Ezekiel Introduction

Introduction

Jeremiah or whatever and maybe some other but certainly glad to have you in the class. And uh everybody have a book. I think probably anybody without a book. Two back here. I think that’s just two hands back.

Did you not get a book? You’re just that much late. I’ll have to pitch you one. You just gave the last one out right there.

Hey, oh there you are. You you did your notes. I thought I had I thought I gave enough. Actually, I I gave out more than what’s in this classroom right now. So some some got a book that didn’t come. I know I saw that. I’m curious to know. First of all, uh Angelo and I are gonna be teaching this court, the this workbook on Ezekiel. And I’m curious to know if anyone in this class has ever had the study of Ezekiel in a class. No before now. Have you ever written a book before in this class? For the on Ezekiel. Well, there you got one you have. No, how before this? Did you ever have a class? I have all of your books. If you’ve written a book on it.

On Ezekiel? Yeah. That’s what I’m asking. This is the only one I ever wrote on Ezekiel. Was it published before? Did you have it looked different from this? It had a different cover. But you taught it in here. No. Somebody else taught Ezekiel when it was taught here. It was taught here about seven years ago, but I don’t know who taught it. I did not exact night, I’m pretty sure. But I’m curious to know uh how many have read all 48 chapters of Ezekiel. Two or three. That’s good. It’s not the easiest book to read through for that matter, and especially the last eight or nine chapters, particularly when it talks about the whole and the new temple. I want to tell you all that the pace will be rather fast.

It’s kind of one of those books like a lot of the books uh that we study here when we go through the prophets particularly, that you may find it uh, you know, you you need to keep up. And we will take a new lesson each uh each session. In other words, today we’ll lesson one in your workbook. Wednesday night, lesson two, next Sunday would be here in lesson three. And so it’ll help you if you will always read, answer the questions for that lesson before you come to class. Now I know that’s going to demand some action on your part. But uh it’ll it’ll help you keep up and appreciate what the study is about. Actually, I will also tell you that this workbook uh I didn’t format it.

In other words, when it was printed, uh, Brother Scott Richardson of uh Russellville did. And as I was going through this time and working through the workbook, I found a lot of places you have to write real small. So you’re gonna have to put here’s the verse reference, because he didn’t leave enough lines in some of the places. But but if you will at least go through and take a look at the questions and be somewhat aware. Ezekiel is one of those rare studies. It’s a book that has been so abused by a lot of people. For example, if you’ve read anything, you might have read the first chapter at all. If you read the first chapter, you know that there have been some who have said, Oh, you know that must be uh outer space.

Uh that spaceship and extraterrestrial beings. Well, of course, that’s not at all what it is, but that’s the way some people use the Bible anyway. Or if you turn to Ezekiel chapter 37, you may find an interesting point that even Joseph Smith of the Mormons uh made. In Ezekiel chapter 37 and verses 15 through 19, the scripture says, uh, again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, as for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it. For Judah and the children of Israel, his companions. Then take another stick and write on it. For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions. Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hands.

You know what those represented? Well, one represented the Bible, the other the book of Mormon. And so Joseph said, You put those together, and there you have. And prophecy what he has delivered to the world. You believe that? Well, that’s how the book of Ezekiel can be used or misused, shall I say? Probably a more familiar passage that is used today. What those who we call premillenists, what are they trying to say today that’s going to happen to all Jews? Headed back to the land. Going back to Israel, right? So while you’re open there chapter 37, look at verses 11 through 13. 37 verse 11. He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off.

Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, behold, O my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up from your graves.

And what does it say? I’m going to bring you back into the land of Israel. Familiar passage for those who love to talk about how the Jews are going to go back someday to the land of Israel. But it’s a misuse, isn’t it if you take scripture out of context, you can, as somebody says, teach anything you want to teach, Bible prove anything you want to prove if you misuse it. But this happens to be a place where you have much misuse. So I hope, number one, not only will you grasp what is behind this great prophet called Ezekiel, but also you’ll see how it fits really into the context of the Word of God. Now, those of you, how many of you have been in Jeremiah?

1. How Ezekiel Fits Into the History

I know some of them have been in the Jeremiah class. You’re a step ahead of all the rest. Because you already kind of know how Ezekiel fits into the history. If we were to say it fits into the history, I want to know, first of all, how we fit together. Somebody would ask you, can you piece together Isaiah with Jeremiah, with Daniel, with Ezekiel? How do they fit into the history of God’s people? So let me go first of all, that this is so important for us to really appreciate what Ezekiel is saying in this book. That we kind of get a little background. And I’ll say to you that you need to, let me see if I can get this going. Alright. It worked while ago, and now it’s going to be dead on me.

