Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives Copyright © Like The Master Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
John

The Glory of the Lord Departs From The Jerusalem

/in /by

Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives Our study is a shocking one! It is a serious warning to anyone who wants a relationship with God. It is a sad and sobering study, but it does have an encouraging ending. We will learn an important truth about our God as we conclude the second vision that God gave to the prophet Ezekiel. The vision began in chapter 8 and ends in chapter 11.

As we have already discovered, this second vision is primarily about the desecration of the temple in Jerusalem. Chapter 8 revealed that the Israelites were worshiping an unbelievable number of idols or false gods and goddesses and committing horrible sins. Yahweh called these sins abominations. They were sacrificing their children and engaging in gross sins, including a wide range of sexual sins. In this study we will discover why this occurred.

In chapter 9 Yahweh prophesied that His execution team would kill the wicked but protect the remnant or the righteous. He did this by having one of the angels of the execution team put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous. The executioner-angels would not kill those with the mark. In chapter 10 as the prophet continued looking into the vision, he saw the glory of the Lord leave the holy of holies and move from the front of the temple to the east gate. Then in the first part of chapter 11, the prophet was told to prophesy that the wicked in Jerusalem would be slaughtered. When the Babylonian army defeated the wicked. that would prove Yahweh had spoken.

We have also discovered that there are three themes woven through this vision. The first theme is the certainty of judgment on Jerusalem and Judah. The second theme is the departure of the glory of the Lord. The third theme is Yahweh’s care of the remnant. The last two themes reach a climax in our study.

Prophecy Is Validated

This study has four sections. The first section in verse 13 is titled, “Prophecy is Validated.” The second section is “Prophecy About the Remnant” in verses 14-20, “Prophecy About the Wicked” in verse 21, and “Prophecy Begins” in verses 22-23. The conclusion is verses 24-25.
Verse 13 begins our study. It says,

Now it came about as I prophesied, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?” Ezekiel 11:13 (NASB)

The man Pelatiah appeared in our last study in Ezekiel 11:1-2. Verse 1 tells us that Jaazaniah and Pelatiah are leaders of the people in Israel. That would seem to be a positive, but verse 2 says they devised sin and gave evil advice. That is a polite way of saying they planned how to commit a variety of sins. As a result, they were not wise. Proverbs 10:23 gives us the principle that the wicked enjoy sin like a sport. They just love sinning!

Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.
Proverbs 10:23 (NASB)

Isaiah 30:1 captures the same idea when Isaiah prophesied

“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD,
Who execute a plan, but not Mine,
And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit,
In order to add sin to sin.
Isaiah 30:1 (NASB)

That helps us understand that Jaazaniah and Pelatiah were not righteous men. They ignored Yahweh’s messages that were given through His prophets. They told the people that what Yahweh said would not happen. The land of Palestine was their possession and they would never ultimately be defeated. They ignored Yahweh’s warnings. Today, wicked people still ignore God’s message as given in the Scripture. They laugh at it. Many leaders today encourage the wicked that their sins are okay. Things are not much different today in our nation.

Then in Ezekiel 11:7-11, the prophet prophesied that they would be defeated and killed, and they were. That occurred in 586 B.C. when the Babylonian army invaded a third time, defeated them, destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple, and deported some Israelites to Babylon. Then in verse 12, Ezekiel continued prophesying when he said,

“Thus you will know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you executed My ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.”’” Ezekiel 11:12 (NASB)

Now we are told in verse 13 that Pelatiah died immediately when the prophecy ended. That was a shocking surprise. His death validated or proved the prophecy was true. Imagine giving a group of people a warning from God, only to see one of their leaders immediately die when you finish.

The rest of the verse describes Ezekiel’s response.

Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?” Ezekiel 11:13b (NASB)

We are told Ezekiel fell down on his face and cried to the Lord. It was such a shocking surprise to see Pelatiah die that he panicked. He thought all of the Israelites in Jerusalem were going to die. Notice that in Ezekiel 9:8 that he fell on his face when he saw the six executioners in this vision kill so many people that he thought he was the only one left. This reveals the Babylonian army killed a massive number of people. When Pelatiah died, the prophecy was validated.

Prophecy About the Remnant

The next section is the prophecy about the remnant. Verses 14-15 focuses on the remnant now.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, your fellow exiles and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far from the LORD; this land has been given us as a possession.’” Ezekiel 11:14-15 (NASB)

When Yahweh said, “Your brothers, your relatives, your fellow exiles and the whole house of Israel, all of them” we must remember that Ezekiel had been taken captive earlier and was living now in Babylon. Why do we know that? Ezekiel 1:1 told us the prophet was living with the exiles in Babylon, and verses 24-25 of this chapter also say that. That is why Yahweh said, “your fellow exiles.” This means Yahweh was telling the prophet that the exiles are the remnant, and they are His new family. Jeremiah 52:28–30 tells us that the number of Israelites taken captive to Babylon from 605 B.C. to 582 B.C. was only 4,600. That would have been a very small number. The remnant was very small. Apparently, millions of Israelites had been killed in all three Babylonian invasions.

The last part of verse 15 refers to those who remained in Jerusalem. They are the ones who commanded the citizens, “Go far from the LORD; this land has been given us as a possession.” This reveals a very important but sad point. They believed the remnant were the evil people. Somehow they believed that Yahweh loved them and not the remnant. They believed the land would always belong to them. Even though Yahweh warned them to stop sinning and repent, they believed they would not be punished. They did not understand the remnant were the righteous ones. So, they commanded them to “Go far from Yahweh.” They believed that Yahweh was a geographical God. He operated in Jerusalem. So, when the remnant were taken to Babylon, they were far away from Yahweh. It is sad that even today many wicked people think that God loves them and how they live their life is not important.

Verse 16,

“Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’” Ezekiel 11:16 (NASB)

This verse helps us understand the previous verse. In this verse Yahweh is speaking about the remnant. He says that He had scattered them to other nations. Yet, He said that He would be a sanctuary “for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.” That is, He protected them by scattering them. The Hebrew word for sanctuary, miqdas, is also translated as “temple” or a “sacred thing.” Most of the time it is used to refer to the tabernacle and the holy place that Moses built. That reveals that even though the city of Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed, Yahweh would be like a tabernacle to the remnant. Yahweh would not forsake them. In fact, He would protect and care for them.

When Yahweh said that He would do this for “a little while,” He referred to the seventy years of captivity in Babylon that was prophesied in Jeremiah 25:8-12 and is mentioned in Daniel 9:1-3. The “little while” referred to the seventy-year exile. That is, He would be a like a temple for their seventy years of captivity. That was the near-term prophecy.

Verses 17-20 now jumps into the distant future. It is a future prophecy. Notice that Yahweh says five times “I will” in this passage. He describes what He would do for the remnant. Verse 17 gives us three of them.

“Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ Ezekiel 11:17 (NASB)

The first “I will” Yahweh makes to the remnant is, “I will gather you from the peoples.” That is, He would gather them from all of the countries to which He had scattered them. The second statement is that He would assemble them “out of the countries.” Some people have claimed that ten tribes of Israel have been lost. But they are not lost to Yahweh. He knows what happened to them and where they are now living. The third one is “I will give you the land of Israel.” So, Yahweh will gather them and put them back in Israel. This prophecy was partially fulfilled when seventy years of captivity was completed. But not all of the captives returned from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and temple. Another partial fulfillment occurred in 1948 when Jews returned to the land of Israel. But there are still Jews living all around the world. The real fulfillment of this prophecy will occur in the millennial kingdom when Yahweh will gather the remnant or the believing Israelites and Gentiles into Christ’s earthly, millennial kingdom.

Verses 18-19 give us more information. Notice the next two “I wills.”

When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:17-19 (NASB)

Yahweh says that on this occasion the remnant will remove all of the detestable things and all its abominations from Israel. There would not be any more false gods and goddesses. Evil and wickedness would not exist in Israel. The very ones the world hates will be the favored ones in Yahweh’s earthly millennial kingdom. Just read Micah 4:1-2. This has not happened. It will only happen in the millennial kingdom.

In verse 19, Yahweh promised, “And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” That is the fourth “I will.” What is a heart of stone? Zechariah 7:12-14 tells us.

They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,” says the LORD of hosts; but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Zechariah 7:12-14a (NASB)

What is a heart of stone? It is a heart that does not listen and obey the Word of the Lord. There are many people today who are like that. They are actually wicked people. Some who claim to be believers actually have hearts of stone. They go to church, read their Bible, and listen to gospel music. Some may be leaders in a church, but have a heart of stone. The proof that someone is a believer is not that they love others. Notice that Yahweh focuses on one thing. Do they hear the Word of God and obey it? Also, notice that Zechariah 7:12-14a described the Israelites in our study. Yahweh said because they did not listen to Him, He did not listen to them! That occurred after they refused to repent of their sins. So, He scattered them. Psalms 66:18 reveals that Yahweh does not listen to the unrepentant or answer their prayers.

The fifth “I will” is, “I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” This refers to a radical transformation of the heart. No psychologists or counselors can fix a cold heart but the Holy Spirit can. So, this is a promise of a radical change that comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit. We refer to this promise as the new covenant. It is mentioned again later in Ezekiel 36:24-28. It is also referred to in Jeremiah 31:31-33.

Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NASB)

Obviously, this prophecy has not occurred yet, but it is coming! Verse 31 refers to the new covenant. So, Ezekiel 11:18 is referring to the new covenant. Also, Joel 2:28 reveals the new covenant was partially fulfilled after Christ’s death and resurrection.

Then Ezekiel 11:20 explains why Yahweh will give the remnant a heart of flesh. He says,

That they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. Ezekiel 11:20 (NASB)

What is the purpose of the new heart? A new heart changes a person’s desires. He or she will listen to Scripture and desire to obey Yahweh. Outward obedience does not result in a heart of flesh for even a stony heart can put on a good show! Even a wicked person can fake being good for a short period of time.

Prophecy About the Wicked

Then Yahweh reaches the “punch line.”

But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 11:21 (NASB)

Now Yahweh compares a new heart to a cold heart. The hearts of the wicked go after “detestable things and abominations.” So, they will be punished according to their behavior. The detestable things refer to not worshiping the true God, and abominations refers to sins. He is referring to people who are like the two leaders Jaazaniah and Pelatiah who did not worship the true God and enjoyed sin. They are examples of men who had a heart of stone.

Notice that Yahweh keeps referring to the principle that what we sow, we reap (Galatians 6:7). He said, “I will bring their conduct down on their heads.” That is true for the wicked and the righteous. The wicked will be severely punished because Yahweh repeatedly warns them, but they refuse to repent.

So, Yahweh has revealed how he deals with the wicked and the righteous. He rescued righteous Noah and his family before He destroyed the wicked world. He rescued righteous Lot and his family before He destroyed evil Sodom and Gomorrah. He rescued the Israelites in Egypt from the last plague but not the Egyptians. The Lord rescued 4,600+ righteous Israelites before He destroyed the wicked people, the city of Jerusalem, and the temple. This reveals God’s care and love for the saints. So, I believe that Scripture teaches that God will rapture the church from the world before the tribulation begins.

Prophecy Begins

Verses 22-23 is the first partial fulfillment of the prophecy.

Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. The glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city. Ezekiel 11:22-23 (NASB)

The themes about the punishment of the wicked and the protection of the remnant have ended. These two verses are about the theme of the glory of the Lord. We are told the glory of the Lord left the city of Jerusalem and stood over the mountain east of the city. That would be the Mount of Olives. It is northeast of the city. The glory of the Lord moved from the Holy of Holies to the first curtain of the temple, then to the east gate in front of the entrance to the temple, and to the Mount of Olives. It then returned to heaven. This is a sad event. The glory of the Lord departed. Ichabod! The Hebrew word ichabod means “the glory has departed” (1 Samuel 4:21).

We will discover later in Ezekiel 43:1-5 that the glory of the Lord will return to the temple during the millennial kingdom. Verse 2 of that passage says the glory of the Lord will come from the east. Then verse 4 says the glory of the Lord came to the temple from the east gate, and verse 5 says the glory of the Lord filled the temple. That is, the new temple in the millennial kingdom.

There is another important pattern for us to see. First, remember that after the tabernacle was built, the glory of the Lord was visible to the Israelites when it was present in the Holy of Holies. Later in Psalm 26:8, King David told us that he could see the glory of the Lord in the temple. Now we discover the glory of the Lord had remained with the Israelites from the times of the desert tabernacle until the invasion by the Babylonian army in 588-586 B.C. Then it departed. But the glory of the Lord will eventually return. It will return to Jerusalem at the beginning of the millennial kingdom when Christ reigns as the Messiah. Revelation 21:3-4 tells us that in the eternal heaven, Yahweh will continue dwelling with the saints. Also, Revelation 21:22-23 says that the glory of God will continue to be visible to all of the saints. That will last for eternity. The message is that God wants to be with His saints. They are the ones with new hearts.

Now why did the glory of the Lord depart from the temple? In Deuteronomy 31:14-18 Yahweh told Moses that Israel would eventually forsake Him. When that occurred, He would forsake them. He would hide His face from them because of their evil and chasing after other gods. As Yahweh had prophesied, Israel did forsake the Lord. He then left them. But He did not leave the remnant for He remained with them as a temple. In the millennial kingdom, He will be present with all of the immortal saints who descend with Him from heaven at the second coming, and with the mortal saints who survived the tribulation.

Conclusion

Verses 24-25 conclude the second vision. We are told that the prophet told the exiles, the remnant, all that the Lord had revealed.

And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in Chaldea. So the vision that I had seen left me. Then I told the exiles all the things that the LORD had shown me. Ezekiel 11:24-25 (NASB)

Our study should be an encouragement to every believer. God has revealed that He does not forsake His remnant, His saints. We have discovered the saints listen to God and obey Him. They have hearts of flesh not of stone. A remnant of God’s people will always exist and some day we will live in the millennial kingdom with Yahweh. We will see His glory for eternity and fellowship Him with other perfectly holy saints in our glorious heaven.

John

Departure of the Glory of the Lord From The Temple

/in /by

Temple of King Solomon

Our study covers chapter ten and part of eleven in the book of Ezekiel. When we finish this study, we will be almost at the end of the second vision of the book, which started in chapter 8. In order to understand our study, it is important to realize that chapters 8, 9, 10, and 11 are all part of this vision. Chapter 8 teaches how to recognize a wicked person. Chapter 9 explains how Yahweh was going to destroy Jerusalem and Judah, and the message continues to flow into chapters 10 and 11. There are three important themes in these three chapters. The themes are like three strands of a twisted rope. The first and major theme is the certainty of judgment on Jerusalem and Judah. That theme runs through these chapters like a very long strip of paper.

The second theme is the departure of the glory of the Lord from the temple in Jerusalem. It occurs intermittently like drops of water. Each drop of water is larger and is more important than the one before. The last drop in chapter 11 is the most important.

The third theme is Yahweh’s protection of the remnant. This occurs like short strips of a ribbon in each chapter. The longest strip of ribbon is in chapter 9. A shorter one is in chapter 10, and the most significant one occurs in chapter 11. Ezekiel 11:13-25 is the climax of the vision.

Glory of the Lord Leaves the Holy of Holies

The first verse in Ezekiel 10 is once again about the glory of the Lord. Here is the verse.

Then I looked, and behold, in the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim something like a sapphire stone, in appearance resembling a throne, appeared above them. Ezekiel 10:1 (NASB)

It almost reads like Ezekiel 1:26,

. . . there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Ezekiel 1:26 (NASB)

The only significant difference between these verses is that Ezekiel 10:1 refers to a sapphire gem, but Ezekiel 1:26 refers to a lapis lazuli gem. A lapis lazuli has a deeper color of blue than a sapphire. That is, both gems are blue, but one is darker. Perhaps the prophet saw a slight change in the appearance of Yahweh due to the difference in color. It is interesting that someone has said that lapis lazuli was more valuable than gold in ancient times. If so, that would be a fitting description of Yahweh. Also, Yahweh appeared once again above the four cherubim.
Ezekiel 10:2 now focuses on Yahweh who is speaking,

And He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, “Enter between the whirling wheels under the cherubim and fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And he entered in my sight. Now the cherubim were standing on the right side of the temple when the man entered, and the cloud filled the inner court. Ezekiel 10:2-3 (NASB)

We are told Ezekiel saw Yahweh speaking to a man who is clothed in linen. In chapter 9, we discovered that he was an angel with a writing kit. He was a scribe. His task was to put the mark of a cross on the foreheads of the remnant. The mark kept them safe from being killed. The remnant were those who hated the evil abominations described in chapter 8. They groaned and moaned over the sins that were occurring around them. Those are signs of a righteous person. The wicked do not grieve over evil. Instead, they enjoy evil things! At the end of chapter 9, after the wicked had been killed and the remnant had been saved, the man in linen gave his report to Yahweh. He said, “I have done as You have commanded me.”

Now in chapter 10, Yahweh speaks to him again. This time the man in linen was told to go between the whirling wheels which were under the cherubim. He was to fill his hands with coals of fire. The Hebrew text refers to these coals as hot coals. He was to scatter them over the city. This was an act of judgment or destruction on the city. It may have been like the time Yahweh rained brimstone down on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24-28). But here it is a figurative destruction of the city.

