DISCOURSES on EZEKIEL the SETTER of DATES by Mary M
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DISCOURSES ON EZEKIEL The SETTER OF DATES by Mary M. Bodie “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand”—Daniel 12:10 Publisher: Grace Assembly 4660 Zion Ave. San Diego, California 92120 (619) 280-4646 www.graceassemblysandiego.com 1 Preface—by Grace and Glory Publications 1940 For the past year, the Authoress of this book gave very instructive lessons on the writings of Ezekiel. She was profoundly impressed with the number of significant dates, which Ezekiel records. When her findings showed us that the prophet wrote of our day and that we actually appear in his vision of the cherubim, we felt impelled to put these powerful truths before the public. Ezekiel spurs us onto run for the Prize and let no man take our crown. We consider this the most important prophetic utterance today. It is the culminating message. Read it; ponder it; believe it; pass it on. Let us listen for the trumpet blast. Note from Publisher: Grace Assembly is privileged to publish and post this commentary on our Web Site, www.graceassemblysandiego.com. We believe these commentaries rank among the best for Bible students who desire to learn about the Word of God and the Pauline Revelation. These commentaries were written during the early days of the latter rain outpour of God’s Spirit and they continue to provide enlightenment to the reader. These are the original writings of the authors. Grace Assembly has not made any changes or additions to these writings other than format changes for the convenience of the Bible student. In the left hand column we have added the King James Bible version as it applies to the commentary on that page. Where the authors have referred to scripture references without quoting the scripture in the text, we have added the scripture as a footnote. In some places the authors have referred to Bible versions other than the King James. Since Grace Assembly holds to the King James Version as the preserved text, we, therefore, have added in the text the same scripture from the King James Version. We trust these ancillary changes with be helpful to the Bible student. 2 INTRODUCTION “Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. Hear; for I will speak…and the opening of my lips shall be right things”—Prov. 8:4, 6. In the opening verses of this book, Ezekiel gives us a short account of his pedigree. We learn that he was the son of Buzi, meaning “contempt,” the priest of the well-known scriptural family, Zadock. Hebrew tradition claims that he was a son of Jeremiah, but there is no warrant in either of the prophecies for such a claim. We never read that Jeremiah had a wife, or family. Eleven years before the downfall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel was taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar— “And he carried away all Jerusalem and all the princes and all the mighty men of valour, even ten-thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths; none remained save the poorest sort of the people of the land.”—2 Kings, 24:14. Daniel and his three companions had been taken captive with a former great company eight years previously—Daniel 1:1. Ezekiel’s name, meaning “strengthened by God,” is expressive of the man and also of the people whom he represents. We have our first glimpse of him by the river Chebar, meaning “great,” with a colony of captives, taken from Jerusalem. Chebar is north of the Euphrates into which it flows and is also called the great canal. In Chapter 3:15, the town is given as Telabib. We learn that Ezekiel had his own house—Chaps. 3:24 and 8:1. We also know that he was married; for he mentions the death of his wife in the one instance where he gives us a hint of his personal life—Chap. 24:16-18. Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Daniel were contemporary. Jeremiah prophesied before and during the captivity; the other two during and after the carrying away to Babylon. It is more than likely that they were acquainted, but each had his own specific ministry for that trying time. In some phases of their character, they resembled each other. This is, they were honest, true, inflexibly upright; but in other phases of temperament and disposition they were entirely different; especially Ezekiel and Jeremiah. The latter was diffident, shy, kind, gently, and tender hearted. He was the prophet of the disrupting time of the nation and the death struggle of Judah was agony to his sensitive soul. Ezekiel on the contrary lacked the emotional, sympathetic temperament of Jeremiah. He was a man of force and energy and self-control. He had a deep sense of his responsibility. We may sum up their outstanding differences in a few words. Jeremiah’s interests and sympathy appeared more exercised in behalf of the people, tho’ not forgetting God; while Ezekiel seemed more exercised in sympathy with God, tho’ not forgetting the people. They both had their places on the program and each played his part in the drama of life in the will of God to His entire satisfaction and good pleasure. Each did what he could and as he could and they will have their rewards. The results are left with the Author and Finisher of their faith. Their works do follow them. Ezekiel and Jeremiah, each in his own individual personality and temperament, portray the Lord Jesus Christ in His two-fold nature. Jeremiah shows us the human side of Christ. His gentle tender, sympathetic nature that wept at the death of Lazarus and over the city of Jerusalem. He was always one with the people—their sorrows were his sorrows, their triumphs His glory. Ezekiel on the contrary shows us the side of Deity in Christ—stern, uncompromising, incorruptible 3 and filled with a sense of the justice of God in uncovering sin and judging it. Jeremiah is always seen praying; Ezekiel seldom: but both are God’s men in His purpose and plan. Ezekiel’s diction also is far different from that of Jeremiah. The whole of his writings shows how well fitted he was by natural disposition to oppose the “rebellious house,” the people with the flinty face and stiff neck. He assumed the same attitude toward them that they showed toward the Lord. His writings abound in figurative representations, either in allegorical conceptions of the Truth or in enigmatical construction; but all testifying to the vigor and brilliancy of the man, who yet was merely the instrument of the divine Mind. He as well as Jeremiah was representative of the people of the Lord as well as the Lord of the people. Marvelous mysteries of the Word of God! TWO GREAT DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK 1-Predictions Before the Destruction of Jerusalem—Chaps. 1 to 33. 2-Predictions After the Destruction of Jerusalem—Chaps. 43 to 48. 4 Ezekiel KJV Ezekiel Commentary EZEKIEL AND HIS VISION OF GLORY Chapter One “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, the Word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel, the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar, and the hand of the Lord was there upon me”—Chap. 1:1-3. Chapter 1 Ezekiel is a prophet of the last days. He is telling us in type and symbol, vision and message, of events that are even now being fulfilled, and of others which will come later. He begins his prophecies with emphasis on the date of his call to the prophetic office. This happened in his thirtieth year, 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the very age when as a priest he should have entered his priestly ministry had the month, as I was among the captives by he been in Jerusalem in the temple service. He also pressed at the outset the the river of Chebar, that the heavens were fact of the exact year, month and day that heaven was opened and he was opened, and I saw visions of God. privileged to “see visions of God.” This is a most striking statement and carries with it marvelous significance when we learn the value of these prophecies as related to the present time. Delicious Dates We say, Ezekiel at the very threshold of his book fixes our attention 1:2 In the fifth day of the month, which was on dates. He repeats the fact of it being “The fifth day of the month,” when the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, he received the first vision, and adds further that it was in “the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity.” Now this is suggestive. He is instructing us in important matters if we have ears to hear. The beginning of the Times of the Gentiles was in stages and covered a period of nineteen years; hence, we should expect a corresponding gradation in the end. (See our tracts, Davidic Covenant and The Times of the Gentiles). Ezekiel was taken to Babylon in king Jehoiachin’s captivity.