But that you need to read these chapters. If you’ve got time this week, go back and be familiar with the history found in 2 Kings chapters 18 through 25 and in 2 Chronicles 29 through 36, there they’re about the same period of time, but from two, some details in one that’s not in the other. But if we were to look at this period in time, where do we put Isaiah? Isaiah said he began his reign or his prophecy in the year the king Uzziah died. The reason I start with Isaiah, though, is because what really important event happened with the people of God during the time of Isaiah. It was the northern ten tribes that fell. When I say the northern ten tribes, under the reign of Hezekiah, king, of course, of Judah.

But it was during his reign that the Assyrians came down and conquered Samaria. Would have conquered Judah. Sennacher came against Jerusalem. Why did he not succeed in conquering Jerusalem? Anybody remember just the story there?

I’m sure you would. Go ahead. This is when the Lord brought forth a plague and killed 180,000. Right, 185,000. In one night. But it was because when Hezekiah turned, asked Isaiah, and he went and prayed turbulently to the Lord. Hezekiah was a great king, and he prayed fervently to the Lord. And in one night, of course, 185,000 of Assyrians died. And of course, Senator headed back home. Judah, the southern kingdom was spared from being taken into Assyrian captivity, although the northern kingdom had fallen. But then you’d say, well, you’d think with Hezekiah being a righteous king and God sparing, well, sure the next king would follow. But here came Manasseh. Manasseh reigned for 55 years, and probably the worst of the kings of Judah, right? What did Manasseh do that was so bad that really you might say caused what’s going to happen to the people of God during the time of Ezekiel?

What did Manasseh do? What didn’t he do? Well, that’s good way of putting it too. What didn’t he do? He raised up idols, all the high places. But even the Bible says he went a step farther than the others. Everybody know what that was? Let’s look at 2 Kings 21. 2 Kings 21 and verse 80. That’s where we’ll start. Second Kings 21. Yes. I don’t mean it to be difficult. This could be a very quick yes or no question, or you can tell me to talk about it later. But you just said that God killed 180,000 Ethereum. Are you in based on stuff you said on other classes in other discussions? Are you saying that God does kill some people but not others? Yes. Wicked. And he spared his people.

So yes. Go read Isaiah 36 and 37. Read also 2 Kings chapters 18 and 19. You see the same story in both places and you’ll see why. Okay. But Manasseh, what he went a step farther than others is that he even encouraged them to sacrifice their own children in the fire. You know, that’s the heathen did that. God’s people do that. I can understand God’s people maybe sometimes worshiping Baal or her other idols. But to go so far that you would even sacrifice your children. I’m in 2 Kings chapter 21, beginning verse 9. God warned them in verse 8 to do what he commanded. But in verse 9 it says they paid no attention. How about that first statement? They paid no attention. And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

The Lord spoke by his servants, the prophet, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols. Therefore, thus says the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle. Then even later, in your mark at chapter 24, verses 3 and 4, even there, it sort of reminds, because of the sins of Manasseh. Surely at the commandment of the Lord just came upon Judah to remove them from his sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done. And also because of the innocent blood that he had shed, for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the Lord would not pardon.

The Lord would not pardon. Now, when you think about the evil of Manasseh, frankly, Manasseh is the one who put Isaiah to death. It is said in about the sixth year of his reign. Hebrews 11, talking about characters of faith, spoke about even those who’ve been sawed asunder with a wooden saw. And is thought to be speaking about Isaiah. That’s how, you know, instead of Manasseh seeing the great prophet of God that his father had counseled or had counseled from Manasseh, as I had Isaiah put to death. But in the latter part of his years, when Manasa was taken captive to Babylon, and he did seem to repent, you’d think that’s these.

2. Three Prophets at the Midnight Hour of Judah

Great king, and during the time of Josiah, surely God’s people are turned back from their wickedness, and they’re going to be spared now, aren’t they? Even though God has said, because of Manasseh, the ears of anybody who hears this will tingle. And it’s going to be shocking. That God would let his people be taken into captivity? Would God let the temple itself be destroyed? It’s in the time of Josiah, what prophet begins to speak? In the 13th year of Josiah, who? Jeremiah. Jeremiah. So when you place Jeremiah and Isaiah, look, think, you know, or they have a connection at all. Well, Isaiah has died by the time of Jeremiah, but but what they both have said, God’s going to let Babylon take over. Even Isaiah foretold that.

