Ezekiel Part 2

Intro: Tonight we’re back in the 26th book in the Bible, the book of Ezekiel...

So let’s set some context here - Around 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, On his way back to Babylon he laid siege to Jerusalem that is when the The first deportation of Jews into captivity happened took place Daniel, the prophet, at that time 13, 14 years old, was carried into captivity with some of his friends.

About nine years later there was a second deportation, when Nebuchadnezzar, who was then king of Babylon, laid siege to Jerusalem again. It was during that siege that Jehoiachin, king of the southern kingdom at that time, along with Ezekiel and ten thousand other people were taken captives into Babylon. Ezekiel was not taken to the palace where Daniel and his friends were taken. Ezekiel and the ten thousand people that were taken into captivity, they were taken to a place outside of Babylon to a settlement. We might think of it like a refugee camp. He was twenty-five years old when he was taken into captivity.

This book was written

Ezekiel was contemporary with Jeremiah and Daniel and they were all ministering at the same time.

The layout of the book:

Jeremiah was an old man who spoke to the remnant that remained in the city of Jerusalem

Daniel spoke in the court of the king of Babylon

Ezekiel spoke to the captives who had been brought to the rivers of Babylon. While the other captives wept when they remembered Zion, Ezekiel exulted in the greatest visions ever given to any prophet

The layout of the book: It can be broken into 2 halfs

Judgment & Restoration Chapters 1 through 32 are pre-exilic. They deal with the period of time before the fall, the utter fall of Jerusalem. And it covers - these 32 chapters take place during six years of Ezekiel’s life. And he’s prophesying to the captives in this refugee camp in this settlement. And his prophetic words will make their way back to those in Jerusalem. Jerusalem isn’t utterly destroyed yet. There’s still communication that’s moving from captivity back to Judah. So Ezekiel is prophesying about what’s going to happen over the next six years if they keep rebelling against the LORD. And these messages are

Now Chapters 33 through 48 deal with the period of time after the fall of Jerusalem. Ezekiel is going to preach to the people for sixteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. There’s a dramatic shift in the weight of his message...forgiveness, restoration, and hope.

Judgement and Rebuke - Chapters 1-32

Hope and Restoration - Chapters 33 - 48

Here’s the point of our times together, not only do we want to get an overview of these books…but It’s always my goal to Pastor you tell how this applies you right now in your space of living…so I would books like Ezekiel…which is deep and highly prophetic

So last time we we’re together, we looked at Ezekiel calling: While sitting on a canal right out side his refugee camp, The Lord comes to him in this massive glorious way and says “I’m sending you to the your people to speak about my judgment that has come...they are in a rebellious state and their quite hard of heart but I want you to TAKE MY WORD…BE BOLD…and JUST GO

Now God is going to call Ezekiel to accuse Israel of breaking their covenant with the Lord and warn them of the destruction that is to come

ESVIn the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

A few things to note here:The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel on the among the exiles on the Chebar Canal - Thats significant if you think about the fact that the word of the Lord was coming to Daniel in the palace of the King…the at that same time the word of the Lord was coming to Jeremiah at home in Jerusalem…It just goes to show that even though the situation seemed bleak, the Lord was still speaking, To the king, to the powerless, to the rebellious Also notice that Ezekiels life plan, was dramatically in essentially one Day - All it takes is one day and God can turn you're life aroundSo from v.4 - 28 Ezekiel begins to describe this wild vision of a storm with four creatures with four wings and four wheels and each of the wings are touching each other and on top of those wings is a platform with a throne on it…and a massive figure that holds the likeness of a man…and then Ezekeil realizes what he’s seeing...

ESV28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

So Ezekiel realizes what He’s seeing “the Glory of God” - that word Glory means heavy or weighty…and judging by what Ezekiel is describing heavy is the word that best describes the encounter…others accounts like this are mentioned in , , 25It’s important to remember that Ezekiel’s call began with a revelation of who God is…and It was heavy…and it left him face down...App: It’s important to remember even-though Christianity is intellectual, it’s also emotional - A part of coming to faith in Jesus is being undone by his holiness and LoveIsaiah said “Woe is me”Paul said “Who are you Lord”Ezek is face downBecoming a Christian begins with an encounter with Jesus. Here we have the 3 foundational things in Ezekiels ministry

