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Book of Ezekiel

Book of Ezekiel

Ezekiel: “God will strengthen”

1.       His calling

2.       His servetitude

3.       His life

I.       Book Summary:

The book of Ezekiel begins with the divine calling of Ezekiel in the era of captivity. Ezekiel was commissioned to announce God’s impending judgment on the rebellious nation and the desolation of Jerusalem. After Jerusalem had fallen, Ezekiel’s message turned to the Lord’s consolation and hope for his people. They would experience revival, restoration, and a glorious future as the redeemed and perfected kingdom of God (Ch. 33-48).

A.     The book contains:

1.        Four visions (1-3, 8-11, 37:1-14, 40-48)

 a.      Ezekiel inaugural visions (1-3)

 b.      Vision of corrupted temple (8-11)

 c.      Vision of dried bone resurrected (37:1-14)

 d.      Vision of New Jerusalem (40-48)

2.        12 symbolic acts

 a.      Symbolic acts to rebellious house (3:22-26)

 b.      The seized Jerusalem (4:1-3)

 c.      Lying down on both side (4:4-8)

 d.      A scent, vegetarian diet (4:9-11, 12-14)

 e.      Shaved head and beard (5:1-4)

 f.       The exile baggage (12:1-16)

 g.      Anxious eating (12:17-20)

 h.      Groan with broken heart and bitter grief (21:18-24)

 i.        Death of Ezekiel’s wife (24:15-24)

 j.        Writing on sticks (37:15-28)

3.        Five messages in parables (15-17, 19, 23)

 a.      Useless vine (15)

 b.      Unfaithful bride (16)

 c.      Two eagles and a vine (17)

 d.      The trapped lion (19)

 e.      Two adulterous sisters (23)

II.    Themes:

A.     God’s sovereignty

1.        He will be known and acknowledged: “they will know that I am the Lord.” (65 times)

 a.      God will be revealed in the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. (1-24)

 b.      The nations will know God through His judgment. (25-32)

 c.      God will be known through the restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel. (33-48)

2.        He initiate and control

3.        He reigned Ezekiel’s service

 a.      Ezekiel was commissioned by God to serve.

 b.      The divine presence to Ezekiel’s service from beginning to the end.

4.        He is free to judge and to be gracious

B.     The covenant between man and God

C.     The chosen’s unfaithfulness and God’s faithfulness

1.        The unfaithfulness of the chosen

 a.      Lust after their idols. (6:9)

·         Idols in Jerusalem provoke God’s jealousy (8:3)

·         Elders worship idol (8:11)

 b.      Repay God’s love with evil of idol worship. (16)

 c.      God’s glory left the temple. (10:18-19)

2.        The faithfulness of God

 a.      God is faithful and His covenant is prevailing.

 b.      God will shepherd them and revive them. (34-37)

 c.      He will fulfill His promise of a restored new Jerusalem. (40-48)

D.     God’s justice and mercy

1.        God of wrath (1, 6:12, 7:8, 13:15, 20:8, 21) and God of comfort. (48:35)

2.        Temple desecrated (8-11) and restored & purified temple. (40-48)

3.        Watchmen of divine judgment (3) and watchmen of new age. (33-34)

4.        The mountain of rebuke (6) and the mountain of consolation. (36)

E.     “Then they will know that I am the Lord”

1.        When God has spent His wrath upon them. (5:13, 14:8, 38:28, 39:6-7)

2.        When judgment and retribution came upon them (6:7,13;7:4,9;11:10,12;23:49;24:24;25:11;26:6;28:22, 24)

3.        When God dispersed them among the nations (12:15,16;22:15,16)

4.        When the land became desolated (12:20;15:7;33:29; 35:9,15)

5.        When God was against the false prophet (13:9,14,21,23)

6.        When they were under captivity (17:21;25:5,7;39:22)

7.        Returned from exile and blessed (20:42,44;34:30;36:11;39:28)

8.        The diminish of Egypt (29:13-16,21;30:19,26)

9.        The spiritual revival (37:6,28)

F.      The structure

1.        Ch. 1-24 Warning before the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple

2.        Ch. 25-32 The judgment against foreign nations

3.        Ch. 33-48 The hope  of restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel

III. Highlights of spiritual teachings

A.     The vision of calling of Ezekiel (1:1-3:27)

1.        Chosen people under captivity

 a.      Good figs preserved (Jer 24:5)

