Look at this! Chapter 35 has only 15 verses. Ezekiel wrote his theme verse four times, three addressed personally to readers. Then you will know that I AM the Lord. His final reference notes that at the sight of Israel’s desolation, the nations will know I AM the Lord. Again…
God called Ezekiel to speak to and against Israel’s shepherds, or leaders. Shepherds should not only consider their own interests, but also those of the people they lead. They take care of themselves well, with the best, but they do not take care of the people. What should it look…
Last week, God reestablished Ezekiel as a watchman to warn Israel of impending judgment. This next section in chapter 33 is out of chronological order by a few months. The scene opened with a fugitive who escaped from Jerusalem reporting Jerusalem’s fall to Ezekiel. Read Ezekiel 33:21-22. The evening before…
At the beginning of this scene, the Lord established Ezekiel as a “watchman” for the Israelites. “Ezekiel had already been commissioned as a ‘watchman’ (Ezek. 3:17), but God renewed this commission because Ezekiel’s message was being changed to one of future cleansing of the people and hope for their return…
Not quite two years after the previous section addressed to Pharaoh, the Lord called Ezekiel to write a lament for Pharaoh. The lament he wrote served as a song to mourn the death of Egypt and its people.1 Again, Ezekiel used several words to describe Egypt’s destruction to convey there…
Ezekiel wrote this prophecy against Egypt’s Pharaoh less than a year after his words against the ruler in chapter 29. He reflected on Egypt’s status before the Lord’s judgment to come and compared it to Assyria, also a major kingdom. This chapter is a contrast between being exalted and lifted…
In the previous chapter, God’s words turned toward Egypt. Within the prophesy, we read God would strike Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar’s hand. Ezekiel continued to emphasize that by God’s actions toward Egypt, they—the nations—would know I AM is the Lord. Read Ezekiel 30:1-5. The day of the Lord, a day of…
In chapter 29, Ezekiel returned to one of his favorite themes, then [they] will know I AM the Lord. This section refers to Egypt—if they knew their history, they would remember how I AM delivered his people hundreds of years earlier. Read Ezekiel 29:1-6. The Lord called Ezekiel to prophesy…
This week I attended a Christian writers conference. I emphasized “Christian” because this conference is like summer camp for writers. The people who attend all bring their experiences with God and his Word to the conversation. God’s Word informs our writing, and the conference included worship and devotion times. I…
It sounds simple, but a leader leads people in a certain direction or toward a specific outcome. Specifically, a ruler exercises dominion over a city or country. The people may have very little say in how their leader will manage affairs that affect their lives. In Ezekiel 28, the Lord’s…