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Ezekiel 10-12
Ezekiel 10
1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
If Ezekiel was alive today, he'd be locked up, because what he says sounds really crazy. I used to have a roommate who went crazy. He talked all sorts of nonsense. I don't remember him talking about cherubims, but he did ask a lot of really weird questions.
Ezekiel isn't crazy...
2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
Remember, cherubims aren't the sweet pudgy angels that you see projected by Anne Geddes. These are weird ass trippy four faced four winged creatures that are protectors of the LORD, not little babies that shoot arrows to make you fall in love.
7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
So the guy took the coal from the cherubims.
9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
Genius is often misunderstood. Insanity is similar.
12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
Most people have trouble understanding Ezekiel. Steven King novels make more sense than the book of Ezekiel.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
If you are describing what a cherubim looks like, you probably shouldn't use cherub in the description.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
They didn't introduce themselves as cherubims?
Ezekiel 11
1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD's house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
Jaazaniah and Pelatiah are bad people.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
Does a prophet really have any choice about what he talks about? Doesn't he just open his mouth and the words of the LORD come spilling out? Does he need to be told to do something? Does he have a choice?
5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.
The answer to the choice is a resounding no. Does he open his mouth and say things? yes.
9 And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
Yes, we just read Jeremiah, we know that the people are going to be scattered.
12 And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
In modern times, would it still be acceptable for the LORD to execute judgments like that? You can't spank a child without having Child Protective Services come down on you, would it still be acceptable for God to actually punish someone? Would people today still worship a God who actually executed judgment on them?
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
That's some powerful prophesin'. If you can make someone die by speaking to them, you have some good words.
16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.
God promises to scatter the people. But he'll still be a God to the ones who let him.
21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.
He'll be good to the ones who are good, and bad to the ones who are bad. This is sort of like modern prosperity gospel stuff.
24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.
Chaldea is another word for Babylon.
Ezekiel 12
2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
They are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel is told to do some performance art.
God tells him to pack his crap, and prepare to move. Then move, make sure people are watching when you do. He isn't really told where to go though.
7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
God then asks for reviews of the performance art piece.
9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
Then he tells Zeke what to say to the reviews. (Since most performance art pieces need someone to explain what the artist is trying to convey).
11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
Then someone said: "oh, I didn't quite get that." Another said: "I just thought you were moving". Another said: "I guess I could see how you were trying to convey that, but you should really provide a playbill, so we can understand exactly what you are trying to get across" Another said: "I heard it was a musical
"
13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
God is really mean to his chosen people. But they brought it on themselves for not following through with the rules that God put down with a single person many many many generations prior. I don't even know the name of my great grandfather, yet the Jews in Ezekiel are being punished for not following the rules that were agreed upon for them in a covenant from thousands of years before.
25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
It always sucks when God promises to exact his vengeance... during YOUR lifetime.
27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.
People are going to tell you that it's going to happen in the future, that it doesn't affect me...
2012 is right around the corner...
So what have we learned today?
1. Cherubims are weird creatures.
2. Ezekiel saw some crazy shizzzz.
3. It CAN happen in your lifetime. Except for Jesus coming back, that probably won't be in your lifetime.
YIC
V
Ezekiel 10
1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
If Ezekiel was alive today, he'd be locked up, because what he says sounds really crazy. I used to have a roommate who went crazy. He talked all sorts of nonsense. I don't remember him talking about cherubims, but he did ask a lot of really weird questions.
Ezekiel isn't crazy...
2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
Remember, cherubims aren't the sweet pudgy angels that you see projected by Anne Geddes. These are weird ass trippy four faced four winged creatures that are protectors of the LORD, not little babies that shoot arrows to make you fall in love.
7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
So the guy took the coal from the cherubims.
9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
Genius is often misunderstood. Insanity is similar.
12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
Most people have trouble understanding Ezekiel. Steven King novels make more sense than the book of Ezekiel.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
If you are describing what a cherubim looks like, you probably shouldn't use cherub in the description.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
They didn't introduce themselves as cherubims?
Ezekiel 11
1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD's house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
Jaazaniah and Pelatiah are bad people.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
Does a prophet really have any choice about what he talks about? Doesn't he just open his mouth and the words of the LORD come spilling out? Does he need to be told to do something? Does he have a choice?
5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.
The answer to the choice is a resounding no. Does he open his mouth and say things? yes.
9 And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
Yes, we just read Jeremiah, we know that the people are going to be scattered.
12 And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
In modern times, would it still be acceptable for the LORD to execute judgments like that? You can't spank a child without having Child Protective Services come down on you, would it still be acceptable for God to actually punish someone? Would people today still worship a God who actually executed judgment on them?
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
That's some powerful prophesin'. If you can make someone die by speaking to them, you have some good words.
16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.
God promises to scatter the people. But he'll still be a God to the ones who let him.
21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.
He'll be good to the ones who are good, and bad to the ones who are bad. This is sort of like modern prosperity gospel stuff.
24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.
Chaldea is another word for Babylon.
Ezekiel 12
2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
They are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel is told to do some performance art.
God tells him to pack his crap, and prepare to move. Then move, make sure people are watching when you do. He isn't really told where to go though.
7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
God then asks for reviews of the performance art piece.
9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
Then he tells Zeke what to say to the reviews. (Since most performance art pieces need someone to explain what the artist is trying to convey).
11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
Then someone said: "oh, I didn't quite get that." Another said: "I just thought you were moving". Another said: "I guess I could see how you were trying to convey that, but you should really provide a playbill, so we can understand exactly what you are trying to get across" Another said: "I heard it was a musical
"13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
God is really mean to his chosen people. But they brought it on themselves for not following through with the rules that God put down with a single person many many many generations prior. I don't even know the name of my great grandfather, yet the Jews in Ezekiel are being punished for not following the rules that were agreed upon for them in a covenant from thousands of years before.
25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
It always sucks when God promises to exact his vengeance... during YOUR lifetime.
27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.
People are going to tell you that it's going to happen in the future, that it doesn't affect me...
2012 is right around the corner...
So what have we learned today?
1. Cherubims are weird creatures.
2. Ezekiel saw some crazy shizzzz.
3. It CAN happen in your lifetime. Except for Jesus coming back, that probably won't be in your lifetime.
YIC
V
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Jesus!
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