Bible Studies
Ezekiel, Prophet to the Exiles (Ezek. 1:1-3)
Series: God Speaks to Our People In ExileIntroduction:
1. For some time now we have been following the history of our ancestors, the children of Israel. 2. Most recently we have been studying about the period of the kings.a. We have reviewed the history from the days of Saul, David and Solomon.
b. We have followed them through the days of Jeroboam and Rehoboam and the divided kingdom.
c. Jeroboam set up idols in Dan and Bethel and led the northern kingdom away from the Lord God. Their idolatry took various forms--the worship of Baal promulgated by Ahab and Jezebel, the worship of Ashtoreth, and Molech, who was worshiped by child sacrifice. The northern kingdom was taken into Assyrian captivity in 722 B.C. as a result of her having forsaken the Lord.
d. The history of our people in the south was not much different. Even though Rehoboam continued worship at the Temple in Jerusalem built by Solomon, idol worship prevailed and became so prevalent that the Temple itself was sometimes used as a place for idol worship. There were occasional reforms under men like Hezekiah and Josiah, but even though God sent His prophets among the people they would not listen and ultimately they were taken into Babylonian captivity. This came in a series of attacks by the Babylonians in 606, 597, 586 B.C.
3. But God’s graciousness was still with them in that He sent them prophets who condemned their sin, invited their repentance and promised them hope. 4. Ezekiel was one of these prophets. Other prophets who prophesied during this period include Isaiah, Jeremiah (Lamentations), Daniel, Zephaniah, Nahum and Habakkuk. There were others too (cf. 2 Kings 21:10; 22:14ff). 5. These people are our forefathers, our spiritual heritage. They have much to teach us about who we are as the family of God. Their unfaithfulness challenges us to be loyal to God, and His graciousness to them promises hope to the family of God. 6. In this study we will consider chapters 1-2-3—Ezekiel’s commission, the description of the people he is sent to and his responsibilities as a watchman.Discussion:
I. Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord and this qualified him to serve as a prophet of God.A. Ezekiel saw a vision of four living creatures.
1. The description of them given in Ezek. 1 challenges our imagination and leaves us in awe.
2. They came in a storm wind from the north, “a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire.”
2. The four figures had human form. Each had four faces and four wings. One face was the face of a man, one the face of a lion, one the face of a bull, and one the face of an eagle.
3. They had wheels within wheels that moved in all four directions without having to be turned and the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
B. But these four beings were only an accompaniment to the magnificence of the likeness of the glory of the Lord (1:26-28).
C. It was out of this experience that Ezekiel was qualified to take God’s word to God’s people.
1. Isaiah had a similar experience (6:1-8).
2. As did Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9; 22; 26).
II. Ezekiel was sent to a rebellious house (2:1-10).A. The imagery is that of God as Father and Israel as stubborn, obstinate, rebellious children.
1. The NASB margin gives an alternate reading, “stiff-faced and hard-hearted” for “stubborn and obstinate” (v. 4).
2. Some translate “stiff-necked” in v. 5-6 in place of “rebellious” (Keil, p.49). Is this a reflection on the stiff-necks of their idols?
B. Isaiah prophesied a little earlier than Ezekiel. But the same imagery is used. In Isa. 1:1-9). God rebukes his children with scathing language.
C. Jeremiah prophesied after Isaiah and immediately before the exile (1:1-3). The emphasis of chapter 2—God’s loyalty to them and their unfaithfulness to Him.
D. God knew the disposition of the people and advised the prophets about the difficulty they faced. He encouraged them in light of the circumstances He was sending them into. But His graciousness and His patience with the children that He loved is evident by the very fact that He is sending prophets.
1. God has had enough (Isa. 1:10-15).
2. Repent (Isa. 1:16-17).
3. God will forgive, but if you refuse and rebel you will be devoured by the sword (Isa. 6:20).
E. Over and over again we see the magnificence of the love of a Father who will go to whatever length to discipline His children for their good. And such is the case for us (Heb. 12:4-13).
III. Ezekiel was appointed a watchman (3:16-21).A. Watchmen were stationed on city walls, on watchtowers or on hilltops.
1. In times of danger they were on the alert for hostile action against the city. It was their job to give word to the king of any suspicious person approaching the city.
2. Watchmen kept watch over fields and vineyards during the time of harvest.
B. Ezekiel’s responsibilities as watchman are clearly defined (17-21).
1. He is to speak whenever he hears a word from the Lord.
2. He is to warn the wicked that he may live.
3. If he fails to warn the wicked he will be held accountable before the Lord for the man’s blood (life).
C. Individual responsibility is evident.
1. Ezekiel is individually responsible to warn. He is held accountable for what he is supposed to do.
2. The wicked is individually responsible to respond to the message of God.
a. He is not free from responsibility to God if Ezekiel does not do his job. The wicked will die because of his sin.
b. If he is warned and turns (repents) he will live. If he is warned and does not turn (repent) he will die in his sin.
D. In our efforts to communicate the message of God to those who are lost…
1. We are not commissioned in the same way as Ezekiel or some other prophet. Paul regarded himself under special obligation as an apostle, specially commissioned by God (cf. Acts 26:19; Rom. 1:14). We are neither apostles, nor prophets.
2. But we would take the message of God to those that we love so that they might be saved. And so, we feel a responsibility to warn those who need to turn from wickedness. We even feel that if we fail to do so their blood is on our hands.
3. We accept individual responsibility—that of the wicked and that of those who are communicating God’s warning.
4. We communicate this warning because we love the lost and because we have seen the glory of God as it has been communicated to us through the Scriptures and in the cross of Christ. It is the kindness of God that helps define His glory (cf. Titus 2:4).
Conclusion:
1. The glory of God’s justice is revealed in His condemnation of sin—death is its consequence. 2. The glory of God is revealed in His compassion on sinners as He calls them to repentance even though they are rebellious. 3. How will you respond?
