BGCT: DSM: Old Testament Text: Lecture 36: Exekiel

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Old Testament and New Testament
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PROPHETICAL BOOKS

LECTURE 36

EZEKIEL

Students will be able to

1. describe the background and purpose of the book of Ezekiel.

2. outline and interpret the major divisions of Ezekiel.

OUTLINE OF EZEKIEL

I. God's Judgment against Israel (124)

A. Ezekiel's vision and call (13)

(See Discussion Question #1)

1. The vision of God's Glory (1:128)

Ezekiel was a priest whose ministry to the exiles extended from about 593 to almost 560 B. C.

The living beings (1:414) symbolized mobility, intelligence and strength surrounding God's throne.

The four wheels (1:1521) symbolized multidimensional mobility.

2. God's charge to Ezekiel (2:13:27)

a. The five commissions (2:1; 3:1; 3:4; 3:1617; 3:22)

b. The recipients of Ezekiel's ministry (2:37)

c. In order to speak only what God had written, Ezekiel was required to eat the scroll (3:13).

d. Ezekiel was to function as a watchmen over Israel (3:1621).

In ancient time, the watchman occupied an elevated position in order to serve as a sentry to warn of invasion of danger.

B. The fall and destruction of Jerusalem illustrated (47)

1. Ezekiel's symbolic actions depicted the judgment on Jerusalem.

a The prophet created a miniature city under siege (4:13).

b. To symbolize years of punishment of Israel and Judah, the prophet laid on his left (390 days) and right side (40 days).

c. To illustrate the deprivation which was coming, the prophet cooked rationed and unclean food with fuel made of human dung (4:917).

d. The prophet used a sword (symbol of military defeat) to cut his hair (symbol of servitude). The hair was divided into three parts which represented those killed in pestilence and battle and a group dispersed from the homeland (5:112).

2. The prophet's oracles against the mountains were a condemnation of the idolatrous practices which occurred in the high places (6:114).

The prophet was told of the approaching judgment (7:113).

C. Ezekiel's vision of the Temple (811)

(See Discussion Question #2)

1. The prophet was exposed to visions of idolatry (8:118).

2. The judgment on Jerusalem included the departure of God's glory (9:111:23).

D. The fall and destruction of Israel's leadership (1215)

Chapter 15 contains one of the allegories which characterize Ezekiel. The allegory of the vine compares the inhabitants of Jerusalem with the worthless wood of the vine; unless the vine produced fruit, it was useless, even as fuel.

E. In spite of sin, restoration is possible (1618)

(See Discussion Question #3)

1. Allegory of faithless prostitute (16:163)

The forsaken child (Jerusalem) was helpless (16:15) until God showed compassion (16:67) and made a covenant with her (16:814). Yet she trusted in her beauty and, in a degrading behavior worse than that of a common prostitute, she paid her lovers (a reference to tribute paid to other nations...l6:1534). Jerusalem was further condemned as worse than her elder sister, Samaria, and her younger sister, Sodom (16:4648).

2. Allegory of two eagles and cedar twig (17:124)

The first eagle represented the King of Babylon who took many of the Jewish nobles into exile (17:1221). The second eagle symbolized the King of Egypt(17:1521).

The twig taken from the top of the cedar represented the Messiah as a transplanted branch taken from the stock of Judah (17:2224).

Proverb of personal responsibility before God (18: 132)

This proverbial correction insisted that individuals are accountable for their own decision and not condemned by the sins of their ancestors.

F. A lament for the princes of Israel (19)

G. The destruction of the nation (2022)

1. Through Israel's constant apostasy (20:149)

2. Through the sword of Babylon (21:132)

3. Through the sins of Jerusalem (*22:116)

Crossreference: Was the destruction of the Jewish nation attributed to national faithlessness, foreign invasion and habitual sin? Which poses the greatest challenge for America?

H. Allegory of two adulterous sisters (23)

The sister named Oholah represented Samaria, while Oholibah signified Jerusalem (23:4). Both were unfaithful in bringing in lovers (alliances with pagan nations), but Jerusalem's sin was more offensive because she had observed her sister's sin but continued the same behavior (23:11).

I. God's wrath poured out on His people (24)

1. Parable of the cooking pot (24:114)

The besiegers of Jerusalem brought God's judgment which was depicted as a caldron being filled with pieces of flesh (24:15).

2. Sign of Ezekiel the death of his wife (24:1527)

Ezekiel was told to forego the normal grieving process at his wife's death in order to illustrate the inexpressible trauma which Jerusalem would experience.

