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Ezekiel 10:1-22
Now we continue our series in the
book of Ezekiel titled Harder than Flint.
Now in Ezekiel 8 we
read of the people in Jerusalem were bowing down to idols and to the sun
god. As a result, God said they were
driving His glory far from there. In
Ezekiel 9 we read of God telling the man with a writing instrument and a tablet
to “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of
those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in
it.”
John showed us last
week that the mark was a Tau or Tav the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and
this letter in the ancient Hebrew was made in the shape of a cross and later
changed to the shape of and x and still later changed to its present shape.
As we saw last week
the word “Tav” is found in Ezekiel 9:4, where God put a mark (Tav) on the
foreheads of the people who opposed the worship of idols. The death angels were
told, “Do not come near anyone who has the mark (Tav).” This same idea is in
Revelation 22:4, “They will see his face, and his name will be on their
foreheads.” Some believe that mark will be the Hebrew letters Aleph and Tav.
Ezekiel 8:1-9:11
Good morning, we are
turning another corner in the book of Ezekiel.
First, Ezekiel had a vision of God.
Then, he was given certain sign acts to perform in front of the people. After that, he was given messages to relay to
the exiles most likely telling or speaking these things though he will also
write them down.
In our passage today
beginning with chapter 8, we start another vision journey that Ezekiel
experienced. It will continue in the
next two weeks and through the end of chapter 11.
Tim noted that following
“the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” in chapter 1, Ezekiel
was faced with a terrifying realization: “The glory of God is appearing to him
in Babylon.” From that revelation,
several questions emerge:
What is the shekinah glory doing in this pagan land, when
Ezekiel had always associated it with the Holy of Holies in the temple in
Jerusalem? Ezekiel probably had some vague sense of the omnipresence of God. …
But this specific expression of God’s presence would be very upsetting. Did it
mean that the glory had left the temple? What was God up to? Ezekiel was no
doubt hoping against hope that someday he would be able to return to Jerusalem
and some “new normal” in terms of his life as a priest. Would God even be there
when he got back? Ezekiel was having to face the fact that there would be no
going back; his world was changing forever.
Beginning today and over
the next couple of weeks, we will get more perspective and understanding of the
departure of the divine glory from the thoroughly corrupted temple in Jerusalem
as well as answers about “what God is up to.”
Let us take a moment and
pray, and we will start with Ezekiel chapter 8.
Ezekiel 6:1-7:27
Good morning! We are continuing our study of the book of
Ezekiel. Today, we will cover chapters 6
and 7. In the first 3 chapters, we read
of Ezekiel’s vision and calling as a prophet of God. Jonathan shared on chapters 4 and 5 last week
where we saw Ezekiel’s testimony portrayed not through spoken or written word
but rather as a series of sign acts, symbolic scenes, showing rather than
telling, of God’s judgment against Israel.
Try to imagine for a
moment being an observer of what Ezekiel does.
Since these scenes Ezekiel portrays are a visual prophecy, they must be
done out in the open, likely outside his sun-dried mud-brick house in this
refugee camp or swiftly built town of Israelite captives there near Babylon. I did find one print that is at least a
starting point.
First, Ezekiel demonstrates
the coming siege against Jerusalem using a clay tablet and miniature machines
and equipment of war. Following this,
Exekiel demonstrated the effects of the siege on the people in the city as well
as the coming years of bondage for Israel and Judah. This was the most notable of these sign acts as
Ezekiel lies on his side tied up for over a year! During that time, he would eat only a meager
(8 oz) ration of a sort of vegetable bread each day. He would only drink a quart of water each
day. It was only enough food and water
to stay alive. This was to represent the
hardship the people of Jerusalem would face during the siege of the city. In the end, God tells Ezekiel that the people
of Jerusalem will be appalled at the sight of each other as they waste away. No doubt Ezekiel’s appearance was alarming
after these months. He was gaunt and
hollow with a head of long unruly hair and beard sprouting out untrimmed and
unkempt, at least 6 inches growth of hair and beard.
After finishing this
season of lying bound, at God’s instruction, Ezekiel was told to take a sword
and shave off all that hair and beard. Taking
and dividing it by weight, he would indicate the kinds of deaths would overtake
the people of Jerusalem. A third of the
hair was burned inside the city to indicate those who would die there by
famine, disease, and other causes. A
third of the hair was to be struck around the city indicating those who would
die when the siege overcame the city.