Then the description of the judgment is interrupted in verses 4-5 with the second theme of the glory of God. The verses say,

Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD. 5 Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks. Ezekiel 10:4-5 (NASB)

Notice that Ezekiel reported that the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub in the Holy of Holies to the threshold of the temple. It is important to remember that the temple had an outer court, an inner court, and then the temple inside the courts. The temple was entered from the east side. After passing the golden altar, a priest could enter the Holy Place where various sacrifices were offered daily. Adjacent to the Holy Place was the Holy of Holies. The two rooms were separated by a curtain. In the Holy of Holies, Yahweh would meet with the high priest only once a year. So, verse 4 is telling us that the glory of the Lord left the Holy of Holies and moved to the entrance of the Holy Place. When the Shekinah glory of the Lord moved there, it filled the court of the temple.

This event is also described in Ezekiel 9:3. This reveals that the part of the vision given in chapter 10 overlaps with the vision given in Ezekiel 9:3 to the end of the chapter. That is, Ezekiel 10:4-5 began at Ezekiel 9:3. The visions overlap. That means that chapter 9 describes only the instructions given to the execution team, but chapter 10 describes what the man in linen would do at the same time the wicked were destroyed. We must remember this is a prophetic vision about the Babylonian army’s destruction of the city of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., which would have been about four years later. So it appears that chapter 9 explains what would happen to the people, but chapter 10 described what happens to the city.

Here is what Yahweh commanded the man in linen to do next.

It came about when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” he entered and stood beside a wheel. Then the cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some and put it into the hands of the one clothed in linen, who took it and went out. 8 The cherubim appeared to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings.” Ezekiel 10:6-8 (NASB)

The man is told to take the coals of fire from between the whirling wheels. We have already learned from Ezekiel 1:15 that there was one whirling wheel for each cherub. So, apparently the coals of fire were in the middle of four wheels. Then one of the cherubim gave the man some hot coals of fire, and the man then left. We are never told what the man in linen did next with the coals of fire. This is the last we read of him. However, the implication is that when this man in linen, actually an angel, scatters them over the city, it symbolically represents the Babylonian army’s final destruction of Jerusalem.

Then verses 9-17, 20-22 continue the second theme, the glory of the Lord.

Then I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the gleam of a Tarshish stone. As for their appearance, all four of them had the same likeness, as if one wheel were within another wheel. When they moved, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went; but they followed in the direction which they faced, without turning as they went. Their whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings and the wheels were full of eyes all around, the wheels belonging to all four of them. The wheels were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels. And each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. Then the cherubim rose up. They are the living beings that I saw by the river Chebar. Now when the cherubim moved, the wheels would go beside them; also when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels would not turn from beside them. When the cherubim stood still, the wheels would stand still; and when they rose up, the wheels would rise with them, for the spirit of the living beings was in them. Ezekiel 10:9-17 (NASB)

 

These are the living beings that I saw beneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar; so I knew that they were cherubim. Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and beneath their wings was the form of human hands. As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead. Ezekiel 10:20-22 (NASB)

The description of the cherubim is almost identical to that given in chapter 1. So, we will not study each verse in depth. But we should notice a few things. First, verse 10 teaches us that the four wheels were identical in appearance. Chapter one taught us that each cherub had a wheel beneath him. The second thing we should notice is that the description of the cherubim is different than the one in chapter 1. In Ezekiel 1:10, the cherubim were said to have four faces: one of a man, one of a lion, one of a bull or an ox, and one of an eagle. But here in Ezekiel 10:14, they have the faces of a man, a lion, an eagle, and a cherub. The only difference is that the face of a bull or an ox in chapter 1 was replaced by the face of a cherub. It could be that the primary face of a cherub appears as an ox. We know the cherubim in this chapter were identical to the ones in chapter 1 because verses 20-22 tell us they were identical.

Apparently Yahweh included this in the vision for Ezekiel so that he understood Yahweh had visited him again. We will discover at the end of chapter 11 that this also informed the exiles that Yahweh spoke to him. That appears to be the major point of verses 9-17.

Layout of King Solomon's Temple

Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple

Verses 18-19 continue the second theme of these three chapters — the departure of the glory of the Lord. This chapter also overlaps with chapter 9 and 10. In verses 1-12, we are going to learn four characteristics of wicked people. The first characteristic of the wicked is given in 1-3. Verses 18-19 follow:

Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’S house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. Ezekiel 10:18-19 (NASB)

Verse 18 says the glory of the Lord now left the temple and stood over the cherubim, just as it had in the Holy of Holies. We learned in chapter 1 that the cherubim and four wheels form something like a chariot for Yahweh. So, the chariot left the front of the temple and carried the glory of the Lord to the eastern gate of the house of the Lord. The east gate would have been immediately in front of the temple. There the glory of the Lord hovered over the cherubim. So, the glory of the Lord had left the Holy of Holies, moved to the threshold of the temple, and has now moved to the east gate leading to the court of the temple. That ends chapter 10. Now did the glory of the Lord leave? Think about that question as we begin the next chapter.

How To Suffer Punishment From Yahweh

In the first part of Ezekiel 11, the first theme returns — the judgment upon Jerusalem. This chapter also overlaps with chapter 9 and 10. In verses 1-12, we are going to learn four characteristics of wicked people. The first two new characteristics of the wicked in this chapter are given in 1-3.

Moreover, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the LORD’S house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give evil advice in this city, who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the pot and we are the flesh.’ Ezekiel 11:1-3 (NASB)

Now the prophet is lifted up and taken to the east gate. There he saw twenty-five men. These men were different than those in Ezekiel 8:16. These men are leaders, since Jaazaniah, a son of Azzur, and Pelatiah, a son of Benaiah, were among them. The Jaazaniah in verse 1 is not the same Jaazaniah in Ezekiel 8:11. The Jaazaniah in Ezekiel 8 worshiped the sun and his father’s name was Shaphan. Here the father’s name is Azzur. Historical records reveal that Jaazaniah was a common name. So, Jaazaniah and Pelatiah were leaders in Judah. Verse 2 reveals they were evil men because we are told they planned evil and gave bad advice to the city. Why do we know they are wicked people? Proverbs 2:6-7 gives us the answer when it says that Yahweh gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to the righteous. But that is not true for the wicked. So, these leaders were wicked.

Next, notice that in verse 3 we are told these two leaders said, “The time is not near to build houses. This city is the pot and we are the flesh.” Before we discover the meaning of this proverb, notice that verse 11 reveals this is a lie. So, verses 1-3 give us the first characteristic of the wicked person in chapter 11. They plan evil, give bad advice, and lie. They may be intellectuals, but they lack true wisdom. We see that day after day.

Now let’s explore verses 4-12. This is a difficult passage. But I will give you what I believe is the best conclusion.

First, we must remember that the Babylonian army had already invaded the land and defeated Jerusalem in 605 B.C. since King Jehoiakim was evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Chronicles 36:5-8). That resulted in the first deportation. Then in 597 B.C. the Babylonians returned and deported more people because Jehoiachin was evil in the sight of the Lord. That resulted in the second deportation.

But when the prophets warned that the Babylonian army was going to invade and defeat Jerusalem and Judah again, the leaders did not believe the prophets. The leadership thought they could fight and win if the Babylonian army came again. Why? Because Jeremiah 27:14-15 reveals that false prophets were telling the leaders they would not be defeated again and taken captive.

Apparently, these two leaders, Jaazaniah and Pelatiah, were telling the people in verse 3 to not build house and prepare for war. The proverb, “This city is the pot and we are the flesh,” seems to mean that the people in the city were like flesh and the city was like a metal pot that would protect them against the Babylonian army. They were safe! But that was contrary to the message of the prophets. Those who reject Scripture will be liars.

So, Yahweh told Ezekiel to prophesy the following against them in verses 4-12. Here are verses 4-8.

Therefore, prophesy against them, son of man, prophesy!” Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “So you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts. You have multiplied your slain in this city, filling its streets with them.” Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of the city are the flesh and this city is the pot; but I will bring you out of it. You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you,” the Lord GOD declares’” Ezekiel 11:4-8 (NASB)

Ezekiel was to prophesy to the leaders that Yahweh knew what they were thinking. The NET Bible translates the last of verse 5 as,

This is what the LORD says: This is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; I know what goes through your minds. Ezekiel 11:5 (NET)

A better translation is that Yahweh knew their thoughts. That is why verse 8 says, “You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you.” Yahweh knew they were afraid of another invasion. They thought they could win. They rejected the warning of Yahweh.

In verse 6, Yahweh announced, “You have multiplied your slain in this city, filling its streets with them.” That is, they had killed many righteous people. That is why verse 7 states, “Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of the city are the flesh and this city is the pot; but I will bring you out of it.” They had the proverb wrong. Rather than the pot being a protection for the wicked, the city had been used as a pot to kill the righteous. That gives us the second characteristic of the wicked. They will make the righteous to suffer and die. In John 15:18 Jesus told the disciples,

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. John 15:18 (NASB)

The wicked hate the righteous!

In verses 9-11, we discover the third characteristic of the wicked in this chapter. They will suffer and even be killed. Yahweh said this,

“’“And I will bring you out of the midst of the city and deliver you into the hands of strangers and execute judgments against you. You will fall by the sword. I will judge you to the border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the LORD. This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be flesh in the midst of it, but I will judge you to the border of Israel.”’” Ezekiel 11:9-11 (NASB)

The Babylonian army will invade and defeat them in Jerusalem and to the borders of Judah (v. 10). Now notice in verse 11 that Yahweh said the city would not be a pot for them. That is, it will not be a protection for them. Instead, they would be judged. Why?
Verse 12 gives the answer, and it also gives the fourth characteristic. The wicked live like the world around them. They enjoy sin!

“’“ Thus you will know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you executed My ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.”’” Ezekiel 11:12 (NASB)

The reason for a third invasion was because of their unrepentant hearts. They had not learned from the first and second invasions. So, a third invasion was coming! It was coming because they did not obey. They did not worship Yahweh. They had sinned like their culture. They enjoyed the things of their world.

Conclusion

This is the end of the first thread. The destruction of Jerusalem was like a very long strip of paper from chapter 9 through chapter 11. The last two themes of the glory of the Lord and the remnant will be concluded in verses 13-25 of this chapter. We will learn some significant truths about them. It will be a great study.
But what have we learned in this study? First, the wicked plan evil, give evil advice, lie, cause the righteous to suffer, live like the world around them. They enjoy sin! Yahweh may not punish them the first time or the second time, but He will eventually. He knows their thoughts and He will repay the wicked by bringing upon them the very things they fear the most. They may run to the borders of the nation for safety and feel safe, but Yahweh will hunt them down. There is no escape when Yahweh finally decides to punish them.
The message for the wicked is that today is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 says,

For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NASB)

Today is the day for every wicked person to repent and plead for God to forgive and save. This passage reveals God’s view of every unbeliever, that is, every non-Christian. God considers them to be wicked. God calls them to repent and to seek Him. Romans 10:9-13 states,

That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” Romans 10:9-13 (NASB)

Those who believe and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins will not be disappointed. So, do it today!

God Punishes. the Wicked but Rescues the Remnant Copyright © Like The Master Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
John

God Punished the Wicked But Rescued the Remnant

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God Punishes. the Wicked but Rescues the Remnant

The book of Habakkuk was written during the time that Jeremiah and Ezekiel were the prophets of Yahweh. Habakkuk’s prophecies overlaps those of Jeremiah and precedes Ezekiel’s prophecy by fifteen years. All three prophets spoke for the Lord and their messages were directed against Judah. So, when we read the book of Habakkuk, we should expect to read prophesies that are similar to those in the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. We have already discovered the nation of Judah was very wicked before the Babylonian army invaded the land, defeated the city of Jerusalem, and deported large numbers of Jews to Babylon. So, we should not be surprised when we read Habakkuk’s complaint to Yahweh in Habakkuk 1:2-4. He said,

How long, O LORD, will I call for help,
And You will not hear?
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do not save.
Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
Therefore the law is ignored
And justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted. Habakkuk 1:2-4 (NASB)

The prophet complains because of the iniquity, wickedness, strife, destruction, violence, contention, disobedience of the Mosaic Law, and injustice in the land. The prophet adds that there are more wicked than there are righteous. Even when justice is implemented, it comes out perverted. It is a very evil picture. The prophet complains in verse 3 that the Lord is causing him to see the wickedness which he did not like to witness. I wonder what did he see? We know he did not see wicked videos, television programs, movies, magazines, books, or websites. Did he see the wicked activities in the high places in the mountains, in the city, in homes, and at the temple that we learned about in our last study? Did he see sacrifices of children? We do not know, but the prophet did not like seeing whatever evils he saw.
Then Yahweh replied to him in verses 5-11.

Look among the nations! Observe!
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days —
You would not believe if you were told.
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
That fierce and impetuous people
Who march throughout the earth
To dwelling places which are not theirs.
Habakkuk 1:5-6 (NASB)

The Chaldeans is another term for the Babylonians. Yahweh is referring to the Babylonian army. The army is marching.

They are dreaded and feared;
Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
Their horses are swifter than leopards
And keener than wolves in the evening.
Their horsemen come galloping,
Their horsemen come from afar;
They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.
All of them come for violence.
Their horde of faces moves forward.
They collect captives like sand.
They mock at kings
And rulers are a laughing matter to them.
They laugh at every fortress
And heap up rubble to capture it.
Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on.
Habakkuk 1:7-11a (NASB)

Yahweh tells the prophet that the Babylonian army will invade and crush Judah and Jerusalem. Why? Because Judah and Jerusalem were very wicked. When a nation abandons God, it progressively becomes evil. It is difficult to notice because it is like boiling an egg in a hot water. It takes time for the egg to become hard. It happens slowly. Once a nation abandons God, it becomes increasingly wicked.

The opening verses of Ezekiel 8 revealed that some people in Jerusalem worshiped something called the “idol of jealousy.” Ezekiel 8:12 told us that the elders worshiped a great variety of gods and goddesses in secret. They thought Yahweh did not see what they were doing. But Yahweh did see the evil and it was an abomination to Him.

Then we were told the women worshiped Tammuz, a god in one of the most sexually licentious religions. Next, we were told the priests worshiped the sun, maybe either Ra or Osiris. In chapter 6, Yahweh said He would destroy all of the high places. In chapter 4, Yahweh had prophesied that He would destroy the city and the nation. That is the message of Habakkuk. Today most people in our nation do not worship idols. But they do worship cold and lifeless idols, perhaps an empty philosophy, a pleasure, hobby, job, or their favorite cause. Our idols are the things that have replaced our time with God!

Angelic Execution Team Identified

That brings us to our study which is Ezekiel 9:1-11. It continues the vision that started in chapter 8. Ezekiel 9:1 says,

Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud voice saying, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” Ezekiel 9:1 (NASB)

The “He” in this verse is Yahweh who called in a very loud voice, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” The Hebrew word for “executioners” is translated differently in various Bibles. The Hebrew word, pequdda, has the sense of “oversight,” “officers”, and “punishment.” The context helps us understand that “executioners” is the correct meaning. Verses 2-6 will tell us that these executioners will have the oversight of the killing of the people in the city of Jerusalem.

Notice verse 2,

Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Ezekiel 9:2 (NASB)

We are told the executioners are six men, but the following verses reveal they were actually angels. This is not the first time that angels appear as men in Scripture. Genesis 18:1-2 tells us that three men appeared to Abram. Later we discover one of the men was actually a theophany. Genesis 19:1 reveals the other two men were angels. In Hebrews 13:2 we are told some people have entertained angels without knowing it. That is, angels can appear as men.

We are told these six angels come from the direction of the upper gate, and carried a weapon called a “shattering weapon.” The Hebrew for “shattering” refers to the crushing of a physical object. In verse 1, their weapons were called “destroying.” Together, these two words suggest their destroying weapons will crush people.

Then we are told there was a seventh person. He was also an angel! He is clothed in linen and had a writing case next to his waist. The writing case may have been attached to his hip. Lamar Cooper writes this in his commentary on Ezekiel about the writing kit.

This writing kit usually was made from an animal horn. It had a palette with a slot for pens and a hollow place for two kinds of ink, usually black and red. Professional scribes usually carried this kind of equipment.[1]

That means the angel dressed in linen was acting like a scribe in this chapter.

These seven angels then moved over to the bronze altar of sacrifice which stood before the temple. Now we understand that this team of seven angels includes six angels who are executioners and one who is a scribe. They are the angelic execution team of seven.

Angelic Scribe Marks The Righteous

Starting in verses 3-4 we discover the task the angel in linen will perform.

Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case. The LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” Ezekiel 9:3-4 (NASB)

Immediately a very serious event is described. We are told the glory of the God of Israel left the cherub, which was in the Holy of Holies and moved to the threshold of the temple. Normally, the Shekinah glory of the Lord resided above the cherubim in the Holy of Holies. So, why did the Shekinah glory move? We will discover that this is the first step in the glory of the Lord leaving the temple. This never occurred before! We will learn more later.

Then Yahweh spoke to the angel in linen and told him to go through Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sighed and groaned over all of the abominations that were being committed. The word abominations reminds us of the last three chapters where the word abominations kept being repeated. This angelic scribe was to use his writing kit to mark the foreheads of the men who sighed and groaned over the false worship, the idols, and all of the other evil that was occurring. This reminded me of Lot. 2 Peter 2:7-9a tells us that Lot was a righteous man and was oppressed by the evil in Sodom. The verse says,

And if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation . . . 2 Peter 2:7-9a (NASB)

This is an important passage. It gives us insight into how a righteous person will respond to evil surrounding him or her. Lot was oppressed or worn down by the homosexual behavior and other lawless deeds he saw in Sodom. The prophet Habakkuk complained that he had to see the evil in the land. He was a righteous man. This means that we, as believers, should be unhappy[2] by the evil and the various abominations that we are witnessing. Romans 12:9 says, “Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.“ In fact, recently the news reported a satanic golden Medusa was installed at the New York courthouse.[3] It is not the first such event in recent years. It is sad to see the evil in the land. That is a righteous person’s response. This passage also encourages us by telling us the Lord knows how to rescue the righteous from temptation and will rescue them.