ESV1 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”

ESV7 But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”

There’s obviously a lot of nuances to Ezekiels ministry…but here are 3 things that we’re paramount in his and an any ministry…Eat…Go…Fear notEat the scroll - He’s talking about having an appetite for the word of Godif the scroll is sitting on your bookshelf. The scroll is only valuable to you, Ezekiel, when you consume itChristians – fruitful ministry, fruitful service begins with feeding on the Word of God – Foundation Number One. Go - “4 And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them.” - So not only do we have to take in the Word of God – We have to go... We have to be willing to step out... We’ve got to be willing to move forward – very, very important! He says “Go to your and preach” - Everyone has a people…we should go to ours“11 And go to the exiles,” - this is so radical – “to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.’” In other words, it’s your job to speak to them. It doesn’t matter whether they hear or not. I’m commissioning you to speak to them. But notice – “go to your people”. We all have our people We all have our people – the people in our families, the people in our neighborhoods, the people in the workplace, the people in the classroom, the people where we shop, the people where we hang out. Fear not - God gave Ezekiel a message but it would be an unwelcome one…So He says, “Ezekiel They’re going to be stubborn. You’ve got to be more stubborn. They don’t want to listen. You have to speak more. Back in chapter 2 God said the people were like a bunch of scorpions. They’ve got sting But, Ezekiel, my Word can sting.” The point is that Ezekiel had to settle it in his heart that he would never give up sharing with others. That is a crucial aspect to living on mission, guys.

Ezekiel’s Interesting methods 4-5

God gave Ezekiel a really interesting way of proclaiming the message

Ezekiel 4:1–3 ESV

“And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem. And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around. And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 4:1–4 ESV

“And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem. And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around. And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel. “Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it. For the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their punishment.

Ezekiel 4:1–4 ESV

“And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem. And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around. And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel. “Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it. For the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their punishment.

God tells him to build a tiny modal of Jerusalem and stage an attack…and that would be probably most tame of the methods that God would tell him to use he would tell him to shave off all of your hair with a sword, or even more Oddly God tells him to go in to the city and lay on his left side and bind himself in rope and eat bread cooked over the a fire powered by cow dung…/’

App: now we might think that it’s massively odd...That’s the way God wanted him to minister....What a pliable minister; What a yielded man to say, “You say it...Tell me how you want me to say it”

The sad condition of the nation 6-11

In Chapters 8-11 we see God showing Ezekiel in a vision what exactly what was going on in the hearts of the elders of Israel through this radical vision he gives him in the temple…And theres 3 things I want to highlight in this portion

Chapter 8 - Wicked Hearts

ESV7 And he brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall. 8 Then he said to me, “Son of man, dig in the wall.” So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance. 9 And he said to me, “Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.” 10 So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. 11 And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up. 12 Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’ ”

Ezekiel 8:7–12 ESV

And he brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall. Then he said to me, “Son of man, dig in the wall.” So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance. And he said to me, “Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.” So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up. Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’ ”

So God explains what this kind of bizarre vision was all about. He says, “What you’ve seen in this vision, is what the Elders of Israel are doing in the dark in each one’s “room of pictures”

King James Version read it like this “every man in the chamber of his imagery”. Now that’s a strange phrase. And I kind of hope it freaks you out a bit. God sees what we do in the imagination of our heart and our mind

App: Don’t think thats God is only concerned about your actions…He’s also concerned about your thoughts

So God says, “Have you seen what’s going on in the chambers of their imaginations?” And then He says - “For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us “ Oh yes He does! Guys, we are never alone – never ever alone!App: Don’t think thats God is only concerned about your actions…He’s also concerned about your thoughtsQuestion: whats the best way to keep your thought life in check? God’s word

App: Don’t think thats God is only concerned about your actions…He’s also concerned about your thoughtsQuestion: whats the best way to keep your thought life in check? God’s word

Question: whats the best way to keep your thought life in check? God’s word

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

ESV12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Guys, we can not over emphasize the importance of God’s word in the daily battle of the heart

ESV9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Psalm 119:9 ESV

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Psalm 119:104 ESV

Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Guys, God’s Word searches us out. That’s why these nights are so important. They’re not just important for you. These nights are important for me.

