Saturday: Ezekiel 33-34 FAITH FULLY FIT Monday: Ezekiel 22-23 Ch. 33 NOTE: Chapter 33 begins the third and final 23:4 “Oholah . . . Oholibah”—Oholah refers to the division of Ezekiel. In this final section we see God’s My Spiritual Fitness Goals for this week: Northern Kingdom of Israel. Its name means “her promise that he would restore Israel. In general, own tent” and probably refers to the Northern we see that God will restore the nation of Israel to Kingdom going its own way after the time of Solo- the Promised Land. We also see symbols of the Weekly Spiritual mon. Oholibah refers to the Southern Kingdom of final defeat of God’s enemies and the establish- Judah. Its name means “my tent is in her” and re- ment of the new city of God, where he will live with fers to God’s continued presence in the sanctuary his people in eternity. Many of the symbols used in Fitness Plan in Jerusalem. these final chapters are also used in the book of 23:5 “Engaged in prostitution”—The Lord pictures Revelation, which looks forward to the same Introduction to the Book of Ezekiel himself as the mother of his people, who gave birth events—God’s destruction of his enemies and the Literary Style: The book of Ezekiel is a mixture of to them. But he also pictures himself as his peo- new heavens and new earth. In this chapter Eze- poetic, artistic description and detailed prose. The ple’s husband. This picture is more prominent in kiel is called to be a watchman, as he had been in writer too is a mixture of personalities. Sometimes the prophetical books because Israel’s main sin was chapters 3 and 18. The shift in time and emphasis he is a stern preacher of punishment to the impeni- forsaking its loving husband, the Lord, and striking calls for Ezekiel to be a watchman again. Now he is tent. Sometimes he is a gentle confessor and coun- alliances with other world powers when it needed to urge the people to repent in anticipation of selor to a despairing people. help, and in the process worshiping their gods. This God’s deliverance. He is also to keep the people The outstanding characteristic of Ezekiel’s proph- was spiritual prostitution, the subject of this chap- from complaining that the way of the Lord is not ecy is the living pictures it paints. Points are made ter. just. God has been just on the basis of his law cove- not with direct statements, but with symbolic ac- nant. He will continue to be just as he shows Israel 23:10 “They stripped her naked.” That is, the Assyr- tions. Many of these actions were not actually car- his grace founded on his covenant to Abraham. ians took away all the blessings God had given Is- ried out in Ezekiel’s real-life existence but are only rael and left it weak and vulnerable. God often 33:21-33 These verses describe the fall of Jerusa- described in his vision. Many of the symbols, ac- speaks of himself doing that, showing his people lem and the attitude of the people still living in the tions, and pictures used by Ezekiel appear again in that without him and his many blessings, they are land. the New Testament book of Revelation. nothing. All the Israelites could do is feel shame 33:21 “A man who had escaped”—It took the man when others looked at them. 18 months to travel from Jerusalem to Babylon. Why it took so long for the news to reach Ezekiel, Theme and Outline: Tuesday: Ezekiel 24 we are not told. You Will Know That I am the Lord 24:1 “Ninth year . . . tenth month . . . tenth day”— 33:28 “A desolate waste”—Five years after the fall Week 64 - Ezekiel 22-34 1. Threats of Judgment on God’s Impenitent Peo- It is four and a half years after Ezekiel’s first proph- of Jerusalem, a small remnant of 645 Jews was ple (1-24) ecy. The siege of Jerusalem would last a year and a taken into exile and the land was left desolate. 2. Prophecies against Hostile Nations (25-32) half. 3. Promise of Restoration for God’s Chastened Ch. 34 NOTE: A shepherd’s care for his sheep is the People (33-48) 24:21 “Stronghold . . . delight”—The temple in most beautiful picture Scripture uses to describe Jerusalem had been the delight of the Jews. No God’s love and care for his people. God tells his other nation had a temple like it. The Jewish people under-shepherds, the leaders of Israel, not to ne- thought the temple in their midst would protect glect their responsibility. In the end, however, God them from ultimate harm. himself is the only one who can shepherd his peo- 24:27 “No longer be silent”—Up to this time, dur- ple to eternal life. ing the years Ezekiel was prophesying, he had been only able to speak when the Lord gave him a mes- Most of the questions and answers on the “Weekly Spiritual Fitness Plan” sage. When his prophecies were fulfilled in the de- come from “The Whole Bible Project” Bible studies. Background and struction of Jerusalem, that restriction was lifted. Introduction information come from “The People’s Bible” commentary series and from “Book of Books,” both published by NPH. Wednesday: Ezekiel 25-27 Wednesday: Ezekiel 25-27 (continued) Friday: Ezekiel 29-32 (continued) Friday: Ezekiel 29-32 (continued) Ch. 25 NOTE: Chapters 25 to 32 form a bridge be- Ch. 27 NOTE: Ezekiel’s prophecy of Tyre’s destruc- nezzar Egypt as plunder for his soldiers. This second years before Ezekiel arrived.) The final destruction tween the first and last parts of Ezekiel. In these tion is followed by the Lord’s instruction to raise a oracle was spoken 17 years after the first, 15 years of Jerusalem and the temple took place in 586 B.C., chapters the Lord reminds the people through Eze- lament over that city. First, the people eulogized after the fall of Jerusalem. or the 11th year after Ezekiel’s deportation. As you can see, the prophecies are not recorded in kiel that he is the God of all nations, in control of Tyre’s many trading partners. Some of these part- 29:9 “Egypt will become a desolate wasteland.” chronological order but as they are needed to pre- the affairs of this world and that he causes all that ners are well known while some are of uncertain Egypt was never completely depopulated as Judah sent the lessons God wants to teach us. happens to serve all people, not just the people