Jeremiah speaks about the king from the north. In fact, Jeremiah called Nebuchadnezzar God’s servant. That’s an unusual thing. That he would call a heathen king, God’s servant. How is Nebuchadnezzar God’s servant? In what way would that be a true statement? The will to punish Israel. Right? He used Nebuchadnezzar. It was by the strength of God that he allowed Nebuchadnezzar to come down. Well, why didn’t all the people understand that this is going to happen and prepare against Nebuchadnezzar like Hezekiah had prayed against Sennacherib earlier and saved Jerusalem earlier? Why didn’t that happen during Jeremiah’s day? Any reason? They believed in false prophets. Oh, there were some other prophets beside Jeremiah alive, right? And the false prophets were kept kept saying what? Egypt as well. It was a phrase in Jeremiah.

I love to say, peace, peace. When there is no peace. They kept saying, Oh, don’t worry about Jeremiah. He’s one of those narrow-minded prophets, don’t you know? He just thinks he knows, but he doesn’t really know. Look, the temple is here. The temple is in Jerusalem. And God surely wouldn’t destroy the temple, would he? He did. But he did. It was during Josiah’s reign that indeed God made the promises that he did fulfill. In fact, his son Jehoahaz, let me back up and say this about Josiah. When he died, of course, his son Jehoahaz. Josiah actually went out. You might say, we’ve had the Assyrian Empire. The Babylonian Empire now is beginning to rule and overtake Assyria, did it at Nineveh in 612. But here is Egypt.

And now the power of Egypt is coming. And they battled each other. And in fact, Josiah goes out to defeat Pharaoh Nechal of Egypt, and he gets killed at Megedoh. But Josiah dies at the hand of Pharaoh Nechal and his son Jehoahaz. Jehoahaz rebelled against the king of or the Pharaoh. And Jehoahaz is taken captive himself down to Egypt. And so in his place comes Jehoiakim. And Jehoiakim reigns for some eleven years. Jehoiakim at first does seem to, you know, pay tribute to the Babylonian, uh, to the Egyptian king. But it’s during his reign that Babylon begins to have power. And therefore, Jehoiakim decides, hey, I’m not going to pay tribute to Nebuchadnezzar. And as a result of that, what happens to Jehoiakim? Well, he learns who’s really strong.

Because as uh what happens is that uh uh Nebuchadnezzar is as a general at that time is leading the army, coming against uh Egypt, and uh uh he finds out or learns that his father Nabalazar has died, and he has to turn and go back to Babylon where he becomes the king of Babylon. And on the way, he comes through Judah, and guess who he takes captive in 606 BC? The first remnant of God’s people fall captive. Who God’s people is taken captive? Daniel. In 606 BC, Daniel is taken captive, and a few others. And there’s the great story of Daniel. You read the prophecy of Daniel, that he, among others, and you know, as a young man, very smart, evidently very handsome, but he would not yield and eat the king’s meat or drink the king’s wine because he purposed in his heart not to defile himself.

Great man. And Daniel, though, prophesied in Babylon. He’s taken as a captive, and he’s taught the language of the Babylonians, and he’s given a special role. But with Jeremiah, how many years difference in their age, probably? Maybe 20 years. Jeremiah, though, remains in Jerusalem. Daniel is taken to Babylon. And so now we have the story of Babylon. But here’s Jehoiakim still, at that point in time, still you might say, is king. He stays as king, even though this first remnant is taken until finally Jehoakim tires of paying tribute. And so what happens here is that Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylon’s come back, they they take Jehoakim captive, and install his son Jehoiakim, or Jehoiakin, or you might call him Jeconiah or Koniah. And the reason I put Koniah, and I think a significant point here, I put this prophecy and found in Jeremiah 22, 28 to 30.

Those of you who were in Jeremiah class, what was a special prophecy made about Koniah? Anybody remember? Significant in the reign of Jesus on the throne. Anybody upside John? He would have no children, no seed. Alright. He would have no child. Furthermore, that would, and the real point is reign in Judah. Now today, those who are pre-Millenniumists are saying what? That Jesus is going to come back, it’s going to be the battle of the Normagedon and a thousand year reign of Christ where? In Jerusalem. But Jesus is a descendant of Koniah. Matthew 1 and verse 11. But the prophecy of Jeremiah is there’s not going to be the seed of Koniah that will reign in Jerusalem. So if Jesus indeed comes back and reigns in Jerusalem, he’s broken the prophecy.

