I am hoping to clear up enough class time so we can visit Temple B'nai Israel, so let's plan on doing *all* of Ezekiel for next time. Please read my study questions on Ezekiel. Then read Chapters 1-12, 33, and 37 of Ezekiel itself.What do you find here that suggests that Ezekiel's message was a burden? Are there any passages that particularly well reflect hope, beauty, faith in the triumph of justice, or anything else that makes that burden worth bearing?
First of all, I thought it was interesting that throughout the assigned passages, Ezekiel was constantly referred to as "son of man" by God, which to me seems like a less intimate connection. It might be a little more intimidating for Ezekiel, being more separated in this way.
ReplyDeleteMoving on, right away in chapter 3, we get an idea of how hard it is going to be for Ezekiel to get God's message across.
3:7 ~ But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel [are] impudent and hardhearted.
And in 33:31-32, it mentions that they are listening to the messages, and they express their love with their mouths, but they don't really adhere to it. They just think of him as having a "pleasant voice." This would seem to me like a major burden, as well as tragic.
Additionally, his message isn't really hope-filled, with such passages as follows...
6:12 ~ He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.
7:11 ~ Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them [shall remain], nor of their multitude, nor of any of theirs: neither [shall there be] wailing for them.
Basically, wherever you go, you are sure to die. The second passage exemplifies the fact that none of them are gonna make it out.
In 12:27, it mentions that those that are hearing his words just assume that he might be prophesying about something in the distant future, and that it's not an immediate threat to them. This also makes it harder on Ezekiel.
On top of that, in both chapters 3 and 33, the passages read that God will be holding Ezekiel accountable for every wicked person he doesn't try and save. The blood would be on Ezekiel's hands. Not a comforting thought.
For all these difficult things, there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel, right?
In chapter 37, it's all about a huge revival for Israel. Not only that, but Israel and Judah will be united again, never to divide. God says he is going to cleanse and renew them and their land.
37:23 ~ Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
37:26 ~ Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
That seems to me like this is what would make those burdens worth bearing.
Well... He did well to describe almost everything. So I will use some other areas, I guess.
ReplyDeleteIn 8:7 "... Even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations."
This seems to be telling him, "look things are so bad that where ever you look things are bad. It had to be hard to see these things, then assume that you could help change it.
In 33:4-6 is an example of the telling people that they are going to have a chance of being saved, But everything falls onto one man watching out for them. Also in that chapter he must go forth and tell the people what they are doing wrong. How often would the people actually listen? Not many listened to the other prophets.
Chapter 37 is for the rebirth of Israel as Aaron said. God was going to revive them like the bones he showed Ezekiel in 37:5-11
The things I find in Ezekiel that reflects a burden is that the who say they believe in Gods words but behind closed doors they do of work idolatry will be dealt with anger by God.
ReplyDeleteIn Ezekiel it also shows hope in Eze 11:17-20, saying that God will give them back the land of Israel and the people will return and get rid of the vile images and idols, also give them hearts of flesh rather stone and that people will become his people and he will be their God.
Ezekiel's message is a burden because of all the horrible things that God tells him he will do to the people of Israel and Judah, but what makes it an even more terrible burden is the fact that God is placing the message to the people on his shoulders. 4:4-5 says "lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side...for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel." 4:6 says "After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days..." These verses show how Ezekiel carried the burden of Israel and Judah.
ReplyDeleteWhile the message is a great burden, chapter 11 shows hope. 11:18 says "They will return to it (the land of Israel) and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them." This shows that while God will punish them for their wrongdoings, he will then bring them back to their land and set the remaining peoples straight again.
There were a lot of examples of how Ezekiel's message could be a burden. The following are ones that stood out to me.
ReplyDelete2:3-5 -> The people are stubborn, disobedient, and rebellious. 7 also shows that they won't listen, and 10 warns that the message won't be a good one.
3:7 -> God warns that they won't listen despite the warning in verse 16.
7:25 -> The people will want peace but they won't get it.
There are also a lot of passages that show it's a burden worth bearing. Here are a few that I found best illustrated it:
3:21 ->God tells Ezekiel that there are some who will hear and be saved by the message.
11:13-25, especially 19-20 -> God tells what will happen to those who aren't destroyed. He promises to give them "one heart" and that they will follow God's ways.
14:22-23 -> again God tells that some will be saved, and that should be a comfort to Ezekiel.
33 7-15 -> God tells Ezekiel that he won't be held accountable for those who hear his message but don't follow it.
Tyler Munson
ReplyDelete4:5 i have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sins.
