DBG - September 2 - Ezekiel 10-13

In this chapter the glory of the Lord departs the Temple.

vs. 1-16 – This scene combines elements from the previous two chapters along with the first chapter of the book.  We see the cherubim surrounding God’s throne.  The “man clothed in linen” from Ezekiel 9:2 reappears, this time participating in the judgment and not marking those who would be saved from it.  It is now clearer that this is the Preincarnate Christ.  The judgment is seen in the fiery coals.

vs. 17-19 – God marked His approval of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and the Temple (I Kings 8:1-11, I Chronicles 7:1-3) by the shekinah glory filling those structures.  It was the visible sign of His presence in the Most Holy Place above the Ark of the Covenant.  Here the reverse happens.  God removes His presence and His glory from the Temple.  This vision predates the fall of Jerusalem by about 6 years.  When the Second Temple was built after the Captivity, it did not have shekinah glory of the former structures. 

vs. 20-22 – Further descriptions of the cherubim linking this vision to Chapter 1.

In this chapter judgment and restoration for Israel are pronounced.

vs. 1-13 – Ezekiel sees the same 25 men from Ezekiel 8:16 that were princes of Judah engaged in idolatry.  These denied the coming judgment and the prophet speaks against them.  The prophesy of that they would be judged “in the border of Israel” refers to the king and officials that were taken before Nebuchadnezzar in 2 Kings 25:1-21.  As Ezekiel closes his message, one of the 25 men named Pelatiah (“deliverance of the Lord”) dies.

vs. 14-21 – The two-fold prophecy of restoration.  First, referring to the return from the Babylonian Captivity.  Second, as seen in the End Times with the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom.  The spiritual revival seen here matches the second better.

vs. 22-23 – The shekinah glory had rested east of the city since its removal from the Temple in the previous chapter.  This must refer to the Mount of Olives.  This location ties to the Messiah who would depart from this spot in His Ascension (Acts 1:9-12) and will return to the same location (Zechariah 14:4).

vs. 24-25 – The vision ends and Ezekiel faithfully reports it.

In this chapter Ezekiel gives more object lessons on the coming judgment.

vs. 1-7 – Ezekiel gives another object lesson to show the judgment coming on Jerusalem and its king. He is to pack up his belongings, leave his home through a hole in the wall, cover his face so he cannot see where he is going, and then carry his belongings to a new house.

vs. 8-16 – The graphic picture is interpreted.  What Ezekiel has been acting out is the fate of Zedekiah, who would attempt to flee Jerusalem only to be caught by the Babylonians and blinded (II Kings 25:1-30; Jeremiah 39:4, 52:1-34).

vs. 17-20 – The next object lesson is Ezekiel eating and drinking as if he were afraid or hunted.  This pictured the reaction of Judah to the judgment coming on them.

vs. 21-28 – The false prophets had denied the coming judgment, saying that if it were to occur it would be a very long ways into the future.  God would prove them wrong.

In this chapter the work of the false prophets if revealed.

vs. 1-7 – The false prophets are compared to wild foxes that burrow and destroy fences.  Instead of helping Judah prepare for what was coming, they were making the situation worse.

vs. 8-16 – The work of the false prophets is compared to a worker plastering over a failing wall instead of reinforcing it. 

vs. 17-23 – The women were making and selling amulets with supposed powers to forestall the coming judgment.  These vain attempts to block God’s plan would be of no effect.

The phrase that startled me in today reading is how the false prophets are said to “prophesy out of their own hearts”.  This description is used a handful of times in Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  It is frightening to me as a preacher to see how many still do this in the name of the Lord.  There is so much foolishness and falsehoods that are born out of the desires and machinations of the human heart that are passed around today as immortal truth.  We must base truth on something greater than our gut.

Our hymn today is “The Stony Heart” written by Joseph Hart.  It reflects the need of Ezekiel 11:19 for a new heart.

O for a glance of heavenly day,
To take this stubborn heart away,
And thaw, with beams of love divine,
This heart, this frozen heart of mine.

The rocks can rend; the earth can quake;
The seas can roar; the mountains shake:
Of feeling, all things show some sign,
But this unfeeling heart of mine.

To hear the sorrows Thou hast felt,
O Lord, an adamant would melt:
But I can read each moving line,
And nothing moves this heart of mine.

Thy judgments, too, which devils fear—
Amazing thought! unmoved I hear;
Goodness and wrath in vain combine
To stir this stupid heart of mine.

But something yet can do the deed;
And that dear something much I need:
Thy Spirit can from dross refine,
And move and melt this heart of mine.