Exiled in Babylon 593-573 BC
A Bible Study
Contents
| Chronological Summary | |
| Introduction | |
| Ezekiel Ached | |
| Commissioned | 23 - 311 |
| Overwhelmed by Message | 314-27 |
| The Clay Model and the Message | 41 - 517 |
| The Glory Departs | 8-11 |
| False Hope | 13 |
| Sin Revealed | 16 |
| Yet I will remember the covenant | |
| Two Eagles and a Vine | 17 |
| Personal Responsibility for Sin | 18 |
| An Unlearned History Lesson | 20 - 2414 |
| God Always Keeps his Word | 3321-33 |
| Judgement of the Nations | 25-32,35 |
| The Watchman | 331-20 |
| The 'Good' Shepherd | 34 |
| Valley of Dry Bones | 371-14 |
| Gog and Magog | 38,39 |
| The New Temple | 40-46 |
| The River | 471-12 |
| Relevance of Ezekiel Today |
| Year BC |
Ezek Ch. |
Event |
| 597 | Ezekiel led captive to Babylon with King Jehoiachin and 10,000 Jews. | |
| 593 |
1-7 |
The first vision by the river Chebar. God strikes his prophet dumb. Makes model of Jerusalem showing Nebuchadnezzar's siege and God's judgement for their wickedness and refusal to repent. 390 days + 40 days, then the finale. The meaning of the drama is written (5-7) |
| 592 | 8-11 | Idolatry in the Temple. God's Glory departs |
| 591 | 12-23 | Prophesy's Zedekiah's continued rebellion, and consequences.
Sees 'real' situation in Jerusalem - the open and hidden wickedness. The elders of Judah in Babylon are charged with hypocrisy when they came to consult him. (20-23) |
| 588 | 24 | The siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. This was a sabbatic year, Jer 248, etc. The siege did not begin till mid-winter. 2 Kgs 251. The prophet's wife dies on the same day of the siege, and he is forbidden to mourn for her. He will speak again when a fugitive arrives telling of Jerusalem's destruction. 2415-27 |
| 587 | 25-32 | Predictions against Ammon, Moab, Edom (also 35), Philistia, Tyre, Sidon and Egypt. |
| 586 | 33,34 | Jerusalem is taken. Zedekiah was taken prisoner, blinded and led to Babylon. Ezekiel told Jerusalem taken. God loosens his tongue. Woe to greedy shepherds. The Lord will be Shepherd to Israel. |
| 36,37 | Restoration of Israel revealed. | |
| 38,39 | The Lord will fight Gog and Magog when they attack Jerusalem. | |
| 572 | 40-48 | The vision of the rebuilding of the city and the temple.
The Glory of God returns. The river of life flows. |
| 583 | The commencement of the thirteen year siege of Tyre. Sidon, Amalek, Moab, and Idumea also suffer. Jer 27, 48, 49 Ezek 25. |
|
| 570 | Taking of the city of Tyre, by Nebuchadnezzar, to whom God
promises the spoils of Egypt, as a compensation for the trouble and loss
he sustained before Tyre. 2917-20 Nebuchadnezzar enters Egypt.
Amasis had been made king by the Cyrenians, who had rebelled against
Pharaoh-hophra. |
|
| 569 | The king of Babylon overruns and subdues the whole of Egypt;
commits the greatest outrages; and carries off captive the inhabitants, the
Jews, and others whom he found there. Jer 43, 44, 46 Ezekiel 29, 30, 31. Nebuchadnezzar leaves Amasis king of Lower Egypt; Hophra, or Apries, having escaped to the Thebais. |
|
| 560 | Death of Nebuchadnezzar. Evil-merodach succeeds him; and sets Jeconiah at liberty, and makes him his companion, 2 Kgs 1527 and Jer 5231 |
Introduction
By 605 BC Babylon was the rising power.
They had defeated Assyria in 609, having destroyed Nineveh 3 years earlier.
They had thrashed Egypt at Carchemish in 605.
Nebuchadnezzar had become king on the death of his father.
Jehoiakim was king of Judah and he capitulated to him without battle.
He remained king, paid an annual tribute and built
himself a new palace.
In 602 there was another battle with Egypt,
but this time both suffered very heavy losses.
Jehoiakim foolishly shifted alliance to Egypt and
rebelled against Babylon.
(in spite of Jeremiah's repeated warnings)
In 597 Nebuchadnezzar marched on Jerusalem.
The 18 year old Jehoiachin who had just succeeded his father, surrendered.
Ezekiel, a young priest, and about 10,000 Jews were taken to Babylon.
God sent the right man of his choice at just the right moment.
For more than four long years he had grieved and sought God.
No doubt he asked why he had been sent: What use is a Jewish priest there?
And why had God allowed so many Jews to be exiled?
But he already knew the answer to that;
Jeremiah had been making it plain for the last 30
years back in Jerusalem.
If only Jehoiakim had not been so foolish, so wicked,
so rebellious.
"Lord, you are just and right - but what good can I do here
in a Babylonian slave camp, making endless bricks,
day after day?"
The exiles were not in a riverside holiday camp.
The Nebuchadnezzars of this world don't waste good
labour.
His huge building programme had been at full steam
for over 10 years.
The glory of the new Babylon was rising out of the
desert.
It made Jerusalem, dear Jerusalem, look so insignificant.
This was 15 miles square, with enormous walls, plentiful water everywhere,
palaces, temples and beautiful gardens ...
Ezekiel Ached
And into his aching heart God revealed himself. He saw the Glory of God,
and the Living Creatures - wheels with all-seeing
eyes everywhere,
wings that sounded
like an army marching,
dynamic, purposeful,
precision movement,
He saw a sapphire throne and brilliant rainbow colours
-
that reminded him of
the promise of God. 12-28
Yes, God revealed himself.
It made the glory of Babylon look very drab.
It made Ezekiel ashamed that he had ever thought
it was so good.
He fell on his face before the Sovereign Lord, the King of Glory.
What happened next really surprised Ezekiel.