Well, that’s another story of itself, but I think an important one to at least point out. But here’s Koniah. He just has three months until he’s taken. And his taken to Babylon occurs in 597. See, here and I put here the second remnant of God’s people now taken in 597. And it’s in this time that Ezekiel is taken. I have Ezekiel dated as 592. Anybody know why the difference between 597 and 592? If you’ve read Ezekiel chapter 1, it was in his 30th year, the very first verse. And he’s 30 years old, he’s taken captive. He doesn’t begin to prophesy, though, at age 30. It’s at age uh age 25. I’ll back that up. He’s 25 when he’s taken, five years later at age 30.

Five years later is when he begins to prophesy. Well, let me say this one. I’m got myself confused here. But it’s five years later that he began, when he is 30 is when he begins to prophesy. And so that’s five years after the captivity. But again, a point that’s significant. Daniel and Ezekiel. Daniel is in Babylon. Where is Ezekiel? You read Ezekiel, he’s over where? He’s down at the river Shabbat. River Kabar, Shepar. And I’ll point that out on a map in just a moment. But the point is, Daniel and Ezekiel are probably about the same age. And Jeremiah only about 20 years older. So these three prophets, you might say, are fairly contemporary. And they’re at the midnight hour of Judah. God’s people. Where the temple is.

From Jerusalem. God’s people are being taken into Babylonian captivity. Sad time for God’s people. Why are they taken captive? Because of the sins of Manasseh. And because the people who followed after Manasseh continued, even though Josiah was a good king, yet, even Jeremiah said, when they came back, they did it feign. F-E-I-G-N-E-D. Feign. When you feign something, what are you doing? You’re not sincere about it, are you? So, yeah, during Josiah, there were some who feigned return to God, but from the heart they really didn’t. And therefore, God remembered the sins of Manasseh, and of course those who followed after. And we’ll read some passages when we go through Ezekiel who would say, Well, you know, you know, our fathers ate sour grapes. And then, you know, it’s their problem.

It’s really not us. And Ezekiel said, Hey, don’t blame somebody else. But in the place, and I might say, let me go back here at this captivity, when Jehoiakim was taken. How many were taken with him during the time of Ezekiel? Ten removed. Great. 10,000. In fact, in 2 Kings 24, verses 10 through 16, it says, of the best people. Only the poorest were left in Jerusalem when this after the second remnant was taken. But then came Zedekiah. And Zedekiah reigned for some eleven years.

What was Zedekiah’s relationship with Jeremiah? You go to Jeremiah and study. What does Zedekiah keep coming to Jeremiah and asking him? What is the Lord say? Yeah, what’s the Lord say? Is there any more words of the Lord? What would Jeremiah say? Sorry. Nebuchadnezzar is going to come and take over. You’re going to go into captivity. All these prophets who’ve been saved, peace, peace, there is no peace. Your only hope is to repent. Now, if you’ll turn back to God, did Zedekiah have the courage to turn back to God. Actually, Zedekiah was an uncle of these. And in your workbook, you have the lineage and where the kings come from from Josiah down and page six, it is three. Page three in your workbook.

Yeah, I just I did this to kind of give you a timeline on it. So that page six will give you the lineages of the kings. But on this order, Zedekiah, of course, kept pleading. But, but of course, uh, he didn’t really turn to God. So finally, in 586, the third remnant is taken, and the temple is burned. Indeed, I said that midnight hour. Many of them thought God wouldn’t do this. It’s kind of like I think today there are some people who sort of think, well, I’m not a member of the church. I’ve been baptized for remission of my sins. Surely I’m going to be saved. And they become indifferent to the will of God. It’s kind of like, you know, they say, oh, I don’t believe one saved, always saved, but they want to live like it.

3. God Is Concerned About Attitudes of His People

Because they are not really totally involved and on fire for the Lord. And how many have just sort of left the faith? How many claim to be Christians that aren’t here and won’t be an assembly anywhere today, the Lord’s day? Because they’re busy with other things. They let their things come in their way. We have to guard our hearts. And there are so many lessons to be gleaned from the study of the prophets of the Old Testament. And one of them is that God is concerned about attitudes of his people. He is full of mercy and is full of grace and love. But he also wants people simply to give their hearts in obedience to him. And when we turn our backs on God and pay no attention, as this verse said we read a moment earlier, then comes again the anger of God and the wrath of God is stirred up.

