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EzekielSurvey of the Old Testament: The ProphetsFall 2005 |
Table of Contents |
Ezekiel's vision begins with a description of some amazing creatures, which he saw by the Chebar River in Babylon. He uses incredible detail as he draws for us a picture of what these creatures look like. The importance of this description becomes apparent as we work through the book. Each time hereafter that Ezekiel has a vision of the glory of God, he refers back to the "vision I saw by the River Chebar” (43:3).
The appearance of God himself follows the arrival of the Cherubim. This is a revelation of the glory of the LORD. As discussed in Jonah, while God is omnipresent, and while no one has seen God, there are times in human history where God has revealed more of himself in a specific place. This is described in scripture as the glory of the LORD. Ezekiel is chosen to see this revelation.
His response is not unexpected. He falls on his face. Yet it is this very act of humility that seems to trigger a response in God, who asks him to stand on his feet. Ezekiel then receives the Holy Spirit and is able to then understand what God is saying [1].
God then gives Ezekiel his mission:
(Ezekiel 2:3 NASB) "Then He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day."
His mission is to proclaim the Word of the LORD to the Israelites living in Babylon. God warns him that they will not want to listen and that he needs to be ready for that.
After the first vision, Ezekiel remains astonished for seven days, when God reiterates Ezekiel's mission:
(Ezekiel 3:17 NASB) ""Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me."
Then God revealed his glory to Ezekiel again, and Ezekiel finds himself flat on his face again. God responds by filling him with the Holy Spirit and giving him a specific message.
God gives Ezekiel a series of illustrations to demonstrate his message to the exiles. First, God asks Ezekiel to set up a model of the city. Then he is set up a siege against his model to illustrate the coming siege against Jerusalem. Ezekiel's model of Jerusalem and toy soldiers and siege machines was to serve as a sign to Israel (4:1-3).
Then God asks Ezekiel to lie down on his left side for over a year (4:4-5). After that he is to lie down on his right side for another 40 days (4:6). The 410 days represent the number of days that Babylon would lay siege to Jerusalem. Of course, it is difficult to lay on one's side for over a year, so he is to be tied up in ropes so he can't turn over. Imagine the bed sores!
While Ezekiel lies on his side, his food and water is limited and he is to cook over a fire made of human dung. This is to represent the famine and lack of resources which Jerusalem would face while under siege. Understandably, Ezekiel isn't too excited about cooking over human dung, so God relents and allows him to cook over cow's dung instead.
In chapter 5, Ezekiel is to shave his head and divide his hair into three piles (5:1-2, 12). The shaving of the head is a sign of shame amongst the Jews, and especially for a priest. The first pile would be burned representing people being consumed by famine. The second pile is to be hit with a sword, representing people who will be killed by the sword. The third scattered to the wind, representing those taken into exile.
In chapter 12, God tells Ezekiel to pack his bags and set them out, and then pretend to leave Jerusalem with his bags (12:1-7). This was to prepare the people for the coming of more exiles from Jerusalem after it is destroyed. Those that are spared from famine and sword and arrive in Babylon for exile are coming to demonstrate to the exiles that that Yahweh is God (12:16).
In each of these cases, God has Ezekiel do some dramatic object lessons in order to get the attention of the exiles.
Unforgettable Sermons |
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| Passage | Ezekiel's Activity | Explanation |
| 4:1–3 | Writing on a clay tablet | Ezekiel used a clay tablet to sketch out or build a model depicting how Babylon would lay siege to Jerusalem. |
| 4:4–8 | Lying on his side | Ezekiel lay on his side to demonstrate that the length of Babylon's siege would correspond to the number of years Israel had sinned against their God. |
| 4:9–17 | Baking bread over dung | Ezekiel baked his bread with a fire fueled by dung, which was offensive to the Jews. Ezekiel was illustrating that their impending captivity would force them to eat polluted food that would mirror the filthiness of their sin. |
| 5:1–4 | Shaving his head | Ezekiel shaved his head as a sign of mourning. The burning of a third of his hair symbolized the fires that would destroy Jerusalem; the chopped hair stood for the people who would die by the sword; and the hair scattered in the wind represented those Jews who would be taken away into captivity. |
| 12:1–16 | Packing his bags | Ezekiel pantomimed leaving Jerusalem to prepare the watching crowds for the coming exile of the citizens of Jerusalem. |
| 12:17–28 | Quivering | Trembling and shuddering while he ate, Ezekiel acted out the awful fear the Jews would face when their enemies swept through the land. |
| 20:45–49 | Facing south and preaching to the forest | Ezekiel preached toward the south in order to show that God would send judgment on Judah, the southern kingdom. |
| 21:1–32 | Preaching about a sword while sighing | Facing Jerusalem, Ezekiel used, instead of fire, the picture of a sword to prophesy destruction. His deep sighs were intended to demonstrate the heavy hearts the people would have. |
| 24:15–27 | Refusing to mourn for his wife | God took Ezekiel's wife as a sign of the overwhelming sadness the nation would feel when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. |
| 37:15–28 | Holding two sticks together | Ezekiel pictured the restoration of Israel by writing on one stick the name of Judah and on the other the name of Joseph, and then holding them together. |
| Source: Nelson's Study Bible | ||
In chapter 6 God condemns the mountains of Israel. The sin of the people will affect not just themselves, but the entire land. The mountains are especially marked out for destruction, for it was in the high places where the Israelites and Judeans erected their shrines and altars to the idols. All the cities and dwelling places and the high places will be destroyed so that “you will know that I am Yahweh” (6:6-7, 13-14).