So the vision shows him the wicked hearts of the elder…but thats not all

Chapter 9 - God’s upcoming Judgement

Ezekiel 9:1–4 ESV

Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.”

ESVThen he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.”

Ezekiel saw how God was going to unleash some angelic beings. And one of these angelic beings was going to have a marker in his hand. And this angelic being would go out; and he would mark the heads of all the righteous people in a picturesque kind of a way, not in a literal way. But they were going to be marked. And a second one was sent out to pronounce judgment on all those that were unrighteous.

I think this brings up a for people who come to Christ - When you come to saving faith in Jesus; When you believe with your heart on the Lord Jesus Christ When you believe that with all of your heart, and you give your life to Jesus...you’re marked Paul speaks about this...

ESVIn him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 1:13 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

We spoke about this a little at community groups: Paul was speaking to a gathering of believers - Emphases was a harbor town where lots of fright could pass through so each crate had to have the owners seal stamped upon it as proof of purchase. It was the owners way of saying “that belongs to me”

We spoke about this a little at community groups: Paul was speaking to a gathering of believers - Emphases was a harbor town where lots of fright could pass through so each crate had to have the owners seal stamped upon it as proof of purchase. It was the owners way of saying “that belongs to me”That’s a great picture of the believer - A Christian is someone who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, has been made alive to God, regenerated. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you, and makes you alive to God. When the Holy Spirit dwells within you, He not only causes you to be made alive to God, makes you spiritually live, but His presence within you, seals you, marks you as God’s own purchased possession

That’s a great picture of the believer - A Christian is someone who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, has been made alive to God, regenerated. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you, and makes you alive to God. When the Holy Spirit dwells within you, He not only causes you to be made alive to God, makes you spiritually live, but His presence within you, seals you, marks you as God’s own purchased possession

Chapter 10 - The glory of God departs

Ezekiel 10:18–22 ESV

Then the glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth before my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the Lord, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. These were the living creatures that I saw underneath the God of Israel by the Chebar canal; and I knew that they were cherubim. Each had four faces, and each four wings, and underneath their wings the likeness of human hands. And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the Chebar canal. Each one of them went straight forward.

EZEK 10

Ez

Ezekiel has a vision of the house of God…and in the house of God the elders of Israel and women are all worship these foreign God’s in the temple…and all of this will result in Judgment upon the city of Jerusalem…The sense seems to be that the glory of God travelled from the holy of holies to the threshold of the temple building, to across the court of the temple, and now stood at the door of the east gate. It was moving away from the temple and about the leave the temple courtsI think it’s worth noting that Not long after the Glory of God left the house of God the City fell.App: Where God is uninvited…Things will always crumbleYet in Chapter 11 their is a glimmer of Hope and promise amongst this broken situation

Ezekiel has a vision of the house of God…and in the house of God the elders of Israel and women are all worship these foreign God’s in the temple…and all of this will result in Judgment upon the city of Jerusalem…The sense seems to be that the glory of God travelled from the holy of holies to the threshold of the temple building, to across the court of the temple, and now stood at the door of the east gate. It was moving away from the temple and about the leave the temple courts

I think it’s worth noting that Not long after the Glory of God left the house of God the City fell.

App: Where God is uninvited…Things will always crumbleYet in Chapter 11 their is a glimmer of Hope and promise amongst this broken situation

App: Where God is uninvited…Things will always crumble

Yet in Chapter 11 their is a glimmer of Hope and promise amongst this broken situation

Ezek 11:16-20

Ezekiel 11:16–20 ESV

Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’ Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

So here’s the promise that has been echoed by others…Even though theres consequences to sinful actions it’s Not the end for God’s people

God is speaking of a time when the nation of Israel will be fully restored and giving a new heart towards God...A heart thats soft, pliable and sensitive the voice of the Lord…a heart of flesh

But also that a new heart would be given…A heart thats soft, pliable and sensitive the voice of the Lord…a heart of flesh

So it seems like He’s speaking about the collective heart of the nation…which I believe is still yet to be fulfilled…

App: But this is does tell us is that If you need a new heart…Jesus is the only one who can give that to you

Chapter 12 -Ezekiel acts out the destruction of Jerusalem

Why did he do this? once again it’s because the house of Israel was rebellious and unwilling to hear…so he’s acts out this drama where he takes his bags and digs a hole in the wall and takes his bags through it…and all of this was to be a sign that Jerusalem was about to Fall...

a sensational and strange method.

