONIANS TODESTROY JERUSALEM COMPLETELY. JEWS WHO FLED FROM THE DESTRUCTION WENT TO EDOM SEEKINGREFUGE. INSTEAD OF HELPING THE JEWS, THEY HELPED THE BABYLONIANS CAPTURE THEM. MANY OF THEEDOMITES LOOTED JERUSALEM AFTER THE ATTACK.
· THE FAMILY OF KING HEROD AT THE TIME OFTHE BIRTH OF CHRIST WERE EDOMITES.
Ø THE DESOLATE NATION:
§ THE EDOMITES WERE ALSO TAKEN CAPTIVE TOBABYLON, AND SURROUNDING NOMAD TRIBES TOOK OVER THE LAND.
§ THE NATION OF EDOM DOES NOT EXISTTODAY. THE LAND IS NOW PART OF THE NATION OF JORDAN.
v READ EZE 25:15-17 JUDGMENT ON THE PHILISTINES
Ø THE NATION WITH AN OLD HATRED:
§ THE ISRAELITES DID NOT DESTROY THEPHILISTINES WHEN THEY SETTLED IN THE PROMISED LAND. THEREFORE, THEY WERE THE CONSTANTTHORN IN THE SIDE OF ISRAEL.
§ THE PHILISTINES WERE THE MOST HATED OFISRAELS ENEMIES.
· IN THE TIME OF THE JUDGES, SAMSON HAD ABAD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PHILITINES (JDG 13-16)
· KINGS SAUL AND DAVID WERE CONSTANTLY ATWAR WITH THE PHILISTINES. REMEMBER GOLIATH WAS A PHILISTINE.
§ OF WHAT SIN WERE THE PHILISTINES GUILTYTHAT THEY DESERVED PUNISHMENT? (15)
· EZEKIEL SAYS THAT THEY WERE GUILTY OFHATRED AND REVENGE AGAINST GODS PEOPLE.
Ø GODS GREAT VENGEANCE ON THEPHILISTINES
§ THERE IS NO NATION OF PHILISTINESTODAY. SOME PEOPLE THINK THE PALESTINES OF TODAY ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE PHILISTINES, BUTTHERE IS NO DEFINITE PROOF. MOST OF TODAYS PALESTINIAN ARABS ARE FROMJORDAN.
v SUMMARY:
Ø EZEKIEL TELLS US ABOUT GODSJUDGMENT THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY COME UPON THE NATIONS AROUND ISRAEL. HOWEVER, HE DOES NOTMENTION GODS JUDGMENT ON ASSYRIA FOR TAKING THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL CAPTIVE.EZEKIEL DOES NOT MENTION GODS JUDGMENT ON BABYLON FOR DESTROYING THE SOUTHERNKINGDOM OF JUDAH AND THE TEMPLE. WHY?
§ A PROPHET IS GIVEN ONLY A SMALL PIECEOF GODS BIG PLAN. THAT IS WHY THERE WERE SO MANY PROPHETS DURING THIS TIME OF THEDIVIDED KINGDOM.
§ THE BOOKS OF ISAIAH AND JEREMIAHCONTAIN PROPHECIES ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THESE MONSTER KINGDOMS. (ISA 13, 14, 21 JER31, 40, 50-51)
· GOD USES THESE EVIL KINGDOMS TOCHASTISE HIS OWN PEOPLE. SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE GODS INSTRUMENTS DOES NOT MEAN THATTHEY ESCAPE GODS ULTIMATE JUDGMENT.
v APPLICATION:
Ø THE AMMONITES, EDOMITES, AND MOABITESWERE ALL BLOOD RELATIVES OF THE JEWS. THEY SHOULD HAVE ACTED LIKE BROTHERS. HOWEVER, JUSTLIKE SOME FAMILIES TODAY, A BLOOD FEUD OF HATRED GROWS AND CONTINUES FROM ONE GENERATIONTO THE NEXT. THE HATRED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GREW OUT OF JEALOUSY BECAUSE THE JEWS WERETHE PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE. THEY WERE BLESSED BY GOD. THE OTHER NATIONS FELL INTO SATANSHANDS AND DEVELOPED THE WORSHIP OF VARIOUS IDOLS, WHICH IN FACT IS THE WORSHIP OF SATAN.
§ WE SEE IN EZEKIEL 25 THAT GOD JUDGESTHESE FAMILY SINS:
· THE AMMONITES REPRESENT THE SIN OF FIERCEVIOLENCE. (JER 40:14 JER 41:5-7)
· THE MOABITES REPRESENT THE SIN OF PRIDE.(ISA 16:6)
· THE EDOMITES REPRESENT THE SINS OF ANGERAND REVENGE.
§ CHRISTIANS ARE TO BE PEACEMAKERS. WEMUST NOT PERPETUATE FAMILY FEUDS, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE NOTCHRISTIANS.
· READ PRO 16:7
Ø DISCUSSION: HOW CAN WE BE PEACEMAKERSIN OUR FAMILIES?
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 26 AND 27
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DONOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 25
Ø IF THERE ARE ANY FAMILY FEUDS THATEXIST IN YOUR FAMILY WRITE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION HERE.
Ø IF YOU HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF FEEDING ANDPERPETUATING THIS FEUD, REPENT AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU.
Ø WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS DOES GOD SHOW YOUTHAT YOU CAN DO TO BE A PEACEMAKER? (MAT 5:9 ROM12:18 ROM 14:19 2COR 13:11 GAL5:22 COL 3:15 HEB 12:14)
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 26 AND 27
Ø READ EZE 26:1-6 THE DESTRUCTION OF TYRE
Ø READ EZE 26:7-10 THE DESTRUCTION OF TYRE BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR
Ø READ EZE 26:11-21 THE DESTRUCTION OFTYRE BY OTHER NATIONS
Ø READ EZE 27:1-36 LAMENTATION OVER TYRE
§ READ REV 18:1-24
Ø WHAT ARE THE PREDOMINATECHARACTERISTICS OF THE CITY OF TYRE?
v MEMORY VERSE: MAT 6:33-34
