EZEKIEL

A Devotional Look at the Ministry and Message of

the Prophet Ezekiel

F. Wayne Mac Leod

Light To My Path Book Distribution

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written

permission of the author.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise specified, are taken from the New International Version of

Scriptures marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible

Special thanks to the proof readers and reviewers without whom this book would be much harder to

read.

CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
Preface
Introduction to Ezekiel
- A Vision of God
- Ezekiel's Call
- The Watchman
- Baked Bread and Cow Dung
- A Condemned People
- Then You Will Know
- The End Is Come
- A Vision of the Temple
- Slaughter in the City
- Glory Departed
- The Caldron
- A False Israelite Proverb
- Whitewashed Walls
- Godly Father, Ruined Children
- A Useless Vine
- Unfaithful Jerusalem
- The Eagle and the Vine

- The Sins of the Fathers
- The Lion and the Vine
- Rebellion Broken
- A Sword  Sharpened and Polished
- Standing in the Gap
- Oholah and Oholibah
- The Parable of the Cooking Pot
- The Death of Ezekiel's Wife
- Love Your Enemies
- Materialistic Tyre
- Tyre the Great
- Woe to the King of Tyre
- The Fall of a Great Nation
- Egypt and Her Friends
- The Example of Assyria
- Egypt and Her Friends
- Heed the Watchman
- Shepherds and Sheep
- Old Grudges
- The Coming Revival
- An Army of Dead Bones
- The Destruction of Gog
- Why God Sends Trials
- Ezekiel's Temple
- Separated Unto Him
- The Prince of Israel
- The River of Life and the New Jerusalem
About The Author

PREFACE

hy do I call this book a devotional commentary? While it is a

commentary on the book of Ezekiel, its main objective is not

to be scholarly or intellectual. It has as its purpose to help the

reader see the practical application of the book to his or her own personal

walk with God. I have tried my best to write this commentary on a level any

reader can understand. This book is not meant to replace the Bible. Use this

commentary in your quiet time with the Lord. Read the Biblical passage

along with the commentary. Take a moment to consider the questions at the

end of each chapter. Conclude your time by praying about the things you

have learned. I have also included some suggested prayer requests at the

end of each chapter. Take a moment to pray over these requests.

Though written many hundreds of years ago, Ezekiel's prophecy is a

modern commentary on our own society. It is my prayer that his voice will

be heard again through this book. May God bless you as you take the time

to hear what God has to teach you through his prophet Ezekiel.

F. Wayne Mac Leod

INTRODUCTION TO

EZEKIEL

Author:

zekiel 1:3 identifies the author of this book. He was Ezekiel the

priest, the son of Buzi. There is no further reference in the

Scriptures to Buzi, the father of Ezekiel so we know nothing more

about his family background and upbringing. His call to ministry is

recorded in Ezekiel 3. God sent him to his own people and warned him that

they would not listen to his words (Ezekiel 3:7-8). He lived in Babylon with

fellow captive where he had a house (Ezekiel 8:1). His wife (“the delight of

his eyes”) died during his ministry (Ezekiel 8:15-18). The death of his wife

was very symbolic and was something God would use to show His people

what would happen to them if they did not repent.

Ezekiel was a man of influence in the nation. We have various references to

the elders of the nation coming to him for advice or to hear the word of the

Lord (Ezekiel 8:1; 14:1; 20:1). He would serve as prophet for over twenty

years.

Background

The people of God where taken into captivity in stages. Assyria and

Babylon both led campaigns against the nation of Israel and would bring

back captives with them on their return to their homeland. It appears that

Ezekiel was taken captive in one of the earlier exiles to Babylon where he

found a home and settled. There would be further attacks against Israel and

more captives would be taken and forced to settle in Babylon.

The Lord did not leave His people in exile without a prophet. God raised up

Ezekiel to speak on His behalf to His people in this time of crisis. He

warned them of further judgment, explained to them the reason for their

punishment but also encouraged them with the hope of a future work of

God on their behalf. His prophecies are very visual and symbolic and speak

not only of the immediate future of God’s people but also of the end times.

A comparison of Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 20:8 as well as Ezekiel 47:1-8

and Revelation 22:1-2 show remarkable similarities in prophecies.

Ezekiel ends his book with a great prophecy of a coming work of God

reaching out to the entire world and drawing in the Gentile nations. As we

have mentioned, this vision is remarkably similar to the vision God gave

John in Revelation 22.

Importance Of The Books For Today:

Ezekiel speaks in exile. There in exile the presence of God was powerfully

present. The enemy could remove the people of God from their land but

they could not remove their God from them. God meets His people in their

crisis. Though He punishes them for their rebellion He does not forsake

them. This same God will meet us in our moment of trial as well.

Ezekiel was no stranger to pain and suffering. He lost his home and land.

His knew the pain of losing a wife who had been the “desire of his eyes.”

The call of God on his life was not always easy. He was not always

understood nor was his message always appreciated. Sometimes he had to

speak harsh words to the people of God and their leaders. He predicted

further judgment and loss for his people. God held him accountable to warn

his people of their sin. He spoke the word of God without compromise.

How easy it is for us to soften the message God puts on our heart so it will

be more acceptable to those who hear it.

This is a story of a man of God who lost his home, his land and his wife. He

lived as a prisoner in a country that was not his own. While no stranger to

pain and suffering, this man stood up, listened to the call of God and

overcame these obstacles to speak God’s words of warning and

encouragement to a nation suffering just as he was. He speaks as a fellow

sufferer who shared in their pain but also as one who had experienced a

wonderful anointing and calling of God to minister to his fellow believers

in need. Here was a man who did not give in to pain but demonstrated the

power of God over circumstances. Through pain and suffering he became a

powerful servant leader for the entire nation.

1 - A VISION OF GOD

Read Ezekiel 1

he last place we expect to meet God is in the midst of our trials. It

seems that at these moments the Lord is distant. We wonder if He

really is in control of our situation. The prophet Ezekiel began His

ministry while the people of God were in their most difficult trial. They

were in exile. It was here, however, that Ezekiel met the Lord God.

It all began at the River Kebar in Babylon. Here, by this river, the Spirit of

the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest. He saw a vision. In his vision, a

windstorm approached out of the north. To all appearances, this storm was

quite violent. A great cloud appeared. This cloud was engulfed in raging

fire. There was a radiance in the cloud. The whole scene was surrounded by

brilliant light coming from the cloud and fire. In the midst of that fire,

Ezekiel saw four living creatures.

These creatures were strange in appearance. They had the general form of a

man. Each of them, however, had four faces. Their four faces resembled a

man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle (verse 10). They represented the greatest of

God’s creation. Man was the king of creation and was known for his

intelligence. The ox was the king of the domesticated animals and was

known for his hard work and strength. The lion was the king of the wild

animals and was also known for his strength and speed. Finally, the eagle

was the king of the birds, and it too was known for its speed and strength.

Each of these four creatures had straight legs and feet like those of a calf.

They sparkled with the color of bronze.

Each creature had four wings. Two of the wings covered its body, and two

wings spread upward, touching the wings of the creatures next to it (verse

11). In order for this to happen, the creatures would have had to form either

a box or a circle. The image here of the creatures touching each other’s

wings reminds us of the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant whose wings

touched above the cover of the ark. It was from between the wings of these

cherubim that God gave His commands to His people (Exodus 25:22).

In Ezekiel’s prophecy, fire moved among these creatures. Lightning flashed

in their midst. They were awesome and powerful creatures. It is important

that we note that while this fire moved and flashed among these four

creatures, it did not come from them. While they dwelt in the midst of this

glory, the fire appears to come from another source.

The scene before us reminds us of the vision of John in the book of

Revelation. In Revelation 4, John saw four creatures around the throne of

God that were very similar to these creatures seen here in Ezekiel. The

creatures in Revelation 4, however, had only one face.

As Ezekiel contemplated the scene before him, he noticed a wheel beside

each of the creatures. The Bible tells us that Ezekiel was awe-struck by

these wheels. There were four wheels in all. Each wheel "appeared to be

made like a wheel intersecting a wheel" (verse 16). They were made so they

could roll in any direction (north, south, east, or west). The rims of the

wheels were full of eyes (verse 18). The creatures of Revelation 4:6 were

also filled with eyes. These wheels took the living creatures wherever they

went (verses 19-21). Some commentators see here some sort of chariot.

Ezekiel 1:21 tells us that the “spirit of the living creatures was in the

wheels.” Because each of the living creatures had four faces, they always

moved straight ahead. Wherever the wheels went, the four living creatures

were always prepared to follow. The sense here is that these four creatures

were completely surrendered to the will of the wheels.

Spread out above the living creatures was an expanse, as clear as sparkling

ice or crystal (verse 22). A voice came from that expanse (verse 25). When

Ezekiel looked up toward the source of the voice, he saw a great throne

(verse 26). Above the throne was the form of a man. This man glowed like

fire. Bright light surrounded Him (verse 27). Here was the source of the fire

and lightning. His appearance was like the glory of the Lord (verse 28).

John’s vision in Revelation 1:13-16 is very similar:

…and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"

dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden

sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool,

as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet

were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like

the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven

stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.

His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance (Rev 1:13-

16).

While there is no question that Ezekiel was overwhelmed at the sight of the

four living creatures, what he saw above the throne that day was far greater.

Like the apostle John, Ezekiel fell to his face before the presence of this

being. He was seeing God in His glory.

Another important feature of this vision was the rainbow Ezekiel saw (verse

28). The apostle John also saw a rainbow around the throne of God in

heaven. The rainbow in the Old Testament reminds us of the covenant God

made with Noah. Though He could have destroyed the earth by the flood,

God chose to exercise grace and compassion. This rainbow represents the

patience of a gracious covenant-making God. It is contrasted with the fire

and lightning that came from the person on the throne. While He is a holy

and awesome God, He is also a God who delights in showing mercy and

compassion.

What does all this mean? Some commentators go to great lengths to

discover the hidden meaning behind every aspect of this vision. This often

leads to speculation. What we see before us is the presence of the God of

Israel revealed to Ezekiel. Angelic servants surrounded this awesome God.

He was sovereign and almighty, yet gracious and loving. This was Ezekiel's

God. This was the God he met in exile.

Ezekiel had caught a glimpse of the one and only true God of Israel. He saw

the glory of God in the midst of his exile. His vision reminded him that God

was still on the throne of the universe. The all-powerful and all-knowing

God still reigned. There was reason to rejoice even in exile.

God has not changed. What is your trial today? God is bigger than your

trial. This sovereign God is working out His purposes for your life. He has

not abandoned you. You can trust Him fully. In Ezekiel's most difficult trial,

he needed to see afresh that his God was a holy, all-powerful, and sovereign

God. He needed to know that God had not abandoned His people. Maybe

you too need to lift up your eyes and catch a glimpse of the great and

awesome God we serve. To see Him as He is will certainly change how we

see our trials.

For Consideration:

How would your attitude towards your present trials change if you could

see, like Ezekiel, a holy and all-powerful God seated on His throne? Is God

still on His throne today? How should this affect how you see your trial?

What does this chapter reveal to you about God?

Why is it so easy to lose sight of God in our pain? What causes us to lose

sight of Him?

For Prayer:

Ask God to forgive you for the times you have forgotten that He is a holy

and sovereign God.

Ask God to enable you to place your confidence in Him in your trial today.

Thank God that no matter what happens He is still in control.

2 - EZEKIEL'S CALL

Read Ezekiel 2:1-3:15

here are times in ministry when God's servants become

discouraged. We sometimes wonder if anyone listens to what we

say. We fail to see lives being touched as a result of our dedicated

service. It is not easy to persevere in this situation. God knew that Ezekiel

was no different from any other servant. He let the prophet know that his

calling would be difficult. His success in that calling would not be

measured by how many people listened to his message but, rather, by

whether Ezekiel had been faithful in proclaiming His word.

In the last chapter, we examined Ezekiel’s vision of God. The God of Israel

was so awesome that the prophet fell on his face before Him. As he lay

there, a voice called out to him: “Stand on your feet and I will speak to you”

(verse 1). Notice in verse 2 that it was not until the Spirit of God entered

Ezekiel that he was able to rise to his feet. The impression we get here is

that he was physically incapable of standing up without the strength the

Spirit gave to him.

When Ezekiel was set on his feet, the Lord spoke to him. He told him that

He was sending him to prophesy to a very rebellious people. They had

sinned against the Lord for generations (verse 3). They were stubborn and

disrespectful children (verse 4). God told Ezekiel in verse 5 that it was not

important that he see results in his ministry. He was to proclaim the Word of

God whether people listened or not. How often we get caught up in results.

We measure the success or failure of a given ministry by its size and visible

results. God told Ezekiel that he was not going to see these results. This was

not God’s purpose for Ezekiel. It is relatively easy to be faithful when

things are going well and we are seeing all kinds of results in ministry.

Ezekiel would have to be faithful even when people refused to listen. That

was much harder.

God warned Ezekiel that when he walked among the people to whom He

was sending him, it would be like walking among scorpions and thorns

(verse 6). As he walked among them, they would sting him like scorpions.

As he moved to avoid a scorpion, he would run into thorns. These people

would not appreciate him. They would make his life miserable. They were

rebellious (verse 6) and hardhearted (3:7) and they would not listen to his

words (3:7). God warned the prophet that they would verbally attack him

(verse 6). Ezekiel was not to be afraid of them or their words. Though they

would not appreciate his presence among them, he was not to be dismayed

(verse 6). The God who called him would protect him.

We may wonder if it was worth going to this type of people. God made it

clear to Ezekiel that this was indeed His will (verse 3). He was to tell them

everything the Lord had given him (verses 4, 7). Whether the people

listened or not, he was to be a faithful transmitter of the Word of God.

Though they attacked him, Ezekiel was to persevere. Nothing was to stop

him from proclaiming the Word of the Lord. We have to admire a man who

would move out in obedience to the call of God under these conditions.

God did not promise large followings. He did not promise success in the

way the world sees it. Would you be willing to obey under these conditions?

As Ezekiel considered the nature of his ministry in his vision, the Lord gave

him a scroll (verse 10). Ezekiel noticed that it was filled with words of

lament, mourning, and woe. The Lord told Ezekiel that he was to take this

scroll and eat it. The apostle John was also asked to take a scroll and eat it

(see Revelation 10:9-10). The idea here is that he was to digest the words in

the scroll. He was to fill himself with its message and make it part of his

very being. As Ezekiel ate the scroll, he discovered that it was both bitter

and sweet. This may represent both the curses and the blessing of the Word

of God. The picture before us is a challenge for all ministers of the gospel.

The Word of God is to be our constant food. We are to daily digest it until it

becomes part of our very being. How can we preach to others when what

we preach has not become part of us?

In Ezekiel 3:4, the Lord reminded the prophet that He was sending him to

the house of Israel. He was not called to be a missionary like the prophet

Jonah. Ezekiel’s ministry would be among his own people. Verse 5 tells us

that he was not being sent to a people who spoke in an unfamiliar tongue or

language that was hard to learn. His ministry would have been much easier

had he been called to foreign missions. These people would have listened to

him. His own people, however, were hardened to the Word of God. They

would have nothing to do with his message. Very often those who have

never heard the gospel are more willing to receive it than those who have

heard it for years.

Though the people Ezekiel was being called to were hard, God promised to

make Ezekiel even harder:

“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” (verses 8-9).

God would give him the strength necessary for this difficult task. What is

God calling you to do? You can be sure that no matter how difficult that

task may be, He who calls you will strengthen you for the task, if you let

Him.

Notice in verse 10 that Ezekiel was to receive the Word of God in his heart.

Having done so, he would then be able to preach with passion. His

preaching would come from his heart and not just his mind. The most

powerful sermons I have ever heard have come from the heart of God’s

servants. This is what God expected of Ezekiel. As a prophet, he was to

have a prophet’s heart—a heart that was broken by those things that broke

the heart of God. All too often, we preach intellectual sermons. God is not

looking for people who have knowledge of the truth so much as people who

are truly touched by that truth in the very core of their being. He calls us to

preach and share from hearts that are in touch with Him and share His

passion and burden.

After these things, the Spirit of God moved Ezekiel to the river where he

had received his calling (see chapter 1). Notice in verse 14 that he went in

“bitterness” and “in the heat of his spirit” (NKJV). What was causing this

bitterness? Was it the ministry that God was calling him to? It was, indeed,

a very difficult ministry. Was he bitter toward God for giving him such a

hard ministry? While this is possible, there is another possibility we need to

consider. Could it be that the bitterness was caused by the work of the Spirit

of God in his life? God’s Spirit had fallen upon Ezekiel. He saw things in a

different light now that he had this vital encounter with God. His heart was

now in tune with the heart of God. The things that grieved the heart of God

now grieved him. Part of the equipping of Ezekiel was that God needed to

give him eyes that saw what God saw. He needed to have a heart that felt

what God felt. The role of the Spirit of God here was to cause him to see

the world as God saw it. This was in reality the prophetic gift. His heart was

heavy because of the sin of God’s people. Only when he had experienced

this burden could he truly preach as God expected him to preach. Only

when his heart was broken could he preach with the passion God required

from him. The role of prophet was a difficult one. It was far more than

speaking words. It was sharing the heart of God. Do you have the heart of

God? Is your heart burdened with the things that burden God’s heart? This

was all part of the preparation of Ezekiel for the prophetic ministry God had

in store for him.

The Spirit of God led Ezekiel to Tel Abib. This would be the starting point

of his ministry. Verse 15 tells us that for seven days Ezekiel remained in the

city and felt overwhelmed. What he had experienced in his calling was so

powerful that for a whole week he could do nothing but marvel at what he

had seen and heard. You can be sure that he thought a lot about what had

taken place the last few days. His experience of God was not one he would

soon forget. It would change his life and powerfully impact his ministry.

This is where all ministries should start—with a deep and powerful

encounter with God. It was this personal knowledge of God and God’s will

for his life that would take him through the times of rejection and

persecution he was going to face.

What does all this have to do with us today? You may not always

understand the ways of the Lord. You do not need to understand—just be

obedient. It is true that the path is not always easy. We will be called on to

endure many hardships. Even our Lord was rejected. We cannot expect to

be treated any better. Be assured, however, that God's strength is equal to

the task. When the situation gets hard, God will make you harder. He will

never give you a task to do without giving you the strength necessary to

accomplish that task. He will never cause you to face a trial that He has not

equipped you to face. He will never cause you to be tempted beyond your

ability to resist. The sovereign God of chapter 1 would stand beside Ezekiel

in his ministry. Ezekiel would know His strength and enabling. That same

God stands by you and me today. In His strength, we are more than

overcomers.

For Consideration:

Why is it so tempting to get caught up in the idea that success equals large

followings? How does what Ezekiel learned here teach us that this is

wrong?

What is success in ministry according to what we learn in this section?

What promises does God give to those who are willing to step out in

obedience?

What are the qualifications required here for a servant of God who

ministers in His name?

For Prayer:

Ask God to give you the boldness of Ezekiel to step out unhindered by what

others may say or do.

Ask God to give you His mind so that you can see people as He sees them.

One of the key requirements of being a servant is to personally have an

encounter with God. Ask God to reveal Himself in a deeper way to you

today.

3 - THE WATCHMAN

Read Ezekiel 3:16-27

id you ever have a job as a watchman or a guard? We should not

underestimate the importance of this job. In the days of Ezekiel,

these individuals held the lives of the nation in their hands. The

success or failure of an army often depended on the alertness of their

watchmen. Ezekiel was to be a watchman for the people of God. As a

watchman, he had the responsibility of warning people of coming danger.

This was not a task to be taken lightly. The life of his people depended on

him. He needed to be alert.

As a watchman, Ezekiel had responsibility toward two groups of people:

the wicked and the righteous. In verse 18 we see that Ezekiel was to warn

the wicked of coming judgment. If God told him that the wicked would die

and he did not warn them of their approaching judgment, God would

require their blood “at his hands” (NKJV). He would be held responsible

for their death. If he warned them and they refused to listen, they would die

but Ezekiel would be free of their blood. As a watchman, Ezekiel's task was

not to convince people—it was to warn them. The measure of his success

was not counted in responses to his message but, rather, in his obedience to

proclaim the truth and warn the people. In an age that measures success in

numbers, we need to hear what God is saying here.

The righteous also needed to be warned (see verses 20-21). Even the people

of God are tempted to turn their eyes away for Him. David committed

adultery. Peter denied knowing the Lord. As a prophet of God, Ezekiel was

to exhort and warn his own brothers and sisters when they fell away. If he

refused to warn a brother when the Lord told him to do so, Ezekiel would

be held accountable.

Verse 20 tells us that God places a “stumbling block” in front of the

righteous who sin. Our sin will sometimes lead to a withdrawal of God’s

blessing. Paul speaks of believers becoming sick and even dying because of

their persistence in sin (see 1 Corinthians 11:30). We have a definite

responsibility toward our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are called to

warn those who wander from the path of righteousness. We dare not stand

on the sidelines watching our brother fall into sin without calling out to him

and warning him of the dangers that lie ahead. While he may not listen to

us, we owe it to him to warn him of the danger of persisting in his ways.

God expected Ezekiel to watch for signs of the enemy’s presence. He was

to warn his brothers and sisters of the presence of the enemy.

All of this meant that the prophet needed to be very much in tune with the

Lord. He had to be listening to what the Lord was telling him. His

relationship with the God had to be intimate. Like a watchman, he needed

to be spiritually alert to God's Word and the situation around him. His ears

needed to be constantly listening for the Word of the Lord. He needed to be

ready at the slightest indication to warn those who needed to be warned.

In verses 22-23 the Lord called Ezekiel to go to a plain where He spoke, to

him. Here Ezekiel came face to face with the glory of the God he had seen

at the River Kebar. Once again the prophet was overwhelmed by what he

saw. He fell on his face before the Lord. Again, it is only when the Spirit of

God came on him that he was able to get back on his feet (see verse 24).

For the previous few weeks, Ezekiel had been on a spiritual high. He had

seen visions of God that had literally thrown him to the ground in awe. He

had been commissioned and empowered for a very particular ministry on

God’s behalf. These were days he would not soon forget.

God reminded Ezekiel here that the people to whom he would prophesy

would not appreciate him. They would tie him down with ropes so that he

could not circulate among them preaching the Word of God (verses 24-25).

God would make his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth so that he would

not be able to speak to these people. Why did God do this? He did it

because these people were a rebellious people. They were not ready to

listen to the Word of God. They would die in their sin for their rebellion.

They would not be given another chance to repent. God alone knows when

you have heard the last call. There would come a time when God would no

longer speak to these people. He would withdraw from them, and they

would perish in their sin. How dangerous it is to keep putting God off in our

lives.

We see from verse 26 that sometimes God would make Ezekiel’s tongue

stick to the roof of his mouth. In verse 27 we discover that there would be

other times when the Lord would expect him to speak out. Not only was

Ezekiel to be sensitive to what the Lord wanted him to communicate, he

also needed to know when the Lord wanted him to speak and when he

needed to be silent. This required being very much in tune with the Lord

God and His will. Is your relationship with the Lord such that he could lead

you to certain individuals with a specific word of warning or

encouragement? Would you be able to discern His leading when He told

you not to speak? It is physically impossible for us to reach everyone. This

passage does not call us to leave our jobs and responsibilities to go out with

the gospel to every person we meet. It does challenge us, however, to be so

in tune with the Lord God and His leading in our lives that whenever He

has a word of exhortation, warning, or encouragement for a brother or

sister, we will hear His voice and respond in obedience by speaking to

them.

Ezekiel's call could not be taken lightly. People's lives depended on

Ezekiel’s warnings. He needed to be spiritually alert. We need men and

women like this today. What a challenge these verses are to us. Do you

have on your hands the blood of men and women you should have warned?

I am not saying that you need to give up everything and speak to every

person you meet. I am saying, however, that we all need to learn to listen to

the Lord and follow His leading. God will not hold you responsible for

those to whom He has not called you to go. He will hold you accountable

for those to whom He has personally called you to minister. Are you willing

to follow God’s leading at any moment? Are you a watchman? May you be

a faithful watchman.

For Consideration:

What does it mean to be a watchman?

Has God been leading you to warn or encourage someone today?

Have you ever experienced the clear leading of God to speak to a certain

individual? Explain.

For Prayer:

Ask God to make you sensitive to His leading in your life.

Ask God to forgive you for the times you have failed to speak to those to

whom He called you to speak.

As a servant of God, ask Him for boldness to be obedient to His prompting.

4 - BAKED BREAD AND

COW DUNG

Read Ezekiel 4

ike many other prophets, Ezekiel was encouraged to use visual

object lessons. These object lessons presented the Word of God to

the people in a way they could understand. In this passage Ezekiel

was to act out, in a dramatic way, the message God had for His people.

First, God asked the prophet to draw a picture of the city of Jerusalem on a

clay tablet. This would serve as a prop for the message the prophet was to

communicate to his people. Ezekiel was then to make a small ramp and

battering ram and set them up around the city drawn on the tablet. All

around this city was to be a visual representation of the enemy camp.

Having set up these props, he was then to take an iron pan and place it

between him and the city, like a wall. Having done so, he was then to turn

his face away from the city. What is the meaning of this scene? Very clearly,

the city drawn on the tablet represented the city of Jerusalem which would

be besieged by the enemy. The iron pan seems to represent the sins of the

people, which had put a barrier between them and their God so that He had

to turn His face from them in their time of need. The scene before us was

simple enough for a child to understand.

With the visual representation of the city under siege before him, the

prophet was then to lie on his side and symbolically bear the sins of the

people. Each day he lay on his side represented a year that the nation had

turned her back on the Lord God. Three hundred and ninety days were

assigned to Ezekiel for the land of Israel. Forty days were assigned to the

nation of Judah. Ezekiel 4:8 tells us that the Lord would tie the prophet with

cords so that he could not move during this time. It is unclear how this

would take place.

We have to admire Ezekiel. It is relatively easy to be faithful in big things.

God asked him here, however, to lay on his side for over a year. This was to

be his ministry. It was not a spectacular ministry. There may have been

times when he wondered if there wasn’t something better for him. It is not

easy to be laid up on a bed of sickness or to have to wait patiently on the

Lord for His timing in a matter. God expected obedience from Ezekiel, no

matter the cost. We like to be busy. God calls us to be obedient. We may not

understand God’s methods, but His ways are perfect. We have a tendency to

rush ahead and seek big and flashy ministries. Sometimes God simply calls

us to lie on our side and wait on Him.

Three hundred and ninety days were assigned to the land of Israel (verses 4-

5). There is much speculation about the number 390. During the reign of

Rehoboam in 931 B.C. the tribes of Israel separated from Judah forming

their own nation. Jeroboam became the king of Israel while Rehoboam

reigned over Judah. Jeroboam established a new religion and priesthood in

Israel. From that time forward Israel did not serve the Lord as a nation. One

evil king after another reigned until the land was destroyed by the Assyrians

and the Israelites were taken into captivity. It was not until 538 BC. (393

years after the division of Israel and Judah) that King Cyrus issued a decree

to send the Jews back to their homeland. Could it be that the 390 years

mentioned here is the time between the separation of Israel from Judah and

the return from exile to rebuild? However we see this, what is clear is that

God had patiently endured Israel’s sin for 390 years!

When Ezekiel had finished the 390 days of lying on his left side for Israel,

the Lord called him to lie on his right side for forty days more to proclaim

the judgment against Judah. There are a couple of things we need to note

here. It may be significant that Ezekiel laid on his right side for Judah. The

right hand or the right side in Scripture represents favour. For example

when the Lord Jesus returned to his Father He sat on His right hand. In

other words He took the place of honour. The other thing we need to see

here is that the time given to Judah was not as long as that of Israel. While

the northern nation of Israel lived in complete rebellion, Judah was

different. She had kings who served the Lord. Judah experienced several

spiritual revivals in her history. Unlike Jeroboam, who set up his own

priesthood, Judah continued to serve the Lord through the priesthood God

had established.

God assigned 390 years of sin and rebellion to Israel but only 40 years to

Judah. Each day that Ezekiel laid on his side represented a year that God

had to bear patiently with the sins of His people. God was demonstrating

very graphically how patient He had been toward them. The people of

Ezekiel’s day would have understood this. Imagine people passing by each

day seeing Ezekiel lying on his side. Each day they wondered how long he

was going to stay there. They would be struck by Ezekiel’s patience in this

matter. This was the whole point of this illustration. It all pointed to how

patient God had been with His people in their sin.

While this ministry in itself was a very difficult one, the matter complicated

itself in Ezekiel 4:9-15. God told the prophet what he was to eat during this

time. He was to eat eight ounces (200 grams) of bread each day at set times

throughout the day. This amount of bread would be equivalent to one

French bread stick per day. He could also have two-thirds of a quart of

water a day (0.6 liter). For over a year, the prophet was to remain on this

diet of bread and water. As if this was not difficult enough, the Lord asked

him to bake his bread over a fire made from dried human excrement. When

Ezekiel protested, the Lord agreed to allow him to prepare his bread on a

fire made from dried cow manure. What did this represent? It reminded the

people of God that times would be difficult for them. Famine and poverty

would certainly be their lot. Their bread would be rationed out, and the only

firewood available to them would be their own dried excrement.

This chapter causes us to ask a very important question. Why was Ezekiel

prophesying of the downfall of Jerusalem when he was already in exile?

The exile of God’s people came in various stages. According to Ezekiel 1:2,

this prophecy came in the fifth year of the exile of Jehoiachin. After the

exile of Jehoiachin, Zedekiah became king in Judah. At this point, though

some had already been exiled, many people still remained in the land of

Judah. The Bible tells us that Zedekiah reigned eleven years in the land

(Jeremiah 52:1). It was during the reign of Zedekiah that Nebuchadnezzar

took the city. He blocked all food supplies, causing this great famine of

which Ezekiel was prophesying. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah (seven

years after Ezekiel received his prophetic call), Nebuchadnezzar destroyed

Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 25). Obviously, Ezekiel had been taken into exile

many years before the destruction of Jerusalem and the final exodus of

God’s people.

What does all of this have to do with us? Does this passage not show us the

commitment of Ezekiel to obey the words of the Lord? Who among us

would be willing to stay on a diet of bread and water for over a year to get a

message across to the people of God? Who among us would be willing to

submit to lying on his or her side for the same period of time? To what

lengths would you go to proclaim the Word of the Lord? Ezekiel is a

challenge to those of us who have become comfortable in our lifestyle. We

need to see more men and women like Ezekiel who were willing to endure

hardship for the sake of the Word of the Lord.

In an age when we are looking for big churches and large followings, God

reveals to us the ministry of a faithful servant who persevered in the small

and seemingly insignificant. He challenges us in our success-oriented

society to learn to be faithful even in small things. May God forgive us for

seeing ministry as a means of advancing our own reputations. May He give

us more like Ezekiel who care nothing for this world or their reputations—

people whose desire is to step out in obedience, regardless of the cost.

For Consideration:

Why do you suppose God wanted Ezekiel to act out his message rather than

simply speaking to the people?

Place yourself in Ezekiel’s shoes for a moment. How would you feel if God

were to ask you to do what he asked Ezekiel to do? What would this have

done to Ezekiel's reputation?

How does this passage speak to our success-oriented society? How does

this challenge us today?

Have you ever had to wait on the Lord for a prolonged time? How difficult

was it?

For Prayer:

Ask God for the strength to obey even as Ezekiel obeyed.

Ask God to set you free from self and pride so that you would obey

regardless of the cost.

Ask the Lord to give you patience and trust in Him even when what He

seems to delay in responding or when we do not fully understand His

purpose.

5 - A CONDEMNED

PEOPLE

Read Ezekiel 5

e have seen that the ministry of the prophet Ezekiel was not an

easy one. The people he worked with are described as

scorpions. God had told him that they would not listen to his

message. In the last chapter, we saw how Ezekiel was called to lie on his

side for over a period of a year to symbolize the sin of the people of God.

During this time he lived on a diet of bread and water. There may have been

times when he wondered if this was really what he wanted to do with his

life. In this chapter we find that things do not get any easier for the prophet.

Here in chapter 5, God gave Ezekiel a message for his people.

Ezekiel's message to the people began with a symbolic act. After having

completed his days of lying on his side, the Lord asked him to shave his

head. In Bible times the act of shaving the head was a sign of mourning.

People in Ezekiel's day, seeing this, would understand that something

terrible was about to happen.

Verse 2 tells us that Ezekiel was to take his hair and divide it into three

parts. One-third of the hair was to be burned in the midst of the city. The

second third was to be struck with his sword. The final third was to be

scattered to the wind. The Lord asked Ezekiel to keep a few strands safely

in his garment (verse 3). Ezekiel was to later take a few of these strands of

hair and cast them into the fire. We will see the significance of this in a

moment.

The people would not have understood what Ezekiel was doing. God was

showing His people, however, what was about to happen to them. Jerusalem

had rebelled against the laws of God. She had become worse than the

pagans around her. She had refused the Word of God. There was now more

corruption and sin in Israel than in the surrounding nations. As children of

God, they had not been living up to God’s standard. Because they had

turned their backs on God, they would be punished. Listen to how God

described their punishment: “Because of all your detestable idols, I will do

to you what I have never done before and will never do again” (verse 9).

The punishment of God’s people would be more severe than any nation

before them had ever experienced. We understand the truth of this statement

in our day in a way Ezekiel never understood it. We have seen the Jewish

nation suffer more than any other nation. They have been in constant

warfare. They have been oppressed and ridiculed throughout history. What

a warning this is to us who claim to be Christians today. We cannot take our

commitment to the Lord Jesus lightly.

God told Ezekiel about the coming judgment of his people. The famine in

the land would be so great that fathers would be forced to eat their own

children to survive. Children would eat their parents (verse 10). The nation

would be scattered (verse 10). God would diminish them because they had

defiled His sanctuary (verse 11). They had been blessed of God, but now

He would no longer have any pity on them (verse 11). One-third of them

would perish by a famine that would take place in the land (verse 12). One-

third of them would fall by the sword of their enemy (verse 12). The final

third would be scattered and pursued by their enemy at the point of the

sword (verse 12). The whole nation would become a waste (verse 14). They

would be a reproach to the nations around them (verse 14). This is what

Ezekiel was symbolizing with his shaved hair.

