Ezekiel Series

July 17, 2021

Ezekiel was:

• A priest and a contemporary of Jeremiah and Daniel.

• A part of the 2nd deportation in 597 BC

Ezekiel was in exile when God called him to ministry. But what was the point? There had been 2 deportations already and much of Judah lay in ruins. What more could there possibly be to say?

God was STILL trying to get the attention of the nation of Judah before it was too late – before Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed.

Why?

Because He loved them. They were His people. He would spare them the ultimate consequence if at all possible.

AND

Despite experiencing siege and deportations, the people still persisted in rebellion and did not believe the consequences of their sin was going to be as severe or last as long as Jeremiah said it would {70 years – Jeremiah 25:11-12} because they were listening to the “pleasant preaching” coming from “Prophets of God” claiming that Nebuchadnezzar would be overthrown and the exile would be over within 2 years {see Jeremiah 28:1-17}.

One day, Ezekiel was minding his own business, when suddenly the heavens opened, and he saw the most amazing sight – Strange creatures…. Wheels within wheels covered with eyes moving in all directions…. A Figure that looked like a man {Jesus} who glowed and was surrounded by a bright rainbow of light {Ezekiel 1}.

Which brings us to My Favorite Thing About EZEKIEL – He was called to be a Watchman for the house of Judah. Blowing the trumpet of warning to a people who did not want to listen.

• Ezekiel 2:1-3:21 …. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking…. “Stand up, son of man, I want to talk to you”.

“I am sending you to Israel – that rebellious nation. They have rebelled against me, they and their fathers before them. They are obstinate and stubborn, but I want you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’. Whether they listen or not {they are very rebellious}, they will know that a prophet has spoken to them. Don’t be afraid of them or what they say even if they completely surround you. You must speak to them the words I give you – whether they listen of not – they are very rebellious”.

…. “I am not sending you to a foreign country whose language you don’t understand --- I am sending you to your own people. They won’t listen to you because they don’t listen to me. They are stubborn and obstinate. Listen carefully and take to heart everything I am going to tell you then go to the exiles and speak to them --- whether they listen or not”

…. “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. 20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.” {The command is repeated in Ch. 33:1-9}

It was the watchman’s duty to alert the city of impending danger – foreign armies, bandits, fire, etc. The watchman would patrol the city wall 24/7 and must remain alert to any threat. He would then sound the call to action.

• 2 Samuel 13:34 - Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, "I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill."

• Joel 2:1 - Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand--