This week,
we shall continue the study of the book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament.
The Allegory of Two Eagles: This message to the exiles is given in the form of an allegory of “twos”—two eagles, two plants, two modes of Judgement, two planes of agency (earthly and divine) and two contrasting ends (doom and hope)—all these are combined to make this allegory powerfully convincing and lasting in one's memory. They were delivered to quash the false hope in Zedekiah’s revolt against Babylon with the help of Egypt.
(1) Why does the Lord often ask Ezekiel to present his messages in dramatic acts or allegories like this one?
(2) 1st eagle (vv. 3-6)
a. How special is this 1st eagle? (v. 3)
b. What does it take hold of and carry away? (v. 4)
c. Where does it plant this top-most shoot? (v. 5)
d. How does it treat this newly transplanted vine? (v. 6)
(3) Its interpretation (vv. 12-14)
a. Who is this 1st eagle? (v. 12)
b. How is v. 4 to be fulfilled? (see its historical fulfillment in 2 Ki. 24:10-16)
c. How do vv. 13-14 give further details for vv. 5-6? (see its historical fulfillment in 2 Ki. 24:17)
(4) 2nd eagle (vv. 7-10)
a. Based on the description here, which is the more powerful eagle?
b. What does the preserved vine seek to do and why? (vv. 7-8)
c. What questions does the Lord ask and why? (vv. 9-10; see today’s introductory remark)
d. How does the Lord answer His own questions? (vv. 9-10)
(5) Its interpretation (vv. 15-21)
a. How will vv. 7-8 be fulfilled? (vv. 15-21; see its historical fulfillment in 2 Ki. 25:1-7)
b. What about the help sought from Egypt?(v. 17; 2 Ki. 24:7)
c. The reason given for the destruction of Jerusalem and her king, Zedekiah, is often spoken in terms of the breach of treaty or covenant:
- What treaties and covenants are being mentioned? (vv. 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
- Why does the Lord link the two together?
(6) The promise of a new vine (vv. 22-24)
a. Who in the future will plant the new vine?
b. How is it like and unlike the previous vine? (v. 22 versus v. 4; see Isa. 53:2 concerning the reference to the “tender shoot”)
c. Where will it be planted? (v. 23; see Isa. 2:2ff, the reference to Mount Zion)
d. What image is painted of this new Kingdom (vv. 23-24) and how does the passage from Isaiah 2:2-4 serve as its interpretation?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
For the basis of a proper understanding of this passage, please see the Note below.
18:1-4—The Proverb of Fatalism
(1) The proverb concerning inheriting the sins of the fathers (vv. 1-2)
a. What is the proverb (often) quoted by the people (in exile)? (v. 2)
b. Is it consistent with the command of the Law of Moses? (see Deut. 24:16)
c. What about Exodus 20:5; Numbers 14:18: What do they mean then?
d. What do you think is the reason why these exiles, in their situation, like to quote this proverb?
(2) In His lengthy rebuke of such denial of personal responsibility and fatalism, what principle does the Lord set as the cornerstone to His answer?(vv. 3-4)
a. What is the principle of God’s administration of justice?
b. What does it mean for God to assert that “every living soul (or person) belongs to me”?
18:5-9—The Case of a Righteous Man
(3) If a man is to be credited with righteousness, in what aspect of his life should his righteousness be expressed according to the following verses?
a. V. 6a (cf. Deut. 12:2, 13-14; 1st-4th of the Ten Commandments in Exod. 20:3-11)
b. V. 6b (see the 7th Commandment in Exod. 20:14; cf. Lev. 15:24; 18:19; 20:10, 18; Deut. 22:22)
c. Vv. 7-8 (see 8th–10th Commandment in Exod. 20:15-17; cf. Exod. 22:26-27; Lev. 19:13; 15:11; 23:19-20 etc.)
d. V. 9 (Lev. 18:1-5; Deut. 26:16-19)
(4) Why does the Lord need to comprehensively show that for a righteous person to be considered righteous, he needs to express his righteousness basically in all aspects of his life—from the 1st to the 10th Commandments in Exodus 20?
18:10-13—The Case of a Rebellious Son
(5) What are the particular sins highlighted in the case of this rebellious son? (vv. 11-13)
(6) What might be the purpose of detailing his sins as such?
(7) Why, in your opinion, would a son turn out like this one?
(8) What will his fate be? (v. 13)
(9) What is the message with this example?
18:14-18—The Case of a Righteous Son
(10) What are the particular acts of righteousness highlighted in the case of this righteous son? (vv. 15-17)
(11) What might be the purpose of detailing his acts of righteousness as such?
(12) Why, in your opinion, would a son turn out like this one even though he sees the sinful deeds of his father? (v. 14)
(13) What will his fate be? (v. 17b)
(14) How important is it for the Lord to cite such an example?
a. to you
b. to the exiles
(15) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
It should be noted that the Hebrew word, nepes is variously translated as
“living person", "life", "person" or "soul”. “Yahweh is not hereby staking His claim primarily to the non-physical
aspect of the human constitution. Such a
dichotomy was foreign to the ancient Hebrews” (NICOT, 562). However, Alexander has a point in that
“Yahweh was not talking about spiritual life and death in this passage, for the whole discussion of this book is seen in light of the Mosaic covenant. This covenant makes it very clear over and over again that the one who obeys will live physically (and enjoy the Promised Land), and the one who disobey [sic] the covenant will die physically (cf. Lev. 26; Deut. 28:58-66; 30:15-20). It is within this context that life and death are understood in this chapter. In the Old Testament, eternal life was gained only by faith in the coming Messiah (see Gen. 15:6).”
(Alexander, 60)
18:19-20—Objection by the People
(1) With respect to God’s fair treatment of the father and the son, what objection do the people have? (v. 19)
(2) Is it not in direct opposition to the first proverb that they like to quote? (v. 2)
(3) What might be behind such an objection? (see Num. 14:18)
(4) What is the Lord’s answer to their objection? (v. 20)
(5) What is the meaning of one’s righteousness being “credited” to him? (see Gen. 15:6)
18:21-24—Two Further Examples
(6) Never too late for the wicked (vv. 21-23)
a. If a person commits things that are described in vv. 11-13, do you think he has a chance of repentance? Why or why not?
b. What will happen if such a person does repent and do what is just and right? (v. 22)
c. Have you come across such a person who repents? (see Lk. 23:39-43)
d. Do you think it is fair for God to forgive such a wicked person? Why or why not?
e. What is God’s own explanation? (v. 23)
(7) Never be too sure about the self-righteous (v. 24)
a. Is it possible for a “righteous” person (as described in vv. 5-9) to turn from his righteousness and commit wickedness as the son described in vv. 11-13?
b. Why or why not? (see Note below)
c. What if this is the case? (v. 24)
18:25-32—Stubborn Objection of the People
(8) Given the answers to both their proverb (in v. 2) and their objection (in v. 19), why would they insist that “the way of the Lord is not just”? (v. 25)
(9) What is God’s answer to their charge? (vv. 25b, 29)
(10) What does the Lord reiterate in vv. 26-28? What’s His purpose?
(11) God’s final appeal (vv. 30-32)
a. How does v. 30 sum up God’s messages to them?
b. What is the key to their permanent repentance? (v. 31)
c. What is God’s message to the world today in v. 32?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
The “righteousness” as discussed here refers to “righteousness” that comes from the observance of the Law of Moses, and is only “credited to him” ultimately because of faith, as in the case of Abraham (cf. 18:20; Gen. 15:6). Without faith, there cannot be a “new heart and a new spirit” (18:31), and such a “righteousness” before the law without faith is at best self-righteousness and does not last.
Following the rebuke and call to repentance of the people in Israel in general, now the Lord asks Ezekiel to speak to the princes, i.e. the rulers of Israel in the form of a lament which is in two parts (see Note below):
19:1-9—Part 1—The Allegory of a Lion Cub
(1) How does the Lord describe the mother of this cub? (v. 2)
(2) What kind of a cub has this young one developed into? (v. 3)
(3) What happened when the nations heard about his fame? (v. 4)
(4) Who then is this cub that was captured and led to Egypt? (see 2 Ki. 23:34)
(5) In place of the first cub, what has the second cub developed into? (v. 6)
(6) How different was he from the first cub in terms of his power and influence? (v. 7)
(7) What did the nations do to this 2nd cub? (vv. 8-9)
(8) Who then is this 2nd cub? (2 Ki. 24:12; 2 Ki. 25:7)
(9) While the lioness is very obviously the nation of Israel/Judah, and irrespective of whether Jehoahaz is the 1st cub and Jehoachin is the 2nd cub (many see Zedekiah fits the profile of the 2nd cub better):
a. What is the central message of this allegory?
b. Why is this message delivered in the form of a lament?
19:10-14—Part 2—The Allegory of a Vine
(10) How does the Lord describe this “mother” vine as a nation? (vv. 10-11)
(11) What does it mean that it is “fit for a ruler’s scepter? (v. 11)
(12) What has happened to this beautiful, fruitful and mighty vine? (v. 12)
(13) What is its present condition? (v. 13)
(14) How does it fit the contemporary situation of Judah in the time of Ezekiel?
(15) What does it mean that “no strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler’s scepter”? (v. 14)
(16) As a song written to be sung, who are meant to sing this lament? Why?
(17) What is the message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
The genre
of this unit is identified in the opening command (which is) a technical term
“for a special kind of musical composition … which was composed and sung at the death of an individual, though it is also used of laments at the destruction of a nation or people”
(NICOT, 592)
As chapter 18 clearly shows us that the people in exile refuse to accept their responsibility for the demise of their nation, and it appears that the Lord’s rebuttal of their popular saying has not accomplished His purpose, He now shows these people that they, as well as their forefathers, are just as rebellious:
(1) When was the last time God showed a vision to Ezekiel? (see 8:1)
(2) With all the messages already delivered through Ezekiel, why would some of the elders come to inquire of the Lord through Ezekiel? (v. 1)
(3) What does their action signify?
(4) What is the Lord’s answer to them? (v. 3)
(5) In asking Ezekiel to judge them, the Lord confronts these elders with their sins and those of their fathers by stages, starting with the generation in Egypt (vv. 4-12)
a. Where did God choose them? (v. 5; see Exod. 2:23)
b. In what ways did God reveal His “uplifted” mighty hand and what promise did God give them? (v. 5 see Exod. 8-12 in particular)
c. How does the Lord describe the Promised Land that He would lead them into? (v. 6)
d. What kind of a people were they spiritually when in Egypt? (v. 7)
e. Had they changed because of their experience of God’s grace and mighty power? (v. 8)
f. Why then did God still come through with His promise to lead them out of Egypt? (vv. 9-10)
g. In leading them out of Egypt, what has the Lord done ...
- ... to enable them to live? (v. 11)
- What do you understand by “to live”? (see the context in Deut. 30:16)
- ...to make them holy? (v. 12)
- Why is the giving of sabbaths a sign between God and the people in order to make them holy (i.e. set them apart for Him alone)? (v. 12 is almost a word for word repetition of Exod. 31:13)
(6) What is the message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
20:13-17—The Rebellious Generation That Left Egypt
(1) “Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert” (v. 13)
a. What might be the two key events of rebellion that marked this first generation in the desert? (see Exod. 30 and Num. 14)
b. Also read Exodus 16:27 for an example of the violation of Sabbath.
(2) How did God react to their disobedience? (v. 13b; Exod. 32:10; Num. 14:12)
(3) Why did God relent from His wrath? (vv.14, 17; see Exod. 32:12; Num. 14:12-16)
(4) Though the Lord did not destroy them, what punishment did He swear to inflict upon them (i.e. the people of that generation)? (v. 15; Num. 14:26-35)
20:18-26—The Rebellious Generation That Grew up in the Desert
(5) Although the Lord appeared to have given up on the first generation in the desert, He now turns to the their children (vv. 18-20). In telling them not to follow the statutes of their fathers and their idols...
a. ... what relationship does He remind them of? (v. 19)
b. ... what specific instructions does He remind them to keep? (vv. 19-20)
(6) What happened to this 2nd generation in the desert? (v. 21)
(7) Can you remember one or two major incidents of their rebellion? (see Num.15:32 for the violation of Sabbath and Num. 16-17 for the two most notorious rebellious acts of their time)
(8) Why did God again relent from His wrath? (v. 22; Num. 16:22, 46-47)
(9) Although the Lord did not completely destroy them, what punishments does the Lord pronounce on them? (vv. 23-26)
(10) Read carefully these punishments mentioned by the Lord: When and how have they been fulfilled?
20:27-29—The Rebellious Generations in the Promised Land
(11) Were the generations that possessed the Promised Land any different from their fathers? (v. 27)
(12) What specific sins are being highlighted of these generations? (vv. 28-29)
(13) Of all these generations mentioned in this chapter, which in your opinion should bear the greatest of God's wrath? Why?
(14) What is the message to the current generation in Ezekiel’s time?
(15) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
20:30-31—The Answer to the Inquiring Elders
(1) The Lord uses some 26 verses to frame His answer to the elders who have come to inquire of Him through Ezekiel (vv. 1-3):
a. What is His answer to the inquiring elders? (v. 31b)
b. What is the reason for His answer? (vv. 30-31a)
c. In essence, is this current generation of people in exile any different from their fathers? Why or why not?
20:32-44—A Message of Unyielding, Tough Love
(2) What does the Lord accuse them of (as their core desire as a people or nation)? (v. 32a)
(3) What is God’s answer to their desire? (v. 32b) What does it mean?
(4) In promising that they could never
worship any other gods but Him (which is the essence of His answer above) ...
a. ... what kind of rule will God exercise over them? (v. 33)
b. From their scattering (i.e. exile) among many nations, where will God bring them to? (v. 35)
c. The place is called “the desert of the nations” (vv. 35-37, see Note below)
- What will happen there? (vv. 35b -36)
- While God will execute His judgment upon them, why does He call it a rod (of the shepherd)? (v. 37)
d. The purposes of the judgment (v. 38)
- What is meant by bringing them into the bond of (His) covenant?
- What will this process of purging accomplish?
- Since they are brought back to God’s covenant with them, why will they not be brought back to their physical Promised Land?
(5) Final Restoration (vv. 39-44)
a. Why does the Lord say in a sarcastic way that this current generation of His people could continue to serve idols? (v. 39)
b. What will happen in the end by God’s sovereignty? (vv. 40-42)
c. How does the Apostle Paul echo this ultimate keeping of the covenant by God? (Rom. 11:26-28)
d. In the reading of their final destiny (vv. 42-44) ...
- ... how should the generation of Israel of our days who have actually returned to their land respond to these words of the Lord?
- What have we learned about the Lord through this entire chapter?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“The desert of the nations” appears not to refer to any specific location, but is a spiritual metaphor of the wandering of the people of Israel away from the Lord and their sufferings in the hands of the nations, and from a historical perspective, this has continued even after the time of Ezekiel, basically until today. The great news is that God has never given them up nor reneged on His covenant. This message is immediately followed by the prophecy concerning their eventual restoration to Mount Zion, God’s holy mountain, upon the return of their Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.