We have seen the significance of the dividing up of Ezekiel’s hair. You will

recall in verse 3, however, that there were a few strands that the prophet

took and placed in the hem of his garment for safekeeping. Even these

strands were to be taken out and burned (see verse 4). It appears that these

strands of hair represented those who had been originally spared from the

judgment of God in the form of fire, sword, and exile (scattering). There

were those who remained in the land after the exile who still rebelled

against the Lord. They did not learn their lesson. In the book of Jeremiah,

we read how these individuals wanted to return to Egypt. God warned them

through His prophet Jeremiah that they would perish in Egypt. Despite this

warning, they returned to the land that God had delivered them from under

Moses (see Jeremiah 42-43). It could be that these strands represented these

individuals.

Verse 13 reminds us that God would be avenged because of the sin of His

people. They would know that God was serious about sin. What took place

in their midst would serve as a lesson to the nations (verse 15). God would

execute His judgment against them in anger and fury (verse 15). He would

strike them with the arrow of famine. God would shoot to kill (verse 16).

Those the famine did not devour, the wild beast would devour (verse 17).

They would be bereaved (verse 17). Plagues and bloodshed would sweep

the land (verse 17). The sword of God's wrath would come to them (verse

17).

The Bible tells us that this punishment was to serve as an example for the

nations. We are those nations. We need to take this lesson seriously. We

cannot take our commitment to the Lord lightly. How is your relationship

with the Lord today? Consider the message of the prophet Ezekiel to the

people of God in his day. May their experience serve as a warning to us.

For Consideration:

Is the Lord just in His punishment of His people in this chapter? Explain.

Consider for a moment that these people under judgment are the people of

God. What do you suppose God would have to say to the church of our

day? Can we compare Israel of Ezekiel’s day to the contemporary church?

Give some examples.

What keeps God from exercising His judgment on our society today?

For Prayer:

Take a moment to examine your life. Are there things in your life that need

to be dealt with? Ask God to forgive you and give you victory.

Ask God to send a revival to cleanse and renew His people today.

Thank God for His great patience with us.

6 - THEN YOU WILL

KNOW

Read Ezekiel 6

e do not always understand why God disciplines us as He

does. We can be assured, however, that this discipline is never

without cause. Through our discipline, God teaches us very

important lessons. He disciplines us for our good. His desire is to draw us

closer to Himself.

As we begin this chapter, the prophet Ezekiel was called on to set his face

against the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them. What took place

on the mountains that caused God to send His prophet to prophesy against

them? The mountains and the hills of Israel were where God’s people had

set up their altars to worship foreign gods. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah spoke

of this evil practice among the people of God. In Jeremiah 3:6 the LORD

asked:

"Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone

up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has

committed adultery there.”

In Isaiah 65:7 the LORD said:

“Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied

me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment

for their former deeds.”

The mountaintop and the tops of the hills in Israel were the place were

God's people played the harlot. It was here that they blasphemed the name

of the Lord their God by worshiping other gods. For this reason the prophet

was called on to prophesy against the mountains and the hills of Israel.

Notice in verse 3 that Ezekiel was also to prophesy against the valleys and

the rivers of the land. 2 Chronicles 28:.3 tells us what took place in the

valleys of Israel:

“He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and

sacrificed his sons in the fire, following the detestable ways of

the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.”

The most detestable of all the practices of the children of Israel took place

in the valley. Here God's people practiced child sacrifice to the honor of

pagan gods.

God was angry with His people. They had filled both the mountaintops and

the valleys with their spiritual prostitution. The whole land was saturated

with the horrible practices of the nations. Israel had abandoned her God.

She would not go unpunished.

Because they had turned their backs on God, Ezekiel prophesied that their

places of worship would be destroyed. Their foreign altars would be

demolished (verse 4). The bones of the worshipers would be scattered all

around these altars (verse 5). Their dwelling places would be laid waste

(verse 6). The bodies of the slain would be strewn across the land (verse 7).

The scene before us is one of utter devastation. God did not take great

delight in destroying the land. He was compelled by their disobedience,

however, to judge. His desire was not to destroy them but to teach them a

very important lesson: "Your people will fall slain among you, and you will

know that I am the LORD" (verse 7).

It is important that we understand that the reason God was disciplining His

people was so that they could know Him in a deeper way. His desire was to

enter into a very deep and intimate relationship with His people. There were

many things that separated Him from them. God loved them enough to do

something about it. He would remove those obstacles. When the obstacles

were removed, then they would know Him to be the one true Lord. The first

thing God did in this chapter to restore fellowship with his people was to

remove the obstacles that separated them from Him. He took away their

places of pagan worship.

After removing the obstacles, notice what God did in verses 8 and 9. Those

whom God spared from disaster would remember God among the nations

where they were scattered. There in the land of their exile, they would come

under the convicting power of the Spirit of God. Ezekiel 6:9 tells us that

they would know how much they had broken the heart of God because of

their sins. They would loathe themselves because of their evil ways and

practices.

Notice in verse 9 that God was deeply hurt by their rebellion. His heart was

grieved when they wandered from the truth into error. My sin affects God.

His desire for communion is so great that He is saddened because of my sin.

To enable His people to return to Him, God broke them physically. Now, He

broke them spiritually. Before restoration comes brokenness. We need to

see our sin before we can truly return to God.

God would strike the land. People would die because of their detestable

practices. They would fall by the sword, by famine, and by plague (verse

11). Their evil practices had angered God. To show them how angry He was

with their sin, God told the prophet Ezekiel to pound his fists and stamp his

feet before the people while shouting out, “Alas!” God was angry because

His people had treated their relationship with Him so lightly. He was angry

because they preferred their foreign gods. He is a jealous God. He cries out

for our attention and love. This is something we may never fully

understand. Why would the great Creator God so love me? While we may

never be able to explain it, we dare not refuse such wonderful love.

God’s wrath would be poured out on these rebellious people. The bodies of

the slain would be scattered around their foreign altars, on the

mountaintops, and under the shade trees throughout the land. In that day

they would know that the Lord was God. Verse 14 tells us that the whole

land would be desolate. From the northern city of Diblah to the most

southern city, the whole land would be wasted. Wherever the people lived,

they would live in desolation.

While the discipline of God was very harsh, God was trying to get the

attention of His people. They would not listen to His prophets. They would

not learn from the experience of their forefathers. God determined to

remove the obstacles that kept His people from listening to Him. He

destroyed their land because it was not as important to Him as His

relationship with His people. He took them from their homes and took their

freedom from them because it stood in the way of their communion with

Him. Anything that stood between them and God was removed. His love

for them was so great that He was willing to take everything from them if,

by so doing, intimacy could be restored. What keeps you from God? What

would God have to remove from your life to get your full attention? God’s

people needed to be brought to a point of absolute brokenness before they

would listen to Him. The removal of their blessings was a blessing in itself.

Through their brokenness, they were brought to a place of greater intimacy

with God.

For Consideration:

What stands between you and greater intimacy with God today?

What are some of the obstacles to faith in God in our society and church

today?

What would it take for God to remove these obstacles?

What would you be willing to give up in order to experience greater

intimacy with God?

What do we learn here about the love of the Lord for His people?

For Prayer:

Has anything come between you and God? What are these things? Ask God

to forgive you for allowing them to come between you and Him?

Ask God to remove those things in your life that hinder your spiritual

growth and maturity? If you can’t ask Him for this, then ask Him to make

you willing.

Are you facing God’s discipline now? Thank Him that His discipline is for

our good.

7 - THE END IS COME

Read Ezekiel 7

ave you ever had something tragic happen to you? Tragedy is one

of those things that is supposed to happen to someone else. It is

not supposed to happen to me. Tragedy always takes us by

surprise.

God told His people here that their end had come. This end did not come

suddenly. They had every opportunity to turn to the Lord, but they refused.

Now they would pay the price. In verse 2 the Lord told them that the end

had come to the four corners of the land. In other words, the whole land

would suffer the consequences of sin.

Verse 3 reminds us that the judgment of the Lord was righteous. They

would be judged according to their ways. What they received from the hand

of the Lord was a repayment for what they had done to Him. Consider this

thought for a moment: what would you receive from the Lord if He gave

you what you deserved? God told His people that He would give them what

they deserved. This ought to strike terror into our hearts for we have all

fallen short of the standard that God has set for us. Praise God for His grace

toward us. Because of Christ, our sins have been forgiven and cleansed. The

wonderful news of the gospel is that we do not get what we deserve. Let’s

be careful, however, lest by turning our backs on the Lord Jesus and His

mercy, we place ourselves in the same situation as the people of Israel in

this passage.

The wrath of God was very real. Because His people had persisted in their

rebellion against Him, God would show no pity. They would not be spared.

Their end had come. On that day, God’s fury and anger would be poured

out (verse 8). The day of accounting and judgment was coming. What

horrible words these are. One day these words will again be repeated. Today

is a day of grace. Today God is extending His hand to offer mercy and

pardon. If we refuse that pardon and grace today, we will one day hear Him

say, “Your end has come.” The day is coming when the last call will be

issued and the train will pull out of the station and you will be left behind to

face the wrath and fury of a God who pleaded with you all your life.

When will that day come for you and me? None of us knows. For these

people, the day had already come. For you and me, it could be any time.

How quickly life can be cut off. None of us knows from one day to another

if we will be able to make it through the day. I remember preaching in a

down town mission to street people in Toronto. After preaching the gospel,

a man came forward to speak to me about the Lord. We spoke for some

time, and I asked him if he had ever accepted the Lord Jesus into his heart.

He said he hadn’t. I asked him if he wanted to seek His forgiveness right

then. He said, “I think I’ll wait until I get home (wherever that was). I

reminded him that he really didn’t even know if he was going to get home

that night. I don’t know if he ever opened his heart to the Lord. I never saw

him after that meeting. We have no guarantee of tomorrow.

Ezekiel used the symbol of a budding rod in verse 10. This illustration takes

us back to the days when the people of God complained about Aaron being

the leader. God gave them a sign. Each of them brought a rod and placed it

before the Lord. The rod that budded would be a sign from the Lord that the

person who owned the rod was His chosen servant. Aaron’s rod not only

budded but produced blossoms and fruit. This was a sign from the Lord.

God reminded His people here that there would be similar signs of His

judgment of sin. Israel’s rods had budded and produced fruit of wickedness.

Now they would pay the price for their evil.

No one would escape this judgment (verse 11). No one would mourn for

them in their day of judgment. Both the buyer and the seller would grieve.

The buyer would grieve because he would not enjoy what he had

purchased. The seller would grieve because he would not be able to enjoy

the profits from his sales. His life would be cut short. Nothing of what they

had accumulated in this life would help them in the day of accounting. All

they had would be taken from them. They would be left barren. They had

not invested in spiritual matters and now they would be left with nothing.

The trumpet would be blown and people would be made ready but no one

would go to battle. They would be struck even before they would have an

opportunity to fight. They would perish by sword, famine, and pestilence.

Those who survived would be scattered (see verse 16). Ezekiel had

symbolized this day in chapter 5 when he shaved his head and divided up

his hair into three piles (see Ezekiel 5:1-4, 12). That Day of Judgment

would be a day of great shame and humiliation.

Their money would not rescue them from the wrath of God. Their silver

and gold would no longer amount to power. They would not be able to bribe

God with their wealth. They would not be able to hire anyone who could

protect them from the wrath of God. On the day of God's wrath, their

abundance would not even buy them the immediate essentials of life. They

would throw their silver and their gold into the streets like rubbish (verse

19). There would be nothing to buy because all their blessings would be

handed over to the nations as plunder (verses 20-21).

The enemy would invade their land and take their possessions. God would

not stop them from profaning the temple. There was no place the enemy

would not go (verse 22). God’s people were left wondering if God was in

all this. They had not honored Him in the temple, and so God took it from

them. The Gentiles would come in and take over both the land and the

temple. We need to ask ourselves if this has not already happened in many

cases in our land and church today. There are whole churches today filled

with unbelievers. There are pastors ministering from the pulpits of our land

who know nothing about what it means to accept the Lord Jesus as their

Savior and Lord. Sunday school classes are being taught by teachers who

have never repented of their sins. Has the temple of our day been given over

to foreigners even as it was in the days of Ezekiel?

In their sin and rebellion, God’s people were unable to find the peace they

sought. Without God, their hearts would be empty. They would call on the

prophets, but the prophets would have no visions. The Lord would be silent

(verse 26). When they turned to their priests, they would discover that the

teaching of the law was lost. Even their priests would not have an answer

for them. The elders of the land would have no counsel to give them. When

their religious leaders could not help them, they would turn to their political

leaders. Their king, however, would be found in mourning and the princes

in desolation (verse 27). There would be no help found in their political

leaders. Their attention would turn to their fellow citizen. Their fellow

citizen, however, would be equally as troubled as they were and would offer

no solution to their problem (verse 27).

This truly was the end. There was absolutely nothing that they could do to

protect themselves. They had exhausted every possibility. There was no one

who could come to their rescue. They were destined for the wrath of God.

Ezekiel is warning us of the dangers of living our lives in rebellion against

God. The day of the wrath of God is coming. There is a time when the Lord

Jesus will return to judge the world. On that day, your money will amount

to nothing. You will not be able to sit down and negotiate your punishment

with the Lord. Your friends, religious leaders or political leaders will not be

able to help you. You will stand alone before your judge. You will answer to

Him alone and receive your sentence. The time is coming when God will

judge. He will not always strive with us. This chapter is a real warning for

us. We need to examine our lives to be sure that we are right with God. For

the moment, He extends His pardon and compassion to us. The day is

coming, however, when He will withdraw His offer of pardon and give us

what we deserve. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day of

repentance. Don’t let another moment pass without surrendering to the will

of the Lord.

For Consideration:

Consider for a moment the evidences of God’s grace in your life. Are there

times when He did not give you what you deserved?

If God does not presently give us what we deserve, why do we still need to

concern ourselves with living for Him? Why can’t we simply live the way

we want?

Is there evidence of the “temple being given over to foreigners” today?

Give some practical examples of this?

In their day of judgment, the people came to the priests and prophets for

help but found none? If these people came to you or your church personally,

would they find the help they needed?

For Prayer:

Are there things in your life that need to be confessed? Take a moment to

confess these sins to Him.

Ask God to cleanse His church today. Pray for those churches that are being

led by leaders who do not personally know the Lord.

Ask God to cleanse you and make you ready for His return.

8 - A VISION OF THE

TEMPLE

Read Ezekiel 8

s Ezekiel was sitting in his house with the elders of the land, the

Spirit of the Lord came on him. We are not told why the elders

had come to Ezekiel’s house. Had they come of their own free

will to hear the Word of the Lord, or had they been compelled to come? We

are not sure. What is clear is that while the elders were with Ezekiel, the

hand of the Lord came upon him in their presence. We have the impression

here that the prophet waited for God to speak. God came to Ezekiel in His

own time. In our modern day with our busy schedules, we no longer seem

to have the time to wait for God we expect that He will meet us in our time.

In the presence of the elders, the prophet was given a vision. Ezekiel saw

the figure of someone who looked like a man. This individual, however,

from the waist down, was full of fire. From the waist up, He glowed like

amber. This description should be familiar to us. This is the same person

that Ezekiel saw in chapter 1 (see Ezekiel 1:26-27). When the prophet saw

Him on that first occasion, he fell down on his face and worshiped Him.

There can be little doubt but that it is the Lord Jesus Christ in His glory that

Ezekiel saw here.

As Ezekiel watched, this individual stretched out His hand, picked him up

by the hair, and brought him to a place he described as being somewhere

between heaven and earth. In his vision, the prophet was brought to the city

of Jerusalem. He stood at the north gate of the temple’s inner court. As

Ezekiel looked around, he noticed an idol. We have no description of the

idol. It should not have been there in the temple. It is described as being an

idol that “provokes to jealousy” (verse 3). God is not a God who will share

His glory with another. This idol had provoked His jealousy.

In stark contrast to this terrible idol discovered in the temple, Ezekiel had a

deep sense of the presence of the Lord in that place. He reminds us that the

glory he experienced that day in the vision was like the experience he

described for us in the beginning of his book. He was aware of the presence

of the same God who called him into this prophetic ministry. It is hard to

imagine what this contrast did for Ezekiel. On the one hand, he knew the

powerful presence of a holy God who inspires fear. On the other hand, he

saw the wickedness of people as they blasphemed the name of this great

and holy God in the very temple where He was to be worshiped. Ezekiel

was caught between these two extremes.

As he waited, Ezekiel heard the voice of the Lord: “Do you see what they

are doing--the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here,

things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?” (verse 6). God reminded

Ezekiel that these practices would drive His presence away from His

people. God took this matter very seriously. He would not remain in a place

where He was being blasphemed. He would withdraw His presence and His

blessing if this practice continued. What a powerful warning this is for us in

our day. Imagine what your society would be like if the Lord God withdrew

His presence. Imagine what your church would be like if God withdrew His

blessing.

Ezekiel was then led to the door of the temple court where he discovered a

hole in the wall. The Lord told the prophet to dig out this hole. After

digging through the hole in the wall, Ezekiel noticed a doorway. He was

commanded to go through the door. Ezekiel entered, and there before him,

portrayed on the walls, were all sorts of detestable animals and idols. These

animals and creeping things were unclean and abominable in the eyes of the

Lord. According to the law of God, the Israelites were not even to touch

these animals lest they be defiled. Ezekiel saw these unclean objects,

however, in the temple of God. To add to this, Ezekiel counted 70 elders,

with censors in hand, offering incense to these abominable images. Were

these the elders who sat before him in his house? Was God revealing to

Ezekiel the secret practices of the elders who sat before him? How would

they respond to this vision?

“Have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the

darkness?” God asked Ezekiel (verse 12). They believed that the Lord did

not see what they were doing in secret. God reminded them, however, that

He saw everything they did. I can just see the elders in Ezekiel’s house that

day squirming in their seats. They were beginning to feel uncomfortable as

Ezekiel told them what he saw. They knew God was speaking to them and

their hypocrisy. Even spiritual leaders can live a lie, but they cannot hide

that lie from God.

From this room filled with detestable animals and idols, the Lord brought

the prophet out in his vision to the entrance of the north gate. Ezekiel

looked and saw some women in the midst of a pagan ritual to the honor of

the Babylonian god Tammuz. Historians believe that Tammuz was a

fertility god. Fertility gods were believed to be responsible for the harvest.

Ezekiel was dismayed by what he saw (verse 14). How could these women

have the audacity to worship a pagan god in the house of the Lord? As he

grieved over this scene, the Lord told him that He had more to show him.

They entered the inner court of the temple. There, twenty-five men with

their backs toward the temple were bowing down to worship the sun in the

east. Reference is made in verse 17 to “putting the branch to their nose.”

While we do not know exactly what this practice was, it is assumed that it

too was a pagan, idolatrous practice. It may be of significance that their

backs were toward the temple. In order for them to bow down and worship

the sun, they were required to turn their backs on God. Notice that they

were in the temple but turning their backs on God. This is a very sad picture

but one that may very well be repeating itself in our day. It is quite possible

to be in the house of the Lord and call yourself a believer and still have

your back turned to God in rebellion. The idols we bow down to today may

be different. Some bow down to the idol of materialism. Some bow to

themselves and their pride. Some have fallen into the snare of worldliness.

God was grieved by what He saw that day in the temple. He looked beyond

the externals and saw the attitude of the heart. What does he see when He

looks down on us?

The temple was filled with evil. This was a place that had been dedicated to

the honor of God. It now brought Him great dishonor. Here the people of

God blasphemed His name by their evil practices. There are churches in our

land today that are no different. These churches were at one point in their

history dedicated to the glory of the Lord. Now they have stooped to the

worldly practices of our day. They no longer bring glory to God. What does

God see when He looks through the walls of your church? What does He

see when He looks deep into your heart? It was not that God’s people were

not religious. They were still going to the temple and bringing their

offerings. They had enough of God to comfort themselves, but they also

bowed their knees to the pagan gods of their day. God saw right through

their hypocrisy. Here He gave his prophet a glimpse of what was happening

below the surface. I wonder what He sees today.

For Consideration:

Is it possible that the church of our day is as guilty of hypocrisy as the

people of God in the temple in Ezekiel’s day? Give some examples.

What kind of gods are we guilty of bringing into our churches today?

What do you think God sees as He looks at the church of our day?

Is there anything we can really hide from God? How does this passage help

us to answer this question?

For Prayer:

Pray for your spiritual leaders. Ask God to give them sincere hearts free

from all hypocrisy.

Are there things that you do in the dark that no one knows about? What

does this passage teach us? Ask God to set you free from those practices or

sins.

Take a moment to pray that God would expose any darkness in your church

that is keeping it from growing.

9 - SLAUGHTER IN THE

CITY

Read Ezekiel 9

n the last meditation, we saw how the Lord brought the prophet

Ezekiel, in a vision, to the city of Jerusalem where He showed him the

city and the temple. Here God revealed the sin of the people in the

temple. Because of this sin, they were driving God away. We see here in

chapter 9 what would happen to those who had turned their backs on the

Holy One of Israel?

In his vision, the prophet Ezekiel heard a loud voice calling those in charge

of the city to approach. Notice in verse 1 that these individuals were

commanded to approach with deadly weapons in hand. Ezekiel saw six men

approach. Each of these men had a battle-axe in his hand. One man among

them was dressed in linen and had a writing kit at his side.

Who were these men? They appear to be angels of God. We understand this

from several important factors. First, they were the instruments that God

used to bring judgment on His people for their sins. Second, the one with

the writing kit marked those who lamented the evil in the city. This

particular responsibility would not likely have been handed over to mere

humans. Notice here that the angels had charge over the city. This tells us

something about the ministry of angels. They are given charge over cities

and individuals to carry out God’s purposes.

Notice that these angels came and stood before the altar? The altar was

where sacrifice was made for sin. They stood before the one symbol in the

temple that represented the sin of God’s people and the forgiveness that

could have been theirs. As a people, however, they had rejected this offer of

forgiveness. It was fitting, therefore, that this was the gathering point for

these angels as they assembled to execute the judgment of God on His

people.

As Ezekiel watched, the glory of the Lord moved from the cherubim on the

Ark of the Covenant to the threshold of the temple. In the days of the Old

Testament, God revealed Himself from between the wings of the cherubim

on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. His presence was now

being removed from the Holy of Holies. He stood at the threshold of the

temple ready to leave. The sins of God’s people had driven Him from His

own house.

Ezekiel heard the voice of the Lord call out to the angel who had the writing

kit at his side. He commanded him to go out among the people and mark

the foreheads of those who mourned because of the evil in the land. The

mark on the forehead obviously was for the purpose of protection. God

would not punish the righteous with the wicked. There was a separating of

the wheat and the tares. He separated His sheep from the goats. Notice here

that it was those who grieved over the sin of the land that were marked.

Would we be among them? There are times when we become so

desensitized to what is happening around us that sin no longer seems to

bother us. We no longer mourn and grieve over evil. God appears to take

this seriously. He is looking for a people who share His heart regarding sin.

Ezekiel heard the Lord command the angels with the deadly weapons to

follow the angel with the writing kit and destroy all those who did not

receive the mark on their foreheads. They were to show no pity but to

utterly destroy all those who no longer grieved over sin in their midst. They

were to kill both old and young, little children and women (verse 6).

Note that the Lord ordered His angelic servants to begin at the sanctuary.

Why did he begin here? It was here we discovered that the name of the

Lord was being blasphemed. These people had every opportunity to turn to

God but they turned their backs on Him. Notice in particular that the angels

began their judgment with the elders of the temple. These were the leaders

of God’s people. Their judgment would be very severe. They should have

led God’s people into the truth of His Word, but instead they led them

astray. This certainly reminds us as leaders of our great responsibility.

Judgment will begin with us.

In verse 7 we see that God was not afraid to defile His own temple. He

called His angels to go into the temple and fill the courts with the slain.

What a surprise it would have been to the people of God to see God

Himself defile His own temple because of their sin. This place was no

longer holy. It had already been defiled by the sinful actions of God’s

people in it.

The angels left on their mission of judgment. Ezekiel was left alone. He

watched the men move out into the city killing the inhabitants. It is hard to

imagine what was going through his mind as he watched the horror before

him. Men, women, children, and old folk were being stuck by the battle axe

of God’s judgment. Bodies lay scattered throughout the city. As he watched

this terrible scene before him, Ezekiel was afraid that the whole land would

be destroyed. He questioned God on this matter. He asked Him if He was

going to destroy the whole city (verse 8). Underneath this was a certain

doubt in the mind of Ezekiel about the justice of what God was doing. God

reminded Him in verse 9 that their punishment was just. The land was filled

with violence and bloodshed. They had turned their backs on God and were

receiving a just sentence for their actions.

As Ezekiel spoke with the Lord God about this matter, the angel with the

writing kit returned to say that he had completed his task. The judgment

was final. There could be no changing it now. There would be no more

chances.

The scene before us is a reminder of the holiness and justice of God. Sin is

an abomination in the eyes of God. He does not treat it lightly. The day is

coming when the Lord God will judge. He will show no mercy on that day.

Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to come to Him before it is too

late.

For Consideration:

Are we, as believers, lowering our standard and accepting sin more and

more? Explain?

What do you suppose is causing us not to grieve like God grieves over sin

today?

What does this chapter teach us about the reality of the judgment of God?

A sign of our love for God is that we grieve when we know His heart is

broken. Do you agree with this statement or not? Explain. What does this

mean for you personally?

For Prayer:

Ask God to give you His mind and heart as it relates to sin.

Ask the Lord to forgive you for the times you have not been concerned

about sin in your midst.

Ask God to raise up a generation of believers who will fight for holiness

and righteousness in the land.

10 - GLORY DEPARTED

Read Ezekiel 10

n chapter 8 we caught a glimpse of the temple from the perspective of

the Lord. We saw how the people were worshiping other gods in the

temple of God. This had provoked the Lord to jealousy. He sent His

angels throughout the city to slaughter those who did not grieve over the

sins of the nation. Ezekiel was moved by what he saw that day. He

wondered if anyone would be left in Jerusalem when the judgment of God

was complete.

As Ezekiel looked around in his vision, he noticed some cherubim. We will

say something more about these angels at a later point. Above the heads of

these cherubim, Ezekiel noticed a great throne which appeared to be made

of sapphire. Obviously, this was a very spectacular throne. In chapter 1

Ezekiel saw four creatures, each with four faces and four wings. Obviously,

the creatures of chapter 1 were angelic creatures, just like the cherubim in

this chapter. Above the creatures of chapter 1, Ezekiel saw this very same

throne (see Ezekiel 1:26).

As he listened, Ezekiel heard a voice from the throne crying out to the man

clothed in linen. We met this man in chapter 9. He was the one who carried

the writing kit and marked the foreheads of those who grieved for sin (see

Ezekiel 9:2). This man was commanded to go in among the wheels under

the cherubim and gather burning coals. He was to scatter them around the

city. These coals appear to represent the judgment of God.

It is important to note that these angelic beings, according to Ezekiel 1:4, 5,

were engulfed in raging fire. We can assume that the task of entering the

wheels was not taken lightly. The man in linen moved into the flames to

gather the coals as he had been commanded. Notice in verse 2 that the man

was to fill his hands with these coals. Generally, coals would burn the

hands. This man was protected from being burned. God will never call us to

do something that He will not equip us to do by His strength. He will

protect us as we move out in obedience, even as He protected this man in

linen.

As the man went into the center of the wheels, the inner court of the temple

was filled with a great cloud. The glory of the Lord moved up from the

cherubim, paused over the threshold of the house of God. All around,

Ezekiel could see the manifestation of the glory of God. He listened and

heard the sound of the wings of the cherubim. This was a holy moment. The

wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of the Lord. This may simply

be a reference to the sense of awe that this sound inspired.

Ezekiel then heard the voice of the Lord commanding the man in linen to

take fire from the midst of the cherubim. As Ezekiel watched, one of the

cherubim reached out and gathered some coals and placed them in the

hands of the man dressed in linen. He noted in verse 8 that the cherubim

appeared to have the hands of a man under their wings. The man in linen

took the fire and went out.

Ezekiel’s attention then focused on the cherubim. He described them in

greater detail in verses 9-17. Let’s take a moment to consider these

cherubim. The prophet noticed first that there was a wheel by each of the

cherubim. These wheels appeared to have the color of a beryl stone. Beryl

is light green in color. These wheels were the same as the wheels of chapter

1. Each of the wheels was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. Because of

their construction, the wheels could move in any one of four directions

(north, south, east or west). Ezekiel noticed next that the bodies of these

cherubim and the wheels were full of eyes. They had a special ability to see

everywhere. Another important detail about the cherubim was the fact that

they each had four faces. Each had the face of a cherub, a man, a lion, and

an eagle. These are the faces of the greatest of all the creation of God. The

cherub represented the celestial creation of God. Man represented the king

of the earthly creation of God. The lion was the king of the wild animals.

The eagle was the king of the birds. They were powerful and intelligent

creatures. In verse 15 Ezekiel noted that these cherubim were the same

creatures he saw at the River Kebar in chapter 1. He also stated in verse 20

that the throne he saw was the throne of the God of Israel.

Verse 22 poses somewhat of a problem for us. Ezekiel noticed that the faces

he saw in chapter 10 were the same as the faces on the creatures he saw by

the River Kebar. At the River Kebar in chapter 1, the prophet described four

creatures that had the faces of a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. In chapter

10 the cherubim do not have the face of an ox. This face has been replaced

with the face of a cherub. Why did the prophet tell us here that the faces

were the same? Commentators are perplexed with this verse. Explanations

range from stating that the face of the cherub looked like an ox to claiming

an error on the part of the scribes who copied these manuscripts. While we

do not have a clear explanation of this difference, Ezekiel made his point.

These cherubim were the same as the cherubim he met in chapter 1.

There is a close connection between the wheels and the cherubim. The spirit

of the cherubim was in the wheels. Wherever the wheels went, so did the

cherubim and vice versa. These angelic beings were not their own. They

were being led by a power outside of themselves. They were completely at

the disposal of these wheels. Their spirit was in these wheels. There is a

sense here in which we too are to be like these angelic beings. We have

been bought by the Lord Jesus. We are His servants. We have given up our

own rights. We are now called to live and move in obedience to His leading

and prompting, like these cherubim.

When the man dressed in linen took the fire from the cherub, the glory of

the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple. It moved above the

cherubim. In verse 19 the cherubim themselves moved up from the earth

and the temple toward heaven. As they moved upward, the glory of the

Lord departed with them until God's presence was no longer in the temple.

The sins of the people had driven Him away. They had been judged and

were now left to their evil ways. He had removed his fire from the temple.

We cannot help but see a similarity here between what is happening in the

temple in Ezekiel’s day and what the Lord told the people of Ephesus would

happen if they did not repent in Revelation 2:5:

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do

the works you did at first, If not, I will come to you and remove

your lampstand from its place, unless you repent (ESV)

God was removing His lampstand from the temple.

What a sad picture is painted for us in these chapters. God's presence was

no longer with His people. They had been judged because of their sin. Their

evil practices had driven His presence from them. Could this picture be a

warning to us today? The New Testament teaches us that our bodies are the

temples of the Lord. When the Lord looks into your temple, what does He

see? Does He see what He saw in the temple of Jerusalem? Is your temple

dedicated to the honor of the Lord Jesus? Is He pleased with what He

discovers in the hidden recesses of your mind and heart? You alone can

answer these questions. Do not take Ezekiel's prophecy lightly. Revelation

3:20 speaks of the Lord Jesus standing at the door of the church seeking

admission. He should have been inside, but the Laodiceans had driven Him

from their midst by their sin. Have you been doing the same? It is true that

God promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. It is important for

us to understand, however, that while God will not abandon us personally,

His glory and empowerment can leave us. There are many believers today

who are living powerless lives. They do not reflect the glory of God in their

lives. There is in reality very little difference between them and the

unbeliever beside them. They are not being filled daily with God’s Spirit.

They are trying to live the Christian life by themselves. They have in fact

driven God away. What a difference it makes, however, when the presence

of the Lord is powerfully with us. People see the difference and are struck

by that difference.

Have you shut God out of your life? Have you driven His glory and

empowerment away by your sin? Confess this to Him today. Open your

heart to Him in obedience. Let Him fill you to overflowing again. Don’t let

what happened to the temple of God happen to your temple.

For Consideration:

Is it possible for the glory of God and His empowering to leave our

churches and our personal lives without God Himself forsaking us?

Explain.

Can you think of examples of individuals who lost the sense of God’s

empowerment and glory in their lives because of sin? Did God forsake

them during this time?

What is the difference between the person who is filled with the Spirit of

God and the one who is just going through the motions?

For Prayer:

Moses once prayed that God would show Him glory. He knew that his

experience of God was not complete. He wanted to know more of His glory

in his life. Would you like to pray that prayer today?

What is it that hinders you from experiencing God at a deeper level in your

life today? Ask God to reveal these obstacles to you. Pray that He would

remove them.

11 - THE CALDRON

Read Ezekiel 11

e should not assume that every Christian leader is a man or

woman of God. There are those who carry the title but are not

true servants. In Ezekiel 11 the Spirit of the Lord brought the

prophet Ezekiel to the east gate of the temple. Here the prophet met twenty-

five men. We have already seen these men in Ezekiel 8:16. They were in the

entrance to the temple with their backs to the temple worshiping the sun.

Even though these men were found in the temple, they were evil men. They

were not concerned about the ways of the Lord. The Bible tells us that they

were “giving wicked advice in the city" (verse 2).

What was the counsel they were giving to the people of God? Verse 3 tells

us: “They say, 'Will it not soon be time to build houses? This city is a

cooking pot, and we are the meat.’” This is a very difficult verse to

understand. What were these men really saying? Let us consider first the

illustration of the cooking pot. It is interesting to note that Ezekiel had

already used a similar illustration in this book. In Ezekiel 4:3 the prophet

was commanded by the Lord to take an iron pan (a cooking pot of sorts)

and place it over the picture of the Jerusalem etched in the clay tablet. This

symbolized the fact that the city would be surrounded by her enemies. Is it

possible that these twenty-five men took the illustration of Ezekiel and

twisted it to justify their evil deeds? "Yes," they may have said to

themselves, "we are, as Ezekiel has told us, inside this cooking pot. Does

that not prove, however, that we will be safe and secure? Won't the walls of

that pot protect us from the enemy?" Ezekiel's pot illustrated the judgment

of God. Their pot falsely illustrated peace and security.