God wanted to speak to him!
All the wheels moved
towards him. The Living Creatures faced him.
And God said, "Stand
up!" 21,2
But Ezekiel couldn't move; the Spirit had to lift
him up.
He would never be the same.
He would never ask again what use it was making bricks
for idol temples,
in a foreign city,
for a heathen king.
Once before they had been making bricks when God rescued them.
Like Moses, he had met with the Sovereign Lord!
Commissioned
23 - 311
"I am sending you to a rebellious nation (Judah
in exile) ...
Do not be afraid of what they say ...
You must speak my words to them - whether they
listen or not ..." 23-8
(Very similar to when God called Jeremiah)
"Son of man, eat this scroll that I am giving you
and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey
in my mouth. 33
Although it tasted good at first,
the tragedy of the message would all too soon become
apparent. Rev 109-11 Jer 1516
God was here, even in Babylon!
Perhaps the kingdom would be restored! Will it be soon?
Like the excited disciples who asked the same question.
Act 16
First, and arguably the only task of the prophet is, he must hear the Master.
What God says will often surprise us.
'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.' Is
558,9
What was God's plan in Babylon?
Clearly he wanted the exiles to know.
And he wants us to
know too; even when it is not 'as sweet as honey'.
But the house of Israel is not willing to listen
to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house
of Israel is hardened and obstinate. But I will make you as unyielding and
hardened as they are. ... Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them,
though they are a rebellious house. 37-9
Can there be any greater tragedy than that a man or a nation
is unwilling to hear the Word of the Lord? Is
69,10 Lu 810
Ezekiel would be as unyielding as the rebellious people,
he would never deviate from proclaiming all that
God revealed to him.
Like Jeremiah, his task would not be popular, but he must not be afraid.
Friendship with God is worth a hundred times more
than
all the world's fleeting
pleasures. James 44 Lu 1829,30 Jn
1519
And he said to me, "Son of man, listen carefully
and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your countrymen
in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord
says,' whether they listen or fail to listen." 310,11
Why is Ezekiel told to listen carefully?
No man can preach to another what he has not first
learnt himself.
What God was to say would surprise him - like Habakkuk.
There is no room for any argument when 'The Sovereign Lord' says it.
Men always hate the idea of judgement;
that sin deserves
punishment;
that we all justly
live in 'death row' until the Redeemer saves us.
Listen carefully and acknowledge that God is right.
Lord, make me sensitive, willing, mouldable.
Take all the rebellion from my spirit. Please help
me.
Lord, my desire is
to listen carefully and respond quickly.
Overwhelmed by
Message 314-27
The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and
I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand
of the Lord upon me. I came to the exiles ... and sat among them for seven
days - overwhelmed. 314,15
When the Spirit comes upon us we see
'Heaven above is softer blue, earth around is sweeter
green,
Something lives in every hue, Christless eyes have
never seen.' [RH 380]
But also we begin to see the world as God sees it:
and we are in good company. Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah,
Ezekiel ...
Do not be surprised at the anguish, the distress, the tears, even anger.
(Perhaps his young heart also needed taming - God
was willing to do it)
The 'strong hand of the Lord was upon him' not to heal or work miracles,
he needed all the strength and grace of God to become
and be a true prophet.
The truth, the reality that the Lord had revealed was no quick, passing emotion.
It did not pass away with the next joke or TV programme.
At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came
to me: "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so
hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked
man, 'You will surely die', and you do not warn him ... that he will die
for his sin, I will hold you accountable for his blood."
316-18 also 331-20
As a watchman, the Lord made Ezekiel accountable.
If he did not warn the wicked, he would suffer the
same punishment.
We are also held responsible for warning others. Lu 926
This is not an excuse for being critical -
we must be equally
willing to receive warnings too.
We are God's messengers. Be sensitive as to when
and how is best.
But don't use this
as an excuse and put it off for ever.
The hand of the Lord was upon me there, and he said
to me, "Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you." So
I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing
there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.
Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet.
322-24a
Sometimes God needs to speak with us alone, without distractions;
only an awareness of our immense need and of his
greatness and glory.
What a privilege it is for the Spirit to come into any man.
Only he can change our unruly nature and enable us
to bear good fruit.
Ezekiel stands waiting, expectant ...
I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your
mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are
a rebellious house. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you
shall say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says.' Whoever will listen
let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious
house. 326,27
What God tells him seems crazy.
How can a prophet be dumb?
How can he warn the exiles about the consequences
of their sin?
But God had a better and clearer way to tell them.
Even the rebellious would be without excuse.
All would hear God's
message; even if they chose not to act upon it.
The method God selected is unique in all Scripture.
And it would be the longest sermon ever preached
(except Methuselah).
The Clay Model and the
Message 41 -
517
Now, son of man, take a clay tablet, put it in front
of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. Then lay siege to it: erect
siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and
put battering rams around it. Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron
wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under
siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of
Israel. 41-3
Ezekiel and his wife lived a lonely life.
A man with his concern and grief is never popular.
But do not feel sorry for him. God is his refuge
and strength, his delight.
Slaves are always made to work long hours but even the Babylonian taskmasters
had to allow their slaves to stop for a lunch break.
So while they all ate their sandwiches, the silent Ezekiel sets up his clay
brick.
They all gather round as he carefully sculpts a model
of Jerusalem.
Then he makes the camps, the siege works, and battering
rams.
The excitement changes as the message becomes clear.
Jerusalem will be besieged. Their own beloved city.
But surely God will
defend it.
No doubt there was some joker who broke the ice. There always is.
Next day a repeat performance.
He even weighed out his food from special storage
jars.
God had given him specific instructions (like he
gave for Noah's Ark) 44-17
Many were disgusted for Ezekiel had to cook his food using dried dung.
But every day it was the same old show. How long is this going to run for?
I expect the exiles were soon taking bets.
After a couple of months there probably weren't too
many watchers.
(they had all lost
their bets weeks ago!)
For God had told him to repeat it for 390 days!
