Ezekiel 1
The book of Ezekiel opens with the setting given to us. It takes place in Babylon by the river Kebar. The year is approximately 592BC. Ezekiel was a priest who was among the many Jewish exiles that were taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. This second of three deportations took place in 597BC. The opening chapter is the record of Ezekiel's vision of God's throne and glory 1-3,28b. He tries to describe the four living creatures that attend the 'throne of God' using the term 'like' many times over. Note: We can not put into words the glory and majesty of the Lord. Here we get but a glimpse, which one day will be face to face by God's grace. I personally have a very difficult time trying to 'picture' exactly what Ezekiel is trying to describe. May be this is true for all of us for no one can see God and live. We would be so overwhelmed, we would be consumed. These creatures did have some 'human like' form 4-9. Their faces were four: a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle 10-11. Note: It is no coincidence that the each of the four Gospels in the New Testament portray Jesus as the King (lion) in Matthew, the servant (ox) in Mark, the perfect man (man)  in Luke and the Divine Son (eagle) in John. These creatures move in perfect obedience to the Spirit of God 11-14. The wheels that intersect and have eyes may refer to other spirit beings that attend the throne of God 15-18. All follow the direction of the Spirit 20-21. An expanse of spender and the voice of the Almighty was seen and heard 22-24. Ezekiel also saw a throne and one who sat upon it described in 25-28. So awesome (the rightful use of this word) was this that he falls on his face as he saw and heard 28b. Note: Two things: before God commissions Ezekiel, He first reveals Himself to Him (this same principle is true for us also); second the proper response to a glimpse of God's glory is one of humility and worship !

Ezekiel 2
The Lord speaks to Ezekiel addressing him as 'son of man'. This was probably a reminder of his own humanity, while being trusted with the very words of God 1-3. The Spirit puts Ezekiel on his feet and the Lord sends him to the rebellious and stubborn people of Israel 1-4. He is to give them God's Word, whether they listen to him and obey it or not 5. He was God's man, God's prophet 5. The Lord tells him not to be afraid, no matter the response of the people 6-8. Note: How often do I fear 'speaking for God and His truth' for fear of the reactions I will get. I am amazed at the patience of God, that HE would continue to pursue these rebellious people of His. Also, the measure of God's Word being effective when presented is in the Lord's hands. Our job, as McGee used to say 'is to get the Word of God out'. Ezekiel was to 'eat' a scroll, which represented the Word of God 8b-9. His word contains lament, mourning, and woe not just words of comfort, peace, and healing. The former is comes the rebel and the latter to the repentant. Note: Even the righteous suffer and have sorrows, just read the book of Job !

Ezekiel 3
Ezekiel takes the scroll and eats it, as the Lord commanded him. It is sweet to his taste 1-3. Note: The Word of God must impact us personally, before we can give it to others. The Lord's commission is to his own people who were rebellious 4-7. The Lord would make Ezekiel 'unyielding' in the face of the opposition he would encounter 8-9. The Spirit transports Ezekiel 10-14. He is bitter and angry and overwhelmed for seven days 14. Note: Was there some resistance on his part to do what God had said, or was he responding to the sinfulness and rebellion of the people in light of the Lord's long suffering towards them ? After the seven days the Lord speaks and calls Ezekiel a 'watchman' for the house of Israel. 16-17a. He would be held accountable for warning the wicked and the righteous of the danger of continuing in sin and failing to repent before God. Their blood would be upon him if he failed to give them God's warnings 17b-21. Note: He is not responsible for their response, only his responsibility to give them the Word of God ! He again sees the glory of God and is told by the Lord to remain in his house, 'tied up' and unable to speak 22-26. When he does speak, he will speak the word of the Sovereign Lord. Whoever wants to listen may. Whoever wants to refuse may also 27. Note: This indicates that each person has the ability and the personal responsibility to hear the word of God and respond to what the Lord commands. God's Word, as it is read, spoken, taught, and preached can either soften one's heart (as conviction, repentance, and faith work together) to turn to the Lord or harden one further in continued rebellion against the Lord. Which is true of you ?