 b.      The word of God and the rod of God benefit the chosen (Ps 94:12)

 c.      The chosen are captured but the word of God is not bound (2 Tim 2:9)

2.        Ezekiel was commissioned

 a.      The spirit of God enables him to see and hear

 b.      He was spiritually revived before he revived the chosen from calamity

 c.      Direct and powerful experience of calling

3.        Clear divine guidance

 a.      Convey Lord’s message (2:4; 3:1)

 b.      disregard consequences (3:7-9)

B.     Symbol of the siege of Jerusalem (4-5)

1.         Retribution according the sin committed

2.        They will know the Lord because of God’s wreath (5:13)

C.     The approaching divine judgment (6, 7)

1.        The remnant will know the Lord in calamity (6:7, 14)

2.        Spiritual unfaithfulness aroused God’s anger (6:9-10)

3.        God’s temple will be ruined due to idolatry (7:20-21)

4.        They will know the Lord when God judge them (7:4, 9, 27)

D.     The temple vision (8-11)

1.        The idol and God’s glory in Jerusalem (8:4)

2.        The four detestable things alienate God from His temple (8:6,3,11,14,16)

3.        The idolaters killed in Jerusalem and spared those who grieve over the detestable things (9:4,9)

4.        The glory of God departed from the temple (10:18)

5.        They will know the Lord when Israel’s leaders are judged (11:1,10-13)

6.        Promised return of Israel (12:16-20)

E.     Symbol of  exile (12)

1.        Israel exiled and land desolated

2.        They will know the Lord (16, 20)

F.      Explain divine judgment (13-24)

1.        Woe to the foolish prophet (13)

 a.      Who has not fulfilled their duties (5)

 b.      Who gave false word and lying vision (8)

2.        Idolaters condemned (14)

 a.      False God alienate the true God

 b.      The judgment inescapable

3.        Jerusalem is a useless vine (15)

4.        The unfaithfulness of Jerusalem (16)

5.        The two eagles and a vine (17)

6.        The sinner will die (18)

 a.      Each one is responsible their deeds

 b.      Repent and live (32)

7.        Prediction of the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem (19)

8.        The rebellions Israel (20)

 a.      God hold the wreath for the sake of his name(9, 14, 22, 44)

 b.      Restoration after the judgment (32-42)

9.        Babylon, God’s sword of  judgment (21)

10.      Jerusalem’s sin (22)

 a.      Israel will be dispersed among the nations (22:15)

 b.      God poured out wreath because none stand before the breach (22:30)

11.     Two adulterous sisters (23)

12.      Cooking pot (24)

G.     Judgment against the nations (25-32)

1.        Malicious joy over the destruction of Jerusalem (25:3,8;26:2-27:11)

2.        Take revenge on the house of the chosen (25:12,15;28:24)

3.        Seat on the throne of God (28:2)

4.        Pride and boasting (29:1-60;30:6;31:10;32:12)

H.    Consolation for Israel (33-48)

1.        The restoration (33-39)

 a.      Ezekiel was appointed as watchman to warn the chosen (33:1-20)

 b.      Jerusalem’s fall explained (33:21-33)

 c.      The Lord will be their shepherd (34:1-31)

 d.      For the sake if His holy name, God will bless the Israel again (36:1-38)

 e.      Spiritual transformation of Israel and the eternal covenant (37:1-28)

 f.       The downfall of Cog and  revival of Israel (38-39)