The last third was to be scattered to the wind indicating those who
would escape but be pursued.
These symbolic acts by
Ezekiel were done on one stage or set as it were. Building up the model of the siege of the
city, then preparing bread and water, then lying bound on one side and then the
other next to this model, then cutting his hair and beard, then carrying out
the symbolic judgments by burning, striking and scattering his hair in and
around the model city. It is one
contiguous portrayal lasting a year and a half.
Can you imagine? Even though
there was not something new to see each day, people must have been aware of
Ezekiel. One of the reasons I think the
picture of Ezekiel there is not right is the expressions of the observers. For the most part, they probably did not look
pious and reflective around Ezekiel.
Most people probably avoided being around him. Mothers likely tried to avoid letting their
children go past Ezekiel’s house. When
people were around Ezekiel, they probably clucked their tongues and talked
about him sometimes insisting he must be crazy.
Finally, we reach the time
when Ezekiel is going to speak. We
already know that the people are not going to listen, but God will not carry
out His judgments without explaining them.
Perhaps just as there were a few hairs that God had Ezekiel tuck away in
his garments to be saved, perhaps there were a few among the refugees who would
listen to God.
Ezekiel 4:1-5:17
Good morning and Happy
Mother’s Day! This week we turn a major
corner in the book of Ezekiel. The first
3 chapters of Ezekiel were focused on God’s calling and commissioning of
Ezekiel the exiled priest turned prophet, while Chapters 4-21 focus on Israel’s
sin and God’s coming judgment.
Since it has been several
weeks since Carl’s introduction to Ezekiel, we need to review the historical
context of Ezekiel, especially before we get into these next 21 chapters. It will help us understand why God is about
to judge Israel so harshly. I also think
that some context will help to take a little bit of the edge off of what we are
about to study. If we just dove into
this and did not understand the context, we would not understand the meager
rations of bread and water that Ezekiel is about to be restricted to, or the
odd fuel he will be required to use to cook his food, or the awful conditions
that we are about to see the people of Jerusalem be subjected to. I am going to
give dates. I am a history nerd, and I
honestly think you need some dates to truly understand the timing of
Ezekiel. So please do not fall asleep on
me. Dates are also important to Ezekiel;
he gives approximately 12 dates in his book.
The only other books to give that many dates are Kings and Chronicles.
Ezekiel 3:4-27
Good morning! We are continuing in our new series on the
book of Ezekiel entitled “Harder than Flint.”
Today’s message is titled “Hardened.”
I get the privilege of sharing from the passage that the series title
comes from. As to where we are in the
book ...
We are still with Ezekiel at the canal
there in Babylon.
This is the place where the word of the
Lord had first come to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel is seeing the appearance of the
likeness of the glory of the Lord.
Winged creatures with multiple faces riding above wheels within wheels
then above them a glowing figure on a dazzling throne. This figure or person had the image or
likeness of a man.
Though he had fallen facedown in the
presence of this wondrous appearing, the Spirit raised Ezekiel to his feet so
that he could hear the message.
Here are the points that Ezekiel was
told. God said:
- I am
sending you to the Israelites.
- They
are a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me.
- In
fact, they have been in rebellion for generations up to the present day.
- These
rebellious people are both obstinate (hard) and stubborn (firm).
- Whether
or not they listen, the people will know a prophet has been among
them. (God will make Ezekiel that
prophet.)
- Do not
be afraid of them. Not their words
(or threats), not real dangers nor painful things in spite of the risks in
the face of their rebellious attitude.
- You
are to speak My words to them.
- You
are to listen to what I (God) say to you.
Then, Ezekiel is given a scroll to
eat. The scroll is covered up with words
of lament and mourning and woe on both sides.
Ezekiel is told that after he eats the scroll, he is to go and speak to
the house of Israel.
Ezekiel eats the scroll and is surprised
to find that the scroll tastes as sweet as honey.
That is all I would like to say as
introduction because it brings us to today’s passage beginning in Ezekiel 3:4.
Let’s pray now and then we can continue with Ezekiel’s experience before the
Spirit of the Lord.
