We will finish the book of Ezekiel this week. This section is about renewal, restoration, and hope. We see God's call to "Turn!" in chapter 33. Jesus is prophesied as the shepherd king, the God of peace. We will find God's promise of the Holy Spirit and a new heart in Ezekiel 37. We hear about the restoration of Jerusalem and Israel. The book ends with a vision of a new temple, a worshipping people, which is fulfilled in the NT church. It really is an exciting part of the book of Ezekiel.
We have only a few more weeks until we have completed reading the whole Bible. What are you going to do next year? Begin making a plan now. One is more successful when a plan is in place. Perhaps you would like to read the whole Bible again and ask God to give you new insights. Perhaps you would like to read it with another person to help him/her grow. Perhaps you would like to go back to a few specific books and do an in-depth study. Perhaps you would like to start a Bible memorization plan. Be in prayer and ask God how he would like to grow in His relationship with you next year. Regardless what you do next year, do something! God wants to spend time with you!
WEEK 46 OF THE WB READING:DAY ONE, NOVEMBER 12 - EZEKIEL 25-28
Chapters 25 - 28
What is God's message to the surrounding nations, who delighted in Israel and Judah's fall, and do not follow God?
How seriously does God take it when someone speaks against his people even thought the person (people) might not be living up to God's desire?
Do you need to repent because you have spoken against one of God's own?
Have you had someone speak against you?
Do you need to worry about personal revenge? Why or Why not?
DAY TWO, NOVEMBER 13 - EZEKIEL 29-32
Chapters 29-32
What is God's message to Egypt?
How would the messages God is giving to Egypt and the other nations bring hope to Israel and Judah?
What warning does God give to the proud (HINT: 31:3-14)?
How has God been working on your pride lately?
DAY THREE, NOVEMBER 14 - EZEKIEL 33-36
Chapter 33
What is a watchman and what does he do?
How is Ezekiel a watchman?
In what way are you a watchman for God today?
What does God want from the people and how does he judge them?
Why do you think verse 10-11 is one of the key verses in Ezekiel?
How do the people act toward Ezekiel?
How is that like people today?
Chapter 34
What is the warning to the leaders of the people who have been poor shepherds to people?
How well are you shepherding those around you?
What does God say we will do with his people and what promise of the Messiah do you see in this passage?
What comfort do you receive reading this passage?
Chapter 35
What is the warning to Edom?
How does God take what people find natural for them and turn it back on them?
What are you finding more natural than your relationship with God?
Chapter 36
Who will make Israel great again?
Who is the one who gives you success in your life?
Did God really want to bring this total destruction or was it necessary just to get rid of the deep seeded sin that began to permeate everything?
What is the reason that God is restoring Israel?
How are you honoring the name of God in your life?
How are verses 25-27 some of the key verses in Ezekiel?
How has God done that for you?
DAY FOUR, NOVEMBER 15 - EZEKIEL 37-39
Chapter 37
What is Ezekiel's vision and what does it mean?
How have you felt like dry bones?
How can the Holy Spirit restore your hope?
What is one of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit?
What will happen to the two Kingdoms - the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom?
How do you see an illusion to Jesus here?
How is God a God of reconciliation?
Who do you need to be reconciled with in Christ?
Chapters 38 & 39
It is not known exactly what this passage means, but it is for sure that there is a "soon and not yet" element to this prophecy. Some think this passage talks about the end times as Gog is only mentioned one other time in the Bible and that is in Rev. 20:8.
Can you identify some of the "soon and not yet" elements of this prophesy?
With what promise does God end chapter 39?
How have you felt the Holy Spirit in your life?
DAY FIVE, NOVEMBER 16 - EZEKIEL 40-42
Chapters 40-42
This is the final vision Ezekiel receives. It is describe in chapters 40-48. This is the culmination of God's desire for his people, both Jews and Gentiles. He desires a people who worship Him, the true God.
How you describe this temple?
What do you think the great detail of this vision might mean (HINT: 44:10-11)?
How much thought and detail do you put into your worship?
What did you find interesting about these details?
DAY SIX, NOVEMBER 17 - EZEKIEL 43-45
Chapter 43
How did Ezekiel respond to God's glory?
Are you awed by God's glory or do you take it for granted?
How much of the temple was filled with God's glory?
Do you worship in fullness?
According to verse 12, what is the basic law of the temple?
How are you cultivating holiness in your life?
Chapter 44
Why can't anyone go through the east gate?
If God is before the east gate, what god that they worshipped in the past can't they worship now?
How do you reverence God and make him the only one you worship?
Who do you think the prince is?
According to verse 7 and 9, who only is to worship God?
How do you show your love for God?
Chapter 45
What do the instructions of this chapter remind you of?
Why is God restating some of these guidelines in a vision about the temple and worship?
How does your lifestyle reflect your worship and attitude toward God?
How do the festival reflect the people's attitude of worship?
How are you celebrating in worship?
DAY SEVEN, NOVEMBER 18 - EZEKIEL 46-48
Chapter 46
Why is God so adamant about keeping the Sabbath day and festivals for worship?
How well do you set aside time to worship God?
If the people can't exit the same door they came in (perhaps it is so full, therefore, they need to keep flowing in the same direction), what might that be saying about the numbers of people who will return to worship?
How does this show a new desire to worship God?
Have you felt a new desire to be in God's presence and are you seeing other people wanting to return to God?
Chapter 47
What does Ezekiel see flowing from the temple?
What are the benefits of it?
What does the river represent?
How does the river effect you?
Chapter 48
What is being allotted in this chapter?
How is that within keeping with the promise given back to Abraham in Genesis 12 and which was renewed numerous times to God's people through out history?
Does God forget his promises even when over a 1000 years have past?
What is the new name of the city?
Can that be your name too?
Read NT passages such as Ephesians 2:15-19, I Peter 2:5,6, II Corinthians 6:16. How are we seeing this vision of the temple in our lives today?
| DAY ONE | Nov-12 | MARK 14:32-72 OR PSALM 104&105 |
| DAY TWO | Nov-13 | MARK 15 OR PSALM 106&107 |
| DAY THREE | Nov-14 | MARK 16 OR PSALM 108&109 |
| DAY FOUR | Nov-15 | LUKE 1:1-45 OR PSALM 110,111&112 |
| DAY FIVE | Nov-16 | LUKE 1:46-80 OR PSALM 113,114&115 |
| DAY SIX | Nov-17 | LUKE 2 OR PSALM 116,117&118 |
| DAY SEVEN | Nov-18 | LUKE 3 OR PSALM 119 |
Always begin your time of God with prayer. Ask him for understanding and insights. You can pick out a verse, thought or feeling from the passage and think on it (mediate) on it all day. Meditating on God's word means to digest it, put it into your mind, think on it, and concentrate in different ways on the passage.
Some ways you can do this is:
1. Put yourself into the scene.
2. Emphasize different words in the verse.
3. Paraphrase the passage in your own words.
4. Pray the passage back to God if it is a prayer, song, poem, etc (personalize it).
5. Use SPACE PETS acrostic to ask some standard questions.
S - Sins to confess? Do I need to make restitution?
P - Promises to claim? Have I met the conditions(s)?
A - Attitudes to change? Am I willing?
C - Commands to obey? Even if I don't feel like it?
E - Examples to follow? One to copy or avoid?
P - Prayers to pray? Is there something I need to tell God?
E - Errors to avoid?
T - Truths about God or the Bible I need to believe?
Adapted from 12 Dynamic Bible Study Methods (Chapter 1) by Richard Warren and William A. Shell.