2.        Vision of new Jerusalem (40-48)

 a.      The city built on high mountain (40:2)

 b.      Built in accordance to God’s measure (40:3)

 c.      Holy precincts to be kept holy (42:13-14)

 d.      The glory returned to the temple (43)

·         Glory will come from the east (43:1-5)

·         The temple is the throne of God (7)

·         God abides forever (9)

 e.      The law of the temple: holy (43:10-12)

 f.       Offer sacrifices to God (18-27)

 g.      Take heed of the temple regulation and

Guard the entrance of the temple (44:5)

·         no uncircumcised to enter (44:9)

·         Priest be holy to serve the Lord (17-27)

·         God is the inheritance of priest (44:28)

 h.      Worship God in order (46:9)

 

Appendix

 

THE PROPHETS

 

Micah:              Coming Prince of Bethlehem, and his Universal Reign

Nahum:             Impending judgment on Niniveh

Zephaniah:        Coming of a New Revelation, called by a New Name

Jeremiah:          Jerusalem’s sin, doom, and future glory

Ezekiel:             The fall of Jerusalem, restoration and glorious future

Obadiah:           Edom shall utterly perish

Daniel:              The FourKingdoms, and God’s EverlastingKingdom.

Habbakkuk:       Ultimate triumph for Jehovah’s people

Haggai:             The second Temple, and Coming Greater Temple.

Zechariah:         The coming King, his House and Kingdom

Malachi:            Closing message of Messianic Nation

 

Historical Setting and Approximate Dates of the Prophets

Division of the Kingdom (933 B.C.)

 

ISRAEL                                       JUDAH                                   PROPHETS

 

Jeroboam          933-911                        Rehoboam        933-916

Nadab              911-910                        Abijah               915-913

Baasha             910-887                        Asa                  912-872

 

Rise of Assyria to World Power (about 900 B.C.)

 

Elah                  887-886

Zimri                886

Omri                 886-875

Ahab                875-854                        Jehosaphat        874-850            Elijah                875-850

Ahaziah            855-854                        Jehoram            850-843            Elisha               850-800

Joram               854-843                        Ahaziah            843

Jehu                 843-816                        Athaliah            843-837

 

God began to “cut off” Israel (II Kings )

 

Jehoahaz           820-804                        Joash                843-803            Joel                  840-830

Joash                806-790                        Amaziah           803-775           

Jeroboam II      790-749                        Uzziah              787-735            Jonah                790-770

Zechariah         748                               Jotham              749-734            Amos               780-740

Shallum 748                                                                               Hosea               760-720

Menahem         748-738                                                                        Isaiah               745-695

Pekahiah           738-736

Pekah               748-730                        Ahaz                741-726            Micah               740-700

 

 

Captivity of North Israel (734 B.C.)

Hoshea             730-721                        Hezekiah          726-697

 

 

End of Northern Kingdom (721 B.C.)

                                                            Manasseh         697-642

                                                            Amon               641-640

                                                            Josiah               639-608            Zephaniah         619-608

                                                            Jehoahaz           608                   Nahum             630-610

                                                            Jehoiakim          608-597            Jeremiah           626-586

 

 

Fall of Assyria, 607 B.C. (Rise of Babylon)

                                                            Jehoiachin         597                   Habakkuk         606-586

                                                            Zedekiah           597-586            Obadiah            586

 

 

Jerusalem conquered and burned (606-586)

The Captivity (606-536)

                                                                                                             Daniel               606-534

                                                                                                            Ezekiel              592-570

 

 

Fall of Babylon, 536 B.C. (Rise of Persia)

Return from the Captivity (536 B.C.)

                                                            Joshua              536-516            Haggai              520-516

                                                            Zerubbabel        536-516            Zechariah         520-516

 

 

Temple rebuilt (520-516)

                                                            Ezra                 457-430

                                                            Nehemiah         444-432            Malachi            450-400

 

 

From: Halley’s Bible Handbook page 283

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