EZEKIEL LESSON 14


     We will begin this lesson in Ezekiel 14:1 "Then came certain of
the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me."

     This is the beginning of a new prophecy. These elders were those
who had been trained in the Word of God. It appears, they have heard
the other prophecies, and are inquiring of Ezekiel about themselves.

     Ezekiel 14:2 "And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"

     One thing that we could take advice from, is the fact that
Ezekiel speaks just what God puts in His mouth.

     Ezekiel 14:3 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in
their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their
face: should I be inquired of at all by them?"

     The heart reveals what we really are. It is the center of our
being. Man is either lost, or saved by what is in his heart. Even
though the idols have been burned, they still think of them with fond
memories. God is saying, if they still have these idols in their
hearts, why do not they consult them, and not Me? An idol does not
have to be one you can see with your eyes. Anything, or anyone, that
you put above God in your heart, is an idol. Their hearts are not
stayed upon God.

     Ezekiel 14:4 "Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus
saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up
his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity
before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him
that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;"

     Sin does not have to be physically carried out, for it to be sin.
The heart of man will be judged. Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 "But I say
unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery with her already in his heart."  These elders have
committed sin in their hearts, because in their hearts, they still
worshipped idols. True worship takes place in the heart. To replace
worship of God with idols, is to separate oneself from God. To even
think of worshipping God, while we still have thoughts of idols in our
hearts, is impossible as well. God will not share His people with
anyone, or anything else. You cannot worship God and idols at the same
time. We see that God, Himself, will answer them through the mouth of
Ezekiel.

     Ezekiel 14:5 "That I may take the house of Israel in their own
heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols."

     Their idolatry had brought this captivity upon them. "Estranged",
in this verse, means to be a foreigner, or to turn aside. They have
turned away from God in their hearts. The double-minded person is not
acceptable to God.
     Ezekiel 14:6  "Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn [yourselves] from your idols; and turn
away your faces from all your abominations."

     This is speaking to all of the people, including these elders.
Notice, this is to the entire house of Israel, not just these elders.
Look, at the word {yourselves}. We see that the decision to worship,
or not worship God is an individual thing. Each person decides in his
own heart to turn away from his abominations to the Living God. Just
as John the Baptist, preached repent, that is the message here, also.
God will forgive. The individual must repent, and then God will come
and dwell with him again.

     Ezekiel 14:7 "For every one of the house of Israel, or of the
stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me,
and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock
of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of
him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:"

     "Every one" leaves no doubt that this is an individual thing.
Notice, also, that this is not just the Hebrews, but the strangers, as
well. Another word for stranger would be Gentile. "Sojourneth", means
temporarily dwells. Those who deliberately turn from God to idols,
will someday, stand before the Judge of all the world, and be found
guilty.  God deals with this Himself. This does not have to be an open
act of idolatry. The heart is judged. In the following Scripture, we
see Jesus speaking of this very thing on judgement day. Matthew 7:22
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name?  and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?" Matthew 7:23  "And then will I profess
unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
You see, their outward action was alright, but God judges the heart.
Their hearts were not acceptable.

     Ezekiel 14:8 "And I will set my face against that man, and will
make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst
of my people; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD."

     God is not interested in our outward show of faith. He judges the
heart. God will turn His face from, one who does not retain Him in his
heart. That man will be judged of God, and used to show others the
error of this.  Only God knows the heart of man.  There will be no
question, this judgement is of God.

     Ezekiel 14:9 "And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken
a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out
my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people
Israel."

     There were false prophets in the land. God had judged their
hearts and found them guilty of worshipping idols in their hearts. God
causes them to believe a lie, because they are not faithful to Him.
God builds up whoever He will, and He destroys whoever He will. His
judgement is just. It is God who removes prophets, as it is God who
builds up prophets.

     Ezekiel 14:10 "And they shall bear the punishment of their
iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the
punishment of him that seeketh [unto him];"

     There is a responsibility for those listening to prophets, to
determine whether they be of God, or not. To follow a false prophet,
brings the follower the same punishment as the false prophet. I John
4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world."

     Ezekiel 14:11 "That the house of Israel may go no more astray
from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions;
but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord
GOD."

     Every punishment that God brings on this earth, is to cause those
who are living in sin to repent. The desire of God is to be their God.
He will not force Himself upon them. They must choose to be His
people, and then He will be their God.

     Ezekiel 14:12  "The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,"

     This just shows a break in the prophecy here.

     Ezekiel 14:13 "Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by
trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and
will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon
it, and will cut off man and beast from it:"

     God is speaking to Ezekiel, here. Son of man, is a name by which
God calls Ezekiel. We see that famine is one way that God brings
punishment on an unrepentant society. Much of the famine in our
society today is in areas where they worship false gods, or no God at
all.

     Ezekiel 14:14 "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job,
were in it, they should deliver [but] their own souls by their
righteousness, saith the Lord GOD."

