Ezekiel 8-11

Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler

EZEKIEL 8: GOD GIVES EZEKIEL A SERIES OF VISIONS

A year later, God gave Ezekiel a series of visions. The first vision was about the sins of the people back in Jerusalem. The glory appeared again (Ezekiel 8:2), and God took the Ezekiel (in a vision) to the holy city. There he saw a four-fold view of the sins of the people...

Four-Fold View of the Sins
1) An image set up at the north gate of the temple, possibly of Astarte, the foul Babylonian goddess (Ezekiel 8:5)
2) Secret heathen worship in the hidden precincts of the Temple (Ezekiel 8:6-12)
3) Jewish women weeping for the god Adonis, who was supposed to die and be raised from the dead each spring (Ezekiel 8:13–14)
4) The high priest and the 24 courses of priests worshiping the sun (Ezekiel 8:15-16)

The Door to the Inner Gate
• The inner court was the Temple court proper (Ezekiel 8:16; 10:3; 1 Kings 6:36; 7:12)
• The middle court, on a lower level, contained the palace (1 Kings 7:8; 2 Kings 20:4)
• On a still lower level was the great court or outer court, which enclosed the entire palace complex (Ezekiel 10:5; 1 Kings 7:12)
• In ancient temples, the gateway was a covered building entered by means of an entrance or door (Ezekiel 8:3, 5, 7)

3 possibilities about how Ezekiel’s vision took place
Remember that Ezekiel was a captive taken to Babylon. However, his message was preached to his people still in Jerusalem, speaking of the coming judgment and doom of his beloved city. How did all of this take place?

Well, we are clearly told that these were visions (Ezekiel 8:3; 11:24; Cf. 3:12). But other than that, we don't really know how he received them or how he preached to his people in Jerusalem. Below are just some speculations.

1) Ezekiel was actually transported to Jerusalem?
2) Ezekiel vision was simply a vision by the river Chebar?
3) Ezekiel was transported to Heaven?

Ezekiel’s withdrawal to Jerusalem would not be something new in Scripture (Elijah also was caught up; Cf. 2 Kings 2). In the New Testament, "And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing" (Acts 8:39). Philip was removed bodily, which was exactly what happened to Elijah and possibly to Ezekiel.

Paul said that he had been caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-3). That may have occurred at the time he was stoned in Lystra in the Galatian country and was left for dead and that God raised him from the dead, and that at that time he was caught up to the third heaven.

John also was caught up into Heaven (Revelation 4).

"… the idol that provokes jealousy stood" (Ezekiel 8:4)
This is not speaking of jealousy itself but the object which provokes to jealousy (Cf. Ezekiel 5:13; 16:38, 42; 36:6; 38:19; Deuteronomy 32:21). This may have been an image of Astarte, or Asherah, the mother-goddess of the Canaanites.

The image Asherah was set up by Manasseh as a rival to Jehovah in His temple, and arresting the attention of all worshippers as they entered (2 Kings 21:7). The Syrian Venus, worshipped with licentious rites; the "queen of heaven," wife of the Phoenician Baal. This image was subsequently destroyed by Josiah (2 Kings 23:6).

The Departure of the Glory (Ezekiel 8:4)
In Ezekiel 8-10, there is a gradual withdrawal of the glory of the Lord from the Temple and from Israel.

Here we see the glory, and then, because the people did not turn back to God, the glory lifted up from the Temple and went out over the City to the east and hovered there. By Ezekiel 11, we would see the final departure of the glory.
The abominations of Israel were causing YHWH to withdraw from His sanctuary (Ezekiel 8:6, 11:1, 22-23; Cf. Ezekiel 8:13, 15).

Israel worships the created, rather than the Creator (Ezekiel 8:9-10)
The Israelites worshiped created creatures rather than the Creator, God Himself—And this was the lowest they could go. Today, we see similar situations. Man turns to idolatry when he has absolutely repudiated the living and true God.
The Israelites resorted to idolatry in Egypt at the time of the Exodus; they worshiped every kind of beast but refused to turn to God! The plagues upon Egypt were God’s judgment aimed at the different gods of Egypt.

Romans 1:21, 25 
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. … They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.

Israel had sunk down to the level of the nations round about it, and Israelites no longer acted as God’s witness for the living and true God.

The elders of Israel are deep in idol worship (Ezekiel 8:11-13)
If Jaazaniah was the son of Shaphan, who had assisted in Josiah’s reform, he had greatly corrupted the faith of his family (2 Kings 22:3-10; Jeremiah 26:24; 29:3; 36:10-12; 39:14).

The elders of Israel worshiped this idol in their secret chambers, thinking God wouldn’t know. How naïve!