Inn this passage God gives the son of man the burdan of paying for his peoples sins for 390 days he must do this. Over and over again the Hebrews kept going away from God. But why? Maybe they were simply tired of worsoping something they couldn't see. What ever the case god made it clear that we are all at fault if one of us fall off the path.
Ezekiel 33:6-7, "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood. Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me." Ezekiel knows that he must prophecy to a people that have ears but do not hear, who have eyes but do not see and yet he must warn them. Even if it saves the life of just one of them because God places this much importance on his people.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes this a burden worth bearing? "Say to them, As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel (33:11)?" I think this verse is beautiful because it shows just how much God loves his people. Over and over God tells of the judgement that will come to his people, but you can see in this verse He truly loves His people and just wants them to turn back to Him.
God shows Ezekiel in 37 that He alone can restore his people and give dry bones life! "Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord." The thing that makes this a burden worth bearing is that Ezekiel knows that he serves a loving and just God and He alone has the power to restore His people back to life!
It was a burden because of the awful things God would do to the people of Judah if they did not listen. It was also a burden to him because the people were so arrogant, and stubborn, and most likely not to listen. It was a burden because the news was not good news, he knew it wouldnt go over well with the people, and he knew they werent going to listen to him so it would be a burden and waste of time to him
ReplyDeleteR. Casey Oberle
i would say it is a burden because of what God threatened to do. it seems that in in ezekial 33:1-9 its a burden that if you dont do what God says, that every one really has a burden that they carry. but in the following verses, it gives a chance for you to repent on what you have done.
ReplyDeletejason.s
Ezekiel is told by god that this will not be an easy talk. That the people he will face are going to be hostile towards him and threaten him, “And thou, son of man, be no afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed by their looks, though they be a rebellious house.” Anyone who is given this message should be weary of the job they now have to fulfill.
ReplyDeleteGod gives Ezekiel a message with better inclinations when he tells Ezekiel that he will bring the two tribes back together, one kingdom under one king. Peace and prosperity is always something that we hope for, and would be worth bearing a burden.
In this book, Ezekiel’s message is definitely a burden. Once again a prophet must tell Israel that they are on the wrong path. In 2:4-6 God tells him that they are stubborn and disrespectful and that he is basically being thrown into a pit of scorpions and evil-doers. I feel bad for the guy. It’s also a burden because he must give them this message, but in 3:7 God tells him that they won’t listen to him. In 4:9-12 God tells Ezekiel all the things he must do because of Israel and that is a huge burden within itself. This is a huge burden for Ezekiel because he didn’t ask for any of this, he was called. 4:14 Ezekiel is appalled at what he must eat. “Then said I, Ah Lord God! Behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.” THEN in 5:1 God tells him to shave off all of his hair, on his head and face. Sad day. In the rest of chapter 5 God says all the awful things He is going to do to Jerusalem and He’s not going to have any pity on them.
ReplyDeleteI think one thing that makes this burden worth bearing is just the beautiful image that he got to see in the first chapter. I know this has nothing to do with Israel and their redemption, but it seems like it was a sight to see and for God to show this to Ezekiel it shows that he is special and was specifically chosen.
Ezekiel's story is repeating what had been happening to the people of Israel for a long time. The people at the time professed their love of god and their respect for the messages of his prophets, but in reality they simply did not act on any warnings. It is interesting to relate this to the earlier teachings of the Torah, "do not pray at the temple, instead pray at home where no one can hear you". It seems several people are just putting on a face for the recognition of their peers. Any burden is worth bearing if it is a burden that is just. All throughout history we see this: The resistance of the Polish to the nazis, the fight for freedom in the American revolution, and even the civil rights movement of the 60's. We all bear burdens and the important thing is to make sure the burden is indeed just, so that it is indeed "worth" bearing.
ReplyDeleteEzekiel's inspired message would have been burdensome for probably anyone designated to give it - "...thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel: An end!" (7:1) This is very negative and would provoke fear and retaliation in many. However, there is a positive aspect to his message in which shows hope and the triumph up justice - "...I will leave some of you alive...scattered through the countries...and they shall know that I am the Lord." (6:8-10) Among God's seemingly harsh words of death and almost certain destruction, He is saying that there will, in the long run, be prosperity and justice that will come from these trying times. When the surrounding lands find out about His demonstration of harsh judgments they will turn away from their false idols and gluttonous ways and become right in the sight of the Lord. Therefore, even though hardship will come, remembrance of God's wrath will remain with the survivors and spread throughout all of the people, thus saving many more than will be slain. This message, therefor, when looked at closer, is predominately hopeful and foreshadows justice over violence.
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