Ezekiel Lesson 10 Handout

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Ezekiel The Watchman and His Message

Lesson # 10 February 7th

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1) The watchmans commission (33:1-9)a) The duty of the watchman (33:1-6)

(1)The watchman and the city wall - 2 Sam 18:24-25; 2 Kings 9:17;Jeremiah 4:5; Jeremiah 6:1, Blow the trumpet in the land; Also

Hosea 8:1; Amos 3:6; Habakkuk 2:1, I will stand my watch

(2)Cf. Guard duty or a military watch!ii) The Lord as the director: I have made you a watchman (7)iii)Personal accountability: his blood I will require at the watchmans

hand

b) The function of the watchman (33:7-9)i) you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Meii) NT counterparts: Acts 20:26,27; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 13:17

2) The watchmans message (33:10-20)a) Gods gracious invitation (33:10-11)Turn, turn from your evil ways!b) The responsibility of the hearer (33:12-20)

i) Eschew self-righteousnessii) The people object: (17-20) The way of the Lord is not fair

c) NT perspective: 1 Timothy 2:4 w 2 Peter 3:93) The watchmans liberty (33:21-33)

a) The fall of Jerusalem (33:21-22)b) The Cause of Judahs Ruin (33:23-29)c) The picture of hearing but not doing (33:30-33)

4) Discussion: What are our responsibilities pertaining to the Gospel?


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Scripture: Chapter 33

Key Verse: Ezekiel 33:11, Say to them: AsI live, says the Lord GOD, I have no

pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and

live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?

Outline:

1) The watchmans commission (33:1-9)2) The watchmans message (33:10-20)3) The watchmans liberty (33:21-33)Detail:

Introduction:

The final section of Ezekiel is a message of restoration and blessing.

o Past: Her ancient enemies and their defeat (gathered in Sheol) Her sins and the deserved judgments

o Future: A future enemy (Gog and Allies Attack Israel) Ezekiel 38-39

A new city and a new Templeo Message:

Comfort for the people Hope of future restoration Blessing in the millennial kingdom

Chapters 33-34 a turning point in the book

o News of the destruction of Jerusalem reach Ezekiel and the exiles(33:21, And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in

the tenth month, on the fifth dayof the month, thatone who hadescaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, The city has been

captured!)


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o Ezekiel, formerly rendered mute only to speak when Godinstructed: 3:26-27, I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your

mouth, so that you shall be mute and not be one to rebuke them, for

they are a rebellious house.

27

But when I speak with you, I will openyour mouth, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD. He

who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they

area rebellious house

o Now (33:22) tongue loosed: Now the hand of the LORD had beenupon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And

He had opened my mouth; so when he came to me in the morning,

my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.

24:27, On that day your mouth will be opened to him who hasescaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will

be a sign to them, and they shall know that I amthe LORD.

29:21, In that day I will cause the horn of the house of Israelto spring forth, and I will open your mouth to speak in their

midst. Then they shall know that I amthe LORD

o Chapter 33 renews Ezekiels commission to be a watchmano Chapter 34 contrasts the false shepherds of Israel with the coming

true Shepherd the Messiah


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Detail:

1) The watchmans commission (33:1-9)a)

The command to speak significant in that Ezekiel had been forbidden tospeak:

i) 24:26-27, thaton that day one who escapes will come to you to let youhear itwith yourears?

27On that day your mouth will be opened to him

who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will

be a sign to them, and they shall know that I amthe LORD.

b) The duty of the watchman (33:1-6)i) The watchman and the city wall

(1)2 Sam 18:24-25, Now David was sitting between the two gates. Andthe watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted

his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone.25

Then the

watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, If he is

alone, there isnews in his mouth. And he came rapidly and drew

near.

(2)2 Kings 9:17, Now a watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and hesaw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company of

men. And Joram said, Get a horseman and send him to meet them,

and let him say, Is itpeace?

(3)Jeremiah 4:5; Jeremiah 6:1, Blow the trumpet in the land(4)Also Hosea 8:1; Amos 3:6; Habakkuk 2:1, I will stand my watch(5)Cf. Guard duty or a military watch!

ii) The Lord as the director: I have made you a watchman for the house ofIsrael (7)

iii)Note the hypothetical aspects:(1)Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2Son of man, speak

to the children of your people, and say to them: When I bring the

sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their

territory and make him their watchman,3

when he sees the sword

coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people,


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4then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take

warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be

on his own head.5

He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not

take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takeswarning will save his life.

6But if the watchman sees the sword

coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not

warned, and the sword comes and takes anyperson from among

them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at

the watchmans hand.

(2)if he blows the trumpet(3)whoever hears does not take warning(4)if the sword comes (5)if sees and does not blow the trumpet the people not

warned

iv)Personal accountability: his blood I will require at the watchmanshand

c) The function of the watchman (33:7-9)i) you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me

(1)Hear the word of the Lord(2)Warn them(3)For God!

d) NT counterparts:i) Acts 20:26,27 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of

the blood of all men.27

For I have not shunned to declare to you the

whole counsel of God

ii) 20:30-31, Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speakingperverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

31

Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to

warn everyone night and day with tears.


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iii)2 Timothy 4:5, But you be watchful in all thingsiv)Hebrews 13:17, Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for

they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them

do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable foryou.

2) The watchmans message (33:10-20)a) Gods gracious invitation (33:10-11)

i) The condition of the people: our transgressions and our sins lie uponus (10)

ii) The despair of the people: and we pine away in them (10)(1)NASB: and we are)rotting away in them(2)ESV: we rot away because of them(3)NIV: and we are wasting away because of them(4)A sense that their doom was sealed nothing could be done!

iii)Is our situation hopeless? how can we then live?iv)God still holds out His invitation of grace:

(1)The promise of the living God: AsI live, says the Lord GOD(2)God does not delight in the death of the wicked: I have no pleasure

in the death of the wicked

(3)Gods desire: that the wicked turn from his way and live(4)The command: Turn, turn from your evil ways!(5)The reason: why should you die, O house of Israel?(6)The remedy: turn from his way and live

v) NT counterpart:(1)*God+ desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of

the truth (1 Tim 2:4)

(2)The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some countslackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should

perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)


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b) The Cause of Judahs Ruin (33:23-29)i) Meanwhile back in Israel a remnant living among the ruins are

claiming the Abrahamic covenantAbraham was only one, and he

inherited the land. But we are many; the land has been given to us as a

possession.

ii) Indictment: You eat meatwith blood, you lift up your eyes toward youridols, and shed blood. Should you then possess the land?

26You rely on

your sword, you commit abominations, and you defile one anothers

wives. Should you then possess the land?

iii)Gods clean up activity: As I live, surely those who are in the ruinsshall fall by the sword, and the one who is in the open field I will give to

the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and

caves shall die of the pestilence.28

For I will make the land most

desolate, her arrogant strength shall cease, and the mountains of Israel

shall be so desolate that no one will pass through.29

Then they shall

know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land most desolate

because of all their abominations which they have committed

c) The picture of hearing but not doing (33:30-33)i) Ezekiel now the talk of the town: the children of your people are

talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and

they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, Please come

and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.ii) An outward eagerness: Please come and hear what the word is that

comes from the LORD.

iii)Outwardly accepting . Inwardly rebelling: for with their mouth theyshow much love, buttheir hearts pursue their owngain

iv)They view Ezekiel like a performance: you are to them as a very lovelysong of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an

instrument

v) Conclusion: for they hear your words, but they do not do themvi)Gods promise: in time they would come to know that that a prophet

has been among them

vii)NT perspective: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,deceiving yourselves (James 1:22)

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