Ezekiel s Call. Individuals constantly come up with grand ideas and plans. However,

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1 Church/Home Theme: God s Unfailing Love Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message. Lesson Scripture: Ezekiel 3:1-11 LESSON 08 Week of July 23 Lesson Overview 1 Life Need Discuss the value of studying God s Word. 2 Bible Learning Examine God s unusual call to Ezekiel. Suggested Material: Adult Teacher s Resource Kit: Poster and reproducible handout The Call of the Prophets 3 Bible Application Understand the power of Scripture. Suggested Material: Adult Teacher s Resource Kit: Reproducible handout The Word of the Lord 4 Life Response Commit to study and proclaim the Bible s teachings. Suggested Material: Index cards, pens or pencils Ezekiel s Call Individuals constantly come up with grand ideas and plans. However, the question we always ask must be: Is my plan the same as God s plan for me? David s Plan for God David learned this very important lesson as king of Israel. During peacetime, David built himself a beautiful home. King David told Nathan the prophet that he wanted to build God a home like his. Nathan initially encouraged the temple building project. He saw nothing wrong with David accomplishing this dream, which would show God his appreciation for all His goodness toward David. However, that night God spoke to Nathan and told him that David would not be the king to fulfill this project. Solomon his son would eventually build the temple. God s Plan for David God told Nathan to remind David of his humble roots. He started out as a lowly keeper of sheep. Throughout his journey, God provided for David. Eventually, he ruled over all Israel. God led and protected him from all his enemies. He further promised the king that from his descendants God would establish a people and make David s name great. From David s line would come the Messiah. Jesus, born in the city of David of the house and lineage of David, is identified as the Son of David and eventually given the throne of David. Nathan told King David it was not in God s plan for David to build Him a temple. David had a choice obey or disobey. Many kings disregarded God s prophets throughout history and chose to go their own way. However, David, being a man after God s own heart, trusted the Lord. Instead of rebelling and building the house himself, he made all the preparations for his son Solomon. God always has the perfect plan. It s in a believer s best interest to seek Him and follow His guidance. 66 Photo: KTSDESIGN/Getty

2 As Your Students Arrive Prior to class, collect at least three pictures of a scene in which something is being fed. They might include a deer grazing in a meadow, a person putting gas into his or her car, and a flower receiving sunlight. Bring the pictures to class, and one by one ask students to briefly explain why the object in these scenes needs nourishment or energy. Introduce the lesson by letting the class know that this week s lesson focuses on why we need to feed on God s Word. Link to Last Week: Let some of your students share about how the Lord encouraged them in their calling this past week. Lesson 8 July 23 Page 54 A Present-Day Illustration Ezekiel s Call Where is my niece? Isn t she going out with us to eat? Rodney asked Cynthia, his sister. I come over to see my favorite college student, and she s up in her room? Trecie is studying her Bible right now, Cynthia said. I believe she s fasting, too. I haven t seen her eat in a little over a day. Just as her mother was exiting the living room, Trecie came bounding down the steps and ran into the arms of her favorite uncle. Uncle Rodney! How s my favorite niece? Rodney asked, swinging the five-foot Trecie around. How is school? Rodney and Trecie sat at the kitchen table and talked until Cynthia came in and announced she was ready to go eat. Back in her room, Trecie continued to study the Bible. She had plans to break her fast at 6:00 p.m. How she had enjoyed feeding off the Word and being in close communion with the Holy Spirit. The Lord had given her such insight on being courageous. Last semester, she had tried everything to get along with her peers. She hadn t wanted to offend anyone with her faith, but she could no longer swallow her testimony. Trecie had repented and asked God to use her. She wouldn t be obnoxious. But she wasn t going to keep Jesus to herself any longer. Trecie would say what the Lord told her to and leave all the consequences to Him. 1. In what ways have you studied God s Word? 2. How have these studies guided you in sharing the Gospel with others? 