Today’s passage: Ezekiel 33

Helpful thoughts:

• After many prophecies concerning the nations surrounding Israel, the focus now returns to the people of Israel.
• Ezekiel is called the “Watchman” for Israel.  He is responsible to warn the people concerning what he sees.  How the people respond is their own responsibility.
• Those who are considered “Righteous” in the world’s eyes still fall short and have sin in their lives, which must be justly punished.  But, those who are deemed as wicked can “surely live.” (Verses 12-16)
  • The one thing that is needed for all of them to see the salvation of the Lord is…repentance.  (Romans 10:9-13)

Questions to consider:

1. Does God take pleasure in seeing the wicked suffer?  What response is pleasing to God? (Verse 11)
2. What does it appear the people were trusting in to get possession of the land in verses 24-26?  Does it look like they understood that God had given the land and He could take it away, or did they think they were to occupy it in their own strength?  What did they want more, to have the land or to be pleasing to God (2 Corinthians 5:9)?
3. What kind of a situation is the passage in verses 30-33 describing?  What were the people who listened to Ezekiel “enjoying?”  What was the disconnect if they were “enjoying” his messages but continuing to live in sin and pursuing selfish gain?  What might this look like if we saw it happening in our church buildings today?

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 32

Helpful thoughts:

• There are two statements against Egypt in this chapter:  Verses 1-16 and 17-32.
• In verses 1-16, the Pharaoh (Who sees himself as a mighty lion) is instead likened to a dragon (Or possible a crocodile in the Nile River). His destruction will later result in the healing of the land (Verse 14).
• In verses 17-32, Egypt joins the other nations whom the Lord has judged in the “Pit,” or the place of the dead (Verse 18).  All of the nations whom Israel and Judah had abandoned the Lord for will be dead in the grave.

Questions to consider:

1. What was the nature of Pharaoh’s blindness to the reality of who he was and who God is?  Where would he have thought his power came from?  Why was he doing the wrong things even if he thought he was doing the right things?
2. Why would it matter then that Pharaoh (And all Egypt…and all the world) would know that God is the LORD?
3. In what way would the knowledge of the Lord among the nations bring gladness (Psalm 67:4)?  What is the greatest importance of missions to the nations (Matthew 28:19-20)?

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 31

Helpful thoughts:

• Pharaoh had not been able to prevent the Lord from bringing about the destruction of Assyria.  Neither would he be able to prevent the downfall of his own nation, Egypt.
• Verse 9 makes it clear again who was responsible for the strength and beauty of Assyria at its height, the Lord Himself.
  • There is no pride to be had by any nation for its accomplishments. (Proverbs 21:1)
• “The most ruthless of nations” (Verse 12) refers to Babylon.

Questions to consider:

1. Why might it be surprising that God rightfully is to be credited with the rise and fall of every empire and nation?  What perspective does it give us when we think of the nations of the world?  Is there anything that is not under His sovereign command?
2. Pharaoh could have certainly disagreed with Ezekiel’s prophecy, but would that have mattered?  Could Pharaoh have won an argument or a battle against God’s will?  What is the only right response to God’s revealed will?
3. What has God decreed for sinful mankind and what is the only way of salvation and life? (Romans 6:23)  How must we respond to this truth today if we desire rescue?

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 30

Helpful thoughts:

• “The day of the Lord” is a term of judgment.
• Verses 4-5 contain other nations surrounding Egypt.  Verses 13-19 mention several cities within Egypt.
• In this judgment, God says He will “break the arms” of the king of Egypt, causing him to drop his sword, and He will “put my sword” in the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.

Questions to consider:

1. What phrase do we see over and over at the end of each promise of judgment?  Why is it so important that we are reminded the nations will know that God is the LORD?
2. How does remembering that God is the LORD help us each day to live for Him?  How can it give us peace?  How can it give us confidence to follow Him?  How can it give us hope in the midst of hardship?