Ezekiel 4
Ezekiel was commanded by the Lord to set up a 'tablet' and set s siege against it 1-3. This was to be a sign to Israel to what was to come (in God's judgment). Note: The Lord uses various ways to communicate to His people. It is His mercy and His grace that He provides them these warning and a time to repent. Ezekiel was also to lay on his side for specific numbers of days 4-8, he was to ration his food and water, along with cooking his food in a 'defiled' manner 9-13. He objects 14 and the Lord allows him to modify the 'plan' 15. This was to be a visual picture to the people of the calamity that would come upon all the people, because of their sins 16-17. Note: God's judgment is always just and is in response to our sin. There is a 'moral' basis from which the Lord acts. Because He is holy, He must address sin. By His mercy He withholds what is our due and by His grace He is ready to forgive the repentant and believing soul.

Ezekiel 5
Ezekiel is to shave his hair and divide it into thirds. He was to do different things with each of the thirds 1-4. By this means the Lord was communicating what He was about to do to Jerusalem and its people 5-10. Some would be scattered, while others would be killed 11-12. The results of God acting in these ways will be three-fold. His (holy) anger will be expressed 13, the nations will observe this as a warning, the Jews being a reproach and a taunt 14-15, and the Jews would suffer at the hand of God 16-17. Note: On one level, can we understand God's actions here as His discipline; which is to have a corrective component and not merely a judicious act (to punish and meet the Laws demands) ? We also can 'see' by this the devastation that sin brings to a person, a people, a nation, and a fallen world.

Ezekiel 6
Here Ezekiel is commanded to 'prophesy against the mountains of Israel' 1-2. The message he is to bring is one of judgment. God would act in tearing down all their altars and idols, smashing and destroying them. The people would be slain, before their idols, (unable to save them) 3-7a. Note: God destroys idols, so why would be show them 'respect' so to speak. We should not tolerate any idols in our lives as God's people. Those who escape and are scattered will realize their sin and loath themselves for it 9. Note: There is a healthy and right place for their to be grieving and brokenness in our hearts over our sins. All these actions of God indicate His wrath being poured out 12b. The impact of God's actions will be that they will 'know that HE is the Lord'  7b,10,13,14. What God says, He will do 10. Note: Do we know Him and submit to Him, the Sovereign Lord ?

Ezekiel 7
Where there had been patience and the holding back of God's judgment to this point, it would be no longer. The phrase 'the day is near', 'the end has come' is repeated to indicate this to the people 2-3,7,10. It is the sin and detestable practices of the people which bring the wrath of God upon them. God judges them as their deeds deserve 3, 8,13,16,27. (God is just). Note: God is so server with His people because they had His Word and His Law and knew what He expected of them. He even warned them and called them to repentance before Him, which they rejected. Now the 'day of reckoning' had come. Nothing they do will be able to deliver them 18-27.Their homes and sanctuaries would be occupied and defiled 21-22,24. It is odd that God would give 'their' wealth to the wicked to defile it 21 ? Note: What parallel /application is there with the NT believer ? The prophet, the priest, the king, (all who were to function as God's leaders and teachers) would have no answer or ability to help at this point 26-27. Note: When God is rejected and His laws are set aside, there comes a day of judgment (which takes many forms) and there is no remedy or solution. Sounds like our people and nation at the present hour. Human nature is all the same. We all have the same need of the Lord and Savor Jesus Christ. While our nation may not turn to Him and be saved, will you ?

