- Daniel, in coming years, would affirm that all this was part of God’s plan. (Daniel 5:18-23) • Ezekiel finds himself in EXILE with a REBELLIOUS group of people who have refused to Captivity Books listen to the Word of God and REPENT. (Jeremiah 25:1-8) (EZEKIEL) Ezekiel: His Youth • “in the 30 th year” – this refers to Ezekiel’s age. It would be the age when he was to be go into full time service as a priest – BUT instead finds himself in a strange land, no Temple, and rebellious people. • His youth was a time of GREAT REVIVAL and REFORMATION during the reign of King Josiah. (2 Kings 22:1-23:25 and 2 Chronicles 34:1-33) Ezekiel: His Name • BUT Ezekiel also witnessed a GREAT decline in his country! And now, he finds himself • Literally means: “God strengthens” or “God hardens” in the middle of God’s promised consequences for that decline. • We have to remember that God is OUR strength. • Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Ezekiel: God’s Choosing • In order for Ezekiel to accomplish his God-given task he will have to be strengthened by • “the word of Yahweh” came expressly to Ezekiel. God Himself. - God chooses who He will reveal Himself to. (see Matthew 11:25-27) • The Lord Jesus Christ also was strengthened by God (Isaiah 42:1, 6; 50:4-7) • “the word of Yahweh came . in the land of the Chaldeans” – Yahweh had not • God saved us so that we could perform His works that He foreordained for us completely forsaken His chosen ones. (see Deuteronomy 31:6) (Ephesians 2:10), and He has promised to strengthen us. • “the hand of Yahweh was upon him” – Hand is a symbol for POWER. • We must persevere! Let’s have Ezekiel be an inspiration to us. - Philippians 2:13 – It is God who works in us to WILL and to DO for His good pleasure. HISTORY - Ephesians 1:9, 11 – God works ALL THINGS for His good pleasure. • “it came to pass” – What came to pass? GOD’s PLAN!!! • Ezekiel was ABSOLUTELY SURE that this was God speaking. • Consider the words of the song we just sang: For no one else in history is like You Lessons for Us And history itself belongs to You • These are the times of Ezekiel. • History is HIS STORY. (It is ALL about Him!) - Times of low spirituality. • Yet, we live as if God has NO PART in history – PAST or PRESENT!! - Times of religious syncretism (pluralism). • God has REVEALED Himself in history. - Times when there is NO truth. (Jeremiah 7:28) • HISTORY is God’s UNFOLDING plan – and WE are part of it. • Just as Ezekiel finds himself in CAPTIVITY with rebellious people, we, too, should • One CANNOT know the God of the Bible apart from history!!! expect to suffer the consequences of our times. • Christians must be students of history if they want to really know God. • God is still working in history. We are a part of HIS STORY. He has work for us to do. • The more we study God in history the more we will see Him at work in the world today. We must persevere in doing what is RIGHT. • Christians are to be DEEP THINKERS – see 1 Corinthians 14:20. • God determines our future. We can train for a career but God will use us for His purposes. Ezekiel trained as priest but was called by God to be a prophet. Ezekiel’s Present History - God called Ezekiel to speak His words. • Ezekiel finds himself in CAPTIVITY “in the land of the Chaldeans.” - 122 times the phrase “thus says the SOVEREIGN LORD” is found in Ezekiel. • Specifically, along the River Chebar was NE of Babylon. - WE NEED TO HEAR AND DO WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS. • He is in his FIFTH year of captivity. - The WORLD needs to hear the Word of God. - Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem THREE times. • Times change. We may experience GREAT REVIVALS, but we ought to expect GREAT â 605 BC (Daniel 1:1) decline. How will react? Will God find us FAITHFUL in the BAD times just as the ã 597 BC (2 Kings 24:8-15) – this is when Ezekiel was taken. GOOD times? ä 587 BC – a complete destruction of the city and Temple. • God does not always call us to work in EASY places, many times He calls us to work in • ALL of THIS WAS GOD’s PLANNING and EXECUTION. DIFFICULT situations. - God told Habakkuk that He was bring the Chaldeans. (Habakkuk 1:5-11) • May GOD STRENGTH US! - God told the Jews themselves through His prophet, Jeremiah. (25:8-11) • May GOD’s HAND be upon us! Outline of Ezekiel • Signs of Judgment on Jerusalem (20:45-21:32) - Forest fire (20:45-49) I. Ezekiel commissioned by God. (1:1-3:27) - Drawn Sword (21:1-17) • Vison of God (Chapter 1) - Double Stroke of the Sword (21:18-32) • Ezekiel sent to Israel (in captivity ) (Chapter 2) • Message of Judgment on Jerusalem (22:1-31) • Parables of Judgment on Jerusalem (23:1-24:14) - Ezekiel is the speak the words of God no matter if the people heard or did - Two Sisters (23:1-49) not hear. Ezekiel was an ambassador for the King. (See 2 Cor. 5:20) - Boiling Pot (24:1-14) • Ezekiel appointed a watchman of Israel. (Ezekiel 3) • Sign through the death of Ezekiel’s wife (24:15-27) - He must tell Israel all that God tells Him or the blood of the people will be upon Ezekiel!! (3:18, see Acts 20:26-27) - Churches (as God’s ambassadors) have a responsibility to warn and to tell III. Judgement on Gentiles (25:1-32:32) the whole counsel of God! Does Ezekiel 3:18-19 pertain to us? IV. Restoration of Israel (33:1-48:35) II. Judgment on Judah (4:1-24:27) • The Return of Israel to the Land (33:1-39:29) • Four signs of coming judgment (4:1-5:17) - Appointment of Ezekiel as watchman . (33:1-33) • Two messages of coming judgment because of idolatry. (6:1-7:27) - Message to the Shepherds (34:1-31) • False Shepherds (34:1-10) q (v. 9) “ indeed I am the LORD who strikes!” hK,(m; hw"ßhy> ynIïa] yKi² • True Shepherd (34:11-31) • Four part vision of coming judgment (8:1-11:25) - Judgment of Edom (35:1-15) - Vision of the glory of God (8:1-4) - Prophecies concerning Israel (36:1-37:28) - Vision of the abominations in the Temple (8:5-18) • Vision of Dry Bones (Israel born-again) (37:1-14) - Vision of slaying in Jerusalem (9:1-11) •Sign of the Two Sticks (37:15-28) - Departure of the glory of God to the threshold (10:1-5) - Prophecies concerning Gog and Magog (38:1-39:29) - Vision of the Wheels and Cherubim (10:9-22) • The Restoration of Israel in the Kingdom (40:1-48:35) - Vision of 24 wicked rulers (11:1-12) - Vision of a New Temple (40:1-43:27) - Promise of the restoration of the REMNANT . (11:13-21) - The New Worship (44:1-46:24) - Departure of the glory of God from the Mount of Olives (11:22-25) - The New Land (47:1-48:35) • Signs, Parables, and Messages of Judgment (12:1-24:27) - Signs of belongings for removing (12:1-16) - Signs of trembling (12:17-28) - Messages against false prophets (13:1-23) - Messages against the elders (14:1-23) - Parable of the Vine (15:1-8) - Parable of Israel’s Marriage (16:1-63) ( OT Love Chapter ) - Parable of the Two Eagles (17:1-24) • First eagle is the King of Babylon (17:3, 14) • Second eagle is Egypt (17:7, 15) - Message of personal judgment for personal sin (18:1-32) - Lament for the Princes of Israel (19:1-9) - Parable of the Withered Vine (19:10-14) - Message of Judgment on Jerusalem (20:1-24:27) • Review of God’s past dealings with Israel (20:1-32) • Message of God’s future restoration of Israel (20:33-44).