Day 219 – Ezekiel #1

This is just 17 verses, so you would be well advised to spend the extra time reading the introduction to this book in your study bible, if you have one, to get a better overview of the author and the setting, or by watching the video below.

• Ezekiel, a priest, was born around the same time as Daniel, and they may well have been friends. You’ll remember during our look at the Kings that there were two “deportations” of groups of people before the actual destruction of Jerusalem. In the first, Daniel and some of his friends were taken, but Ezekiel was left. He was later taken during the second deportation, nine years later, when he was around 25 years old. The events of the book concern the time after his deportation to Babylon (Ezekiel 1:1), when Ezekiel was around 30.
• So, whilst in Babylon, and whilst he was standing next to a canal, who did Ezekiel see in his vision? What job was given to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 2?
• Why did Ezekiel have the job? What did the angel giving the message from God say about the Israelites?
• The Israelites that Ezekiel would be speaking to had been removed from their land already. They were exiles with him, and they might be thinking that God had left them. Do you think this would have made Ezekiel’s job harder?
• Was Ezekiel’s success linked to how the Israelites respond to the message he preached? Look at Ezekiel 2:7-8.
• What repeated phrase does the angel say to Ezekiel?
• What does Ezekiel 33 say about the importance of “doing” rather than just “hearing”? When you hear a good message at church, do you work hard to apply it to your life?

God tells Ezekiel that the people of Israel are rebellious and may well reject his message. He was told to never change his message and stand firm with God’s word. This might remind you of Jeremiah. The same was the case for Jesus, wasn’t it? He faithfully kept and preached God’s word and was rejected for it.

Nowadays, Christians who share the message of the Bible often share teaching which goes against the message that the world might say. This can be tough. Do we change the message to try and stay relevant, or do we keep the message and stay truth to God’s Word, even if people turn away from it?

Here’s today’s challenge then. How good are you at faithfully standing by God’s biblical truths, even when it’s hard, and people disagree with you? And when you share that message, do you share it in a compassionate, understanding and loving way?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiDPj-j_IfQ