Here’s how the study works: Read the chapters mentioned in the heading during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for several chapters creates the opportunity to revisit them and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
God’s Spirit becomes our motivation. He will be the driving force of our conduct, and also our thinking.
36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
God’s Spirit becomes our motivation. He will be the driving force of our conduct, and also our thinking.
37:4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
37:9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”
Two things happen, first Ezekiel prophesies to the dry bones – hear the Word of the Lord and there is an amazing response – bones come together, tendons and flesh appear but they are like dead men.
Second, Ezekiel prophesies to the breath and the breath enters them and they to life—a vast army.
We need two things, we need the word of the Lord and we need God’s breath in us to bring us to life.
37:4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
37:9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”
Two things happen, first Ezekiel prophesies to the dry bones – hear the Word of the Lord and there is an amazing response – bones come together, tendons and flesh appear but they are like dead men.
Second, Ezekiel prophesies to the breath and the breath enters them and they to life—a vast army.
We need two things, we need the word of the Lord and we need God’s breath in us to bring us to life.
38:22-23 I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
God will fight for his people against their enemies, with plague, rain, hailstones, burning sulfur. God’s people will trust him to protect them and not build ways to protect themselves (v. 11). God will be their refuge.
38:22-23 I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
God will fight for his people against their enemies, with plague, rain, hailstones, burning sulfur. God’s people will trust him to protect them and not build ways to protect themselves (v. 11). God will be their refuge.
39:28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind.
“Not leaving any behind.” God does not forget any of his children and will not abandon them. He wants all people to be saved.
39:28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind.
“Not leaving any behind.” God does not forget any of his children and will not abandon them. He wants all people to be saved.
40:41 So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered.
(Constable’s Commentary) “The purpose of sacrifices under the Old Covenant was to restore the Israelites to fellowship with God, not to provide salvation. Salvation was always by faith. Even after the church began, Jewish believers did not hesitate to participate in the sacrifices (Acts 2:46, 21:26). They viewed these sacrifices as memorials of Christ’s sacrifice.”
Still it seems unusual that animal sacrifices will be reinstated.
40:41 So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered.
(Constable’s Commentary) “The purpose of sacrifices under the Old Covenant was to restore the Israelites to fellowship with God, not to provide salvation. Salvation was always by faith. Even after the church began, Jewish believers did not hesitate to participate in the sacrifices (Acts 2:46, 21:26). They viewed these sacrifices as memorials of Christ’s sacrifice.”
Still it seems unusual that animal sacrifices will be reinstated.