One day there was a stir at lunchtime. Look, Ezekiel is facing the other
way!
(more bets) This time the sermon only lasted 40 days!
(Total 14½ months)
But then quite unexpectedly came the final show. 51-4
Ezekiel somehow appeared with a razor-sharp Babylonian sword.
He sat there alone and shaved all the hair off his
head and then his beard.
The exiles were all watching now.
They didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the comic
sight.
He set up some scales and carefully weighed the hair into 3 equal piles.
Then quickly he set fire to the first pile.
The second he threw in the air and repeatedly lunged
at it with his sword.
The crowd drew back
a little. He was like a wild thing now.
The third pile he threw up into the wind and it was
blown away.
He searched for any hairs that remained and threw
them on the fire.
And that was it. Ezekiel was exhausted. It was truly an 'Oscar' performance.
What was the message?
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "This is
Jerusalem, which I have set in the centre of the nations, with countries
all around her. Yet in her wickedness she has rebelled against my laws and
decrees more than the nations and countries around her. ... I myself am against
you, Jerusalem, and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the
nations. Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have
never done before and will never do again. ... I will inflict punishment
on you. ... A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine
inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third
I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword. Then my anger will
cease and ... they will know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal."
55-17
Jerusalem would be besieged for well over a year and then be totally destroyed.
God would do this. He would not spare even his own Temple.
Their fragile hopes were only make-believe.
The God of Love will punish sin. His justice demands
it.
How long would it take the exiles to learn this awful
truth?
Is the Church any more willing to see this today?
Ezekiel had been 4 years in exile (others had been 12 years - from 605)
Many were still hoping that God would deliver them
from exile and slavery.
God's prophet in Babylon (as well as Jeremiah in
Jerusalem),
had to tell them it
would not happen. Quite the reverse!
God himself would destroy Jerusalem and the Temple
for their refusal to
hear correction, their open sin and blatant rebellion.
Many exiles tried to keep up morale with false hope.
So God spoke the truth to them.
Son of man, set your face against the mountains
of Israel; prophesy against them and say: ... "This is what the Sovereign
Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about
to bring a sword against you, ... wherever you live, the towns will be laid
waste and the high places demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste
and devastated, your idols smashed and ruined, your incense altars broken
down, and what you have made wiped out. Your people will fall slain among
you, and you will know that I am the Lord."
62-7
"The Sovereign Lord says ..." x 210 in Ezekiel
and you "will know that I am the Lord" x 53
They needed to know above all things that there is only One God and he is
Lord.
Even the great Nebuchadnezzar was 'his servant'.
And how could a block of wood of whatever shape or
beauty be God?
The world today needs to hear the clear Christian truth; there is only one
God,
and Jesus Christ is the only means of forgiveness
and reconciliation. Jn 146
All the altars and idols of men will shortly be
destroyed.
This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
"Disaster! ... The end has come! ... Doom!
... I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against
you; I will judge you according to your conduct ... the vision concerning
the whole crowd will not be reversed. ... Outside is the sword, inside are
plague and famine ... Every hand will go limp, and every knee will become
as weak as water. ... Their silver and gold will not be able to save them
in the day of the Lord's wrath. ... They will seek peace, but there will
be none." 75-27
No wonder Ezekiel was grieved.
A year later:
The Glory Departs
8-11
The Spirit lifted me up ... and in visions of God
he took me to Jerusalem ...
And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel ...
Then he said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked,
and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy.
And he said to me, "Son of man, 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? But you will see things that are even more detestable."
...
He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house
of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol?
They say, 'The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land." ...
Then he brought me to the entrance to the north gate of the house of the
Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning for Tammuz. ...
He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord, and
there ... were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple
of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the
sun in the east. ... Must they also fill the land with violence. ...
Therefore I will deal with them in anger; I will not look on them with
pity or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen to
them." 81-18
God showed Jeremiah, 'I am watching' some years earlier in Jerusalem. Jer
112
Many in Babylon thought God was blind. But he wasn't.
And he isn't!
They had even put idols in the Temple and worshipped
them in God's house!
Now, as then, there can only be one verdict. The
day will surely come.
Come, Lord Jesus; come
quickly and put an end to all wickedness.
Yet God is merciful. There were some who cared and grieved.
Sadly there were not many. Amos saw the same tragedy.
Amos 66
Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from
above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the
temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing
kit at his side and said to him, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and
put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the
detestable things that are done in it." ...
As I listened, he said to the others, "Follow him through the city and
kill, without showing pity or compassion, ...but do not touch anyone who
has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary. The sin of the house of Israel and Judah
is exceedingly great." Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his
side brought back word, saying, "I have done as you commanded."
91-11
The glory of the Lord departed from above the cherubim in the Temple.
The Cherubim ( the 'Living Creatures') also departed. 101-22
But why could no one else see or hear this sad departure?
Why did no one care? Blind, hardened, arrogant,
they refused the mercy
which our gracious God offered.
The grieving Ezekiel, like weeping Jeremiah, cried to the Lord in his agony.
God 'marked' them (and others). None of their tears
were wasted.
Ps 1265
568
The leaders in Jerusalem refused to acknowledge the inevitable destruction.
Quite the reverse, they planned prosperity and success
without God!
They didn't even notice that the glory of the Lord had departed.
104,18 1123
Like Samson. Judg 1620 also Saul 1 Sam
1614 Ichabod 1 Sam 417-22
Ezekiel cries before the Lord:
"Ah, Sovereign Lord! Will you completely destroy
the remnant of Israel?" 1113
And God graciously reveals his plan.
The exile is not the end, but the means of bringing
the remnant to repentance.
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "Although
I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries,
yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries
where they have gone. ... I will gather you from the nations and bring you
back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you
back the land of Israel again. They will return to it and remove all its
vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and
put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and
give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful
to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God."
1116-20
This was fulfilled when they returned in 538 under Joshua and Zerubbabel,
and in 458 / 445 under Ezra and Nehemiah
One day there will be a far greater fulfilment when all Israel will be saved.