Father God, you are the God of
mysteries. Your ways are beyond our
understanding. And yet, You do not hide
from us. You reveal Yourself to us in
many ways. You reveal Yourself through
Your word. Speak to us from Your Word
now we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Ezekiel 2:1-3:3
In
Ezekiel 1 we read that he had seen “visions of God” (Ez. 1:1). At the end of chapter 1 Ezekiel “fell
facedown” when he saw “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD”
(Ez. 1:28). This is where we come to our
story today in Ezekiel 2.
He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to
you.” – Ezekiel 2:1
Ezekiel 1:4-28
Last week, Carl set the
stage for our study of the book of Ezekiel by describing the events that had
led up to this young priest sitting by a canal in Babylon a thousand miles away
from his home in Jerusalem. He had been taken captive when the Babylonians had
attacked Judah, subdued it, and carried off thousands of exiles. God had
allowed this invasion as part of his judgment on his people for turning away
from him and worshiping other gods, a prospect he had warned King Solomon about
way back at the dedication of the temple. Disobedience to the covenant would
have consequences.
God had sent numerous
prophets to warn his people, but a series of evil kings in both Israel and
Judah had led the people away from their loyalty and commitment to God. Israel
was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC, and many of its people were carried
off into exile at that time. In Judah, the last “good” king, Josiah, came to
the throne in about 640 BC and rediscovered the Book of the Law, which helped
him realize how far the people had strayed from God. This was probably in the
very year that Ezekiel was born. Josiah did what he could to rid the land of
idolatry, but God sent him word that in one sense it was “too late.” The
disaster that God was bringing on the land of Judah and its people would indeed
happen, but because of Josiah’s faithfulness it would not be within his
lifetime. In the words of the passage from 2 Kings 22 that Carl read, God would
remove Judah from his presence and reject Jerusalem, the city he had chosen, and
the temple about which he had said, “My name shall be there.” This punishment
was inevitable.
It's easy to understand
why Ezekiel was probably feeling quite disheartened. Despite starting out his
life during the more hopeful reign of King Josiah, things had gone downhill,
and Ezekiel was caught up in the terrible disaster that God had brought on the
land. Personally, he seems to have a heart to follow God. He was now 30 years
old, about the time when he could be installed formally as a priest in the
temple. But all of that had been stripped away: everything familiar, all of his
plans and hopes. This was extreme dislocation, as he was uprooted and stuck in
a foreign land, with no control over his own future. It probably felt
“unprecedented” and “like uncharted territory.” You have no doubt heard those
terms a few times over the past year. Most of us have experienced some major
changes in our lives in the midst of the pandemic – new ways of operating,
things we wanted to do but haven’t been able to. The world seems more divided,
confusing, and uncertain than ever. What is God doing? Can we still trust him?
Ezekiel
1:1-3
Welcome! Today I am
excited to begin with you a new series into the book of Ezekiel. Today I want
to give an introduction to the book. Ezekiel was a prophet who fit into a very
specific point in the era of kings and prophets in Israel’s history, and so the
first thing I want to do today is give a bit of an overview of the history of
this era so that we can see exactly where Ezekiel’s life and ministry fits in.
Now, I am not going to give any dates, because my experience is that any time
you mention a date, people immediately become sleepy. And the Bible does not
directly give dates either, so any time we give a date we are extrapolating
from the Scripture and possibly combining Bible information with what we know
from other sources (not that there is anything wrong with doing that). Now, the
Bible does often give relative dates, referring to one event as a
certain number of years after another. And if you think about it, even our
modern dates are all relative, relative to the time of Christ. That is where
A.D. (anno Domini – in the year of the Lord) and B.C. (before Christ) come
from. (Note that these terms were invented far after the actual time of Christ
and may be slightly in error; most Bible scholars think Christ was born in 4
B.C.) But in any case, I do believe there is something about four-digit numbers
that makes people instantly sleepy, so I will not use them today.
Although I am tempted to
start at Genesis and those who have been with us long enough know that that is
not an idle threat, as I have done this before. But given our recent series on
David, and given key content in the book of Ezekiel, I want to start with
Solomon. Recall Saul was the first king of the united kingdom of Israel, but
Saul refused to obey God, and after a long struggle, David became king. Under David,
the kingdom really established itself, defeating the Philistines and other
enemies of the Israelites. Solomon was David’s son and succeeded him as king
when he died. Solomon oversaw the building of the Temple in Jerusalem and led
Israel in a time that one could characterize as largely peaceful and
increasingly prosperous, although most of that prosperity went directly to
Solomon rather than to the people. Before we get into the negative stuff, I
want to read from the Bible a highlight of Solomon’s reign, the moment that God
came to inhabit with His presence the Temple that Solomon had made. This event
is pivotal to the book of Ezekiel. Listen to Solomon’s marvelous prayer of
dedication from 2 Chron. 6, starting at verse 14:
Matthew 28:1-20
Good Morning! He is risen!
