Scripture
“In your great pride you claimed, `I am a God. I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.’”

Observation
Ezekiel prophesies against the king of Tyre,

This king claimed to be a god and to sit on a divine throne. He claims to be wiser than Daniel and indeed his wisdom has amassed him a great fortune.

The Lord says that because of his great pride, the Lord will humble him and pull him down. He thinks he is a god, but the Lord will show that he is just a man.

Then the Lord gives Ezekiel a funeral song for the king of Tyre. This song sarcastically speaks of the king’s absolute perfection and beauty. He could have been in the garden of Eden. He is perfect in every way. His pride led to rebellion against God and the Lord will utterly destroy him.

Application
There are many people whose pride leads to them thinking that they are gods, even if they don’t say it aloud.

In fact, in our post-Christian culture, we have replaced worship of God with worship of self. If everybody thinks that they are the most important person in the world, then lawlessness and anarchy will emerge.

God’s way is for people to recognise that we are all created beings. limited beings at that. This is the attitude of humility in which we recognise that our neighbour is as much needing of grace as we are.

Listen
Lord, what do you want to say to me about this passage?

Keith, many kings have claimed to be a god. This was a feature in many kingdoms through the ages. The Egyptian Pharaohs claimed to be incarnations of the Sun God. Roman emperors claimed to be divine and so did the lesser kings of the Middle East.

There is a temptation in the hearts of all people to overstate their own importance.

Pride is the root of much sin and as my follower you need to remove this sin from your heart.

Humble yourself under my mighty hand and I will lift you up.

Scripture

“I will bring you to a terrible end and you will exist no more. You will be looked for but you will never again be found. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.”

Observation

Ezekiel prophesies judgement on Tyre because they also had rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem.

Tyre will be besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, and ultimately, it will be destroyed. It will be turned from a flourishing island city To a bare rock only used by fishermen to dry their nets.

The Babylonians will plunder all of the riches of Tyre. The houses will be dismantled and thrown into the sea.

Tyre was to be completely destroyed and never again be found.

Application

When a city or nation rejoices in the suffering of God’s people, they will be called to account.

The city of Tire was very wealthy. It was an important trading port and the centre of the purple dye industry But God promises to thoroughly destroy the city at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.

Alexander the Great built a causeway to the island, connecting it to the mainland, The isand became a peninsula.

The point is that even though the city was rebuilt, God first allowed it to be completely destroyed.

Any group of people that mocks God’s people Run the risk of being destroyed by God, A whole generation or a city could be exterminated for scornful derision.

Listen

Lord, is there more you want to say about this passage?

Keith, the saying was that you would look for Tyre but could never find it. This is the exact opposite of my word through some of the prophets – Ezekiel, Isaiah and others.

I invite people to seek me and to find me, I will always be found by those who seek me with all their hearts.

That is my promise forever.

Scripture

“You will be fully repaid for all your prostitution – for your worship of idols. Yes, you will suffer the full penalty. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”

Observation

The Lord gives Ezekiel a parable of two sisters, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, even as young girls. Oholah, the older girl, represents Samaria, while her younger sister, Oholibah represents the southern kingdom of Judah. Both these girls lusted after officers and charioteers of Assyria, rather than being faithful to the Lord.

The Lord handed Oholah over to the men that she desired, and they stripped her of all that she had, and took her children to be slaves.

Oholibah saw all that had happened to her sister, but took her prostitution even further, as she lusted after Babylonian officers. The Lord is disgusted with her, and has rejected her.

Both of the sisters are guilty of adultery and murder; adultery for being unfaithful to the Lord, and murder for the sacrifice of children to the idols.

The lord will repay both nations in full for all their sin. The Lord will alow the neighbouring nations to terrorise them in order that they will recognise that He is the Sovereign Lord.

Application

It is hard to imagine how people could sacrifice their babies to idols in a fiery altar. But people did this because it became normal and expected. The Lord had specifically forbidden this but when the foreign deities gained a foothold, what had been forbidden became normal.

The Lord condemns his people for prostitution and for murder. The prostitution was about worshipping other gods. Murder was about sacrificing the children to these gods.

Today our culture has abandoned God to serve the God of Self. Millions of children are sacrificed to this god in abortions. God is calling His people to turn to him to repent and to receive his mercy.

Listen

Lord, is this really the place where we are today??.

Keith. Western culture really has idolised the Self in a way unknown in any previous age. Individuals and whole nations are being destroyed by this unrestrained lust for gratification.

Your role is to pray. Pray for the people in your town and the leaders of the state and the nation. They must turn back from the edge of the cliff.

The only solution is for people to turn to me.

Scripture

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap on the wall so that I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.”

Observation

The Lord asks Ezekiel if he is ready to speak judgment against Jerusalem. It is a city of murderers and adulterers. Every leader who lives within its walls is bent on murder. Now the Lord will scatter the people among the nations.

The people of Israel are like the worthless slag that remains when silver is smelted. The Lord is going to pour out the fire of his wrath on them.

The leaders of Israel disregard the Sabbath. They do not teach the people what is clean and what is unclean. The prophets cover over the leaders’ sins instead of exposing them.

The Lord looked for someone to stand in the gap in the wall of righteousness but he could find no one. So he will pour out the full force of his fury on them,

Application

Just one person who was willing to stand in the gap and intercede for Israel would have saved them. Moses pleaded with the Lord not to destroy the people, and He relented. Abraham bargained with the Lord to save Sodom and Gomorrah if just 10 righteous people were there.

The Lord is looking for faithful intercessors who will change the course of a nation, a city, a state. If you ever receive that call from the Lord – an urge, a thought, a feeling that you need to pray – then obey it. You might be the person who God uses to change the destiny of many people.