Six Angelic Executioners Slaughter People

So, that was the task of the angelic scribe. Verses 5-6a gives us insight into the task of the six angelic executioners.

But to the others He said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.” Ezekiel 9:5-6a (NASB)

Now Yahweh told the six angelic executioners to follow the angelic scribe and “strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare.” That echoes Yahweh’s statements in chapters 5, 7, and 8. There Yahweh repeatedly said He would not show pity and He would not spare this evil and perverse people. He would not show them pity nor spare them because He had repeatedly called them to repent, but for decades they had refused to repent. Their hearts were very hard. But they were not to strike any person with a mark on their forehead.

Verses 6b-7 describes what happened next.

So they started with the elders who were before the temple. 7 And He said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city. Ezekiel 9:6b-7 (NASB)

The six angelic executioners started killing every person who did not have a mark on their forehead, beginning with the elders who were before the temple. Then Yahweh commanded that they defile the temple and fill the temple courts with dead people. That is a very significant statement. According to the Mosaic Law, touching anything that was dead caused great defilement. Numbers 19:11-13 warned Israelites that touching a dead person caused a person to be unclean for seven days. Why did Yahweh give this command? Part of the answer is the temple had already been defiled inside and outside by both the worship of the “idol of jealousy,” or Tammuz, and the sun god. Second, the Ten Commandments prohibit anyone from making idols of anything in heaven, on the earth, in the water, or beneath the earth. They were prohibited from worshiping them too (Exodus 20:2-5)! So, Yahweh wanted to defile the temple with dead bodies to prevent anyone from entering the temple. This suggests they were careful about religious laws, but their hearts were far from God. This can be true of us!

A massive slaughter then occurred as the six angelic executioners killed everyone throughout the entire city of Jerusalem who did not have the mark on their forehead.

God Always Has A Remnant

Verse 8 reveals that during this massive slaughter the prophet Ezekiel began to fear that he was the only one left alive. It says,

As they were striking the people and I alone was left, I fell on my face and cried out saying, “Alas, Lord GOD! Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?” Ezekiel 9:8 (NASB)

He sounds like Elijah who thought he was the only follower Yahweh had left in Israel. Yahweh told Elijah that he was not alone. Yahweh had seven thousand in Israel who had not worshiped Baal (1 Kings 19:11-18; Romans 11:2-4). So, as the angelic executioners were killing so many people, Ezekiel fell on his face and asked, “Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?” Verse 9 gives Yahweh’s reply.

Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!’ 10 But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads.” Ezekiel 9:9-10 (NASB)

Notice the four reasons that Yahweh gave for the massive slaughter of Israel and Judah. First, their iniquity or wickedness was very great. This means their sin was excessive. Second, murder filled the land. Third, a perverted justice had filled the city. Justice had become injustice. Fourth, they lied about Yahweh by saying He did not care about the land and did not pay attention to them. That is, they slandered Yahweh’s character. Yahweh repeated again, “My eye will have no pity nor will I spare.” Then the same divine principle that was given in chapter 7 is repeated, “I will bring their conduct upon their heads.” What we sow, we reap.

Next, notice the word “remnant” back in verse 8. I think Ezekiel understood that the angelic scribe in linen was putting a mark on the men who sighed and groaned over the abominations in the land. These men were the righteous. They were greatly unhappy and disturbed by the abominations. That is a sign of a righteous person. They hated the abominations.

But I want us to notice the word “mark” used to describe what was placed on the forehead of the righteous individals. In verse 4, the Hebrew word for “mark” is taw. In the seventh and sixth centuries B.C., the letter taw in Paleo-Hebrew script was written like an X or sloped cross.[4] It looked like a cross. Is that why the early Christians adopted the cross? Here are five more interesting facts. First, taw is the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Second, it is the first letter in the word “torah.” Third, it is also the first letter in the word that means “you shall live.”[5]  That is, you will not die. Fourth, someone has said it referred to ownership. Fifth, A. C. Gaebelein states,

Ancient Jewish tradition gives the information that the blood sprinkled in Egypt on the doorpost (Exod. Xii:23) was in the form of a cross. All this is interesting.[6]

Most likely the prophet did not understand the significance the letter would later have for believers, but Yahweh understood. We understand. That was the mark placed on the forehead of the remnant by the angelic scribe. Just as God had a remnant after the worldwide flood, during the Exodus from Egypt, and at the time of Elijah, Yahweh had a remnant during the time of Ezekiel. He will rescue every Christian from the future tribulation with the rapture. But just as there have always been Christian martyrs, there will be martyrs during the tribulation.

God will always have a remnant. We might feel alone if persecution comes. But fellow saints will always be somewhere proclaiming the gospel, preaching the Word of God, and sighing and groaning because of the abominations. That will also be true during the tribulation. At the end of the bloody tribulation, there will be faithful, mortal saints who came to faith and will enter the earthly millennial kingdom.

Conclusion

The last verse of the chapter says,

Then behold, the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case reported, saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.” Ezekiel 9:11 (NASB)

The angelic scribe in linen said, “I have done just as You have commanded me.” This statement is wonderful because this means that after Yahweh had warned them to repent, He kept His promise when they did not. This is the character of God. He keeps His promises. Our holy God does not allow the wicked to flaunt their abominations forever. He was kind when He urged them to repent but they refused. They were foolish, wanting to worship gods and goddesses that were created by demons. But when they refused to repent, punishment had to occur. That is the primary message of the chapter.

The second message is that Yahweh does not forget the remnant—His faithful righteous. This chapter is encouraging because the angelic scribe protected the righteous men of the city from being slaughtered. This reveals that Yahweh and the angels are aware of every righteous person. They watch us and care for us. Even in difficult times, we are not alone. Yahweh has a faithful remnant and He will not disappoint them. This does not mean that the righteous will always escape physical harm or death. But it does mean our God will rescue the righteous when judgment is widespread and severe.

Third, just as the Shekinah glory of the Lord left the temple, we must remember that God is holy and He will distance Himself from sin. It am glad that He does. He is a holy and righteous God. That is why only those who have the righteousness of Christ will enter heaven. We will learn more of the significance of the departure of the Shekinah glory of the Lord in the next two chapters.

 

References:

1. Lamar Cooper. Ezekiel. The New American Commentary. B&H Publishing Co. 1994. Vv. 17., p. 126-127.
2. “Be unhappy” does not mean that believers should hurt other people. Romans 12:9-21 says we are to leave that to God.
3. Nikolas Lanum. “Satanic golden medusa’ abortion statue outside New York City courthouse ruthlessly mocked: ‘Monstrosity’” FoxNews.com. January 26, 2023.
4. Ibid. p. 127.
5. Charles Lee Feinberg. The Prophecy of Ezekiel. Moody Press. 1969. p.. 56.
6. A. C. Gaebelein. Publication Office of “our Hope.” 1921. Vol. IV. p. 284.

John

When Your Worship Is An Abomination to God

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When Is Your Worship An Abomination

The Bible refers to about forty different false gods and goddesses in both the Old and New Testaments. Some of these false gods and goddesses were named: Anat, Baal, Bel, Chemosh, Dagon, Moloch, Nebo, and Tammuz. They were worshiped because people believed they provided various benefits such as food, pleasure, finances, and protection, for example. Sexual activity and human sacrifices were a major part in the worship of some of these false gods and goddesses. These false religions of the past and those of today are dangerous because they were created by Satan. In 1 Corinthians 10:20 Paul taught that when people offered sacrifices to gods and goddesses, they are actually sacrificing to demons. He wrote,

No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 1 Corinthians 10:20 (NASB)

This means demons are behind every false religion. Satan has created a smorgasbord of false religions and cults that appeal to a wide spectrum of people to pull them away from the true God. He has been very successful.

The first example of a false religion in the Bible is found in Leviticus 17:7. Yahweh told the Israelites to not sacrifice to the goat demons. It is believed the goat god was a satyr that occupied Lower Egypt. The religion was occultic in which women had sex with goats.[1] Later, in Deuteronomy 18:9-14 Yahweh warned the Israelites to avoid the occult.

When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so. Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (NASB)

Jeremiah 10:3-8 has an incredible description of false gods. It states that the idols of false religions are made by men’s hands. It says,

For the customs of the peoples are delusion;
Because it is wood cut from the forest,
The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
They decorate it with silver and with gold;
They fasten it with nails and with hammers
So that it will not totter.
Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they,
And they cannot speak;
They must be carried,
Because they cannot walk!
Do not fear them,
For they can do no harm,
Nor can they do any good.”
There is none like You, O LORD;
Jeremiah 10:3-6 (NASB)

In 2 John 10-11, God has also warned us to avoid the teachers of these religions. There we are told to not even allow them into our homes. God has also urged us in both Deuteronomy 6:13-1 and Matthew 4:10 to worship Him only. Here is the Deuteronomy passage,

You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you. Deuteronomy 6:13-14 (NASB)

So, both the Old and New Testaments warn us to flee false religions. Now why should we do this? Isaiah 43:10 reminds us there are no other gods. There were no gods before and there will not be any after Yahweh. Isaiah 46:9 says there is no one even like Yahweh.

The Glory of God

That was the introduction to our study in Ezekiel 8. Ezekiel contains three visions, and this chapter is the start of the second vision. This vision is recorded in chapters 8-11. It is the second cycle of prophecies. These chapters continue the theme that judgment is certain. Verse 1 states,

It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell on me there. Ezekiel 8:1 (NASB)

The first thing we are given in this passage is the date of this vision. The first vision began in Ezekiel 1. Verse 2 said the date of the first vision was the fifth year, the fifth month, and the fifth day of King Jehoiachin’s exile in Babylonia. The date of the second vision is the sixth year, the sixth month, and the fifth day of the exile of the king’s exile. That means the prophet Ezekiel waited 13 months before he received another vision from Yahweh. The date is now August/September in the year 592 B.C.,[2] and the Babylonian army’s invasion will start in December 589 or January 588 B.C. The defeat occurred on August 25, 587 B.C., but fighting continued until the early part of 586 B.C. (2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 32:1-2).

The second thing we are told is that the prophet was sitting in his home and the elders of Judah were sitting before him. This reveals that even though many Jews were exiled to Babylonia from the 605 B.C. and 797 BC. Babylonian army invasions of Jerusalem, there was still some form of leadership among the exiles. So, all of the Judah’s leaders are sitting there. We will learn more about them in the chapter.

The third thing we are told is that the “hand of the Lord GOD fell on” Ezekiel while he is talking with these men. He had a vision. As we study this vision, imagine how these leaders felt when they heard what the vision was about.

Just as the first vision started with Yahweh on a throne, this vision starts the same way. Verse 2 says,

Then I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of a man; from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of glowing metal. Ezekiel 8:2 (NASB)

Once again we are told that Ezekiel saw Yahweh in the “likeness as the appearance of a man.” Once again, His appearance was like fire from His waist downward, but above His waist He appeared like glowing metal (Ezekiel 1:27). Verse 3 adds,

He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located. Ezekiel 8:3 (NASB)

Then we are told Ezekiel saw something like a hand. Before I go farther, it is important to notice that the prophet did not say Yahweh was a man in verse 2 or had a human hand. He was careful. In Ezekiel 1:27-28 and here the prophet keeps saying Yahweh had a “likeness as the appearance of” or “the form of.” That is, Yahweh appeared in a form the prophet would recognize. Here we are told this “form of a hand” caught the prophet by his hair and the Holy Spirit lifted him up between the earth and heaven. There he saw the visions of God. Then he was taken to the entrance of the north gate to the inner court. Also, he saw the idol of jealousy which provokes jealousy.

Verse 4 says that Ezekiel also saw the glory of God. This is common to both visions.

And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain. Ezekiel 8:4 (NASB)

Abominations

More information is given to us about the idol of jealousy in verses 5-6.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, raise your eyes now toward the north.” So I raised my eyes toward the north, and behold, to the north of the altar gate was this idol of jealousy at the entrance. And He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from My sanctuary? But yet you will see still greater abominations.” Ezekiel 8:5-6 (NASB)

Next, Ezekiel was told to look to the north of the altar gate. Verse 7 will tell us the prophet is in the outer court at this point. So, he sees the north gate. It was just north of the great bronze altar, and was also called the altar gate. At that gate, the prophet saw the idol of jealousy right at the entrance. He saw the people committing abominations before the idol. What were those abominations? Some Bible commentators think the idol of jealousy may had been an idol of Asherah. It stood in the temple during the reign of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:7; 2 Chronicles 33:7). It was removed by King Josiah (2 Kings 23:6), but the prophet Jeremiah reports it was back in the temple. In Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:17-30, the prophet Jeremiah refers to the idol of Asherah again when he calls it the “Queen of Heaven.” The last passage is amazing for it illustrates how the demonic world makes false worship appear to be real. In Jeremiah 44:17-30, the people complained that when they were burning sacrifices and drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven, life was better and they had plenty of food. Then the prophet Jeremiah told them the reason they were suffering was because Yahweh was punishing them. It is important to remember that timewise Jeremiah’s ministry and Ezekiel’s ministry overlapped and they had similar experiences.

So, it is possible the idol of jealousy was the grotesque idol of Asherah, which was usually depicted as a naked woman. It was an idol of jealousy because the people were performing abominations and not worshiping the one and only true God. So, it was located in the outer court of the temple, just north of the altar on which sacrifices to Yahweh were to be made.

Greater Abominations

In verses 7-9 the prophet is told about even greater abominations. Now the prophet was at the entrance of the court. The passage says,

Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. He said to me, “Son of man, now dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. And He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.” Ezekiel 8:7-9 (NASB)

Ezekiel was told to dig through the wall of the temple from the outer court. When he did, he saw an entrance. When he went in he saw “wicked abominations” being committed. Verse 6 has already told us these abominations were greater than those in verses 5-6. That reveals some sins are worse than others. Romans 3:23 has taught us that every sin falls short of the glory of God, and this reveals some sins are worse than others. So, as we read verses 10-13, ask yourself what are the greater abominations?

So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around. Standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand and the fragrance of the cloud of incense rising. Then He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’” And He said to me, “Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing.” Ezekiel 8:10-13 (NASB)

After Ezekiel moved through the entrance, he saw a wide variety of animals and idols carved on the walls around him. The message is that these grotesque things were shocking. So, why did they worship them? We have already learned the answer from Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:17-30. The demons made it appear that the worship of these false gods was beneficial.

Then he saw seventy elders of the house of Israel. It appears that Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan was the leader of the seventy elders, and they were offering incense to these gods and goddesses. They were doing it in secret. Lamar Cooper in his commentary on Ezekiel states,

To his shock and surprise the men inside were worshiping idols in various kinds of animal forms (v. 10). The terminology used was very much like the prohibitions against idolatry (cf. Deut 4:16-19; Lev 11:40-42).

There was no apparent reason for the secrecy of this group of worshipers. Some interpreters suggest that these practices resembled Egyptian worship rather than Babylonian cults. If so, the group would have had to worship in secret because the gods of the Egyptian pantheon would have been offensive, perhaps even illegal under Babylonian rule. All public altars would have had to conform to required standards of Babylonian worship.[3]

So, why were the abominations greater? First, the leaders of Judah were engaged in the worship of these things. The very men who should have been examples to the people were committing this evil. Second, these gods and goddesses were so evil. Third, the leaders were hiding their abhorrent behavior from the people. The end of verse 13 says still greater abominations were coming.

Still Greater Abominations

Now ask yourself what are the “still greater abominations”? Verses 14-15 describes them.

Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these.” Ezekiel 8:14-15 (NASB)

Here the prophet was taken not through the north gate but to a gate that was north but directly across from the temple. There he saw women weeping for Tammuz. Tammuz was an Akkadian god, a god of fertility. He was both the brother and husband of Ishtar. Ishtar was a goddess. Tammuz was also called Dumuzi or Duzu. Ishtar and Tammuz had an incestuous relationship. Archaeology has discovered very graphic love poems from antiquity that supposedly describe their relationship. That is consistent with the extreme sexual fertility festivals involved in the worship of Tammuz.[4]

It was believed that Tammuz died and was resurrected annually. When he died, the crops died. He was resurrected in the spring by the wailing of Ishtar. This religion taught that his resurrection caused the rains to return and the crops to grow. The followers helped this process by weeping and engaging in the fertility festivals. This was a women’s religion. Verse 15 says that “still greater abominations than these” will be described next.

Still Greater Abominations Than These

Verse 16 described them.

Then He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun. Ezekiel 8:16 (NASB)

Ezekiel sees twenty-five men who were worshiping the sun as it arose from the east. There are several things we must notice. First, since only priests were allowed between the bronze altar and the porch of the temple, these twenty-five men must have been priests. Second, we are told they were worshiping toward the east. That suggests they were worshiping the sun. Deuteronomy 4:19 specifically prohibited the worship of the sun. Sadly, sun worship kept reappearing in Judah. It was removed during the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah (2 Kings 23:5, 11; 2 Chronicles 29:5-7). The false Egyptian gods of Osiris and Ra involved sun worship. Some of the worst sexual perversions that can be imagined were part of the worship of Osiris.

Conclusion

Verses 17 begins the conclusion to the chapter.

He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose.” Ezekiel 8:17 (NASB)

Yahweh asked, “Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations”? Now we must ask, “What were the abominations?”