of location. was. It was defeated, and many of its people fled Israel. the land. Ezekiel seems to be describing Egypt’s 30:20 “The word of the LORD came to me.” The 27:36 “You have come to a horrible end.” Many downfall in terms of what Judah experienced when book of Ezekiel was obviously assembled after Eze- The Moabites and Ammonites were both descen- nations will weep and lament as this wealthy trad- it fell. kiel received all these revelations from the Lord. As dants of Lot (Genesis 19:36-38). The Moabites ing partner is forced to cease its activities. we read the seven oracles against Egypt, we find hired Balaam to curse Israel on its journey to Ca- 29:14 “I will bring them back from captivity.” The repetition of themes. But we must remember that naan (Numbers 22,23). They frequently fought Egyptians’ destruction would not be permanent. these short oracles were given over a relatively alongside other nations against Israel during the Thursday: Ezekiel 28 Yet when God restored them as a nation, they long period of time and assembled into this group time of the judges and cooperated with Babylon in would be a “lowly kingdom.” For centuries Egypt of seven. its conquest of Judah (2 Kings 24). The Edomites Ch. 28 NOTE: In chapter 27, the merchants la- had been a major world power. But since Babylo- were descendants of Esau (Genesis 36:9). They mented Tyre’s fall. In this chapter the Lord gives nian times, it has never regained its former glory. the reason for its fall. The three chapters 26 to 28 Ch. 31 NOTE: This entire chapter is the fifth oracle. lived in the arid region south of the Dead Sea. The form the basis for chapter 18 of the book of Revela- 29:18 “Yet he and his army got no reward from the Here the Lord reminds the pharaoh of Egypt about Philistines, located along the coastline of Palestine, campaign he led against Tyre.” The days of Babylo- a former world empire, Assyria, and what had hap- were almost constantly at war with Israel. tion. Chapters 17 and 18 of Revelation speak of the destruction of the antichrist and how the mer- nian aggression were turbulent for the world. The pened to it. king of Babylon overtook Judah. But he was also chants and kings of the world would lament her 31:18 “Eden”—Eden is a symbol of all that is lush Ch. 26 NOTE: Tyre and Sidon were sister cities of annexing other nations to his empire. He had also downfall. In many ways Tyre was like the antichrist, and beautiful. Phoenicia, situated along the Mediterranean coast- laid siege to Tyre. The 13-year siege was part of as we will see again in this chapter. line to the north of Palestine. They were known God’s complete destruction of Tyre prophesied in Ch. 32 NOTE: The sixth oracle (verses 1-16) is simi- throughout the ancient world chiefly for their mari- chapters 26 to 28. God would complete his destruc- 28:14 “As a guardian cherub . . . you walked lar to the first oracle in chapter 29, in which the time activities, with ships traveling throughout the tion of Tyre in the coming centuries. Because God among the fiery stones.” These phrases have been destruction of Egypt was foretold. This time the world of that time engaged in trading. In the same was using Nebuchadnezzar (“because he and his interpreted in various ways. But the basic meaning oracle describes the actual destruction of Egypt year that Jerusalem was besieged and conquered army did it for me,” verse 20), God rewarded him is clear. God had established the king of Tyre as a when it was taking place. The seventh oracle by Nebuchadnezzar, they rejoiced over the fact by giving him the wealth of Egypt. powerful and benevolent ruler over a vast and se- (verses 17-32) brings the prophecies against the that their neighbor to the south was in ruins. cure empire. In describing the king’s position, Eze- nations to a climax by consigning Egypt to the same Ch. 30 NOTE: The third oracle (verses 1-19) speaks 26:4 “I will . . . make her a bare rock.” Tyre was kiel’s mind ranges from the beauty of Eden to the fate as all the other nations who have gone down about God’s punishment on Egypt. In particular, it built on a rocky promontory of the coast. This ex- lofty security of Mount Zion, where the high priest into the nether world (“who go down to the pit,” speaks about how Egypt’s neighbors and allies plains some of the imagery the Lord uses to de- wore the 12 stones that represented the tribes of verse 29). In chapters 25 to 32, seven nations are would suffer on “the day of the LORD” when he scribe its defeat. The city was virtually impossible Israel on his breastplate. The king of Tyre was a addressed, ending with Egypt, whose downfall was would come against Egypt. The fourth oracle to get at. Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city for 13 guardian angel until he became proud and the Lord described in seven oracles. This is hardly a coinci- (verses 20-26) was spoken shortly before the fall of years. It is a historical fact that he never completely deposed him from his lofty position. dence. The God of the covenant is protecting his Jerusalem, foretelling Egypt’s doom at the hands of destroyed Tyre itself, even though he captured all people, the Israelites, from all their enemies. the cities on the mainland that belonged to Tyre. the Babylonians. Friday: Ezekiel 29-32 Only in later years did the Lord finally once and for 30:20 “In the eleventh year”—Fourteen times in all destroy Tyre. Here the Lord is probably telescop- Ch. 29 NOTE: Beginning in this chapter, the Lord Ezekiel we are given a year reference. The years ing history and describing the string of attacks on presents seven oracles against Egypt. Chapter 29 begin with the second deportation of the Jews into contains two of them. The first (verses 1-16) speaks Tyre that finally led to its downfall as if they were Babylon in 597 B.C. (The first deportation occurred against Egypt’s pride, much as the last chapter had all accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar. in 605 B.C. when Daniel and his friends were taken spoken about Tyre’s pride. The second oracle to Babylon. So they had been there about eight (verses 17-21) tells how God would give Nebuchad-