II. God's judgment against Israel's neighbors (2532)

A. Ammon

B. Moab

C. Edom

D. Philistia

E. Tyre & Sidon

F. Egypt

III. God's restoration of Israel (3348)

A. Object lessons and oracles (3335)

(See Discussion Question #4)

B. A new heart, dry bones, and two sticks (3637)

(See Discussion Question #5)

1. By His Spirit, God promised to create a new heart (36:2632) which would produce a new obedience.

2.The valley of dry bones represented the Jews in exile who had no hope of resuscitation apart from the work of God's Spirit (37:114).

Teacher CrossReference: In what sense would the divided kingdoms be unified under one of David's descendants?

C. Gog and Magog (3839)

Gog, the King of Magog, is some unidentified prince from the North who will attack God's people and be completely defeated. The apocalyptic language of this section has numerous interpretations.

D. The new Temple (40-43)

E. The prince, Levites and priests (44)

The identity of the prince is unknown. Ezekiel 45:22 seems to eliminate any possibility that he could be the New Testament Messiah because he made a sin offering for himself.

F. The Temple ritual (45-46)

G. The boundaries of restored Israel (47)

H. The division of the land (48)

Ezekiel concluded his prophecy by giving Jerusalem a new name, meaning "The Lord is there." God would reside forever with His people (Note Rev. 21:14).

OUTLINE OF EZEKIEL

I. God's judgment against Israel (124)

A. Ezekiel's vision and call (13)

B. The fall and destruction of Jerusalem illustrated (47)

C. Ezekiel's vision of the Temple (811)

D. The fall and destruction of Israel's leadership (1215)

E. In spite of sin, restoration is possible (1618)

1. Allegory of faithless prostitute

2. Parable of two eagles and a vine

3. Proverb of personal responsibility before God

F. A lament for the princes of Israel (19)

G. The destruction of the nation (2022)

1. Through Israel's constant apostasy

2. Through the sword of Babylon

3. Through the sins of Jerusalem

H. Allegory of two adulterous sisters (23)

I. God's wrath poured out on His people (24)

II. God's judgment against Israel's neighbors (2532)

III. God's restoration of Israel (3348)

A. Object lessons and oracles (3335)

B. A new heart, dry bones, and two sticks (3637)

C. Gog and Magog (3839)

D. The new Temple (40-43)

E. The prince, Levites, and priests (44)

F. The Temple ritual (45-46)

G. The boundaries of restored Israel (47)

H. The division of the land (48)

ASSIGNMENT

Read Haggai and determine the basic message of this prophet. Also read Malachi and locate the questions which the prophet answered in presenting his message (i.e., Malachi 2:2).

Discussion Question

Why do the views that people have about God get challenged when life seems to "cave in"? This lecture might begin with students considering the following questions:

How did the exile affect the Jewish attitude toward God?

What are some of the feelings they might have had when Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple pillaged and they became captives of the Babylonians?

In a crisis time such as the Jewish people were experiencing, why would a message of judgment and hope be essential?

#1. Why did God use the image of the watchman to describe Ezekiel's ministry (3:1621)?

#2. What is the meaning of the departure of the Glory from the Temple? How does this affect the Hebrews idea that as long as the Temple stood, Jerusalem would not fall (Chapter 10)?

#3. What does this passage tell us about individual responsibility for sin (Chapter 18)?

#4. Why does Ezekiel repeat the image of the watchman (Chapter 33)?

#5 What is Ezekiel illustrating with the images of the valley of dry bones and the two sticks of wood (Chapter 37)?

Teacher's Notes:

Ezekiel's ministry occurred during a time of tremendous change for God's people. They were in the process of being expelled from their land. All of their beliefs about God and their position as a chosen people were being called into question. Into this setting God called Ezekiel to bring a message of judgment and hope to His people.

The book has three divisions.

First, is God's judgment of Jerusalem for her wickedness. Note the bizarre way God works through Ezekiel to get His people's attention. Next,
God assures His people that He is still in control and the wicked will be punished. Finally,
God's people are given the promise of restoration to both their land and to their mission.

Two images are of importance in this book

One is God's Glory. Pay attention to Ezekiel's description of the Glory, especially as it relates to the working and presence of God. Also note the
image of the watchman in Chapters 3 and 33 as they relate to the responsibility of God's people to those around them.

What does Ezekiel 18 say to those who believe that individuals are primarily a product of their environment or cultural influences? In your opinion, does the American judicial system balance consideration of cultural influences contributing to crime and individual responsibility?

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