eternity bible study

A closer look into God revealing His glory through the nation Israel

Ezekiel prophecies against an unnamed ruler called Gog. This ruler will have a lot of other nations with him to invade the land of Israel. But God says he will be controlling this invasion, and that he will draw them to Israel with hooks in their jars. In other words, God is using all these other nations for his purposes just like he used the Babylonians to invade Israel before. God says he will be bringing these nations to attack Israel in order that he might vindicate his holy name. He will defeat all of these nations so that all nations will know that he is God. These chapters end with a very hopeful note that God then will restore his grace on the land of Israel and will restore the land of Israel. He says that he will not hide his face anymore from them, and he will pour out his Spirit on the house of Israel.

God tells Ezekiel to prophesy against Gog A future ruler who lived in the land of Magog, possibly representing modern-day Russia, and the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal possibly representing modern-day Turkey. God says he will be using these people to muster great armies that will come from the north south east and west against the nation Israel. He will defeat these great armies so that all nations will know that he is God. We see another example of God using nations to do his will. His will is the vindicate his name, so that all people will know he is God.

Our lesson comes today from one of the most famous chapters in the Bible, The valley of dry bones. It’s a lesson from a graveyard. Israel was spiritually dead. Israel was physically dead. There was no hope. People were just dried up. People were cut off. It’s a picture of many Christian lives today whether you’re spiritually dead or whether you’re physically dead, God is sovereign. God uses the faith of one person, Ezekiel, to prophesy to the bones gods word. And God raises the dead. God restores the breath of life to the nation Israel. The purpose is to reunite the nation Israel with one another and also with a God who loves them and wants to live with them. The chapter begins in a surreal picture of death, but ends with a picture of comforting hope. You may also think you are spiritually dead or your life is broken, dried up, without hope, or cut off. But God shows what his words can do. He shows he is sovereign over the most hopeless situations we may have.

Ezekiel gives a prophecy against the bad shepherds of Israel. These Shepherd’s have not taken care of the sheep. God will bring the shepherds down. And we see a contrast to the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, who will one day restore his sheep. God promises a new hope for Israel a new king, a new Israel, with a new heart, and a new spirit. God promises a covenant of peace. This is a metaphor for the new covenant relationship that we will have in the gospel message. The nations around Israel will be brought down as well, so that they will know that God is sovereign. God even promises the land itself will be restored from all the people claiming authority over his holy land. God says he will do this first and foremost to restore his holy name and his holiness over this land.

The example of the watchmen. The example of the bad watchmen, like a false prophet. The example of God’s watchmen today when we don’t warn the wicked. God uses his word and his watchmen to war in the wicked. God takes no pleasure in seeing people die, even the wicked, but he must judge sin. God is a just God, the wicked and the righteous will be judged. The fugitive from Jerusalem comes to vindicate Ezekiel‘s prophecy that Jerusalem had fallen. The land will be judged as well, and will be made a wasteland. God calls out even the people who talk about the warning. Many people just talk about it and don’t do anything about it. Many people are worshiping without any reverence at all.

We get a very sobering look into the experience of death, as Ezekiel prophecies against the great Egyptian Pharaoh. As great as Egypt was, as great a ruler as Pharaoh was, everyone who rejects God ends up the same way. Everyone ends up dead together. The great, the meek, the rich, the poor, all end up dead together. It’s a sobering look at the final commonality of those who reject God.

Ezekiel now gives a prophecy against Egypt. Egypt was the oldest kingdom. It had so much knowledge, power, and history behind it. Pharaoh was very prideful. As with the other kingdoms, God judges their pride, and uses Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to conquer this kingdom. The purpose for this was to show the people God is in control. It is a sober reminder for us when we get wrapped up in personal pride.

Have you ever wondered how bad pride is? We see it in these chapters today. Pride brings down the city of Tyre, a great and powerful merchant city. Also, a prophecy against the prince of Tyre. Through Ezekiel‘s prophecy, God likens the pride of king of Tyre to that of the pride of Satan. Both are brought down because of their pride. A powerful lesson for us today.

Now God directs Ezekiel to turn and prophesy against surrounding nations. Against Ammon, against Moab, against Edom, against Philistia. God also directs Ezekiel to prophesy against the city of Tyre