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 29

Helpful thoughts:

• Our attention now turns away from Tyre and on to Egypt for the next few chapters.
• The Egyptians believed they were responsible for their own greatness (Verse 3) and they sinned against God’s people (Verses 6-9).  For these reasons, judgment was coming…that the people of Egypt would “know that I am the LORD.”
• Due to the timing of the fulfilment of this prophecy, Ezekiel’s ministry would be vindicated in the eyes of the people in his lifetime (Verse 21).

Questions to consider:

1. What similarities are found in this chapter and those that came before it?  What were the sins of the leaders and people of Egypt?
2. Why do we have the good things we have?  Who deserves the praise and thanksgiving for the things we enjoy in this life? (James 1:17)
3. How can pride in our possessions reveal what our hearts truly value most?  What is the greatest gift God has given us (Ephesians 2:8-9)?  How does that knowledge help us to better evaluate and steward the temporal possessions God would entrust to us?

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 28

Helpful thoughts:

• Men who begin to think themselves gods have a very low view of the true God.  To a man who believes he is a god, the true God says, “You shall die…for I have spoken, declares the Lord.”
• In verses 12-19 it appears the Lord parallels the fall of the king of Tyre and the fall of Satan.
  • A similar parallel is found in Isaiah 14.
  • Whenever a created being says in his heart, “I will make myself like the Most High,” a great humbling is coming!  The LORD does not share His glory with any other (Isaiah 42:8).
• Sidon, who will also see God’s judgment is a nearby sister city to Tyre.  They are often mentioned together in other Old Testament texts (e.g. Jeremiah 47:4).

Questions to consider:

1. What is the danger of having a low (incorrectly thinking less of God than He truly is) view of God?  What does an accurate view of God demand of us (Romans 11:33-12:2)?
2. What is the result of God’s judgment against the unbelieving nations for His people?  What will the end of all opposition against Israel result in?
3. God judged Israel and Judah by spreading them out among the nations, what will He do to save and less them in the end (Verse 25)?  How does this gathering also mirror the promise of Christ in Matthew 16:18?  How is God gathering a people for Himself today?

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 27

Helpful thoughts:

• The poetry in this chapter likens the city of Tyre (Surrounded by water) to a beautiful merchant ship.
• No matter how beautiful the ship, no matter how wonderful the goods it contains, it is no match for the sea.  God would bringing judgment on Tyre and there was no beauty, wealth or international coalition that could stop it.
• The final verses speak of the dread of all the surrounding peoples who had done business with Tyre.  As Tyre fell, so would the economies of all these other nations who relied so heavily on her.

Questions to consider:

1. We often view the quality of our own lives by these economic circumstances, but what would 2 Corinthians 5:9 or Matthew 6:33 lead us to focus on?  If my definition of “blessing” is wrapped up in prosperity and ease, how will I begin to evaluate what is a good or evil action?
2. If our hearts hold God in the right regard, why would the fall of an economic center like Tyre not result in the same “horror” as felt by the people in that region whose hopes were centered around their prosperity?
3. In what ways has what God promised us in Christ through the Gospel so much better that what we may desire in present prosperity?  How do these truths help us to better handle earthly prosperity should it come?

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 26

Helpful thoughts:

• Today’s pronouncement of judgment is against the city of Tyre.  Chapter 26 is the first of three chapters which are devoted to the destruction of Tyre.
• Tyre was a wealthy city of international trade surrounded by water just off the coast of modern day Lebanon.  It’s location made the people feel extra secure, safe from any attack.
  • It was conquered originally by Nebuchadnezzar.  Later, Alexander the Great made a causeway to connect the city to the mainland.
• The chapter could be outlined this way:
  • Verses 1-6 – The reason for judgment
  • Verses 7-14 – The method of judgment
  • Verses 15-18 – The international response to judgment
  • Verses 19-21 – The permanence of the judgment

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways are we reminded concerning where our safety and our strength comes from?  Who is our safety?  Who is our strength? (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)
2. How does this help us to also redefine strength and safety in ways the world would not understand?  Was Tyre ever truly “safe” simply because of its location?  Was Nebuchadnezzar truly strong because of his own armies? (Daniel 4:29-33)
3. How does Colossians 3:1-4 help us to answer these questions?  Where are believers hidden in safety for the day when the final victory is won?