You might say “what a grim message” yes it was…but it was the truth

VV. 7-16—He locks himself in this house, digs through the wall, and takes his possessions out through the excavation.

Look at why He had too

VV. 17-28—Then he is to announce the full captivity of Jerusalem.

Chapter 13 - He was condemning the false prophets were speaking sweet lies...

Ezekiel 13:1–7 ESV

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?”

That’s a powerful word – people standing before men saying the LORD has said something, when the LORD’S never said anything! That’s a big deal! That’s a really big deal! God says, “I never spoke to them. And I have not sent them.”

Ezek 13:

App: Now today, how can we know whether or not someone has received something from the LORD to say? You take what the LORD has said, the revealed Word of God; and you judge anything anybody would ever say to you that sounds like, “Well, the LORD says”; and then they fill in the blanks; and you go, “Well, let me see if that fits with what God says; because God’s not going to contradict Himself.” The Word of God is – so important for us...so very, very important for us!

so important for us; so very, very important for us!

Ezekiel 13:15–16 ESV

Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it, the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God.

Ezek 13:

The essential message of Jeremiah and Ezekiel was that judgment was on the way, and they should accept it as God’s chastening and cleansing. The false prophets had visions of peace, leaving God’s people completely unprepared for the judgment that was on the way.

Chapter 14 - The certainty of Israel’s destruction

Ezekiel 14:20 ESV

even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.

God who knows the heart speaks through Ezekiel and says...”Even if these 3 great men were here…Jerusalem would still fall…this attacks the Idea of some that in a time of crises if they could just get some godly people around them then they could put in a good word for them and Judgment wouldn’t have to come…judgement will always come until theres repentance

Chapter 15 - Vision of the vine

The vine is the symbol of the nation Israel () but the picture is that because Jerusalem is in sin it’s good for nothing but fire…and thats the same as us…When you and I are in unrepentant sin…

App: We are almost useless to the kingdom of God while in unrepentant Sin:

Isaiah 5:7 ESV

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

Be it lust…addiction…white collar sins…To Jesus “Your moral make up is not separate from your ministry”

Chapters 25 - 32 deal with God’s judgment upon the nations surrounding Israel – judgment upon – Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Sidon, and Egypt.

Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Sidon, and Egypt.

Most of these nations get very little ink. Egypt gets a larger portion at the end.

But the city of Tyre gets a lot of press – 3 chapters are given to it. 3 chapters are given to it not because Tyre played such a prominent role at this time in the history of the southern kingdom; but because of the incredible detailed predictions of Tyre’s demise, and the way those prophecies end up being fulfilled in history.

In God said that Tyre would be brought down. But here in God said that Tyre would literally be reduced to a scraped rock.

Ezekiel 26:3–7 ESV

therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. And she shall become plunder for the nations, and her daughters on the mainland shall be killed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord. “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers.

Now history tells us that this place was conquered five times. One of those that conquered them was Babylon. After Tyre was defeated by the Babylonians they decided to rebuild their building, not on the coast, but on a small island about a half mile off shore. The fifth time Tyre was taken it was taken by Alexander the Great. Alexander was moving with an army towards Persia to avenge his dad’s death. On the way he stops at Tyre. And he attacks Tyre because they refused to give him some supplies for his military expedition.

Now by the day of Alexander the Great Tyre is on this little island, walled in, protected by their very famous and very capable and feared fleet. And Alexander was not going to attack them on that island by way of ships. So what he did is he took all of the ruins of the old city of Tyre. He literally scraped the city for landfill. And he built a causeway about a half mile out to sea. His armies marched out to Tyre via the causeway and destroyed it.

The reason I say this is to remind you that the prophetic content of the Bible is staggering.

Guys, the prophetic content of the Bible is staggering. God Himself uses prophecy as His personal apologetic. He says, “Okay, so you think these other gods are Gods. Well, let’s see who says something before it happens, and then it really happens.” God says, “I’m the one who declares the end from the beginning. If I say it, it happens.”

It sets it apart as the one and only truly inspired book of God.

Hope and Restoration - Chapters 33 - 4

Now we move to the second section of Ezekiel. And there, like I said, we see God making amazing and wonderful promises concerning the future of the nation of Israel. So turn quickly with me to .