3. How does Scripture spiritually nourish you so you can remain faithful in your walk with the Lord? 1 Life Need Discuss the value of studying God s Word Vital to our walk with Christ is our faithful attention to Scripture. The Bible should be the bedrock to how we live our lives, interact with others, and increase our understanding of who God is and what He demands of us. Ask your students to read the anecdote in the student book and form small groups to discuss Questions 1, 2, and 3. Question 1 provides class members the opportunity to talk about the different disciplines of learning biblical teachings. Examples include personal devotions based on specific Bible verses or passages, active involvement in group Bible studies or classes, and the teaching of Scripture to nonbelievers. With Question 2, probably students will confess that while the Bible has guided them, they may not have shared its message with others the way they know the Lord wants them to. Fear or lack of understanding what Scripture says can be our excuses for not sharing its message more often. For Question 3, students can discuss how the Bible provides guidelines, warnings, and spiritual insights. Now would be a good time for them to share how this class has also helped them in their understanding of God s Word. Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message. 67

3 68 Bible Learning 2 Examine God s unusual call to Ezekiel On the prophets sheet, read the fifth paragraph, then note on the poster the photo of a fragment of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which reminds us of the scroll that God told Ezekiel to eat. God s Command to Eat a Scroll Read Ezekiel 3:1-3, and emphasize these key points: In the sixth century b.c. when idolatry was a common practice in the kingdom of Judah, the Lord God spoke to Ezekiel. God told Ezekiel to eat the scroll before him and then go and deliver a message to His people, the ancient Israelites. BIBLE EXTRA Ezekiel Ezekiel was the son of a priest named Buzi from the family of Zadok (Ezek. 1:3). When Ezekiel was 30 years old, God called him to serve as a prophet (vs. 1). Ezekiel ministered as the Lord s spokesperson from about b.c., which likely makes him a contemporary of Jeremiah, Obadiah, and Daniel. After the capture of Jerusalem in 597 b.c., Ezekiel was taken to Babylon in the wave of exiles. Like his peers, Ezekiel witnessed the idolatrous attitudes and actions of the leaders and inhabitants of Judah. This is the reason why, in the second and third chapters of the book that bears Ezekiel s name, Israel is referred to eight times as being rebellious (see 2:3, 5-8; 3:9, 26-27, NIV). The Hebrew verbs translated rebelled and rebel are each used once (2:3, 8), as is the noun rendered rebel (vs. 3). Moreover, the Israelites are once referred to as being stubborn (vs. 4), while they are twice said to be obstinate (2:4; 3:7) and hardened (3:7-8). Week of July 23 Page 55 God s Command to Eat a Scroll Ezekiel 3:1-3, KJV 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. More commentary on this text can be found on pp in The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: Old Testament. Ezekiel 3:1-3, NIV 1 And he said to me, Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel. 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. 3 Then he said to me, Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it. So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon in 597 b.c., and in a dramatic vision he saw the Lord come down to speak to him as he stood by the Kebar River in Babylonia (Ezek. 1). He became God s spokesperson to the second wave of Jewish exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar. Being the son of a priest (1:3), Ezekiel was certainly familiar with God s desire for His people to be faithful to Him and holy in their daily lives. Therefore, it would not be surprising to Ezekiel that the Lord would be upset with the rebellion and immorality of His people. What undoubtedly did astound Ezekiel was that the almighty Creator came to him and commissioned him to such a momentous task! God referred to His spokesperson as Son of man (3:1). This underscores Ezekiel being a mere mortal, especially against the backdrop of the Creator s eternal existence and omnipotence. The scroll (vs. 1, NIV) that God commanded the prophet to consume is first mentioned in 2:9. In ancient times, this would have been a roll (KJV) made out of either papyrus or leather parchment. On each side of the document were recorded cries of anguish and announcements of disaster related to Jerusalem s impending demise. The reason for this dire outcome was the insurrectionist demeanor and conduct of God s people. This was not a one-time episode, but a recurring pattern of Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message.