In verse 3 these men spoke about building houses. There has been some

difficulty here in the translation of this verse. The NIV says: “Will it not

soon be time to build houses?” The NKJV translates: “The time is not near

to build houses,” but places the words “the time is” in italics, indicating that

they are not in the original language but are needed in English to make

sense of the verse. This leaves us with a problem interpreting this verse. Did

these individuals counsel the people to build house or not? It depends on

how you translate the verse from the original language. We understand that

the counsel that these men were giving the people was evil. If they were

counseling them to build houses, the idea here is that they did not really

believe that the judgment of God was near. They encouraged God’s people

to continue to live as they were living. If, on the other hand, the counsel

here was not to build houses, the understanding could be that they did not

have to build any kind of protection to keep themselves from the coming

enemy. In either case, the leaders were expressing doubt about the prophecy

of doom and gloom. They provided the people with a sense of false

security.

The prophet Jeremiah also prophesied against leaders like this:

"From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets

and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of my

people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when

there is no peace” (Jer. 6:13-14).

The prophets in Jeremiah's day also deceived the people into thinking that

everything was all right. In actual fact, however, things were very wrong.

We cannot afford to be so deceived. There are false prophets in our day.

They preach of a God of love who would never send a person to hell. They

proclaim that there is a place in heaven for everyone. They proclaim that all

religions lead to God. This is not the message of the Word of God. Do not

be deceived. There is only one measure of truth. The Word of God, as found

in the Holy Scriptures, is our only reliable guide.

God was not deaf to the things that were being said in Ezekiel’s day. He

knows the thoughts of our minds (verse 5). He saw how His people had

filled the streets with the slain. They felt that because they were in the

cooking pot of the holy city, they would be safe from harm. Ezekiel warned

them that this was not the case. In verse 7 God told His people that He

would take them out of their walled city. He would take them from the

protection of their cooking pot. They would fall by the sword they feared.

God would not allow the walls of the great city of Jerusalem to hinder Him

from exercising His righteous judgment. In verse 9 Ezekiel told them that

they would be delivered up to strangers who would conquer them. No

longer would the city be their caldron nor would they be the choice meat in

the caldron (verse 11). They were under a false hope. They would lose

everything.

What do you trust in today? What is your “cooking pot?” For some it is

their Christian family. For others it is their church. Still others believe that if

they do enough good deeds they will be accepted. Do not be deceived like

the people of Ezekiel’s day into thinking that any of these things will keep

you from the judgment of God. Only the blood of Christ is sufficient to

pardon and forgive.

Even while Ezekiel prophesied, one of the twenty-five leaders was struck

dead by the Lord (verse 13). This was a small foretaste of what was to

come. Ezekiel himself was stuck by the power of the Lord demonstrated

that day. The people listening to the prophet could not help but take what

Ezekiel said seriously.

After these events, the Lord again spoke through Ezekiel. He reminded him

that, while He was going to judge His people for their sin, He would not

forsake them. Even though they would be scattered to the far corners of the

earth, God would still be with them. He promised in verse 16 that He would

be a sanctuary for His scattered people. Even in discipline, we see the grace

and compassion of God. He also told the prophet that after He had punished

His people, they would be restored. Ezekiel prophesied that these scattered

people would return again to Jerusalem (verse 17). This would take place

some years later under Nehemiah and Ezra.

On the day when God would restore His people, they would receive a new

heart and a new spirit. There would be a movement of God's Spirit among

them. They would remove the detestable things in the land. They would

walk in the ways of the Lord. God would take away their stony heart and

replace it with a soft heart of flesh (verse 19). Those who refused the ways

of the Lord would be judged. Their deeds would return on their own heads.

It is important for us to note that even when the children of Israel returned

under Ezra and Nehemiah, they really did not receive this new heart and

new spirit. This leads us to understand that while there would be a partial

fulfillment of this prophecy in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, there may

yet be an even greater fulfillment to come. That fulfillment would

ultimately come through the Lord Jesus who would give His people a new

heart and put His Holy Spirit in them. Ezekiel looked forward to a day

when God would move in revival among His people. We have yet to see the

complete fulfillment of this prophecy in the life of Israel. We are seeing the

fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy in the church of our day, however, as God

breaks stony hearts in our day.

As Ezekiel was prophesying, the glory of the Lord was lifted up to the top

of the mountain high above the people of Israel. God distanced Himself

from His people. This was obviously visible to Ezekiel in his vision. Israel’s

sins and rebellion had driven their God far from them, but He would return

when He had dealt with their sin. He would not forsake them. After

Ezekiel’s vision ended he shared with them what he had seen in his vision

with the people exiled in Babylon.

What is the challenge of this chapter to us in our day? Despite what Israel’s

leaders were saying, things were not right. God was angry with His people.

This chapter tells us that even spiritual leaders may be misguided. They

may be sincere people. They may be good-living and nice people, but this is

not a guarantee that they know the truth of the Word of God. Ezekiel came

into conflict with the leaders of his day. God’s people were hearing

conflicting messages. There are many messages being preached in our day

as well. Our only authoritative guide is the Word of God. Do not be

deceived by those who preach a false message. Examine the Word of God

for yourselves. Examine what you hear from the pulpit in light of the Word

of God. Submit your own beliefs to a careful examination. Let the Word of

God alone be your guide.

For Consideration:

Why is it so easy for false teachers in our day to prosper?

Why have the cults been so successful in drawing people away from the

clear teaching of the Word of God? Why were the false prophets successful

in this chapter?

What are our “caldrons” today? What do people trust in for salvation and

assurance of heaven?

For Prayer:

Are there Christian churches in your area that are giving their members a

false security? Pray that God would do a work of grace in their midst.

Are you sure of your salvation? Ask God to reveal any “caldrons” in your

life that you are trusting to give you favour with God.

Ask God for an opportunity to share the message of salvation through

Christ with someone in the next week

12 - A FALSE ISRAELITE

PROVERB

Read Ezekiel 12

f you knew that the Lord was returning today, would you change

anything in your life? Sometimes we continue in sin, not because we

do not know that what we do is wrong, but because we feel that we

still have time to make it right before having to answer to the Lord. Ezekiel

12 challenges this mentality. This was the mentality of the people of Israel.

They were a rebellious people. They had closed their eyes and ears to the

words of the prophets God had sent to them. Seeing that His people would

no longer listen to His words, God called Ezekiel to act out His message

visually before them.

In Ezekiel 12 the Lord God asked the prophet Ezekiel to pack his

belongings as though he were going into exile. He was to do this in the

sight of the people. He was to pack his belongings during the day, and in the

evening he was to put them on his shoulders and leave the city as though he

were being led out into captivity (verse 4). The reason for acting out this

message is clear: “It may be that they will consider, though they are a

rebellious house” (verse 3, NKJV). If they would not listen to a sermon,

then maybe they would listen if Ezekiel acted out the message. The method

was not important. What was important was that the message be

communicated in a way the people would understand.

Notice that his means of leaving the city was somewhat peculiar. Ezekiel

was to dig a hole in the wall, in the presence of the people, and leave the

city through this hole (verse 5). As he walked through the city, he was to

carry his belongings on his shoulders and cover his face. Why does he

cover his face? From verse 10 we see that this action symbolized what

would happen to their king. The Bible tells us in 2 Kings 25:3-7 that

Zedekiah, the prince of Jerusalem at the time of the exile, would have his

eyes put out so that he would not be able to see. The prince of Jerusalem

would escape through a hole in the wall, bearing his belongings on his

shoulders. Notice here in verse 12 that though the prince would attempt an

escape, God would spread his net over him and bring him to the land of the

Chaldeans (Babylon). As for his troops, they would be scattered to the

wind. This was exactly what happened to King Zedekiah. Verse 12 goes on

to say that though this prince would live in the land of the Chaldeans and

eventually die there, he would never see it. This is clearly a reference to the

fact that the Babylonians would pluck out his eyes and make him blind. A

comparison of this prophecy with the account of the exile shows us that

these things happened exactly as Ezekiel said. Compare the following

passage with what Ezekiel has been prophesying:

By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had

become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.

Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled at

night through the gate between the two walls near the king's

garden, though the Babylonians were surrounding the city. They

fled toward the Arabah, but the Babylonian army pursued the king

and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were

separated from him and scattered, and he was captured. He was

taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was

pronounced on him. They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his

eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles

and took him to Babylon (2 Kings 25:3-7).

We learn in verse 15 that in the day of God’s wrath, His people would be

scattered to the four corners of the earth. Many would lose their lives and

perish by the sword of their enemy. God would spare a remnant among

them, however, so that they would be able to recount the story of God’s

judgment to future generations.

In verse 18 God asked the prophet Ezekiel to eat and drink with trembling.

This was because the people of Israel would eat and drink in anxiety and

despair because of what they saw happening all around them. Their towns

would be wasted. Their land would be devastated. They would be

surrounded by violence and doom. When they saw these things happening

around them, they would know that there was a God in Israel. They would

also recognize that they had offended Him. For the Israelites of Ezekiel’s

day, however, it was too late. Their judgment had already come.

Notice the response of the people to the words of the prophet? They had a

proverb that went something like this: "The days go by and every vision

comes to nothing" (verse 22). This proverb shows us the state of Israel’s

faith. Who had visions in the land of Israel? Was it not the prophets? What

these people were saying is this: "Day after day goes by and yet what the

prophets tell us never happens. Their visions never come to pass." Listen to

what they were saying in verse 27: “The vision he sees is for many years

from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.”

These people did not worry about what the prophets were saying. They did

not feel that what Ezekiel was telling them would happen in their lifetime.

They had lots of time to make things right with God. This was the mentality

of the day.

In response to this attitude of the people, God told Ezekiel that this proverb

would shortly be replaced by another proverb: "The days are near when

every vision will be fulfilled" (verse 23b). Yes, the day was coming when

the visions of the prophets would come to pass. The vision of Ezekiel and

his fellow prophets concerning the destruction of Jerusalem was not very

far away. God reminds His people in verse 28 that His words would no

longer be postponed. Now was the time God would bring these words to

pass. Now was the Day of Judgment. God's people did not have the time

they thought they had. He would call on them to give an account of their

actions sooner than they thought.

Does this chapter not cause us to reflect on our own spiritual condition?

There are many people in our day who are living in sin. They have every

intention of making things right with the Lord, but not yet. They want a few

more years to live before making any changes. In many ways, they are like

the people of Israel. They know that the Lord is coming and will call them

to repentance. They feel, however, that they have plenty of time before they

will have to answer to Him. If this is your situation, let me remind you of

the uncertainty of life. Your life could be cut short at any moment. The Lord

Jesus could come at any moment. If He called you today, would you be

ready to face Him? All of us need to live our lives in such a way that we are

always ready for the coming of the Lord. You may not have the time you

think you have. You could be called home today. Remember that God said

to Ezekiel that the day was coming when the words of the prophets would

be fulfilled. Will you be ready?

For Consideration:

God seems to be encouraging creativity in the presentation of Ezekiel’s

message by asking him to act it out. Not everyone is gifted in the same way.

How can you creatively present the gospel to those around you?

Why do you suppose we tend to keep putting off our decisions to make the

necessary changes in our lives?

What would you change if you knew that this was your last day on earth?

For Prayer:

Ask God to help you be faithful in using the gifts He has given you to reach

out to others.

Ask God to help you make the best use of the time He has given you on this

earth.

If you have never accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior, don’t waste

another moment of your life. Surrender to His will. Accept the forgiveness

He offers you today.

13 - WHITEWASHED

WALLS

Read Ezekiel 13

n chapter 11 Ezekiel was called to confront the spiritual leaders of his

day because of their false teaching. While these leaders came across

very convincingly, God compared them here to whitewashed walls.

They looked good on the outside, but underneath they were full of flaws

and cracks.

These men and women were prophesying "out of their own heart” (verse 2,

NKJV). They were preaching their own opinions. They were not concerned

about God’s Word. Their message did not come from the Lord. Verse 3 tells

us that these prophets "followed their own spirit." The authoritative Word of

God was taking second place to the ideas of people. Have things changed in

our day?

The prophets are compared here to foxes in the desert. This expression is

difficult to understand. The fox was noted for being very sly and cunning. It

was also known for the destruction it caused to vines and gardens. This was

what these prophets were like. By deceit and falsehood they fed themselves

at the expense of others. The fact that these foxes were in the deserts would

make them even more cunning and sly (since their food would be very

scarce).

The second accusation God brought against these prophets was that they did

not repair the gaps (verse 5). Reference was being made here to the city

wall. The enemy had been attacking the people of God. They had been

successful in piercing their wall of faith. The prophets were not concerned

that the faith of the people was being eroded. It did not overly distress them

that falsehood was creeping into the lives of the people of God. They did

not strengthen the people to face the enemy. They did not teach the truth.

They left these gaps in the wall wide open. This was an open invitation for

the enemy.

In our day we must not stand idly by while the wall of sound faith is being

battered by the attacks of the enemy? We cannot watch our brothers and

sisters wander from the truth without doing something to bring them back.

We must put aside our concerns about our own reputations and what people

think of us. We cannot afford to go with the flow when God calls us to stand

firm for His truth.

Ezekiel tells us that these false prophets introduced their prophecies by

saying: "Thus says the Lord" (verse 6, NKJV). What they preached,

however, did not come from the Lord. They had a religious language. They

spoke of God and of faith, but they were not God's messengers. They were

His enemies. The Lord was against them because they led His people

astray. They proclaimed nonsense and foolishness (verses 7-8).

We see in verse 9 that, because these false prophets and teachers had spoken

lies in God’s name, the hand of God would be against them. They would no

longer be welcome in the assembly of God's people. God would remove

them from the land. Every record of their presence would be erased. They

would be banished. They considered themselves to be servants of God, but

they were His enemies. Because of them, God’s people were wandering

dangerously from the fold. They would have to answer to God for how they

had misled His people. God would deal with them before they caused more

damage.

God accused these prophets in verse 10 of seducing His people. They had

been proclaiming peace when there was no peace. They were like those

who whitewashed a wall that was full of cracks and holes. Israel was like

that crumbling wall. The nation needed major repairs. The prophets

downplayed the seriousness of the nation’s spiritual problems. They did not

point people to their sin. They offered them false consolation and hope.

They told them that everything would be all right when in reality the

judgment of God was about to fall.

What a sad day that would be for the people of God. Men and women had

put their confidence in these prophets. Their eternal destiny was based on

what these false prophets proclaimed. As they stood before God, they

would realize that they had been deceived. For many it would be too late.

God would rain His judgment on their whitewashed wall. It would be

exposed for what it really was. When God rained hailstones of judgment on

their wall, it would come crashing down.

The deception that was taking place in Israel was not only on the part of the

male prophets. The women, as well, were leading people astray. Among the

women of Israel were those who made magic charms for the wrists and

veils for the heads (verse 18). These articles were used in some form of

pagan ritual. The nature of these rituals is uncertain. Verse 18 tells us that

these women would “hunt” (NKJV) or “ensnare” (NIV) the souls of God’s

people. These women would not escape God’s judgment. They too would

be punished for their evil deeds.

I remember when we worked on the Island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

The leaders would go with a new believer to his home. They would go

through all his belongings and take away all the articles that were used in

the worship of false gods. Together with the leaders of the church, they

would go to the ocean and there, after some prayer, they would throw all

these religious articles in the ocean. They separated themselves completely

from their former false religion. This is what the Lord God expected of His

people in Israel. They were to throw away their magic charms and veils that

were used in the worship of their false gods. He expects the same of us

today.

Notice how justice was being perverted in verse 19. For a handful of barley

and bread, those who should have died were granted liberty, and those who

should have been set free were condemned to death. There was no justice.

Bribes were common in the land. If you had money, you could get away

with your crime. If you didn’t have money to pay the judges, you would be

punished, even for things you did not do. God saw these things in the land.

These deeds would not go unpunished.

God reminded His people in verses 20-21 that He would rip the magic

charms from their arms and set free the souls they had ensnared. These

women had been misleading others by their pagan practices. Those who

came to them were being caught in their snares. They were being deceived

into these false practices. This false teaching saddened the heart of the

righteous in the land.

These false teachers had strengthened the hand of the wicked. God would

not allow this to continue. Even His own people were being caught up in

the evil influences of these false prophets and teachers. God knew those

who were His. He would set them free from the hands of these false

prophets (verse 23). He loved His own too much to see them perish at the

hands of those who proclaimed falsehood.

How we need to pray that God would release His people from the hands of

these false prophets in our day. All too many are unaware of the deception

that is taking place in their churches. God promised here to set His people

free. What encouragement we receive from this today. Even among those

who are currently being deceived by false religions and cults are those that

God will reach and bring to Himself.

Even in our day many false prophets and cults exist. They come across as

being very spiritual. We are not to be deceived by their religious words.

They are like whitewashed walls. On the outside they seem to be very

sincere, but inside they are full of hypocrisy and deceit. May God give us

great discernment to recognize these false prophets.

For Consideration:

Do you suppose that the false prophets in our day sincerely believe that they

are teaching the truth?

Do you see people around you trapped in the doctrine of false prophets?

What comfort do you receive from this passage?

How can we tell when someone is a true prophet of the Lord?

What does this passage teach us about casting off the practices and articles

of false religions? Why is this so important?

For Prayer:

Do you know people who are religious but do not know the salvation of the

Lord? Take a moment to pray for them. Ask God to show them their need of

a Savior.

Pray for the false prophets of our day. Ask God to open up their hearts to

the truth.

Pray for those true believers caught in the web of false teaching. In this

chapter God promises to set them free. Pray that He would set them free.

14 - GODLY FATHER,

RUINED CHILDREN

Read Ezekiel 14

here are people who hold on to their upbringing to get them to

heaven. The fact that you were brought up in a good Christian

home does not guarantee you a place in heaven. You can be part of

a church that preaches the Word of God and still be spiritually lost. Each

person is individually accountable to God for his or her own life. You

cannot go to heaven on someone else's shoulders.

In Ezekiel 14 the elders of Israel came to inquire of the prophet Ezekiel.

These elders were not the men they should have been. The Lord revealed to

the prophet in verse 3 that they had set up idols in their hearts. Does it

surprise you that these men served idols and yet came to inquire of the

prophet? Is this not a common practice in our day? Are there not many who

worship on Sunday who blaspheme His name during the week? This is

what these elders were doing.

The Lord asked Ezekiel if He should allow these elders to come to Him

with their problems (verse 3). While God was not obliged to speak to these

leaders because their hearts were far from Him, He did give Ezekiel a

message for them. In verse 6 God told them to repent and turn from their

idols. If they did not turn from their idols, God would turn His face against

them and cut them off from His people (verse 8). God got straight to the

point. He knew their hearts and would soon judge them if they did not

repent.

In verses 9 and 10, God explained that the punishment for false prophets

who did not speak the Word of the Lord would be the same as those who

listened to them. False prophets would not be able to hide behind their

positions. They would perish like other people because of their rebellion

against God. There was a purpose behind this judgment. Notice in verses 5

and 11 that God would punish them so that they would return to Him. He

wanted to be their God and pour out His love on them. There were,

however, obstacles in their relationship. God told Ezekiel that He would cut

off their supply of bread (verses 12-13). Some would even perish under the

heavy discipline of the Lord. God would not allow them to continue

wandering from Him and blaspheme His name. He would do whatever it

took to break this rebellion and bring them back to Himself. Maybe you

have experienced some of this discipline in your life. The discipline of the

Lord is never easy. What a blessing it is, however, to know that God loves

us enough to fight for us.

God was going to bring His judgment on the false prophets of the land

(verse 9). God would entice them to prophesy. Then He would destroy

them. What is happening here? Why would God entice these individuals to

prophesy when He knew that the words they spoke were false? What we

need to understand here is that God will not always remove every

temptation from us. Even the Lord Jesus had to face temptation in His

ministry. He faced Satan head on and was tempted by him for forty days.

These temptations will test us and reveal our true quality. The Lord did not

stop these prophets from speaking lies. He allowed them to speak their own

visions. He did not restrain them. He allowed them to speak their evil but

would judge them for it.

We need to see here that the Lord will not always stop temptations from

coming our way. We will have to face these temptations each and every day.

The question is what will be our response? I have met individuals who

believed that if God wanted them to have victory in a certain situation, He

would remove the temptation. This is not always the case. The prophets in

the days of Ezekiel failed because they did not run from the temptations that

came their way.

God’s judgment was going to come to His people. When the Lord judged

His people, even Noah, Daniel, or Job would not be able to plead for their

own children (verse 14). What do we know about these three men? The

Bible says about Noah:

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. This is the

account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among

the people of his time, and he walked with God” (Gen 6:8-9).

Noah was a just man and faithful to the Lord. There was no one like him in

his generation. When God's anger was poured out on the earth through the

flood in the days of Noah, he and his family alone escaped the judgment of

God. Through Noah, the seed of humanity was saved.

Concerning Daniel, we read:

“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find

grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of

government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could

find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and

neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, ‘We will

never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless

it has something to do with the law of his God’” (Dan 6:4-5).

When the princes tried to find fault with Daniel, they could find none. If

they were going to convict him of something, they would have to do so on

the basis of his relationship with God.

In regard to Job, God himself said to Satan:

"Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth

like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and

shuns evil" (Job 1:8).

In God's own words, there was not a person like Job on the surface of the

earth. Here was a man that God considered to be faithful and upright.

Noah, Daniel, and Job, mentioned here in this chapter, are men of

exemplary character. God told His people through Ezekiel that even if these

men could plead for Israel, they would not be able to save the nation from

the coming judgment. If God were to send a famine on the land to destroy

men and animals, these men would escape alone. They could take no one

with them. If God were to send wild beasts, these men, as righteous as they

were, would not even be able to save their own families. If God sent the

sword to kill the men and animals of the land, the sons and daughters of

these three righteous men would perish if they did not repent of their sin. If

God were to send a plague, these men alone would escape because of their

right relationship with God.

God was going to send all four of these judgments on the land of Israel. The

punishment would be severe. God's people could not count on someone else

interceding for them. The survivors of this great judgment would learn an

important lesson. They would learn that they were individually accountable

to God for their own sins. Daniel’s children would have perished if they did

not turn to God. The faith of Noah would not save his children. The same

could be said about Job.

This chapter teaches us that we must all individually give an account before

God. These three men of God could not have helped even their own

children to escape the judgment of God. You may have been brought up in

the home of a Noah or a Daniel. Your parents may have been sincere people

of God. You may attend a church that preaches the Word of God. You may

surround yourself with men and women who love the Lord. Like the

children mentioned in our passage, however, your Christian upbringing will

not save you. You can have Christian parents and still perish in your sins.

Your Christian friends will be powerless to do anything for you in the Day

of Judgment. There is no saint who can plead your case before God when

He pours out His wrath. You will stand alone before God to give an

accounting.

God’s wrath was very real. Ezekiel reminds us that God would not destroy

the entire nation. He would leave a remnant. The day was coming when

God would move again in a very special way in the lives of this remnant.

Through them He would remind the nation of her need to be right with God.

Ezekiel was part of that remnant. We have his record of what God spoke to

His people. We have an account of his warning and judgment. Through

Ezekiel, God reminds us that one day we too will stand alone before a Holy

God to give an account of our lives. Don’t trust others. Don’t rely on your

church or your spiritual leaders. The Lord Jesus alone can save us from our

sins. You must come to Him personally.

For Consideration:

What do we learn here about the desire of God for a personal relationship

with His people?

What things do we trust in today to get us to heaven?

Have you made a personal decision to follow the Lord Jesus? No one else

can make this decision for you. Take a moment to consider if the faith you

profess is really yours.

For Prayer:

Do you know people who are trusting in the wrong things to get to heaven?

Take a moment to ask God to help them see the error of their ways.

Thank God for giving you the assurance of your salvation through Jesus

Christ alone.

Ask God to search you now so that when you stand before Him you will be

unashamed.

15 - A USELESS VINE

Read Ezekiel 15

ave you ever seen a vine? How would you describe the wood of a

vine? The first thing you notice about a vine is that it is very

twisted. A vine is usually very long and thin. Because vines are

fast growing plants, the wood is not usually strong. The wood of the vine

serves no practical purpose. It is not big enough, strong enough, or straight

enough to make any object for practical use. What would you think if your

neighbor told you that he was going to build a house from the wood of a

grapevine? Would you not consider him to be a fool?

Suppose we add another dimension to this illustration. Let us suppose that

this wood has been removed from a fire. The ends are burned and the

middle is charred. What could this wood be used for? In its natural state the

wood could at least be used for decorative purposes. Now even that is

impossible. The wood of a vine taken out of a fire is completely useless.

The only purpose it could possibly serve would be to be replaced in the fire

and burned.

Ezekiel told his people that they were like this charred vine. They were of

no practical use to the Lord God. The only place for them would be in the

fire of God's judgment. There in the fire they would be an example for

others to see. Because of their sin, the Lord would set His face against them

to consume them.

Let’s consider this illustration in greater detail. How were God’s people like

this vine? First, remember that a vine is twisted and crooked. This was how

God’s people were. They were twisted and crooked like the vine because

they were easily influenced by the circumstances around them. These

people were driven from one false god to another. They were easily

convinced to turn their backs on the one true God. Their foreign wives

influenced them. They looked with envy on the evil practices of their pagan

neighbors. They served the Lord, and then turned to serve other gods. The

road they followed was not straight and narrow. They moved from one side

to another depending on the influence of the time. The result was that they

were of no use to God.

Second, like the vine, the Israelites did not let the Lord strengthen them

through adversity. When obstacles came their way, they moved around

them. They did not set their minds on the Lord in their adversity. They did

not commit themselves to move straight ahead through the obstacle by the

strength of the Lord. They did not fix their eyes on the Lord and walk in His

ways. Maybe you have seen how the roots of a tree can penetrate very hard

substances. I have seen trees growing in the middle of a great rock.

Somehow their roots are able to penetrate and find the nourishment they

need. This is not the case for the vine. The vine grows very fast. Instead of

moving through obstacles and allowing those obstacles to strengthen it, the

vine simply moves around them. The result is a wood that has no physical

strength. Israel was like the vine. They were weak and frail.

Third, a vine has a tendency to reach outward and not upward. The great

trees of the forest direct their energies toward reaching for the skies. The

Israelite tendency was not to send their shoots upward toward God but

outward toward their neighbors. They looked more at what their pagan

neighbors were doing than they looked toward God. Their faith was based

not on the Word of the Lord but on the practices of their day. The result was

a fruitless vine.

In God's eyes Israel was a charred piece of vine. She was of no practical

value to Him. Her sins had rendered her useless. What about you? Have you

been like this vine? Have your sins rendered you useless to the Master?

Despite the imperfections of a vine, it still can produce the most delightful

of all fruits. Like this vine we too have been warped and twisted by sin. We

are never without hope, however. God can use us, twisted and weak as we

are, to produce great fruit for His glory. This vine is in reality a picture of

each of us. At best we are like the wood of the vine. We are, in our natural

state, of little use to God. God wants to take this vine, however, and do

something wonderful with it. He wants to produce great fruit in you. Israel

did not let God do this in her. Instead, she turned her back on God. How

careful we need to be so we don’t fall into the same error.

For Consideration:

In what ways are we like the vine described in this passage?

What significance do you see in the fact that the vine with all its

imperfections can produce the greatest fruit? What encouragement do you

take from this?

What are your failures? How has God used you despite these failures?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that, despite our many imperfections, He can use us to

produce much fruit.

Ask the Lord to produce even more fruit through you for His glory.

16 - UNFAITHFUL

JERUSALEM

Read Ezekiel 16

ersonally, I can think of no other passage in all of Scripture that

speaks as powerfully as Ezekiel 16. You cannot read this chapter

without being touched deeply in your spirit. What we have here is a

parable about Jerusalem. This chapter shows us what was happening in the

land of Israel from God’s perspective.

As we begin, Jerusalem is compared to an infant. This infant was born in

the land of the Canaanites. God had promised Abraham that He would give

to him the land of the Canaanites:

“On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said,

‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to

the great river the Euphrates - the land of the Kenites,

Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizites, Rephaites, Amorites,

Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites’” (Gen 15:18-19).

Later on in Egypt the Lord spoke to Moses. He reminded him of His

promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob:

“The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in

Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave

drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have

come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and

to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,

a land flowing with milk and honey - the home of the

Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and

Jebusites’” (Ex 3:7-8).

It was here in the land of the Canaanites that the nation of Israel was born.

God reminded Israel that her father was an Amorite and her mother, a

Hittite. There could possibly be two reasons why God said these nations

were her parents: first, because the people of God inherited their land;

second, because the people of God also inherited their evil practices. We

can read about the sinfulness of the Hittites in Genesis 15:16. Listen to what

Sarah told her husband, Abraham: "I am disgusted with living because of

these Hittite women" (Genesis 27:46a). Obviously, the practices of the

Hittites left much to be desired. God's people inherited these sinful

practices.

As a newborn child, Israel was left without her cord cut. She was not

washed. No salt was applied to her to purify and kill the germs. No one

wrapped her in cloth to cover her nakedness and provide warmth. She was

left alone with no one to care for her. Ezekiel tells us that this newborn

child was thrown into an open field with no protection or shelter and left to

die.

This was her condition when the Lord God passed by. He saw Israel lying

in her blood. He had compassion on her. He reached out to her dying form

and cried out, “Live!” He took her into His arms and cared for her until she

had grown up. We should not underestimate the power of that word “Live!”

Who among us has not experienced something of that word in our own

lives? God reaches out to us in our sin and helplessness and brings life. He

gives us a reason to live. This little baby grew up to become a beautiful

woman.

The Lord looked at her and loved her. He took her as his wife and entered a

covenant relationship with her. When she became his wife, God clothed her

with the finest of clothes and jewelry. He fed her with the finest food. Her

beauty became known throughout the world. She owed it all to God

In time, however, she began to trust in her beauty. She turned to

prostitution, no longer satisfied with her own husband. She made male idols

with the jewelry the Lord gave her. She clothed these idols with her

embroidered clothes. She offered her fine food and oil as sacrifices to them.

She even offered her sons and daughters, from her marriage with the Lord,

in sacrifice to foreign gods. Child sacrifice was a practice of the pagan

nations around Israel. At times Israel would adopt this practice, and she too

sacrificed her children on the altars of the land to the pagan gods of the

surrounding nations. How this grieved God, her husband. She had forgotten

what God had done for her.

It did not stop there. She built pagan shrines throughout the land. She

preferred strangers to her husband. Ezekiel tells us that she was worse than

a prostitute because she paid her lovers to come to her. They did not entice

her. She gave herself freely to all the nations around her. Her appetite for

prostitution was out of control. She was never satisfied. She multiplied her

acts of prostitution. Verse 27 tells us that even the daughters of the pagan

Philistines were shocked at her behavior. Her heart was far from God. Her

sin was greater than the nations around her.

God would not stand idly by while His wife rushed head-first into sin and

destruction. Out of love for her, he would strip her bare and expose her

before her lovers. They would turn their backs on her. Out of jealousy for

her (verse 38), God would break down her idols. As was the law of the day,

she (the nation) would be stoned and cut to pieces with the sword. Her

house would be burned down. (This reference to the burning of her house

may refer to what happened when her enemies came into Jerusalem and

burned it to the ground.) She would be crushed because she did not

remember what the Lord had done for her.

For generations to come, people would speak a proverb about Israel. They

would say, “Like mother, like daughter” (see verse 44). To those women

who turned away from their husbands, the people of the land would say that

they were like their mother, Israel. She would come to represent evil and

rebellion against God.

Ezekiel continued with his parable about Jerusalem by explaining that she

had two sisters. One sister was named Samaria and the other, Sodom. Both

of these cities were known for their evil. Sodom was known for its

immorality during the days of Lot. Verse 49 described this city as being

proud and full of idleness, refusing to help the poor and needy. For this

reason, the city was destroyed. Samaria, as the capital of the northern

kingdom of Israel, had turned her back on God under Jeroboam. Under his

reign they established the worship of the golden calf in opposition to the

worship of the God of their fathers. God told His people in verse 51 that

even Samaria did not commit half the crimes God’s wife, Jerusalem, was

guilty of now. The worst part about it was that she was not even ashamed.

Jerusalem would be put to shame because of her evil. She would be taken

into captivity. Before God humbled her, she looked down on her sisters

Samaria and Sodom. Verses 56 and 57 tell us that she would not even

mention the names of her sisters. She considered herself to be better than

they. The Jews of Ezekiel’s time considered themselves to be the people of

God and thus superior to the nations around them. Jerusalem looked down

on the surrounding nations. Now, however, she would suffer the shameful

consequences of her waywardness. Syria and Philistine would now look

down on her. She was at one time the pride and beauty of the earth. Now

she would be put to shame before the astonished eyes of the unbelieving

world.

Even in our day we have seen the uncovering of sin and shame in the lives

of some who claimed to serve the Lord. They have been humbled, and their

kingdoms have toppled with them. How we need to take the warning of this

chapter seriously. Let us never forget what the Lord has done for us. Let us

always remember the pit from which we came.

Notice here that, though God must punish Jerusalem, He would not

completely abandon her. Verses 60-63 tell us that, while she would be

severely punished for her sins, God would remember His covenant with her.

God would again pour out His Spirit on her. He would again pick up her

bloody and dying body and take her in His arms. He would cause her to

remember the days of her youth when she was abandoned by all. God

would remember His covenant with His unfaithful wife. He would pour out

a spirit of repentance on her. From this we could understand that God may

yet move in power in the Jewish nation, bringing them to Himself. Ezekiel

reminds us that God would return to Israel something of her former glory.

She would be given the responsibility of caring for her rebellious sisters

Samaria and Sodom. Obviously, this was not because she had proven

worthy of such a task. She would be given this responsibility simply

because God is a God of grace who restores sinners to Himself and gives

them what they do not deserve.

