CHAPTER 19 Ezekiel 19:1 (NKJV) 19 “Moreover Atake up a Lamentation for the Princes of Israel
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__________________________ VANTAGE POINT: EZEKIEL CHAPTER 19 Ezekiel 19:1 (NKJV) 19 “Moreover atake up a lamentation for the princes of Israel • The Jewish remnant in exile and in Jerusalem believed that Ezekiel’s prophecies against Jerusalem would not be fulfilled because this would end the Davidic line of Kings and God would not break His covenant with Israel • So the Lord reminds Israel by way of 2 allegories… the allegory of the Lion and the allegory of the Vine that communicate what is going to happen • It’s called a lament, not because the people are lamenting or Ezekiel is lamenting, but because the Lord is lamenting over what is going to happen because of they’ve broken their Covenant with God Ezekiel 19:2–9 (NKJV) 2 ‘What is your mother? A lioness: She lay down among the lions; Among the young lions she nourished her cubs. 3 She brought up one of her cubs, And he became a young lion; He learned to catch prey, And he devoured men. 4 The nations also heard of him; He was trapped in their pit, And they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt. 5 ‘When she saw that she waited, that her hope was lost, She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. 6 He roved among the lions, And became a young lion; He learned to catch prey; He devoured men. 7 He knew their desolate places, And laid waste their cities; The land with its fullness was desolated By the noise of his roaring. 8 Then the nations set against him from the provinces on every side, And spread their net over him; He was trapped in their pit. 9 They put him in a cage with chains, And brought him to the king of Babylon; They brought him in nets, That his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel. • The lioness represents Judah • One of her cubs (Jehoahaz) became a young lion and learned to catch prey and devour men • Meaning he used men to his own selfish advantage Ezekiel © 2015 Holland Davis __________________________ VANTAGE POINT: EZEKIEL • As a result, Jehoahaz was hunted, captured and carried off to Egypt by Pharaoh Neco in 609 B.C. • Then another cub becomes a young lion • This refers to Jehoiachin who has the same reputation of using men to his own selfish advantage • As a result, Jehoiachin is taken away in captivity to Babylon • Then you have the allegory of the Vine which speaks of the end of the kings of Israel… specifically Zedekiah Ezekiel 19:10–14 (NKJV) 10 ‘Your mother was like a vine in your bloodline, Planted by the waters, Fruitful and full of branches Because of many waters. 11 She had strong branches for scepters of rulers. She towered in stature above the thick branches, And was seen in her height amid the dense foliage. 12 But she was plucked up in fury, She was cast down to the ground, And the east wind dried her fruit. Her strong branches were broken and withered; The fire consumed them. 13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, In a dry and thirsty land. 14 Fire has come out from a rod of her branches And devoured her fruit, So that she has no strong branch—a scepter for ruling.’ ” This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation. • The Vine represents Judah who was planted by the Lord in perfect conditions • The Lord uproots her and plants her outside the Promised Land • The fire which started in one of the branches represents Zedekiah’s reign who is the last King of Judah and after Zedekiah there is no strong branch, no king or scepter to rule • So we have the end of the Kings of Israel because they have been conquered Chapter 20 • It’s the summer of 591 B.C. and the elders have assembled before Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord • It seems that this was a tradition or a religious custom • We read earlier that the elders came to inquire of the Lord • In the previous time, God said why should they inquire of me they have idols in their hearts • Here we see that God is still not speaking to them Ezekiel © 2015 Holland Davis __________________________ VANTAGE POINT: EZEKIEL Ezekiel 20:3–4 (NKJV) 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord 4 GOD, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’ Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers. Ezekiel then challenges the elders with Israel’s history • He tells the story of 3 consecutive generations • Each generation had a decision to make • Obey the Lord and live or face the death dealing consequences of disobedience • The first generation Ezekiel chooses is the generation that was delivered out of Egypt (Vs. 5-10) • The second generation Ezekiel chooses is the generation that died in the wilderness (Vs. 11-15) • The third generation Ezekiel chooses are the children of the generation that died in the wilderness (Vs. 18-23) Each generation experiences six-stages… see if you can go back and find them • Stage 1: The Lord gives a fresh revelation of Himself to each generations • Stage 2: He challenges them to exclusive devotion • Stage 3: They rebel • Stage 4: The Lord informs them of the consequences of rebellion • Stage 5: God delays judgment for His name sake • Stage 6: Limited judgment comes… God does not wipe out His people One of the areas that God brings up over and over again is keeping the Sabbath Ezekiel 20:18–20 (NKJV) 18 “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves 19 with their idols. I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; 20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’ Ezekiel © 2015 Holland Davis __________________________ VANTAGE POINT: EZEKIEL • Now apparently, they weren’t keeping the Sabbath because God brings it up that keeping the Sabbath is an indicator that I am the Lord your God • What I find interesting is vs. 21… the children rebelled against Me • I wonder if there was a correlation between mom and dad not keeping the Sabbath and the children rebelling against the Lord • I’m watching parents raise kids who don’t value going to church • They value sports, surf, vacations, but not going to church and consequently, the kids grow up not valuing God • And unfortunately we are setting our kids up for failure in life Listen to what God says Ezekiel 20:21 (NKJV) 21 “Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. • If you want your kid to be successful, teach them to prioritize God • There’s no better way to teach our kids than teaching them that our lives revolve around God by giving God His day • God doesn’t fit into our schedule, we change our schedule (Vs. 27-29) God uses history to apply to the current events of Israel Ezekiel 20:27–32 (NKJV) 27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me. 28 When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.” ’ 30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? 31 For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I Ezekiel © 2015 Holland Davis __________________________ VANTAGE POINT: EZEKIEL 32 live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will not be inquired of by you. What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’ • Ezekiel makes the charge from history that Israel is a rebellious house, not only in past times but also in present times • Because they are in rebellion against God, they don’t need to expect a reply from God when they seek Him But what should they expect? Ezekiel 20:33–36 (NKJV) 33 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you.