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| Hope for Israel and for the World |
(Get your Bible out and read the verses as we study.)
Chapter 33
Key Verses: 2-20 — Now, since the temple is destroyed,
Ezekiel is to tell the captives how to live in captivity. (The temple
represented God's home
on earth. Of course, God does not literally dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24)
Key Verse: 21 — The
shocking announcement comes that Jerusalem is destroyed — after the false hope
given by the pseudo-prophets. (In 587
B.C., Jerusalem was destroyed.) False prophets have always presented a problem.
Their doctrines are heretical. See I Timothy for an extended warning against
false doctrine.
Key Verse 33 — They know now that Ezekiel is a true prophet
of God.
Chapter 34
— The false shepherds have failed. They proclaimed that Jerusalem would not
fall.
God sent the true Shepherd in the fullness of time. The true
Shepherd is Jesus Christ.
Key Verses: 1-10 — Here we have a detailed description of
false shepherds. They preached well, but they did none of the things God wanted
them to do, and they did not deliver the message God wanted them to deliver.
We have an abundance of false shepherds in pulpits across
America and around the world. A false shepherd is characterized by what he does
with Jesus. If he proclaims Jesus as savior, but wants to add something to the
salvation experience, such as some special blessing, some ritual or some legalistic
requirements to faith in Christ, he is a false prophet. If he claims the Jesus
is not God, or that Satan was his brother, or that he had a “message from God”
that is not in complete keeping with the Bible, he is a false prophet. If he
tries to add some other “holy writing” or revelation to the message of the
Bible, he is a false prophet.
Many false prophets use words that really sound good. They
sound desirable. They sound pious. They sound reasonable. They sound inspirational.
But if they proclaim any message other than God’s solution to man’s common sin
through, and only through faith in Christ’s finished work at the cross of
Calvary, they are false prophets.
If they have great crowds following them, large church
services, elaborate buildings and self-riches, but do not preach that man is
sinful and Hell bound without Christ, they are false prophets.
Key Verses: 11-31 — The true Shepherd will gather the
scattered flock, restore them to the land, and feed them.
Key Verses: 23, 24 — The true Shepherd, who is Christ, will
feed them. During His earthly ministry, Jesus was the greatest teacher. He will
be the greatest teacher in the future kingdom.
Chapter 35 Chapter 35 tells of the restoration of
Israel,
Key Verses: 1-5 — Mount Seir is Edom (the people of Esau).
It must be judged and removed before Israel can be restored to the land in
peace. It speaks of the desolation of Edom. The reason for Edom’s destruction
is given.
Key Verse: 9 — It is to be perpetual desolation
Anything that is not absolutely in the center of God’s will
is sin. The wages of sin is death. The gift of God is eternal life. Jesus
overcame our sin at the cross of Calvary. There is no other way to be saved
than to trust God’s plan of salvation which came to fruition in the life,
death, burial and resurrection of Messiah, Christ.
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