4 Ezekiel obeyed and ate the scroll, which tasted like sweet honey in his mouth. Question 4 Once Ezekiel ate the scroll, he found that it left a honey-sweet Week of July 23 Page 56 obstinacy reaching back many generations. Regardless of how unresponsive the Israelites remained when they heard Ezekiel s declarations of judgment, he was to remain courageous and resolute in fulfilling his prophetic ministry (2:3-7). God repeated His command two more times for Ezekiel to eat the scroll (3:1, 3). Despite whatever misgivings he possibly felt, Ezekiel was warned against defying the Lord s will (2:8). The proper response was for him to ingest the messages recorded on the scroll. And then, having internalized its contents, he was to proclaim God s oracle to the people of Israel. Thankfully, Ezekiel obeyed the Creator. The prophet took the document and consumed what it recorded. As a result, Ezekiel s stomach (vs. 3) was filled. He recalled the scroll having the sweetness (KJV) of honey in his mouth. 4. What did Ezekiel experience when he ate the scroll? 5. What did Ezekiel demonstrate by eating the scroll? God s Command to Herald His Message Ezekiel 3:4-11, KJV 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 taste on his tongue (Ezek. 3:2-3). It s true that the oracles of judgment recorded on the document would be bitter to Ezekiel s palate. Nonetheless, the scroll itself was sweet because it contained God s inspired, authoritative message. Ezekiel 3:4-11, NIV 4 He then said to me: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message. Question 5 The scroll contained a number of judgment oracles from God and was directed to His people. By consuming the document, Ezekiel indicated symbolically that he had appropriated the divine message and had made it part of his innermost being. He also demonstrated that he was ready and willing to herald the scroll s contents to his peers, even though they might reject what they heard. God s Command to Herald His Message While reading Ezekiel 3:4-11, note these important points in BIBLE EXTRA Son of Man The phrase Son of man occurs 93 times in Ezekiel. Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, the same phrase appears 99 times. It can also be rendered Son of Adam. From a theological perspective, every one of Adam s descendants are mere mortals who owed their existence to the living God. They are finite and feeble creatures when compared to the all-powerful King of the universe. Fittingly, within the Book of Ezekiel, the phrase Son of Man (3:1) served as a reminder that even the Lord s esteemed prophet was a transient being. In Daniel 7:13, the same phrase becomes a title having messianic significance. The individual that the elder statesman saw was characterized by divine power and holiness. To Daniel, it appeared as if the son of man was being carried along by the clouds of the sky, just as a triumphant monarch might ride in his chariot to vanquish his foes. Also, a procession of angels escorted the son of man into the presence of the Ancient One. Not surprisingly, the New Testament uses the title, son of man, in reference to Jesus of Nazareth to call attention to His true humanity. 69

5 your class discussion: The Lord again called Ezekiel the Son of man and once more commanded him to convey His judgment, not to a foreign people, but to His exiled people. In fact, had the Lord sent Ezekiel to foreign people, unlike the house of Israel, they would have listened to God s words. Indeed, as arrogant as the Israelites were, God promised to make Ezekiel just as steadfast in upholding His message to them. The Lord encouraged Ezekiel not to fear his rebellious listeners, for He will strengthen his forehead to the point of being as hard as flint. After God told Ezekiel to BIBLE EXTRA Unrelenting Disloyalty In 597 b.c., Nebuchadnezzar made Mattaniah the king of Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah. This signified the Judahite ruler s submission to Babylon (2 Kings 24:17). For the first nine years of his reign, he honored his vow to regularly pay tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, but then Zedekiah refused to submit to the Babylonians any longer (25:1). Second Chronicles 36:13 emphasizes how despicable Zedekiah s decision was to the Lord. We read that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced Zedekiah to promise in God s name (NIV) that he would be loyal. Yet, because he was stubborn, he refused to turn back to the Lord God of Israel (KJV). Such unfaithfulness greatly angered the Creator and that s why, in the end, He expelled His chosen people from His presence (2 Kings 24:20). It s clear that Zedekiah bore a great deal of responsibility for the destruction of Jerusalem. However, he is not the only one implicated in Scripture. Verse 3 says that God s pronouncement against Judah (to remove His people from His sight) was due in part to the sins of Manasseh. He was perhaps the vilest of Judah s kings. take heart in this mission, He again ordered him to proclaim His warnings, whether these people in exile will heed His words or not. Question 6 God called Ezekiel to proclaim Week of July 23 Page 57 KJV hardhearted. 8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 As an adamant 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 speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. a message that was distinctive in emphasizing divine judgment on the people of Israel. Specifically, the Lord commissioned Ezekiel to declare to them dire portents of impending turmoil on their homeland and revered city. At times, this would leave him feeling as if his NIV house of Israel is hardened and obstinate. 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. 10 And he said to me, Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign LORD says, whether they listen or fail to listen. Even if Ezekiel would have preferred to delay in carrying out his prophetic ministry, God removed that option. He commanded His spokesperson to proceed to the people of Israel and deliver the Creator s message (Ezek. 3:4). It was a grim oracle to the exiles residing in Babylon. These were not individuals who spoke an unintelligible language (vs. 5). Instead, Ezekiel would be the Lord s representative to His chosen people. Verses 5 and 6 make reference to a strange speech (KJV) and hard language. The emphasis is on whether the dialect being spoken was clear and coherent. On the one hand, the Israelites could grasp what Ezekiel proclaimed. Even so, they would reject his oracles. On the other hand, if God s spokesperson heralded His message to foreigners, and if they could comprehend what Ezekiel said, they would readily heed his warnings (for example, see Jonah 3:4-5). The Creator explained that the Israelites would spurn Ezekiel s declarations because they refused to pay attention to the Lord (Ezek. 3:7). He literally described His people as being hard of forehead and hard of heart. Together, these 70 Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message.