First, the abominations may have included the various idols. Because there seems to be a progressive degradation in sexual activity from the idol of jealousy to the sun worship. Sexual perversions progressively desensitize people. They progress from bad to worse. Secondly, we are told the house of Judah was committing these abominations. The emphasis is on the actions of the people. We are told the ordinary people were committing the abominations, then the seventy elders, the women, and twenty-five priests were doing things with these grotesque idols. There is a progression from the common person, to the elders, to the women, to the priests. This gives us the principle that the sins of those in more responsible positions commit the greater abominations. Jesus said in Luke 12:48 that to whom much is given, much is required. That helps us understand why Yahweh removed Moses for what appears to be a small sin.

Sadly, these people did not think their abominations were serious. Because of their disobedience, violence had filled the land. By abandoning Yahweh and worshiping these demonic deities, they had rejected God’s standard of holiness. Consequently, violence was flooding the land. In Romans 1:24, 26, and 28, we are told that when a person rejects God He removes constraints and allows them to engage in homosexual sins. At the end of the chapter, we also see a long list of sins. God had allowed violence to flood the land. It is happening today in our own nation.

At the end of the verse, we read the curious statement, “putting the twig to their nose.” The meaning of “putting the twig to their nose according to H. W. Saggs is that it refers to a “ritual practice of sun worship.”

Everyone had forgotten all that Yahweh had done for them. In their desires and lusts, they abandoned Him. They did not care about Yahweh. So Yahweh responded in verse 18,

Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them.” Ezekiel 8:18 (NASB)

In the last study, Yahweh said that He would have, “no pity nor will I spare” them. He repeats it again. “And though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them.”

Today, our nation is worshiping everything but God. The gods and goddesses of our time are sex perversions, climate change, the environment, low population growth, abortion, deception, injustice, dishonor of parents, and many others. Just as God poured out His wrath on Israel, He will pour out His wrath on any other nation who fails to put Yahweh first.

The message for Christians is Matthew 22:37-38,

And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 (NASB)

 

References:

1. R. K. Harrison. Leviticus. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Inter-Varsity Press. 1980. p. 179-180.
2. Ralph H. Alexander. Ezekiel. The Expositors Bible Commentary. Regency Reference Library. 1986, vol. 6, p. 781.
3. Lamar Cooper. Ezekiel. The New American Commentary. B&H Publishing Co. 1994. Vv. 17., p. 121.
4. Alexander. Ibid. p. 784.

John

God Deals With Us According To Our Sins

/in /by
God Deals With Us According To Our Sins

God Deals With Us According To Our Sins

In our recent studies in the book of Ezekiel, we have learned that Yahweh commissioned the prophet Ezekiel to speak to the nation of Israel. They had refused to listen to Him. Yahweh told Ezekiel to tell the nation of Israel the Babylonian army would be invading them soon. It would occur because they had not listened to Yahweh nor repented. In chapter 5, Yahweh revealed the invasion would cause many to die. Lamentations 4:10 stated that due to the famine that would occur, mothers would even eat their children. In chapter 6, Yahweh announced that their high places of worship to Baal, Ashtoreth and other Canaanite gods and goddesses would be destroyed. Acts of Canaanite worship included sexual perversion and the sacrifice of children. The same thing is occurring in our time. Those who worshiped these false gods would be killed, but God would leave a remnant (Ezekiel 6:8).

End Is Coming

Our study is from Ezekiel 7. In this study, I want to explain the chapter first and then give the application. So, we will start with the first two verses of chapter 7.

Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me saying, And you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel, ‘An end! The end is coming on the four corners of the land.” Ezekiel 7:1-2 (NASB)

The Hebrew word for LORD in the first verse and GOD in the second verse is Yahweh. This means that immediately Yahweh gave Ezekiel another message for the nation of Israel. Ezekiel was to announce, “End!” Your Bible may say, “An end!” But there is only one Hebrew word in that statement. It is qes. That means Ezekiel was to make a very dramatic statement—“End!” The Hebrew word for “end” simply has the idea that a limit has been reached. The end of the road had been reached, just as when a car is driving on a road and suddenly the road comes to an end.

But what did Yahweh mean by “end”? It was an announcement that Yahweh had waited long enough for Israel to repent. He had been warning them to repent through the major and minor prophets. But Israel had been ignoring His warnings. They did not believe Yahweh would destroy Jerusalem or the temple. Many of them did not believe in Yahweh since they were worshiping Baal or they thought He had abandoned them. Now He could no longer wait for Israel to respond.

We have the same problem today. People do not believe in God and they do not fear being judged and punished because they do not believe hell is real. They believe that a loving God would never send anyone to hell. Some do not even think God is real. They will sadly discover someday that the road they are driving on will end!

Now, Yahweh was announcing that the end had been reached. Therefore, Ezekiel announced, “An end! The end is coming.” The limit of Yahweh’s patience and mercy had come to an end. The end of the nation had arrived. This truth extended to its four corners — northwest, northeast, southeast, and southwest. Nothing and no one would escape punishment.

Then in verses 3 and 4, Yahweh explained, “An end! The end is coming.” He said,

“‘Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you. For My eye will have no pity on you, nor will I spare you, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your abominations will be among you; then you will know that I am the LORD!’” Ezekiel 7:3-4 (NASB)

Once again Yahweh referred to the end. In fact, He referred to the end five times in verses 2, 3 and 6. His purpose was to make the very strong point, “the end is upon you.” History tells us the invasion did occur five years later. Then He described the type of judgment, “I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you.” Notice that Yahweh said He would do the judging and cause the abominations and the suffering. He did not say that Satan would cause them to suffer. He did not say that Satan would bring all of the abominations upon them. Instead, He announced He was completely responsible.

When God disciplines a nation or individuals, He is the responsible person. In verses 3 and 4, He was taking credit for their suffering. Why? First, He is a holy God and must punish sin because He is holy! He proves He is holy by punishing sin and suppressing evil. That is the meaning of “Hallowed be Your name” in Matthew 6:9. “Hallowed be” means to make holy.

When Yahweh judges sin, He makes His name holy. He wanted Israel to know He is holy. Second, He reminded them that He had already warned them. He keeps His promises and warnings! He was not like some parents and corrupt politicians who selectively punish evil.

When Yahweh stated that He was sending His anger against Israel, we must remember that it is not evil for Yahweh to be angry. We think that anger is evil because we sin when we are angry! But it is possible to be angry and not sin. Ephesians states,

BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN. Ephesians 4:26 (NASB)

But we must remember that it is very rare for our anger to achieve the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20 adds,

This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20 (NASB)

The only time we can be angry and not sin is when our anger is like God’s anger. We are usually angry due to some sin.

James 1:13 reminds us that God cannot, has not sinned, and does not sin,

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. James 1:13 (NASB)

God’s anger is always directed at sin. God would not be holy and righteous if He always tolerated our sin, lack of repentance, and refusal to turn away.

Ezekiel 33:11 says that Yahweh does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. That means Yahweh has no choice when He punishes evil. Yahweh causes suffering when He must. Yahweh announced that He would punish them for ongoing sin.

Now I suspect that He allowed Satan to attack Israel by removing His hedge of protection that surrounded the nation of Israel just as He did with Job. 2 Thessalonians 2:6 also teaches us that God restrains the man of lawlessness. So, I suspect that God removed His protection from Israel. He then allowed Satan to attack Israel by using King Nebuchadnezzar’s army.

In verse four. Yahweh declared, “For My eye will have no pity on you, nor will I spare you.” That is, Yahweh would not have any pity on them. He would not show pity because He had been showing them mercy for many years and decades. But now justice could no longer be delayed. The end had come. So, He said that He would, “Bring your ways upon you, and your abominations will be among you; then you will know that I am the LORD!’” Then He caused them to suffer according to their sins. It proved that the Lord had spoken.

In verses 5-7, Yahweh emphasized His message again when He said,

“Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘A disaster, unique disaster, behold it is coming! An end is coming; the end has come! It has awakened against you; behold, it has come! Your doom has come to you, O inhabitant of the land. The time has come, the day is near — tumult rather than joyful shouting on the mountains.’” Ezekiel 7:5-7 (NASB)

This message is a very sobering one. I would not want to hear these words from the Lord. He has already used the single word the “end.” Now He uses another single word, “disaster!” The end is disaster! The end referred to a nationwide disaster. I would not want to hear, “A disaster, unique disaster, behold it is coming!” I would not want to hear, “An end is coming; the end has come!”

In verse 7, Yahweh said, “The time has come.” Yahweh kept making a serious point. The end is upon you! The disaster is coming! The time has come! The day is near! Your doom has come to you!”

When Yahweh said, “Your doom has come to you” in verse 7, He used a unique Hebrew word for “doom.” The Hebrew word is sepira. It appears to have the meaning of “to twist.” It refers “to come back, to return, or come full circle.” It has the idea of something coming back upon them. He has already said in verse 4 that He would “bring your ways upon you.” The last part of verse 7 explains what will come back upon them—“tumult rather than joyful shouting on the mountains.” They did not believe Him. They did not repent. The message is that it is now too late to repent. Yahweh had been warning and waiting. Even if they did repent, which He knew they would not, they could not stop the doom. The disaster was coming. The coming pain and misery was coming!

Then in verses 8-9, Yahweh repeated verses 3-4 using different words.

“’Now I will shortly pour out My wrath on you and spend My anger against you; judge you according to your ways and bring on you all your abominations. My eye will show no pity nor will I spare. I will repay you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst; then you will know that I, the LORD, do the smiting.’” Ezekiel 7:8-9 (NASB)

Verses 3-4 and verses 8-9 are like the front and back covers to a hardbound book. They title the message that is between the covers. Verses 5-7 are the full message. Notice that in verse 3, Yahweh said He would send His anger against them. Then in verse 8, Yahweh added that He would pour out His wrath. That is, His anger resulted in wrath.

Next, Yahweh added that “My eye will show no pity nor will I spare.” This echoes verse 4. He had already been showing them pity by tolerating their sin. Now a third time Yahweh restates that, “I will repay you according to your ways while your abominations are in your midst.” At the end of verse 9, Yahweh took credit again for their suffering when He said He would “do the smiting.”

God had been showing kindness, tolerance, and patience to Israel. He gave them time to repent. He gives us time to repent. He is not eager to punish. But we can be stubborn and refuse to repent. When we do, we are just storing up wrath for ourselves. Eventually God must punish us because He is a holy and just God. When He does punish, He renders to each person according to their deeds. Every believer has been punished and then remembers some sin that caused it to occur. Only Israel never repented.

Commerce Destroyed

So, the announcement has been repeated and repeated. Hopefully, Israel would hear. Now He describes things that would be destroyed that were not mentioned in chapters 5 and 6, such as the massive destruction of human lives and high places. Here are verses 10-13,

“‘Behold, the day! Behold, it is coming! Your doom has gone forth; the rod has budded, arrogance has blossomed. Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness. None of them shall remain, none of their people, none of their wealth, nor anything eminent among them. The time has come, the day has arrived. Let not the buyer rejoice nor the seller mourn; for wrath is against all their multitude. Indeed, the seller will not regain what he sold as long as they both live; for the vision regarding all their multitude will not be averted, nor will any of them maintain his life by his iniquity. Ezekiel 7:10-13 (NASB)

Once again, Yahweh repeats the message, but He says it this way, “Behold, the day! Behold, it is coming! Verses 10 and 11 describe what is coming by the illustration of two different rods. In verse 10, the rod is a stick or a staff like Aaron’s staff that blossomed. The blossom is arrogance—sin! That described Israel. But in verse 11, it is the rod of wickedness. It was a product of Israel’s violence. This rod refers to the Babylonian army. Violence has created the wicked rod. It would soon destroy the people, their wealth, and anything that was valuable. The Hebrew word for “eminent” is noah. It means “valuable” or “distinction.” So, the time has come. The day has arrived. Israel’s commerce would be destroyed by the invading army. There was nothing they would be able to do. They would not be able to rescue themselves even by sinning. Yahweh said, “Your doom has gone forth.” The wicked Babylonian army will be swinging the rod and killing people.

People and Army Destroyed

Verses 14-19 describe a weakened army and people at the time of the Babylonian army’s invasion of the land.

“‘They have blown the trumpet and made everything ready, but no one is going to the battle, for My wrath is against all their multitude. The sword is outside and the plague and the famine are within. He who is in the field will die by the sword; famine and the plague will also consume those in the city. Even when their survivors escape, they will be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, each over his own iniquity. All hands will hang limp and all knees will become like water. They will gird themselves with sackcloth and shuddering will overwhelm them; and shame will be on all faces and baldness on all their heads. They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetite nor can they fill their stomachs, for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling. Ezekiel 7:14-19 (NASB)

The description jumps to the future. The trumpet is pictured as already blown. The invasion had already started, but there will not be an army for Israel. God was working against Israel. When Yahweh said, “The sword is outside,” He was clearly describing an invasion. When Yahweh said, “the plague and the famine are within,” He was referring to sickness and extreme hunger within the city. People would die outside and inside the city of Jerusalem. Those who could escape to the mountains would mourn because of their sin. Verses 17-18 describe fear and shame over their sin.

In verse 19, we are back inside the city. We are told the people would throw their worthless money into the street. Why? Because their money cannot buy anything to fill their hungry stomachs. There is no food.

Temple Destroyed

In verses 20-22, the destruction of the temple takes place.

“‘They transformed the beauty of His ornaments into pride, and they made the images of their abominations and their detestable things with it; therefore I will make it an abhorrent thing to them. I will give it into the hands of the foreigners as plunder and to the wicked of the earth as spoil, and they will profane it. I will also turn My face from them, and they will profane My secret place; then robbers will enter and profane it.” Ezekiel 7:20-22 (NASB)

The most difficult part of this passage is to determine what is being described. The answer is the destruction of the temple is being described. This becomes clear when we notice that we are told, “His ornaments” in verse 20, and “My secret place” in verse 22. The “His” and “My” refer to Yahweh. The Hebrew word translated as “secret” can also mean “treasured.” God’s treasured place refers to the temple. “His ornaments” refers to the gold, silver, furniture, and various items in the temple.
That is, the Israelites had stripped these from the temple and made idols of them—abhorrent things.” So, Yahweh will give all of that to the invading army. He would let the invading army enter the temple to strip it. They would profane it because their presence in the temple had polluted the temple.

Nation Destroyed

Finally, Yahweh described the total destruction of the land in verses 23-27.

“‘Make the chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence. Therefore, I will bring the worst of the nations, and they will possess their houses. I will also make the pride of the strong ones cease, and their holy places will be profaned. When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. Disaster will come upon disaster and rumor will be added to rumor; then they will seek a vision from a prophet, but the law will be lost from the priest and counsel from the elders. The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with horror, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. According to their conduct I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know that I am the LORD.’” Ezekiel 7:23-27 (NASB)

The chain in verse 23 refers to chains that would bind the very violent people. So, Yahweh’s plan was being implemented. Israel would be invaded by the worst of nations. The homes of the Israelites would be occupied by the invading army. There would be no peace. Disaster was coming. In addition, false rumors upon false rumors would spread making things worse. The people would seek help from false prophets, and the law would be lost. The whole nation would mourn from the king, the prince, and down to the people. Then Yahweh made this incredible statement, “’According to their conduct I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know that I am the LORD.’”

Conclusion

That statement has been Yahweh’s theme through the book of Ezekiel and especially in this chapter. In verse 3 Yahweh said, “I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you.” In verse 7, Yahweh said, “Your doom has come to you!” Then verse 27 repeats the same idea. That is, what we sow, we shall reap. That is a divine principle that applies to everyone. We cannot escape it. Galatians 6:7 states,

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7 (NASB)

Proverbs 11:18 warns,

The wicked earns deceptive wages,
But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.
Proverbs 11:18 (NASB)

Hosea 8:7 has this insightful comment,

For they sow the wind
And they reap the whirlwind.
Hosea 8:7 (NASB)

Job 4:8 says,

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity
And those who sow trouble harvest it.
Job 4:8 (NASB)

Our study is a very difficult illustration of this principle. Whatever a person sows, he or she will repeat. The only exception to this principle is found by forgiveness that comes only through Jesus Christ. If we refuse to repent of our sins, we will be punished eventually. But if we confess our sins and repent, we are forgiven.

Hebrews 12:7-11 reminds us that God disciplines us as a father disciplines a son. He must eventually punish evil since He is holy and just. God must eventually punish after He has shown tolerance, love, and mercy. Romans 2:4-6 explains,

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.” Romans 2:4-6 (NASB)

So, God shows us kindness, tolerance, and patience. He is not eager to punish. He wants us to confess our sins and repent, or turn away from them.

1 John 2:1-2 tells us that Jesus then defends us before God the Father against any accusation of wrongdoing. So, believers should daily confess their sins and repent. Unbelievers need to believe in Christ and call upon the Lord to be forgiven and be saved. Romans 10:13 promises that if we do, we will be saved. So, let us sow righteousness and do good deeds. Let us seek to please the Lord, and obey Him in all that we do! They will see showers of blessings (Matthew 6:33).

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

John

Jesus Wept — The Destruction of Jerusalem Prophesied

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Destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman Army - A.D. 70

Two significant prophecies were fulfilled on Nisan 10 in the year AD. 33. Zechariah 9:9 and Psalm 118:26 foretold of the day the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would ride on a one-year old donkey into Jerusalem. They spoke of the praises He would receive from a large crowd. Luke 19:40 reveals that the stones would have shouted the praises of Christ if the crowd had been silent. That reveals that the prophecies were going to be fulfilled, even if the stones had to shout Christ’s praises. It also reveals Jesus deserved the praises for He was and is the Messiah. So, as He rode the donkey up the Mount of Olives to an elevation of 2,710 ft (826 m), the crowds followed Him. When He reached the top of the hill, He could see the city which was about 500 feet (152.4 m) below. He would have had a magnificent view of the city and the temple itself. But Jesus did not rejoice in the praises of the people or of the beautiful city and its temple. Instead, He burst into tears. It was a time of deep grief and not one of joy. Why did He respond by crying over Jerusalem? Our study is from Luke 19:41-48.

