Sunday: Guilty, Defiled, and Doomed: Ezekiel 22:1-22

In Ezekiel 22:1-12, three grievous sins are named: the shedding of innocent blood, the worship of false gods, and the profaning of that which was sacred (the holy things and the Sabbath). Officials in Jerusalem were accepting bribes, condemning innocent people to death so others could gain their properties. They defiled the temple with false idols, and by worshiping God hypocritically. In Ezekiel 22:9-11, Ezekiel then exposed their immorality. In Ezekiel 22:13-22, God strikes His hands angrily, pronouncing judgment.

Monday: Debased-Deceitful-Disappointing: Ezekiel 22:23-31

All of Judah’s society is shown guilty as the prophet

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 22:1-24:27

Memory Verse: “”So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30

Introduction:

Judah has committed social sins (injustice and violence against humanity), and sins directly against God. The sins against their fellow man have resulted in their “guilt,” and for this they are deserving of punishment. For their sins directly against God have resulted in their “defilement,” meaning they were unfit to appear in God’s presence. The

Sunday: Three Men: Ezekiel 18:1-18

Ezekiel refutes the erroneous proverb that God would punish children for the sins of their fathers (Ezekiel 18:1-4). The truth is illustrated by imagining three men in the same family. It begins with a righteous father: a man who keeps God’s law and would not die because of sin (Ezekiel 18:4-9). He avoids sinful offenses and models godly virtues. His unrighteous son (Ezekiel 18:10-13) models sinful behavior and wickedness and will die for it. The third man (Ezekiel 18:14-18) is the son of the second man. He follows after his grandfather’s righteous living. He isn’t

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 18:1-21:32

Memory Verse: “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.” Ezekiel 18:21

Introduction:

Excuses. When bad things befall us, it seems we always want to put the blame for it on someone or something else. We hear things like, “If it wasn’t for my parents, I would have turned out better,” or “If it wasn’t for our government, we’d be able to prosper so much better,” or “If the school I

Sunday: Worthless Vine: Ezekiel 15:1-8

During the reign of David and the early years of Solomon, Israel was a fragrant and fruitful vine. When Solomon introduced idolatry into their customs, the nation began to bear “wild grapes” (Isaiah 5:2). Ezekiel points out how worthless a vine is that has become unfruitful. Wood from a grapevine is worthless. Even as fuel for a fire its quality is poor. As the parable teaches, God’s people had become utterly worthless—a very difficult message to receive.

Monday: A Great Love: Ezekiel 16:1-14

Israel is depicted as a child, unwanted and unloved, who was abandoned

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 15:1-17:24

Memory Verse: “”Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.” Ezekiel 16:60

Introduction:

Why do bad things happen to nice people in this life? Jerusalem’s siege and destruction was a horrible deathtrap to its inhabitants. Were these people drastically different than us? Some people are forced to suffer pain and sorrow more than others. It seems unfair, and its purpose often eludes us as we end up asking, “Why?”

God uses trials and even calamities for a twofold purpose: both

Sunday: Sermon in a Knapsack: Ezekiel 12:1-16

The prophet is told to play the part of a fugitive escaping from a besieged city. He packs a knapsack and leaves it a distance from his house, to show that Jerusalem’s leaders were planning an escape. Digging through the wall of his house symbolized the besieging army. Leaving through the hole in his house was a sign of the Jewish leaders trying to flee. But they would be caught. It would all happen just as Ezekiel portrayed!

Monday: A Meal of Fear: Ezekiel 12:17-28

Shaking and trembling as if in fear, Ezekiel

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 12:1-14:23

Memory Verse: “‘For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,’ says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 12:25

Introduction:

The cohesive message of the last lesson, covering Ezekiel 8-11, could be summarized as: “Nothing escapes God’s notice.” He sees all, He hears all, and He knows all. Due to the abominations and idolatry, God would abandon Judah, leaving it to the whim of the Babylonian army. This

Sunday: The Temple Defiled: Ezekiel 8:1-18

After a renewed vision of God’s awesome glory (Ezekiel 8:1-2), Ezekiel is shown four panoramas of Judah’s gross idolatry taking place within God’s holy temple: (1) the “image of jealousy” (an idol), named such because idolatry provokes the Lord who is jealous over His people (Deuteronomy 32:21); (2) 70 elders burning incense to images of idols painted on the walls of a secret chamber; (3) women at the temple gate involved in a heathen ritual to Tammuz (a fertility god); (4) 25 men at the temple door, openly bowing down to the sun. In

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 8:1-11:25

Memory Verse: “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:19-20

Introduction:

Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 8-11 is united as a whole unit under the theme of God’s departing glory. Ezekiel 8:1-3 is directly comparable to Ezekiel 11:24-25. Ezekiel 8 is a deeper explanation