In chapter 7 Ezekiel predicts the coming two-year siege of Jerusalem (7:10-11). He describes the army outside the city ready for battle (7:14-15), but no one from inside the city is going out to face battle. Instead they are suffering famine and plague (7:15). Their wealth and money will be unable to buy food (7:19) and commerce is at a standstill (7:12-13). The violence of the people has taken hold and now punishment is assured (7:26-27).
After the Exodus, the Israelites encamped at the base of Mt. Sinai. In Exodus 24:15-18, God's glory is sitting on top of Mt. Sinai as He gives the law to His people. The next 7 chapters of the book give the detailed instructions of how the people are to build the tabernacle. Then from chapters 38-40, Moses records how the Israelites carried out God's instructions for building the tabernacle.
The climax of the book comes in Chapter 40, when the tabernacle is completed and Moses dedicates the temple. The cloud of God's glory comes over the tabernacle and fills it with God's glory. So great was this revelation of God's glory, that Moses himself could not enter the tabernacle.
This was the fulfillment of God's covenant promise to Israel -- that he would be their God and dwell among them. God's glory stayed with Israel in the tabernacle. He revealed himself to them in a special way in this specific place and time.
Several centuries after the Israelites settled in the Promised Land, God's glory continued to dwell in the tabernacle made of tents. Finally, under Solomon, a temple was built to Yahweh in Jerusalem. Upon the completion of the temple, the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies.
(1 Kings 8:10-11 NASB) "And it came about when the priests came from the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, [11] so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD."
That God would dwell among the Israelites was amazing to Solomon, who in his dedication prayer asks:
(1 Kings 8:27-29 NASB) ""But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built! [28] "Yet have regard to the prayer of Thy servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Thy servant prays before Thee today; [29] that Thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which Thou hast said, 'My name shall be there,' to listen to the prayer which Thy servant shall pray toward this place."
God chose the temple at that time to be a place where He revealed more of himself. His glory dwelt in Jerusalem, within the Holy of Holies, as His fulfillment of the Mosaic covenant.
The Israelites had a commitment to keep in this Mosaic covenant as well. Because of God's holiness, He would not be able to stay where abominations were taking place. Ezekiel 8-11 reveals the abominations of the people in the temple itself, and then the inevitable departure of God's glory from the temple.
There are six abominations that God reveals to Ezekiel in a vision:
The inner walls of the temple had been covered with images of “abominable beasts” and idols. The idolatry of Israel had permeated into the Temple of Yahweh itself.
The elders of Judah are inside the temple practicing idolatry, thinking that because they think that Yahweh has forsaken them. As such, they do not think God sees their idolatrous sins practice in secret.
Tammuz was the Summarian god of fertility, who every summer would die and become god of the underworld, as the hot Middle Eastern sun would dry up the ground. [2] It is likely that the women were weeping at the annual rite of this god's death in the late spring.
Twenty-five elders of Judah turn their backs on the temple of Yahweh, right in front of the temple and worship the sun. This is a tremendous insult, physically turning their backs away from the Holy of Holies, God's dwelling place, and worship the creation rather than the creator. In essence, they are turning their spiritual backs on God. God responds by asking, “Is it a trivial things to the house of Judah to commit abominations which they commit here?”
This idolatry breeds violence.
Scholars are not exactly sure what the gesture of putting the branch to their nose is. However, it is a clear insult to God. It is a defiant and deliberate snubbing of Yahweh.
Next in Ezekiel's vision, God calls six men, described as the keepers of the city, to go throughout the city and mark those who “cry over all the abominations.” Then, to kill all those who do not have the mark.
Ezekiel then watches as the glory of the LORD departs from the temple. This happens in stages as God's glory first leaves the Holy of Holies (10:4) and pauses at the threshold of the temple. Ezekiel describes the process in detail as the cherubim move with God's glory from place to place. Then in verses 18-19, the glory of the LORD leaves the threshold and rests above the east gate of the temple.
