Study

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In the Aug. 28 lesson, God’s glory departed from the people (left the temple) due to their sin. With the temple cleansed and restored (chapters 41-42), God’s glory can return, and the people can enjoy the new Promised Land (chapters 43-48).

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The vision of the valley of dry bones that Ezekiel was given pictured this new life and restoration of Israel to their homeland.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Ezekiel continued to prepare the exiles in Babylon for the new days ahead. Now it was time to paint a brighter picture for their future beyond Babylon.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Ezekiel’s ministry of judgment on fallen Israel (chapters 1–24) and judgment on Ammon, Tyre, and Egypt (chapters 25–32) has turned to a ministry of being a watchman to the people of Israel (chapter 33) and specifically to the leaders of Israel (chapter 34).

Reading Time: 4 minutes

God will not stay where he is not wanted. However, he does not take lightly being pushed away. If repeatedly pushed away, he will punish those who resist him. That is the essence of Ezekiel’s vision at this point.  

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In this lesson text, the exilic prophet Ezekiel taught that the soul that sins is the one in trouble. Ultimately a child cannot pass the buck of blame for sin to mom or dad. Each individual must stand before God personally. 

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Since the call of this exilic prophet (in Ezekiel 1–3), the prophet had cried out against Israel’s idolatry and the sins of Israel’s leaders. The result was that leaders began persecuting Ezekiel. At this juncture “the word of the Lord” came to Ezekiel to cry out against those leaders.  

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The major prophetic book of Ezekiel is the Judges of the exile. It is the Dark Ages of captivity for Israel. This prophet-priest had to announce that sin came with consequences. With this lesson, we launch a two-month study of this book.