Love of Christ Displayed

Luke 19:41-42 states that as Jesus approached Jerusalem, he wept.

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! Luke 19:41-42a (NASB)

Earlier in verse 29 we were told that Jesus had approached Bethphage and Bethany. We were also told Bethany was near the Mount of Olives. Then in verse 37 we are told Jesus approaching the “descent of the Mount of Olives.” So, the Triumphal Entry occurred on the road from the village of Bethany up the slope of the Mount of Olives to the peak. Now we are told He is descending the slope as He approaches Jerusalem. The verse seems to imply that He must have stopped. Whatever the meaning of “approached,” Jesus would have been able to see the city below and the magnificent white temple.[1] Alfred Edersheim writes this wonderful description of what Jesus would have been able to see,

What a panorama over which to roam with hungry eagerness! At one glance he would see before him the whole city – its valleys and hills, its walls and towers, its palaces and streets, and its magnificent Temple —almost like a vision from another world. There could be no difficulty in making out the general features of the scene. Altogether the city was only thirty-three stadia, or about four English miles, in circumference. Within this compass dwelt a population of 600,000 (accord­ing to Tacitus), but, according to the Jewish historian, amounting at the time of the Passover to between two and three million . . .[2]

The temple was a beautiful sight. It was approximately 60 cubits (90 ft) long, 20 (30 ft) cubits wide, and 60 (90 ft) cubits high.[3] It had 162 Corinthian marble pillars around the temple and its courts.[4] It could be seen from anywhere in Jerusalem.[5] What a sight for Jesus to see as He descended the Mount of Olives.

Last Week of Jesus' Life

Yet, He cried or wept for the city. The Greek word “wept” is klaio. It referred to crying and deep sobbing. It is the strongest Greek word for weeping in the New Testament. As Jesus wept He said in verse 42, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.” Jesus wept because the city did not understand the “things which make for peace.” That is, they did not recognize their Messiah. They did not understand He came to give spiritual peace. In the Upper Room, Jesus said this to the disciples,

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. John 14:27 (NASB)

It is obvious Jesus was not talking about creating military peace treaties between nations. He was speaking about spiritual peace with God. For He said, “not as the world gives.” Then in John 16:33, He makes it clear the peace He spoke about could only be found in Him.

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NASB)

He did not come to establish military peace for Israel. He came to offer peace with God. Later the apostle Paul wrote that believers have peace with God because of Jesus.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 (NASB)

Peace with God comes by having faith in Jesus. By faith our sins are forgiven, and we stand in His grace. The citizens of Jerusalem did not know the true peace Jesus offered. That is the first reason He wept.

Holiness of Christ Displayed

A second reason Jesus wept is given to us in the last part of verse 42 when He said,

But now they have been hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:42b (NASB)

He said this because the people had already heard Him teach, and had seen Him do miracles, and yet they will reject Him in a few days. Even after coming to full light they will reject him. Consequently, God the Father had confirmed them in their unbelief. The same principle is illustrated in Malachi 2:2-4. In that passage, God warned the priests to repent, but then He immediately stated that they did not take His warning to heart. So, they would suffer punishment. The principle is also given in Ezekiel 2:1-7 when God tells the prophet Ezekiel the Israelites were a stubborn and rebellious people. He was to warn them but God knew they would not listen. Then starting in chapter 4, God prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army because the Jews had refused to repent and obey.

Now we must not think that God is eager to punish those who disobey and reject Him. Consider Psalm 103:10 which reminds us that Yahweh loves us. Yet in Ezekiel 33:11, we read,

“‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Ezekiel 33:11a (NASB)

This verse reveals that Yahweh hates to punish the wicked. It also reveals He has no choice. Ezekiel 18:23 and verse 32 give us another peek into Yahweh’s heart.

“Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? Ezekiel 18:23 (NASB)

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.” Ezekiel 18:32 (NASB)

Also in Lamentations, Yahweh states,

For He does not afflict willingly
Or grieve the sons of men.
Lamentations 3:33 (NASB)

This gives insight into a wonderful understanding of God’s character. Even though God loves everyone and hates afflicting us, His character cannot allow anyone who continues sinning to escape punishment. Yes, He is slow to anger (Psalms 86:15). But if an individual does not repent, He must eventually be punished. His holiness demands that evil be suppressed.

Also, Jeremiah 18:6-10 teaches us that God operates on by a divine principle. If a good nation becomes wicked, He will punish it. If a wicked nation repents of it’s evil and does good, then He will bless it. So Christ weeps for the people in the city of Jerusalem because He knows that punishment cannot be avoided.

We find the same principle in John 3:16. Jesus said,

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB)

Notice that Jesus did not just make a positive statement. He made both a positive and a negative statement. The negative statement is made first. Anyone who believes in Christ shall not perish. It is a warning that anyone who does not believe in Christ will perish. True belief contains three parts. First it believes the fact the Jesus is God who died for our sins and was resurrected. Second, it is accompanied by sorrow over one’s sins and seeks forgiveness. The person realizes they displeased God. Third, true belief submits to God and wants Him to change them.

John 3:18 now gives the warning, just as God did in Ezekiel. He shows love by warning us, because if we do not respond correctly He must punish us. He warns,

He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18 (NASB)

May I ask if you believe Jesus Christ is our God and the only one who save you from the punishment of hell?

Judgment of Christ Displayed

Jesus wept in great anguish since He knew judgment was coming on His beloved city (Psalm 87:2; 132:13-14). He had healed, performed miracles, done signs, taught the Scriptures, but most of the religious leaders and people rejected Him rather than honor Him. After three to four years of ministry among them, they were without excuse. They saw Him perform acts that only God could do. They heard Him speak as no other person could (Mark 1:27; Luke 4:32, 36; John 7:28, 46), but they concluded He was empowered by demons. So judgment was coming.

Verses 43-44 record Jesus’ description of the punishment that was going to occur on Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Jesus said,

“For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:43-44 (NASB)

Jesus’ prophecy contains four distinct features. First, Jesus said, “For the days will come upon you.” He was referring to the years of A.D. 66-73 when the Roman army entered into battle against the city.

Second, Jesus said the Roman army will “throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side.” Flavius Josephus, the Roman historian, tells us that this literally occurred. Since Jerusalem was built on two hills and was surrounded by a valley and deep ravines on three sides, the Roman army attacked from the north using siege towers. Josephus says the Roman army built these siege engines and then threw rocks and darts against the city and its inhabitants.[6] They built towers and then threw darts, shot arrows, and slung rocks.[7] This protected the Roman soldiers from the Jews who would throw things from the walls upon the soldiers below. With the siege works in place, the Jews could not successfully attack the Romans. Eventually, the Roman army broke through the first wall and the second wall on the north side of the city.[8] Note that valleys and ravines were on the east, south, and west.

As the battle between the Jews and Romans raged on, the people suffered from severe famine within the city. The Romans had surrounded the city to cut off supplies and food. On one occasion, Josephus states that Titus ordered a group of horsemen to ambush anyone who tried to secretly escape the walls of the city and collect food down in the valleys and ravines below. Consequently, some Jews were whipped, tortured, and crucified. Here is part of Josephus’ report.

. . . sent a party of horsemen, and ordered they should lay ambushes for those that went out into the valleys to gather food. Some of these were indeed fighting men, who were not contented with what they got by rapine; but the greater part of them were poor people, who were deterred from deserting by the concern they were under for their own relations; . . . nay, the severity of the famine made them bold in thus going out; . . . so they were first whipped, and then tormented with all sorts of tortures before they died, and were then crucified before the wall of the city. This miserable procedure made Titus greatly to pity them, while they caught every day five hundred Jews; nay, some days they caught more.[9]

So, Josephus reveals Jesus’ statement was fulfilled. The army did surround the city and hem them in on every side.

Third, Jesus prophesied, “they will level you to the ground and your children within you.” Josephus’ report to Rome reveals that the people were “leveled” by famine.”

Then did the famine widen its progress, and devoured the people by whole houses and families; the upper rooms were full of women and children that were dying by famine; and the lanes of the city were full of the dead bodies of the aged.[10]

In addition, the stomachs of those who deserted were cut open by the soldiers in order to find any gold they may have swallowed. It was a common practice in those times for deserters to swallow gold as a way to hide their money.[11]

Eventually, the Roman army victoriously conquered the third northern wall of the city in August–September in 70 A.D. and the Roman army entered the city like a flood of water.[12] The soldiers raced inside eagerly killing them.The soldiers took 97,000 captive. During the entire siege 1.1 million people died.[13] The army discovered that due to famine, some of the people had eaten human and cow dung.[14] Josephus also reports that cannibalism occurred. One person is graphically described as killing, roasting, and eating her nursing child.[15] The women and children were sold into slavery if someone would buy them.[16]

Fourth, Jesus said, “they will not leave in you one stone upon another.” Once again Josephus reports the fulfillment of Jesus’ words.

Now the Romans set fire to the extreme parts of the city, and burnt them down, and entirely demolished its walls.[17]

The army also burned down the temple.[18] Later Josephus adds this,

Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne, and so much of the wall as enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison; as were the towers also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind.

2. But Caesar resolved to leave there as a guard the tenth legion, with certain troops of horsemen, and companies of footmen. So, having entirely completed this war, he was desirous to commend his whole army, on account of the great exploits they had performed, and to bestow proper rewards on such as had signalized themselves therein.[19]

Conclusion

Finally, Jesus said that this will occur, “because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” The Triumphal Entry had just occurred. He had been cheered and praised as the Messiah-king of Israel. The large crowd had followed him from Bethany to the top of the Mount of Olives. Jesus deserved the adoration that He received because He was and is the Messiah-king.

But He knew another crowd and the religious leaders of Israel would reject Him as the Messiah-king on Friday as He stood with Pontius Pilate. He knew they would shout “Crucify Him!” He knew He would be crucified and the religious leaders would reject the sign above that said He was the king of the Jews. Consequently, the nation and its people would be destroyed by the Roman army. God the Father would use the Roman military to punish them.

We have discovered that Jesus was not rejoicing in their punishment. He was not calling them names. He was in anguish because they would be punished and Jerusalem would be destroyed. The character of God required they be punished for having full knowledge about Him and then concluding He lied about being God and performed His ministry using the powers of the occult. They had no hope since they reached the wrong conclusion.

God will do the same to any country that has been exposed to Jesus Christ and rejects Him. Any nation that has heard the gospel and eventually rejects the truth will be judged as the people in Jerusalem were judged. Unbelief cannot avoid punishment. For unbelief is sin. It is a refusal to believe and recognize God’s words and actions. Such arrogant and repetitive sin must be punished because it is a rejection of God. Unrepentant sin must eventually be punished.
Today, God is warning everyone to believe in Jesus Christ, accept Him as Lord and Savior, and escape eternal punishment.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB)

So, I urge you to call upon Him for your soul’s salvation!

If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” Romans 10:9-11 (NASB)

WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED. Romans 10:13 (NASB)

 

References:

1. Flavius Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. Book 15. Chap. 11, Section 3. Josephus. Winston. Kregel Publications. 1974. p. 334.
2. Alfred Edersheim. The Temple. Hendrickson Publishers. 1994. p. 8.
3. T. W. Davies. Temple. A Dictionary of the Bible Dealing With Its Language, Literature, and Contents. Charles Scribner’s Sons. vol. IV. p. 714.
4. Josephus. Ibid. Book 15. Chap. 11, Section 5.
5. B. A. Levine. Temple. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Moody Publishers. 2005. p. 1262.
6. Flavius Josephus. Wars of the Jews. 5.6.3. William Whiston. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged. Kregel. 1960. p. 557.
7. Ibid. 5.7.2, p. 558.
8. Ibid. 5.8.1, p. 560.
9. Ibid. 5.11.1, p. 565.
10. Ibid. 5.12.3, p. 565.
11. Ibid. 5.13.4, p. 569.
12. Ibid. 6.10.1, p. 588. Note that Vespasian was Roman emperor from A.D. 69 to 79, and the Hebrew month of Elul occurs in August–September in the Gregorian calendar.
13. Ibid. 6.9.3, p. 587.
14. Ibid. 5.13.7, p. 570.
15. Ibid. 6.3.4, p. 578.
16. Ibid. 6.10.1, p. 586.
17. Ibid. 6.9.4, p.
18. Ibid. 6.8.2, p. 586.
19. Ibid. 7.1.1-2, p. 589.

John

Jesus Came To Earth For Seven Reasons!

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Jesus Came To Earth For Seven Reasons

In my younger years, it was absolutely wonderful news when I discovered historical records outside the Bible that stated Jesus existed. For example, high Roman officials such as Pontius Pilate, Flavius Josephus, and Caesar Cornelius Tacitus reported that Jesus lived and died. Jesus died during the reign of Pontius Pilate. In addition to them, the Greek writer Lucian of Samosata, the Babylon Talmud, Mara Bar-Serapion, and the scientists Phlegon and Thallus all reported that He lived and later died. Together, these historical statements reveal that Jesus was crucified. Others say He was murdered, killed on a cross, or just put to death. These ancient testimonies support the biblical statements that Jesus Christ taught, did miracles, died on a cross, and was resurrected.

But why was Jesus born? Why did God come from heaven to earth and take on human flesh and blood? These questions are asked every year as we draw closer to the celebration of His birth. Most Christians already know He came to die as a sinless sacrifice in our place so that our sins can be forgiven. He died the death that every person deserves to experience because they sin. But Jesus was born for other reasons too! I want to give you seven reasons why Jesus came to earth. I did a search of the New Testament for Christ’s own statements that said, “He came.” I found six reasons. Then I searched the rest of the New Testament and found one more reason for a total of seven reasons why Jesus came to earth as a human baby.

First Reason Jesus Came

The first reason Jesus came is found in John 6:38-40. The passage says,

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:38-40 (NASB)

Here Jesus openly tells the crowd that He had come down from heaven. Now there is only one way to understand that statement. He used to exist in heaven, but now He was on earth. Then He made another surprising statement. He came to do the Father’s will – not His own will. I do not know of anyone who easily submits to another person, except maybe employees who work for an employer. Most people who submit do it to receive benefits or rewards.

When Jesus came to earth, He came simply to please the Father. Hebrews 10:5-9 teaches us that when God the Father planned to save us, the Son of God volunteered to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus did not just submit to the Father’s will, He volunteered to come to earth and take on human flesh and die for our sins. That is why Jesus said in John 10:18 that He, Himself, had the authority to choose to die and be resurrected. It is truly amazing what happened in the Godhead in ages past before the world was created.

Jesus said in John 6:40 that “everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” This was and is the Father’s plan. He did this so that people can have eternal life. Jesus volunteered to do the Father’s will and die on the cross.

So, Christ did not come to give us the Christmas season, holidays for family time, festive music, special food, parties, and gifts. Jesus came so our sins can be forgiven and we can enter heaven. He came to give us the assurance of eternal life. Jesus came to do the Father’s will, and He did it! That is the first gift Jesus gave us! I wonder what Christmas would be like if we focused on our own humility and submission to God the Father just as Jesus did.

Second Reason Jesus Came

So, the first reason Jesus came was to do the Father’s will. The second reason He came is found in Matthew 5:17-18. This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is speaking to a crowd when He said,

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Matthew 5:17-18 (NASB)

Jesus made this statement because He was about to tell the crowd several times, “You have heard . . . but I say to you!” Each time He said that, He rebuked the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and then He gave the correct understanding of the moral part of the Mosaic Law. Mark 1:22 tells us that the crowds were amazed at His teaching.

They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:22 (NASB)

He taught the truth and brought glory to God the Father in so doing.

Not only did He correct false teaching, but He also fulfilled the ancient prophecies about Himself, about His birth in Bethlehem, His ministry, His miracles, His death and resurrection. He fulfilled all that the Father had communicated by Himself or through the prophets. That is the second reason He came. That is His second gift for us. That is a great reason for us to remember the fulfillment of all the Father said and promised for us.

Third Reason Jesus Came

The third reason Jesus came was to give us truth. In John 18:37, Jesus clearly stated.

Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18:37 (NASB)

The Pharisees had distorted the truth. Satan appears as an angel of light in order to deceive this world (2 Corinthians 11:14). He does this by distorting the truth. Truth is truth. That which is truth in heaven is the real truth. So, Christ came to give us the truth because this world and Satan distort and twist the truth.

Closely related to John 18:37 is John 12:46. Here Jesus said,

I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. John 12:46 (NASB)

Now notice closely how Jesus used the word light. Light symbolizes both truth and holiness. Darkness symbolizes evil. The comparison of light versus darkness captures our attention. Darkness and light are frequently compared by Christ and the apostles. For example, in John 1:5-6 we are told this world is a dark place. It is clear that if we are habitually committing sin, we are walking in the darkness. John 3:19 says men love darkness because their deeds are evil. Our world is evil because it is controlled by Satan and unbelievers are filled with darkness because they are sinners. Our dark world suppresses the truth, and unbelievers hate the truth.

Next, both John 12:47-48 teach that those who reject the Light are those who do not believe the truth and do not keep Jesus’ sayings. God the Father will use their rejection to judge them. The basis for their judgment is their own disobedience and willful rejection of Jesus. This helps us understand that light symbolizes both truth and holiness.