But Zedekiah indeed saw the remnant taken. And when the walls were broken down, he uh fled toward the plain of Jericho only to be captured, brought back. Saul them killed his two sons, and then they blinded him and took him in chains to Babylon. What a but a sad finish for Zedekiah. And yet, though this has all come to pass, and this is what’s happening when Ezekiel begins to prophesy. He prophesies before this happens. But in the first few chapters, really, the first 24 chapters of our study of Ezekiel, you’re going to see Ezekiel dealing with the attitudes of God’s people and why God not only has brought these captivities before, but also telling this is also going to happen. And so Zedekiah, I mean Ezekiel, you might say is just rehearsing it to the very people who are captive already.

4. God Will Bring His People Back

Jeremiah chapter 24 spoke about two baskets of figs. Anybody remember that parable? And Jeremiah? The good figures. The good figs. Well, basically, these are the good figs. And that not that they were perfect, but at least they’re going to be cured of idolatry. And in fact, the bad figs are all those who really did perish and were killed and were brought down to destruction. But there’s one thing that Jeremiah did promise, and we would have to say, yeah, it did get fulfilled. 70 years later. Jeremiah in two different places, chapter 25, 11 and chapter 29, 10, 70 years later. So if we date 70 years from 606, what does that lead us? 70 years later, 536, first group was led back by Zerubbabel, the second in 457 by Ezra, and finally in 444 by Nehemiah.

And so even as we go through Ezekiel, just like Jeremiah promised, yeah, yeah, God’s going to use Nebuchadnezzar. You are going to fall as a people, but God will remember and will bring them back 70 years later. The good fig, so to speak. Cured of idolatry. And so Ezekiel also, the passage I read with followers from chapter 37, then bones and bones shall return to Israel, doesn’t fit today as though there’s some Jews yet to go back to Israel. That’s completely taking Ezekiel out of context. But Ezekiel is saying, Yeah, we are in captivity right now, but there will be a return. God will bring his people back. Why? Why would God bring his people back when he wiped clean these heathen nations that were around?

Why did God keep on keeping on with his people? To bring Jesus out of the go back to the promised Abraham. She said to bring Jesus. And that’s right. They were God’s chosen people to be the family out of which the Savior of the world would be come. Genesis 12 and verse 3, particularly. And so while while indeed this family had sinned and even gotten into bad uh idolatry, even to the delivering of their own children and sacrifice, the idol gods, and they were punished, but there would always be a faithful remnant. Yeah, there was a Jeremiah. And there was a Daniel, and there was Ezekiel, and no doubt some others that would be named along with them. That God knew their hearts, and because of that, God spared a remnant.

He didn’t completely wipe them out. And therefore he did bring them back. And so the last few verse chapters of Ezekiel will go from the first part of curses and punishment to there’s hope. And you end the book of Ezekiel, when we get to chapters 40 through 48, Israel even talking about the period in which you and I live, the Messianic period. What is the temple of God going to be like? The spiritual temple. And there’s a measuring there that I would say is rather difficult for us to fully comprehend when he goes and measures the temple from one part of it to another part to another. But I think it’s simply to say in an apocalyptic form, and that is a kind of figure type form, is simply to say, God will bring his people back, and there’ll be a perfect state or perfect condition.

The church of the Lord is perfect. We as people may not be. But Jesus Christ, the Savior, by his blood, established a perfect temple or church called out once. And so Ezekiel finishes up really with a little foresight to that very point in time. And so when we get Ezekiel in our mind, the background, this historical background, is so very important for us to see. I want to do one more thing. If I can get this computer to work, like I hope it will.

Yeah, I’ve got it here somewhere. I don’t know where it is now. Here it is. There it is. The Babylonian Empire. Where were they? Here, if you can see is Jerusalem, right down in here. And they’re taking about 300 miles over here is the river Kibar, the Euphrates River and the Tigris River, these two rivers. Babylon itself, the capital itself, is right about here. So a little over a hundred miles is where Ezekiel is. Daniel is here, and Jeremiah is over here. So in terms of that point in time in history, and you might, if you like to carefully look later, these maps even up on the wall, but give you some geographical perspective of that point in time where they are. It is important though, as we go through Ezekiel, to say, you know, what’s happening?

