Sunday, August 19, 2012

On 8-26-12, Ezekiel 34:23-31 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as God Promised to be with Us.

God Promised to be with Us
Ezekiel 34:23-31
International Sunday School Lesson
August 26, 2012



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough




Despite today’s title the scripture we have for Sunday isn’t about a promise made to us per say but rather to Israel.  Yes, you and I can grow in our faith when we read any of Ezekiel but he was speaking for his people, the people of Israel.

Ezekiel had been exiled along with many of his countrymen several years before receiving his call from God to be a prophet.  In that calling he is told, “Son of man. I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against Me to this very day.” Ezekiel 2:3 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me.” Ezekiel 3:17

Ezekiel told his fellow Israelites in exile what was going to befall their countrymen still in Jerusalem and their beloved temple.  Ezekiel known as a priest (1:3) to the people had now become a prophet to the people.  A prophet who’s prophecies no doubt were not believed until with their very same ears the people of Israel in exile hear the news that, “The city has fallen!Ezekiel 33:21a

Now after nearly eight years of chastisement the people of Israel heard in today’s scripture words of hope for a future.  In that future they would not have the type of leader that had been characterized as the shepherds who had not tended to them (Ezekiel 34:1-22) but a shepherd like David.  This shepherd is the Branch from the root of Jesse, Jesus Christ.

It seems sad that these people in exile who were alive to see the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecies of bad news would not get to see the fulfillment of this “covenant of peace”.  But we can know that because of the veracity of Ezekiel this prophecy of his would have given them hope.  One cannot help but think of all the generations who longed for it just as Christians who read of Christ’s return have for generations longed for that.  And unbeknownst to the Jews they are in essence one and the same thing.

But though Christians have survived persecution and grown in number through the millennia the Jews would have to face so much more persecution even to today from almost all nations.  We know from the scriptures that this persecution will continue until it climaxes at the end when Jesus comes and saves the remnant.

In reading today’s scripture if you are anything like me you wonder if the image that is portrayed is anything near literal.  That is the problem with this type of scripture one can’t know where the figurative ends and the literal begins. 

We know that the people were not literally sheep as described earlier in this 34th chapter but we get the idea that is being presented.  I would like the idea of there still being the deserts and the forests as mentioned in verse 25 and the fields of verse 29.

But what we can see with certainty is satisfying to know that with confidence the people of Israel will one day no longer be persecuted.  That their enemies will be destroyed when they come against Jerusalem for the last time and like Paul the scales will finally fall from their eyes as we read, “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.Zechariah 12:10


In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.” Isaiah 29:18  “For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol.  Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.” Hosea 3:4-5 

For Discussion:

1.      One of my favorite things about God and the scriptures comes from Isaiah 46:10a, “I make known the end from the beginning” Read Deuteronomy 4:30-31 to see what He revealed.
2.      Do you pray for Israel?  Do you pray for Jerusalem?  Discuss why we should.
3.      Read Ezekiel 37:24-28.
4.      Look up scriptures and have them available that deal with the Messianic and line of David such as those found in Psalm 89.
5.      Discuss how literally the entire world is against Israel but how literally despite the figurative language used it is clear that there will be in the future no danger left for Israel.
6.      Read John 10:1-18 where Jesus describes Himself as the good shepherd.
7.      If you want to explore the figurative possibilities of this genre discuss an alternative to the literal in verse 25.
8.      Hosea 2:18 interestingly talks of a covenant with animals concerning Israel.


Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries


9-2-12:    Faith Calls for Perseverance Hebrews 10:19-31
9-9-12:    Faith Gives Assurance aka Faith is Assurance Hebrews 11:1-6; Psalm 46 or Hebrews 11:1-3, 6; Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11
9-16-12:  Faith Empowers Endurance aka Faith is Endurance Hebrews 12:1-11
9-23-12:  Faith Inspires Gratitude Hebrews 12:18-29








Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved



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