Ezekiel 6

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Ezekiel’s Prophetic Sermon - part 1

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. God judged the idolatry of Israel because of His holiness.

  2. God preserved a remnant in Israel because of His grace.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let your escape be the means of coming to know the Lord.

QUESTIONS

  1. In chapters 4 and 5 of Ezekiel we saw a series of dramatic object lessons or actions that Ezekiel performed to convey the truth of the coming fall of Jerusalem. All of these action pictures were part of Ezekiel’s silent ministry. Here in chapter 6, God opens Ezekiel’s mouth, and he pronounces God’s judgment on Judah and Jerusalem as part of his speaking or ________ ________ ministry.

  2. Why was Ezekiel told by the Lord to prophesy against the mountains of Israel?

  3. What had gradually taken place on the so-called high places regarding the worship of the people of Israel?

  4. Was the pounding of fists and stamping of feet in verse 11 a sign of rejoicing or derision?

  5. Who would be included in the remnant spoken of in verses 9 and 10? What did the Lord say about those who would be in the remnant?

ANSWERS

  1. When God opened Ezekiel’s mouth and he pronounced God’s judgment on Judah and Jerusalem, it was part of Ezekiel’s spoken or prophetic sermon ministry.

  2. Ezekiel was told by the Lord to prophesy against the mountains of Israel because on most of the mountains of Israel were the altars and shrines to the pagan deities.

  3. On the mountains and hills of Israel were the so-called high places where worship was taking place. Under the Law, sacrifices unto the Lord were to be offered only at the central sanctuary in Jerusalem, at the Temple. As Israel departed from the Lord and the Law, at first, sacrifices to the Lord were offered at the high places, and then idolatry infiltrated all of Israel. Altars and shrines to the foreign gods and idolatrous images were built and sacrificing to these pagan deities took place more and more. Eventually, immoral practice such as idolatrous religious prostitution became common in these high places.

  4. The pounding of fists or clapping of hands and the stamping of feet were probably, in this context, a sign of derision. Here the godly remnant (vs 8, 9) was expressing relief that God’s righteous character was being vindicated and His righteous standards maintained.

  5. The godly remnant spoken of in verses 9 and 10 included not only the remnant that returned from the Babylonian captivity but also includes the godly remnant in Israel of the last days. There has never been a complete end to the people of Israel and God has always preserved a godly remnant of Jewish believers. In Romans 11, in response to his rhetorical question, “. . . has God cast away His people?”, Paul answered, “Certainly not!” “Even so then, at this time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” (See Romans 11:1a and 5)

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Discuss the ramifications of the frequent recurrence in this chapter of the phrase “you will know that I am the Lord.” It is used not only in this chapter but more than 60 times in the book of Ezekiel. Would you consider this a promise made by the Lord or a purpose of the Lord? Who did it concern?

CHALLENGE

  1. Can you relate the word “escape” with “forgiveness”? Has the marvelous truth of God’s forgiveness touched your heart in such a way as to open your eyes to the opportunity of escape from a life of sin and loneliness? Turn to the Lord today and experience His love, compassion and grace. (Read John 3:16.)

KEY VERSES

  • “Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may have some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered through the countries.” Ezekiel 6:8



Ezekiel, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsEzekiel 6