17 September 2002

Text: Ezekiel 33

THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM

This was noted by Ezekiel

"Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
'Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day- the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day."
Ezekiel 24:1

NEWS OF THE FALL OF JERUSALEM

"And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, that one had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, 'The city has been captured.'"
Ezekiel 33:21

A 3 year span between the siege of Jerusalem and the fall of Jerusalem is to be noted between these two texts!

THE HAND OF THE LORD UPON EZEKIEL

Ezekiel noted that God's hand upon him had made him "mute"
Ezekiel 33:22 (Cp. Ezekiel 3:26)

God released Ezekiel from being mute

"Now the hand of the Lord had been upon me the evening before the man 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."
Ezekiel 33:22

THE ARROGANCE OF ISRAEL DESPITE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM

"Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
'Son of man, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel are saying,
'Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land.
But we are many, the land has been given to us as a possession.'"
Ezekiel 33:23

REBUKE OF THE ARROGANT AND FOOLISH

God rebuked Israel for its arrogance and foolishness (What a combination!)

"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God:
'You eat meat with blood, you lift up your eyes to idols,
and shed blood. Should you then possess the land?
You rely on your sword, you commit abominations,
And you defile one another's wives. Should you possess the land?'
Ezekiel 33:25-26

God highlighted some of the sins that Israel never repented of. For these reasons, Israel would not be allowed to possess the land!

PRONOUNCEMENT OF UTTER RUIN

"Say thus to them, 'Thus says the Lord God:
'As I live, surely those who are in ruins shall 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.'
For I will make the land most desolate, her arrogance shall cease, and the mountains
Of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will pass through."
Ezekiel 33:27-28

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD

"Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land most desolate because of all the abominations which they have committed."
Ezekiel 33:29

SPIRITUAL INSIGHT OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO EZEKIEL

"As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the household; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, 'Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.'
So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear your words, but they do not do them"
Ezekiel 33:30-32

1. Ezekiel had earned the respect of the Jews
2. They recognized that he was one who had authority as far as the teaching and preaching of the Lord's word was concerned
3. People gathered themselves to listen to Ezekiel politely as he expounded God's Word.
4. But they were only hearers and not doers!
5. Their hearts pursued other interests!

WHEN GOD'S WORD IS FINALLY FULFILLED

"And then this comes to pass- surely it will come- then they will know that a prophet has been among them"
Ezekiel 33:33

1. Ezekiel was more than just a man to be respected
2. He was more than a man with a message
3. He was a special messenger of the Lord, for he was a prophet of God!
4. The people would realize too late how they had failed to regard this special servant of God as His prophet