CHAPTER 19 Ezekiel 19:1 (NKJV) 19 “Moreover Atake up a Lamentation for the Princes of Israel

______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

• 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 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.’

• 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

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. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36 Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,” says the Lord GOD.

God says, don’t expect to hear from me, but expect this… • Expect to see My mighty hand and outstretched arm • Expect to see My poured out • As I deliver you out of Egypt, out of idolatry and restore you to Me • What? No judgment? Oh Yes!!! There is judgment. • Judgment against the false gods that you’ve given yourself over to as I purge the rebels from among you

Ezekiel 20:41–44 (NKJV) 41 I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles. 42 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that 44 you have committed. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways

• (vs. 45-49) is actually part of Chapter 21 and describes the coming judgment on Jerusalem • It will be all encompassing and all consuming • To underscore how fearful this time will be, God instructs Ezekiel to sigh and groan in public with a broken spirit

Ezekiel 21:6–7 (NKJV) 6 Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes. 7 And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord GOD.”

Two images represent the judgment that is coming • The cutting sword and the burning fire • (Vs. 14) Ezekiel is told to strike his hands together three times to represent the totality of the destruction coming • (Vs. 18-27) This destruction will come through the King of Babylon • Ezekiel is told by God to act out the forces of the King of Babylon coming to a fork in the road and deciding… do I attack Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites or do I attack Jerusalem • (Vs. 21) The King of Babylon consults household gods, examines the liver of a sacrificial animal and draws arrows (like drawing straws) to decide which city to attack • (Vs. 23) The irony is the lying divinations of the pagans that God’s people were using to find favor with the gods is being used against them • If you remember, King Zedekiah broke his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar so their broken covenant with God is being punished by the one they broke a human covenant with • Something to consider… often what we experience in the natural is a reflection of what is happening in the spiritual

Ezekiel 21:24 (NKJV) 24 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so

• Before God acts, He always brings things into the light • He doesn’t act without reason or without compassion

(Vs. 25-27) God tells the people what will happen to Zedekiah • He will be no longer until He comes whose right it is… • God says He will give the Kingdom to the one whose right it is... this is a reference to Jesus

(Vs. 28-32) Ezekiel prophesies that a sword is coming to the Ammonites • Ammon was east of Judah • While Jehoiakim was king, the Ammonites joined other nations east of the Jordan in raiding Judah in return for protection from Nebuchadnezzar • During the reign of Zedekiah, Ammon, Moab, Edom and others conspired against Babylon with false hopes of getting help from Egypt • But when Babylon was destroying Jerusalem, the Ammonites celebrated • Thus, not only would Judah be judged, but the Ammonites as well

Ezekiel 21:30–32 (NKJV) 30 ‘Return it to its sheath. I will judge you In the place where you were created, In the land of your nativity. 31 I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath, And deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy. 32 You shall be fuel for the fire; Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall not be remembered, For I the LORD have spoken.’ ”

• Babylon captured Rabbah, the capital of Ammon and deported many inhabitants • Ammon was later invaded by the Arabs and it’s autonomy as a nation ceased • Eventually it was absorbed into the Persian Empire and the Ammonites are not remembered

• (Vs. 1-12) The charges against Israel are brought into the light • Their sins were against God and humanity • The sins against God brought defilement and the sins against man brought guilt • Each of these sins are listed in Leviticus 18-20 and 25 and are referred to as the Holiness Code… they were to be holy unto the Lord • But the closing argument made against them in vs. 12… you have forgotten Me

The consequence for such atrocities is found in Deuteronomy 8:19 Deuteronomy 8:19 (NKJV) 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.

• (Vs. 13-22) deal with the Lord’s response to their sin and judgment occurs through two avenues • Judgment through scattering and judgment by gathering • (Vs. 15) God says I will scatter you among the nations • (Vs. 19) God says I will gather you to Jerusalem to be burned • Now, this section that includes vs. 19 has not yet happened to Jerusalem

Ezekiel 22:24 (NKJV) 24 “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’

• To date, Israel is still a land that is not cleansed

God says He has not spoken and He gives the reason why… Ezekiel 22:30–31 (NKJV) 30 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. 31 Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.

Abraham interceded for Lot

• Moses interceded for the people after the golden calf incident • But this time no one was found to intercede on behalf of Jerusalem and as a result God will execute judgment upon them • The last verse summarizes the reason for judgment… they brought it on their own heads by the deeds they’ve done

Chapter 23 describes two daughters who are prostitutes • The older sister is named Oholah and the younger is named Oholibah • Oholah means tent or tabernacle and Oholibah means my tent is in her • Vs. 4 we are told that Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah • Samaria, known as the Northern Kingdom, was the first to go into idolatry • The Northern Kingdom turned against God when Jeroboam became king • You remember the story, he set up a golden calf in Bethel and Dan and he said these are the gods that brought you out of Egypt and these are the gods you will worship. • Later on, he introduced the worship of Baal and Molech and thus prostituted themselves into idolatry • As the result God used the Assyrians to destroy the Northern Kingdom

Oholibah’s name means the tent is in her referring to the tabernacle • King Ahaz, after visiting Assyria, brings idolatry back to Jerusalem • Not only does he worship the gods of Assyria, but he sends fro the Babylonians to come and share their idolatry with them as well

And God says… Ezekiel 23:17–18 (NKJV) 17 “Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, And they defiled her with their immorality; So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them. 18 She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness. Then I alienated Myself from her, As I had alienated Myself from her sister.

God speaks of His jealousy that is against them Ezekiel 23:25–26 (NKJV) 25 I will set My jealousy against you, And they shall deal furiously with you; They shall remove your nose and your ears, And your remnant shall fall by the sword; They shall take your sons and your daughters, And your

• Not only did the nations take advantage of them, but they were destroying their own children by sacrificing them to Molech and Baal

Ezekiel 23:36–39 (NKJV) 36 The LORD also said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. 37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them. 38 Moreover they have done this to Me: They have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and profaned My Sabbaths. 39 For after they had slain their children for their idols, on the same day they came into My sanctuary to profane it; and indeed thus they have done in the midst of My house.

Now I can’t imagine what kind of parent would do this • But they were throwing their new born babies into the fire or placing them on the arms of the idols and burning them to death • Then they would go into the temple to worship God and God says… I won’t have it

Ezekiel 23:46–49 (NKJV) 46 “For thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Bring up an assembly against them, give them up to trouble and plunder. 47 The assembly shall stone them with stones and execute them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn their houses with fire. 48 Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land, that all women may be taught not to practice your lewdness. 49 They shall repay you for your lewdness, and you shall pay for your idolatrous sins. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.’ ”

The Supreme Court is ruling on same sex marriage • But to support same sex marriage or the homosexual lifestyle is to support the lewd practices that lead to same sex attraction • If I embrace the homosexual lifestyle as an alternative lifestyle, then I am giving approval to the abuse, the neglect or the seductive practices of sexual predators that traumatize our sons and daughters

• The reason why God says homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God isn’t because God is unloving or unaccepting • It’s because God is unaccepting of any lifestyle that is perpetuated through lewd acts because it destroys people • It’s the same for divorce, adultery, fornication… they all destroy people