Journal Through the Bible: Week 84 Wednesday

Ram's horn shophar

Ezekiel 32:17-33:33

In the twelfth year of captivity one that had been spared came to Ezekiel and told him of the battle against Jerusalem.

Does God issue any commands?

• In the twelfth year and on the fifteenth day the LORD told Ezekiel to wail for the multitude of Egypt that were going to die, slain by the sword. These were warriors that had caused terror in other people. Now they were going to die just as those they had slain.
• God told Ezekiel to speak to the Israelites and say that if a watchman sounds an alarm and the people ignore it their blood is on their own hands but those who heed the warning shall live. If the watchman does not sound the alarm the people he will have the blood of the people who die on his hands. God told Ezekiel that he was God's watchman who was to sound the warning to the people.
• God told Ezekiel to warn the wicked Israelites of the consequences of their sins and to teach them of repentance.
• After Ezekiel had received the news about Jerusalem's destruction God told Ezekiel to tell those that lived in the waste lands that because they ignored His commandments they would not inherit the land. They would die. 

Does God make any promises?

• God promised a mighty slaughter of the Egyptians and those of Asshur, Elam, Meshech, Tubal, Edom, and Zidon.
• Asshur, Elam, Meshech, Tubal, Edom, and the Zidonians would also be slain. Their deaths would temporarily comfort Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Then he also would be killed.
• If the wicked repent of their wickedness and make restitution God would forgive the sinner and would never mention the sin again!
• When God told the wicked inhabitants that thought to inherit the land that they would die and the land would be desolate He said that this would cause people to know that He is the LORD. And when it would come to pass they would know that Ezekiel was a prophet among them.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Through Ezekiel God was teaching the Israelites lessons of repentance and faith. He told them that He had no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that they would live if they turned from their sins. This is a picture of salvation through Jesus Christ. If they ignored God's warning the righteousness of the righteous would not save them. Jesus is the only righteous person. Scripture tells us that "there is none righteous, no not one" meaning that no other human has righteousness in himself. Only Jesus can claim righteousness in Himself.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• Not that I identified.