Indeed, He is risen!
Every day in Christ is a
good day, but during Easter time the days seem a bit brighter, a bit sweeter,
hope seems stronger. Not only are we are
reminded that Jesus has overcome death, we celebrate His resurrection. The King has risen.
You know these events
well. Leading up to Matthew 28, Jesus
has lived a life set apart to God. He
has walked in sinless perfection. He
resisted temptation and did not submit to Satan’s trickery. He had a public ministry lasting just three
years. During that time, many came to
Him for a wide range of reasons. Jesus
performed many signs and wonders far beyond what anyone else had done in the
Old Testament. Many followed Him, but
many did not stay with Him during his earthly ministry.
We see a microcosm of that
even within the last week of Jesus’ life on earth.
At just the right time,
Jesus came to Jerusalem and the crowds joined together again crying out, “Hosanna
to the Son of David!” Matthew 21:9
“Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord!” Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9, John 12:13
“Hosanna in the highest
heaven!” Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:10
“Blessed is the coming
kingdom of our father David!” Mark 11:10
“Blessed is the king who
comes in the name of the Lord!” Luke 19:38
“Peace in heaven and glory
in the highest!” Luke 19:38
“Blessed is the king of
Israel!” John 12:13
Not even a week later,
Jesus is arrested and abandoned by his disciples. He is unjustly condemned, struck, spat upon,
scourged with whips, mocked, forced to wear a crown of thorns, and ultimately
crucified. Only one of the twelve disciples
was clearly at the cross. The ones who
did not abandon Him were the women: Mary
the mother of Jesus, Mary’s sister, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James
and Joses, Mary the wife of Clopas, Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, and
many others.
Jesus gives up his spirit
and dies upon the cross. Ever looking at
appearances, the Jewish leaders ask that those crucified have their legs broken
so that they would die sooner, before Passover.
Even though the soldiers saw that Jesus died, they pierce His side with
a spear to be sure. Yes, it is certain,
Jesus is dead.
Joseph of Arimathea goes
to Pilate and asks for the body. Pilate
agrees, and with his permission, Joseph comes and takes the body of Jesus away
from the cross. It seems to magnify the
tragedy that Joseph is joined by Nicodemus.
Nicodemus brings nearly one hundred pounds of burial spices and
perfumes, likely those perfumes and spices meant for his own burial. Joseph seemingly gives up his own newly
prepared tomb for Jesus. I say that it
magnifies the tragedy because it is especially heartbreaking when the old bury
the young. It ought not be, and yet here
these old men from the Jewish council are burying Jesus, a man of 33 years, in
the prime of life.
Matthew 27 concludes with
the posting of a guard at the tomb on the Sabbath day, the day following Jesus’
death. The disciples did not anticipate
that Jesus would rise from the dead in spite of the fact that Jesus explicitly
told the disciples that he would rise.
He had told them so on multiple occasions. The chief priests and Pharisees did
understand that Jesus had proclaimed his coming resurrection. Unfortunately, their response to Jesus’
message was not belief, but rather to seek to prevent a conspiracy.
Let us rejoice that no
guard could prevent Jesus rising.
Let’s pray before we go
into today’s passage in Matthew 28.
Matthew
27:32-66
Last week
Carl went over the many times the Jewish leaders broke their own laws in order
to have Jesus put to death by the Romans. Today we will continue in our series
in Matthew titled Jesus, King of Kings. Picking up where Carl left off in
Matthew chapter 27 verse 32, we read:
As
they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced
him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The
Place of the Skull). – Matthew 27:32-33
This
event is recorded in the Gospel of John as:
Carrying
his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is
called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each
side and Jesus in the middle. – John 19:17-18
The event
is recorded in Luke as follows:
As
they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from
the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. –
Luke 23:26
And finally,
the event is Mark is recorded as:
A
certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing
by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. – Mark
15:21