What does this verse say to us in our churches today about those who have

fallen, repented, and are now seeking to return to ministry? Is there not

forgiveness for sin? When God forgives does He not forget and treat us as

though we had never sinned? Even the apostle Paul was used of God in a

mighty way. He persecuted the church, and yet God used him to become a

great apostle. Peter denied the Lord but was chosen to be the instrument of

God to reach three thousand souls on the day of Pentecost. David fell into

the sin of adultery but was still a man after God’s own heart. Praise God for

His forgiveness.

How often we have tried God’s patience. Maybe as you read, you are forced

to look at your own life. Maybe you too, like this young child, were left to

die. The world left you empty and destitute. You felt abandoned. The Lord

Jesus had compassion on you. He reached out and picked you up out of the

gutter. He clothed you with the richest of blessings. He loved you like you

had never been loved before. He drew you to Himself.

Today, however, you have lost that first love. The things of this world have

tempted you. You have turned your back on Him. Like the young wife in

this chapter, you preferred strangers to your husband. Maybe the Lord is

calling you to remember the pit from which you were removed (Psalm

40.2). Maybe He is calling you back to His side. Won't you return to Him

today? Won't you confess your wandering? He waits with arms open wide.

For Consideration:

What does this chapter teach us about the compassion of God?

Notice here how, despite the waywardness of Israel, God is willing to take

her back and forgive her. What does this teach us about those who wander

from the Lord today?

Can you identify with the wife in this chapter? How have you wandered

from God? What blessings has He given you?

What does this chapter teach us about how we need to treat those who have

wandered from the Lord?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that He did not give up on you even when you were not

faithful to Him.

Take a moment to reflect on where you were without the Lord in your life.

What has He done for you? Thank Him for His grace.

Ask God to give you patience with those who have not yet had victory over

their sin and rebellion. Ask the Lord to help you to love them as He loves

them.

17 - THE EAGLE AND THE

VINE

Read Ezekiel 17

here are times in our Christian walk when we do not understand

the will of the Lord. The Lord may call us to walk in unpleasant

places. The temptation is to be like Jonah and run in the opposite

direction. Like Jonah, however, we find out how much easier it would have

been to have obeyed. The people of Israel suffered much because they did

not want to follow God’s plan for their lives. They had other ideas. In this

chapter God reminded His people of the dangers of rejecting Him and His

purposes.

We begin with a parable of an eagle. This eagle was a beautiful bird. She

was powerful. She had long and sturdy wings. Her feathers were long and

full of many beautiful colors. In this passage she represented the king of

Babylon (see verse 12).

This eagle came to Lebanon (representing the nation of Judah). She broke

off the “top of a cedar” (verse 3) and brought it to a land of merchants and

traders. In 2 Kings 24:8 we read that when King Jehoiachin became king of

Judah, he did evil in the sight of the Lord. The Lord sent Nebuchadnezzar,

king of Babylon, against Judah. He laid siege to the city (2 Kings 24:10)

and took Jehoiachin captive (2 Kings 24:12). He was brought to the land of

Babylon, the land described here as the land of merchants and traders. King

Jehoiachin seems to be the “top of the cedar” the eagle (Nebuchadnezzar)

planted in Babylon.

The eagle also took some seed from the land and planted it in fertile soil by

an abundant source of water (verse 5). According to 2 Kings 24:16-17

Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah king in Judah in the place of Jehoiachin.

He granted him and his officials the right to govern the people who

remained in the land of Judah. Anyone with ability was taken by the

Babylonians to serve as slaves in Babylon. Those who remained in Judah

were the poor and unskilled. King Zedekiah was to rule over these

individuals and assure their loyalty to the king of Babylon. King Zedekiah

and those who remained in Israel may be the “seed” planted by the eagle in

the fertile soil of Judah.

The seed the eagle planted grew into a vine and spread out its branches

(verse 6). There was a certain growth under the leadership of Zedekiah.

Note, however, that the branches reached out to the eagle. Zedekiah was

committed to Nebuchadnezzar by an oath of faithfulness (see verse 13). He

offered him his submission and respect. Notice that while his “branches”

reached out to Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah’s “roots” remained firmly planted

in the soil of Judah.

We now meet a second eagle (verse 7). This eagle was also great and

powerful. Ezekiel tells us that, on seeing this second eagle, the vine bent its

roots and branches and stretched them out toward this second bird. In doing

so, the vine (Zedekiah and those who remained in Israel) turned away from

the first eagle. Zedekiah was not only breaking an oath of faithfulness to

Babylon, but was also breaking the covenant relationship with God as well

(verse 19). Notice here how the vine’s roots would be pulled up (verse 9).

Remember that these roots were planted in the soil of Israel, the land God

had promised. In turning from Nebuchadnezzar, they were also turning their

backs on God who had allowed them to remain in the Promised Land. We

read in 2 Chronicles 36:13 concerning Zedekiah:

“He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had

made him take an oath in God's name. He became stiff-necked

and hardened his heart and would not turn to the LORD, the

God of Israel.”

Zedekiah, having broken his treaty with Nebuchadnezzar, now ran to the

other “eagle” for help. Who was the second eagle? Jeremiah 37 tells us that,

during the reign of Zedekiah, the Egyptians marched to the aid of Jerusalem

(Jeremiah 37:5). Verse 15 confirms this. This second bird represented the

nation of Egypt. As for Zedekiah, because he broke his covenant with the

king of Babylon, verses 18-21 tell us that God would spread His net over

him and bring him and his subjects to Babylon. The story of how this

happened is recorded for us in Jeremiah 52. Israel refused to accept God’s

will that they remain in Israel under the domination of Nebuchadnezzar and

turned to Egypt for help. They would not find the help they desired in

Egypt. God's people would perish like this vine with its roots pulled up

(verses 9-10). Like a dead vine, they would be gathered up and cast aside.

What is important for us to note here is that while Babylon was the enemy

of God’s people, God expected Israel to submit to her for a time. Babylon

was the nation God would use to punish His people. In turning their backs

on Babylon at this time, they were resisting the discipline of the Lord. We

all know how hard the discipline of the Lord can be at times. Sometimes we

just want it to stop. Sometimes we take things into our own hands to try and

speed up the process. God calls us to accept His discipline and His timing in

this matter. It is His means of making us the people He has called us to be.

Instead of running from God, learn to trust and praise Him for these times

of discipline. He will use them for your good and His glory.

This was not the end of the story. God promised that He would take the top

off another cedar and plant some young twigs from it on the top of a

prominent mountain (verse 22). It would take root and become a splendid

cedar. It would provide shelter for birds of every kind. This very clearly

referred to the return of God’s people to their own land. It may also refer to

the work of the Lord Jesus who would come to the city of Jerusalem

(referred to here as a mountain). The entire world would see how God could

take an insignificant people and make them into something great. There was

hope for the people of God in spite of their rebellion. God had not finished

with them.

What is the practical application of this chapter to our lives? Where has

God planted you? What are your present circumstances? Zedekiah did not

like where he had been planted. He did not like having to be subject to the

king of Babylon. He could not accept that the Lord had allowed Him to be

planted in the soil of Babylonian domination. He chose to rebel against the

will of the Lord. He broke his word to Babylon and reached out to the king

of Egypt for help. He perished because he pulled up his roots from the soil

in which God planted Him.

What about you? Sometimes the will of God is very difficult. Sometimes

we cannot understand why the Lord is allowing certain things to happen to

us. It is better to let our roots sink deeply into the will of God, even when

we do not understand, than to pull them up and take matters into our own

hands. The temptation is to pull up our roots and abandon our post. Don't be

like Zedekiah—keep your roots firmly planted in the will of God. Let

nothing shake you. As long as your roots are planted in God, you will never

perish. God will prove faithful in the end.

For Consideration:

Why is the temptation so strong to abandon our post in times of trial? What

causes us to become uneasy with God’s will for our lives?

Can God use what appears to be evil to accomplish good in our lives? What

does this passage teach us about this?

Can you recall a time when God used evil or tragedy in your life to

accomplish great good? Explain.

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that He is a sovereign God who is able to transform even

the most horrible tragedy into good in our lives.

If you are going through a trial right now, ask the Lord to give you strength

to wait on Him.

Do you have a friend or acquaintance who is going through a hard time?

Take a moment to ask the Lord to be with him or her through this trial.

18 - THE SINS OF THE

FATHERS

Read Ezekiel 18

here was a proverb in the land of Israel that went something like

this: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth

are set on edge" (verse 2). What did it mean? It meant that children

had to suffer because of the sins of their fathers. There is a certain truth in

this statement. Speak to a child of an abusive father. Sit down with the child

of an unfaithful or an alcoholic father. You will soon find out that what

children experience in the home very dramatically affects them in their lives

today. In this sense, the sins of the fathers have caused their children to

suffer.

The children of Israel, however, took this a step further. They believed that

when a father sinned, he acted for the entire family. They felt that God

would punish the entire family because of the sins of the father. God told

them here that this was not the case. "The soul who sins is the one who will

die," said God (verse 4). Each individual is accountable to God for his or

her own sins. We will never have to answer for the sins of another.

Ezekiel explains to us what he means by giving us four examples in this

chapter. The first example is of a righteous father (verses 5-9). This father

does not worship idols. He does not defile himself. He respects his

neighbor’s wife. He lives in harmony with those in his community. He

shows compassion to the oppressed and provides for the needs of the poor.

He observes the law of God. "This man," says God "shall surely live" (verse

9, NKJV).

This righteous man, however, has a son (verses 10-13). His son is a violent

man who worships idols. He oppresses the needy. He is unfaithful to his

word. He is an adulterer. He takes advantage of his neighbor. "He," says the

Lord, "shall surely die" (verse 13, NKJV). His righteous father will not be

able to save him in the day of God's wrath. The fact that he was brought up

in a godly home will not set him free from the wrath of God. He will perish

for his sins, but his father will be saved. We cannot judge people on the

basis of the family they come from or the church they attend. You can come

from a good family and a good church and still be lost in your sins.

Ezekiel gives us a second example. Here he speaks about a son who

recognizes the sins of his father and turns from them (verses 14-17). In this

case, the son would be saved and the father would perish. The son would

not share the guilt of the father. The basic principle is found in verse 20:

“The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not

share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of

the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited

to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged

against him.”

How easy it is for parents to blame themselves because their children have

wandered from the path. The Bible tells us that each child is accountable to

God for his or her own actions. You are not accountable to God for your

children's sins. While we are accountable to God to bring up our children in

the ways of the Lord, God does not hold us accountable for how they

respond. They must answer to God for themselves.

Ezekiel gives us a third example in verses 21-23. Here we have the case of

a sinful man who turns from his sins to serve the Lord. Ezekiel tells us that

none of his past offenses will be remembered (verse 22). Think about this

for a moment. Maybe you have come from a horrible background. You are

ashamed of your past life. When you think about what you did before you

met the Lord, it sends shivers down your spine. Looking at where you came

from is depressing. Satan begins to plant seeds of doubt in your mind. You

begin to wonder if the Lord could really forgive you. Ezekiel 18:22 tells us

that "none of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against

him." What does that small word "none" mean? Does it not mean "not

one?" Not one of your offenses, not one sin (however small or however big)

will be held against you if you are forgiven by the Lord God. What comfort

you can take in this verse today. Bring those sins to Him now. Confess them

and surrender to God.

The final example is found in verse 24. Here we meet a righteous man who

turns his back on the Lord. The Bible tells us that this man will die. More

than this, however, Ezekiel reminds us that all his "righteousness which he

has done shall not be remembered (NKJV)." In other words, you cannot

turn your back on the Lord after living a godly life and expect that your past

good deeds will get you through. Not only will they not get you through,

they will not even be placed on your account or mentioned.

Some people feel that God puts our sins on a scale and measures them

against our good deeds. The teaching of Ezekiel here totally contradicts this

idea. Sin is like a disease. When attacked by a disease, your previous good

health is totally ignored. The disease cares nothing for all the physical

exercise and nutritious food you ate in the past. When this disease attacks

you, it can take your life despite how healthy you have been all your life. So

it is with sin. Our good lifestyle does not guarantee that we will not fall

prey to the disease of sin in the future. Sin can destroy a godly person as

well as an ungodly person. It is no respecter of persons.

The people of Ezekiel’s day could not accept this teaching (verses 25-29).

They felt that God should at least take into consideration the fact that they

were brought up in a good home. They believed that their righteous deeds

should count for something, even though they were not living for God right

then. There are many people who feel the same way today. They are

trusting in their good deeds and good upbringing to get them through. God

tells us here, however, that we will each give an individual account of our

lives before God. Fathers will not answer for their children. Children cannot

count on their parents. God will not measure our good deeds against our

bad. He wants to know where you are with Him right now. Everything can

be cleansed. You can be completely forgiven if you come to Him, but you

must come.

God pleads with His people to turn from their sin. He longs to forgive them.

He takes no pleasure in their death. It gives Him great joy to bring life and

healing to their souls. God offers them a new heart and spirit that is clean

before Him. He calls us to come to Him and live. You alone can do

something about your sins. No other person can do it for you.

For Consideration:

What things do people count on today to get them to heaven? What does

Ezekiel tell us about this?

Is it possible for a righteous person to fall into sin? What areas of your life

need to be guarded to protect you from falling today?

Where do you stand with God today? Are you right with Him? Explain.

For Prayer:

Do you know people who are counting on their upbringing or church to get

them to heaven? Take a moment to pray that God would reveal to them their

need of a Savior.

Do you have parents or children that have not yet come to the Lord? Ask

God to bring them to Himself.

If you are a parent today, ask God to give you wisdom in the raising of your

children. If you are not a parent, pray for a specific family you know. Ask

God to reveal Himself to the individual members of that family.

19 - THE LION AND THE

VINE

Read Ezekiel 19

ave you ever thought of where you would be today without God?

Everything we have we owe to Him. He pours His blessings so

richly on us. All too often, however, we use what God has given

us for our own glory. We become proud and arrogant. We take these

blessings for granted or as our right. This was the case for Israel and her

kings. Israel needed to learn that the God who blessed could also remove

His blessings. In this chapter we meet two kings of Israel. They are depicted

as great lions. Because they misused the position the Lord had given them

and arrogantly turned their backs on God, He would remove them from

power. In this section Israel is also compared to a beautiful vine that God

uprooted because of her rebellious heart. Let’s look at these illustrations.

Israel was a lioness raising her cubs. One cub, in particular, became very

strong and powerful. He grew up to become a magnificent lion. He was a

lion to be feared. He tore apart his prey and devoured men. Because he was

such an evil and fearful lion, a trap was set for him. Men dug a pit to

ensnare him. He fell into their trap. His captors led him away to Egypt

where he would no longer be a threat to them.

To whom is this illustration referring? Many commentators believe that this

lion is King Jehoahaz. Israel, as the lioness, gave birth to this great king.

He was a bad king. The Bible tells us about Jehoahaz:

“He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his fathers had

done” (2 Kings 23:32).

Three months into his reign, Pharaoh Neco put him in chains and led him

away into captivity in Egypt (see 2 Kings 23:31-33). Jehoahaz, like the lion,

was trapped and sent into exile into the land of Egypt.

With her first lion cub gone, Israel, the lioness, was forced to turn her

attention to another cub. She raised a second cub to replace the first. This

cub was the same as his brother. He tore apart his prey. He devoured men.

He ravaged towns. People were terrified of his roaring. The nations

assembled against him. They captured him and led him away into captivity

in Babylon.

Who is this second lion? Pharaoh placed Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim on the

throne. According to 2 Kings 23:34 Pharaoh changed the name of Eliakim

to Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim was an evil king like his brother. 2 Kings 24:2

tells us that, because of his evil ways, God sent many nations against him.

We have a record in this verse of the nations of Babylon, Aram (Syria),

Moab, and Ammon all attacking Israel at this time. This corresponds

perfectly with Ezekiel 19:8.

During the reign of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land and

forced Jehoiakim to become his servant. For three years Jehoiakim served

the king of Babylon. After three years, however, he rebelled against

Babylon (see 2 Kings 24:1). This caused the Babylonians to invade Judah,

the southern kingdom of Israel. According to 2 Chronicles 36:5-7,

Jehoiakim was bound with bronze shackles and led off into captivity to

Babylon. This second lion cub was treated in the same way as the first. He

was removed from his position and taken into captivity. All these things

happened just as God had prophesied through his servant Ezekiel.

The second picture in this chapter is the picture of a vine. For the third time

in the book of Ezekiel, the people of God are compared to a vine (see

chapters 15 and 17). As a vine, Israel was planted by the waters. Because of

her ideal location, she produced much fruit. Her branches were strong and

beautiful. Her foliage was thick. She grew tall. Her branches were fit to

make a ruler's scepter.

This vine, however, was uprooted. She was thrown to the ground. Her fruit

was stripped from her. The east wind came and shrivelled her up. Her

branches withered and she was consumed by fire. She was replanted in the

desert. What a sorry sight she was then. She was fruitless, sickly, and

withered. Her branches, once fit to make a ruler's scepter, were no longer of

any use.

Babylon was the east wind that came and withered the vine of God's people.

When the Babylonians came, they stripped Judah of her possessions. They

burned her houses and temple. They took the shrivelled up vine that she

was and exiled her into Babylon where she was replanted. There in exile all

pride and dignity were removed. She was a sickly people of no use to God.

God's people, like her kings, had turned their backs on Him. They had been

a great nation. At one point they were feared by the surrounding nations.

Israel was like the great lion whose roar sent fear into the hearts of those

who heard it. They were prosperous and flourished under the blessings of

God. Israel was like the vine whose branches were fit to make a ruler's

scepter. But God’s people became proud and arrogant. They felt they did

not need God. They felt they could take care of themselves. Because of

their rebellion, the Lord God took away His blessings. They were stripped

of all his favour. They withered up and became the laughing stock of all the

nations.

Where would we be today without God? If you serve the Lord in some

ministry, where would that ministry be without the Him? Consider for a

moment the many blessings you have. From whose hand have you received

these blessings? Who makes your heart beat? Who gives you each breath

you breathe? Who gives you life and strength? Without the Lord you would

perish.

Let’s learn the lesson of this chapter. How quickly God could remove His

presence from our ministries. How quickly He could withdraw the blessings

He has poured out on us. How much we owe our great God. Let’s not take

Him for granted. The great lions of Israel were captured. The great vine of

Israel was uprooted. It could happen to us as well, were it not for the grace

and mercy of a loving God. Praise Him for all He had done for you. Use the

blessings He has given you to serve and honour Him in return. Do not take

His blessings for granted.

For Consideration:

Consider for a moment some of the blessings God has given you in recent

years. Would any of this be possible without Him?

Why is it so hard to admit that without God we would have nothing?

What would it take for everything you have worked so hard to achieve in

life to be taken from you?

Have you ever found yourself looking at your achievements and thinking,

even for a moment, that you were the one who accomplished these things?

What do you learn from this chapter?

For Prayer:

Thank God for the evidence of His blessing in your life today?

Ask God to forgive you for the times you failed to recognize His hand in

your life?

Ask the Lord to help you use these blessings for His glory?

20 - REBELLION BROKEN

Read Ezekiel 20

ave you ever met a person who accepted the Lord but wandered

away from Him? These people are all too common in our day.

Maybe the wanderer is someone close to you. Maybe it is a son

or a daughter. Maybe your husband or wife has lost his or her first love for

the Lord Jesus. Could it be you? God's people in Ezekiel's day were in this

situation.

As we begin this chapter, the elders of the land have come to the prophet

Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. They recognized his gift, but they were

unwilling to listen to what he said. This was not the first time they came to

inquire of the Lord in this book. They came in chapter 14 to hear the word

of the Lord. Notice here in verse 3 what the Lord had to say to them:

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them,

‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Have you come to

inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of

me, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

Why would the Lord not want to speak to these elders? To answer this

question, God took them back to the time of their forefathers. He reminded

them of how He had revealed Himself to them in the land of Egypt. They

had been crying out to Him in their bondage and oppression. God heard

their cry and came to them through His servant Moses. He searched out for

them a land of milk and honey and placed them in a most beautiful land. In

return for His great favour, He simply asked them to turn from their idols to

serve Him. They refused to put aside these idols, however. Instead, they

continued to worship the gods of Egypt. God wanted to pour out His anger

on them. Instead, however He chose to exercise patience (verse 9). Why did

He choose not to destroy them?

“But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from

being profaned in the eyes of the nations they lived among and

in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites by

bringing them out of Egypt: (verse 9).

God chose not to "profane" (NIV) or "pollute" (KJV) His name in the sight

of the nations. What would the nations say if the people of God were

destroyed? Would they not blaspheme the name of their God? "What kind

of God is this that would destroy His people," they would say. He exercised

patience so that all would see His great love and patience toward His

people.

Despite their sin, the Lord led His people out of the land of Egypt. He gave

them His laws to distinguish them from all the other people of the earth. He

warned them that they would disobey these laws at the cost of their own

lives. God called them to set aside one day in seven as a day of rest and

fellowship with Him. Once again, however, His people refused to obey.

They rejected and despised His laws. They defiled the holy day the Lord

gave them. Again the Lord thought of destroying them for their sins, but

withheld His hand. What kept Him from judging them?

“But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from

being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had

brought them out” (verse 14).

Once again we see that for the sake of His name, God chose to exercise

patience and compassion on these sinners. While that generation would

perish in the wilderness because of their sin, the nation was not destroyed.

God’s grace and compassion would again be showered on their children.

God spoke to these children. He commanded them to keep His

commandments and not follow the ways of their parents. They had the

advantage of seeing the judgment of God on their parents in the wilderness.

These children, like their parents, however, chose to turn their backs on God

(verse 21). They did not obey His laws. For the third time in this chapter,

we read that the Lord wanted to destroy them as a people. He withheld His

hand, however. Again verse 22 gives us the reason:

“But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did

what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the

nations in whose sight I had brought them out.”

Once again, for the sake of His name, the Lord chose not to destroy His

people. They would not go unpunished, however. God would scatter them

to the ends of the earth (verse 23). He also gave them up to their evil

practices (verse 25). Because of their sinful ways, God declared their

worship of Him unclean. Notice how their gifts and offerings were mere

rituals (verse 26). On the one hand, they offered their gifts to the Lord, and

on the other hand, they made their firstborn children pass through the fire in

honour of their pagan gods (verse 26). Not only did they do this, but verse

28 tells us that they went up into the high mountains and hills and offered

sacrifices and offerings to the gods of the land. They forsook the one true

God who delivered them from the land of Egypt. These places where they

worshiped their foreign gods, God called bamah, meaning “high place.”

The children did exactly as their parents had done. They had completely

defiled themselves before God. Verse 32 tells us that their desire was to be

like the Gentile nations around them. They wanted to serve their gods and

bow down to their idols. They made up their minds. They did not want the

God of their fathers.

How would God respond toward this people? Not in the way they deserved.

Not even in a way we would expect. "What you have in mind will never

happen" (verse 32), said the Lord. God would not allow them to continue in

their rebellion. “I will rule over you,” said God in verse 33.

Yes, God would rule over them even in their rebellion. He would gather

them from the far corners of the earth where they had wandered. He would

plead with them face to face (verse 35). He would count them like a

shepherd counted his sheep as they passed under His rod. As they passed

under this rod, He would purge them. The rebels among them would be

disciplined. In that day, God’s people would see a great working of his

Spirit in their midst.

When He had purged them, they would again serve their God. Once again

God would be pleased to accept their willing, heartfelt offerings and

sacrifices. He would sanctify them in the eyes of the nations around them.

Everyone would know that Israel belonged to God. The nations would see

God’s hand print all over His people. As God’s Spirit moved among them,

they would remember their evil ways and how they had rebelled against the

Lord. They would loathe themselves because of their evil. They would be

brought to repentance. In all this they would see His wonderful grace

toward them.

In verse 46 God told Ezekiel to turn toward the south and prophecy against

it. Ezekiel was in Babylon. As he looked toward the south, he looked

toward the land God had given to the Jews. He told the elders that the Lord

had started a fire in the land that would not be quenched. The land would be

destroyed. God was going to begin to purge the land. That purging would

take place through the nation of Babylon which would invade and conquer.

The elders of the land, who had come to see Ezekiel, were not able to

understand what God was saying through His prophet. To them, he was

speaking in parables with hidden meanings. They could not understand

what was wrong. Why was God angry? What had they done that would

deserve such wrath? As spiritual and political leaders, they were totally

blind to the things of God.

What is the application of this passage to us in our present day? Do we not

have here a great encouragement regarding our loved ones who have

wandered from their initial commitment to the Lord? God refused to

destroy His people for the sake of His name. When we accept the Lord as

our Savior, we become His children and take His name on ourselves. God's

desire in this chapter was to preserve those who were called by His name.

In spite of their sins, they were kept. While they were punished, they were

never abandoned. God would not allow His people to continue in their

rebellion. They would be purged. The evil would be removed, and they

would return to Him with faithful hearts. God is still sovereign in the lives

of those who rebel against Him.

Do you have loved ones who have forsaken their first love of the Lord? Can

we not claim this chapter for these loved ones? Can we not claim the

promise of God that He will purge those who are His, even though they

have wandered from Him? If God refused to abandon His people in the Old

Testament because of His name sake, will he not be as faithful to His

children today? If God promised that He would purge His people in the

days of Ezekiel, will He abandon His child today? The God who ruled over

His rebellious children (verse 33) and brought them back to the fold in the

days of Ezekiel is the same God today. He will not forsake His own.

For Consideration:

Have you ever had a time of wandering from the Lord? In all that time did

God ever abandon you?

What courage do you take from this chapter with regard to our nation and

the church of our day?

Take a moment to consider how the Lord has exercised patience toward you

over the last few years.

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord for His patience toward you today.

Do you know someone who is wandering from the Lord? Take a moment to

ask the Lord to work in his or her life, even as He worked in the lives of His

people in Israel.

21 - A SWORD

SHARPENED AND

POLISHED

Read Ezekiel 21

e saw in the last chapter how God promised to pour out a spirit

of repentance on His people (Ezekiel 20:43). While He could

have destroyed them, His love and mercy preserved them. God

is a God of enormous love and compassion. He is also, however, a God of

righteous anger and judgment. Here in this chapter God reminds His people

that a day of judgment is coming.

The prophet was called to prophesy against the holy places in the city of

Jerusalem. Notice here that it was not against the dens of iniquity that he

was to preach. He was to speak out against the holy places. It was here that

God should have been worshiped. Here the name of the Almighty should

have been lifted up, but instead it was being dishonored.

Verse 3 tells us that the Lord was against these holy places. He was, even

then, drawing His sword from its sheath to cut them off. Notice that He was

going to cut off “both the righteous and the wicked.” From the north to the

south, all flesh would experience the heavy hand of God's wrath. Why

would the righteous have to suffer along with the wicked? Could it be that

the righteous too had drifted far from God? Had they become complacent in

their day? Had they become indifferent to the evils around them? Were they

being tempted to follow the ways of the world? What is clear is that

everyone was to be placed under the stern hand of God's judgment. The

righteous needed to be awakened from their sleep and the ungodly needed

to be punished.

God called the prophet to groan before the people with a broken heart

(verse 6). We are not told how the prophet did this. It is clear from the

context, however, that he did so in a way that drew attention to himself.

When the people asked him why he was grieving so deeply, he was to tell

them that it was because of what the Lord God had planned to do to them.

Ezekiel very likely felt this grief in his heart. Very likely God would have

burdened his heart over the judgment that was coming on His people.

Maybe He needs to burden our hearts in a similar way.

Ezekiel reminded his people that the day was coming when every heart

would melt. Their hands would go limp. Their spirits would become faint.

Their knees would become weak because of the severity of the Lord's

wrath. As we consider our own lives before God, where do we stand? We

will all one day stand before this great judge. Will we be ready? What is our

response to the declining spiritual condition of our land? Have our hearts

been broken like Ezekiel’s? Have we groaned with grief? Are we aware of

the judgment that is soon coming?

The sword of the Lord was against His people. It was being sharpened and

polished for slaughter. It would flash among them with the speed and

devastation of lightning. This was not a time to be joyous. No resistance

was possible. Even the king's scepter and all it represented would not resist

the sword of God's wrath. Like iron against wood, the judgment of the Lord

would come smashing down on them (see verse 21). Even as God was

speaking to Ezekiel, that sword was being polished and sharpened. It would

soon be handed over to the slayer who would execute God's sentence on the

earth.

This was a time to cry and wail (verse 12). God asked Ezekiel to beat his

breast (strike his thigh, NKJV) as a sign of mourning. Terror was about to

fall on the people of God and against the princes of the land. God's sword

would not overlook the scepter (symbol of the king of Judah). He too would

have to suffer the consequences of his rebellion against God. He would not

resist God.

In verse 14 Ezekiel reminded the people that this sword of God’s judgment

would do tremendous damage in the land. It would enter the private

chambers (NKJV) of the land and deal with the sin of the hidden places.

There would be nowhere to hide. The sword would await them at all the

gates to the city. The picture here was fugitives seeking to escape the city

under judgment. As they fled the enemy waited for them at the gate, cutting

them down one by one. Panic would strike. Verse 16 speaks of a great

sword swinging to the left and to the right, devouring everything in its path.

God’s anger would not subside until He had executed His full judgment on

the land (verse 17).

How would this sword of God's judgment come on the people of God? It

would come by means of the nation of Babylon. God told Ezekiel to make a

signpost (verse19). This sign would point in two directions. The first

direction was toward the town of Rabbah in the land of Ammon. The

second direction was toward the city of Jerusalem in Judah. God was going

to judge these two nations.

The king of Babylon was seen standing in the fork of the road, examining

the signpost made by Ezekiel (verse 21). Where would he send his army

first? He would cast lots to decide. Some commentators believe that he

wrote the names of the cities on arrows in his quiver, and then drew one of

these arrows out of his quiver. The city whose name was written on the first

arrow he drew from his quiver would be the city he would attack first. He

would consult his idols before making a choice. He would examine the liver

(obviously a pagan ritual for determining the will of the gods). Jerusalem

would be chosen first. She would be destroyed. While we see the king of

Babylon consulting his idols, it was really the Lord God who determined

the king’s course. God was sovereign even over these evil practices.

Verse 23 tells us that those who had sworn allegiance to Babylon (the king

of Judah and his princes) would not believe that their nation would be

destroyed. They believed that they were safe and secure. God, however, was

going to surprise them by judging their sin. There are many people like this

in our day. Somehow they believe that they are safe from the judgment of

God. The day will come when they will have to stand before God to give an

account of their actions. What a terrible day that will be.

Because they had openly rebelled against God, they would be "taken in

hand" (NKJV) or "taken captive” (verse 24). Their day had come. "Remove

the crown," God said to the princes of the land. This was a day for

humbling. God gave permission to the Babylonians to overthrow His

people. They would not be restored until the day that God handed the nation

over to the one to whom it rightfully belonged (verse 27). Who was the one

to whom the nation rightfully belonged? Is it not the Lord Jesus, the

Messiah? He alone would be able to set their hearts right. He alone would

be able to restore them to the Lord their God. He alone was their hope.

Notice how powerless the people of God really were. They fell prey to the

enemy. They were being trampled on and oppressed. Ultimately, they had

only themselves to blame. They had turned from their God—now they

would suffer the deadly consequences of their rebellion and sin.

As for the nation of Ammon, the other name on the signpost, it would not

be forgotten. There was an arrow with her name on it as well. They were

not to trust the false visions of their prophets who were only deceiving

them. What were these prophets telling them? Were they telling them that

everything would be all right? How often have we heard that message in

our day? They were announcing peace when there was no peace. God

would pour out His wrath on them as well (verse 31). They would be

handed over to men skilled in destruction (verse 31). They would become

fuel for the fire of God's wrath. Their blood would be shed, and they would

be remembered no more (verse 32).

Notice that the first to be judged were the people of God. They knew better.

They had received the law of God and knew His ways but rejected them.

They were His children, the objects of His special attention. When they

rebelled against Him, they experienced the heavy hand of His judgment.

Their judgment was not pleasant. It was not expected, though it was clearly

prophesied. They did not believe God would ever discipline them the way

He did. Maybe we too can feel this way. We know that God does not like

the sins in our lives, but we feel that His patience will last forever. What a

surprise it was for the Israelites to wake one day to the realization that now

they were going to have to answer to God for their sin. While the patience

of God is very real, so is His judgment. Let's not tempt Him. Instead, learn

the lesson of this chapter. Deal with your sins. Confess them and be made

right with God. Don't put it off. One day it will be too late.

For Consideration:

Consider for a moment the condition of the church of our day. What keeps

God from judging?

What do we cling to today for security? What makes us feel that God will

never really call us to give an account of our sins?

How do we find the balance between teaching that God is love and also that

He is a God of justice and wrath? Do you find a balance in this teaching in

your church? How important is this balance?

For Prayer:

Ask God to reach out to the church of our day and renew it. Ask Him to

send a revival to awaken His church before it is too late.

Take a moment to look deeply into your own heart. If the sword of the Lord

were to enter your "private chamber" what would it find?

Thank God for the incredible patience He has demonstrated toward you in

your failures and shortcomings.