Ezekiel 37:1–3 ESV

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

So God grips Ezekiel in the Spirit, and brings him to this scene, shows him this vision. And evidently it’s the scene of a large battlefield that’s filled with skeletons. They’re disjointed. They’re dried out. Now this valley represented the nation of Israel (v.11)

And He says, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Now in light of the absolutely incredible things that God has shown Ezekiel up to this time, and the incredible things that God has asked Ezekiel to do, the safe answer for Ezekiel is, “Lord, you know.”

They’re disjointed. They’re dried out.

So think about the history of it. The Assyrians had already carried the 10 northern tribes away. Judah has now been carried away by Babylon. Jerusalem is destroyed. The temple is destroyed. And for all practical intents and purposes the nation of Israel is dead and scattered in a battlefield, as it were, no life at all. That’s the way that things were in the now. And God is showing this to Ezekiel. Israel is that valley of dry bones. God then takes Ezekiel; and He says “Can there be life in this stuff? Can this thing called Israel be revived? Can that ever happen?”

And He says, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Now in light of the absolutely incredible things that God has shown Ezekiel up to this time, and the incredible things that God has asked Ezekiel to do, the safe answer for Ezekiel is, “Lord, you know.” But here’s the picture. Ezekiel is looking at a situation that is impossible. God says,

Here’s the picture: Ezekiel was looking at an impossible situation - Ever been there?

“Can there be life in this valley again? Can all of this dead stuff ever live?”

App: Everyone of us in this life will Visit the Valley of the Impossible - A bad diagnoses - A betrayal - A hopeless situation - A wayward child…It just seems impossible!

Now God is giving him, by way of this vision, a picture of the state of Israel. In fact, in verse 11 of this chapter God interprets this vision for him.

So think about the history of it. The Assyrians had already carried the 10 northern tribes away. Judah has now been carried away by Babylon. Jerusalem is destroyed. The temple is destroyed. And for all practical intents and purposes the nation of Israel is dead and scattered in a battlefield, as it were, no life at all. That’s the way that things were in the now. And God is showing this to Ezekiel. Israel is that valley of dry bones. God then takes Ezekiel; and He says “Can there be life in this stuff? Can this thing called Israel be revived? Can that ever happen?”

Now God is giving him, by way of this vision, a picture of the state of Israel. In fact, in verse 11 of this chapter God interprets this vision for him. So think about the history of it. The Assyrians had already carried the 10 northern tribes away. Judah has now been carried away by Babylon. Jerusalem is destroyed. The temple is destroyed. And for all practical intents and purposes the nation of Israel is dead and scattered in a battlefield, as it were, no life at all. That’s the way that things were in the now. And God is showing this to Ezekiel. Israel is that valley of dry bones. God then takes Ezekiel; and He says,

App: Everyone of us in this life will Visit the Valley of the Impossible - A bad diagnoses - A betrayal - A hopeless situation and People in the bible frequented the valley of the impossible

“Can there be life in this stuff? Can this thing called Israel be revived? Can that ever happen?”

People in the bible frequented the valley of the impossible

Now in the natural the obvious answer is no. In the natural Israel as a nation is as hopelessly dead as a valley of dead bones. Life for them nationally is as impossible as life for those dead bones that Ezekiel was looking at. But by this point, after six years of prophetic ministry, Ezekiel knows that nothing is an impossibility for God. So he says, “Lord, you know.” Now God is not taking him into a deep depressing valley to discourage him, or to be spiteful and say, “This is what Israel nationally deserves.” It’s not that at all. Think about it. Think of where Ezekiel is in the span of his prophetic ministry now. God has progressively brought Ezekiel to this place to look at this valley, just as He often takes us to view situations in our own lives, some valley of impossibility.

“Can there be life in this stuff? Can this thing called Israel be revived? Can that ever happen?”

App: People in the bible frequented the valley of the impossible

Think of Abraham and Sara, childless. And yet God promised to make a nation of that couple when they were 90+ years old.

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Think of the Children of Israel at the Red Sea, hemmed in on two sides by mountains, the Red Sea to their back, and the Egyptians are pressing down upon them.

Think of Joshua leading the Children of Israel against Jericho.

