The Glory of the Lord

Transcription

1 The Glory of the Lord The Study of Ezekiel Lesson 2 PROPHECIES OF ISRAEL S DESTRUCTION The Call of the Prophet Ezekiel 1:1-3:21 EZE 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. The prophet Daniel was taken captive to Babylon in the first deportation of 606 or 605BC. Ezekiel was 1 taken captive to Babylon during the second deportation in 597BC. EZE 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, 3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him. 2 The thirtieth year referenced here appears to be 593BC, the thirtieth year of Ezekiel s life. Ezekiel was a priest and he had a house and a wife (Ezekiel 8:1; 24:16-18). He was not allowed to mourn her death as we will see in a later lesson. The hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel and he saw visions. This was a gripping type of hand on Ezekiel that spoke of the special influence of the Holy Spirit in his prophetic ministry. This phrase occurs six 3 other times in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:14, 22; 8:1; 33:22; 37:1, and 40:1). Ezekiel was a member of Jewish exiles that dwelt in a settlement near the Chebar River. This, or another settlement, was called Tel-abib. The Chebar River was actually a canal off of the Euphrates River. It 4 left the Euphrates north of Babylon and rejoined the Euphrates near Erech (see Appendix, Figure 1). EZE 3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days. A Whirlwind and Four Cherubim In chapter 1 we will see a vision experienced by Ezekiel of a great cloud with the splendor of fire 5 shining through and the glory of the Lord sitting on a great throne above Cherubim. 1 THE OPEN BIBLE, Expanded Version, NKJV, Introduction to the Book of Daniel, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, p THE OPEN BIBLE, Expanded Version, NKJV, Introduction to the Book of Ezekiel, p J. Vernon McGee, THRU THE BIBLE, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982, Ezekiel, Vol.III, p Henry H. Halley, HALLEY S BIBLE HANDBOOK, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, , , 1936, , 1941, , 1946, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1962, 1965, 24th edition, pp. 323, 342. Charles Lee Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1969, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p David Noel Freedman, et al, editors, THE ANCHOR BIBLE DICTIONARY, New York, NY: Doubleday, 1992, Vol. 1, 893. Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, 10 Volumes, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., , reprinted December 1996, Ezekiel, Vol. 9, p

2 EZE 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. 7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. 8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. 9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. God s wrath of wind, cloud and fire came from the north against Israel, the direction of Babylon. The north is illustrative of God s judgment, from which quarter God will bring enemies against Israel. It is also the 6 direction of the throne of God. Satan desires to sit where God throne is in the sides of the north. Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: According to Ezekiel, these verses and the remaining verses in chapter one represent a vision of the 7 glory of the Lord. EZE 1:28 This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. God. 8 Wind, cloud and fire are all symbols of God s glory (see also Habakkuk 3) indicating the presence of PSA 18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. 13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. JER 4:11 At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse, 12 Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them. 13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. 6 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 18. Keil and Delitzsch, COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, 10 Volumes, Ezekiel, Vol. 9, pp. 14, 15. J. Vernon McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Ezekiel, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 18. F. C. Cook, BARNES' NOTES: Proverbs to Ezekiel, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, (John Murray, London, The Student s Commentary on the Holy Bible,1879), reprinted 1996, Ezekiel, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p

3 This vision, like that of Isaiah 6, represented the sovereignty of God, and further expresses His 9 omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence. ISA 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. The living creatures are elsewhere described as Cherubim; real beings not mere symbols. EZE 10:15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. 20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims. Cherubim Let s examine the first mention of the Cherubim in the Bible. GEN 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Man resisted leaving so God had to drive him from the garden. This is the first mention of Cherubim. They would prevent man from living forever in a fallen state. In Ezekiel 1:4-28 and 10:1-22 the Cherubim are described as follows: Brightness, Shining, fire. Likeness of four living creatures with wings. Faces of man, lion, ox, and eagle; or cherub, man, lion, and eagle. They do not rest. They are watchers, full of eyes. They are associated with the Throne of God. Notice the description of cherubs in Rev 4:6-8: REV 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts [living creatures] full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first beast [living creature] was like a lion, and the second beast [living creature] like a calf [an ox], and the third beast [living creatures] had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts [living creatures] had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. The faces are that of a man, representing intelligence; a lion, representing power and majesty; an ox, representing patient service; and an eagle, representing swiftness in judgment and discernment from afar. The Church Fathers connected these creatures to the Gospels as follows: The lion, Matthew; The ox, Mark; 10 the man, Luke; the eagle, John. That the Cherubim went straight forward when they moved conveys the truth that the principles of God s sovereignty go on without deviation. The burning coals of fire point to the intensely pure and consuming justice of God that must punish sin. That the fire travelled up and down, indicates the energy 11 and vigor of God s Spirit which is unwearied and unresting (Psalm 104:4; Hebrews 1:7). It is instructive to note that Satan is called the anointed cherub in Ezekiel 28: The Cherubim are always associated with the throne of God. 9 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 18. Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 19. McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Ezekiel, Vol. III, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p

4 PSA 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. PSA 99:1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. 12 The Cherubim in Scripture represent the holiness of God. The presence of the Cherubim in Genesis 3:24 suggests that God s presence was at the tree of life. This further suggests a separation, loss of fellowship or personal relationship. Earlier, in Genesis 2 and Genesis 3:8, it appears that God met with man One to one without the presence of the Cherubim. There was no mention of the Cherubim until Genesis 3:24. The presence of the Cherubim in Ezekiel suggests that God s throne was present. Note the similarity of the Tree of Life to God s instructions to make the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle in the wilderness: EXO 25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Now look at what the New Testament writer of Hebrews has to say: HEB 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. The Mercy Seat is overshadowed by two golden Cherubim. The high priest was not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies, except once a year he entered with sacrificial blood of atonement to sprinkle on the Mercy Seat. Entry in to the Holy of Holies was restricted as seen in Leviticus: LEV 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 12 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p

5 It has been suggested by some commentators that God continued to meet with Adam s descendants 13 between the Cherubim guarding the way to the Tree of Life. GEN 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. The NKJV reads: "to guard the way to the tree of life." Was there a mercy seat established by God 14 between the Cherubim at the entrance to the Garden? The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary translates Genesis 3:24 as follows: GEN 3:24 And He (God) dwelt at the east of the Garden of Eden between the Cherubim, as a Shekinah (a fire-tongue or fire-sword) to keep open the way to the Tree of Life. According to Arthur W. Pink (Gleanings in Genesis) this same thought is presented in the Jerusalem 15 Targum (paraphrase). Notice in Genesis 3:24 (KJV & NKJV) the word translated placed is the Hebrew word shaken. Nowhere else in the Old Testament is shaken translated placed. All other eighty-three times it is translated 16 to dwell. This would indicate that God dwelt at the east of the Garden of Eden between the Cherubim. The Shekinah (As in the Glory of God) Now let s look at this verse 24 of Chapter 3 again: 17 GEN 3:24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. NKJV Look again at the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary translation of Genesis 3:24: GEN 3:24 And He (God) dwelt at the east of the Garden of Eden between the Cherubim, as a Shekinah (a fire-tongue or fire-sword) to keep open the way to the Tree of Life. The Hebrew word for placed may be translated dwelt. The Shekinah as in Shekinah Glory, or the 18 Glory of God, or fire tongue, or fire sword, dwelt. God loves us even though we are disobedient. The Description of the Chariot EZE 1:15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. 18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 13 John Phillips, EXPLORING GENESIS, Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1980, p. 64. Arthur W. Pink, GLEANINGS IN GENESIS, Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1922, 1950, 1981, pp. 56, Pink, GLEANINGS IN GENESIS, pp. 56, Robert Jamison, A. R. Fausset, David Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, (3 Volumes), Reprinted April Phillips, EXPLORING GENESIS, pp. 64, 65. Pink, GLEANINGS IN GENESIS, p Jamison, Fausset, Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. Pink, GLEANINGS IN GENESIS, p Jamison, Fausset, Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. 18 Jamison, Fausset, Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. 5

6 20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. 23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies. 24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings. 25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings. This is a continuation of the description begun in Ezekiel 1:4-14. According to Charles Lee Feinberg: Ezekiel saw a throne-chariot, a supernatural chariot giving the effect of great motion and irresistible progress. Wheels, it has been suggested, mean primarily and naturally the revolution of time. The wheels connect the chariot with the earth. Nothing is stationary in God s universe; all is in motion and progressing. A second wheel was inserted in each wheel 19 at right angles. The government of God is orderly and controlled and progressing. Feinberg continues: The rings or fellies are the circumferences of the wheels. The eyes in the rings are symbolic of divine omniscience in the workings of nature and history. Though the workings are all intricate, yet they are under control of divine power, spirit. When the Cherubim stood, they 20 let down their wings in reverence to listen to God s command. The Appearance of God on His Throne EZE 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. Ezekiel did not see God directly. The highest form that man can use to portray God is the human form. When God wanted to reveal and portray Himself to mankind, He did so in the form of the Man Jesus 21 Christ. EZE 2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. 2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. The One who spoke was the One on the throne. The phrase son of man throughout Ezekiel always refers to Ezekiel. The Lord Jesus Christ referred to Himself with this same phrase emphasizing His manhood, 22 while the phrase Son of God emphasized His deity. 19 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 19. Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p