22 - STANDING IN THE

GAP

Read Ezekiel 22

od was very angry with His people. In the last meditation we saw

how He had been polishing and sharpening His sword to do

battle. God's anger was not without reason. In Ezekiel 22 he

accused the nation of twenty-nine transgressions against His Word. In verse

1 the prophet Ezekiel was to stand as judge. As he listened, God brought

His accusations against the people. God accused His people of the

following sins:

1. Shedding innocent blood (verses 3- 4)

2. Idolatry (verses 3- 4)

3. Misuse of the prince's power to shed blood (verse 6)

4. Treating their fathers and mothers with contempt (verse 7)

5. Oppression of the foreigner (verse 7)

6. Mistreatment of the orphan (verse 7)

7. Mistreatment of the widow (verse 7)

8. Despising the holy things of God (verse 8)

9. Profaning the Sabbath (verse 8)

10. Slander (verse 9)

11. Committing lewd acts on the mountaintops of Israel

(verse 9)

12. Eating at the pagan mountain shrines (verse 9)

13. Having sexual intercourse with their mothers (verse 10)

14. Violation of women during their impurity (verse 10)

15. Violation of their neighbors’ wives (verse 11)

16. Violation of their daughters-in law (verse 11)

17. Violation of their sisters (verse 11)

18. Accepting bribes to shed blood (verse 12)

19. Taking excessive interest (verse 12)

20. Taking advantage of their neighbors by extortion (verse

12)

21. Forsaking the Lord (verse 12)

22. The princes (NIV) or prophets (NKJV) devouring the

people (verse 25)

23. The priests doing violence to the law (verse 26)

24. The officials (NIV) or princes (NKJV) murdering the

people for gain (verse 27)

25. The prophets speaking lies in God's name (verse 28)

26. Extortion (NIV) or oppression (NKJV, verse 29)

27. Robbery (verse 29)

28. Mistreating the poor (29)

29. Oppressing the foreigner (verse 29)

God was rightfully angered against His people. Their unrestrained sin

caused the day of their judgment to draw near (verse 4). Notice that our sin

and rebellion against God can actually hasten His judgment. There comes a

point where our sin is so great that God must pour out His judgment on our

land. Already God’s people were seeing the results of their sin. God had

made them to be a laughingstock in the eyes of the nations. The

surrounding nations despised them. They no longer had the favour of God

on them, nor did they have the favour of the nations around them. Their

former glory had all but disappeared (verse 5).

God beat His fists in anger because of the dishonesty and sin of His people

(verse 13, NKJV). There was frustration in His voice as He cried out:

“What will happen in the day that I deal with you? Will your heart and

hands be strong on that day?” (verse 14). Because of their sin, the people of

God would be scattered among the nations (verse 15). Just as metal was

refined in the furnace, so God's people would be cast into the furnace of His

discipline and wrath. There, under His mighty justice, their resistance

would be melted. As a people they refused the refreshing rain of God's

renewal (verse 24). The day was coming, however, when they would again

recognize Him as Lord and turn to Him (see verses 17-22).

When God looked on His people, He looked for even one person in whom

He could find favour so He would not have to destroy them. He could not

find that one individual among them. They were completely sold out to sin,

from the least to the greatest. Because of this, God would shower His

righteous anger on them. The fire of His wrath would consume them. God

would repay them for their evil deeds.

We are left to believe that even one righteous person among them could

have preserved the nation. This reminds us of the cities of Sodom and

Gomorrah. God told Abraham that if He could even find ten righteous

people in these cities, He would spare them. This appears to be the case

here. Our influence has a preserving effect in our society. Jesus calls us the

"salt of the earth" (Matt 5:13). There are times when the only thing that

keeps God from unleashing his wrath on this world is His love for His

children. What an important role we play.

Could it be that God is calling you to stand in the gap for someone today?

In chapter 21 we saw that the sword of God’s judgment was being

sharpened. It was ready to fall. God took no delight in condemning His

people. He grieved because no one approached Him to seek mercy on

behalf of His people. How quickly He would have forgiven them, but no

one sought that forgiveness. In Exodus 32:9-14 God told Moses that He was

going to destroy His people because of their sin. Moses stood in the gap and

pleaded for Israel. God willingly spared them because of Moses’ prayer.

Are there friends that God is calling you to stand in the gap for today? Does

God want you to seek His face on their behalf? Perhaps His sword of

judgment is dangling over their heads right now. Perhaps only your prayers

will keep it from falling.

How does our own nation measure up to the nation of Judah? Take the time

to re-examine the twenty-nine complaints of God against His people. Isn’t

our nation as guilty of sin as the nation of Judah? When God looks down on

our land, can He find a man or a woman who will go against flow? Will you

be that man or woman who stands in the gap? Praise God for those who

stand firm for the truth. Could it be that they are the reason that the

judgment of God is withheld for a time? May we be faithful. By our

faithfulness to the Word of God, we may yet save our nation from the

judgment of God.

For Consideration:

Compare the sins of Israel with what is happening in your nation today.

How does your nation measure up?

Is there someone for whom you need to stand in the gap today?

What does this chapter teach us about God’s desire to forgive?

How does the Lord Jesus stand in the gap for us?

For Prayer:

Pray for your nation. Ask God to spare it from His judgment.

Do you know someone who has wandered from God? Ask God for mercy

on behalf of that person.

23 - OHOLAH AND

OHOLIBAH

Read Ezekiel 23

hey say that history repeats itself. We never seem to learn from the

mistakes of others. As parents we speak to our children about the

dangers of certain actions. It seems, however, that our children are

bound to repeat our mistakes. Experience is really the best teacher. We

never understand what our parents taught us until we experience these

things ourselves. How unfortunate this is. How much better the world

would be if we could only learn from the experience of others. In this

chapter we meet two young women by the names of Oholah and Oholibah.

These young women were sisters. They represented the cities of Samaria

and Jerusalem and seemed to be destined to learn their lessons the hard

way.

Oholah was the older sister (verse 4) She represented Samaria, the capital of

the northern kingdom of Israel (verse 4). Oholah grew up in Egypt (verse

3). Here under the leadership of Moses she had her birth as a nation. Oholah

had a rebellious heart. She became a prostitute very early in life. She lusted

after other gods. There in Egypt she turned away from God to serve the

idols of the Egyptians. Though she belonged to God and had given Him

many sons and daughters (verse 4), she is pictured in verse 3 as having her

breasts fondled and her bosom caressed by foreigners. In other words, she

turned to and courted the world instead of being faithful to her God.

When God set her free under Moses from Egypt, she lusted after the gods of

the other nations (verse 5). These nations, with all their luxuries, attracted

her. She was enticed by their rich clothing and desirable young men on

horseback. She also defiled herself with the idols of the nation of Assyria

(verse 7). In other words, she served other gods and turned her back on the

God of Israel.

From a very early age Oholah had turned her back on her true husband. All

through her youth she had been guilty of defiling herself. What began in

Egypt continued throughout her life as a nation. As a jealous husband, God

was angry. He gave Oholah over to her Assyrian lovers (verse 9). They

stripped her naked, took away all she possessed, destroyed her land, stole

her possessions, and killed her sons and daughters. In the end they killed

Oholah. She was destroyed by the very one she lusted after.

Be assured that Satan will continue to entice us in this way today. He will

make sin look attractive. He pretends to be “an angel of light” (2 Cor.

11:14). By deception he will lead us straight into his trap. When we fall

prey to his temptations, we find ourselves engulfed and destroyed by the

very things that attracted us. This is what happened to Oholah (Israel). She

sought after the gods of the nations. Ultimately, this was what destroyed

her.

It is important that we notice that God gave Oholah to the ones she lusted

after. While there is no temptation too much for us to overcome in God’s

strength, if we persist in our desire for evil, He may very well give us over

to those desires. Lust, greed, bitterness, anger, and many other such evils

can overcome the believer as well as the unbeliever. How many of us have

been defeated by one or more of these enemies?

Oholah's sister, Oholibah, was very much like her. She represented the city

of Jerusalem, capital of the southern kingdom of Israel (Judah). She too

grew up in the land of Egypt. Like her sister, she became a prostitute in the

land of Egypt. When she left Egypt under Moses, like her sister, she lusted

after the Assyrians and their gods.

Oholibah saw what happened to her sister (verse 11). Judah watched the

Assyrians take the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity for her sin. She

saw the end result of her sister’s spiritual prostitution. Despite what she

saw, she did not learn her lesson. She repeated the sins of her sister. She not

only lusted after the Assyrians and their gods but also after the Babylonians

and their gods as well (verse 14).

Notice the progression in verses 14-17. Oholibah began by looking at the

pictures of these Babylonian men portrayed with their flowing turbans and

richly adorned belts. She allowed herself to focus on them. As she looked at

these pictures, she began to lust after them (verse 17). Having allowed

herself to lust after them, she proceeded to the next stage; she sent

messengers to them in Babylon. Notice that she did not have the courage to

go to them herself. Seeing her interest in them, the Babylonians came to

her. She did not have to go to them. Be assured that if Satan knows you are

interested and have entertained lustful thoughts in your heart, he will send

temptation your way. All this led her to committing adultery with the

Babylonians (verse 17) and eventually to open prostitution and rebellion

against God. This first act led to further acts. In verse 19 she is said to be

guilty of multiplying her immoral acts. Her immorality ultimately drove

God from her presence (verse 18).

How often have individuals become trapped in an immoral lifestyle by the

same process? Like the people of Judah, they allowed themselves to look at

the pornography around them. These pictures caused them to lust. Their

lust, in turn, drove them to immorality. How important it is to nip lust in the

bud. Like stepping into a hot bath, Judah became more and more

comfortable with the sin around her. Beware so you too don’t fall into the

same trap.

Because of her sin, God, her husband, turned away from her in disgust.

Despite the fact that her actions had separated her from God, she refused to

stop what she was doing. Instead, she gave herself even more fully to her

sin. Verse 20 is somewhat difficult to understand. Her lovers are described

as having “flesh” like a donkey and “issue” like a horse (NKJV). The NIV

translates it this way: "Whose genitals were like those of donkeys and

whose emission was like that of horses". The idea here seems to be that

their sexual appetite could not be satisfied. They had become slaves to their

flesh. This was now the company that she kept. How different they were

from God, her gentle and loving husband.

God stirred up Oholibah’s lovers against her (verse 22). Those young men

she desired would come to her. They would not come, however, to satisfy

her lust—they would come to destroy her (verse 24). They would come to

her with weapons in hand (verse 24). She would be punished for her sin.

Her sons and daughters would be taken away (verse 25). She would be

stripped of her possessions (verse 26). Everything she had worked for

would be taken from her (verse 29). She would be exposed for who she

really was (verse 29). Oholibah would drink the same cup as her sister

(verse 32). It was a cup of sorrow, desolation, and pain (verse 33). She

would bear the consequences of her sin (verse 35). If only she had learned

from her sister's experience. How often, like Oholibah, have we too been

tempted by sin? It appears so attractive. Our lust overcomes us. When we

finally give into our lust, we find that it was not at all what we expected.

Instead of satisfying us, these sins leave us empty, aching, guilty, ashamed,

and dying.

God asked Ezekiel to confront the nation of Judah with her sin. She had

committed adultery (verse 37). She had sacrificed her children to idols

(verse 37). In other words, she had practiced the evil pagan rite of child

sacrifice, offering her children on the altars of the pagan gods. She had

defiled the sanctuary of God and His Sabbath (verse 38). She would

practice child sacrifice and then come to the temple to call on God on the

same day (verse 39). She lusted after the nations around her (verses 40-45).

Even in her old age, she continued to rebel against the Almighty (verses 43-

44). God called an angry mob to stone her for her adultery. He would make

her an example for others. He would not allow her evil to continue (verse

48). Ultimately, she would know that God was the one true God.

How easy it is to fall into the trap of sin like Israel and Judah. How easy it

is to turn our attention to the things of the world. We are often tempted to

lust after earthly pleasures. How strongly we feel the pull to turn our eyes

away from our God. We often look to other sources of help in our times of

fear and crisis. It is not only those who are ignorant of the Word of God

who turn their backs on Him. The lure of sin is often stronger than our

desire to be obedient. For the pleasure of sin, we willingly disobey. God

was angry with Oholibah because she repeated the sins of her evil sister.

She had seen how God had punished Oholah for her sins but refused to

learn her lesson. Her punishment would be more severe. God warns us of

the dangers of turning our backs on Him and repeating the errors of Israel

and Judah. Will we be like Oholibah and block our ears? Will we learn from

her experience, or are we doomed to fall ourselves into the same sin?

The example of Oholah and Oholibah is here for our reflection. May we re-

examine our lives. Are we right with our Lord? Have we, like these two

sisters, turned our backs on God to seek after something else? Is the history

of Oholah and Oholibah bound to repeat itself in your life? May God cause

us to think long and hard about this example so we don’t fall into the same

trap.

For Consideration:

What do we learn from this section about the dangers of entertaining sin in

our hearts?

Have you ever been in a situation where you repeated the error of someone

else? What motivated you to ignore the example of those around you?

What does this section teach us about the importance of dealing with sin?

What are the consequences if we don’t?

For Prayer:

Are you struggling with a particular attraction to sin? Ask God to show you

what He would have you take from this chapter?

Ask the Lord to forgive you for the times you fell prey to the temptations of

the enemy.

Thank the Lord for the many warnings He has given us in His Word to

protect us and keep us from evil.

24 - THE PARABLE OF THE

COOKING POT

Read Ezekiel 24:1-14

ave you ever burned a pot dry? This can be a very frustrating

experience. What makes this experience even more disheartening

is when that pot contains the choice meat you so carefully

selected at the market. Chapter 24 of Ezekiel presents a powerful

illustration of a cooking pot boiled dry. Notice in verse 2 that the day God

gave this parable to Ezekiel was the day the King of Babylon started his

siege of Jerusalem. This parable relates to the siege of Jerusalem by

Babylon.

The cooking pot in this chapter was filled with water and put on the fire.

The choicest pieces of meat were placed inside. Wood was piled up under

the pot for a fire. The water was brought to a boil. The meat remained

simmering in the boiling water (verse 5).

God's people, like this pot, had been placed over the fire of God's discipline.

God delighted in His people like a cook rejoiced over a choice cut of meat.

The fire of God's discipline under them was intended to bring out the best in

them. Like a master chef, God placed just the right spices in the pot with the

meat (verse 10). With time and patience, God's people would become

everything the master cook intended them to become.

God's discipline, though for our good, is never easy. There are times when

we rebel against God and what He wants to do in our lives. As a master

cook, however, God is carefully preparing us. He takes great delight in us.

As we allow Him to work, He makes us into an object of beauty. The heat

removes all the raw sin in our lives. The spices give us a flavor that is

pleasing to Him. Unlike earthly cooks, this cook never fails in His attempts.

We can trust Him fully.

Notice in this parable that there was a scum found in this boiling pot. This

scum could not be removed despite the intense heat (verse 6). God had

disciplined His children, but they would not listen to Him. Sin, like this

scum, tarnished their lives. They clung to their sin. They refused to let the

natural process of discipline purify them.

According to verse 7, God's people were unashamed of their evil. Ezekiel

said that they poured the blood of innocent people on a rock. Blood poured

out on a rock would be there for everyone to see. Jerusalem made no effort

to conceal her evil. She felt no need to shed her innocent blood on the

ground where it could be hidden and covered by the dust. She openly

sinned against her God. Because she openly sinned against God, she would

be openly punished. God would shed her blood on the rock where everyone

would see it (verse 8).

Jerusalem was like this cooking pot. Inside the pot was the choicest of meat.

God's people were like that choice meat. They turned away from God and

left the scum of their sin caked on the side of the pot. The whole city was

filled with their sin. Because they had refused God's gentle discipline, they

would be punished more severely. Wood was heaped up under the cooking

pot. The scum of Jerusalem’s sins would be burned out by an even greater

heat and removed, one piece at a time (verse 6). The meat itself (symbol of

God's people) would be consumed. This would happen when the

Babylonians invaded and destroyed their land.

Notice in verse 11 that the empty, over-boiled pot would then be taken and

placed directly in the coals. It would be left in these coals until its copper

began to glow with the heat. All its impurities would be destroyed. This pot

represented the city of Jerusalem. It would be plundered and burned when

Babylon invaded.

What was so unfortunate about this whole situation was the fact that both

the meat and the pot had to be consumed. If the people of God had learned

to accept His discipline on a daily basis, they would not have had to suffer

the way they did. The more sin they heaped up in their lives, the more fire

was necessary to consume that sin. Had they learned to heed the gentle heat

of God's discipline, they would not have had to suffer the blazing fury of

His judgment.

Some of us, like the children of Israel, have never learned to accept the

gentle discipline of the Lord. We fail to listen to His exhortation in small

matters. We do not deal with the small sins He exposes. Do not heap up

your sins like the people of Israel and Judah. Let the gentle heat of God's

discipline cleanse you of your sins, or soon the only thing that will cleanse

you will be the blazing fire of his judgment.

For Consideration:

Why is it so hard for us to admit our sin and accept the gentle discipline of

the Lord?

Are there things in your life that you need to deal with today? What are

they?

How does the discipline of God remind us that He loves us?

For Prayer:

Ask God to help you recognize his gentle discipline in your life.

Thank God that you can trust what He is doing in your life even when it

seems difficult.

Thank God that Je loves you enough to discipline and correct you when you

are wrong.

25 - THE DEATH OF

EZEKIEL'S WIFE

Read Ezekiel 24:15-27

ave you ever lost a loved one? If you have, you will understand

the pain involved. The prophet Ezekiel was married. All we

know about his wife is recorded for us in this short passage of

Scripture. We catch a glimpse here of the relationship that existed between

Ezekiel and his wife.

God came to the prophet one day to tell him that He was going to take away

the “desire” (KJV) or the “delight” (NIV) of his eyes (verse16). This

statement tells us a lot. Have you ever been surprised by the break-up of a

marriage that you thought was going well? It is easy to let people think that

things are going well in your marriage, while in fact they are going very

badly. Human beings can put up a good front.

God, however, is never fooled. He reads the thoughts of our minds. He

understands our hearts. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He

sees what takes place when no one else is around. When God told Ezekiel

that He was going to take away the delight of his eyes, He tells us a lot

about what Ezekiel thought of his wife.

Ezekiel's wife was a delight to him. Ezekiel treasured her and loved her

very much. She brought joy and happiness to his heart. He took pleasure in

having her with him. The relationship between Ezekiel and his wife was a

beautiful illustration of the relationship between God and His people. You

see, God took great delight in His people too. He showered them with His

blessings. He loved them very much. You can feel the pain that Ezekiel

must have felt when he was told that God would take away his wife. This

pain would not be unlike the pain God felt in His heart when He punished

His own people.

Notice how verse 16 tells us that "with one stroke" (NKJV) God would take

away the desire of the heart of Ezekiel. Do you realize how quickly you

could lose those things that are dear to your heart? In an instant they could

be swept away from you. It is only by the grace of God that we have what

we have. It is important for us to realize that God has the right to take away

those things He has given us. How often we live as though God owed us

something. The moment we gave our lives to Christ, we surrendered every

personal right we believed we had. As believers, we do not have rights. We

have died to self and yielded every right to God. Our rights were crucified

with Him on the cross. We no longer belong to ourselves. Everything we

have is His to do with as He pleases. Are you willing to accept these terms?

There can be no growth in the Christian life until we accept these

conditions. Christ must have all of us. Ezekiel had to face this reality. God

was going to take away his wife.

Mourning is a very normal response to the loss of a loved one. The Lord

told the prophet Ezekiel, however, that he was not to mourn the loss of his

wife. No tears were to be shed when his wife died. He was not to publicly

display his grief. He was to act as if nothing had happened. Life was to go

on as normal.

As God said, Ezekiel's wife died in the evening. He obeyed the voice of the

Lord and went on with life as normal. People did not understand what was

happening. They saw the prophet going about his daily routine as if nothing

had happened. They saw him shed no tears. He did not show any grief over

what had taken place. Obviously, they knew he loved his wife dearly, so

they came to ask him why he reacted to the death of his wife in this manner.

Ezekiel now had the opportunity to explain to the people why the Lord took

away his wife. God used the prophet's wife as an object lesson for His

people. Soon God would take away the delight of their eyes. Their city,

their temple, their children would all fall by the enemy's sword. They too

would feel the pain of losing something that was very dear to them. Like

Ezekiel, they would mourn privately among themselves (verse 23b), but

there would not be any public display of grief.

Why would they not publicly display their grief? As their enemies led them

into captivity, they were unable to display their grief. There in their land of

exile they would not be given the right to grieve their loss in the customary

way. They would be treated as slaves. There would be no time of mourning.

They would be immediately put to work to serve the Babylonian cause.

Verse 27 tells us that on the day that the Lord would bring to pass this word

about His people, Ezekiel's mouth would be opened. He would no longer be

silent. How are we to understand this? If we look at the rest of the book of

Ezekiel, we find that the prophet no longer prophesied to the people of God

about their coming judgment. In chapters 25- 33 of his book, the prophet

would speak to the nations. It would not be until chapter 33 that Ezekiel

would again speak to God's people. This would be after the fall of

Jerusalem. This would fulfill the prophecy that God had given Ezekiel

through the death of his wife. When Ezekiel did speak again to God’s

people, it would no longer be with messages of doom and destruction. His

messages would become messages of hope and restoration. With the death

of his wife, Ezekiel ended his prophecies against the people of God.

How would you feel if you were the prophet Ezekiel? How would you react

if you discovered that God had taken your loved one so she could serve as

an object lesson for someone else? It would not be easy for the prophet to

explain the meaning of the death of his wife to those who asked what it

meant. What a powerful message it would have been, however. In spite of

the pain it brought him, Ezekiel humbly submitted to the will of the Lord

and preached maybe some of the most difficult messages of his career as a

priest and prophet. Would you have had his courage?

Sometimes the Lord leads us through deep valleys. Sometimes our path is

steep and difficult. God's ways are not our ways. We cannot always

understand God's purposes. As Lord, however, He has the right to do with

us as He pleases for the purpose of drawing us closer to Himself. Are you

willing to accept whatever He sends your way? I remember the tragic death

of a deacon in one of the churches I attended some time ago. This death

sent shock waves throughout the entire church. The young people, in

particular, were brought through this to a deeper awareness of the shortness

of life. In the months that followed the death of this dear brother, young

people began to come to church. There was a renewed interest in the things

of the Lord. Knowing this brother as I did, if he had known that his death

would mean spiritual renewal for these young people, he would have

willingly died for their renewal. Somehow I believe that Ezekiel's wife

would have felt the same. I can only pray that I would have the same

willingness.

For Consideration:

What rights do we really have as believers? Do we really live as though we

have given all our rights to the Lord?

Would you be able to surrender those things in which your heart delights to

the Lord? What would you find most difficult to surrender?

Has God ever taken something from you that you delighted in? How did he

use this for your good and his glory?

For Prayer:

Confess to the Lord your inability to surrender all to Him?

Ask the Lord to help you to surrender all?

Offer your life to the Lord afresh for Him to use as He sees fit.

Thank God that you can trust what He is doing, even though you do not

always understand.

26 - LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

Read Ezekiel 25

hat do you do when your enemy falls? We all know what our

natural response might be. The Bible tells us what our

response should be: “Love your enemies and pray for those

who persecute you” (Matt 5:44). This does not come naturally to us. In this

passage we see the response of the nations toward the fall of God’s people.

There are four nations addressed in this chapter. Each of the nations

responds in a different way. Let's consider the examples before us.

Ammon (Verses 1-7)

The first nation mentioned here is the nation of Ammon. What was the

response of the people of Ammon to the fall of Jerusalem? The passage tells

us that they cried, "Aha!" This was an expression of joy. When they saw the

desecration of the temple, they rejoiced. When they saw the land being

turned into a wasteland, they were happy. They were glad when they saw

the people of God being led off into captivity. Verse 6 tells us that the

Ammonites clapped their hands and stamped their feet in joy when God's

people were led away.

We have to admit that the people of God deserved what they got. They had

turned their backs on God. Though God had warned them many times, they

refused to listen. This did not give Ammon the right to rejoice in their

destruction, however. God was not pleased with their attitude toward the

fall of Jerusalem. He would hand them over to an enemy from the east. This

enemy would eat their bread and take over their land. Their cities would be

abandoned and turned into pasture land for camels and sheep. They would

be destroyed as a people because they had rejoiced in the downfall of God's

people.

When your enemy falls, do you rejoice? They may have been in the wrong.

They may have even made your life miserable. Rejoicing at their downfall,

however, is not what God wants from us. How we need God's grace to feel

the needs and pains of our enemies. Though we were once ourselves the

enemies of God, He had compassion on us. He sent His Son to die for us

while we were still in our rebellion. His love transcended our animosity and

hatred. He looked beyond the sin and evil and saw the person beneath. He

loved us even while we were His enemies. Shall we who have experienced

the compassion of God rejoice at the downfall of our enemies? God

reserved a serious punishment for the Ammonites. This shows us how

seriously God takes this matter. May the Lord teach us to feel the pain of

our enemies.

Moab (Verses 8-11)

Notice second the response of the nation of Moab: "Judah has become like

all the other nations" (verse 8). What was she saying? Was she not saying

something like this? "Look at them. They claim to be the people of God,

and now look at what has happened to them. They are no better than we are.

Their God is no better than our gods. They thought they were something

special, but they are not."

Moab adopted a critical attitude toward her enemy. Not only did she rejoice

in the downfall of God’s people, but she began to criticize them. She openly

mocked them in their time of trouble. She had an "I-told-you-so" mentality.

How easy it is to develop such an attitude. This attitude not only rejoices in

the downfall of the enemy, but it also rubs salt in their wounds. Those who

have such an attitude kick their enemies when they are down. Have you

ever found yourself in this situation? Do not allow yourself the right to

judge and condemn your enemy. God alone is judge. Because of her

attitude, Moab too would be handed over to her enemies (verse 10).

Edom (Verses 12-14)

The third response came from the Edomites. God was going to lay waste to

their cities. He would take vengeance on them. Why was God so angry with

Edom? Edom had taken revenge on the people of God (verse 12). Listen to

what the Edomites cried out when Jerusalem fell: "Tear it down, tear it

down to its foundations" (Psalm 137:7). Ezekiel 35:5 tells us that the

Edomites “shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword

in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end”

(KJV). Obadiah the prophet describes for us in greater detail what Edom

did when Jerusalem fell:

On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his

wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for

Jerusalem, you were like one of them. You should not look down

on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over

the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so

much in the day of their trouble. You should not march through

the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor look

down on them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor

seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. You should not

wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over

their survivors in the day of their trouble (Obadiah, verses 11-

14).

Edom not only rejoiced and criticized the people of God in the day of their

destruction, but she also helped the enemy destroy them. She joined forces

with the enemy. The Edomites would not have attempted such a thing by

themselves, but when they saw they could get away with it, they took

advantage of the situation by helping Babylon destroy Judah.

How easy it is to get caught up in such a sin. What do you do when people

all around you are gossiping and criticizing another person? Is it not easy to

join in and do the same thing yourself? While we would not particularly

want to be the source of such evil, we do feel quite comfortable in joining

others in the attack. If worse came to worse, we could always say that it was

someone else who started it. You cannot excuse your actions by hiding

behind someone else. God will hold you accountable for your own sin.

Philistia (Verses 15-17)

The final example we have here is the example of Philistia. This was a

nation that openly sought to destroy the people of God. The Philistines did

not hide behind the Babylonians, as did the Edomites. The Philistines were

outspoken enemies of God's people. While it is sometimes easier to

recognize and deal with obvious enemies, they are still very dangerous.

Many of us do not have the courage to show our inner face when it comes

to our feelings about another person. We would prefer to hide our true

feelings. At least with these blatant enemies, we know where we stand.

They are not hypocrites. This does not make them any better, however.

They will be punished for their sins as well. Notice what God said would

happen to them: “And I will execute great vengeance upon them with

furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay

my vengeance upon them” (verse 17, KJV).

We have seen in this chapter, four different responses to the downfall of the

people of God. What do we need to learn from this chapter? Do we not

need to examine ourselves in light of these nations? What is our response

toward our enemies and their misfortunes? Does the love of Christ shine

brightly in our lives for our enemies? How often have we been found guilty

of the same crimes as these nations? May God grant us the ability to love

our enemies, even as Christ loved us.

For Consideration:

Do you have people in your life that trouble you? What is your response to

them when they are in pain or suffering?

What should our response be when our enemy suffers?

Take a moment to consider if you may be guilty of the same crimes as the

nations here in this chapter.

For Prayer:

Take a moment to thank the Lord for His love toward you, even when you

were His enemy.

Do you know someone who is difficult for you to love? Who in particular?

Ask God for grace to love that person as He loves you.

27 - MATERIALISTIC

TYRE

Read Ezekiel 26

n chapters 26-28 Ezekiel prophesied against the region of Tyre.

Historians tell us that Tyre was a very important commercial center at

the time of Ezekiel. It boasted of two excellent harbors where ships

could come with their supplies for trade. The city was built around one of

these harbors. The second harbor was located on an offshore island

connected to the mainland by a causeway. Foreign ships brought their

goods regularly for trade to this great city. Materialism abounded as

merchants and traders gathered to make their fortunes.

Evidence of Tyre’s love for material possessions can be found in her

response to the downfall of the city of Jerusalem: "I shall be filled; she is

laid waste" (verse 2, NKJV). Jerusalem had been a prosperous city. Now

that she had fallen, her trade would go to Tyre. Tyre rejoiced because

Jerusalem's fate would lead to her prosperity.

Tyre felt no compassion for Israel in her need. Her only concern was to

profit from Israel’s misery. Materialism elevates the importance of "things"

and depreciates the value of people. We cringe when we read about the

child sacrifices that took place in the Old Testament worship of Baal. We

fail to realize, however, that we can be guilty of the same sin. How often

have our children been placed on the altar and offered as sacrifices to the

god of materialism? How often have we placed our spouses on that same

altar? To honor the god of materialism, we willingly sacrifice our

relationships with our families and friends. Possessions and money become

our central focus. Many families have been abandoned in the pursuit of

money and pleasures.

The Bible tells us that when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem he

destroyed the city. 2 Kings 25 records the cruelty of this invasion.

Nebuchadnezzar burned down important buildings. He plucked out the eyes

of the king after slaughtering his sons in front of him. Famine resulting

from the siege of the city forced parents to eat the bodies of their own

children to survive. Pregnant women had their bellies ripped open by the

sword. People were driven from their homes by the point of the sword.

There was tremendous loss of life. Tyre cared nothing about this. The only

concern she had was how to tap into the money that was now available

because Israel was out of the way. The god of materialism had deadened

Tyre’s senses. We can expect nothing less from materialism in our day.

Notice the response of God to the materialism of Tyre. In verse 3 God used

a language that the people of Tyre could understand. They were a people

who lived by the sea. They saw boats in their harbor on a daily basis. It was

for this reason that the Lord told them that He would come to them like a

great wave sweeping over a boat. That wave of judgment would sweep over

them. It would crash down on their walls and break down their strong

towers (verse 4). That wave would leave them as barren and desolate as the

top of a great rock (verse 4). Their wealth, their stores, and their beautiful

homes would all disappear. They would become the plunder of the nations

(verse 5). The neighboring villages around Tyre would also experience the

devastating consequences of their own sin. They too would be slain by the

sword as their enemies crashed down on them like a wave in all its fury.

In verse 7 the Lord told Tyre that He would bring the nation of Babylon

against them. This was the nation that devastated Judah. Tyre would suffer

the same judgment. The horses and chariots of Babylon would slay them.

They would break down their walls and strong towers. The dust from the

vast numbers of Babylonian chariots and horses would fill their land. The

citizens of Tyre would be trampled by the hooves of these great war horses.

The possessions they loved so much would be plundered and taken from

them. Their "pleasant houses" would lie in ruins (verse 12). The music and

songs that formed so much of the materialistic culture of Tyre would no

longer be heard (verse 13). Instead, there would be the uncomfortable

silence of death. She would be destroyed as a nation, never to be rebuilt.

This is the ultimate destiny of a materialistic society. The god of

materialism is never satisfied. After taking all he can get through you, he

will then take all he can get from you and leave you empty and barren.

Stories abound of those who, after reaching the height of success, found

that they were left destitute and barren in the end.

Notice the response of the surrounding nations to what had happened to

Tyre (verses 15-16). They were astonished that the mighty Tyre had fallen.

Never had it entered their minds that such a city would fall. They trembled

for fear because of what had happened to Tyre. I am convinced that Tyre

herself could not believe what had happened to her. She had been so

prosperous and secure. Never had it entered her mind that she could lose all

she had worked so hard to obtain. We should never take the blessings we

have for granted. At best, those blessings are hanging from a spider's thread.

One breath of the Almighty, and they come crashing to the ground.

Verses 17 and 18 are a lament. This prophecy of doom was written as a

reminder to the generations to come of the dangers of materialism and the

insecurity of trusting in the things of this world. She who was once the envy

and terror of the nations was no more.

In verses 19-21 we read that the destiny of Tyre was to perish eternally. She

would be brought down to the "pit." That pit was a place of eternal death.

There would be no return for her. All her hopes and dreams of the future

would be abruptly shattered. Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:10:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some

people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and

pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Materialism was the downfall of the city of Tyre. Her love for money and

possessions drove her to the grave. She was confident in herself, her

abilities, and wealth. She had reached the top. She was the envy of the

world, but now she was absolutely empty. Maybe you have been trapped in

the worship of this same god. Heed the warning of this passage. This

passage is a warning to all who would follow the footsteps of Tyre.

Surrender to the Lord today. Confess your sin. In God alone is there

security.

For Consideration:

We have mentioned here that the god of materialism is a god who requires

human sacrifice. Do you agree with this statement? Give some examples of

this from your experience. How have people in your life been sacrificed in

an attempt to gain more wealth and prosperity?

How much security can this world really bring us? How easy would it be

for us to lose everything we have worked so hard to obtain?

Why is materialism so attractive?

Where does materialism leave us in the end?

For Prayer:

Have you been guilty of hurting someone in your pursuit of the things of

this world? Ask the Lord to forgive you and show you what you need to do

to make things right.

Thank the Lord that in Him alone there is security.

Consider what the Lord has given you over your lifetime. Take a moment to

recognize that without Him none of this would be possible. Thank and

worship Him for what He has given you. Be specific in your prayers.

28 - TYRE THE GREAT

Read Ezekiel 27

rom the last chapter we saw that Tyre was a very rich and

prosperous nation. Chapters 27 and 28 go to great lengths to

describe for us the affluence of Tyre. She had everything she could

have hoped for. She was deprived of nothing her world had to offer. She

was the envy of the nations of the world. She could boast of wealth, riches,

ease, and prosperity. Where did all of this lead her in the end? Chapter 27

paints a picture of a nation whose greatness destroyed her. Ultimately, this

chapter causes us to examine our own priorities in life.

Let's consider what this chapter tells us about the greatness of Tyre. We

discover from verse 3 that Tyre was situated on the seacoast. Her location

was one of the key reasons for her success as a thriving commercial center.