Ezekiel 8
Ezekiel is given a vision of all the corruption and wickedness that was happening in the temple of the Lord. The 'detestable practices' (abominations -kjv) which they were doing would 'drive' the Lord from His temple and incur His wrath upon them 1-6. Note: Do we 'see' the sin in our own lives as 'abominations' to the Lord ? It is His word and evaluation of what we do that is to be the final word not our own standard by which we choose to live. The more Ezekiel saw, the more the Lord showed him that was even more detestable 9,15. The people had forsaken the Lord and concluded that the Lord did not see them (and their actions) 12-13. Women 'weeping for Tammuz' is a foreign god and idol 14. He also sees twenty five men who are worshiping the sun 16. All the elders  of Israel 'approved' and were participants in this corrupted worship 11. To them this was but 'trivial' 17a. Note that violence also filled the land 17b. There is a direct connection to one's religious practices and the life that they live. Religion can never be 'strictly a private matter'. It will affect the way one thinks and acts. The Lord will bring His judgment for these sins. He will not show any pity / mercy, even though the people may shout to Him 18. Note: The 'shouting' to God is for temporal deliverance and not a repentance and faith in the Lord for salvation. That is may be one reason why the Lord says, He will not spare. After all look at how this chapter describes how they are living in the light of the true God. One must ask, how did they get to this point ? One little compromise and one little lie at a time, until corruption was everywhere and no one saw it nor cared ! - Lord, may you give me eyes to see my sinfulness and the savior who can redeem me !

Ezekiel 9
Here we are told about the departure of the glory of God from the above the cherubim (the mercy seat above the ark of the covenant) to the temple threshold 3. Those who lament all the detestable practices going are are 'marked' at the Lord's command and are spared from His judgment (death) as it comes upon the people 4-6. The land was corrupted by bloodshed and injustice 9. Note: They were in no way living by God's law which demanded the justice be swift, especially in cases of murder and the shedding of blood. The Lord will demonstrate 'true justice' by way of contrast as He 'brings down on their heads what they had done' 9-11. Note: God does 'spare' the righteous from His wrath, when it is poured out (see: 1 Thessalonians 1:10). Also, what Ezekiel saw was both the spiritual realm and the physical realm and their interconnection. He is rightly troubled by this and thus, he prays 8. The Lord's reply in in 9-10.

Ezekiel 10
The glory of God moves and departs from the temple threshold to the eastern gate 4-5,18-19. Ezekiel sees the vision of the glory of God, His throne and the spiritual beings that attend to Him. This is much like what He had seen earlier in chapter 1 (v 20). Note: There is a progression in this account of God's glory departing, as seen an described by Ezekiel. Can the same thing happen today in a local church or in an individual life when the Lord is rejected and sin is the norm of life ? Stopping at the East Gate (19b) brings to my mind the picture of God, stopping and looking things over before He leaves (so to speak). Is this not a sad picture of God moving out ? Yet this is what sin does. Sin breaks one's relationship with the Lord (our natural state apart from Christ) and also breaks one's fellowship with the Lord (the fellowship of the Believer with the Lord). Can it be that we do not have the glory of God manifest in our lives because we hold on to sin and thus, God's glory departs ?

Ezekiel 11
The Lord speaks of His judgment that will come upon the leaders of the people. What they had feared would come upon them 1-12. The Sovereign Lord would bring this to pass 7-8,13. The Spirit of the Lord is active in revealing and speaking to Ezekiel the word of the Lord which he is to give to the people 1,5,24-25. Again, the Lord explicitly states why He has judgment is about to fall 12. God's people were conforming to the standards of the nations around them 12b. (standards that were no standards at all for they were sinful,evil, and full of wickedness). The false assumption of the Jews still in the land was that their brothers in exile were far from the Lord and that they themselves were 'safe' 15. They thought they were 'right with God' since they were still in the land. The Lord assures Ezekiel and the exiles that HE was their sanctuary in the foreign land 16. The Lord would restore them to the land and restore them to Himself by giving them a new heart to follow and obey the Lord 17-20. This truth will be restated and expanded elsewhere in the book. The Lord gives the exiles hope and reassurance. This will fulfill His plan, so will judging those devoted to their idols 21. The glory of the Lord moves again to the mountain on the east (Mount of Olives) 22-23. Note: This is the same place from which Jesus ascended to heaven (see: Acts 1:6-12). Ezekiel faithfully communicates the Lord's message to the exiles 24-25. Note: He not only told them the words of hope and restoration but also the words of judgment coming to the people still in the land. Are we faithful in giving all of God's Word of both grace and judgment ?