7 MAT 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. and 14. Jesus' called Himself "the Son of Man," and this response referred the high priest back to Daniel 7:13 The high priest believed that Jesus blasphemed because clouds are garments of Deity. 23 Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. EXO 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: MAT 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. ACT 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him [Jesus] out of their sight. It is possible that as Jesus ascended out of sight of the disciples he was brought near the "Ancient of Days" and given His dominion, and glory, and a kingdom which shall not pass away as described by Daniel 7:13, 14. The dominion he received was that which passed from Adam to Satan at Adam's fall. Adam lost dominion to Satan at the fall. This was the point of Christ only being worthy to open the seals to reclaim that lost dominion in Revelation 5:4-9. This lost dominion has now been regained at Christ's victory over Satan on the cross. It only remains for Jesus to return and reign in his millennial Kingdom to complete God's plan of 24 redemption. Daniel 7:13 and 14 are a condensation of the book of Revelation from Revelation chapter 5 25 through chapter 22. However, it is Ezekiel that we see in Ezekiel 2:1 referred to as the son of man. By His Spirit God 26 enabled Ezekiel to accomplish his ministry as shown in Ezekiel 2:2. Ezekiel s Preparation EZE 2:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. 4 For they are impudent [disrespectful] children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. 5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. 23 John Phillips, Jerry Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1990, pp. 104, 105. Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, pp. 105, 106. Arthur E. Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1961, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 23. McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Ezekiel, Vol. III, p

8 Ezekiel is being prepared for the difficult task at hand. He is told that Israel is rebellious against God. Rebellious is the key to Israel s attitude throughout the book. They feel no shame or need for repentance; they had become paganized. They cannot claim ignorance, for they shall know that there hath been a 27 prophet among them. Notice how Isaiah wrote about Israel in a previous time: Isa 30:8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: 9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. EZE 2:6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. Ezekiel was told to expect unyielding opposition and resistance from Israel, like briers and thorns and 28 stinging scorpions. EZE 2:8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. 9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; 10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Eating expresses the idea of taking God s Words into Ezekiel s heart. Usually a scroll was only written 29 on one side. In this case the scroll or book was full on both sides of lamentations, and mourning, and woe. EZE 3:1 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. 2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. Ezekiel was given the words to speak directly from God. He was not to speak His own words. 30 EZE 3:4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. 5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel; 6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. 8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 As an adamant [very hard; unyielding] harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 10 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. 11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and so unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. 27 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 23, 24. Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 24, Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 25, Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p

9 Ezekiel was told that his ministry to Israel would fail. If Ezekiel was sent to a foreign people they would 31 have listened, but Israel s heart was so hardened that they would not listen. Much of our world today has hearts so hardened that they mock God and Christianity. They have no sense of shame. Even Christianity is lukewarm today. The church of Laodicea is surely with us now (Rev 2:14-19). EZE 3:12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place. 13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. 14 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me. 15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days. Ezekiel was taken by the Spirit to Tel-abib (mound of green ears) by the river of Chebar. Interestingly, 32 his ministry began with seven days of silence as he sat where they sat, astonished. Ezekiel was too shocked or fearful to speak. Notice now what the Lord had to say about this. EZE 3:16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. Ezekiel s silence prompted a further word from God. Ezekiel was appointed a watchmen with his duty to warn individuals. Isaiah, Habakkuk, and other prophets were sent to warn the nation, while Ezekiel was to warn individuals directly. Ezekiel was the only prophet to be designated a watchman. The message was one of individual faithfulness, not national fidelity. Each man would be responsible for the message that he hears. 33 The watchman s duty was to give warning of the coming judgment; he was not responsible for the results. If the watchman did not warn the people, then he became as a manslayer, with blood on his hands. 34 Ezekiel was responsible for each individual. What does this say about our duty toward our fellowman today? Should we warn him of the impending judgment and the return of Jesus Christ? In a previous time, God told Noah this about the manslayer: Gen 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. The righteous man spoken of in Ezekiel 3:20 and 21 is not one who has been regenerated (born again). This righteous man is living in the time of the law. During this period each man was judged by his righteous acts. The righteous man had done righteous deeds, and was righteous in outward appearance. For this reason this passage cannot, as some think, support a teaching of falling from grace. Today we live during 35 the period of grace where each man is judged by his faith in what Jesus has done on his behalf. 31 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 27, 28. McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Ezekiel, Vol. III, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 28, Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 29, McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Ezekiel, Vol. III, pp. 446,

10 Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. The man in Galatians 5:4 has been saved by grace, but has sinned and is attempting to live by the law instead of grace. While a man may appear to be righteous on the outside, the prophet could not determine his 36 inward condition. The prophet was not to consider the outward appearance of righteousness. Jesus commanded us as follows: Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. APPENDIX FIGURE 1 THE CHEBAR RIVER Chebar River Route of Deportation 36 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 29, 30. McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Ezekiel, Vol. III, p