So, Christ came to do the Father’s will, to fulfill the Law and prophets, and to give us the truth and teach us how to be holy. I wonder what Christmas would be like if we celebrated the fact that Jesus gave us truth?

Fourth Reason Jesus Came

The fourth reason Jesus came was to preach the gospel. Mark 1:37-38 tells us that Simon Peter and the other disciples were searching for Jesus. When they found Him, they said,

“Everyone is looking for You.” He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” Mark 1:37-38 (NASB)

Notice that the disciples said, “Everyone is looking for You.” They did not know where Jesus had been. Others did not know either. He surprised them that he had been preaching the gospel. Jesus said that He came to preach in other towns also. He did not stay at home and conduct “church” meetings just with the disciples. He surprised the disciples by revealing the high priority of preaching the gospel. He said, “That is what I came for.”

Frankly, some believers do not share the same passion of Christ. He left heaven to do the Father’s will, to fulfill the Law and Prophets, to give us Light and truth, and now we learn He came to preach the gospel. The first three reasons were all necessary in order to accomplish the fourth reason. He came to share the gospel so that people can be saved. He came to save! That is His fourth gift to us. I wonder what Christmas would be like if we shared the gospel with someone and they believed in Jesus?

Fifth Reason Jesus Came

Christ came to do the Father’s will, to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, teach us how to be holy, and to preach the gospel so that people will be saved. The fifth reason Jesus came is found in John 9:39.

This verse is near the end of the account about a man who was born blind at birth (John 9:1). After Jesus healed him and he gained his eyesight, the Pharisees were upset and tried to prove that Jesus had performed a fake healing. So, they questioned people about the healing, including his parents. They were not successful in discrediting the healing. Finally, Jesus found the man again and spoke to him. He said,

And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” John 9:39 (NASB)

The Pharisees understood that Jesus referred to them as those who become blind. The point of Jesus’ statement is that He brought judgment in the sense that now someone who rejects Him brings judgment upon themselves. Those who do not have spiritual eyes cannot see spiritually and realize they are sinners and call upon Christ for forgiveness. On the flip side, unbelievers do not think they need to be forgiven or need Christ. So, they think they see, but the truth is they are blind.

John 3:17-21 give us the same principle. It says,

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” John 3:17-21 (NASB)

Jesus tells us that He did not come to judge the world, but to save it. This reminds me of Ezekiel 33:11 which tells us that Yahweh does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. John 3:18 says men and women bring judgment upon themselves when they do not believe in Jesus. They reject Jesus because they love their evil deeds. They do not see themselves as being evil. So, they hate Christ.

They also hate Christians. A related reason why Jesus came is given in Matthew 10:34-36.

Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. Matthew 10:34-36 (NASB)

His point is that unbelievers will hate those within their own families who follow Him. In that sense, He causes conflict within families. They then bring judgment upon themselves.

So, Christ came to do the Father’s will, to fulfill the Law and Prophets, to teach us how to be holy, to preach the gospel, and to bring judgment upon those who reject Him. I wonder what Christmas would be like if we were celebrating those who believe in Christ?

Sixth Reason Jesus Came

The sixth reason Jesus came to earth was to die in our place for our sins. John 12:27 states,

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.’” John 12:27 (NASB)

Jesus’ definition of “hour” was His trial, condemnation for claiming to be the Son of God, and His death on the cross for our sins. Jesus defined what he meant by “hour” in Luke 22:53 when He said this to the chief priests, officers of the temple, and the elders.

While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” Luke 22:53. (NASB)

Notice that He said, “but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” Demonic forces were at work. Judas had betrayed Him (Luke 22:47-52). He was arrested and the trial for claiming to be the Son of God was about to occur. Luke 22:70-71 dramatically gives us the verdict,

And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.” Luke 22:70-71 (NASB)

Then when the religious leaders brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:1-2) they lied about His statement in order to have Him killed. Eventually, Pilate brought Jesus before a crowd and the crowd called for Jesus to be crucified. Then on the afternoon of Friday, Nisan 14 A.D. 33, Christ died on a cross for our sins. In theology, we say Jesus vicariously died for our sins. That is, He substituted Himself for us and suffered for our sins. He is our substitutionary atonement. 1 Peter 2:24-25 states,

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:24-25 (NASB)

Mark 10:45 states Jesus came to earth to ransom many. He ransomed the elect.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NASB)

So, Christ came to do the Father’s will, to fulfill the Law and Prophets, to teach us how to be holy, to preach the gospel, to bring judgment upon those who reject Him, and to die in our place on the cross for our sins. I wonder what Christmas would be like if we celebrated “the hour” for which He came?

Seventh Reason Jesus Came

At this point, it would seem there are no other reasons why He came to earth—why He was born on earth. But there is one more reason He came. It is found in 1 John 3:8. It says,

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8b (NASB)

What are the works of the devil? First, the devil is called the power of the air in Ephesians 2:1-2. In 2 Corinthians 4:4 he is called the god of this world. In 1 John 5:19 we are told the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. That is, in the control of the devil. This means that after he successfully deceived Eve into sinning, who then motivated Adam to sin, God gave the devil control of this world. Since then, he has fought against God.

John 8:44 says that he is the father of lies. But 2 Corinthians 11:14 says he appears as a good person—as an angel of light. He wants to appear as Christ. Yet, Paul said in 1 Thessalonians that Satan hindered Paul from performing his ministry. Job chapters 1-2 reveal that Satan attacks believers, can kill people, can destroy property, and can influence the weather. Acts 5:3 says that Satan filled Ananias’ heart to lie to the Holy Spirit. 1 Timothy 3:7 warns about appointing a new convert as an elder because the devil can use that to snare him. Ephesians 4:26-27 says he exploits our anger. 1 Corinthians 7:5 states that he tempts spouses to deny each other sexual relations in order to cause the other spouse to commit sexual sin. Acts 10:38 teaches that he can cause people to be sick. Luke 22:31 states that he wanted to sift Peter like wheat. That means even believers can seriously struggle in the faith. He spiritually blinds unbelievers. He motivated Judas to betray Christ.

1 John 3:10 says that there are only two groups of people on this earth—the children of God and the children of the devil. There is no middle group called the undecided. Hebrews 2:14 states the devil has the power of death. He is the accuser (Zechariah 3:1; Revelation 12:10)! So, the devil lies, deceives, snatches away the truth of the gospel (Matthew 13:19), motivates people to reject Christ and successfully demands the death of unbelievers. He is the accuser! That is a summary of the works of the devil.

So, Christ came to destroy all these works of the devil. Finally, Romans 16:20 states,

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Romans 16:20 (NASB)

That will occur after Christ victoriously defeats the devil at the last battle after the millennial kingdom.

Conclusion

This summarizes the reasons why Jesus came to earth and was born as a human baby. He had to be sinless in order to die in our place so that our sins can be forgiven and we can enter heaven. He came to save us. At the same time, He set in motion the destruction of the works of the devil. That is why He came!

That is what Christmas is all about—God Himself in human flesh who came to save sinners and to destroy the devil’s works! Colossians 1:13-14 summarizes all of this and is a wonderful passage to remember,

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NASB)

If you would like to escape the darkness and enter the kingdom of Christ, then ask Christ to forgive your sins. Romans 10:13 says anyone can call on Him and ask to be saved. He will save you.

WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED. Romans 10:13 (NASB)

John

Jewish Rabbis Believed Micah 5:2 Is About the Messiah

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Jewish Rabbis Believed Micah 5:2 Is About the Messiah

I have discovered that I cannot remember the earliest events in my life. I do not remember being born. I do not remember the first year of my life and I do not remember much of my pre-teenage and teenage years. The longer I live the fewer details I seem to remember about past years. If someone were to list the things that I did, I doubt that I would be able to agree or disagree with them. Maybe I might be able to confirm some of them. But I know my father and mother remembered more of the things that I did and I remember many events from my daughters’ childhood that they have forgotten. Time causes us to forget so many details. Consequently, I am always amazed when someone claims they know more about the historical events than those who lived through those times, such as the Renaissance era or at the time of Christ’s life. We have limited information about ancient civilizations. So we should trust those who witnessed and wrote about the historical events of the past. They were not stupid people. For example, one of those men was Aristotle (384-322 BC), who was a philosopher and scientist. Another one was Archimedes (287-212 BC), a brilliant mathematician.

The National Geographic lists the seven wonders of the ancient world. Their first wonder is the Pyramids of Giza. Then they list the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus, Temple of Artemis, Colossus of Rhodes, Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, and finally the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Those who designed those wonders were brilliant. Engineers today have said that the ability to build some of them was not available to us until we invented satellites. According to the National Geographic, Philo of Byzantium wrote,

“I have seen the walls and Hanging Gardens of ancient Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mighty work of the high Pyramids and the tomb of Mausolus. But when I saw the temple at Ephesus [Temple of Artemis] rising to the clouds, all these other wonders were put in the shade.”[1]

The author of the National Geographic article titled, “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” wrote that we are ignoring so many other wonders. He said,

While these constructions are stunning achievements of ancient engineerning (sic), they [i.e. historians] don’t include marvels from many of the ancient civilizations of Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, which were unknown to the Hellenic peoples.

Although these Seven Wonders are still celebrated today, they show the fleeting nature of even the grandest physical achievements—nature, human behavior, and the passage of time have destroyed all but one.[2]

The point is those seven wonders were incredible feats, but so many such wonders have been forgotten. Western cultures are so proud that some historians are selective in which great wonders from ancient civilizations they are willing to recognize. They rewrite historical records to fit their current worldview. It is tragic since once events are erased from the historical record, the truths of past history may be lost.

This is especially true of the historical records in the Bible. The critics of the Bible have a habit of claiming it is inaccurate and untrustworthy. They once claimed that the city of Jericho in the Bible was a myth until archeology discovered the evidence it was a real city. Archeology has repeatedly proven secular critics to be wrong so many times, but the critics tend to forget they have been rebuked by past discoveries. Archeology is a friend of Scripture and an affirmation of the faith. As archaeologists continue to dig, they continue to prove what we already know, the Bible does not contain any mistakes.

A very recent example occurred in May 2022. In an article titled, “Israel: Ancient Tablet Found Affirms Biblical Timeline” in Decision magazine, the following statement was made,

A recent discovery of an ancient tablet predating the Dead Sea Scrolls has been uncovered at the site of Mt. Ebal. The folded lead tablet not only affirms the Bible, but supports a traditional understanding of the Old Testament timeline, specifically the early dating for Moses’ writing of the Pentateuch.

The tablet-which mentions God’s Name twice-is about two centimeters by two centimeters, with 40 letters of Hebrew inscription that reference events mentioned in Deuteronomy 27:15-26 and Joshua 8:30. It’s classified as a defixio, which is Latin for “cursed tablet.” It is thought to date to the 14th or 13th centuries B.C., which is consis­tent with the likely historical timeframe of the Exodus.

The text of the tablet reads: “Cursed, cursed, cursed-cursed by the God YHW. You will die cursed. Cursed you will surely die. Cursed by YHW-cursed, cursed, cursed.”

Scott Stripling of the Archaeological Studies Institute at The Bible Seminary in Katy, said, “On a scale of one to 10, this is a 10. It doesn’t get any bigger than this.”

Gershon Galil, professor of Biblical Studies and Ancient History at the University of Haifa, said the discovery’s significance could not be overstated. “This is a text you find only every 1,000 years,” Galil told The Times of Israel.

The newspaper said it “may be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries ever.”[3]

The message of the tablet affirms the timeline given in the Bible, contrary to claims of the critics. There are numerous other discoveries that affirm the Bible, but we leave them for another time.

What is the point of this introduction? The point is that many people today are distorting history and are not to be trusted when they assume they know more than the eyewitnesses. This is especially true when we explore the truth about Christ. For example, today some Jewish rabbis now reject the interpretation of the ancient Jewish rabbis of some biblical prophecies about the Messiah. They find the earlier interpretations unacceptable because they reject Jesus Christ as the Messiah. In this study, I will give you an example from Micah 5:2. We are going to discover what the ancient Jewish rabbis believed about Micah 5:2. We will discover there is proof that Micah 5:2 was fulfilled, only it has been almost forgotten by the suppression of historical fact.

Date of Prophecy in Micah 5:2

Christians understand Micah 5:2 to be a prophecy about the Messiah. It is clear from the New Testament that it points to Christ. Micah 5:2 is prophecy because there are four reasons we know it was written before Christ was born. The first reason is a scroll of Micah 5 named 4Q81 is contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls which dated from 175 B.C. to 50 B.C. The second reason we know that Micah 5:2 is prophecy is that it is included in the Septuagint (LXX), a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures completed about 270 B.C. The third reason is that the prophet Jeremiah mentions Micah as a prophet who existed before his time (Jeremiah 26:18). So, these facts reveal Micah 5:2 was written before Christ was born. Lastly, internal evidence shows that it was written about 735-710 B.C. So, Micah 5:2 is a prophecy that existed 700 years before Christ.

Prophecy of Micah 5:2

Now here is Micah 5:2 from the NASB.

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.
Micah 5:2 (NASB)

When Christians read this, they notice that Yahweh has been speaking since Micah 4:6. Yahweh continues speaking to the end of chapter 5. So, Yahweh is speaking in verse 2 when He refers to the city of Bethlehem Ephrathah. At the time the prophecy was written, there were two cities called Bethlehem. One city was in Galilee and the other was in Judah. Consequently, the word Ephrathah was added to help us identify which Bethlehem. Bethlehem Ephrathah was and is about six miles south of Jerusalem. Then Yahweh said the city was “too little.” It was described as small because it was not even included in the list of cities in Joshua 15. So, there is no doubt which city is referred to in this prophecy. Notice that this prophecy is not general, but very specific.

Next, Yahweh stated that “One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.” The NASB capitalizes “Me” because Yahweh is speaking. “Go forth for Me” is a figurative reference to the virgin birth (Matthew 1:20-24; Luke 1:35).

Then we are told this “One” existed from “long ago.” The Hebrew word qedem is translated as “to exist long time before.” In Proverbs 8:23, the word is translated in the NASB as “the earliest times” of the earth. That is the “One” cannot be human. No human could have lived from the earliest times of the world until the prophet Micah prophesied.
The last line of verse 2 then states this One will be “from the days of eternity.” The Hebrew word for “eternity” is olam. The word means “eternal or eternity.” That goes back before the earliest beginning of the world. It goes all the way back to eternity. This once again reveals the One could not be human. He would be an eternal being. If we wrap all of these pieces of information together, we discover the prophecy was about an eternal person who would be born in a specific city named Bethlehem Ephrathah. He would be God and rule Israel.

Christians identify the “One” who would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah as Jesus Christ. One reason is that Jesus Christ is called the Messiah in both Matthew (Matthew 1:1, 16-17; 2:4), and John (John 1:41; 4:25), and eighty-one other times in the New Testament. Christ is the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew title, Messiah.

Another reason is found in Matthew 2:1-6 which tells us that some magi came from the east searching for the king of the Jews. Here is verses 2-6.

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF
JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST
AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD
MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”
Matthew 2:2-6 (NASB)

Notice the magi or the wise men asked King Herod where was the Messiah to be born? Since King Herod did not know, he asked the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah would be born. They said that He would be born in Bethlehem. Then they quoted part of Micah 5:2 and added a line from 2 Samuel 5:2 that summarizes the next two verses. We can thank our God that He recorded this for us so that we could see the chief priests and scribes correctly understood the prophecy of Micah 5:2 to be about the Messiah. Later in Matthew 2:11, we discover the magi visited the Messiah, who was named Jesus Christ.

Modern Rabbis’ View of Micah 5:2

Now this creates a problem for rabbis today. They recognize that Micah 5:2 is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Since this is unacceptable, they have reinterpreted Micah 5:2. The Jewish Study Bible, published in 2004, offers this modern-day interpretation from a Jewish perspective. They state that Micah 5:2 describes,

. . . the birth pangs of a woman and the hardship of Israel prior to the coming of the Messiah . . . Rab[bi] said: The son of David will not come until the [Roman] power enfolds Israel for nine months . . .”[4]

This interpretation cannot be supported by the Hebrew. The Jewish rabbis today have simply reinterpreted Micah 5:2 to refer to birth pangs of a woman and hardship of Israel. It would be unacceptable to have it refer to Jesus Christ. The Pharisees and Sadducees rejected Jesus and many still are rejecting Him.

Ancient Rabbis’ View of Micah 5:2

But a careful search reveals the rabbis who lived before Christ was born believed Micah 5:2 referred to the Messiah. For example, in an Aramaic translation of Micah 5:2 called Jonathan Targum, we read this translation,

“And you, O Bethlehem Ephrath, you who were too small to be numbered among the thousands of the House of Judah, from you shall come forth before Me the Messiah, to exercise dominion over Israel, he whose name was mentioned before, from the days of creation.”[5]

This is an Aramaic translation and commentary of Micah 5:2 by Rabbi Jonathan ben Uziel (first century B.C.). In reality, this is a paraphrase. Notice that in the process, he revealed that he believed the prophecy referred to the Messiah, who would be born in Bethlehem. But he also modified the end of the verse. He may have struggled with the idea the Messiah would be an eternal being.