”

Think of David against Goliath, Elijah on Mount Carmel

Question: Why does Jesus take us to these Valley where things seem impossible? Because it’s this Valley where God says, “Son of man, can these bones live?” - where our response is “Lord, you know.” sometimes thats all you can say...He seen God’s power…yet he’s stuck in the Valley of impossibility

Richard Cimino – Route66 - 20150720_EzekielPart2

EZEK 37:4

And God says, “Son of man, can these bones live?” - I love the answer Ezekiel says “Lord, you know.” sometimes thats all you can say...He seen God’s power…yet he’s stuck in the Valley of impossibility

Ezekiel 37:4–7 ESV

Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

It was as he obeyed…the change began

Now in the natural the obvious answer is no. In the natural Israel as a nation is as hopelessly dead as a valley of dead bones. Life for them nationally is as impossible as life for those dead bones that Ezekiel was looking at. But by this point, after six years of prophetic ministry, Ezekiel knows that nothing is an impossibility for God. So he says, “Lord, you know.” Now God is not taking him into a deep depressing valley to discourage him, or to be spiteful and say, “This is what Israel nationally deserves.” It’s not that at all. Think about it. Think of where Ezekiel is in the span of his prophetic ministry now. God has progressively brought Ezekiel to this place to look at this valley, just as He often takes us to view situations in our own lives, some valley of impossibility.

It was as he obeyed – he didn’t say, “Lord, you know, to my eyes, to my natural thinking this is dead and done.’ But, Lord, you know. You told me to speak to them. I’ll obey you.”

The natural man says this – When I see, I will believe. The Bible tells us that when we believe is when we’ll see.

Ezekiel 37:8–11 ESV

And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’

This vision of the valley of bones is not just about Judah, the southern kingdom, returning after seventy years in captivity in Babylon, because God says this is the whole house of Israel. I believe this is speaking of the entire life of the nation of Israel including the driving out of the Jews from the homeland when Titus Vispazian leveled the temple mount only to find their national identity and move back in again 1948 after 2000 years of wondering and enemy forces trying to wipe them out completely

This vision of the valley of bones is not just about Judah, the southern kingdom, returning after seventy years in captivity in Babylon, because God says this is the whole house of Israel. This is talking about the whole nation of Israel. It’s a picture of the nation appearing to be dead after the Jews are dispersed in 70 A.D., after Titus Vespasian leveled the temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Now, we’ve not yet seen Israel reborn spiritually. Spiritually Israel is still embryonic, in a matter of speaking. But everything’s in place for the spiritual birth of Israel as a nation.

I believe that national awakening will take place after the battle that Ezekiel prophesies about in chapters 38 and 39 - understand though this is an overview of this book. We just can’t get into it tonight. But please remember, the point of this study is to stir you up to personally study the book, and especially, I would encourage you read Ezekiel chapters 37, 38, 39. In chapters 38 and 39 Ezekiel predicts a battle. It’s a radical prediction

Some people say, “Oh, it’s the Battle of Armageddon”

Some people say, “No, it’s the battle at the end of the millennial rule of Jesus in the book of Revelation.”

I believe – it’s my conviction that the events of and 39 –

I believe – it’s my conviction that the events of and 39 – could take place tonight, could take place tomorrow, and the next weeks.

could take place tonight, could take place tomorrow, and the next weeks.

Chapter 47

This last section, I said, is filled with promises concerning the future of the nation of Israel, particularly after Jesus returns to the Earth. He’ll rule; He’ll reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years…I’m gonna read it in the new living translation

Ezekiel 47:1–2 NLT

In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway.

ezek 47:1-2

Ezekiel 47:6–10 NLT

He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Then he led me back along the riverbank. When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows. Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean.

If you don’t know anything about the dead sea, one thing thats so staggering about it is that nothing lives in it...The Jordan River flows into it from the north; but it never flows out. And that’s why nothing lives there.

But is an awesome picture of what happens when Jesus is enthroned. It’s a literal event that’s going to happen when Jesus returns to this Earth. There will literally be a river that will flow from the Temple Mount that will change the reality of the eco-system going down to the Dead Sea Jesus enthroned, Jesus ruling, living water, life-giving water flowing, changing the environment.

But it’s an amazing picture of what happens when Jesus gets enthroned in the heart of a man or woman. Our lives become the temple of the living God. And living water begins to flow into our lives and from our lives. What used to be dead becomes alive. And wherever you go you’re a life force in a dead and dying world. That’s what Christians should be.

Jesus enthroned, Jesus ruling, living water, life-giving water flowing, changing the environment. But it’s an amazing picture of what happens when Jesus gets enthroned in the heart of a man or woman. Our lives become the temple of the living God. And living water begins to flow into our lives and from our lives. What used to be dead becomes alive. And wherever you go you’re a life force in a dead and dying world. That’s what Christians should be.

One more – look at . And this is where we’ll really wrap it up

Ezekiel 37:27–28 ESV

My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

Ezekiel 37:27 ESV

My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

So here’s how things will roll out:

We’ve been working our way through historical books.

These Prophets, they sit in the context of these historical books. God has chastened the descendants of Abraham. He’s carried them away into Assyrian, and into Babylon. But He’s done a supernatural work in their midst. He’s allowed them to return to the land.

The temple was rebuilt – the book of Ezra, circa 535 to 516 B.C. – The temple was rebuilt.

He’s carried them away into Assyrian, and into Babylon. But He’s done a supernatural work in their midst. He’s allowed them to return to the land. The temple was rebuilt – the book of Ezra, circa 535 to 516 B.C. – The temple was rebuilt.

The temple was rebuilt – the book of Ezra around 516 B.C. – The temple was rebuilt.

The city and the walls were rebuilt. The book of Nehemiah – 445 B.C. is when Nehemiah’s commissioned to go back to rebuild the walls, rebuild the city.

The city and the walls were rebuilt. The book of Nehemiah – 445 B.C. is when Nehemiah’s commissioned to go back to rebuild the walls, rebuild the city. And the Jews, following that, were in the land long enough for the promised to Messiah to come onto the scene, even as God promised, beginning way back in .

they shall be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who

sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

And the Jews, following that, were in the land long enough for the promised to Messiah to come onto the scene, even as God promised, beginning way back in .

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Richard Cimino – Route66 - 20150720_EzekielPart2

And the Jews, following that, were in the land long enough for the promised to Messiah to come onto the scene, even as God promised, beginning way back in .

One more – look at . And this is where we’ll really wrap it up.

But because the nation rejected their promised Messiah, the Jews were once again dispersed. As I mentioned earlier, Titus Vespasian led Roman troops against Jerusalem. In 70 A.D. the temple was once again destroyed. And the Jews were dispersed into all the nation in the world for about 2,000 years. During that period of time, from 70 A.D. until now, we, as Gentiles, (us) we are being grafted in to the family of God

And just as we’ve seen in Ezekiel’s vision of the dead bones, God is gathering the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob out of their places among the nations. He’s bringing the descendants of Abraham back into the land. But we don’t yet see this spiritual wakening yet. Christians, know this – we are eyewitnesses of what God is talking about in the book of Ezekiel. We’re watching it happen. His ultimate purposes for Israel are yet to be wrought.

The amazing thing for us to see in all of this as it’s played out – it’s summed up in this – God says there’s coming a day when – I’m going to be there God....And they’re going to be my people.

I’m going to be there God....And they’re going to be my people.

I’m going to be there God; And they’re going to be my people.

:27 My dwelling place shall be among them...”

The King James Version translates “dwelling place” as “tabernacle” 119 times in the Old Testament and it Literally means “To pitch a tent among us”

The book of John speaks about Jesus being the glory of God who tabernacled among us…but it’s easy to think that Jesus begrudgingly did that as a means to an ends…not because he wants to but because he had too...

Literally – “To pitch a tent among us”. His tabernacle was no longer that tent in the wilderness. There was no longer this temple thing that he was going to be dwelling in. His Divinity was wrapped in the veil of humanity. And the Bible says it’s an absolute utter mystery – God manifest in the flesh. He took on the very form that we exist in so that throughout eternity He could walk amongst us so that throughout all eternity He can be with us. Guys, I want to tell you –

But here we see in Ezekiels vision at the end of it all…He just wants to be with you

How does that make you feel?…i wanna please him

Ezekiel Part 2

Judgement and Rebuke:Chapters 1-32

Chapters 1-32

Hope and Restoration - Chapters 33-48