THE PROPHET EZEKIEL - Bible Study: Bible Study Guides

1 THE. PROPHET . EZEKIEL . You Shall Know I Am The Lord . Bible Study Notes Prepared by Carey Dillinger (Beginning March, 2003). For use in the adult class at THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT BEVERLY SHORES. Leesburg, Florida THE PROPHET EZEKIEL . INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHETS - PART ONE. Even though God had redeemed His people from slavery in Egypt and made them a mighty nation, with both a civil and spiritual law that called for their obedient commitment, the nation of Israel was constantly backsliding into idol-worship, civil war, immorality, and the complacency found in a life of abundance and ease. To speak to Israel (and even some foreign nations) on His behalf, the Lord chose His Prophets. The Call to Obedience The Prophets were raised up by God to call the people to remembrance, repentance and obedience.

2 The people had taken such God-given institutions as sacrifices and made them into ritualistic substitutes for the true obedience they were designed to represent (Isa. 1:11ff.; Jer. 7:21ff.; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:25; Micah 6:6- 8). Distinguishing False From True How can we distinguish what is true from what is false when it comes down to religious opinion and testimony? We must compare the opinion and testimony against God's word. To the people of the Old Testament, the Law of Moses stood as the test of religious opinions. The false PROPHET would try to introduce some "new morality," such as described in Jer. 23:9-22. The PROPHET 's Call The true PROPHET claimed the "council" of God, that is, being in close communication with God through consultation and companionship.

3 The words most generally used to describe this relationship in the Bible are: PROPHET and seer. The word PROPHET means "called (by God)," and indicates that God's mind and will have been revealed to and through the chosen one (2 Tim. 3:16). Seer points to the ability of the PROPHET to "see" into the affairs of men and the mind of God and indicates a change God makes in the man chosen for this task (2 Pet. 1:21). This ability to "see" would include looking into the past, present, and even the future. 'Thus Says the Lord'. God chose His prophets from many walks of life. Some did not even want to be prophets (Jonah). Their message was first and foremost to those living in the time of the prophecy, yet it is for us as well (Acts 7:38).

4 While some prophets were occasionally dramatic in their presentation, most chose the method of spoken sermons to deliver their prophecy. How the prophets came to be in possession of God's will is not very clear (Jer. 47:1; Eze. 17:1; Zech. 8:1), but they leave no doubt that they expected their words to be taken as the words of the Lord Himself. It is interesting to note how the Lord worked through the personalities of each of the prophets, giving us the writings of each individual and not some dull, carbon copy boilerplate. The Present and the Future God deliberately placed the prophets at crucial turning points in the history of His people. Amos addressed the social decadence and permissiveness caused by a time of national affluence and religious formalism.

5 Isaiah preached to a people on the verge of passing the point of no return in their relationship with God (Isa. 6:9ff.). Jeremiah was on hand at the fall of Jerusalem, while EZEKIEL was there as the nation underwent exile. They were available to explain how God would even use the wicked to punish His people if the need arose, and to predict what would happen if the people failed to repent. To avoid future destruction the people were commanded to repent now (Isa. 2:5, 10, 22; 3:1ff. 31:6,7). 1. The Message of the Prophets There are five major themes that constitute the framework of the PROPHET 's teaching: The Lord as ruler of all history. The mighty empires of the day are simply styled as tools of the Lord's will.

6 The primary need to be right with God. It is more important to side with God (Isa. 30:15), than to seek out powerful human allies. The moral foundation of religion and society. Jeremiah makes it clear that there can be no true religion without morality (Jer. 7:1-15). To be right with God, man must live in obedience to His standards and commands. This obedience to God leads man to a right relationship with his neighbor. A blend of judgment and hope. God's judgment is inevitable, yet hope is available to the repentant (Isa. 6:13; 28:5; 29:5; 31:5). The Messianic kingdom. The prophets point to a bright future state that God has prepared for His people. It is sometimes portrayed as a new covenant (Isa.)

7 54:10; Jer. 31:31-34; Eze. 37:26,27), but chiefly it shown as revolving around a great Person, who is: the new "David," "God with us," "God on David's throne," the Servant, dying for the sins of His people, the anointed Conqueror, and born in Bethlehem. The fact that their prophecies have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ seals their words as God's words. Jesus Himself stressed the importance of the prophets when He made it clear that we cannot understand Him, know Him or preach Him to the world without the prophets ( :27, 32, 44-48). The Prophets - Some Additional Thoughts At the head of the third great section of the Old Testament stands Isaiah. Sixteen prophets are named including the other Major Prophets: Jeremiah, EZEKIEL , and Daniel; along with the 12 so-called minor prophets.

8 Remember, the designation "major" or "minor" simply refers to the length of the book, not its importance. The prophets wrote over a period of 250-300 years, spanning the decline, the exile, and the return of the children of Israel. Most of their messages were directed toward Judah and Jerusalem: Isaiah, Joel, and Micah before the fall of Jerusalem; Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah at the time of the fall and during the exile;. and Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi at the time of the return and after. The mission of the prophets was usually a last ditch effort by God to save His people. The urgency and danger that surrounded them in their endeavors often placed them in life or death situations. (Adapted from Eerdmans 'Handbook to the Bible ' pp.)

9 370-376, including an article entitled: The Prophets, Introduction by Alec Motyer.). INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHETS - PART TWO. 1. While Christians are not under the Old Testament as a system of justification, the OT is of great value for us a. Written for our learning, it is a source of comfort and hope - Ro 15:4. b. Written for our admonition, we learn what mistakes to avoid - 1 Co 10:11. c. As with all scripture inspired of God, it is profitable "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" - cf. 2 Ti 3:14-17. 2. This is especially true with regard to "The Prophets".. a. A collection of seventeen books that make up the last part of the Old Testament b. Beginning with Isaiah, and ending with Malachi 3.

10 Those willing to Study these books will find their lives enriched as they 2. a. Their knowledge of God's holiness, righteousness, justice and mercy b. Their understanding of God's dealings in the nations of men c. Their appreciation of the Bible as a literary masterpiece I. WHO WERE THE PROPHETS? A. THE OLD COVENANT HAD DIFFERENT KINDS OF 1. There was Moses, the lawgiver - Neh 8:1,14; 9:13-14; Jn 1:17; 7:19. 2. There were the priests, administrators of the law - Lev 10:8-11; Hos 4:6; Eze 22:26; Mal 2:7. 3. There were the wise men, who gave counsel - 2 Sam 14:1-24; 20:16-22. 4. There were the psalmists, poets who were the "sweet singers" of Israel - cf 2 Sam 23:1; 1 Chr 6:33. 5. There were the prophets, communicators of the Word of God B.