The Landover Baptist Church Forum - Day 248. Ezekiel 19-21

Ezekiel 19-21

Ezekiel 19

This is a continuation of the proverb from Ezekiel 18.

2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.

We aren't necessarily told who the lioness is. It might be the whore that is Jerusalem; or it could be Jerusalem not being portrayed as a whore.

3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.

So, the lion did what lions do.

4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.

Is Easy-E talking about the time in Egypt? If so, "they" didn't capture him; "they" took them in. Ultimately "they" decided to keep them. They weren't initially captured, it wasn't until the people out-bred the Egyptians, that the Egyptians put them in captivity. Remember, Israel could have left at any time directly after the drought; they chose to stick around, because they had it easy.

The lioness then raises another lion that eats men, and this one is taken to Babylon.

Then the lioness is compared to a vine, that initially grows well, produces good fruit, but then is consumed by the dry east wind.

If the lioness raises two lions that go out and eat people, wouldn't it be best to capture the lioness?

Ezekiel 20

1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

Elders went to ask Ezekiel to ask God a question.

3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.

God said "I won't talk to you". And that's the end of Ezekiel 20.

Wait, there seems to be more.

5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

For saying he's not going to answer any questions, he sure was verbose about it. In fact, this chapter has 49 verses.

Next God says he led them to a land flowing with milk and honey.

7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

They didn't do it. So he was going to wipe them out.

9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

God didn't wipe them out, because he thought if he did, that others would perceive him as a weak god; no better than any other false god. God kept them around, so that HE could stick around; so that HE wouldn't be diminished in the sight of others. God cares about his reputation. So if God cares about his reputation, it's ok for us to. So why don't you click on that button up there to add to my reputation?

Next God uses the same language to describe how they rebelled in the wilderness.

14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

Again, God is worried about a popularity contest.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

Just the other day, we read how children aren't to be punished for their fathers actions.

God gives them one more chance, just like Little Bunny Foo Foo.

But he promises to bring them all back together, after he weeds out the bad seeds.

41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

Ezekiel 21

3 And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

God is going to use Babylon as his sword.

6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

7 And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel was such a popular prophet, that whenever he would even sigh, people knew it was a sign from the LORD.

17 I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.

If you're happy and you know it smite your hands *smite smite*

25 And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,

26 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.

God promises to remove the king.

27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.

That's a lot of overturning.

So what have we learned today?

1. God is the lioness (probably). He can't be captured, however his children can.

2. When God promises not to talk to people; he damn well does talk to them.

3. Babylon is the sword; the people are just a crappy rod that can't withstand a sword attack. God's the one waving the sword around.

YIC
V