Verse 3 makes mention of the merchants who came to do business at the

great seaports of Tyre. The city was very beautiful (verses 3-4). The

inhabitants of Tyre knew that their city was lovely, and they boasted of her

perfected beauty. Her man-made structures and buildings seemed to

enhance her natural splendor.

God compared her to a great sailing ship. This was a language she could

understand. Ships were the source of her livelihood. The inhabitants of Tyre

could identify with this imagery. As a great ship, Tyre was built from the

best material available in her day. Her body was made from the fir trees of

Senir (verse 5). Her mast was carved out of a great cedar of Lebanon (verse

5). She was propelled at sea by oars made from the strong oak trees of

Bashan (verse 6). Her deck was laid out with ivory from the coasts of

Cyprus (verse 6). She proudly displayed her sails made from fine

embroidered linen imported from Egypt (verse 7). She was covered with the

blue and purple fabric of Elishah (verse 7). Skilled oarsmen from Sidon and

Arvad sailed her through the seas (verse 8). She was piloted by her wise

men (verse 9). The wise men and elders of Gebal caulked her seams (verse

9). Soldiers and skilled warriors from Persia, Lydia, and Put guarded her

and bravely adorned her with shields and helmets commemorating her

many conquests (verse 10). Men of Arvad and Helech guarded her walls

(verse 11). What a great city she was. She had the best of everything. She

lacked nothing.

Tyre traded with all the nations around her. Verses 12-24 give us a list of her

trading partners. From Tarshish she obtained her wealth of silver, iron, tin,

and lead (verse 12). She bartered with Greece, Tubal, and Meshech for

slaves and bronze (verse 13). From the house of Togarmah, she obtained

work horses, war horses, and mules (verse 14). For services rendered,

Rhodes supplied her with ivory tusks and ebony (verse 15). In return for her

wares, Aram (Syria) gave her emeralds, purple fabric, embroidered work,

fine linen, corals, and rubies (verse 16). Judah and Israel traded wheat,

millet, honey, oil, and balm with her (verse 17). Damascus provided her

with wine and wool (verse 18). Dan and Greece paid for their supplies with

iron, cassia, and cane (calamus). Dedan was her source of saddlecloth for

riding (verse 20). Arabia and Kedar traded her for lambs, rams, and goats

(verse 21). Sheba and Raamah furnished her with precious stones, spices,

and gold (verse 22). Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur and Kilmad

outfitted her with garments, blue fabric, embroidered work, and

multicolored rugs with knotted cords. Tyre was the place to go if you were

looking for something to buy. Here you could have a choice of the finest

wares available anywhere in the world. She was one of the most important

commercial centres of her day.

Materially speaking, she was a very prosperous nation. Her goods were

being carried to the far corners of the globe by ships from Tarshish (verse

25). She was a wealthy and glorious nation (verse 25). With all this wealth

and prosperity, you would have thought that her future would have been

secure. What could bring her down now? There seemed to be no end to her

prosperity and influence. Her downfall would cause world-wide economic

chaos.

This prosperity would not last forever. In verse 26 Ezekiel painted a picture

of this great ship, Tyre, in the middle of the ocean loaded with goods. The

east wind came up and beat against her side. The force of that east wind

was so great that she was broken in two. Her riches, merchandise, sailors,

soldiers, and entire crew fell into the sea (verse 27). Here was a nation that

thought she had everything going for her. There was nothing that could

bring her down. Her future was secure—at least that is what she thought.

What a warning this is to us today. In an instant the east wind could blow

and remove everything we have from us. What guarantee do you have of

tomorrow?

The fall of Tyre would send shock waves throughout the entire world. The

land would shake at the cry of her drowning pilots (verse 28). The great

sailors of the sea would cast anchor off the coast of Tyre and stand in awe at

the sight of a once glorious city now devastated (verse 29). The world

would be in mourning because of the fall of this once great nation. The

nations would cry bitterly, put dust on their heads, shave themselves bald,

and wear sackcloth, weeping and wailing for the devastation of Tyre (verses

30-32). Never had it entered their minds that such a thing would happen to

such a great nation. Tyre had satisfied many people and enriched kings with

her luxuries, but now she lay broken at the bottom of the sea. Her wealth

and possessions lay there with her. Tyre’s riches could not protect her from

the anger of the God of Israel. She had everything this world could offer but

perished because she was not right with God. Now Tyre would be

remembered not because of her great wealth and prosperity but because of

her fall. The once glorious nation would be no more.

How quickly we take our prosperity for granted. We fail to realize that,

were it not for Almighty God, we would have nothing. We become secure

in our possessions and find ourselves drifting away from God. While we

would never admit it, our lifestyles reflect the belief that we can make it on

our own. We can all too easily be sucked up into the vacuum of materialism

and self-sufficiency. May God cause us to learn the lesson Tyre had to learn

before it is too late.

For Consideration:

Take a moment to consider if you have been caught up in the glory of

materialism. Do you feel its pull? Give some examples.

What warning do you take from this chapter? Is there anything that needs to

change in your life?

For Prayer:

Thank God for His provision for your needs.

Ask God to reveal to you any way in which you have fallen into the trap of

Tyre.

Ask God to give you His priorities in life.

29 - WOE TO THE KING OF

TYRE

Read Ezekiel 28

n this chapter God concluded His prophetic words to Tyre. He

particularly addresses the king of Tyre in this section. Let’s consider

what God had to say about this great man.

Notice how the king of Tyre saw himself. Verse 2 tells us that he was a very

proud man. He saw himself as a god. He was the leader of one of the most

prosperous nations on the earth at that time. He basked in the wealth that

constantly flowed into the port each day. He felt that nothing could harm

him. He had everything he needed. His riches had gone to his head. God

reminded him through the prophet Ezekiel that he was still only a mere

man.

Not only did the king see himself as a god, he also considered himself to be

wise. He lifted himself up above his people. He claimed to be wiser than

Daniel (one of the Israelite wise men who lived in exile in Babylon during

the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar). Daniel had been so wise that the king

of Babylon made him the chief of all the Babylonian wise men. The king

claimed that the evidence of his wisdom was the wealth he had accumulated

in his city. He believed that it was because of his wise administration that

Tyre was so prosperous.

It was to this proud man that the Word of the Lord came. Because he had

lifted himself up to be a god before his people, strangers would be sent to

invade his land (verse 7). These foreigners would come from the most

terrible nations. They would come with one purpose in mind—to destroy

the city with all its beauty and splendor (verse 7). Tyre would perish with

all her wealth. According to verse 8 she would go down to the pit and die a

horrible death in the middle of the sea. Historians tell us that the old city of

Tyre is now beneath the sea, even as God promised.

What would be the king’s response to the judgment of God? Would he still

say to those who were slaying him that he was a god (verse 9)? He would

be shown for what he really was—a mere man. Death has a way of

humbling even the greatest men and women. Here our strength, wisdom,

and pride are all stripped from us. We are reduced to a lifeless bag of flesh

and bones. As powerful and as wise as he was, the king of Tyre could not

stand before the judgment of God. We will all stand one day before God

(Romans 14:10). On that day it will not matter how much money, power, or

wealth we have. All that will matter is our relationship with God. The king

of Tyre serves as a powerful lesson to us of the importance of being ready

to face our God.

Ezekiel was called to take up a lament (prophesy that God’s righteous

judgment would come) against the king of Tyre. Ezekiel speaks in this

lament from the point of view of the king of Tyre. Ezekiel described him as

the “model of perfection” (at least that is how the king liked to see himself),

though we know from the context that he was far from this (verse 11). He

was full of wisdom, beauty, and perfection (at least that was the impression

he liked to give others). He lived in the Garden of Eden surrounded by

every precious stone imaginable (verse 13). When Ezekiel referred here to

the Garden of Eden, he spoke in poetic language. He compared Tyre to the

Garden of Eden because of its beauty and perfection.

As king he was the anointed "cherub who covers" (NKJV) or “guardian

cherub” (NIV). He lived, as it were, on the very mountain of God, in the

glory of the presence of God. He was perfect in all his ways until he fell.

We should not take this literally. Ezekiel was speaking in poetic language

here. The king of Tyre was a mere man who considered himself to be a god.

He considered himself to be perfect in all his ways. He was in reality,

however, a man who fell deeply into sin and iniquity. He became filled with

violence because of the abundance of his trading (verse 16). The god of

materialism had overcome him. He was obsessed with himself and his

possessions. Because of this the guardian cherub was cast away from the

presence of God. He was taken from among the fiery stones (verse 16).

Could this be a reference to the precious stones and wealth he had amassed?

All this would amount to nothing in the end.

His heart was lifted up in pride because of his beauty (verse 17). He

corrupted the wisdom God had given him by using it for himself and his

own evil ways. Because of this he was cast to the ground for others to gaze

upon. There on the ground all his splendour and glory would be stripped

from him. Notice in verse 18 that the king of Tyre had no use for faith. He

defiled the sanctuaries by his many sins. He had no time for God. He was

too busy amassing wealth. God would send a fire against him. That fire

would reduce him to ashes in the sight of those who watched (verse 18).

Everyone who knew him would be astonished at his downfall (verse 19).

One of the greatest men on the surface of the earth would be reduced to

nothing by the hand of Almighty God. Everyone would see that God laughs

at the great strength and wisdom of people.

In verses 20-26 God spoke to the neighboring city of Sidon. God would

also be glorified in this city. He would send pestilence against her. Blood

would run in her streets. A sword would come against her from all sides.

She too would be judged. She would be judged because she had been

"painful briers and sharp thorns" to the house of Israel. God was not blind

to the things she had done to His people. He would judge Sidon for her sins

against His children.

Ezekiel concluded this section with a prophetic word about the people of

God who had been in exile (verses 25-26). He prophesied that they would

again be gathered together and return to their own land. There they would

dwell in safety and know the blessing of God as He prospered their land. He

tells us that God would execute judgment on all those nations who despised

His people. While this is a particular promise to the nation of Israel as His

people, it is also a promise to us as believers today. God does not turn a

blind eye to what is happening to His children. We are precious to Him and

He will care for us.

What does this section have to do with us today? Here before us we see the

picture of a great king. The god of materialism destroyed him. Love for

possessions and the easy life drove him away from God. How quickly we

take God for granted in our prosperity. We fail to realize that, were it not for

Almighty God, we would not be able to work to provide for our families.

How we need to realize that, as God did in Tyre, so He could do with us.

How quickly He could remove His blessings from us. Let us not take Him

for granted. Let us praise Him and thank Him for His blessings toward us

on a daily basis. Do not let your material possessions rob you of an

understanding of how dependent you are on your God?

For Consideration:

Why do you suppose the king of Tyre had such a high view of himself? Was

any of this justified?

Is it possible for us to fall into the same trap today? Give some examples of

how we can become proud.

Is it possible that even in our churches we can become proud of the size of

our congregations and the gifts of our people? What is the challenge of this

passage to the church of our day?

For Prayer:

Ask God to help you see that there is really nothing in yourself that you can

boast about because everything you have comes from His hand.

Ask God to forgive you for the times you believed it was because of your

wisdom and your strength that you achieved some great goal.

Take a moment to thank the Lord for His wisdom and strength. Recognize

Him as the source of all these blessings.

30 - THE FALL OF A

GREAT NATION

Read Ezekiel 29

he nation of Egypt was another powerful and influential nation in

her time. Even in our day we marvel at her culture and

achievements. The wonder of the pyramids still entices many

people in our modern age. We stand in awe of the great wealth of her past.

Her pharaohs have gone down in history as some of the world’s most

influential men. Chapters 29-32 of Ezekiel are dedicated to this great nation

of Egypt. God had much to say to her.

In Ezekiel 29 the prophet used two illustrations to describe Egypt. The first

of these illustrations was that of a great sea monster (verses 3-6). There are

a few things we need to notice here about this monster. Notice first that this

monster claimed that the river Nile was his. The Nile was a picture of the

nation of Egypt. In the last meditation we saw how God compared Tyre to a

great ship (because she was a port city). The illustration of the river was

very appropriate for Egypt because the Nile River ran through her land and

was the source of her wealth.

We see that this great monster claimed that he had made the river and it was

his. Pharaoh was a proud individual. He believed that the greatness of

Egypt was because of his own wisdom and skilled administration. It is easy

to feel that we are where we are today because of our own skills and talents.

What Pharaoh failed to realize was that, were it not for the God of Israel, he

would have nothing. Even unbelievers are absolutely dependent on God for

all they have and all they have achieved.

Notice in verse 4 that the smaller fish of the Nile clung to the scales of this

Egyptian sea monster. While we are not told who these smaller fish were, it

is evident that they were devoted to Egypt. They admired her strength and

power. They clung to her for protection.

God was against Egypt. In verse 4 He told her that He would put great

hooks in her jaws and fish her out of the Nile like a skilled fisherman. He

would then take her to a desert location and leave her to perish in the sun.

There she would perish along with all her followers who clung to her

scales. The wild birds of the air would come by and pick at the decaying

remains of a once great nation. Her pride would be crushed. When this

happened, everyone would know that the God of Israel was the one true

God. Pharaoh, though he claimed to be god, was a mere man.

In the second illustration, Ezekiel compared Egypt to a reed (verse 6-7). We

read in Jeremiah 41-42 how the people of God fled to Egypt for help in

their time of trouble. Egypt, however, proved to be a broken reed for the

people of God. When God's people leaned on the reed for support, it broke

tearing open their shoulder and wrenching their back. The reed of Egypt

was no support for God's people in their hour of need. There are many reeds

we can lean on today. Our money, our church, and our family are all

examples of these reeds. What we need to learn here is that what may

appear to be secure, in reality, will leave us barren and dry in the end. God

alone can be our security. Israel had to learn this the hard way.

This great nation, which had been the pride of the earth, was now going to

feel the sword of God’s judgment. The flourishing delta of the Nile would

become a desert (verse 9). Verse 9 tells us that God would reduce Egypt to a

wasteland because she had boasted in her own greatness. Pride is a terrible

sin in the eyes of God. For forty years Egypt would be desolate (verses 11-

12). For 40 years neither man nor beast would pass through this once

prosperous nation. She would suffer what God's people suffered. She too

would be invaded and taken captive. She would be scattered over the face

of the earth by the Babylonians. For forty years her land would be the home

of wild animals. After these forty years, however, she would be returned to

her land (verses 13-14). She would never again be great, however. She

would remain a lowly kingdom (verse 14). Never again would she inspire

the confidence of the world, as she had done in the days of Ezekiel (verse

16). To this day, this prophecy remains true. Egypt has never regained the

power and influence she once had as a nation. The Bible tells us the reason

for this judgment was her pride.

In verses 17-20 God shows us just how this prophecy would be fulfilled.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would come against Egypt. God had

used him as an instrument of judgment against Israel and Judah. In chapters

26-28 we saw that he had also been God's instrument to punish Tyre. Now

he would invade Egypt and conquer her too. Notice in verse 18 that the

siege of Tyre was not easy for Nebuchadnezzar. Commentators tell us that

this siege lasted for 13 years. When Babylon did finally conquer Tyre, she

had spent so much on the battle that she really got nothing from the

conquest. Notice the imagery of hard work here in verse 18. As an army

they had labored strenuously against Tyre. They had gone bald in the

process of conquering the land, and their shoulders were raw from the

heavy load they had carried during those years of conquest. This would not

be the case with Egypt. Egypt would be given to Nebuchadnezzar as a gift.

The battle for Egypt was a battle that would increase the wealth of Babylon.

Here Nebuchadnezzar would receive his wages from God for being his

servant in exercising judgment on the nations.

When this prophecy took place, God would once again cause a “horn” to

grow in Israel (verse 21). God would restore the power of His own people.

The fall of Egypt was a sign of the times. When Israel saw the nation of

Egypt fall, she would know that her deliverance was near. God told Ezekiel

that his mouth would be opened at that time and he would once again speak

to Israel as he had done before (verse 21). This corresponded perfectly with

what God had already told the prophet in Ezekiel 24:25-27. We understand

from this that for a period of time, the prophet Ezekiel would not speak to

God's people. Only after the fall of Egypt would God again send Ezekiel to

the house of Israel to speak His Word. As a prophet Ezekiel had to learn

when to be silent and when to speak the Word of God. He was only to speak

as God led him to speak. There is, I believe, a lesson here for us. Do we

have enough discernment to recognize the leading of the Lord in our lives?

How many times have we spoken when we should have been silent or been

silent when we should have spoken? May God give us the discernment to

know the difference.

As we consider this prophecy to Egypt we see that a great and powerful

nation would fall under the judgement of God. This shows us that there is

no security in anything this world has to offer. In an instant all this can be

stripped from us. Our only security is found in God. Let us put our hope in

Him alone.

For Consideration:

What do we learn from this chapter about pride and the danger of pride?

Have you ever felt the temptation to be proud? In what areas of your life are

you most tempted to be proud?

Is it possible that what happened to Egypt could also happen to us or our

nation? What do we place our confidence in today?

For Prayer:

Take a moment to consider where you would be today without the Lord.

Give Him praise for what He has done in your life today.

Pray that God would protect you from this great sin of pride. Confess any

pride in your life right now and ask God to give you His humility.

Have you ever been tempted to speak when you should not have spoken?

Have you ever remained silent when you should have spoken? Ask God to

help you to know the difference.

31 - EGYPT AND HER

FRIENDS

Read Ezekiel 30

gypt’s strength had captivated the attention of many people. Even

the Israelites had benefited from her blessing in the time of Joseph.

We saw in the last meditation that Pharaoh had become very proud

of what he had. He honestly believed that it was because of his own skill

and administration that the nation had become what it was in his day. He

had a very powerful influence in the world of his time.

In this chapter God again told Ezekiel to prophesy judgment on the people

of Egypt. Notice in verse 2 that he was to "wail" because of what was about

to happen to her. Her day of judgment was very near. That day would be a

very dark day in the history of Egypt. It is described in the NKJV as being

the time of the Gentiles, a day of judgment for the unbelieving Gentile

world. Egypt had lived her life in prosperity and fame. Now her judgment

had come. She was not ready for this day. It was a day of terrible judgment.

Her money and prosperity would mean nothing to her on this day.

A great sword was about to fall on this mighty nation. It was the sword of

God's judgment. There would be anguish in Cush (Ethiopia, NKJV). When

that sword fell on Egypt, it would strip her of her wealth. Her inhabitants

would be slain and her foundations brought to the ground (verse 4). The

things her people had delighted in (her architecture and her wealth) would

amount to nothing in the end. Egyptians would be stripped bare and left

naked before the God of this universe to answer to Him for how they had

lived their lives.

Notice in verses 5 and 6 that not only would Egypt fall but so would all

those who had allied themselves with her. These people had marveled at the

glory of Egypt. They flocked to her because of her wealth and influence.

Egypt seduced them and led them astray. Now they too would suffer along

with Egypt. Let it never be said that your sins affect only yourself. The fact

of the matter is that we all touch the lives of others in some way or another.

What kind of influence have you had on those you rub shoulders with on a

regular basis? Will they perish because of what they have seen in your life?

Verses 7-9 describe for us the horrible end for those who had fallen because

of Egypt's bad example. These lands would be desolate and ruined (verse

7). They would be burned to the ground and crushed (verse 8). Verse 9 tells

us that anguish would take hold of them. What a terrible end lay in store for

those who had fallen prey to Egypt's seduction. Egypt was leading her

admirers straight to hell. How many people have turned their backs on the

only hope they have of eternal life because of the bad example they have

seen in believers today? What guilt Egypt had to bear. How these verses

challenge us to live for the Lord and be good witnesses for him, so we don’t

carry the guilt of Egypt on our shoulders.

Notice in verse 9 how God told Ezekiel that He would send a messenger to

Ethiopia (Cush) to frighten them out of their complacency or carelessness

(NKJV). Does that messenger need to come to us today? How many times

have we as believers become complacent and careless in our witness for the

Lord Jesus? How many times have we felt secure in our traditions and

religious activities yet found ourselves spiritually asleep? How we need to

be awakened to the reality of the battle before us and the ultimate destiny of

those who have turned their backs on the Lord. How we need to be revived

and renewed in our walk with God. Notice that God does not judge Ethiopia

without warning her. He sent His messenger but she refused to listen.

God would execute this great judgment on Egypt by means of the nation of

Babylon (see verses 10-12). The Babylonian army was the most feared of

all armies. They were known for their might and cruelty (verse 11). They

would sweep down on Egypt and her friends and destroy them. The glory of

Egypt would effectively come to an end. The land would be filled with the

slain of Egypt (verse 12). The judgment of God would dry up the Nile River

(verse 12). It would be evident to all that the hand of God was against them.

Verses 13-19 described in greater detail the devastation that would occur on

the day of God's judgment. The idols of Memphis would be brought to an

end (verse 13). The reign of Egypt's proud princes would be terminated

(verse 13). The whole nation would be cast under the shadow of fear (verse

13). Once they felt secure. They believed that their great Pharaoh could

protect them. Now they were in terror of their enemies. Upper Egypt would

be left desolate and Zoan would be burned to the ground (verse 14). The

city of Thebes would be punished; it would be “taken by storm” and many

of its inhabitants would be killed (verses 14-16). The great city of Pelusium

would experience the full force of the wrath of God and writhe in anguish

(verses 15-16). Memphis would be in daily distress (verse 16). The young

men of Heliopolis and Bubastis would fall by the sword of God's judgment,

and the inhabitants of their cities would go into captivity. They would not

be able to defend their cities against the great army of Babylon (verse 17). It

would be a very dark day for Egypt when the Lord brought His judgment

on her. Ezekiel prophesied that the Egyptians would be taken from their

land and forced into captivity (just like Israel and Judah). All this would be

done in such a way that the land of Egypt would realize that the God of

Israel was the one true God (verse 19).

God gave Ezekiel a picture in verses 20-26. He spoke of breaking Pharaoh’s

arms. The "breaking of Pharaoh's arm" referred to his being weakened.

With one arm broken, Pharaoh was not the powerful man he once was. This

may have referred to an initial attack of Babylon that left the Egyptians in

such a weakened state that they could not repair the damages or bandage

their wounds. While Egypt was suffering from one broken arm, God would

again attack. This time the other arm would be broken as well, and Egypt

would be left absolutely powerless. Her sword would fall out of her hands

(she would have no defense against the God of Israel). As a nation she

would be scattered throughout the other nations. In order to accomplish His

purposes, God would strengthen the hands of the king of Babylon. Through

this king, God would judge Egypt for her sin.

As influential and powerful as she was, Egypt fell. She fell because she had

become a proud people. She fell so that God could show her that He was

God. Her kings claimed to be gods. They were proven to be mere men. The

sad part of this story is that many people had fallen into Egypt’s trap. They

believed in Pharaoh, his power and influence. They trusted him, but they

were destroyed in the end. How many times have we become followers of

people and not of God? We cannot afford to place our trust in people. God

alone is worthy of our absolute confidence. How many individuals had

Egypt’s life touched? How many people had she intoxicated with her lust

for power and wealth? I wonder how many people have been affected by

my negative attitudes and actions. May God grant us the grace to influence

those around us for good and not evil.

For Consideration:

What does this chapter teach us about the importance of our witness in the

eyes of the world?

What kind of a witness have you been to those around you?

Have you ever found yourself being drawn to particular individuals and

their teaching? Why is it dangerous to place your trust in people?

For Prayer:

Ask God to give you a greater understanding of the ultimate destiny of

those who do not know the Lord.

Ask God to help you to be a true and faithful witness to those you come in

contact with on an ongoing basis.

Thank God that He alone is worthy of our complete confidence.

Do you know individuals who have become followers of people and not of

God? Pray that God would open their eyes?

32 - THE EXAMPLE OF

ASSYRIA

Read Ezekiel 31

ragedy is something that is supposed to happen to someone else. It

is never supposed to happen to us. At least that is what we think

until someone close to us is suffers a tragedy, then we are forced

into the reality that it could happen to us as well. Egypt was big and

powerful enough that she believed nothing could really happen to her. God

was aware of this false hope she was clinging to and gave her with an

example of another great nation that felt the same way.

Notice in verse 2 that the Lord asked Pharaoh the question: "Whom are you

like in your greatness?" This question shows us what Egypt was thinking

about herself. She was a great nation. She felt, however, that her greatness

could protect her. God was about to give her a lesson in history that would

prove that greatness did not guarantee freedom from judgment.

God used the example of the nation of Assyria. He compared Assyria in

verse 3 to a tall cedar of Lebanon. Notice what He said about this tall cedar

tree. It had fine branches that shaded the forest. Many people enjoyed the

shade of its protection. It was a very tall tree and stood out among the trees

of the forest. Assyria, at one point in her history, was the most powerful

nation on the earth.

This great cedar of Assyria was well watered. As a nation she enjoyed the

abundance of God's blessing. Many people profited from Assyria’s

prosperity. She sent out channels to the surrounding trees of the forest

(verse 4). The nation of Assyria was "exalted above all the trees of the

field" (verse 5, NKJV). There was not a nation that could be compared to

her in her day. Her branches became long as she extended her borders. Her

boughs multiplied as she conquered more nations and forced them into

submission (verse 5). Many nations made their homes under the shelter of

the branches of this great cedar tree. They were submissive to Assyria and

paid her homage. Even the birds of the air made their nests in her branches.

Everyone owed much to this great and prosperous nation of Assyria. The

other cedar trees, the pine trees, or the plane trees could not match her

beauty and strength (verse 8). Such was the blessing of God on Assyria. She

was the envy of all the trees of the garden (verse 9).

Notice, however, what happened to this great and magnificent cedar tree.

Verse 10 tells us that she became very proud. It is never easy to be on the

top. Satan seems to target those who are prosperous and successful. How

many people have climbed to the top only to fall down the other side

because of pride? When things are going well, beware of the attack of the

enemy. This is what happened to Assyria. In her wealth and prosperity, she

turned her back on God. This is also the story of God's people. When

everything seemed to be going well for them, they were quick to turn their

backs on God. God judged Assyria because of her pride. She was driven out

of her land. The most terrible of nations cut her down and chopped off her

branches. She lay broken beside the great river of blessing that had caused

her downfall. The nations who had admired her left her side and went

elsewhere. She was alone in her death. Verse 14 tells us that the nations

who saw her defeat would never boast of their own prosperity. They would

learn the lesson God was trying to teach them about pride and through

Assyria.

If these things happened to the great nation of Assyria, could they not also

happen to Egypt? Nations would tremble because of the fall of Egypt. On

the day of her judgment, God would hold back the river so that it would no

longer bring its blessing to the land of Egypt. The nation of Egypt would be

brought down to the grave or hell (NKJV). Egypt would join other fallen

nations in the pit. Eden and Lebanon were in that pit. Though not as

powerful as Egypt, they were now equal in death. As great as she once was,

Egypt would soon lie barren and desolate. The great Pharaoh would be

humbled and his nation's pride broken.

How easy it is to boast in our prosperity and success. What do we

ultimately have to boast in? All our greatness could disappear in an instant.

All we have, we owe to God. In my few short years on this earth, I have

seen great churches being reduced to boxing rings where believers throw

their punches at each other. I have seen the strength of people being reduced

to nothing by sickness and old age. I have seen friends with secure financial

futures lose everything and have to start all over again late in their lives.

I've seen the death of youth in the prime of life. My limited experience on

this earth tells me that I can boast of nothing, because by tomorrow it may

all be gone. How arrogant it is to boast of our security and strength. May

God teach us the lesson Egypt needed to learn, before it is too late.

For Consideration:

What things do you tend to take for granted in this life? How quickly could

these things be taken from you? What guarantee do we have of anything in

this life?

What does our boasting really indicate about who we think is in control?

Why do you think God takes pride so seriously?

For Prayer:

Thank God for the many blessings He has given you in life?

Commit these blessings into His hands. Tell God you are willing to let Him

do with them what He desires.

Ask God for forgiveness for the times you have taken His blessings for

granted and felt they were your right.

Thank God that He alone is worthy of our confidence. Praise Him that in

Him alone we are secure.

33 - EGYPT AND HER

FRIENDS

Read Ezekiel 32

gypt is compared to a young lion among the nations, full of

strength and vigor (verse 2). She is also compared to a great sea

monster, troubling and muddying the waters of the Nile River. She

was powerful and strong and inspired fear and awe among the nations.

What could bring her down?

Ezekiel told her that God would cast his net over her (verse 3). A great

company of people would come against her and she would be drawn up out

of the Nile River. The company of people that God would use would be the

Babylonians. This great sea monster would be left on the dry land, cast into

an open field. As powerful as she was, she would now become food for the

birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth (verse 4). Her flesh would

be spread over the mountains and the valleys (verse 5). Her blood would

water the land. The mountains and the river beds would overflow with her

blood (verse 6). The sky would be darkened and the nation plunged into

darkness on that terrible day of God's judgment (verses 7-8). This would not

be the first time that such things had taken place in the land of Egypt. In the

days of Moses the land was filled with the decaying corpses of the creatures

of the sea. Their rivers were filled with blood and the land was plunged into

darkness. Their own history told the story of a similar judgment. We have

the picture here of a land filled with desolation. Egypt was to fall in the

prime of her life. Her greatness would not keep God from judging her. As

big as she was, she was no match for the God of Israel.

Notice the response of the surrounding nations to her fall. God would use

Egypt as an example to the rest of the world. The hearts of the nations

would be troubled because of her fall. Even the nations she did not know

would tremble (verse 9). The fall of Egypt would have such an impact on

the world that the nations would be brought to their knees in terror

wondering if they were next. Her judgment would speak to the world.

As a nation, Egypt would experience the terror of the hand of God. That

terror would come in the form of the nation of Babylon (verse 11). This

nation had the reputation of being the most terrible of nations (verse 12).

Babylon would plunder the wealth of Egypt and destroy its multitudes of

people (verse 12). So great would be the fall of Egypt that even the animals

of the land would be destroyed (verse 13). No longer would their feet

muddy the water of Egypt. The once prosperous nation would be brought

low. She would be destitute and barren. When this happened, the world

would know the power and holiness of the God of Israel (verse 15).

As He did in chapter 31, God reminded Egypt of the nations before her that

had fallen in a similar way. Verses 18-32 speak of some of these nations.

Verse 18 explained that they would be cast into the “pit.” It was a place of

no return. Egypt’s destiny was with the uncircumcised Gentile nations who

had fallen before her. Egypt would join the other nations in the pit of hades

where she would remain (verse 21).

Assyria was already in that pit (verse 22). Verses 22 and 23 paint a picture

of desolation and darkness for Assyria. She had been a nation that "spread

terror in the land of the living." Assyria was like a graveyard. The nation of

Elam was also there in her grave. She too had caused terror in the land of

the living. Therefore, she bore the shame of those who go to the pit of

eternal destruction (verse 24). Meshech and Tubal were also among the

fallen. They went into the pit with all their cruel weapons of war (verse 27,

NKJV). Because they had caused terror in the land of the living, they would

pay the price in their death. Edom with her kings, despite their military

might, was broken and now would be in the company of uncircumcised

despisers of God. The Sidonians as well found their place with the most evil

nations of the earth. All of these nations would bear the shame of their

actions against the land of the living. There in the pit were the greatest and

most powerful nations on the earth. They had despised God and His Word

and had gone their own way. They had paid the price of God’s wrath. Now

it was Pharaoh's turn to join them (verse 32).

Here in this chapter we catch a brief glimpse of the pit of hell itself. More

and more people are joining this group each day. One by one the number is

increasing. The story of Egypt's demise is here for our instruction. God is

trying to communicate to us the importance of being made right with Him

right now. The day is coming when we too will have to stand before this

same God and be judged. Will you be ready for that day? Would our nation

be ready to face God on that day? What will we have to answer for in our

day of judgment?

As great as she was, her end would come. Egypt would not be spared the

wrath of God. She would be called on to render an account for her actions.

She had been living as though that day would never come. God reminded

her that it would come soon.

How about you? There will be a day of accounting for you too. You do not

know when that will be, but for many of us it will not be far away. At best,

we only have a few years on this earth. We will then be called before our

Creator and Judge. Be assured that this day is coming. Like Egypt, we will

not escape. Are we ready?

For Consideration:

Where does our only real security come from?

What do you think it would take for our nation to awaken to the reality of a

coming judgment?

What will you have to answer for on the Day of Judgment?

What do we learn in this passage about the judgment of the Lord God?

Are you ready for the return of the Lord?

For Prayer:

Ask God to help you to get your priorities right. Ask Him to help you see

how temporary this life is.

Ask God to reveal to you any areas of sin in your life that you need to deal

with. Ask Him to forgive and heal you of these sins.

Ask God to give you a greater boldness to share with those who need the

Lord.

34 - HEED THE

WATCHMAN

Read Ezekiel 33

ave you ever had the experience of telling someone something

they could not believe? Maybe it was something important or

urgent, but they thought you were joking. This can be a

frustrating experience. If you have ever experienced this, you may be able

to sense in a small way what Ezekiel must have felt when he spoke to his

people about God’s coming judgment, and they turned away in unbelief.

We can see from this chapter that the prophet Ezekiel was called to be a

watchman over the house of Israel. God explained Ezekiel’s responsibility

as a spiritual guard. He was to be always on the alert. When he saw the

sword of God’s judgment coming against the land of Israel, he was to warn

the people in the city. If he warned them and they did not listen, they would

die because of their sin. The watchman would not be accountable for what

happened to them because he had warned them. If, however, when he saw

the danger approaching, he refused to warn the people and they died, he

would be accountable for their death. Their blood would be on his hands.

It was not the task of the prophet to act as judge. He could not say to

himself: “These people deserve this coming judgment, so I will not warn

them.” He was not to judge their worthiness or unworthiness to hear God’s

warning—he was simply to warn. All men and women are to be told of

God’s judgment on sin. All people must be given the choice either to heed

God’s message and repent for their sins or to refuse the word of the

watchman. God does not send us only to those He knows will accept

wisdom, He sends us also to those whom He knows will never chose to

obey.

As a prophet, Ezekiel was to speak the words the Lord gave him (see verse

7). Ezekiel was to relay that message to God’s people. God has always used

His servants to communicate to His people. God gifts and qualifies His

people in particular ministries. Each of us has a role to play. Ezekiel’s role

was to hear God and communicate God’s Word to His people. What is your

role?