Why is it happening? And the reason why, of course, is because of their sins. And yet God will spare that remnant. I uh, if you’re looking at your workbook, the name Ezekiel itself on page one literally means God will strengthen, or God strengthens. And some of what I’ve just said, you can read through your lesson one, chapter one, and come to uh that uh understanding of the background of it. Indeed, uh he was a prophet that that uh was so very important to that period of history. And like Jeremiah, though, not always appreciated. In fact, there were even false prophets during Ezekiel’s stay. Even then you might say it near the river Kebar in Babylon, there were still some prophets, or those who were saying, Oh, the Lord has spoken, that indeed uh, you know, the temple won’t be destroyed.

It’s gonna be alright. Well, because it didn’t happen at the time Ezekiel was taken captive, it didn’t mean it wasn’t going to happen. Sometimes, you know, we want uh we want the Lord to bless us and we’ll be patient, but Lord uh we won’t patient to happen today, you know. And so because maybe there’s a period of time, maybe even from the time that the 10,000 were taken, it was 11 years later before the temple was destroyed. And so during that 11-year period, there were some who said, Oh, that won’t really happen. Ezekiel, you’re just wrong about that. Jeremiah must have been wrong about that. But indeed, both Ezekiel and Jeremiah saw that come to pass. The temple indeed was destroyed. I want you to know some things on the bottom of page four, where the scripture says key expressions found in the book of Ezekiel.

5. Key Expressions: The Word of the Lord Came

The word of the Lord came unto me saved. That’s a that’s a quite a claim, isn’t it? Ezekiel speak of himself, from himself. Over and over. The appeal was it’s not my word, it’s the word of the Lord. 49 times. Just that expression is found in Ezekiel. But reading in that paragraph, you’ll notice added to this is thus saith the Lord God. Found sixty-four times. You had those two together. Certainly, here was Ezekiel saying, Look, it is not me that is prophesying this. There may be these other prophets who are saying it won’t happen like Ezekiel said, but I’m speaking from the mouth of the Lord. The word Lord said these things. And that’s why I’m speaking what I’m speaking. And then also, number B on page 5, Son of Man, is an expression found 93 times in the book of Ezekiel.

And refers to Ezekiel himself. The significance.

But with Ezekiel taking that expression, it’s a contrast of, of course, his human nature over against the divine nature of the Lord. He was in the Lord is speaking through me. The word of the Lord came unto me say. But when the Lord would speak to Ezekiel, he’d say, Oh, son of man, this, or son of man, do that. So it was indeed that Ezekiel simply as a human being, but inspired by the Lord and able to speak as one who was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then number C, the expression, ye shall know that I am the Lord. Sixty-three times. And usually always it was after, you know, here’s some significant event that’s going to take place. Here is, in fact, there will be destruction.

There will be this to occur or that to occur. And upon that’s happening, as the Lord promised, so ye shall know that I am the Lord. In fact, uh under on page five under that small A, uh, when Jerusalem is destroyed and his chosen people are in captivity. Look how many times I’ve just listed several times. You shall know that I am the Lord. A small bee there. When judgments come upon the Gentile nations. And I might make this point. Just like really Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, while their main message was to the people of God, they also spoke about the Gentile nations that were around them. How do you think the Gentiles’ nations felt when God’s people were taken in captivity? I mean, how do you think the Edomites, the descendants of Esau?

It’ll always been that hatred against the Israelites and Edomite. Hell kids back there saying this, you know. Didn’t you think? Yay, yay! These people are enemies, they’re taken them. And God’s sake, because you gloated, because you gloated over my people and they’re being paid. They deserve to be in captivity, and that’s why I’ve taken them. But you gloated over my people. You shall be destroyed yourself. You’re going to fall down. God wrote the book of Obadiah, the majority of the yeah. That’s right. And there were other prophets. I’ve just listed these four we call them major because they’re the longer books of the Bible. But uh that’s another thing in your in your lessons on well, the before page one, you find all the prophets and their dates kind of in this chart as you open up uh the context.

But uh historically, so judgments came upon the Gentile nations. Uh as I said, Isaiah spoke it, Jeremiah also did it, and now even so Ezekiel. Does that say something about did the Gentiles have any knowledge of God at all? We often emphasize the Old Testament is the history of the Jews, generally. What they are, this history of the Israelites. And that is the major thrust of it. What do we know about God’s message to the Gentiles? Not much. The law of Moses was given to Israel at Mount Sinai. And it was under that law and covenant that they were to serve the Lord God, and they had the knowledge of God to serve him. But the Gentiles weren’t left without any knowledge. The story of Jonah.