At the East Gate we see additional abominations and God's judgment on the leadership of Judah. In view of the fury of God shown, Ezekiel asks a very legitimate question in verse 13:
(Ezekiel 11:13 NASB) "Alas, Lord GOD! Wilt Thou bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?"
God responds in the following verses by disclosing a time when Israel will be gathered and restored, and they will follow God in obedience. This is the restoration of Israel which was fulfilled only in part by the return from captivity, but which will be fulfilled in full at a yet future time.
God's glory, accompanied by the cherubim, then leaves the east gate of the temple and rests on the mountain east of the city. This is the Mount of Olives.
As Dyer puts it in the Bible Knowledge Commentary, “It is no coincidence that Christ ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12) and promised to return at the same place (Acts 1:11, cf. Zach 14:4)” [3]
In John 1:14 we learn that Jesus himself is the fullness of God's glory. Jesus himself states:
(John 13:31-32 NASB) "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; [32] if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately."
God is glorified in the redemptive work of Jesus. He is the glory of God that is revealed and rejected by Israel. Keil states that Christ's ascension, then, is an act of judgment upon the Jews. [4] This is not so implausible of a theory, for, as we learned in Daniel, the final destruction of Jerusalem comes after the Messiah is cut off (Daniel 9:26). The temple has been forsaken, and judgment has come to Israel for not only idolatry, but for rejecting the Messiah (Isaiah 53:3, Matthew 21:42-44).
Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel faced false prophets who contradicted his words of judgment. The people didn't believe that Ezekiel's prophecies would come true (12:22, 27). So God promises Ezekiel that his words will be coming true and the prophecies will not be delayed any longer (12:23, 28).
Ezekiel then condemns the false prophets. God will be against the prophets and they will be cut off from Israel (13:9a). They have declared that there will be peace, whitewashing the buildings (13:10). All of these prophecies are given “so that they may know I am Lord Yahweh” (13:9b).
The elders of Israel come to visit Ezekiel in chapter 14. God tells Ezekiel to condemn them for their idolatry and their hypocrisy in coming to him for counsel (14:3). Those who have idolatry in their heart and then come to seek a word from the Lord will be cut off from the people (14:7). This is done “so you will know that I am the Lord” (14:8).
These are strong words of warning. We are called to proclaim the truth of God's word, and not white wash the message. We are not to tickle people's ears and deliver the comfortable message. We are to be true to the Word.
In addition, we are warned not to come seeking a word from the Lord if we don't intend to do anything with it. If we are looking to obey the Word, if we have idolatry in our hearts, we are condemned in the same way as those who prophecy falsely.
After Ezekiel condemns the elders and false prophets, in chapter 17 he gives a parable of two eagles, one small and one great. The great eagle represents the King of Babylon and predicts the coming exile of King Zedekiah by Babylon. In chapter 19 Ezekiel proclaims a lament for the princes of Israel. He compares the King of Judah to a lion (a common picture of the throne of David), but this lion has been put into a cage (19:9). The branch and root of Jesse has been extinguished (19:14).
Ezekiel quotes a proverb used by the exiles:
The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children's teeth are set on edge
As the exiles were looking at the fall of Jerusalem, there was a sense that this was due to the sins of their fathers, but they themselves were not responsible. The fall of Jerusalem was not causing the exiles to be introspective or consider their own culpability in the destruction of Jerusalem.
So God tells the people that they are no longer to use that proverb. The son does not bear the punishment for the father's sin, nor does the father bear punishment for the son's sin (18:20). Those who practice righteousness will not be punished (18:9), but those who practice evil will be punished (18:10-13).
That does not mean that the exiles weren't experiencing hardship as a consequence of the sin of their fathers. This is an important principle: our sins cause hardship for others. But that hardship is not the same as judgment from God.
Furthermore, hardship does not serve as an excuse to continue in sin. Instead, each person will be judged according to their own sin (18:30a). The exiles should not be blaming the judgment on others, but instead the exiles should look to themselves and repent from their sins (18:30b) and make a new heart and new spirit (18:31). For God doesn't want to punish anyone (18:32). Therefore, repent and live!
When faced with hardship caused by the sin of others, we too must not blame others, but instead we need to examine ourselves and see what culpability we might have. God will judge us not based on how others act, but on how we act. Yes, we will suffer hardship, be if we repent we can be sure that we will have the Lord's protection.
The first set of prophecies are completed with the announcement by God that the King of Babylon has begun the final siege against Jerusalem (24:1-2). At the same time this happens, Ezekiel's wife dies. But Ezekiel is prevented from mourning his wife (24:16-18). This was to serve as a sign to the exiles that they were not to mourn the coming destruction of Jerusalem, for this was done so that they will know that He is Yahweh, their God (24:24, 27).
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