6 prophetic ministry was gloomy and foreboding. Question 7 God s people displayed an attitude characterized by obduracy and defiance. Neither the exiles in Week of July 23 Page 58 Babylon nor their peers in Jerusalem and Judah would heed what the Lord said to them. For this reason, they likewise refused to consider and obey the message Ezekiel proclaimed. idiomatic expressions point to an impenetrable obduracy in the Israelites thinking, feeling, and will. Ezekiel was powerless to change the inwardly cold and antagonistic attitude of his peers. He had to rely on God to dislodge the Israelites from their defiant ways. In this regard, the Lord promised to make His messenger s face as adamant and his forehead as strong-willed as his peers (vs. 8). Indeed, Ezekiel s forehead (vs. 9) would be comparable to the hardest stone (NIV) and even denser than flint. Flint refers to a massive, hard quartz. Perhaps verse 9 also has in mind diamonds, which of all the common minerals known to people is harder than flint. In any case, the idea being conveyed is that Ezekiel s brow would seem as impenetrable as the hardest rock found in nature. This unbending disposition would enable God s spokesperson to remain resolute in the face of Israel s stiff opposition. Ezekiel learned that the exiles were embittered toward God and entrenched in their iniquity. This fact explains why they refused to heed the Lord s warnings of judgment. Their intransigence did not deter Him from sending His prophet to them. Ezekiel was to remain attentive to what the Creator disclosed and remember what He revealed (vs. 10). It did not matter whether the exiles in Babylon obeyed or rejected the oracles God s spokesperson declared. Ultimately, they were disdaining the message from the all-powerful Monarch of the universe (vs. 11). As long as Ezekiel internalized and assimilated God s Word, the prophet would be able to boldly proclaim His message to the Israelites. 6. What was the nature of Ezekiel s prophetic ministry to the house of Israel (Ezek. 3:4, KJV)? 7. What attitude did God s people display toward Him and Ezekiel? 8. How could Ezekiel deal with the disappointment of his oracles being spurned by God s people? 9. Why was it imperative for God s spokesperson to listen carefully (Ezek. 3:10, NIV) to Him? Question 8 We can only imagine the sadness Ezekiel must have felt as his peers treated God s messages with contempt. The only way Ezekiel could avoid disillusionment was by relying upon the Creator for strength and fortitude. The prophet needed to remember that God would uphold and protect His emissary, regardless of the way in which the Israelites responded. Question 9 Ezekiel would experience a vigorous pushback from the exiles. This included their skewed reasoning concerning why God had punished them, along with their distorted rationalizations for coddling a resentful, stubborn disposition. Ezekiel faced the temptation of over-identifying with the Israelites and acquiescing to their way of thinking. He could avoid this outcome by paying close attention to what God revealed to him. Ezekiel was also to refuse giving credence to the wayward views of his peers, who encouraged rebellion. WINDOW ON THE WORD Ancient Writings The earliest known written language was developed more than 5,000 years ago. The ancient Sumerians expressed themselves by carving pictograms on clay tablets, known as cuneiform, which simply means wedge shaped, because of the wedge-shaped marks on the tablets. It was in use for more than 3,000 years. Ancient Hebrew Bible scrolls were most often written on papyrus, which is a paper-like material made from the pith of the papyrus plant. The first known papyrus was used in Egypt. Later the Hebrews wrote on them and rolled them into scrolls. Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message. 71

7 Bible Application Understand the power of Scripture 3 This step helps students comprehend the dynamic purposes of God s Word. Allow students to select the activity they would like to do. Photocopy this page, cut out the boxes, and give instructions to each group. Make copies of the worksheet from the Resource Kit for the group using it. GROUP ACTIVITIES Discussion Group Read The Stott Legacy and answer Questions 10, 11, and 12 in the student book. John Stott was truly a man of God, who possessed a remarkable love for Jesus and God s Word. For Question 10, note that answers can refer to both famous people and people you know. Regarding Question 11, God s Word not only tells us what not to do and say but also tells us what to do and say. Three-Panel Cartoons With paper and pencils, draw a three-panel cartoon in which the first panel portrays you either alone or with others studying the Bible. The second panel shows how God s Word guides you in a situation that affirms your faith in Christ, and the third panel describes how you might share the Gospel with others. When you finish, you may want to display your drawings for the rest of the class. Handout: The Word of the Lord Follow the directions on this handout. As we comprehend