Notice in verse 10 what the people were saying: “Our offenses and sins

weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can

we live?” The Israelites saw God’s judgment coming and reasoned that their

condition was hopeless. Their sins were crushing them and bringing them to

despair. They feared for their lives. Their question is not unlike the question

of the jailer who asked Paul what he could do to be saved (Acts 16:30).

How we need to come to this point in our society today. How we need to

hear people cry out: “How can we live any longer with the weight of our

sin?” Only when we understand our need can we truly see the answer God

has provided for that need.

God reminded those who cried out in despair because of their sin that He

did not take pleasure in the death of the wicked (verse 11). He preferred to

see the wicked turn from their wickedness and live. He pleaded with those

who grieved for their sin to return to Him. “Why should you die?” He

asked. There was no reason to perish. A way of escape was open for them.

Through repentance they could experience the forgiveness of God. If they

turned from their evil ways, He would accept them without a moment’s

hesitation. He did not delight in punishing them. He wanted to pardon them.

He was more willing to pardon them than they were to turn from their evil

and receive that pardon. They did not have to die because of their sins.

Right here in the Old Testament we see God calling the sinner to Himself.

Through repentance they could receive pardon and life. God’s grace was as

real in the pages of the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament. This

God has never changed. If you have never done so, turn to Him right now.

He longs to forgive. You do not have to perish.

In verses 12-20 God addressed a misconception that the people of Ezekiel’s

day had about salvation. They seemed to believe that every good deed they

did was credited to some heavenly bank account. When they did evil, they

withdrew from this account. When they did something good, they made a

deposit in their account. They believed that God would continue to forgive

them as long as they did not overdraw their accounts. As long as their

deposits were greater than their withdrawals, they would have the approval

of God. This is not unlike what many people believe today. What did God

say about this teaching in these verses?

In verses 12-16 the Lord told them that the righteousness of the righteous

would not save them in the day they fell into sin, and the wickedness of the

wicked would not be held against them in the day they repented (verse 12).

What was God saying here? He was telling them that there was no heavenly

bank account with credits and debits. When good living Israelites turned

their backs on God, they would die in the judgment the Lord was bringing

on their land (verse 13). God would not overlook their wickedness just

because they had lived righteously in the past. If they were guilty before

God, they would have to answer to God for their behavior. On the other

hand, even the worst sinners could decide to turn from their wickedness to

God and be spared from His judgment. This is what God hoped to see (see

verse 11).

Notice in verses 17-20 that the people of Ezekiel’s day found this teaching

difficult to accept. “The way of the Lord is not just,” they said (verse 17).

They refused to take responsibility for the judgment of God on their land.

They blamed God alone for all the death and destruction. Their faulty

thinking may have been something like this: “Do you mean to tell me that

all the good things that we have done will not cancel out the bad things?

That is not fair. Shouldn’t our good deeds count for something?” God made

it clear here in this section that all the good they did would amount to

nothing if they were not right with him by turning from their wicked ways

and seeking His forgiveness.

How important it is that we get this message. God is not interested in how

many good things you have done. He is interested in whether you have been

forgiven. You cannot trust in your good deeds. Your only hope can be found

in the forgiveness that God offers freely to all that will repent and come to

Him. You must cast yourselves totally on the Lord and the forgiveness He

freely offers.

In verse 21 a messenger came to Ezekiel to tell him about the captivity of

the city of Jerusalem. Verse 22 tells us that God’s hand had been on the

prophet the night before this messenger came. We are not told how God’s

hand was on him, but he obviously knew something was about to happen.

When Ezekiel heard that the city of Jerusalem had been taken, his mouth

was opened to speak to the people of God. Verse 22 tells us that he was no

longer mute. Obviously, God had kept him from speaking to his people

until His judgment on them had been executed. This is in direct fulfillment

of the Word of God to him in Ezekiel 24:26-27:

“On that day a fugitive will come to tell you the news. At that

time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and

will no longer be silent. So you will be a sign to them, and they

will know that I am the LORD.”

Verse 23 calls our attention to the people who remained in the ruins of

Israel. It appears that these are the people who survived the fall of

Jerusalem and were not taken captive by the Babylonians. For the most

part, they were poor and unskilled. They were left behind because they

were of no practical use to the king of Babylon. Notice that in their pride,

they claimed that they had inherited the land their brothers had been

banished from. Did they believe that because they had not been taken into

exile they were better than their brothers? God wanted to set the record

straight in these verses. He reminded them of their sin as well. He reminded

them of how they had been eating the blood of animals and defiling their

neighbors’ wives. They too would perish by the sword. The land they

claimed had been given to them as an inheritance would be given to the

wild beasts (verse 27). Those who survived the sword would die of

pestilence. The whole land would be made desolate because of their sin.

How easy it is to judge. Sometimes we look down on others and fail to see

our own sin. This was what these people were guilty of in their day. Have

you ever found yourself looking down on others in a similar way?

Notice that while the people of Ezekiel’s day were religious, they were not

really interested in what the prophet had to say. They were not ready to seek

God with all their heart. In verse 30 we see that these people understood

Ezekiel to be a prophet of God. They even invited their brothers and sisters

to hear what he was saying. They listened to Ezekiel as they listened to a

gifted musician. They listened and maybe even repeated the words among

themselves. They talked about the message they heard from the prophet, but

they did not do what he said. They were entertained, but they had no

intention of putting into practice the words they heard. God sends His

watchmen to us on many occasions. How often, however, have we failed to

heed their warnings? We hear the words. They are like a beautiful song. We

enjoy the feeling they give us, but it never goes beyond that level.

As you read this commentary, you may enjoy learning more about the

prophet Ezekiel, but are you hearing the voice of the watchman? He is

warning you of a coming danger. He is calling you to turn from your sins

and live. Do you hear him? Will you take his words seriously? Will you

heed the watchman and live?

For Consideration:

Has God called you to be a watchman today? What is your role for the

kingdom of God?

What do we learn in this passage about salvation? What is the teaching of

Ezekiel regarding salvation by good works?

What is the difference between listening to the watchman and doing

something about what he says?

For Prayer:

Ask God to help you hear Him and know His leading.

Ask God to open your eyes each day to see opportunities to share His love

and offer of forgiveness.

Is there someone you believe needs to be warned of coming judgment?

Take a moment to bring this person before the Lord in prayer.

Ask God to forgive you for the times you did not take Him and His Word

seriously.

35 - SHEPHERDS AND

SHEEP

Read Ezekiel 34

ave you ever been disappointed in a spiritual leader? Has another

believer ever hurt you? These problems are all too common in

our day. One of the major problems with the nation of Israel was

that her leaders were not committed to caring for the people. There were

also people among them who did not seek unity. God compared the leaders

of the nation to shepherds and the people to sheep. Let’s look at what was

taking place in the land.

The shepherds were concerned only for themselves (verse 2). They took

advantage of the sheep. They ate their curds (NIV), clothed themselves with

their wool and killed the choicest of the flock for their food (verse 3). They

took from the flock but did not take care of it. They did not strengthen the

weak. They did not heal the sick. They did not care for the injured. They

did not bring back the straying. They did not bother to search for the lost.

They ruled over them harshly. Obviously, their concern was not for the

sheep but for themselves.

The result of this lack of care was that the sheep were scattered. They left

the fold and no one came to their rescue. They wandered dangerously far

away and were easy prey for the wild beasts. The shepherds did nothing to

return them to the fold or rescue them from their enemies. Is this happening

in the churches of our land today?

The Lord was angry with these shepherds. In verse 10 He clearly told them

that He was against them. God would hold them accountable for their

actions. He would not allow them to continue in their role as shepherds. He

cared too much for His sheep to let them be destroyed by these shepherds.

We cannot take this verse lightly. There is a tremendous responsibility that

comes with being a shepherd of God's people. As a pastor, if the sheep

under your care are not growing, it is your responsibility to see that they do.

To neglect your responsibility or to exercise your role as pastor purely for

selfish motives is to invite the wrath of God. You have in your hands the

care of a people whom God dearly loves. We dare not neglect such an

awesome task. In Ezekiel 34 the spiritual and political leaders of God's

people had been found guilty before God of neglecting the sheep.

What was the solution to this problem? God Himself would care for the

sheep. He would take the sheep from the hands of those who had been

neglecting and misleading them. He would search for those who had been

scattered and bring them back to the fold (verses 11-12). He would rescue

them and bring them back to their homeland (verses 12-13). Once again

they would graze in rich pastures (verse 14). The sick would be healed. The

weak would be strengthened (verse 16). What a tremendous promise this is.

It should be noted that the immediate fulfillment of this prophecy would

take place when the people of God returned from their land of exile. Their

spiritual leaders had not led them in the way of truth. They had led them

into idol worship and pagan practices. God's people were scattered because

of their sins. God would return them to their land.

In verses 17-22 we find that it was not only the shepherds who were

causing problem for God's people. Among the flock were sheep that

trampled the pasture and muddied the clear water, forcing the other sheep to

eat what they had trampled down and drink what they had muddied (verse

19). These sheep shoved and butted the weakest of the flock with their

horns (verse 21). The weaker sheep were scattered because of them.

You do not have to go very far to find this type of overbearing sheep. It

seems that every church has a few bad sheep. These people are proud. They

want their own way. Some of them are very disagreeable. They say things

that cause a stir among the flock. In their presence, the flock is agitated and

tense. Some want recognition. They can be very bitter and domineering.

God is aware of the presence of this type of sheep in the flock. The day is

coming when they too will be judged.

Things were not easy for God's people. Their shepherds had failed them.

They were abused by fellow believers. They were broken and crushed. God

would not abandon them, however. He would raise up His servant David to

lead them (verse 23). Who was this servant? Was it not the Lord Jesus? The

Lord Jesus, as the Good Shepherd from the line of David, would protect His

sheep (verse 25). With Him as their shepherd they would live in peace

(verse 25). Under His leadership they would be richly blessed. Showers

would come in their season (verse 26). Their trees would yield fruit (verse

27). The people would live in security (verse 27). No longer would they be

plundered by the nations. No one would make them afraid because God

would be their shepherd (verse 28).

What a wonderful promise! Your brothers and sisters may have mistreated

you. Your spiritual leaders may have neglected you in your time of spiritual

need. Jesus will never let you down. He will always be there for you. You

can trust Him fully. When everyone else has disappointed you, He will be

there to pick you up. He loves you too much to abandon you. Are you

willing to let Him feed you? Will you let Him be your guide? Will you

listen to Him and follow His leading? He will care for you. Those of us who

have submitted to the Lord Jesus know the blessings of His lordship in our

lives. In Him we are strong. In Him no foe can destroy us. We are secure in

His grace. His care is perfect. There is no wound He cannot heal. There is

no pain He cannot comfort. He is indeed the Good Shepherd.

God condemned the leaders of Israel because they did not care for the

sheep. He condemned the bad sheep in the fold because they agitated the

fold and drove weaker sheep away. Maybe you can identify with what

Ezekiel was saying here. Maybe you have experienced the neglect and

abuse of spiritual authority in your church. Maybe you have been butted by

the horn of a bad sheep. As long as we look to people, we will be

disappointed. May I draw your attention to the Great Shepherd? Unlike

your brothers and sisters He will never let you down. In Him you will

always be loved and protected. The Lord Jesus is God, the Great Shepherd

of the sheep. In your turmoil turn your eyes to Him. You will not be

disappointed.

For Consideration:

Why do you suppose there are shepherds who do not shepherd the sheep

today? What is their motivation in ministry?

Have you met individuals in your church who seem to create disharmony?

What is the warning of God to them in this passage?

What does this passage teach us about the love and care of the Lord God for

His sheep?

What do we learn in this passage about the awesome responsibility that is

put on the shoulders of spiritual leaders to care for God’s sheep? Are you a

spiritual leader? What challenge does this passage bring to you?

What keeps believers in churches where the gospel is not being preached

and where they are not growing or being cared for?

For Prayer:

Ask God to bless your pastor’s ministry. Ask God to help your pastor to

serve with a true and pure heart.

Do you know believers who have been part of a church for years but have

never grown? Take a moment to bring them before the Lord in prayer.

Pray for the spiritual shepherds in your community who have not been

shepherding the sheep. Ask God to help them to know Him and take their

responsibility seriously.

36 - OLD GRUDGES

Read Ezekiel 35

ave you ever kept a grudge? Maybe you were hurt many years

ago by someone. You have never been able to forgive that

person. This is what took place in chapter 35 of Ezekiel. God

spoke here to the inhabitants of Mount Seir. A quick look at Deuteronomy

2:12 will show us that the inhabitants of this region were the descendants of

Esau:

“Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove

them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and

settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the LORD

gave them as their possession.”

The descendants of Esau were also known as the Edomites. Genesis 36:1

tells us: “This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom).”

The passage tells us that God was angry with the Edomites. He would make

their land a desolate waste and their towns would be ruined (verse 4). Why

was God angry with the Edomites? The Bible tells us that the Edomites

"harbored an ancient hostility" (verse 5). The KJV says that they had a

"perpetual hatred" in their hearts. The context shows us that this hatred was

directed toward the children of Israel. What was the source of this perpetual

hatred between the Edomites and the people of Israel and Judah? Genesis

27:41 gives us the answer:

“Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his

father had given him. He said to himself, ‘The days of mourning

for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’”

Jacob had stolen Esau's birthright. The two brothers were separated because

of the hatred of Esau toward his brother Jacob. This bitterness continued

throughout the years. Hundreds of years had passed since this event, and yet

the two nations had still not resolved their differences. Edom continued to

cultivate the old hostility between Jacob and Esau.

What was the result of this "ancient hostility"? What happens when we

harbor ill feelings in our soul toward another? Let’s look at the result of this

bitterness.

Judgment And Desolation

First, notice that Edom brought the judgment of God on themselves and

their land. Their land would become a barren wasteland (verse 7). Her

mountains would be filled with the bodies of the slain (verse 8). Her towns

would be uninhabited (verse 9). We see here a picture of brokenness and

despair. What God promised happened to Edom will happen to anyone who

repeats her errors. When we hold a grudge against our brother or sister, we

bring desolation to our own souls. We cut ourselves off from fellowship

with God's children and with God Himself. The natural result of this is

barrenness in our spiritual and emotional lives.

Broken Fellowship With Brothers And Sisters

Second, we see in this passage that bitterness destroyed the relationship

between Edom and Israel. Edom rejoiced over the destruction of Jerusalem

(verse 15). She cared nothing for Israel’s pain and suffering. Her bitter spirit

had stripped her of compassion for her brothers and sisters. She could not

feel for them. When the enemy invaded Israel, she stood on the sidelines

cheering them on. Listen to what the Psalmist says in Psalm 137:7:

“Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the day

Jerusalem fell. ‘Tear it down,’ they cried, ‘tear it down to its

foundations!’”

We understand from Ezekiel that Edom had nothing but evil to say about

God's people:

“Then you will know that I the LORD have heard all the

contemptible things you have said against the mountains of

Israel. You said, ‘They have been laid waste and have been

given over to us to devour’” (verse 12).

Edom claimed that the lands of Israel and Judah were rightfully hers (verse

10). In saying this she was going back to her stolen birthright and blessing.

The Edomites felt that they were the rightful owner of the land that God had

given to Israel because they were the rightful owners of the blessing and

birthright Jacob had stolen from his twin brother, Esau. Israel's prosperity

was a constant reminder of these stolen blessings.

The hatred and jealousy in the heart of Edom caused her to lash out against

Israel, destroying any possibility of relationship between the two nations.

Harboring old grudges will only serve as a barrier to restored relationships

with our brother or sister. Only when we deal with the bitterness can

relationships be restored.

Broken Fellowship With God

Third, notice that the harboring of grudges also destroys our relationship

with God. God was against Edom because of her "perpetual hatred." Verse 6

tells us that God would pursue her to shed her blood. Edom developed a bad

attitude, not only toward the Israelites but also toward God who so richly

blessed them. She resented the fact that God had taken Israel's side in this

ancient hostility. She began to openly show her disapproval. Verse 13 tells

us that Edom boasted against God and spoke against Him “without

restraint.”

There is a very intimate relationship between God and His people. To hurt a

child of God is to hurt God. Matthew 25:40 puts it this way:

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for

one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

You cannot separate your relationship with a child from your relationship

with His Heavenly Father. When you cultivate a bad attitude toward the

people of God, you cultivate that same attitude toward God. What we do to

the least of His children, He considers that we are doing to Him. This

destroys our relationship with God. You can only get as close to God as you

are to His children. You cannot love God if you do not love His children.

Edom's bitterness toward the children of God broke their relationship with

God Himself.

Are you in this situation today? Do you harbor bitterness against a brother

or sister in Christ? Ultimately, we hurt only ourselves in holding grudges

against others. Only be extending forgiveness and seeking reconciliation

can we know spiritual peace and prosperity in our own lives.

For Consideration:

Have you ever found yourself holding a grudge against a fellow human

being? What was the result in your life spiritually and emotionally?

Why is it so hard to seek reconciliation? What keeps us from seeking

reconciliation?

Do you have trouble forgiving a certain person? Who is it?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to reveal to you any personal bitterness that you may be

harboring in your heart against a brother or sister.

Ask God to bring healing in your life from this bitterness.

Ask God to fill your life with forgiveness for those who have offended you.

37 - THE COMING

REVIVAL

Read Ezekiel 36

ll of us have had the experience of having to clean up a big mess.

Junk has a tendency to accumulate over the years. It clutters up

our houses and leaves little room for the things we really need.

From time to time we feel the need to do a good cleaning. What a joy it is to

get rid of the clutter in our homes. From time to time the clutter

accumulates as well in the lives of the people of God. God is forced to do

something about it.

In this chapter attention is focused on the mountains of Israel. These

mountains had been deserted (verse 3). They were barren because the

people of God had lost their land. Israel's enemies had left her abandoned.

They openly boasted that these mountains were now theirs (verse 2).

Israel’s adversaries were openly slandering her (verse 3).

Notice God's response when He saw the enemies rejoice because of the

downfall of His people (verse 5). These were His children they were

mocking. He was jealous for them (verse 6). Like any good father, He

would not sit idly by while His children suffered rebuke. He was going to

lift up His hand against His children's enemies (verse 7). God promised that

these barren mountains of Israel would again produce fruit (verse 8). He

would again bless His people.

It is true that God's people were being punished for their sins, but they were

His children. He still loved them. He had a very bright future in store for

them. Once again Israel’s uncultivated lands would be ploughed and sown

(verse 9). Her towns would be rebuilt and inhabited as before (verse 10).

They would again become a numerous people (verse 11). Israel would

regain her former glory and prosper more than she had in the past (verse

11). Never again would the mountains be deprived of inhabitants (verse 12).

People said that the mountains of Israel devoured their own people (verse

13). No longer would they be able to say that. Israel’s enemies would no

longer scorn her (verse 15).

It is important to mention here that it was not because Israel deserved these

blessings that God was going to respond favorably toward her. She was like

a woman in her monthly impurity (verse 17). She was impure. Because of

her impurity, God had dispersed her among the nations (verse 19). She had

been exiled because of her sin (verse 19). Even in her exile, Israel had

profaned the name of the Lord by her evil practices (verse 20). Her

disobedience to God was the subject of much talk among the nations (verse

20).

It was not because she merited God's favor that she was to be blessed. It

was because God's holy name was being profaned that God would draw her

back (verse 22). God would not allow His holy name to be profaned by His

people. For the sake of His great name, He would do a work among them.

What was this work that God was going to do? He would gather them from

their exile and sprinkle clean water on them to cleanse them from their sin

(verse 25). He would give them a new heart and put a new spirit within

them (verse 25). He would remove the old heart of stone and rebellion

(verse 26). He would give them His Spirit. His Spirit would move them to

obedience (verse 27). They would be God's people, not only in name but

also in deed (verse 28). They would be saved from their uncleanness (verse

29). Once again they would be blessed (verse 30). In that day they would

remember their evil ways and loathe themselves for having stooped so low

(verse 31). Noticed that it was not for them only that God would do this

work but, rather, for the sake of His holy name (verse 32).

What would be the result of this revival in the land? Notice four things in

this passage. First, their desolate land would become a Garden of Eden

(verse 35). The blessing of the Lord would be poured out on the land. His

presence would be obvious. When God comes in revival, barrenness

departs. We cannot help but look at our world today and see the spiritual

desolation and barrenness that abounds. When God pours out His Spirit in

revival, the barren wilderness is watered and begins to bring forth fruit. The

Word of the Lord is once more respected and the name of the Lord is

honored.

The second result of this revival would be that the nations would know that

Israel's God was the true God (verse 36). When God pours out His Spirit on

the church, the world cannot help but notice the difference. When

Christians live in the power of the Spirit of God, the world cannot help but

bow the knee before their God.

Third, notice in verse 37 that God promised to increase their people like a

flock. In an age of declining church membership and waning interest in

spiritual matters, how we need such a move of God’s Spirit today.

Notice fourth that Israel would bow the knee before God (verse 38). They

would see His powerful work among them and fall down in worship and

adoration. He would be glorified among His people. They would know Him

to be God. They had been unfaithful to their God. God would move in

power and restore them to a right relationship with Him.

Our present age is in need of this kind of revival promised to Ezekiel. We

seek not a revival for ourselves—we seek it for the glory of God's holy

name. His name is being profaned in our workplaces as people take it in

vain. His name is being profaned in our country as policies are being made

that directly contradict the teaching of His Word. His name is being

profaned in our schools as young people live in immorality, abusing alcohol

and drugs. His name is being profaned on our televisions and in our music.

His name is being profaned in our business world as people step on others

for their own advancement. His name is being profaned in our churches as

believers come together to worship without ever dealing with the sin that

separates them one from another. His name is being profaned from our

pulpits as preachers preach a word that is not from the Lord. His name is

being profaned in our own lives as we fail to live fully unto him. For the

glory of the holy name of God, we need to cry out for the kind of revival

promised to Israel. Can we sit idly by as our society blasphemes the name

of our God? Won't you cry out today that God would remove the old stony

hearts and replace them with hearts of flesh?

For Consideration:

What evidence is there in our present society that we need to experience the

kind of revival spoken of here in this chapter?

What would you expect to see changed by this great revival in our midst?

Is there evidence of a need of revival in your own personal life? Be specific.

What is the primary purpose of revival according to Ezekiel?

For Prayer:

Ask God to bring about this revival in our society.

Ask God to give you personally this heart for revival in your own life.

38 - AN ARMY OF DEAD

BONES

Read Ezekiel 37

he setting is a valley. Ezekiel had been taken there in a vision from

the Lord. God walked him through the valley in his vision. There

were bones scattered over the ground. These bones were very dry.

Obviously, they had been there a long time. It was as though some great

battle had taken place in this valley. Ezekiel was seeing the bodies of those

who had died in this great battle.

As Ezekiel took in the scene before him, he heard the Lord asking him if

these bones could live again. Ezekiel told God that only He could decide

whether these bones could live again. Humanly speaking, it was not

possible, but with God anything was possible.

God then asked the prophet to prophesy to the bones. Ezekiel obeyed the

Lord and prophesied. We are not told how he did this or what he said. God

obviously gave him the words he needed to speak. When he finished

speaking, he heard a rattling sound rising up from the floor of the valley. As

he looked around him, he saw the bones beginning to move. It was as if a

skilled workman, invisible to the human eye, was putting these bones

together. Piece by piece they came together. When each bone had found its

correct place, Ezekiel saw tendons and flesh appear on the dry skeletons.

Soon these bodies were covered with skin. The corpses lay silent on the

ground. While their bodies had been restored, there was still no life in them.

Like many churches of our day that had an outward form, but there was no

life.

Then the LORD told Ezekiel to speak “to the breath” and say: “Come from

the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live”

(verse 9). Ezekiel obeyed. He heard the wind blow into the valley. Life

came with the wind and the slain rose to their feet very much alive. Ezekiel

looked around and saw a very impressive army.

What was this vision about? God explained to the prophet that the bones

were His people Israel. They had been cut off. They were without hope.

God would restore them, however. He would give them back their land. He

would bring them back from their exile and cause them to enjoy the land He

had promised their forefathers. God would not only return them to their

land, but His wind would give them spiritual life (verse 14). His Spirit

would come to them in refreshing revival power. When everything seemed

to be lost, God moved and hope was restored.

God promised that He would open the graves and restore life. How we need

to see this in our day. Once again we need to see spiritually dead believers

opened up and these individuals restored to new life in Christ. We need to

see churches of our age renewed with new life from above so that they rise

from their spiritual apathy and indifference to serve and glorify their Lord

and Savior.

After this, God commanded Ezekiel to take two sticks and write on them

(verse 16). On the first stick he was to write: "For Judah and for the

children of Israel his companions" (KJV). On the second stick were to be

recorded the words: "For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house

of Israel his companions" (KJV). What are we to make of this? Many years

before this, the people of God had been divided into two nations: Israel and

Judah. These sticks represented these nations. Ezekiel was to take the two

sticks and join them in his hands, representing the fact that once again they

would be one nation. No longer would they be divided. This took place on

their return from exile. They returned as one nation. The old hostilities were

cast aside.

Not only were these dead bones given new life, they would also live

together in unity. When they returned they would be united under one king

(verse 22). They would be cleansed of their sin and no longer defile

themselves with their idols (verse 23). The king who would rule over them

is described as being "my servant David." Who is this king? Obviously, it is

not king David who had died many years before this. This king would,

however, come from the line of David. The Lord Jesus Christ is from the

line of David. He would be their new king. According to verse 24, He

would lead His people in obedience to the commands of God. He would

establish a new covenant with them. He would be their king forever more.

No other king but Jesus could fulfill this prophecy. He alone can reign over

His people eternally. What a bright hope was theirs as they looked forward

to the coming of this great king to rule over them.

The immediate fulfillment of this prophecy came to pass when God’s

people returned from exile and settled in their land. Here they were given

new life. They were united together as one nation, just as God had promised

through Ezekiel. The problem, however, arises when we see the response of

the Jews toward their new king, the Lord Jesus. The passage tells us that

they would be careful to observe His laws. This is not what we saw when

the Lord Jesus came to earth. The Jews rejected Him as their king. It would

seem, therefore, that the Lord has still a great work to accomplish in the

lives of His people. Will He cause a great revival to take place among the

Jews? Will they, as a people, turn to the Lord Jesus and accept Him as their

Messiah? We await this ultimate fulfillment.

Though the Jews generally rejected the Lord Jesus as their Messiah, it was

from them that the New Testament church sprang. We cannot forget that the

disciples of our Lord Jesus were Jews. These men took the message of

Jesus to the world. It was God’s heart to reach out through His people to the

ends of the earth: “Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel

holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever” (verse 28).

God promised to place His “sanctuary” among the nations. In the Old

Testament context the Lord God revealed His presence on earth in the

sanctuary. The sanctuary represented His presence. When God told Ezekiel

that His sanctuary would dwell forever with the nations, He was telling him

that the presence of God would be with them. This revival would

accomplish a third objective: not only would it bring new life to God’s

people and unite them under one Lord, but through it whole nations would

come to know and worship their God.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Jewish disciples of Jesus at

Pentecost, three thousand men and women were added to the church in one

day. In the days that followed the coming of the Holy Spirit, people were

being added daily to the church. When the presence of the Lord came

among His people, the nations were touched. From that little group of

Jewish believers, gathered together in Jerusalem, an international church

was born. From these dried-out Jewish bones, God formed a mighty army.

That army spread throughout the world with the message of the gospel. It

continues to flourish and expand today.

How we need to praise the Lord that He is doing a mighty work on the earth

today. From the rebellious nations of Israel and Judah, He raised up an army

of believers. Today that mighty army is moving all across the earth. In the

history of the church, we have never seen such a spread of the gospel. The

message of the gospel of Christ is spreading to every country. People from

every nationality are turning their hearts and lives over to the lordship of

Jesus Christ. From those dried-out bones, God has indeed formed a mighty

army. He can also use you. He is a life-giving God. You may feel unworthy

and helpless, but this passage reminds us that with God all things are

possible. Will you trust Him, step out in faith and watch what He does?

For Consideration:

What hope do you find in this chapter for the future of the church?

What would be the fruit of the revival God would bring to Israel? In their

lives? In the world?

What does this passage teach us about the possibility of having a form with

no life?

What change has the Spirit of God made in your life?

For Prayer:

Are there people you know who are dead to spiritual matters? Take a

moment to pray that the Lord would breathe life into them.

Notice that in this renewal God would bring, relationships would be

mended. Is there someone that you have trouble loving? Ask God to bring

healing to this relationship.

Thank the Lord for the fact that He breathed life into your spirit so that you

came alive to Him and to the truth of His Word.

39 - THE DESTRUCTION

OF GOG

Read Ezekiel 38

ne of the greatest blessings of the Christian life is the knowledge

that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. There is no foe

that can overcome us. There is no temptation too powerful for us

to master in His strength. This does not mean that we will not have to face

obstacles in our lives. Though there will be trials and testing in this life we

can be assured that in Christ, we can be overcomers.

In chapters 38 and 39 Ezekiel was called to prophesy against Gog. Who is

Gog? We understand from Ezekiel 38:2 that Gog was a prince of the lands

of Magog, Meshech, and Tubal. These regions were located in the present

area of Turkey. From Genesis 10:2 we read that Magog, Meshech, and

Tubal were the sons of Japheth and grandchildren of Noah.

From verses 4-6 we discover that Gog was a very powerful and influential

leader in his day. Mention was made of his great army. This army was

equipped with a number of horses and horsemen splendidly armed with

swords and shields. What made him even more imposing was the fact that

he was the leader of a very powerful alliance of nations. Joined with his

army are the armies of Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth Togarmah. Who

would dare to stand against such a foe?

The time was coming, prophesied Ezekiel, when Gog and his alliance of

nations would invade a land “recovered from war” (verse 8). The people

they would invade were a people who had been gathered from the

surrounding nations and brought to the mountains of Israel. This nation was

none other than the nation of Israel. Like a storm, Gog and his alliance

would advance against the people of God (verse 9). Notice that the

inhabitants of this land lived peacefully in unwalled villages (verse 11).

Like a bully stealing candy from a little child, Gog and his great army

would plunder defenseless Israel. He would attack, plunder, and loot the

resettled ruins (verse 12).

Out of the north, Gog and his alliance of nations would come up against the

people of God, like a great cloud covering the land (verse 15-16). We are

told that this battle would not take place until the latter days when the

people of God were again resettled in their land (verse 16).

While this was not a pleasant future to look forward to, the Lord did bring

an encouraging word to His people. When Gog invaded the land of Israel,

the anger of God would be aroused. The earth would shake when God rose

up in righteous fury (verse 19). All of creation, from the fish of the sea to

the birds of the heavens, would tremble in the presence of this God of holy

anger. Men and women living on the earth in those days would also tremble

at the presence of this great and awesome God. In the day of His wrath, the

mountains would be overturned. The cliffs would fall flat. The walls of the

cities would fall to the ground, leaving the inhabitants without defense. On

that day, God would summon the sword against Gog (verse 21). Gog had

come to destroy, but he would be destroyed. The day of God's wrath would

be a day of plague and bloodshed. God would open up the gates of heaven

and pour down on him a deluge of rain, hailstones, and burning sulphur,

executing His judgment against Gog (verse 22).

How are we to understand this prophecy? The apostle John prophesied of a

similar event in Revelation 20:7-10. In this passage Satan will be released

from his bonds. He will go forth to deceive the nations. He will gather Gog

and Magog together and march against the camp of God's people. This is

not unlike what is being described for us in Ezekiel. Satan will not be

successful. Revelation 20:9 tells us that fire will rain down from heaven on

Gog and Magog. Ezekiel spoke of a similar thing when he tells us that God

would pour down "torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulphur” on Gog

and his army. These two passages seem to refer to the same event?

What is this great army that will invade the people of God? When will this

take place? While we do not have clear answers to these questions in

Ezekiel or Revelation, we can be assured that Satan has not given up. The

Bible tells us that he will be unleashed on this earth in the latter days. When

he is unleashed, his battle against the people of God will be cruel. We do

not know when or how this will take place. It suffices for us to be warned

that it will take place.

What is essential for us to understand in this chapter is that in Christ there is

complete victory. Satan will do his worst to destroy the work of God. He

will attack us and hurl his allies against us. We will be called on to suffer.

We must accept the inevitable fact that we are involved in a spiritual

warfare. It should not surprise us to see the enemy shoot at us. Some of us

will suffer the deadly blows of Satan's arrow in our fight against him. The

Christian walk is one of discipline and difficulty. There will be times when

the size of the enemy coming toward us will tempt us to be discouraged and

lose heart. Ezekiel 38 calls us to persevere. The victory is ours. We can

overcome. God will not allow us to be defeated. The world will one day

bow at His feet and recognize that He is Lord of all. Praise be to God who

gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).

We will overcome. Ezekiel promised victory over Gog and his mighty

army. Satan is a defeated foe. May the assurance of victory give us courage

to face the battle before us.

For Consideration:

What encouragement do you take from this particular chapter?

Why do you suppose God allows this great army to come against His

people? Is there a purpose for the trials and difficulties we go through in

this life?

For Prayer:

Take a moment to thank God that He is bigger than anything the enemy can

throw against us.

Can you recall times in your life when you too had to face a foe that was far

bigger than you? Take a moment to praise and thank the Lord for the

victory He gave you at that time of your life.

40 - WHY GOD SENDS

TRIALS

Read Ezekiel 39

e have seen how Gog would invade the land of Israel and be

destroyed in the process. Here in chapter 39 Ezekiel continued

his prophecy against Gog and his people. Verse 1 tells us that

God was against Gog. He had attacked His people in their time of peace.

Notice in verse 2 that God led him from the north to the nation of Israel. We

are given the distinct impression here that God was permitting him to attack

the land of Israel. Why would God allow His people to be attacked? The

following verses shed some light on this question. They also shed some

light on the problem of evil and pain in our society today. Let’s examine

why God allowed Gog to attack His people.