Alfred Edersheim (A.D. 1825-1889) was a Jew who believed in Jesus Christ and became a follower of Him. He was educated at a Hebrew school and the University of Vienna. He wrote a book named “The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.” In it he wrote,

As shown by the rendering of the Targum Jonathan, the prediction in Micah v. 2 was at the time universally understood as pointing to Bethlehem, as the birthplace of the Messiah. That such was the general expectation, appears from the Talmud, where, in an imaginary conversation between an Arab and a Jew, Bethlehem is authoritatively named as Messiah’s birthplace.[6]

That is, before Christ was born the Jewish rabbis believed Micah 5:2 was about the Messiah. The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah.

Later in his book he stated,

The well-know passage, Micah v. 2, is admittedly Messianic. So in the Targum, in the Pirqé de R. Eliez. c. 3, and by later Rabbis.[7]

The Targum Palestine also states this about Micah 5:2.

“Out of thee Bethlehem shall Messiah go forth before me to exercise dominion over Israel.”[8]

Clearly the translators of the Targum Palestine believed that Micah 5:2 referred to the Messiah, and not the birth pangs of a woman and the hardship of Israel prior to the arrival of the Romans.

After Christ appeared, a rabbi from the Medieval period named David Qimhi (1160–1235 A.D.), also called Radak, wrote this about Micah 5:2,

“It will be said in the Messianic age that his ‘origins are from old, from ancient times …from Bethlehem,’ means that he will be of the House of David, because there is a long period of time between David and the Messiah-King; and he is El (God), which is how he is ‘from old, from ancient times.’”[9]

Risto Santala states in his book “The Messiah in the Old Testament in the Light of Rabbinical Writings”,

“The Rabbis praised Radak’s understanding of spiritual matters and said that without his insight into Scripture, ‘there is no correct biblical exegesis.’”[10]

Even though rabbis today highly respect rabbi David Qimhi believed that the Messianic age has its origin in Bethlehem and that the Messiah would be God Himself, they do not accept that Jesus is the Messiah.

Conclusion

Therefore, we can believe the prophecy of Micah 5:2 is about the Messiah for four reasons.
First, the ancient Jewish rabbis agree with our understanding of Micah 5:2. The rabbis believed Micah was inspired Scripture. They believed Micah 5:2 was a prophecy about the Messiah, that He would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah.

Second, the gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John quote or allude to the book of Micah as inspired Scripture five times (Matthew 2:5-6; 10:35-36, Luke 12:53; John 7:42). The apostles agreed with the ancient rabbinic understanding of the verse. That is, they believed Micah 5:2 is about the Messiah. This is truly wonderful news! Both the rabbis before Jesus and the apostles agreed about Micah 5:2.

Third, after Christ was born in Bethlehem Ephrathah, Luke 2:10-11 reveals the angel understood Micah 5:2 to refer to the Messiah, to be specific, to Jesus Christ. Listen to the words of the angel who spoke to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 (NASB)

Now we could change the translation from Christ to Messiah since Messiah is the Hebrew version of Christ. Where did the angel say He had been born? In the city of David, that is Bethlehem! The long-awaited birth of the Messiah had occurred. This was a direct fulfillment of Micah 5:2.

Fourth, Justin Martyr (A.D. 150-160), an early church father, wrote this very important comment about the birth of Christ in his apology. It is a historical fact that many have never heard due to the suppression of historical facts by many. He wrote,

And hear what part of earth He was to be born in, as another prophet, Micah, foretold. He spoke thus: “And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come forth a Governor, who shall feed My people.” Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, thirty–five stadia from Jerusalem, in which Jesus Christ was born, as you can ascertain also from registers of the taxing made under Cyrenius, your first procurator in Judaea.[11]

Here Justin paraphrased Micah 5:2, and defended the truth that Jesus was born in Bethlehem by saying his readers could check the taxation registers in Bethlehem created at the direction of Cyrenius or Quirinius. His message was that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in fulfillment of Micah 5:2. Imagine being able to go to the Bethlehem registry and check the truth of the Christmas story. The prophecy of Micah 5:2 is real. The Messiah came! Our God took on human flesh in order to become our Savior. This is a wonderful prophecy! Praise the Lord for His love and faithfulness.

 

References:

1. Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. National Geographic. (https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/seven-wonders-ancient-world).
2. Ibid.
3. Israel: Ancient Tablet Found Affirms Biblical Timeline. Decision. May 2022. p. 03.
4. Berlin and Brettle. The Jewish Study Bible. Jewish Publication Society. Oxford Press. 2004. p. 1213.
5. Huckel, T. (1998). The Rabbinic Messiah (Micah 5:2). Philadelphia: Hananeel House.
6. Alfred Edersheim. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Eerdmans Publishing. 1973. Book 2. Chap. VIII. p. 206.
7. Ibid. Appendix IX. p. 735.
8. HaDavar Messianic Ministries. (www.hadavar.org/critical-issues/anti-missionary-arguments/tampering-with-the-text/micah-52/)
9. Risto Santala, The Messiah in the Old Testament in the Light of Rabbinical Writings, Keren Ahvah Meshihit. 1992. p. 115.
10. Avram Yehoshua. MESSIAH’S DEITY AND MICAH 5:2. (www.seedofabraham.net/Messiahs-Deity-and-Micah-5.2.pdf).
11. Justin Martyr. The First Apology. Chapter XXXIV., Philip Schaff. Nicene and Ante-Nicene Fathers. Hendrickson. 1995. p. 174.

John

The Triumphal Entry of Christ As King

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Triumphal Entry of Christ

The four gospels present Jesus as the promised Messiah (Matthew 1:1, 16; Mark 1:1-3; Luke 9:20; John 1:41; 4:25). (Note the title Christ is the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew title Messiah). This study is about the Triumphal Entry of the Messiah into Jerusalem which occurred three days after He arrived in the area on 10 Nisan 3793 (Hebrew calendar) or 27 March A.D. 33 (Gregorian calendar). We are going to watch two prophesies be fulfilled as Christ publicly enters Jerusalem. They predicted that the Messiah-king would ride on a colt into Jerusalem and that the people of Jerusalem would shout the praises of their long-awaited king. In the last study, we learned the prophecy in Daniel 9:24-26 predicted the date after which the Messiah would die. That is now only five days away. These prophecies all point to Jesus as the only one who could have fulfilled them and He did. Jesus displayed the evidence that He was and is the Messiah. After the feeding of the five thousand, the people wanted to make Him their king but for the wrong reason. At the Feast of Booths in the summer of A.D. 33, the people were wondering if Jesus was the Messiah, the coming king. His miracles and teaching proved He was the God incarnate Messiah (Micah 5:2). Our study is approaching a pinnacle in the gospels. You will see Jesus praised as the king of the Jews at the Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-9, 14-17; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19). It is a fulfillment of ancient prophecy.

Preparing for the Triumphal Entry

John 12:9-10 has told us already that a large crowd knew Jesus was near Jerusalem. Jesus’ reputation had spread into the surrounding countries. Now on this visit to Jerusalem for the Passover, they wanted to see and hear this sensational man. They also wanted to see Lazarus, the man whom Jesus raised from the dead. Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, reports that millions of people came to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast, which began every year on Nisan 14 in the Hebrew calendar. So, we should not be surprised that there is a large crowd which wants to see Him. Jesus’ fame had spread east, south, west, and north.

Last Week of Jesus' Life

Our study begins with John 12:12. The verse says,

On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. John 12:12 (NASB)

We are told that it is the next day, Sunday, 27 March A.D. 33. The same large crowd that had already visited Jesus on Saturday, 26 March A.D. 33 (John 12:9-11), had heard that He was going to Jerusalem and so they came looking for Him. We are not told how they knew He was coming to Jerusalem, but one of the disciples had to reveal the plan, or perhaps Mary, Martha, Lazarus, or Simon the former leper.

Matthew 21:1-3 gives us more insight as to how the day began than any of the other gospels. The passage says,

When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” Matthew 21:1-3 (NASB)

Here we are told that as Jesus approached Jerusalem, He came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives. Mark 11:1 and Luke 19:29 also add that the villages of Bethphage and Bethany were near the Mount of Olives. They were close together. Since Jesus and the disciples already had dinner in Bethany two days earlier (Friday, 25 March A.D. 33), the implication is they had stayed there. Therefore, it appears that on this day they had left Bethany and approached Bethphage on their way to Jerusalem. John 11:18 tells us that Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem or a Sabbath’s journey according to Acts 1:12. That means Bethphage was less than two miles from Jerusalem. Consequently, this helps us understand that Bethphage was the village that Jesus said was on the opposite side (Matthew 21:1-3), apparently just opposite Bethany.

Bethphage and Bethany Near Jerusalem

When they arrived near Bethphage, Jesus told the two disciples to go into the village opposite of them, find a donkey and its colt which were tied up, and bring them to Him. Mark 11:2 and Luke 19:30 record that Jesus said no one had ever sat on the colt. Some have asked how did Jesus know a donkey and its colt were tied up at the entrance of Bethphage? They suggest that Jesus had made previous arrangements. Maybe He did. But such a question ignores His divine nature. His knowledge of the colt and His foreknowledge of this event does not surprise anyone today who has seriously studied the gospels. Nor would He have surprised the disciples, for Jesus had already demonstrated that He knew the hearts and thoughts of men (Matthew 9:4; Mark 2:8; Luke 9:47; 11:17; 16:15). The point is that the critics cannot accept the possibility that Jesus or the Father had divinely orchestrated these events. God makes prophecies and then He divinely ensures the events occur (Proverbs 21:1; Isaiah 14:27). That is why He knew the location of the two animals and what words would result in their release. This should not be difficult for most believers to quickly accept. God the Father knows what will happen because He has planned what is going to occur. So His plans are fulfilled.

Since no human had never ridden on the colt, Jesus wisely told the disciples to bring both animals. Why did He do that? Because the presence of the colt’s mother would have helped the colt to be calm when Jesus rode upon it. But why was it important that no one had ridden on the colt? Because Jesus is the Messiah who someday will reign and rule over the earth in the millennial kingdom. Also, we are told that Jesus instructed the two disciples that if anyone asked anything, they were to simply say, “‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” In Jesus’ omniscience, He knew that someone would object. He knew how to ensure the plan succeeded.

Prophecies of the Triumphal Entry

Beginning with Matthew 21:4-5, Matthew reveals one of two significant fulfillments of ancient prophecies. The first prophecy is from Zechariah 9:9. The second one is from Psalm 118:26.
Matthew 21:4-5 tells us that the 500 year old prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 about the King of Israel riding on the colt of a donkey was soon to be fulfilled. Here is Matthew 21:4-5 rewording of the prophecy.

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’” Matthew 21:4-5 (NASB)

Matthew quotes the Hebrew Bible, but leaves out the third line of the Zechariah 9:9 prophecy (“He is just and endowed with salvation”). He did not quote the Septuagint (LXX).

Both Matthew and Zechariah refer to a “foal.” A “foal” is a one year old offspring of either a horse or a donkey. It is also called a “colt.” So, Zechariah 9:9 prophesied the king of Israel would ride a one-year old donkey. The divine plan was that the Messiah would humbly ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. Even though Zechariah 9:9 uses the word “lowly” and Matthew 21:5 uses the word “gentle,” it is important to know they have the same meaning. The Greek word for “gentle” is praus. It literally refers to strength under control, like a tamed horse. Even though a tame horse has been humbled, it would be wrong to say it is weak because it’s response is a choice.

So the prophecy states, “Your king” is coming. He is humble. He has great strength under control. I rejoice that He has great power, yet is humble, kind and compassionate. That is an ideal king for Proverbs 29:4 says,

The king gives stability to the land by justice . . . Proverbs 29:4 (NASB)

The proverb describes Jesus Christ. He is the righteous king who is humble, has great power, and brings stability to the land.

Next, Luke 19:32-35 tells us that the two disciples obeyed Jesus’ command and found the two animals. The passage says,

So those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord has need of it.” They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it. Luke 19:32-35 (NASB)

The two animals were near the entrance to Bethphage. Mark 11:4 says the colt was in the street and tied at the door. As they untied the colt, the owners asked, “Why are you untying the colt?” Mark 11:5 just refers to the owners as “bystanders.” The owners were standing near-by. The two disciples gave the owners the answer Jesus had given to them. Then they were able to bring the donkey and the colt.
What is truly amazing is the amount of historical details the four gospels give us about this event. We even know the animals were in the street and were tied to a door. We can imagine the crowd standing nearby the animals as they waited for Jesus to arrive. The expectation must have been high. Today, someone might be selling food and drinks. I wonder what was happening as they waited?

Two disciples brought the animals to Jesus, laid their coats on the colt and lifted Jesus up onto the colt. Luke 19:36 recorded what occurred next. Luke wrote,

As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. Luke 19:36 (NASB)

The Greek word for “spreading” is hypostronnyo. It means “to spread beneath something.” It is in the imperfect tense. The word gives us the picture of a crowd repeatedly casting their coats on the ground before Jesus as He moved along the road. It is a very dynamic picture. In addition to throwing their coats on the road, Matthew 21:8 states that most of the crowd was spreading branches on the road.

Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. Matthew 21:8 (NASB)

But what kind of branches? Mark 11:8 states the cuttings were leafy, and John 12:13 says they “took the branches of the palm trees.” That is, they laid their coats and palm branches from the palm trees along the road ahead of Jesus as He was riding on the colt.

Luke 19:36-38 tells us that as Jesus approached the peak of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd began to joyfully praise God with a loud voice. That means He had ascended the Mount of Olives (elevation of 826 m or 2,710 ft) and was now about to descend.

As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting:
“BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN
THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Luke 19:36-38 (NASB)

Imagine the beauty of the panoramic view of the city of Jerusalem below, and the temple below at about 91.4m or 300 feet below. As He reached the peak, the crowd broke out in loud praise, “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

If we combine all of the information together from the gospel accounts (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9-10; John 12:13), we learn they gave praise to God with these magnificent words,

“Hosanna to the Son of David;
BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE
NAME OF THE LORD; even the King of Israel.
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;
Hosanna in the highest!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

The words in capital letters are the direct quote from Psalm 118:26. The words before and after were added by the crowd. This is the second fulfillment of an ancient prophecy about the Messiah in this study. When they added “Son of David,” they revealed that they believed Jesus was the Christ (Greek title) or the Messiah (Hebrew title). When they added, “the King of Israel” and “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David” they reveal the crowd believed He was the Messiah-king who would rule over the kingdom established initially by David. The word “Hosanna” is like bookends to their loud joyful praises. They shouted Hosanna before and after. The word means “Save now.” They wanted to be saved from the Roman Empire. They were exalting Christ because that was the Father’s plan. His plan would be fulfilled. The Messiah was going to be recognized and honored.

The gospel of John adds the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 at this point.

“FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.” John 12:15 (NASB)

He switches the order of the two prophecies (Psalm 118:26 and Zechariah 9:9) as given in the gospel of Matthew. At the beginning of John’s quote, he inserts the words “Fear not” from Isaiah 40:9. Matthew and John are the only two gospels that mention both prophecies. As we saw in our introduction, the gospels announced that Jesus was the Messiah at His birth. Some of the disciples discovered He was the Messiah when they met Him. Jesus announced the kingdom was near and taught parables about the kingdom. Now the crowd exalts Him as the Messiah-king. Jesus was worthy of their praise.

Mount of Olives panorama

Purpose of the Triumphal Entry

Next, the gospel of John adds,

These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him. John 12:16 (NASB)

The disciples not understand the purpose of the Triumphal Entry. They missed the fact that it fulfilled the ancient prophecies. We must remember that Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, and He did (Luke 13:33; 24:25-27; Acts 3:21). The Triumphal Entry of Christ fulfilled two very important prophecies. They missed it. They missed the exaltation of Jesus as the Messiah. In theology, these two fulfillments are called “already, but not yet.” That means they were pre-fulfillments of the future complete fulfillment that will occur when Jesus will reign as the Messiah-king over the millennial kingdom. The ancient rabbis in Jesus’ day believed that Zechariah 9:9 referred to the Messiah. The gospels record the fulfillment. We will soon discover the religious leaders missed that for which they were waiting.

It is very important to note that Justin Martyr (A.D. 116-165) wrote to a man, called Trypho, and urged him to believe in Christ. He taught Trypho about the Triumphal Entry of Christ in Jerusalem. Then he said this about Jesus.

“And as this was done by Him in the manner in which it was prophe­sied in precise terms that it would be done by the Christ, and as the fulfilment (sic) was recognised (sic), it became a clear proof that He was the Christ. And though all this happened and is proved from Scripture, you are still hard-hearted. Nay, it was prophesied by Zechariah, one of the twelve [prophets], that such would take place, in the following words: ‘Rejoice greatly, daugh­ter of Zion; shout, and declare, daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King shall come to thee, righteous, bringing salvation, meek, and lowly, riding on an ass, and the foal of an ass.’”[1]

Did you notice his strong appeal to the fulfillment of prophecy as proof that Jesus was and is the Christ? It is obvious that Justin believed the prophecies were fulfilled. He lived only about one hundred years after Christ. He may have heard the testimonies from some early Christians who were eyewitnesses about Jesus.

In his book “The First Apology,” Justin wrote this,

And that these things did happen, you can ascertain from the Acts of Pontius Pilate. And we will cite the prophetic utterances of another prophet, Zephaniah, to the effect that He was foretold expressly as to sit upon the foal of an ass and to enter Jerusalem. The words are these : “Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem behold, thy “King cometh unto thee; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”[2]

Notice his appeal to the Acts of Pontius Pilate as proof “that these did happen” (see the footnote below).

We can praise God because Jesus fulfilled the five hundred year-old prophecies of Psalm 118:26 and Zechariah 9:9. We know these prophecies existed before Christ was born. For they were recorded in the Septuagint (LXX), which was written about 270 B.C. and the Dead Sea Scrolls which are dated about 150 B.C. Christ was born about 2 B.C. These facts affirm that the prophecies existed before Christ appeared. The Triumphal entry affirms that Jesus is the Messiah-king. This is a tremendously encouraging reality for every believer.