Tammuz (Ezekiel 8:14)
Tammuz was the miraculously born son of Semiramis, the queen wife of Nimrod, the first world dictator. Myths have Tammuz correlated with the Summerian Dumuzi, the god of spring vegetation, who died at the winter solstice and went down to the netherworld to be resurrected again. There are similarities of this myth to that of Egyptian Osiris, the Canaanite Baal, and the Syrian Adonis.

The weeping women were celebrating the death of this god. This worship was the worship of nature and connected with it were some vile and immoral ceremonies: Human sacrifice and sexual union formed part of the various cult rites.

"… 25 men" (Ezekiel 8:16)
This alludes to 24 leaders of the classes of priests (1 Chronicles 24:5) and the high priest.

"… I will deal with them in anger" (Ezekiel 8:18)
Israel had stepped over the line—God will now judge them in His fury (Cf. Ezekiel 5:11; 7:4, 9; 9:5, 10).


EZEKIEL 9: EZEKIEL'S VISIONS CONTINUES

"Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been" (Ezekiel 9:3)
This has to be a flashback: The Mercy Seat had already left during Manassah’s reign: the Levites had sought refuge for the Ark, etc. under Pharaoh Necho.

"… moved to the threshold of the temple" (Ezekiel 9:3)
The Glory of God had gone up from the Holy Place. The "cherubim" were above the Mercy Seat. This is where the glory had been, but now it lifts up. The text implies YHWH went to the threshold (Ezekiel 9:3); the cherubim and vacant throne waited (Ezekiel 10:3) until the Lord remounted and departed (Ezekiel 10:18).

"…those who grieve and lament" (Ezekiel 9:4)
These were the remnant which God will save in that city. God’s servant is putting a mark of protection on the faithful remnant of believers, lest they be slain in the judgment to come.

"... mark on the foreheads" (Ezekiel 9:4)
Here the word "mark" is tav, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Written in the old form, it is a cross--An interesting observation (aka, take it with a grain of salt) from the Book of Ezekiel, written 2500 years before the Christian era!

When people hear "mark on the foreheads," most associate that with the Mark of the Beast (Satan) in Revelation 13:16.

However, read the whole Bible, and we will discover that Satan is a great counterfeit. The idea of a mark was not new -- In fact, he copied God (Ezekiel 9:4; Revelation 7:3; 14:1).

The reason for Satan's fall was because he wanted to be like God. He wanted to be worshiped. However, he is not God. He could only copy God, rising up false teachers and false prophets -- Again, nothing original, but mere counterfeits of God's Work.

"... at my sanctuary" (Ezekiel 9:6)
The Temple was where the grossest idolatry had been carried on, and so, judgment began at the Temple, God's sanctuary.

1 Peter 4:17-18; Proverbs 11:31
For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

"Defile the temple" (Ezekiel 9:7)
The Temple was desecrated with the slain, the dead bodies.

The people first defiled the Temple with idolatries and false worship. And so, God told His agents, if the people want the Temple defiled, then have it defiled.

Dead bodies are ceremonially unclean to the Israelites (Numbers 19:11; 1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 23:16).

Compare the actual happening (2 Chronicles 36:17-18) to Revelation 14:9-11, where those receiving the mark of the beast are subjected to Divine torments (Revelation 13:16-18).

"Alas, Sovereign LORD! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?" (Ezekiel 9:8)
Cf. Intercessions of Abraham (Genesis 18:23-32), Amos (Amos 7:1-6), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 14; 15).

"They say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see'" (Ezekiel 9:9)
National calamity is a punishment for national sin.

It may be easy to say that God is not out there and He doesn't know what is going on in the earth, but when you really think about it, that is absurd.

"I have done as you commanded" (Ezekiel 9:11)
The recording angel stated that he had done his task, and the ominous silence with reference to the six executioners implied that they had done theirs.


EZEKIEL 10: GOD'S GLORY DEPARTS FROM THE TEMPLE

The narrative portion of the chapter comprises Ezekiel 10:2-4, 6, 7, 18, 19, and is completed by 11:22-25. The rest of the chapter contains descriptions of the throne-chariot very similar to those in Ezekiel Chapter 1.

The recording angel receives fire from the cherubim with which to burn the city, and the glory of the Lord departs to the outside eastern gate of the outer court. The nation of Israel had what no other nation had and, indeed, that which the church does not have today: the visible presence of God.

In Romans 9, Paul lists about eight different points of identification which were unique to the nation of Israel, and one of them was "the glory." These people had the Shekinah glory, the visible presence of God, that which Ezekiel saw in his vision in Ezekiel 1.

God judges; it is one of the evidences we have of the living God. The "wheels within wheels" which Ezekiel saw speak of the energy of God as He moves in the affairs of men.

