Bible

Today in the Bible room, we begin the summary of the book of Ezekiel. We will cover these 48 chapters in 6 sessions, beginning here with the first 8 chapters in Session 1.

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Ezekiel – Session 1 of 6

Introduction to Ezekiel:

Writer: Ezekiel.

Scope: When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invades Jerusalem the first time in 593 b.c., a young man named Ezekiel is among several thousand captives taken into exile in Babylon. It is here that Ezekiel begins his ministry to the exiles, and to the people still living in Jerusalem. For 22 years he condemns the idolatry and corruption rampant among his people, foretelling the coming siege and invasion of Jerusalem, the taking of more captives into exile, and the destruction of the temple and the city. He tells of the Lord’s judgement coming to the enemies of Judah and Israel, and he sees the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord bringing the ultimate restoration and glory of His people.

Chapter 1. Vision

Ezekiel, a priest, is in exile in Babylon with other captives from Jerusalem:

• In his thirtieth year he has a vision of God;
• He sees a whirlwind of fire coming toward him;
• Inside the whirlwind there appeared to be four living creatures;
• Each creature has four faces and four wings;
• The faces are of a man, an ox, a lion, an eagle;
• There was an enormous wheel with each creature;
• When they moved there was thunder, like the Voice of God;
• The spirit of each creature was in the wheel;
• And there was a wheel within each wheel;
• The inner wheel controls all the movements;
• Above all this was a color display like a rainbow;
• And above that was a throne like sapphire;
• And from that was the brightness of a fire;
• Then, the appearance of the Glory of God;
• He falls on his face and hears God speaking to him.

Chapter 2. Stand

The voice of the Lord tells Ezekiel to stand to his feet:

• The Lord intends to tell him things He wants him to hear;
• The Lord says He is calling Ezekiel as a prophet;
• The people of Israel are a rebellious bunch of children;
• Ezekiel is to speak the truth of the Lord to them;
• If they refuse to hear, he is to have no fear of them;
• Then a scroll like a book was handed to him;
• The scroll had writings on both sides of it;
• It was words of sorrow and lamenting.

Chapter 3. Eat

The Lord tells Ezekiel to eat the scroll until his stomach is full:

• Ezekiel eats the scroll and it tastes sweet like honey;
• The Lord tells him to speak His words to the people of Israel;
• They will not listen as they are rebellious and hard hearted;
• But he is to be strong and unafraid of them;
• Ezekiel hears the noise from the wheels and creatures’ wings;
• Then he is lifted up by the Spirit, and he is angry;
• For the next seven days he stays with some other captives;
• Then the Lord tells him to be the watchman for Israel;
• He is to say to them the warnings from the Lord;
• The Lord tells Ezekiel to go out into the plain to talk;
• There, the glory of the Lord causes Ezekiel to fall down;
• Again, He stands him on his feet and talks to him;
• He tells him the rebellious people will bind him with ropes;
• They will not want to hear what he has to say to them;
• The Lord will not let Ezekiel speak until He tells him;
• But at the right time, the Lord will give him what to say.

Chapter 4. Sign

Ezekiel is to fashion a display that will be a sign to the people of Israel:

• He is to draw on a tablet a picture of a city;
• And include the camps and weapons like a siege would have;
• This is a sign that a siege is coming to Jerusalem;
• Then he is to lie on his left side for 390 days;
• This is a sign of the years of the sins of Israel;
• Then he is to lie on his right side for 40 days;
• This is a sign of the years of the sins of Judah;
• His meals are to be only bread and water;
• Symbolizing the famine that will come to Jerusalem;
• And the meager meals provided them by their captors;
• Their sins will eventually drive them against each other.

Chapter 5. Never

The Lord’s judgements will be as never before, and will never be again:

• Ezekiel is told to shave his head and beard;
• He is to use the hair in various symbolic rituals;
• He will demonstrate the wicked behavior of Judah;
• Judah has become more wicked than any other nation;
• The Lord pronounces judgement on His people;
• Fathers will eat their children; children will eat their fathers;
• One third will die of famine; one third killed by the sword;
• One third will be scattered to nations over the earth;
• The Lord will make an example of His people;
• He will punish their astonishing, abominable behavior.

Chapter 6. Remnant

The Lord says He will leave a remnant who survive His judgements:

• The Lord will complete the punishment of His people;
• He will destroy their places of idol worship;
• The corpses of children will lay around their idols;
• The bones of the idolators will be scattered near their idols;
• A few of the Lord’s people will be saved among the nations;
• The Lord will scatter His people in order to save the remnant;
• He tells those who become captives to remember Him;
• And how He was heart-broken by their wicked ways;
• At the same time, He is angry at their abominable sins;
• When He is finished, they will know He is the Lord.

Chapter 7. End

The Lord tells Ezekiel to tell the people the end is near for Judah:

• Disaster for Judah is on its way;
• The time has come for the Lord’s fury to be poured out;
• They will know that He is the Lord;
• The Lord is going to send some bad Gentiles to Judah;
• When trouble comes the people will look for peace;
• They will try to buy their safety with gold and silver;
• They will call for a prophet to tell them what to do;
• But they will get what they deserve;
• They will know the Lord has sent judgement.

Chapter 8. Visions

In the sixth year of his captivity Ezekiel sees more visions:

• In the Spirit of God, Ezekiel is lifted to the city of Jerusalem;
• In his vision he is directed to look toward the temple;
• He sees the abominable idolatry taking place in the temple;
• Then he is directed to look into a hole in the wall;
• There he sees greater abominations in the house of the Lord;
• Everywhere he looks the idolatry gets worse and worse;
• Finally, the Lord says he will no longer have pity on them.

End of Session 1 of 6 of the book of Ezekiel