Where did Jonah go prophesy? The capital of Syria. And they repented. They had no something about God to repent. But we just don’t have a record of what God revealed unto the heathen nations. But some knowledge they had. I was reading last night and it referenced the Muslim faith, and it said that they even acknowledged Ezekiel in their writings. Yeah, even now. Yeah, they would. They’d probably acknowledge all the Old Testament prophets. They acknowledge Jesus as a prophet. That’s all. Not the divine son, he’s a prophet. But yeah, they would acknowledge. But the fact is that the Gentile people were not totally without responsibility to the Lord God of heaven. And so even here, when God would bring about destruction, uh judgments upon the Gentile nations, ye shall know that I am the Lord.

Even to them, that would be one of the results of consequences. On page six, as you turn, undersea, when God’s covenant people are restored and ultimately preserved. Here are some five times and more verses, but five different chapters in which these verse you shall know. I am lost. How’d they come back undeservable? And how’d they come back unto Israel in Nehemiah? Because the Lord’s hand was involved in every one of those. So the return was again a fulfilling prophecy. But whose hands behind it all? I tell you one of the strongest things about when you study the Old Testament is to know God’s mighty power is in control. Indeed, uh, maybe to us we think, oh well, if God said this is going to happen, it ought to happen today or tomorrow.

But it did happen. It just didn’t happen in man’s way of reckoning. But God was in control. He forewarned, he always gave his people opportunity to repent, but then came about some uh destruction upon the people who have turned against God. I have to tell you, the more I study the prophets, the more I fear for our generation and my children and children’s children. Because, you know, a nation who’s had opportunity like ours, and for us to have an attitude of really turning against God or having no fear of the Lord, that you know uh what in our nation now makes uh uh non-marriage alright, or same-sex marriage alright. What’s make it all right? Majority of people think it’s all right. So does that make it all right with God?

Not at all. But when we turn our backs on the Lord as a people, uh I fear for us. And what we need to pray for and plead for as God’s people is that we have a nation that really respects the Lord and comes back to the faith in him and to the knowledge of his word, because in every instance of the history of God’s people of the Bible, people who turned their backs on God eventually they did fall, didn’t they? God has blessed us as a people, but you know, and I just say, well, what do we, what can we do? And I say, first of all, we pray. And we need to pray. And then about us and around us, as we talk to people, we need to talk about the righteousness of God.

That’s what we try to do. Certainly, and I know you joined with me in that in this congregation. But we need to not give up. We need to keep pleading and pray. And more than anything else, is teach our children. Some years ago, Brother James Cope, who’s passed away a long time ago, but he used to have a series on family. And one of the strongest messages that stuck with me, the greatest preacher of all time, who would you name? He named Noah. Why? Because in a time amidst of a crooked and perverse generation, he saved his own family. So I’d say, first and foremost, let’s try to save our own family. And then, of course, from that spring out to others. Well, I got off track.

On page 6, number two, other statements convey a similar message. That I, the Lord, have done this nine times. Or number B, that I, the Lord, have spoken it some twelve different times. Indeed, throughout this letter, therefore, of Jeremiah, you’re going to see over and over the phrases of God being in charge. God speaking to Ezekiel. God warning his people. And when events did occur, as an evident proof that it was the Lord who was in charge. Now I want to say one of the things that’s kind of going to make the reading difficult. And I would encourage if you have time, I hope you go back and read the history, these letters of 2 Kings and Chronicle that I put up first. But also that you, if you have time, to read through Ezekiel this week.

6. Symbolic Acts and Parables

It won’t always be easy. And I’m going to tell you one of the reasons why. Look at the top of page five under A and B. Symbolic acts. Illustrate. For example, in Ezekiel chapter 4, verses 1 through 3, the siege of Jerusalem. Anybody know what Ezekiel did at that time? You just read it. He says you go get a piece of metal, really, it’s kind of like an iron plate, maybe an iron skillet, and you set that between you and the city. And you lie there because what’s going to happen whenever the siege comes, anybody gonna be able to escape from Jerusalem? No, it’s going up against that iron fence, so to speak. So he uses illustrations. You’ve got to stop and say, Well, what is that illustration?