The glory of the Lord was above the cherubim—between the cherubim in the Holy of Holies in the temple. The glory began its departure in the previous chapter, and will now continue to depart. It moved out from the temple and hovered over it.

"… the likeness of a throne" (Ezekiel 10:1)
The throne was empty (cf. Ezekiel 1:26; 9:3; the chariot awaited the Lord’s return, cf. Ezekiel 10:3, 18). This probably includes the effect of a flashback: the departure was likely as result of the reign of Manassah.

"... the man clothed in linen" (Ezekiel 10:2)
Here, he becomes the agent of destruction.

"... cloud" (Ezekiel 10:3)
The Shekinah Glory, the Presence of the God, the presence of His holiness!

In Egypt, God's Glory took presence as the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. It dwelt in the Tabernacle and led the people for 40 years through the wilderness (Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11).

The throne-chariot (Ezekiel 10:8-17)
These verses describe the throne-chariot, greatly resembling that described in Ezekiel 1.

"Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim" (Ezekiel 10:18)
Finally, in Ezekiel 11:22–23, the glory finally moves out of the temple to the top of the Mount of Olives: "Ichabod—the glory has departed" (1 Samuel 4:21). 

The Glory of God has always been pictured to be "protected" by the four cherubim. And here, we see that it was also the cherubim who moved the Glory of God out of the Temple.

God's Reluctant Departure
The throne-chariot moved to the east gate, apparently of the outer court, paused briefly on the Mount of Olives "on the east side of the city" (Ezekiel 11:23), and then left completely. Rabbis have identified 10 stages of this departure, illustrating that God did not just got up and left, so to speak, but lingered because it was not the heart of God to judge but to give mercy.

The departure of God's Glory was forewarned by Moses (Deuteronomy 31:17) and Hosea (Hosea 9:12).

Later, in prophetic vision, Ezekiel saw the glory return by the same eastern gate (Ezekiel 43:1-4).

Cherubim, the Living Creatures (Ezekiel 10:20-22)
These composite figures, exalted to be proximate to the dwelling place of God, function in several ways:
• They guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24) and the ark in Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 6:23-28; 8:7)
• They engage in adoration of God in connection with the mercy seat in the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:18-20; 37:7-9)
• They support the Lord’s throne (1 Samuel 4:2; 2 Samuel 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; Ps 80:1; 99:1)
• They form the chariot of Deity (2 Samuel 22:11; Psalm 104:3; 1 Chronicles 28:18)

These various actions are present in Ezekiel, especially their function as bearers of the throne of YHWH. In the book of Revelation they engage in perpetual worship (Revelation 4:6; 5:6; 6:1; 7:11).


EZEKIEL 11: THE JUDGMENT ON JERUSALEM’S RULERS

Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed. Zedekiah was still on the throne. Not only were the rulers in rebellion against God, they were in rebellion against the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Before God’s glory departed from the city, it stopped at the eastern gate and gave Ezekiel another glimpse of the sin of Jerusalem’s inhabitants.

Ezekiel received two messages from the Lord: The first emphasized judgment on the people who remained in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11:1-15). The second emphasized the promised restoration of the people who were in captivity (Ezekiel 11:16-21). Then Ezekiel recorded the final departure of God’s glory (Ezekiel 11:22-25).

"… 25 men" (Ezekiel 11:1)
The leading priests were usually called "princes of the sanctuary" (Isaiah 43:28) or "chiefs of the priests" (2 Chronicles 36:14), but here are called "princes of the people," with irony, as using their priestly influence to be ringleaders of the people in sin (Ezekiel 11:2).

If this "Azzur" were the man named in Jeremiah 28:1-4, then the Jaazaniah of Ezekiel 11 would be the brother of Hananiah, the false prophet who opposed Jeremiah and who delivered the same false message of hope just before Jerusalem’s fall.

What's In a Name?
• Jaazaniah: God hears
• Son of Azzur: God helps
• Pelatiah: God delivers
• Son of Benaiah: God builds

Their names ought to have reminded them that God would have "heard" had they sought His "help" to "deliver" and "build" them up.

Wicked Counsel
The anti-Babylon party counseled that the nation should revolt against Nebuchadnezzar and form an alliance with Egypt (Ezekiel 17). This was contrary to God’s command (Jeremiah 28:16) and in violation of the oath her ruler had sworn to the Chaldean monarch (2 Chronicles 36:13). This was the party of violence (Ezekiel 7:23; 9:9; 11:6; 22).

"These are the men who are plotting evil and giving wicked advice in this city. They say, 'Haven’t our houses been recently rebuilt? This city is a pot, and we are the meat in it'" (Ezekiel 11:2-3)
The elders were urging the people to build houses, a sign of peace and safety (Ezekiel 28:26). After all, the people were safe in the city (Jerusalem), illustrated here as how the meat is protected by the pot.