1227
But the return would not be in their day.
Jerusalem would be destroyed and there would be an exile of all who remained.
God instructs Ezekiel to act this exile by digging under the wall of his
house.
Zedekiah will be caught escaping and be taken to Babylon. 121-25
And of course he was. Jer 527-11
False Hope
13
The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, prophesy
against the prophets ... My hand will be against the prophets who see false
visions ... they lead my people astray, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no
peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash.
... 131-10
Leaders often try to give false hope rather than turn to the Lord.
They pretend that the impending disaster (God's judgement)
is not as bad as it
is (or as bad as we deserve).
There have been some notable exceptions. Noah, Hezekiah, Churchill, KG VI
For Jerusalem, destruction was inescapable.
It would still be destroyed even if Noah, Daniel
and Job were there. 1414,21
The elders in Babylon had also set up idols in their hearts. 141,4
Sin Revealed 16
Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable
practices. ... Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanite;
... on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with
water to make you clean. ... I said to you, "Live!" I made you grow like
a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful
of jewels. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you.
... Your fame spread among the nations. ... but you trusted in your beauty
and used your fame to become a prostitute. ... You took your sons and daughters
whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. ... In all
your detestable practices ... you did not remember the days of your youth.
... You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbours.
... I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the
Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct. You engaged in prostitution
with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that,
you still were not satisfied. Then you increased your promiscuity to include
Babylonia, a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.
... You adulterous wife! ... Your sister Sodom and her daughters never did
what you and your daughters have done. Now this was the sin of your sister
Sodom: she and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they
did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things
before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. ...
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve,
because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant.
161-59
Their prostitution and adultery was literal and allegorical.
They were unfaithful to their spouse and to the Lord
their God.
They were careless, and worst of all they were CONTENT WITHOUT GOD.
Very few were discontented: they sought God and were
found by him.
All others would only
be discontented without God after death.
But their discontentment
would then be eternal.
Too late - their day
of opportunity had passed.
see
'Rich Man and Lazarus' p.43, 47
Today we do not see Sodom as sinful, nor ourselves as more sinful.
What was Sodom's sin? Not only homosexuality.
They were arrogant, overfed, unconcerned about the
needy,
and did detestable
things.
O how great is the need of our country to repent.
How careless we are. How forgetful of our history
and privilege.
And how blind to the
impending, just and inevitable consequences.
Yet I will Remember the Covenant
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you
in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with
you. ... Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will
remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your
humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord. 1660-63 (See
also 68-10 and 2017,39,41 )
"Yet". What a blessed word.
Jesus Christ has come. He has made atonement for us.
We are ashamed of our sin and no longer open our
mouths with excuses.
With eternal gratitude
we thank him for his forgiveness.
He
has put a new song in our hearts that will never be extinguished.
Two Eagles and a
Vine 17
(similar to Nebuchadnezzar's statue dream of kingdoms)
Great eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) broke off top branch (Jehoiachin in 597)
and took him to land of merchants (Babylon)
Planted a seed (from line of David) and it grew (Zedekiah).
But it put its roots towards another eagle (Egypt).
First eagle easily uproots it and transports it to Babylon.
God will do this because of Judah's rebellion and unfaithfulness.
Personal Responsibility for
Sin 18 (Also 318-21)
The soul that sins shall surely die.
184
The soul that is righteous will live.
189
The wicked son of the righteous will die.
1813
The righteous son of the wicked will
live. 1820
The righteous man who becomes wicked will die.
1826
The wicked man who becomes righteous will live.
1827
One of Ezekiel's easier chapters to understand - personal responsibility
for sin.
We cannot blame God, our parents, what others may have done to us.
"God forgives our sins, not our excuses."
How can a man become righteous and live?
Repent! 1830-32
All are dead until redeemed. Ro 512 Gen
217
Righteous deeds result from new birth, not from resolve. Ro 68,18
Our salvation rests on the finished work of Christ and is secure. Ro
837-39
Yet we can choose to become wicked and die.
While the hurt and result of sin may pass to the 3rd and
4th generation,
(e.g. result of divorce, family breakdown, abuse,
etc)
the son of a wicked man can be saved by the blood
of Christ.
Why did God give these clear statements to Ezekiel?
Hopelessness and fear of slavery in Babylon. Though
none would return
to Jerusalem, there
was a way of escape to life and righteousness.
An Unlearned History Lesson
20 - 2414
The current rebellion was not without precedent.
Israel's history shows repeated rebellion against God.
In Egypt,
in the desert
and
in the promised land. c.f. Act 72-53
Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy
them. 2017
Now you will be taken to 'the desert of nations' for judgement.
But afterwards you will surely listen to
me ...
I will accept you as fragrant. ...
2039,41
Failing to learn from history has terrible consequences.
No one could say that God had warned them.
Consistent rebellion and wickedness leads inevitably to Judgement.
"But ..." reveals the amazing grace of God.
It remains his pleasure and purpose to forgive
in spite of our stubborness.
Set your face against Jerusalem. c.f.
Lu 951
I am against you. ... Therefore
groan. 212,3,6
O wicked prince ... whose time of punishment has
reached its climax. 2125
The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be
brought low. 2126 Math 2312
A ruin! ... until he comes to whom it belongs.
2127
Every man's life is a ruin until Jesus Christ enters and transforms it.
And it is true for all nations too.
The sin of Judah is catalogued: worst = You have
forgotten me. 221-12
I looked for a man ... who would stand before me
... but I found none. 2230
Two promiscuous sisters - Israel and Judah. 23
You must to bear the consequences.
2335,49
Record this date for the king of Babylon has laid
siege to Jerusalem this very day. ... Woe to the city of bloodshed.
242, 6,9
I tried to cleanse you but you would not be
cleansed. 2413
Another allegory that is all too real for Ezekiel.
Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away
from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any
tears. Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. ... in the evening my wife
died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded. Then the people asked
me, "Won't you tell us what these things have to do with us?" So I said to
them, "The word of the Lord came to me: say to the house of Israel, this
is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary - the
stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object
of your affection. 2415-21
The people knew well how much Ezekiel loved his wife;
What did this symbolic act mean? (Not many secrets
in a slave camp)
The people loved their Temple, but not their God.
(as some today love St Pauls or Westminster Abbey)
God would not weep to see it totally destroyed. His glory had already left.
It was a stiff trial of obedience for Ezekiel; he fulfilled it by the grace
of God.
If it was bad for Ezekiel, think how much worse the destruction of Jerusalem
and the Temple was for God.
And you, son of man, on the day I take away their
stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes, their heart's
desire, and their sons and daughters as well - on that day a fugitive will
come to tell you the news. At that time your mouth will be opened, ... and
they will know that I am the Lord. 2425-27
Ezekiel's wife died on the 9th Av (15th Aug) 586 BC
The same day the Temple was destroyed. (also on
9th Av in 70 AD)
God Always Keeps his
Word
3321-33
Many die in the 18 month siege of Jerusalem.
The depth of suffering cannot be overestimated.
Then finally his 'servant' Nebuchadnezzar destroys the city and the Temple.
The unbelievable has happened. Just as Jeremiah had warned for over 40 years.
And Ezekiel had warned the exiles already in Babylon
against false hope.
3 months later the fugitive arrived and Ezekiel spoke again.
3321,22 326
What were his first words?
The Sovereign Lord says,
"I have made the land a desolate waste
because of all the detestable things they have
done. ...
My people come to you, as they usually do, ... to listen to your words
but they do not put them into practice.
With their mouths they express devotion,
but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. ...
When all this comes true - and it surely will -
then they will know that a prophet has been among
them." > 3328-33
Judgement of the Nations
25-32, 35
Against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt.
See also Jer 46-51
Each of these nations would suffer for their hatred of Israel and the God
of Israel.
They have yet to learn the folly of their hatred.
Ezekiel, The Watchman
331-20
Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel is called to be a watchman. 337 Jer
14-10
A trumpet to warn the people. see 316-27
No one could then have any excuse. 335
Ro 120
As believers we are each responsible to be watchmen. 336
We may not play as loud or as clearly as Ezekiel
or Billy Graham,
but we are called to
be 'instant in season and out ...' 2 Tim 41-4
God's earnest desire is that all should repent; but most refuse.
Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the
Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather
that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!
Why will you die, O house of Israel?' 3311
Other Watchmen:
Elijah, Amos, Jeremiah, Jonah, John Baptist, 2 Witnesses
...
All were unpopular with men, lonely, and faithful.
The 'Good' Shepherd
34
Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care
of themselves! 342
What did they do and not do?
You eat the curds, clothe yourselves
but you do not
take care of the flock.
You have ruled them
harshly You
have not strengthened the weak
or
healed the sick
You
have not brought back the strays
or
searched for the lost. 343,4
The result is:
They were scattered because there was no shepherd,
and became food for all the wild animals.
345 Math 936
No Law, no absolute standards, no godly leaders, kings or judges
Everyone did what was right in his own eyes - led
to idols and wickedness.
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the
Lord:
I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock.
I will remove them from tending the flock. 3410
What happens when God is against a ruler? He is removed!
God appoints kings, priests and leaders - and dis-appoints them!
Therefore I myself will search for my sheep and
look after them.
I will rescue them.
I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries,
and I will bring them into their own land.
I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel.
I will tend them in a good pasture,
and the mountain heights of Israel will be their
grazing land.
I myself will tend my sheep.
I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.
I will shepherd the flock with justice.
3411-16
No man can do what Jesus did and does.
He searches and he rescues.
"There were ninety and nine that safely lay ..."
Lu 154-7
Jn 101-18 Is 409-11
Character of this 'Good Shepherd' :
He lays down his life for the sheep - nothing is
more important to him.
He stands his ground whatever the cost when attacked.
He speaks to his sheep, and they hear him.
He speaks for his sheep and defends them.
He leads them and they follow because they know him.
He tends, feeds and heals.
He maintains justice.
He destroys oppressors.
All this Jesus Christ continually does for us. What a Saviour!
Today the Jews are giving away much of the 'mountains of Israel'
Rabin gave 27% of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinians.
In July 2000 Barak tried to give away 98%, but Arafat rejected
the offer.
However much is given to the Arabs, they will always
want more.
But one day it will all belong to the Jews again.
See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and
the lean sheep.
Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep
...
I will save my flock, and they will no longer
be plundered.
I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David.
I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among
them.
I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts
so that they may live in the desert and sleep
in the forests in safety.
I will bless them.
I will send down showers in season, the ground will yield its crops;
the people will be secure in their land.
They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke
and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved
them,
and no one will make them afraid.
They will no longer be victims of famine in the land
or bear the scorn of the nations.
Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them.
3420-30
To the Jews religion easily includes politics, agriculture and social structure.
Indeed it must; else religion is just 'church on
Sunday'.
When their eyes are opened they will see what God has done for them;
then they will know ... What a day!
In the next revelation there are two prophecies.
What is the context? What was happening on the world stage?
What was the Sovereign Lord revealing to his servant Ezekiel?
O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign
Lord ... the deserted towns have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest
of the nations around you ... In my burning zeal I have spoken against ...
Edom, for with glee and malice in their hearts they made my land their own
possession ... I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will
also suffer scorn. But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches
and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home.
364-8
Contrast this word to the mountains with that in 63-7
Why was God so against Edom?
It was with deep grief that God punished Israel; 69
but Edom rejoiced to join in and plunder the land.
(See "Two Brothers")
God's punishment of Israel, the nation, was not eternal.
To Jeremiah and to Ezekiel it was revealed that
in the mercy and timing
of God, Israel would return.
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not
for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but
for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned ... I show myself holy
through you before their eyes.
For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you ...
I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees ...
You will live in the land I gave your forefathers;
you will be my people, and I will be your God.
I will save you from all your uncleanness.
I will call for the grain and make it plentiful
you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.
Then you will ... loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.
