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Ezekiel 14:1-15:8
Our series is titled Harder than
Flint: Ezekiel
In Ezekiel 3:4-9 we learned where
this title came from:
He
then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words
to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult
language, but to the house of Israel—not to many peoples of obscure speech and
difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you
to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel is not
willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the
whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate. But I will make you
as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like
the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or
terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house.” – Ezekiel 3:4-9
Now when flint is struck by steel
the steel breaks of a tiny sliver causing a spark. (Note: The steel breaks off not
the flint because it is harder than steel.)
That is the reason why flint stones were used to start fires and later
to ignite gun powder in flint lock pistols and rifles. But God said He would
make Ezekiel’s forehead like the hardest stone harder than flint.
Now before we pick up where we
left off last week let’s pray and ask the Lord to speak to all of today through
His message.
Ezekiel 13:1-23
God
speaks. He spoke to Adam and Eve in the
garden, giving them purpose as well as a relationship with him. He spoke to Abraham promising that he would
be a blessing to the nations. He spoke
to Moses giving him a mission to lead the Israelites out of slavery. God promised that He would be with
Moses. The Lord spoke to the prophet
Samuel commissioning him to be a leader of Israel and a spokesman on God’s
behalf. By speaking to Samuel, God
provided direction to his people. God
spoke to Solomon. By speaking to Solomon
we have received wisdom from God. By
speaking to Solomon it shows that God will speak to someone who made a lot of
mistakes. He spoke to the prophet Hosea. Through that we learned that God is jealous
about his relationship with His people.
He will love someone who, by human standards, is unloveable. He spoke to Amos, who was just a farmer. He spoke to the apostle Paul who had
persecuted Christians. He spoke to Peter
and John even though they were just hard-laboring fishermen. God spoke to the church giving the people an
understanding of their new identity in Christ.
There are numerous messages of judgment through Ezekiel and
Jeremiah. But the reason for the
judgment is not because God hated his people.
It was because He loved his people.
In Exodus 20:1 we see that God spoke about relationship before He spoke
about rules. This was before God gave
any of the ten commandments or gave any commands for sacrifices, festivals,
consecrations, or temple and tabernacle worship. Before all that was talked about he said, “I
am the Lord your God…” People did not
enter into relationship by obeying the rules.
They obeyed the rules because they were already in a relationship with
the Almighty.
When
we look in the book of Ezekiel we do see quite a bit about judgment. But why?
It’s because the people were already in a relationship with Him. He loved his people. He wanted them to return. He wanted them to be restored even though
they had turned their backs on him. I’ve
warned my children about certain dangers because I love them not because I hate
them. “Max, get off the top of the
truck. Max, get down from the tree. Max, don’t jump off that.” I warn him because I love him.
Ezekiel
12:1-28
Welcome! Today we continue
our series on Ezekiel, looking at Chapter 12. Let me start with a quick
reminder of the context of the book of Ezekiel. At the time of Ezekiel, most of
the rest of Israel had long ago fallen to the nations around them, a
consequence of their repeated sin and rebellion against God. The land of the
tribe of Judah, and within it, the city of Jerusalem, had remained, but they
too had more or less deserted God, and God had allowed the other nations to make
excursions into their land to carry off people as exiles. Among the exiles was
Ezekiel, a man who was supposed to be a priest, but now, living far away at the
Kebar River within the land of the Babylonians, he had become a prophet, a
spokesperson for God. In the first eleven chapters of the book of Ezekiel, we
see a combination of prophetic visions given to Ezekiel and a number of
commands God had given him to act out among the people intended to dramatize
for them the coming judgement and urge their repentance. At the center of the
visions and the dramatic acts was the message that Jerusalem, and with it, the
Temple itself, would soon and would surely fall. The visions included a
depiction of God’s presence through a cloud, four winged creatures each with
four faces, intersecting wheels, a platform, a shining throne, and upon the
throne a brilliantly glowing human figure. The visions culminate in seeing
God’s Presence, after hundreds of years, leave the Temple made to God’s
specifications by king Solomon, and depart Jerusalem on this throne to go to
the Kebar River. This vision communicated that although God would allow a
terrible tribulation to take place at Jerusalem, resulting in the complete fall
of Israel, He was not done with His people, but would be with the exiles until
a future time in which He would lead the exiles to return. God would remain
faithful to His promises, including the most important promise of all, the
promise that out of the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would come the
Savior of the World, the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah. Although this message
no doubt brought great hope and encouragement to Ezekiel, we are not yet told
how Ezekiel’s people responded to being told these visions. For this, we
continue on into today’s passage.
Ezekiel
11:1-25
Welcome! I am thankful to
be able to share from God’s Word with you today. For more than three weeks I
was ill, fighting an infection in my throat, with fever and other symptoms,
including a partial loss of my voice. As a result, I had to keep swapping
messages with others, and it has actually now been two months since I last taught.
And so, I am very thankful to God for healing me and enabling me to speak to
you today.
Today we will explore
Chapter 11 of the book of Ezekiel. Chapter 11 marks the end of the first major
section of Ezekiel and ties the first 11 chapters together, so I think it is
appropriate to start with a brief review of the first 10 chapters.
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