Notice first in verse 3 that while God allowed Gog to come against His

people, He also knocked the sword out of his hands. Gog and all his troops

would fall in the mountains of Israel. The birds of prey would feed on their

corpses (verse 4). While they lay dying in the open field, God would send a

fire to their homelands, destroying them completely (verse 6). God’s people

would be stretched in their faith. They would have to trust Him as the

enemy approached. God would bring them almost to the brink of disaster

and then breakthrough in victory. God would remain in control. Even

though things around you seem to be falling apart and you are feeling the

enemy breathing down your neck, never doubt that God is in control. He

knows what He is doing. He knows what we can handle and promises

victory to all who trust in Him. Notice what the result of this pain would be.

In verse 6 Ezekiel tells us that when these things would happen, God’s

people would know that He was the LORD (the Sovereign One). If we

never had a problem, how could we experience the power of God to

overcome our problems? God shows us how big He really is by allowing

these problems to come our way and then giving us victory over them.

Verse 7 tells us another thing about our difficulties: through them God

brings glory to His holy name. When we see the victory of God over sin

and pain, our response is one of praise and thanksgiving. When we see how

God deals with evil and rebellion, we are moved to obedience and

faithfulness. God sometimes allows evil to happen so that through it He can

demonstrate His great holiness and hatred of sin. God allowed Gog to attack

His people. He showed His people the horrible nature of sin through Gog.

Then He showed them His great judgment of that sin. The end result was

that God’s people had a deeper appreciation of His hatred of sin and His

holiness of character.

Verses 9-16 paint a picture of the defeat of Gog. Before us we see the

bodies of Gog’s army strewn across the land. Their weapons are scattered

all around them. So large was the quantity of weapons used against the

people of God that they would not have to search for firewood for seven

years. They would simply burn their enemy's weapons of war (verse 9-10).

It would take the Israelites seven months to bury the soldiers that perished

in that great battle (verse 12). Men would be hired to go throughout the land

and search out the dead bodies lying unattended in the fields. When they

found a body they would set up a marker (verse 15). Other men would

come behind them and bury the corpses (verse 14). In verses 17-20 the

birds of the air and the wild animals of the forest are called to assist in this

massive cleanup operation. They would eat the flesh of the enemies of

Israel until they could eat no more. They would drink blood until they were

drunk. It would be by this means that the land would be cleansed of its

defilement.

What would happen if the Lord were to do a similar search in our land

today? Would He find any dying corpses of sin and rebellion? What about

your own life? If God were to send His angels to search the hidden recess of

your life, what would He find? The Psalmist cried out to God to search him

(Ps 139:23-24). How we need to have this attitude. Come Lord and search

my heart. Dig up those unforgiven hurts and pains. Uncover those

unconfessed sins. Reveal to me my wrong attitudes and motives. Show me

those things that keep me from experiencing more of you. Come and

cleanse me. Come and renew me, however painful that might be.

We see in verses 22-24 another reason for pain and trials. God uses them to

discipline us and draw us back to Himself. From verse 23 we learn that

God sent His people into exile and allowed pain and trials to overwhelm

them because of their unfaithfulness. He hid His face from them and gave

them into the hands of the enemy. He dealt with them according to their evil

ways (verse 24). While we should not always assume that we suffer because

of some secret sin, the discipline of God is nonetheless very real. There are

times when God will allow trials and pain to overwhelm us in order to

awaken us to the reality of our rebellion. Notice, however, that this

discipline does not last forever. After they had borne their shame and

learned their lessons, God would again come to them. Once again they

would dwell in safety and security. Their enemies would be held back.

Again God would reveal His face to them, never to hide it again (verse 29).

He would pour out His Spirit on them (verse 29). God’s name would be

lifted up among His people and His glory would be seen by many nations

(verse 27). Their discipline was only for a time. Through their pain, God

drew them to Himself. They were refined in the fire of His discipline. All

this had as its objective to draw His loved ones closer.

For Consideration:

What are three reasons discussed in this chapter for pain and suffering? Do

you see any practical examples of this in your life?

We see in this chapter that though the Lord allows pain He still remains in

control of that pain? What comfort do you take from this? Can you apply

this truth to something you are going through in your life right now?

How have trials and pain drawn you closer to the Lord Jesus?

For Prayer:

Take a moment and ask the Lord to search your heart. Ask Him to uncover

anything that needs to be confessed and made right. Ask God for the

strength to make these things right.

Thank the Lord for the trial you are going through right now. Praise Him

that He is not only in control of this pain but is also using it to bring glory

to His name and to draw you closer to Himself.

41 - EZEKIEL'S TEMPLE

Read Ezekiel 40:1-43:12

n times of trial, the last thing we think about doing is to look at all the

blessings the Lord has given us. It is in these moments, however, that

we need to lift up our spirits and remember the great promises of God.

Nothing will renew our courage more than our hope of brighter things to

come. When we realize that our suffering is only for a season, we are

restored in our effort to persevere.

In this section of his book the prophet Ezekiel was taken, by means of a

vision, to the land of Israel. This vision took place in the twenty-fifth year

of the Babylonian captivity, fourteen years after the city of Jerusalem was

captured. This shows us that Ezekiel was one of the first captives to leave

his homeland for Babylon. The Israelites were sent into exile in various

stages. Over a period of years, the enemy had been taking God’s people

captive. In his vision Ezekiel was taken to the top of a mountain. From

there, as he looked toward the south, he saw what appeared to be a great

city. He was taken to the city where he met a man whose appearance was

like bronze (verse 3, NIV) or brass (KJV). This was probably a reference to

his brilliance. This man stood by the gate with a linen cord and a measuring

rod in his hand (verse 3). Ezekiel was commanded to examine very

carefully what the man was about to show him. What he saw he was to tell

to the children of Israel (verse 4).

Ezekiel noticed a great temple in this city. All around the temple was a wall.

The man with the measuring rod measured the wall. It stood one rod in

height and one rod in thickness (that is 3 meters or 9 feet in height and

width). This wall was obviously very solid.

To simplify the description of this temple, I have included a diagram. The

diagram is not meant to be a perfect architectural plan. It will give us a

rough idea, however, of the temple that is described for us in the next few

chapters. Let us consider this temple.

As we have mentioned, a great wall surrounded the temple (verses 5-6).

Ezekiel watched as the man with the rod went to the east entrance to

measure the threshold. It measured one rod (3 meters or 9 feet). One could

enter into the outer court of the temple area by one of three entrances (east

entrance, verse 6; north entrance, verse 20; south entrance, verse 24). Seven

steps led up into these entranceways (verse 22, 26). Each entrance had three

chambers on each side (verses 10, 21). We are not told what these chambers

were used for. They measured one square rod (3 square meters or 9 square

feet, verse 6). Ezekiel noticed that there were windows all around.

Ezekiel and his guide entered into the outer court of the temple (verse 17).

Ezekiel noticed the chambers inserted into the wall of the outer court. There

were thirty rooms along the walls of the outer court (verse 17). These rooms

were used for storage. This would explain the reason for the three-meter-

wide wall, as the rooms were set into the wall. Ezekiel was taken from the

east gate (verse 6) to the north gate (verse 20) and finally to the south gate

(verse 24). As they moved from gate to gate, Ezekiel noted all the details

while the man with the rod calculated the measurements.

After examining the outer court, the two men moved toward the inner court

of the temple (verse 28). This court also had three gates (south, verse 28;

east, verse 32; north, verse 35). These entrances were the same as the

entrances to the outer court. Eight steps led up into the inner court (verse

31). The inner court was at a higher level than the outer court. Once again

they moved through the inner courtyard from the south (verse 28) to the

east (verse 32) and finally to the north (verse 35). Here again measurements

were taken and Ezekiel recorded all the details. Ezekiel took note of the

rooms where they washed the burnt offerings (verse 38). He saw the tables

where they laid the animals down to kill them and prepare them for

sacrifice (verses 39-43). Inserted in the wall of the inner court were various

chambers. These chambers were used for the singers and priests who were

involved in worship and sacrifice (verses 44-46).

There was an altar in this court (verse 47). The inner court of the temple

measured 100 cubits long and 100 cubits wide (approximately 46 meters or

150 feet).

In chapter 41 Ezekiel and the man with the measuring rod moved into the

sanctuary of the temple. From the inner court of the temple, they had to

ascend another flight of stairs to reach the sanctuary. (40:49). The sanctuary

itself was divided into two parts. The first part was called the Holy Place.

The innermost room was the called the Holy of Holies; this was where

God’s presence resided. Around the sanctuary was a series of rooms inset

into the outer walls (verses 6-7). There were three floors of rooms with

thirty rooms on each level (verse 6). The rooms measured 4 cubits in width

(2 meters or 6 feet). There were a total of 90 rooms in all. Of particular

interest to Ezekiel were the carvings of cherubim and palm trees on the

sanctuary walls (verses 18-20).

In chapter 42, after seeing the temple, the man with the measuring rod took

Ezekiel to the east gate of the inner court (verse 1). Here again Ezekiel

noted the details of the three stories of chambers. As he examined these

chambers, the man with the rod explained that some of these chambers

served as places for the priests to eat the holy offerings (verse 13). Other

chambers were used for storage of grain and other holy offerings (verse 13).

In chapter 43 Ezekiel’s guide brought him to the east gate of the temple

(verse 1) Here Ezekiel heard a voice like rushing waters and saw the earth

become radiant with the glory of the Lord (verse 2). Ezekiel fell down on

his face at the sight of the glory of God (verse 3). This was not the first time

the prophet had this experience. He reminds us in verse 3 that the vision he

saw in the temple was like the one he saw at the Kebar River in chapter 1.

As he lay there on his face in this vision, the glory of the Lord came from

the east and filled the temple. The Spirit of God lifted Ezekiel up to his feet

and brought him into the inner court. The glory of God filled that inner

court. Here in the midst of this tremendous glory, Ezekiel heard the voice of

God speaking. God told him that He would live in this temple in the

presence of His people (verse 7). He promised that Israel would no longer

defile His holy name. This voice reminded Ezekiel of the terrible

abominations that his people had committed. Knowing what Ezekiel was

thinking, God told him that it was now time to put away all this rebellion so

His people could return to Him. God then commanded Ezekiel to share the

plans of the temple with His people so that they would be ashamed and

return to Him (verse 10).

What does all this mean? It is possible that this prophecy was, in part,

fulfilled when the people of God returned from exile and rebuilt the temple

in Jerusalem. God gave them a picture of the temple to encourage and give

hope to His people in exile. This picture showed God’s people that He had

not forsaken them. The day would come when they would worship Him

again.

It is important to note here, however, that Ezekiel 38-47 has many

similarities to Revelation 20-22. Consider the following similarities:

1. There is a description of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39

and Revelation 20:7-10).

2. After the destruction of Gog and Magog, there is a vision

of a new city (Ezekiel 40-43 and Revelation 21).

3. In both passages the city is measured with a measuring

rod (Ezekiel 40:5 and Revelation 21:15).

4. There is a river flowing out from the throne (Ezekiel 47:1

and Revelation 22:1).

5. The river flowing from the throne gives life to fruit trees

bearing fruit each month. The leaves and the fruit of these

trees have healing power (Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation

22:2).

Could this Ezekiel passage be the Old Testament equivalent to Revelation

20-22? Is the complete fulfilment of the prophecy of Ezekiel yet to be seen?

If John is seeing the same temple, it is obvious that the complete fulfilment

of the prophecy of Ezekiel had not yet taken place when John wrote.

While there is much speculation over the meaning of this temple, there is a

very practical lesson for us here in these chapters. What does God do for

His people in these chapters? His people were in exile. Their minds were

saturated with the problems they encountered on a daily basis because of

their exile. They were tempted to become discouraged in their difficulties.

God was reaching out to them. He set before them a very detailed plan of a

temple. This plan was to be a great encouragement to His people. God

promised them that the day was coming when they would be freed from

their oppression. God challenged them to take their minds off their

problems and focus on His promises.

Is it not in the difficult moments that we need to be reminded of what God

has in store for us? There is nothing that will lift our spirits more than the

reminder of the glories that await us. When we recall what God has

promised to those who love Him, our heavy heart is lightened. Our

discouragement melts away. Our fears are calmed. Hope is restored. Our

spirits are lifted up into worship and adoration. When things are not going

as you had hoped and you are tempted to be discouraged, take a look at the

plans for the temple and the eternal city that God is preparing for you and

be reassured. Let the promises of God renew your heart and lift your soul

out of the depth of despair into worship and adoration.

For Consideration:

What encouragement do you suppose the people of God would have

received from Ezekiel’s vision of the temple?

Are you going through a difficult trial right now? What personal application

do you take from this section of Scripture?

Make a list of some of the glories promised you in Scripture. How does this

help you gain perspective in our trials?

For Prayer:

Thank God for the glorious promises He offers you in His Word today?

Take one of those promises and ask God to help you to face your problem

with the assurance that He will be true to His Word.

42 - SEPARATED UNTO

HIM

Read Ezekiel 43:13-44:31

ow important is the condition of our hearts in the worship and

service of God? Can we allow His work to be done by men and

women who are not serious about their personal walk with God?

Can we say we have truly worshiped God if we have done so without

dealing with our sins? In the Old Testament God took worship very

seriously. His work was to be done by those He had particularly chosen.

These people needed to be right with Him. They could not take their task

lightly. Nothing was to be done in a careless fashion. Both the priests and

the articles of worship needed to be set apart for the Lord's exclusive use. In

chapters 43 and 44 of Ezekiel, the prophet describes for us God's laws

regarding worship and service in His holy temple.

Altar (43:13-27)

We discover first of all that the articles of worship were to be set apart for

the exclusive use of the Lord. We have in Ezekiel 43:13-27 a description of

the law of God concerning the dedication of an altar. Let us look briefly at

what God required.

Before the altar could be used, it needed to be dedicated to the Lord. The

dedication of the altar took seven days (verse 25). On the first day a young

bull was sacrificed (verse 19). To purify the altar, his blood was to be

placed on the horns of the altar and around its rim (verse 20). The young

bull was then burned outside the sanctuary (verse 21). On the second day of

the dedication of the altar, a male goat was sacrificed as a sin offering. His

blood was sprinkled on the altar (verse 22). Also on that day a young bull

and a ram were sacrificed as a burnt offering with salt (verse 23). For the

remainder of the seven days, a male goat, a young bull, and a ram were

sacrificed before the Lord (verse 25). Only after the altar had been purified

for seven days in this manner would the Lord accept the offerings that were

made on it. This procedure for dedicating the altar set it apart for the

exclusive worship of God.

Sanctuary (44:1-3)

God took Ezekiel to the outer gate of the sanctuary. This gate was to remain

shut (verse 2). The reason stated for this was because the Lord had entered

this place. In the Old Testament context, the presence of the Lord was

revealed particularly in the sanctuary of the temple. The ordinary Israelite

was not permitted inside this part of the temple. Only the priests could enter

for the purpose of ministering before the Lord.

We read in verse 3 that the prince was granted permission to come to the

gate or threshold of the sanctuary where he was to worship the Lord.

Ezekiel 46:1-2 adds further light here. The prince was to come with an

offering for the people. He was to bring this offering to the gate where it

would be given to the priests. The prince could worship at the threshold but

was not permitted to enter the sanctuary itself.

As if to reaffirm the sanctity of the sanctuary, the Lord brought Ezekiel out

into the outer court to the front of the temple. As Ezekiel looked back at the

temple of God, he saw the glory of God filling it (verse 4). As he watched

he fell on his face before the glory of God. It was indeed an awesome sight.

It certainly confirmed in his mind the holiness and sanctity of the temple.

Temple Ministries (44:6-9)

In Ezekiel 44:6-9 God confronted His people with one of their detestable

practices. It seems that they had been bringing “the uncircumcised in heart”

into the temple and allowing them to be involved in the ministries of the

temple (verses 8-9). In Numbers 18:4 God commanded that the temple

duties be performed by the Levites and the priests only. Could it be that

these priests felt that they were above some of these menial tasks? God

reminded them that even the lowliest duties were to be performed by

qualified individuals. They were profaning his name by giving duties to

foreigners. Are we not guilty of this practice in our churches today? Who is

involved in the various ministries of your church today? Do you have choir

members or Sunday school teachers who are living in sin? Do the greeters

and ushers know the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour? Are

those who sing in your church walking with the Lord? God is telling us here

that it is of utmost importance that those who serve Him in public ministry

be in a right relationship with Him. Could it be that the blessing of God is

withheld from our ministries because those who perform these ministries

are not right with God?

Priests (44:10-31)

God then spoke concerning the priests. These individuals needed to be

separated unto the Lord. It seems that some Levites had wandered from the

Lord and were serving idols (verse 10). While they were bowing down to

these idols, they were also serving in the temple (verse 11). God saw their

hypocrisy. He knew their hearts. He was not pleased with them. In recent

years we have heard stories about what happens behind the closed doors of

our churches. The servant of God was to be without hypocrisy. He was to

serve with clean hands and a pure heart. God was against these leaders who

lived a lie. They were not to come near Him to serve. They would bear the

shame and the guilt of their evil ways (verse 13). Instead, they were to be

restricted to the simple duties of the temple (verse 14). They were not to

touch the holy articles used in the worship of God. They were barred from

approaching the Lord as priests. They were found to be unworthy of the

service of the Lord. Only those who had remained faithful to the Lord and

had not bowed the knee to idols could stand before Him and minister. Only

these priests could enter the temple (verse 16). God shows us that the only

people fit to serve Him are those who have turned their backs on sin. God's

ministers are to be separated unto Him. They must live pure lives.

Priestly Garments (44:16-19)

In regard to the clothing of the priests, they were to be made of linen. The

priest was to wear nothing that would cause him to perspire, as this would

make his offering unclean (verse 18). When he was finished performing his

duties, the priest was to remove his priestly garments and leave them in the

temple. These garments were not to be taken from the temple area. Even the

garments of the priest were separated unto God. They needed to be kept

pure and clean for the worship of the Lord alone.

Lifestyle Of The Priest (44:20-27)

Priests were to live a special life of separation unto the Lord. They were

neither to shave their head nor grow long hair. They had to have their hair

well-trimmed at all times (verse 20). They were forbidden to drink wine

when they entered the inner court of the temple (verse 21). Priests were

only to marry virgins or the widow of another priest. They could not marry

a divorced woman (verse 22). They were to be careful to teach Israel the

difference between clean and unclean things. They were to instruct Israel in

the difference between what was holy and what was common (verse 23).

They were to judge cases according to the holy Word of God (verse 24). A

priest was not to defile himself by touching a dead body unless it was a

close relative (verse 25). If he had to touch a dead body, he would be

required to go through seven days of purification. During this time, he

needed to offer a sin offering to the Lord before he could go back to his

duties as a priest (verses 26-27). While they were to have no land, they

were to be given its best products for food (verses 28-30). They were to be

careful about what they ate. They could eat nothing that would make them

unclean (verse 31).

What does all of this teach us? Does it not remind us that God's servants

must be pure? God's servants must be holy men and women. Our sins will

make our service unclean. God is not only concerned about getting the job

done; He is also concerned about how the job gets done. Our hearts and our

lives must be pure if we want to serve the Lord. Does this passage not call

us to carefully examine our lives? Are we living up to the standards God

has set out for us? Are we men and women of sincerity?

Are you a Sunday school teacher? Is your life an example for your

children? Are you an elder or deacon in a local church? Do you live up to

the standards you preach to others? In our day, more than ever before, we

need men and women fully consecrated to God. Our society has heard us

preach, but have they seen us live the message we preach? Our age has seen

the fall of many evangelists and Christian workers. People have seen the

hypocrisy that goes on in the name of Jesus. God is calling us through this

passage to re-examine ourselves in light of His Word. Where are the men

and women who are set apart entirely for the glory of God? Where are the

men and women of our day who will turn aside from the polluting

influences of our modern age and consecrate themselves fully to God? God

expects that we, His servants, be completely separated unto Him.

For Consideration:

Are we guilty of the practices of Israel in this chapter? In what ways have

we not separated ourselves unto the Lord?

Are their areas in your life that hinder you from serving the Lord?

Why is it so tempting to populate our ministries and churches with

unbelieving or disobedient Christians? Is it wrong to have unbelievers in

your church? What is the difference between evangelizing the lost and

using the lost to minister in Christ’s name?

For Prayer:

Ask God to search your heart to see if there is anything that you need to

confess before going out to minister in His name.

Ask God to help you to see if there is any way you have shown disrespect

for His work by your actions or attitudes.

Thank God that He is a holy God but still willing to reach out to us as

sinners.

43 - THE PRINCE OF

ISRAEL

Read Ezekiel 45-46

n Ezekiel 40-43 God gave His people the promise of a new temple.

Ezekiel 43 and 44 spoke to us about the priests and the worship in the

temple. Chapters 45 and 46 spell out the responsibilities of the prince

or the political leader of Israel.

Chapter 45 begins by telling us that when the people of God returned from

exile, they were to set aside a portion of land for the Lord as a sacred

district around the new temple. I have included a diagram to help us to

understand verses 1-8.

This sacred district was to be divided into four main sections. The first

portion of land was set apart for the temple and the use of the priests who

served the Lord in the temple. On this piece of land the priests could build

their homes (verses 2-4). By this means they could live close to their work.

The second piece of land was given to the other Levites (verse 5). On this

land they could build communities to live in. The actual size of this land

was the same as the land that given to the priests. The third division of land

was smaller than the others and was given as common land to the city

(Jerusalem). It was for the use of the common people (verse 6). This land

could be used for houses and pasture (48:15). Along the sides of these three

portions of land were the sections allotted to the prince of the land of Israel

(verse 7). This was the general allotment of the sacred district of land that

was to be set aside for the Lord around the temple.

Having explained to His people the allotment of the land, God then focused

His attention on the princes or political rulers of the land. They were the

ones who would govern the secular affairs of the nation. God had some

important things to say to these princes in this section of Scripture.

The Prince To Be Content With His Land

Allotment

First, the prince was to be content with the land the Lord had allotted to him

and his family (45:8). He was not to oppress the people for he had a portion

that was sufficient for his needs. While it was possible for the prince to

offer some of his land as a gift to his servants, the land would revert

automatically back to the prince in the year of Jubilee (46:16-17). In other

words, the land could not be given away forever. This would discourage

any future princes from taking land that was not theirs. God reminded the

prince that he was not to take away the inheritance of his servants (46:18).

He was not to seek more than his share of land at the expense of others. The

prince already had all the land he needed. The prince was to be a servant of

his people. He was not to use his power to increase his own wealth and

prosperity. He was not to use violence to plunder his people (verse 9). He

was not to take away the land God had given to his people by dispossessing

them (verse 9). God knew that the lust for power and riches would be very

real and warned the Israelite kings and leaders about this.

The Prince Was To Be A Person Of Integrity

(45:9-16)

Second, the prince was to be a man of integrity. In verses 9-12 the Lord

reviewed the weights and measurements used in Israel. His scales were to

be accurate. He was to deal honestly with his people. He was not to take

any more then was rightfully his. God also laid out what He required His

people to give to the prince for his work (verses 13-16). The people were to

set aside one-sixth of their grain and one percent of their oil. One sheep out

of every 200 belonged to the prince (verse 15). By specifying what He

required, God encouraged honesty and fair dealing on the part of the prince.

The Prince Was To Be Generous

Third, the prince was to provide for the needs of his people. Out of the

resources that were given to him, the prince was to offer up grain offerings,

burnt offerings, and drink offerings for the people (45:17). God spelled out

for the prince his responsibilities in the verses that follow. On the first day

of the first month (the New Year), the prince was to bring a young bull

without blemish to the sanctuary for the annual purification of the temple

(45:18). The blood of this bull was placed on the doorposts, on the altar,

and on the gateposts of the inner court. On the fourteenth day of the first

month (Passover), the prince was to provide—every day for seven days—7

bulls, 7 rams, and 1 goat for sacrifice to the Lord. He was also to provide

the agreed amount of grain and oil for these daily sacrifices (45:24). Every

Sabbath the prince of the people was to come to the temple of the Lord. He

was to bring with him 6 male lambs, 1 ram, and the agreed amount of grain

and oil for the sacrifices (46:4-5). For the special celebration of the New

Moon, the prince added a young bull to the weekly Sabbath offering (46:6-

7). Every day the prince was required to offer to the Lord a one-year-old

lamb and the agreed amount of grain and oil offerings (46:13-15). From

time to time the prince could also offer a free will offering for the people

(46:11-12). These offerings could not be taken lightly. The prince of Israel

had to be faithful to God in bringing his sacrifices daily to the temple for

the people. He was to spend of his own resources to facilitate the worship of

the God of Israel.

The Prince Was To Worship The Lord God

Fourth, the prince was to be with the people in their worship (46:10). He

was not to shirk from his responsibility to be in the assembly of God to

worship with the people. He was to be an example to his people in the

worship of God. If he was to lead God’s people, he was to be in a right

relationship with God himself.

In the remaining verses of chapter 46, the man who was showing Ezekiel

the temple showed him where the offerings were to be prepared. In the

corners of the outer court were ledges of stone with a fireplace beneath. It

was in these areas that the sacrifices which the prince brought to the temple

were prepared for offering to the Lord (see 46:19-24).

We have already seen that the Lord required that His people and the articles

used in worship be set apart wholly for Him. In this city where the temple

was (Jerusalem), God required that the princes of the people be men who

were content with what they had (they were not greedy for gain). They were

to deal with people in all honesty (they were to take only what was

required). They were to be generous men who led their people by example

in worship of God.

What would our nation be like if our political leaders exemplified these

characteristics in their lives? What a different place our country would be if

our political leaders took Ezekiel 45 and 46 seriously. How we need to see

in our day men and women in leadership who are content with what they

have, honest and generous in their dealings, and who humbly bow the knee

before God. May God give us men and women like this in our government

and churches today.

For Consideration:

How do the leaders of our day measure up to the standards God laid out for

them in this chapter?

What does this chapter indicate to us about the temptations that those in

leadership face today?

For Prayer:

Take a moment to pray for your political leaders. Ask God to help them be

the people God wants them to be.

Ask God to help your spiritual leaders to have these same qualifications.

44 - THE RIVER OF LIFE

AND THE NEW

JERUSALEM

Read Ezekiel 47, 48

s his tour of the temple and the new city came to an end, Ezekiel

was brought to the entrance of the temple. Here he saw a stream

of water coming from under the eastern threshold (verse 1). This

was not uncommon. Water was used in the temple to flush away the blood

that was spilled in the sacrifice of many animals.

From here the prophet was taken outside the main gate that faced east.

Ezekiel and his guide followed the stream as it wound its way to the east.

Ezekiel's guide measured one thousand cubits (1500 feet or 450 meters) and

the prophet noted that the water level had risen to his ankles (verse 3). One

thousand cubits more were measured and the water level had risen to his

knees (verse 4). As they traveled yet another one thousand cubits, the level

rose to the prophet's waist (verse 4). By the time they had traveled one

thousand cubits more, the stream had become a great river that could not be

crossed (verse 5).

At this point Ezekiel's guide brought him to the bank of the river. On each

side of the river, the prophet could see many trees (verse 7). They were fed

by the river flowing out of the sanctuary. They produced fruit every month.

Their fruit was for nourishment and healing (verse 12). It is important that

we compare what Ezekiel saw with what the apostle John saw in his vision

in Revelation. The apostle John, in Revelation 22, saw a similar river. It too

flowed from the throne of God. On each side of John's river grew the tree of

life producing twelve crops of fruit each year. The leaves of this tree were

used for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:1-2). Do these two men

share the same vision?

As this river flowed eastward, it went through a valley (verse 8). Wherever

it went, it brought prosperity and new life (verse 9). When it emptied itself

into the sea, it healed the sea of its impurities (verse 8). The image here was

of a sea that was so salty that it could not sustain life. When the river

emptied itself into the sea, the waters were healed so they could support

life. The result was a sea that produced a great multitude of fish of all kinds

(verse 9). The fishermen are pictured here standing by the shores of this

great sea hauling in an abundance of fish of all kinds (verse 10). We learn in

verse 11, however, that there were certain swamps and marshes that were

not healed. They were given over to salt.

What does all this mean? It seems that God was telling Ezekiel that many

blessings would flow from the temple of God to the world. The river of

God's blessing would flow through the valleys and deserts, bringing

blessing and healing wherever it went. It would flow into basins of evil and

sin and bring new life and vitality. The amazing thing about this river is

how it seemed to gain momentum and become larger and deeper as it

flowed. More and more people were being caught up in this river of God's

blessing.

Will you notice, however, that this river did not heal all places. There

remained certain swamp lands that would remain untouched (verse 11).

There will always be those who are resistant to the movement of God's

Spirit. It should be noticed here that, unlike the desert, the marshes and

swamps sustained life. Here in these marshes there was water and food.

There are many churches and ministries like this. They have a certain life in

themselves. They attract people because of their doctrinal positions or

friendly atmosphere. They are resistant, however, to the greater work of

God's Spirit. In the history of revivals there have always been those who

refused to accept what God was doing. Notice that these swamps and

marshes were eventually given over to salt (verse 11). The life they did

have would be taken from them and they would perish.

In verses 13-23 God explained to the prophet the boundaries of the land He

would give to His people. The land was to be divided among His people by

tribe. What is important to note here is the fact that the foreigner who lived

with them was also to be considered as a native Israelite (verse 22). In

whatever tribe they lived they were to be considered part of that tribe and

received an inheritance as a full Israelite with the others. God had always

told His people that they were to respect the strangers that were among

them:

“The alien living with you must be treated as one of your

native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt.

I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:34). “You are to have

the same law for the alien and the native-born. I am the LORD

your God” (Leviticus 24:22).

The fact that these strangers were receiving an inheritance as full children

of God shows us that the door was wide open wide for the foreigner to

become a child of God. This great river of God's blessing flowing from the

temple would span the globe and draw in the Gentile nations. Those who

believe in the Lord today have been drawn into this great family of God.

Ezekiel 48:1-7, 24-29 describes for us the division of the land among the

tribes of Israel. Verses 9-28 focus our attention once again on the piece of

land that was to be given over to the Lord. We have already described the

division of the land in the last chapter.

Verses 9-12 focus on the section of land given over to the priests (see

diagram in the last chapter). The sanctuary was to be in the center of this

parcel of land. The priests who had remained faithful to the Lord and had

not bowed the knee to idols were to live and work on this parcel of land

(verse 11). The detailed measurements for the land given over to the other

priests can be found in verses 13-15. Here these priests could buy and sell

property (verse 14).

The city was to be built on the third portion of land. The detail of this parcel

of land is described for us in verses 15-19. The prince’s land was located on

both sides of the land given to the priests and city. The description of this

land is in verse 21. In verses 22-29 we have the allotment of land to the

various tribes of Israel.

This chapter is closed with a short description of the wall that surrounded

the city itself. The wall of the city would have twelve gates. Each of the

gates would be named after one of the tribes of Israel. There were to be

three gates on the north side of the city named after Reuben, Judah, and

Levi (verse 31). The three gates on the east side of the city were named

after the tribes of Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan (verse 32). The gates of

Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun were located on the south side of the city

(verse 33). The remaining three gates of Gad, Asher, and Naphtali were

located on the west (verse 34).

In our comparison of Ezekiel's vision with that of the apostle John, it is

important to note that the city that John saw also had twelve gates named

after the twelve tribes of Israel:

“It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve

angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the

twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three

on the north, three on the south and three on the west.”

(Revelation 21:12-13).

These similarities would lead us to believe that the ultimate fulfillment of

the prophecy of Ezekiel is yet to come. Is it possible that John and Ezekiel

had the same vision? God revealed this vision to each of these men in their

cultural context. Ezekiel, being a Jewish priest, would best understand a

vision steeped in Jewish culture. For John, living in the New Testament

period, the temple with its sacrifices and rituals would not have the same

meaning. He had left that form of worship. His perspective would have

been quite different. While both visions point to the same fulfillment, they

were adapted to the culture and times to which they were intended. God

wanted to make his message clear.

Notice finally the name of the city. Ezekiel 48:35 tells us that the name of

the city is "THE LORD IS THERE." This was not just a name –this was a

reality. The presence of the Lord would indeed be in the city. John says the

same thing in Revelation 22:3-5:

3 “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of

the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4

They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a

lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them

light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

What a hope is ours today if we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. The

day is coming when you and I will travel to that city to dwell in the

presence of the Lord. I remind you, however, that not just anyone will be

granted entrance to this great city. Revelation 21:27 tells us:

“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does

what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are

written in the Lamb's book of life”.

Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will be

granted entrance. Are you sure that when you approach the gates of the city

and they search for your name in the book of life that your name will be

there? If you are not sure, today is the day to cry out to God. He alone can

write your name in this registry. Won't you cry out to Him right now?

From Ezekiel's temple would flow a great river. That river would span the

globe and bring blessing, renewal and healing wherever it went. Those who

had tasted of the river of life would populate that new city. Have you

experienced the blessings of this river?

For Consideration:

What evidence is there of the blessings of Ezekiel's river today?

What keeps people today from yielding to the ministry of God's Spirit?

Have you been healed and renewed by Ezekiel's river?

For Prayer:

Ask God to pour out this river of blessing on you today.

Ask Him to reveal any obstacles that stand in the way of His abundant

blessing in your life or the life of your church.

Thank the Lord for the promise He has given us who know Him of an

eternity in His presence for evermore.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Light To My Path Book Distribution (LTMP) is a

book writing and distribution ministry reaching

out to needy Christian workers in Asia, Latin

America, and Africa. Many Christian workers in

developing countries do not have the resources

necessary to obtain Bible training or purchase

Bible study materials for their ministries and

personal encouragement.

F. Wayne Mac Leod is a member of Action

International Ministries and has been writing

these books with a goal to distribute them freely or at cost price to needy

pastors and Christian workers around the world. To date tens of thousands

of books are being used in preaching, teaching, evangelism and

encouragement of local believers in over sixty countries. Books are now

been translated into a variety of languages. The goal is to make them

available to as many believers as possible.

The ministry of LTMP is a faith based ministry and we trust the Lord for

the resources necessary to distribute the books for the encouragement and

strengthening of believers around the world. Would you pray that the Lord

would open doors for the translation and further distribution of these books?

For more information about Light To My Path visit our website at