I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake ... On the day
I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, ...
the desolate land will be cultivated ... and has become like the garden
of Eden; Then the nations around you that remain will know
that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed
...
I the Lord have spoken, and I will do
it. 3622-36
This 2nd prophecy is comprehensive and much quoted.
While is can clearly refer to the work of the Holy
Spirit in new birth,
we should always remember
its context
and thus its prime
concern which is with the nation of Israel.
If the church realised this, they would not have
so persecuted the Jews.
Lambeth '98 passed a resolution that Palestine should
be a state
with Jerusalem as its
capital.
In the first return of 537 BC there was a repentance;
especially 80 years later under Ezra.
But the Oral Law gave way to the Pharisaic practice
condemned by Jesus.
In this scripture God promises to change the heart. It is re-born,
not by the will of man, but by the determination
of the Spirit. Jn 113
Though many in Israel today - after the 2nd return, rejoice in
re-birth,
it cannot yet be said that they are a holy nation.
But one day they will be! God has said so.
Valley of Dry
Bones 371-14
Why were the bones so very dry?
Judah had been dead to the life of God for a long
time.
He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."
373
God was about to bring faith for life where it seemed so utterly hopeless.
Praying for the nation is different from praying for individuals.
Be honest with God - he knows! Don't pretend faith.
If we don't know, say
so; and seek God's answer.
God shows Ezekiel his long term plan for Israel.
Sometimes God reveals one step at a time, here it is the overall plan.
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and
say to them,
'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones:
I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you
with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"
374-6
See the importance God places on the prophecy.
Ezekiel spoke what he had clearly heard. (Like Elijah
in 1 Kg 171)
What did he hear? "The
word of the Lord."
The same creative word
that brought life in the beginning.
"And
God said ..." Gen 13,6,9 ...
The miracle of new birth is by the same 'Word of
God.'
This prophecy is about the life of God coming into the soul of man -
Individually and for Israel as a nation (at the end.
Ro 1125,26)
Then we will see the 'testimony of Jesus' fulfilled.
Rev 1910
What was prophesied
will have come to pass.
Ezekiel prophesied as commanded,
but in his vision it didn't all happen at once.
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was
prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together,
bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered
them, but there was no breath in them. 377,8
What does it mean for the bones to come together?
1. See truth instead of confusion. Gen 117 Is 3411
"Once I was blind,
now I can see ..." Jn 925
Once it was all questions
and no answers (like much psychology)
But
all who have drunk the living water never thirst again. Jn 414
It do esn't mean that
there are no more questions,
nor
that there is never an aching for God,
but
we have the assurance of forgiveness and the sure hope of life.
2. Gathering together of Israel, as yet without life (no breath).
They returned in 538BC
and just over 500 years later the Messiah came.
He spoke the word of
God, gave his own life, rose and brought life.
Only
a few Jews believed, not the nation.
And these first Jewish
believers brought that life of God to the world.
But
it would not fulfill this prophecy.
In 1948 we have seen a 2nd gathering -
not yet complete.
Again the bones are
coming together. (about 60,000 immigrants /year)
Some 50 years ago Israel
became a nation again.
They are still together
- just!
When will the Messiah
come again?
When will the second
part of the prophecy be fulfilled? And how?
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy,
son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from
the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'"
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to
life and stood up on their feet - a vast army. 349,10
Breath is the same word as wind or spirit.
It is more than mere physical life, it is the Spirit
who enables new-birth,
without which no man
can even see the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but
the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying,
'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its
sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it
is with everyone born of the Spirit."
"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. (So Jesus told him how)
'The Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may
have eternal life.' Jn 33,5-9,15
Here he is told to prophesy to the Breath, not to the bones.
New birth is given by the power of the Spirit, not
by the will of man.
All men remain 'slain', (dead in trespasses and sin. Eph 21)
since Adam's disobedience when God fulfilled his
promise. Gen 217
Like dry bones, they are lifeless, having no relationship
with God.
Ezekiel is shown how life (breath) may enter into a man again:
by prophecy, by the
word of God.
This prophecy may be applied to any individual, upon whom the Spirit of life
comes and the salvation of Christ is revealed and
believed.
But it is primarily concerned with the nation of
Israel. 3711
The Spirit will convict men of sin, righteousness
and judgement. Jn 168
Conviction of sin will
lead men to repent.
They will see the
righteousness of Christ crucified for sinful men.
They will see God's
judgement of sinners, and of believers in Christ.
"The
wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." Ro
623 Heb 928 Jn 524
The salvation of Israel will be even greater
than Lazarus being commanded to come out of the tomb.
He was but one man, at the end there will be an army.
And this refers to the raising to eternal life, not
just to mortal life.
Such is the power of the Spirit, the breath of the
Sovereign Lord.
At Pentecost, God poured out his Spirit upon the Apostles and 3000 believed.
For nearly 2000 years God has continued to pour out
his Spirit.
Yet the prophecy (3713,14) is only partially
fulfilled. Math 2752
One day it will be
completed! 3627-30 Rev 204
In the light of such
words it is difficult to be patient.
Who is seen at the head of this vast army?
Jesus Christ! Rev 1911-16
In that day all the nations will honour the Jews instead of hating them.
Gog and Magog
38, 39
Only mentioned here and in Rev 208
sandwiched between dry bones and new Temple. Why?
Ezek 1-20 is chronological, 21-33 is mixed,
34-48 concerns the
Messiah - his first and second coming. (as Dan 9-12)
There remains much debate over who and when.
Who?
Gog and Magog, Meshech and Tubal - each a place or a people?
Not known, though many try to identify with Germany
and Russia.
If we needed to know, God would have made it clear.
They are from 'the far north'. 3815
And with them are 'many nations' 386,9
People from Persia (Iran/Iraq), Cush (Egypt) and
Put (Libya).
People from East, South and West. i.e. all the nations
of the world.
When?
'After many days'. 388
So these events obviously occur at the
end.
They attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people ...
without walls. 3811
who had been gathered from
many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been
desolate. 388
But today Israel, though gathered, are not peaceful or unsuspecting.
They are rightly suspicious of the intentions of
the PA and Arab nations.
In the last 50 years they have survived 5 major wars.
They certainly have
and need their walls - a very effective IDF!
At the end of the Millennium during which the Lord
reigns in Jerusalem,
they will have beaten
their swords into ploughshares
and will not need to
learn war any more. Is 24
This is when it occurs in Rev 207,8 (nowhere
else in scripture)
Antiochus IV did not fulfill all this in 167 BC, nor at any time since.
What prompted the attack?
The hatred of man for the way of God is universal and unending.
Yet Almighty God has the right to choose, and to say what is right and wrong.
Men today say it is wrong to discriminate.
e.g. Gender, sexual
orientation, nationality, pornography etc.
Any excuse to justify their wicked ways and reject
the Law of God.
If men wish to do what God says is wrong, what happens?
As at the beginning,
'Did God say ...?' Are you sure? No!
Experiment, find sin
is pleasant. 'Pleasing to the eye'
(Never
mind the consequences - long or short time)
Then men turn away from God, afraid, they eventually
hate him.
They blame him (and
others) for the consequence of their sin.
c.f. Jesus when tempted, he said immediately and
boldly, Math 44,6,7
'It is written'. It
is true, 'the Word of God abides for ever.' 1 Pe 124,25
Be warned; when men turn away from God and rebel,
there comes a day when God rejects them; and he removes
his protection.
The end is disaster. Eternal disaster. Ro
126,28
Here, Gog, Magog and all nations rebel against the rule of Christ.
Satan, the great deceiver is released and leads men
in their rebellion.
Does he really think
he can defeat the 'King of Kings'? Ridiculous!
Let none of us ever think he is immune from Satan's temptation.
Learn to recognise it quickly. 2 Co 104,5
Fight it with the right weapons. Eph
610-18
Repent, don't just feel sorry. 2 Co 710
When Jesus came he brought the offer of peace and reconciliation.
But it was not the sloppy peace that the world passes
for reality.
He said, "Do not suppose
that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
I
did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Math 1034
What does his sword achieve here?
It separates truth
from deception, reality from a dream.
It divides men into
believers and unbelievers. The Living from the dead.
God brings the nations against his beloved Son in Jerusalem,
for it reveals their true heart of rebellion.
Also their endless greed. 3812,13 Their
continued idolatry. Col 35
Satan makes his final bid for the land of Israel
and the chosen people.
One might have thought that with Jesus himself reigning, no man would rebel.
They did at his first coming, and they will when
he comes again.
Never be surprised at the depth of inbred sin.
Note that Satan attacked when he thought that they were defenceless.
He did not dare attack Jesus in heaven, but he did
on earth. Lu 413
at the end of a 40
day fast
the people wanted to
crown him king (after feeding 5000)
Many of his disciples
left him
his friend Judas betrayed
him
almost all the religious
leaders rejected him
Like at Yom Kippur in 1973 - this war was not fulfilled then
But it reveals the nature of the beast!
The Good Shepherd NEVER leaves his people defenceless. Lu 2136
1 Co 1013
What will be the result of this amazing onslaught by wicked men?
God declares that he is against them. 391
And that his 'hot anger will be aroused.'
3818
Like Elijah and the 2 Witnesses, God brings down fire from heaven.
Also earthquake, hail, flood and 'infighting'.
On this occasion God's people did not have to fight.
For 7 months they had to collect and bury the dead to cleanse the land.
For 7 years they used their wooden(?) weapons for fuel.
All men will know that God is :
mighty 3913,21 holy 397,25,27
punishes sin 3923,24
faithful 3928 compassionate
3925 and he will pour out his Spirit 3929
At the end of the Great Tribulation when Jesus comes again
he fights against the Beast, the False Prophet and
the nations. Rev 1911-21
And he uses a sword to defeat them, not fire.
The two of them are thrown in to the eternal lake
of fire.
At the end of the Millennium it is Satan who is released
He is defeated by the fire of God,
and is 'thrown into the lake of burning sulphur,
where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.'
Rev 2010
These two battles are different and separated by a 1000 years.
With Rev 19, 20 God makes it clear when these momentous events will happen.
But not all Christians agree on this matter!
After Gog Magog, John is shown the new heaven and the new earth. Rev 21,22
Then time will be no more, neither will there be
any sin or temptation.
Only God with his perfected
saints for ever.
Some say this sure and certain hope is just 'pie in the sky, by and by'.
We will see!
The New
Temple 40-46
3 chapters of measurements and description. 40-42
Why included in scripture? Never built, and unlikely to be.
Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord return and fill the temple.
434,5 444
Exiled and with the temple and city destroyed 14
years earlier;
God had not finished
with his chosen people.
God has compassion for them. His desire and plan
is for their return.
Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may
be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan, and if they are ashamed
of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple - its
arrangement, its exits and entrances - its whole design. >
4310,11
God's purpose for this detailed view of the temple was twofold:
to make the people ashamed of their sins
to remind them of the purpose of the temple - daily
sacrifice for sin
and thus the forgiveness
of God and his presence with them for ever.
Only then does he continue with the description of the altar and the sacrifices.
To all who looked beyond the sacrifice of bulls and goats,
and sought 'a better
sacrifice' - Jesus, the Lamb of God,
were
given assurance of sins forgiven. Heb 9
Ezekiel's temple vision was not a literal prophecy of a building
that would replace Solomon's Temple,
but a vision, 'a copy', 'a shadow' to help us see
the real thing. Heb 924 101
It was to reveal man's need for a perfect Redeemer
and to enliven for
ever the desire of men for God himself.
God's declared purpose was to enable the people to be acceptable. Eph
13-8
" ... Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign
Lord." 4327b and 2041
O how foolish is the man who rejects such an offer from the Living God.
He can give no better gift to his creation, no greater
privilege.
This is the final message of Ezekiel - almost the final message.
