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Ezekiel
–
Enough is Enough
Lesson # 5
–
January 3
rd
, 2010 Page 1
Scripture: Chapters 12-14Key Verse:
Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “None of My words will be postponed anymore, but the word which I speak will be done,” says the Lord GOD.’”, (12:28)
Overview:
Judah’s leaders faced judgment first. God had charged them with the responsibility forBiblically based leadership among His people. They had failed miserably! They misdirected God’s people
because of the deficiencies of their character, as shown in their lack of trust in God and His Word.Theme: God holds spiritual leaders accountable for their leadership!Chapters 4-
24 cover the period from Ezekiel’s call to the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem
Chapters 4-
11, the certainty of God’s judgment
Chapters 12-
19, the necessity of God’s judgment
Their confidence that the kingdom and the capital would be spared was baselessGod desires the remnant to be aroused to repentOutline:1.
Don’t rationalize –
God does what He says (Ezekiel 12)2.
Don’t trust the religion of
fools
–
God deals in truth (Ezekiel 13)3.
Don’t make your own God –
Repent before the true God (Ezekiel 14)Detail:1.
Don’t rationalize –
God does what He says (Ezekiel 12)a.
Dramatizing God’s Word (12:1
-10)i.
A new series of messages: “Now the word of the LORD
came to me, saying” (1)
ii.
God’s view of Israel: “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house,
which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; forthey
are
a rebellious house” (1)
1.
Question: how does God view me? You?2.
1 Sam 16:7, “For
the LORD does
not
see
as man sees;
for man looks at
the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart”
3.
Hebrews 4:13, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all
things
are
naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we
must give
account”
4.
Psalm 139:1-
3, “O LORD, You have searched me and known
me.
2
You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand mythought afar off.
3
You comprehend my path and my lying down, And
are acquainted with all my ways.”
Ezekiel
–
Enough is Enough
Lesson # 5
–
January 3
rd
, 2010 Page 2
iii.
Ezekiel
to “act out” the escape from Jerusalem (vss 3
-6)1.
Just the basic “stuff” for moving!
2.
3: “prepare your belongings for captivity”
3.
So little that it could be easily carried: “you shall bear
them
on
your
shoulders” (6)
4.
Something literally acted out
–
proof asked about it in the morning!iv.
Ezekiel obeys asking no questions!v.
A wonderment to the exiles: “What are you doing?” (vs 9)
vi.
Dramatization of the fate of the inhabitants of Israel!vii.
Face covering (vs 6):1.
Humiliation of one of noble birth!2.
Cf 2 Kings 25:4-7:
“Then the city wall was broken through, and all the
men of war
fled
at night by way of the gate between two walls, which
was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans
were
stillencamped all around against the city. And
the king
went by way of theplain.
5
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and theyovertook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered fromhim.
6
So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylonat Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him.
7
Then they killed thesons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound
him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon”
b.
Explained (10-16):i.
“This burden
concerns
the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who
are among them.”
(10)1.
Ezekiel called Zedekiah “the prince”
2.
Regarded Jehoiachin as the true King (17:13)ii.
Israel shares the calamity!iii.
Impacts exiles as dashes hopes of early return!iv.
Cf 2 Kings 25:1-7v.
Note Zedekiah would die in Babylon … but not “see” the land: “I will bring
himto Babylon,
to
the land of the Chaldeans; yet he shall not see it, though he shall
die there.” (vs 13)
vi.
Purpose! Our God is God Who acts according to His divine purpose!1.
Knowledge of God: “Then they shall know that I
am
the LORD” (15)
2.
The remnant (vs
16): “
that they may declare all their abominations
among the Gentiles wherever they go”
3.
Note threefold: “they shall know that I
am
the LORD” (15,16,20)
Ezekiel
–
Enough is Enough
Lesson # 5
–
January 3
rd
, 2010 Page 3
c.
Distress in the siege (12:17-20):i.
Portrayed by Ezekiel: “eat your bread with quaking, and drink your
water with
trembling and anxiety” (18)
ii.
Message for captives: “They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their
water with dread, so that her land may be emptied of all who are in it, because
of the violence of all those who dwell in it” (19)
d.
The
timing of God’s Word (12:21
-28)i.
A perception that with the great time span (humanly speaking) between earlierprophecies of doom and fulfillmentii.
Proverb: “The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’” (22). God says “I will
lay this proverb to rest, an
d they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” (23)
iii.
Sound familiar?1.
2 Peter 3:4, “Where is the
promise of His coming? For since the fathersfell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of
creation.”
2.
I find myself amazing that people are surprised that people die! Ortragedies befall men!a.
1 Peter 1:24, “All
flesh is as grass,And all the glory of man as theflower of the grass.The grass
withers,And its flower falls away”
b.
James 4:14, “For what is your life? It is even a
vapor thata
ppears for a little time and then vanishes away”
iv.
God says : “For I
am
the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come topass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will
say the word and perform it” (25)
v.
Even in that
very day, people had a perception that God’s Word would fail! “heprophesies of times far off.’” (27)
vi.
Application:1.
Death (personal)2.
Judgment3.
Rapture4.
Tribulation5.
Etc
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