"You will fall by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel" (Ezekiel 11:10)
This was fulfilled literally when the captives of Jerusalem were deported to Riblah in Syria and killed (2 Kings 25:18-21; Jeremiah 52:8-11, 24-27)

"Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died" (Ezekiel 11:13)
Pelatiah was probably the ringleader of the scorners (Ezekiel 11:1), an earnest of the destruction of the rest of the 25, as Ezekiel had foretold, as also of the general ruin.

"This land was given to us as our possession" (Ezekiel 11:15)
God had given Israel the land, but He would remove them from it for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:36, 64-68). God will indeed gather His people whom He scattered, not just throughout Babylon but among other nations (Ezekiel 34-37) -- This was fulfilled in 1948, when the Israelites returned to their homeland.

God had emphasized the coming judgment of the people who remained in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11:1-12). He assured the prophet that He would preserve a remnant, but it would be comprised of those in captivity, not those in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11:13-15). As a sign of His faithfulness, God promised to restore the remnant to the land (Ezekiel 11:16-21).

"I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone" (Ezekiel 11:16)
Although the Israelites had lost access to the "sanctuary," the temple in Jerusalem, but God Himself will be a sanctuary for them in those foreign countries.

"I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again" (Ezekiel 11:17)
The remnant of Israel could look forward to a national restoration to the Promised Land. A partial restoration took place after the Babylonian Captivity (Ezra; Nehemiah). Less than 60,000 in the remnant returned at the end of the 70-year captivity. Ezekiel 11:17-21 goes beyond that return and points to a future gathering of Israel at the beginning of the Millennium (Ezekiel 36:24-38; 37:11-28).

"I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them" (Ezekiel 11:19)
Nicodemus asked Jesus about being born again, and Jesus rebuked him for not knowing these things as he was a teacher (Pharisee) (John 3:1-21).

John 3:10
"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things?"

As naive students, we may be able to sympathize with Nicodemus' questions up to John 3:9. However, Jesus rebuked Nicodemus, because He expected him to know this, since Nicodemus was NOT naive! He was a Pharisee, a ruler in Israel, a teacher, one of the best!

The concept of being born again is not a New Testament idea. Note that Jesus rebuked Nicodemus because he was supposed to have known that. Nicodemus was a teacher BEFORE the New Testament. And indeed, the concept of born again is found throughout the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Jeremiah 32:37-40; Ezekiel 36:24-26; Zechariah 7:11-12; Isaiah 53:2-6.

"They will be my people, and I will be their God" (Ezekiel 11:20)
While this was spoken to Israel, it does apply to us personally. Jesus expected Nicodemus to apply it personally. We are in a unique position, if we will but commit our way to Him, He will give us a new heart. We do not get saved by being obedient; we are obedient because we are saved. Obedience is an evidence, not a cause. Our works are evidence of the work that God has already done in us. He gives us a new heart so that we may walk in His statutes and keep His ordinances.

"As for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done" (Ezekiel 11:21)
It is a great tragedy today that most ministries ignore the fact that judgment is coming upon this earth. God’s judgment is one of the sure proofs of His existence.

"...mountain east of it" (Ezekiel 11:23)
From this mountain Jesus wept over the doomed city (Luke 19:37-44; Ezekiel 10:19; 43:1-4).

Mount of Olives
As God’s glory left Jerusalem, it passed over the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives. This departure signaled Jerusalem’s doom. The city would be devoid of God’s blessing till the glory will return via the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 43:1-3).

It is no coincidence that Christ ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12), and promised to return to the same place (Acts 1:11; Zechariah 14:4)! The glory of God returns as the incarnate Jesus!

The Kingdom
The departure of the divine glory from the Temple marked the end of the Theocratic Kingdom in Old Testament history. The glory was manifested in the New Testament to the disciples at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5; cf. John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 4:6; James 2:1; 2 Peter 1:16-18). The visible glory will return when the Kingdom is restored to Israel (Ezekiel 43:1-7; Revelation 21:22-24).

"I told the exiles everything the LORD had shown me" (Ezekiel 11:25)
Ezekiel returned to tell the people that the false prophets have lied to them. He had seen the vision—Jerusalem will be destroyed, and full captivity is near at hand. He thus told his people why God will judge them. Sadly, the people did not listen to Ezekiel. Regardless, Ezekiel continued to be a sign unto them.


SUMMARY

Ezekiel was first confronted with the wickedness of the people in the temple (Ezekiel 8). Then, he was shown the slaughter of the people of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 9). Jerusalem had become so wicked that God's glory departed from the Temple (Ezekiel 10). As God's glory left the city, judgment was pronounced on rulers of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11).