Reese Howell was a Welsh man who was called by the Lord to a unique ministry of intercession. During the Second World War the battle of Britain was a turning point. Howell was credited by many as winning the victory for the RAF by virtue of his prayer ministry. Witnesses described planes flying after their pilots were dead and angels in the cockpit of other planes.

One man or woman who stands in the gap changes everything.

Listen

Lord, what would you say about the calling to stand in the gap.

Keith, I am constantly looking for those who will pray or act on my behalf to establish righteousness in their land. Many people miss the cue to pray urgently or to act on a vision or idea that I planted in their heart.

I have hundreds of people in Australia in every state right now committing their lives to serving me through intercessory prayer. Their faithfulness is holding back disasters over this nation.

Pray for those gap-standers and intercessors that their faith will not falter.

Scripture

“Son of Man, turn and face Jerusalem and prophesy against Israel and her sanctuaries. Tell her, “This is what the Lord says: I am your enemy, O Israel.”

Observation

The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy against Israel. The Lord is now the enemy of Israel and he will unsheathe his sword against them.

A sword is being sharpened and polished to bring terrible slaughter.

Babylon’s king is standing at a crossroad. One road leads to Ammon, the other to Jerusalem. His advisors are studying all kinds of omens and signs to work out which way he should go. The king will choose Jerusalem because of the rebellion of the people of Israel.

The people of Ammon cannot be complacent. A sword is being sharpened to massacre them also.

Application

What a fearful thing it is for the people of God to find out that He has become their enemy,

What level of sin and rebellion can bring God’s chosen people to be declared His enemy?

Those who call themselves Christians can also become the enemy of God. If we ignore God’s calling to be holy and persist in flagrant and public sin, he will set himself against us.

They thought they were safe from God’s anger, but they were walking straight into judgment.

What a terrible state to be in!

Listen

Lord, what do you want to say to me about being your enemy?

Keith, my people had been warned numerous times by many prophets. They persisted in their sin because they believed they were untouchable,

I poured out my wrath, numerous times on the city of Jerusalem and on the nation of Israel. I wanted them to come back to me, but they would not,

When I sent my son Jesus, the choice became clear. Continue down the path of rebellion or receive the forgiveness of sins. They refused to accept Jesus as their King and so in AD 70 I lifted my hand of protection and the temple, the city and the nation were destroyed.

Scripture

“Should I allow you to ask for a message from me, O people of Israel? Surely as I live,” says the sovereign Lord, “I will tell you nothing.”

Observation

Some of the elders of Israel come to Ezekiel to seek a word from the Lord. The message they get is that there will be no message from the Lord,

The Lord goes through the history of Israel. He starts at the captivity in Egypt and the Exodus. The people never trusted God to give them a good land. They rebelled and refused to let go of the gods of Egypt.

The Lord brought them out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness. He warned the children to not follow their parents in idolatry and to pay attention to the laws. But they did not do this.

When they came to the land, they offered sacrifices to other gods on every high place and under every green tree. They sacrificed their children to be burnt.

As long as they continue to worship other gods, the Lord will not speak to them.

Application

It seems odd that the leaders of Israel would be sacrificing to foreign gods but also seeking God’s word.

This tendency towards syncretism, that is mixing and matching different beliefs, is very common. We might be used to a binary view of all or nothing, but many people prefer a religious buffet where they can pick and choose their beliefs.

The message of this chapter is that God will not speak to people who do this. he must be Lord of every part of our lives and not just Sunday mornings.

The Old Testament describes God as a jealous God. He will not tolerate people who worship Him and also worship idols.

Listen

Lord, what do you want to say to me about this chapter?

Keith, many people approach me with a consumer mindset. They want a word from the Lord. They want a message to soothe their souls. They want music that they like and people that they approve of.

You must submit to me in everything. If your heart is focused on what you want, then there will be no word for you.

Yield it all to me. Focus on what I instruct and on your not on your own preferences. Then you will hear my voice and understand my words.

Scripture

Now the vine is transplanted to the wilderness, where the ground is hard and dry.

Observation

This chapter is in the form of a funeral song for the leaders of Israel,

Two lion cubs are described, referring to two of the kings towards the end of the dynasty ruling over Judah.

The first cub grows to be a strong young lion who hunts prey but becomes a man-eater. He is trapped in a pit and taken to Egypt.

The lioness takes another cub who also grows strong. He also becomes a man-eater, demolishing fortresses and destroying towns. The nations attack him and take him in a cage to Babylon,

Judah was a strong and fruitful vine growing tall. But it was uprooted in fury and transplanted to the desert where the ground is hard and dry. Its remaining limbs are not strong enough to be a ruler’s sceptre.

Application.

Judah had been a strong and fruitful vine planted in a fertile place. But its people had failed to obey God. They rebelled against him over and over. So he uprooted them and planted them in a foreign land where they would struggle to maintain their identity.

The discipline of the Lord never feels good at the time, but it is always positive. God leads us away from places and relationships that are bad for us. It feels like we have been uprooted and transplanted to hard, dry ground. But it is always for our good. He protects us from sins or a lifestyle that is leading to death.

A vine must be pruned to bear better fruit and more fruit. The Lord will prune us to see us bear more fruit for His kingdom.

Listen

Lord, is there more you would say to me about this chapter?.

Keith, leaders are like lions. If they do their job properly and take their calling seriously, they will protect my people from other predators,

Sometimes they themselves become the man eaters who pray on the flock, whether that is a nation or a church. They will face even greater punishment than others, because they know what they have done is wrong, but they use people for their own indulgence. I hate all who do this.