EZEKIEL - Spring Lake Church
EZEKIEL - Spring Lake Church
EZEKIEL - Spring Lake Church
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<strong>EZEKIEL</strong><br />
Ezekiel is a long and challenging book. Consider this assessment of its contents:<br />
“The mode of representation, in which symbols and allegories occupy a prominent place, gives a dark,<br />
mysterious character to the prophecies of Ezekiel. They are obscure and enigmatical. A cloudy mystery<br />
overhangs them which it is almost impossible to penetrate. Jerome calls the book „a labyrinth of the<br />
mysteries of God.‟ It was because of this obscurity that the Jews forbade any one to read it till he had<br />
attained the age of thirty.” 1<br />
Granted, there is plenty that is hard to decipher, but a lot of Ezekiel is straightforward and “in your<br />
face” obvious. So let’s not wait till we are 30, let’s just dig in and learn what we can.<br />
Ezekiel, the son of a priest, was exiled to Babylon in 597 BC. We find him in Chapter 1 by a river in<br />
Babylon…and God’s hand was on him (vs.3). Chapter 1 attempts to describe the indescribable…an<br />
appearance of God in a vision to Ezekiel. God clearly is difficult to describe, yet the vision has a profound<br />
effect on Ezekiel.<br />
Read and Study Ezekiel 2.<br />
What is God asking Ezekiel to do?<br />
How are the people of Israel described in this chapter?<br />
How does God feel about their behavior in the past?<br />
What will Ezekiel encounter in his assignment?<br />
Have you ever had an assignment from God that was difficult? How does fear keep us from carrying<br />
out God’s will in our lives?<br />
Read and Study Ezekiel 16. God is at an end with his people. Judgment has begun and will continue<br />
for a period of time…his patience has run out. God, in an attempt to help the people see what they are<br />
doing and what they have become, speaks through Ezekiel to Jerusalem (Judah) via an allegory. Read<br />
this graphic chapter of Scripture and make a list of observations.<br />
How is Judah described?<br />
What did God do for her?<br />
How did God’s people respond?<br />
How does God feel about their behavior…to what does he compare it to?<br />
For personal reflection…and confession.<br />
Have we underestimated how much our sin breaks God’s heart? Where are we being consistently unfaithful<br />
to God? What do you intend to do about it?<br />
1<br />
Easton, M.G.: Easton's Bible Dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996,<br />
c1897<br />
PREPARATION FOR NEXT WEEK: READ HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH 9-14, MALACHI