and become steadfast in God s Word more and more, our confidence in sharing the Gospel with others grows. Scripture is the lifeblood of our spiritual lives as the biblical verses in this activity indicate. The Stott Legacy Week of July 23 Page 59 One of the Christian giants of the twentieth century was John R.W. Stott ( ). He wrote many best-selling books, among which is Basic Christianity (1958), an enduring classic of Christian literature. He was one of the principle authors of the Lausanne Covenant (1974), an evangelical manifesto that affirmed evangelism of the Gospel throughout the world. Moreover, evangelicals recognize Stott as one of the foremost advocates of Holy Scripture both in his writings and sermons. We must allow the Word of God, said Stott, to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior. In 1938, Stott was confronted with Revelation 3:20, in which Jesus calls us to open our door to Him in order to eat with Him. Stott opened his door to Jesus and fed on His words throughout the rest of his life. In 1945, he was ordained and later became the rector at All Souls Church, an Anglican evangelical church in London, where he served for about 25 years. During this time as well as during his retirement, he founded ministries in order to spread God s Word internationally. When he passed away, his closest friends read the Bible, and in his obituary he is portrayed as an architect of 20th-century evangelicalism [who] shaped the faith of a generation. Stott s faith was anchored on God s Word. It nourished and guided him so that he could proclaim it boldly to all the world. And he insisted that when people surrender their lives to Christ, that they do likewise. We need to encourage new believers to feed on God s Word, said the evangelist Billy Graham. It is nourishment for the soul. 10. How does the character of people who have a deep faith in Jesus inspire us to study God s Word? 11. How do you find direction in God s Word for what He wants you to do and say? 12. What would you like the people closest to you to say about your Christian faith when you have passed away? Explain your answer. This page reproducible for classroom use only. 72 Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message.

8 4 Life Response Commit to study and proclaim the Bible s teachings Week of July 23 Page 60 I Will Feed on God s Word The Lord Almighty is not a distant god. He did not create us and then abandon us. He comes to us with His presence and words to keep us on the path of righteousness and lead us to others so that they may also join in this marvelous journey. A long time ago, God went When the Lord called Ezekiel, He wanted the prophet to digest the message in order for it to nourish him for the hardships he would soon endure. It is no less important for us today to study and digest God s Word not only to be guided in our own calling but to share its message with others who need to hear it. On an index card, write the days of the week and then create a schedule for daily feeding on God s Word either by yourself or with others. On the back of the card, pledge to study God s Word and share it with others. Throughout the week note how God s Word has nourished and guided you and helped you to boldly tell people God s message of salvation in Christ. KEY VERSE 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. And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. Ezekiel 3:10-11, KJV And he said to me, Son of Man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign LORD says, whether they listen or fail to listen. Ezekiel 3:10-11, NIV to Ezekiel with a sacred mission, and today we too are called to feed on His Word and declare it to the world. Give index cards and pens or pencils to your students and ask them to read I Will Feed on God s Word in Comprehensive Bible Study. Let them share any pledges they write on the back of their cards. End the lesson with a closing prayer. Ask God to help you all grow in your knowledge of His Word. Thank Him for nourishing and guiding you through the power of Scripture. And praise Him for giving you the boldness to proclaim the salvation message about Jesus Christ. As the class members are leaving, hand out copies of this week s Power for Living. Send or take Lesson Leaflet to those who were not able to be with your group today. Before next week, read Amos 7: Ask your students to think about how difficult it is to speak God s truth to those who refuse to listen. DAILY BIBLE READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK S LESSON (See The Quiet Hour and Cross devotionals on these passages.) July 24 through July 30 Mon. Deuteronomy 7:7-11 The Elect Keep the Commandments. Tues. Jeremiah 28:10-17 Hananiah Opposes the Prophetic Message. Wed. Amos 1:1-2; 3:12-15 An Oracle against Israel. Thurs. Amos 5:10-15 Seek God and Live. Fri. Amos 5:18-24 Let Justice Roll Down like Waters. Sat. Amos 7:10-17 Called to Prophesy to My People. Sun. Amos 9:11-15 David s Kingdom Restored. Lesson Focus: Feed on God s Word so you can boldly proclaim His message. 73