     The three mentioned above, were spoken of by God as being
righteous in His sight. They lived in a society that was far away from
God. Noah preached to the people around him, the many years he was
building the ark, but no one listened and repented. God saved Noah,
his wife, his three sons, and their three wives. Noah was not saved
from the flood, he was saved in the flood. Daniel was saved in the
lion's den, not from it. Job was saved in the presence of his friends
who did not believe. God may not remove you from your problem, but He
will protect you in the problem, if you stay in right standing with
Him.

     Ezekiel 14:15  "If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the
land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass
through because of the beasts:"

     The noisome beasts would be for punishment of those living in
sin. The problem will be there, but God will protect His own in the
midst of the problem.

     Ezekiel 14:16 "[Though] these three men [were] in it, [as] I
live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor
daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be
desolate."

     This is explaining the individuality of salvation. Just because
you are righteous in God's sight, does not mean your children are. God
judges on an individual basis. You repent and live for God to save
your own soul. The land is desolate in punishment for sin. God will
protect His own, even in a famine.

     Ezekiel 14:17  "Or [if] I bring a sword upon that land, and say,
Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:"

     This is another form of punishment that God brings upon those who
have turned against Him. Those who truly love God may be in the land
when these problems come, but they will not be killed by the sword.
A thousand may fall at their side, but they will be protected by God.

     Ezekiel 14:18 "Though these three men [were] in it, [as] I live,
saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but
they only shall be delivered themselves."

     This is just saying that God does not have grandchildren, just
children. These, sons and daughters, must decide for themselves to
follow God. Each generation is judged on its own merits.

     Ezekiel 14:19  "Or [if] I send a pestilence into that land, and
pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:"

     Again, this is speaking of a different type of judgement, that
might come into the land, because of the sin. I cannot say enough,
this is not from Satan. This is from God, against a rebellious family.

     Ezekiel 14:20 "Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, [as] I
live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter;
they shall [but] deliver their own souls by their righteousness."

     Noah, Daniel, and Job were three righteous men who lived in the
same land with very evil people. This just explains, again, that their
righteousness would not save their children. Only the children's
righteousness could save them. Each person is responsible for his own
sin.

     Ezekiel 14:21 "For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I
send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine,
and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and
beast?"

     God sends these four judgements upon all the people who have
committed spiritual adultery in their hearts, by worshipping false
gods. The chastisement of God is great in these 4 judgements, but the
sin was just as great. God fits the punishment to the sin.

     Ezekiel 14:22  "Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that
shall be brought forth, [both] sons and daughters: behold, they shall
come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and
ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon
Jerusalem, [even] concerning all that I have brought upon it."

     God always saved a remnant of His people. These are they who have
not bowed their knees to false gods. The beautiful thing in all of
this, is the fact that God does not group everyone together. Those who
live for Him will be saved, even though everyone around them is lost.
God never overlooks a single person who loves Him. I Corinthians 8:3
"But if any man love God, the same is known of him."  God's judgement
on Jerusalem was just. His saving of the remnant was just, as well.

     Ezekiel 14:23 "And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways
and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause
all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD."

     The comfort is in the knowledge of the remnant saved, who will
return to Jerusalem later. There has been a separation of the evil
from the good in the judgements of God. God is loving and kind, but He
is also just. His cause was holy, and therefore we do not always
understand.
























                         Ezekiel 14 Questions


1.  Who were the elders of verse 1?
2.  The heart reveals what we ________ ______.
3.  Where had these men set up their idols?
4.  What can be an idol to you?
5.  Quote Matthew chapter 5 verse 28.
6.  What does the word "estranged" mean?
7.  Their __________ had brought this captivity upon them.
8.  What did God tell them to do in verse 6?
9.  The decision to follow God, or not, is an ____________ thing.
10. What does the words "every one" leave no doubt about?
11. The strangers were ________.
12. What does "sojourneth" mean?
13. Quote Matthew chapter 7 verses 22 and 23.
14. The man God sets His face against will be a _______ and a _____.
15. Who deceives the false prophet?
16. Why did God cause them to believe a lie?
17. What responsibility does the one listening to a prophet have?
18. Quote 1 John chapter 4 verse 1.
19. What is every punishment that God brings on the earth for?
20. God desires to be their ______.
21. What punishment does God bring, mentioned in verse 13?
22. What 3 men, righteous in God's sight, were mentioned in verse 14?
23. Noah was not saved from the flood, he was saved _____ it.
24. Daniel was saved ____ _____ _______ ___.
25. Job was saved in the presence of his friends, who ______ ____
    ________.
26. Who can a person save by believing in God?
27. What is verse 18 saying?
28. Who brings the punishment for their sins?
29. How many judgements did God send on Jerusalem?
30. These judgements came on the people who had committed ________
    __________.
31. God will save a ___________.
32. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 3.
33. What is their comfort in?