Response to The Triumphal Entry

John 12:17-19 also records the response of the crowd to Christ and the panic of the Pharisees.

So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.” John 12:17-19 (NASB)

First, we are told that some of the crowd witnessed the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. So some of them had come. But why did the Pharisees come? Verse 19 reveals they had heard He was coming too! But they did not come to praise Jesus. They did not like Jesus. So they rejected the crowd. The crowd understood that a miracle had occurred when Lazarus was raised. This panicked the Pharisees. They hated Jesus’ popularity.

Notice their statement, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.” This is an important comment. It reveals the actions they had taken already were not hindering Jesus’ popularity. They had to be more aggressive. It meant that eventually Jesus would die.

While John 12:16 tells us the disciples did not understand the meaning of this event until later, Luke 19:39 reveals the Pharisees did not either.

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” Luke 19:39 (NASB)

This verse captures the Pharisees’ reaction to the crowd. They did not like the praise given to Christ, just as hardened-hearts today do not like Him either. So, they demanded that Jesus rebuke His disciples and keep them quiet. They believed it was wrong. But they were wrong. The entire crowd was not composed just of His disciples. Most of them were travelers coming for the Passover Feast on 14 Nisan.

The Pharisees did not recognize their Messiah. Yes, they knew the Scriptures. They knew the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. They knew about Zechariah 9:9. They knew the Scriptures, but they could not accept Jesus due to their jealousy and hatred of Him. It is amazing how our feelings can affect our ability to think logically. Hard hearts cannot see the truth. Sadly, that can be true of us too!

So, how did Jesus reply to the Pharisee’s demand, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples? Luke 19:40 gives us the answer.

But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” Luke 19:40 (NASB)

Jesus said that the stones would cry out if the crowd was silent. The two prophecies were going to be fulfilled even if it required the stones to cry out, “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.” Zechariah 9:9 and Psalm 118:26 would be fulfilled. The shouting recorded in the prophecies was going to occur! The Pharisees had missed the fulfillment of two amazing prophecies. They had missed an extremely significant and monumental event. They missed their Messiah-king. All of their years of study and training were wasted.

Conclusion

We must not miss the reality of this significant Triumphal Entry either. Jesus is the Messiah-king. He is the fulfillment of genuine, ancient prophecies. He is the promised Messiah-king dating from Genesis 49:10 (1405 B.C.).

The Triumphal Entry should thrill your heart. The four gospels rarely all recorded the same events. Bur all four gospels recorded this event. All four gospels specifically tell us that Zechariah 9:9 was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. They point to Christ as the Messiah. They also gave praise to Jesus Christ who deserved the words of praise from the very large crowd. This is the purpose and the climax of the Triumphal Entry. Praise the Lord!!

John

Then You Will Know I Am the LORD

/in /by

Judgment of the Followers of False Religion

In chapters four and five of the book of Ezekiel, Yahweh gave the Israelites, who were living in Jerusalem and Judah, an overview of the judgment they were going to experience. First, Yahweh said He was going to use the Babylonian army to destroy them. Second, the city would be surrounded and besieged for 430 days, or one year and two months. Third, food and water would be cut off. Famine would occur and they would eat each other in order to survive. Fathers would eat their sons. Even compassionate mothers were going to boil and eat their children, and children would eat their parents. The message is Yahweh’s judgment was going to be terrible because of their sin and idolatry. At the end of chapter 5, Yahweh confirmed that this would happen when He said three times,

I, the Lord, have spoken. Ezekiel 5:17 (NASB)

Then beginning in Ezekiel 6, Yahweh gave the Israelites a new prophecy. It gave more details about the Babylonian army invasion. The prophecy describes the appalling behavior of the Israelites that caused the devastating judgment they would experience. This study is about chapter six.

But before we start digging to discover the meaning of chapter six, I want to provide some background information about the Canaanite religion. The Canaanites worshiped numerous gods and goddesses. The chief god was Baal, and the supreme goddess was Ashtoreth or Asherah. The meaning of the word Baal was “lord.” He was worshiped as lord. The worship of both of these demonic deities occurred throughout the land of Palestine, Egypt, and beyond. The first time Baal is mentioned in Scripture is in Numbers 22:41 when Balaam cursed the Israelites as they entered Palestine. Here is Numbers 22:41-23:2.

Then it came about in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, and he saw from there a portion of the people. Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.” Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. Numbers 22:41-23:2 (NASB)

The ”high places” of Baal refers to a place of worship on a mountain. Typically, the high places were located in lush groves of trees. An altar was erected using stone or clay bricks upon which sacrifices would be offered. A stone pole was located nearby that represented the male deity Baal. There was also a wood pole that represented the goddess Asherah. That was the name the Philistines gave her (1 Samuel 31:10). The Phoenicians named her Astarte. The Assyrians named her Ishtar. There was also a tent for eating sacrifices and for practicing prostitution.

Judges 2:10-13 reveals that sometime after Israel was in Palestine, they began to serve Baal. Verse 12 states that Israel abandoned Yahweh. Verse 13 refers to both Baal and Ashtaroth. 1 Kings 16:32 reveals that after King Solomon died, the Israelites built temples to Baal. 2 Kings 11:18 reveals the Baal temple had altars and images of Baal. The religion had over 450 priests at the time of Elijah (1 Kings 18:22).

In Deuteronomy 23:17-18 God warned the Israelites to not allow their daughters or sons to be temple prostitutes, nor to be a prostitute in the Lord’s house. Yahweh’s warning implies males and females were encouraged to engage in sexual activity as part of the Baal religion. Yet, 1 Kings 14:24 and Hosea 4:14 reveal Israel did allow their sons and daughter to be temple prostitutes. Genesis 38:22 may indicate that Judah engaged in Baal worship. 1 Kings 11:5 reveals that King Solomon engaged in the worship of Asherah. Isaiah 57:3–10 reveals the Israelites engaged in many sex orgies. The Asherah was the goddess of love and war. 2 Kings 23:7 reveals women were fully engaged in the religion. They weaved hangings for Asherah.

Baal worship also included the sacrifice of their sons and daughters to Baal or Moloch in fire (Deuteronomy 12:31; 2 Kings 17:16-17; Jeremiah 19:5). Molech was the Baal of child sacrifice. Baal worship also included the practice of the occult and involved the worship of many other gods and goddesses. Supposedly, there were benefits for abandoning Yahweh and devoting oneself to the many gods and goddesses of Baal.

Destruction of the Idolatrous and Idols

With that background, we begin our study in Ezekiel 6:1-14. Verses 1-2 reveal that Yahweh gave the prophet Ezekiel another prophecy.

And the word of the LORD came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them . . .” Ezekiel 6:1-2 (NASB)

This prophecy is the second one that is included in the vision that started in Ezekiel 1:1. Once again Yahweh calls Ezekiel human and tells him to prophesy against the mountains of Israel. The worship of Baal and other false gods and goddesses was occurring in other places around the world, but Yahweh is focused on His chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2). Now we know why Ezekiel was going to prophesy against these mountains.

Verses 3-4 indicate the prophet was to actually speak against the mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys.

“ . . . and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, the hills, the ravines and the valleys: “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places. So your altars will become desolate and your incense altars will be smashed . . .”’” Ezekiel 6:3-4a (NASB)

The background study helps us understand why the prophet was commanded to speak to the mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys and announce that Yahweh was going to destroy the high places and altars. The high places were where the worship of the Baals and Asherah occurred. The high places were known for luxuriant trees, flowers, and cooler weather. That reveals those who engaged in the worship of Baal and the Asherah liked beauty. but Yahweh was going to destroy these places, make them desolate, and smash them.

Verses 4-5 reveals that Yahweh would also kill the people for engaging in false worship. Here is the last part of verse 4 and all of verse 5.

. . . and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars. Ezekiel 6:4b-5 (NASB)

Yahweh also prophesied that He would cause the dead to fall in front of their idols and scatter their bones around the altars. Normally, the bones of the animals offered to Baal were left around the altar. So, Yahweh said, “I will leave your bones in front of your idols and around your altars.” Dead human bodies caused people to be unclean (Numbers 19:11). The message was that Baal and the Asherah were going to be made unclean.

We have learned that in the high places the idols of Baal and Asherah were poles. Also, we have learned that these Jewish adults sacrificed their children. So, this is a very graphic prophecy. They would die just as they caused their children to die. But notice that Yahweh does not claim that He will leave their bodies before the idols and altars. Yahweh is not engaging in false worship.

Yahweh had already warned them that He would destroy their high places and incense altars and kill them, if they engaged in false worship. He gave them this warning in the wilderness before they entered Palestine. He said,

I then will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and heap your remains on the remains of your idols, for My soul shall abhor you. I will lay waste your cities as well and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your soothing aromas. I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled over it. You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. Leviticus 26:30-33 (NASB)

In verses 6-7, the prophet was told to prophesy against their dwellings and cities.

In all your dwellings, cities will become waste and the high places will be desolate, that your altars may become waste and desolate, your idols may be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be blotted out. The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 6:6-7 (NASB)

The dwellings would have included homes, stores, and any other place a person could live. So, Yahweh promised that their homes, buildings, and cities would become waste, and once again the high places and idols would become desolate. Their idols would be broken. The Hebrew word for “idols” is gillulim. It has the meaning of “detestable things,” or “contestable.” They were ugly things. Yahweh promised their altars would be cut down or broken in pieces. Their works would be blotted out. All of their labor and effort to build these idols and altars would be destroyed. All of the sacrifices of their children were of no benefit.

Notice that the prophecy has moved from the mountains to their buildings and cities, and finally to the people themselves. The message is everything is polluted. Their false worship was on the hills and was evident in their homes, the roofs of their homes, their buildings, and in their cities. Their evil, idolatrous hearts had affected everything. So everything, including them, would be destroyed. As we have already learned in the background study, the Canaanite religion had spread throughout the land of Israel. It was everywhere. Jeremiah 11:13 says that Baal temples were everywhere. Jeremiah 32:29 indicates they existed even on the roofs of homes. The land was polluted with false worship.

High Place at Dan

High Place at Dan

Ezekiel was to then tell the people, “The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.” Baal was not the Lord. Yahweh was the Lord. After the prophecy was fulfilled, they would finally understand that Yahweh had spoken. He had spoken in Leviticus 26:30-33 and He had spoken through Ezekiel as well as Jeremiah. The same is true for people today. Unbelievers will die like the rich man in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. They will go to hell, and then realize that God has spoken. But then it will be too late. Some will be alive when the great tribulation starts. Then they will know that Yahweh has spoken. Unbelievers will someday believe in God when it is too late. What He prophesies will come true.

Today, our nation is polluted with the “idol of me.” It is evident in our politics. Our leaders have abandoned God. They do what is right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25 tells us that was Israel’s problem. It says,

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 (NASB)

When leaders abandon God, they operate without wisdom, justice, integrity, righteousness, knowledge, every good deed, and discretion. That is the message of Proverbs 2:1-11. So, we are seeing a gross lack of wisdom, rapid increase of corruption in high levels, stupid decisions in so many areas, and blatant injustice. We are also seeing sexual perversion on the increase in every area of life among our politicians, Hollywood elites, news media, public schools and educators, advertisements, stores, and it is increasing daily. It is increasingly rare to even find sexual purity among young people who call themselves Christians. Increasingly, we are acting like those who worshiped Baal and the Asherah. The altars and idols that we worship are called “me.” “Me” is more important than our children. God is warning us! He is saying that someday, “You will know that I am the LORD.”

A Remnant Will Be Saved

Even though Yahweh said He would destroy them and everything they owned, He always keeps a remnant. That is God’s message starting in verse 8. In that verse, He promised He would leave a remnant. Here are verses 8-10.

However, I will leave a remnant, for you will have those who escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered among the countries. Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols; and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them. Ezekiel 6:8-10 (NASB)

The first thing we should notice in verses 1-7, is that God revealed the plan He would execute against every rebellious person who refused to submit to Him. Those who continued in false religion revealed they have completely rejected God. Those who have ultimately rejected God are those whom God will eventually destroy in the fires of hell. We discovered in the last two studies, that God is slow to punish us for sin. That reveals His love. Yet, God’s holiness and justice also demand that He must punish eventually the belligerent who refuse to submit to Him. Now in verses 8-10, another characteristic of God is visible. He is also merciful. He preserves a remnant. This gives us an important truth about the message of chapter 6. God justly punishes belligerent sinners, and shows mercy to the repentant.

Verse 9 is very important for us. It helps us understand the characteristics of a repentant person. We are given three important characteristics about the remnant. First, Yahweh always has a remnant who will remember Him. They may drift away from Yahweh briefly, but eventually they will return. This is a biblical principle. 1 John 2:19 is an important verse to remember,

They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 1 John 2:19 (NASB)

In Philippians 1:6 the apostle said,

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

What God starts, He will finish. When He saves someone, they never completely abandon Him. So, the first characteristic of the remnant, or of a true believer, is that they never completely abandon God.

The second characteristic of the remnant is that they will remember how they have hurt God by pursuing pleasure in something else. Notice what Yahweh said in the middle of the verse. He said they will remember,

. . . how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols . . . Ezekiel 6:9b (NASB)

The Hebrew word for hurt can be translated as “to crush, to smash, to shatter,” and brokenhearted. Yahweh is describing the reaction of a wounded husband or wife to an adulterous spouse. He feels hurt when we turn away from Him and pursue our own pleasures and desires. If we have another idol in our life, we have played the harlot. Colossians 3:5 describes some idols we should think about,

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Colossians 3:5 (NASB)

If any of these keep you away from God, then they are idols. We need to ask if any of these emotions or feelings are connected with something in our lives. Are we doing something to satisfy these emotions? It is feelings like these that cause us to abandon God for something else.
The third characteristic of the remnant is that they,

. . . loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations . . . Ezekiel 6:9c (NASB)

The Hebrew word for “loathe,” qut, refers “to grieving, to disgust, to abhor, or to detest.” It is a feeling that leads one to beg God to forgive. In Job 10:1, Job said,

I loathe my own life. Job 10:1 (NASB)

In Psalm 139:21, David said,

Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
Psalm 139:21 (NASB)

So, a true believer loathes or hates their sin. That describes the apostle Paul’s feelings about his own sin. He wrote that he did not like what he was doing. He was struggling to be obedient. Then he wrote this,

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Romans 7:24 (NASB)

He displayed the heart of a believer. True believers loathe their sins. That leads them to confess their sins. 1 John 1:9 tells us to confess our sins and He promises to forgive them.

So, the first characteristic of the remnant, is that a true believer never completely abandons God. The second characteristic of the remnant is that a true believer remembers how they have hurt God by finding satisfaction in something else. They remember their sins. The third characteristic of the remnant is that a true believer loathes their sin, which leads them to confess their sins.

Verse 10 describes the response of a forgiven believer.

Then they will know that I am the LORD . . . Ezekiel 6:10a (NASB)

The last part of verse 10 should remind us of Hebrews 12:4-11 which tells us that God uses discipline to motivate us to stop sinning, and bring us back to Him.

Then You Will Know I Am The Lord

The next two verses express a sense of satisfaction for Yahweh because He has finally punished the rebellious who will never repent.

“Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Clap your hand, stamp your foot and say, “Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by sword, famine and plague! He who is far off will die by the plague, and he who is near will fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. Thus will I spend My wrath on them.”’” Ezekiel 6:11-12 (NASB)

There is confusion about the meaning of “Clap your hand, stamp your foot.” Some think it refers to joy, sorrow, derision, and many other ideas. Ezekiel 33:11 tells us that Yahweh does not take pleasure in the death of anyone. So it is difficult to know how to understand the meaning of the statement. But in Revelation 6:9-10, the tribulation saints ask God, “How long will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood . . .?” So, it seems that it is okay to rejoice that Yahweh repays the belligerently rebellious for their sins. When Yahweh sends His wrath on them, it is because of the choices they made. Yahweh warned them!

Verses 13-14 close the chapter.

“’”Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain are among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree and under every leafy oak — the places where they offered soothing aroma to all their idols. So throughout all their habitations I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah; thus they will know that I am the LORD.”’” Ezekiel 6:13-14 (NASB)

Here Yahweh said that after He poured out His wrath; then everyone would know I am the Lord. The unbelievers had believed that Baal was their Lord. The meaning of the word “Baal” is “Lord.” Four times in Ezekiel 6, Yahweh said, “I am the LORD.” That is, the Israelites forgot who was the Lord. They had rejected Him, and refused to listen to His prophets. So the Lord said that after He poured out His wrath, then you would know who is the real Lord. When all of their idols, the worship centers, and a massive number of people were destroyed, then they would know that He is the Lord. So, Yahweh made the land of Palestine desolate. Then they knew that Yahweh was the Lord. “I am the LORD.”

Conclusion

The primary message of this chapter is, “Then you will know that I am the LORD.” That simple statement revealed the Israelites in Judah and Jerusalem had rejected Yahweh as the only God. They trusted Baal but not Yahweh. They looked to their idols, altars, and temple, and to those false gods and goddesses. They failed to realize that Yahweh justly punishes belligerent sinners, and shows mercy to the repentant.
Do you have idols in your life that captures and holds your attention, time, and passions? They pull you away from God and result in wasted time and effort. Every idol is an illusion. There is only one God who satisfies. He is Yahweh. When He speaks, His prophecies come true. There is only one God. There is only Yahweh!