The captivity of God’s people. Chapter 4, verses 4 through 8. The famine, the fate of the people, the fall of Jerusalem. There’s several here where he would use an illustration. One of them is uh pack your bags and let everybody see it. All your luggage and everything, like you’re gonna move. Do that in the daytime. Everybody can see what you’re doing. And then at nighttime you go and you dig through the walls. Don’t go through the gate. Dig through the walls of your yard, so to speak. And then you carry all that baggage out. What’s that illustrate? Well, it’s gonna come time you’re gonna you want to escape if you can. And so, you know, come back, go back through it. In other words, you’re illustrating the people, the prophecy of God.

There’s going to be a siege of Jerusalem. In fact, let me do one more. In fact, uh, there was uh 390 days. He was to lie on one side, and he just specified food, and then for 40 days he’s turned and goes to the other side, and it’s a certain kind of food, like during a famine, you might say. That’s 430 days. Ezekiel lies on his side. What’s illustrating? Well, it’s one of the more difficult passages to explain, but it’s illustrating perhaps the captivity. Had God’s people been in captivity? Yes. Starting from Egypt, they were in Egyptian captivity. And then even now they’re going to be in Babylonian captivity. And so God has gone through Ezekiel and through an illustration of a symbolic act, trying to teach the people.

So I’m saying this. That as you read through and you come to some of those like that, you’re going to say, what on earth is that talking about? But read it, get it in your mind, and then of course, as we come through chapter by chapter, we’ll try to make some explanation of those different symbolic acts. Well, it’s strange to us. It wasn’t strange to those people. They very clearly understood. I believe so too. Absolutely. I mean, it was as clear as what we’re going to be doing today in the church and just our actions and behaviors.

And when we just read a few verses, we stop and say, What’s he doing here? What was that meaning here? But yeah, that’s one of the things that would make it. And then even the parables. He used the parable number B, the parable of the vine.

Even in the New Testament, we are you’re the vine and we are the branches. What does a vine do? Why would why would God’s people be described as being connected with the vine? What is the vine supposed to do? To them, and certainly in Palestine, they knew they had the growing of the grapes bring forth fruit. But had God’s people during Ezekiel’s day brought forth good fruit? No. So what was the vine worthy of? You can take a piece of wood, at least you can make a peg out of it, but can you make a peg out of a vine? No, that’s so weak. It’s not even good for a peg or anything. So you it’s only good for the fire. And so that’s one of the illustrations, kind of an easy parable to understand.

That hey, God wanted you to be a fruitful people to the Lord. You’re not fruitful. And you’re not even, you’re good for nothing but to be thrown in the fire, because even as a vine, you’re not even a strong piece of wood. It’s kind of a humorous, uh, I think when you think about it. It illustrates a very significant part, that’s it. Was Ezekiel married? We don’t know much about her, do we? Except that he was married. But God told Ezekiel that he’s going to die. What was Ezekiel to do? Mourn in private. What? Mourn in private. Or not born, yeah, mourn in private. He did not, nobody saw him mourn, did they? Why? How would that illustrate? Ezekiel, she’s gonna die. You you see her in the morning, and at night she will die.

But don’t you go for mourning? Why?

Well, was that kind of an astonishment? That you would something just bang. And it’s the captivity of Jerusalem is going to be so astonishing to the people of Israel. You know, you you won’t believe it. We read the verse a moment ago, the ears will tingle, so to speak, as though to say, who can believe it? There’ll be astonishment. But it will happen. Angela? And when Nadab and Nabi were killed by God, he didn’t let Aaron or the family mourn simply because God did it, it was righteous, and you’re not gonna, you’re not gonna say I’m not gonna stand you up by saying, Hey, why did you do this? Another example of that in a bit of extent where they offered strange fire, the God of it.

And so, yes, I’m just saying, as you go through, you’ll see several things, both in a parable form or or kind of a symbolic act type of form, that that as you read through Ezekiel will have to say, okay, uh, how does this fit the whole context and meaning of cut? Um I should have said this while I go. Would anybody like to have a copy of this historical thing I just threw up?

You go to the back and come forward, I’ll start at the front and go back. Okay. Let me just pull back to I made these up the other day.

I wanted to say that I look at uh the king of Babylon as the servant, not just in the destruction that he wrought on God’s people.

Well, I’m trying to sense it.

I think it’s a good idea. And I don’t know.

Did anybody not get a book? Did everybody get a book now? You did not get a book, and you did not get a book?

You did not get a book? All right.

I’ll bring it for the problem. I would be here, Randy. But for these people who don’t have a book, you need to reading.