The Golden Gate. 441-3
The present Golden Gate is not the same gate that Jesus entered.
It was built in 630 by Heraclius the Byzantine emperor
for him to triumphantly
enter.
So these verses cannot refer to a literal gate in
a literal E. wall of Jerusalem.
But this should not surprise us as Ezekiel's Temple
vision
is not prophetic to
a literal temple but to an effective sacrifice for sins.
Golgotha is N. of the City;
this is where the Saviour
opened the gate of heaven to all believers.
It was from there while
nailed to a cross that he rent the Temple veil.
When Jesus comes again and stands on the Mt of Olives
will he enter by the Golden Gate? Will the abomination,
the Dome of the Rock
and the El-Aksa
mosque, still be standing?
[all the other Old City walls of Jerusalem were (re)built by the Turks in
1517]
The 'portico' the Lord left by is the same as that through which he will
return.
This is confirmed by the angels to the amazed Apostles.
Act 19-11
"No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and
flesh is to enter my sanctuary ..." 449
Only the born again can enter the kingdom of heaven. Jn 33
The circumcised Jew but uncircumcised in heart will
not enter. Ro 225-27 411 Col 311
(They did in the literal
Temple - and Jesus threw them
out!)
The uncircumcised Gentile but circumcised in heart
is allowed to enter.
'The first shall be
last and the last first. Lu 1323-30
Ezekiel's prophetic vision is not literal but symbolic.
Failure to understand this has caused much disagreement
among Christians.
The function of priests in his vision was only until the time
when Jesus, the perfect sacrifice for sin, came.
4410-31 Heb 711-28
Some Christians think that the Temple must be rebuilt
before Jesus comes.
For 2000 years there
has been no need for a Temple for sacrifices.
There never will be
a need for one now. Jesus is our great High Priest.
His
sacrificial offering was full, perfect and complete. Heb 97-15
The first tabernacle
was an illustration, through which the Holy Spirit
was
showing us the way into the Most Holy Place.
Similarly for the division of land 451-8 fair trade
459-12 feasts 4513 - 4615
inheritance gifts 4616-18 and priest's
kitchens 4619-24
The River
471-12
The Source of Water and its Use.
They have forsaken me, the spring of living water. Jer 213
1713
On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern
sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. Zech 148
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and
who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would
have given you living water. ... Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty
again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed,
the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal
life." Jn 410-14
For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; he will
lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes. Rev 717
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place
where the Most High dwells. Ps 464
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal,
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Rev 221
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Is 123
In each of these quotes there is one Source, the Lord, the Giver of Life.
Even in Jn 738 the living water has it origin in Christ.
The 'living water' can only flow from within those
who believe in him.
Some unbelievers may have a form of happiness, be interesting
and pleasant personalities, successful, effective
leaders etc;
and yet be utterly devoid of the life of God.
At the end, if not before, their real life value will be revealed.
The river of God is the only water that can give and sustain life for ever.
Men may try acupuncture, hypnotherapy, normal or alternative medicine,
but at best each will only last for a season.
The life and healing of God is permanent and eternal.
It is true that Naaman found healing in the muddy Jordan river,
Elisha made the water at Jericho whole with a bowl
of salt,
and a blind man was healed when he washed in the
pool of Bethesda;
but each was only a physical healing.
Naaman and the blind
man both died - so did Lazarus, twice!
Ezekiel sees the river of God that brings wholeness of body, soul and spirit.
Jesus demonstrated the use of this river
and his servants, by
the Spirit of God, have continued to do so.
But all that we now experience is 'in part',
'we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror'. 1
Co 1312
The vision is not literal but it is real and will be totally fulfilled.
A young boy may be thrilled with his bit of wood and a few nails
that is his space ship or battleship.
For him it is real; he uses his imagination.
So with this vision of the city, the river and the land.
The final reality will be much bigger and better than Ezekiel is able to
describe.
There may or may not be an actual river of water, but there will be healing.
It is most unlikely that there will ever be a 3rd Temple,
but there is now and always will be Jesus Christ,
a once for all complete
sacrifice for sin. Heb 727 912,26 1010,12
What need is there for any further sacrifices?
Let us open our eyes to see the sure hope of this total fulfilment.
Do not be distracted by the details of the 'wood
and nails'.
The river became deeper and could not be crossed.
The power of God to heal is never too little or
exhaustible.
The leaves of the trees do not wither, neither does their fruit ever fail.
The power of God to heal is consistent and never
refused.
And most important is the reality that 'The Lord is there'. 4835
He will be seen and heard and felt.
He will teach and lead. He will guide and inspire
and enable.
This was always God's intention. 'Have them make
a sanctuary for me,
and I will dwell among
them.' Exd 258
What will Jesus do when he comes again? Why will he come?
To usher in the Kingdom of God on earth as never
before seen.
Fulfilling the oft
repeated prayer, 'thy kingdom come ...'
'To bring salvation to those who are waiting for
him.' Heb 928
Melchizedek, the King of Salem will be the King of Jerusalem.
'The Prince of Peace' will be King and Priest.
Then, and only then, will men beat their swords into
ploughshares. Is 24
The history of the city in the Millennium
will be very different from the previous 3000 years!
Relevance of Ezekiel Today
Remove false hope in man's ability (or Sacrements or Temple sacrifices) to
earn his salvation.
No amount of good done by men is enough to win him a place in heaven.
Men are deceived as to the consequence on sin.
They to often think only others are sinful; but we all are.
Removes false values - materialism.
Reveals same sins common to man then and now:
money, sex, power, falsehood.
To reveal sin as sin, and its inevitable consequence.
The absolute necessity of salvation.
Disillusioned and despairing generation need real hope
for today and for future.
God is entirely just in his punishment of the wicked.
Jesus Christ remains the one and only hope of our salvation.
Only he can save. Only he can be our effective
Advocate.
The Sovereign Lord remains faithful and just.
He will make the dry bones live.
He will build his eternal kingdom.
His river and Temple will he heal and refresh
Though it gets worse before it gets better, the better is fantastic
and certain.