EZEKIEL - CHAPTERS 23-26 And They Shall Know that I am The Lord God
“And They Shall Know that I am The Lord God”
Samaria, Jerusalem and the Seven Nations
Ezekiel 23- 26
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I believe as we study these passages, we can draw a parallel with the present day sins of Palestine, Israel, Ammon, Moab and Edom(Jordan); Philistia, Tyre and Zidon(Lebanon); and Egypt. We can identify the mixture of the spirits of Aholah and Aholibah as the worldly spirits and worldly alliances both in the church and our nation.
Chapter 23 is the final oracle about the fall of Jerusalem. It, too, is a lengthy parable. In chapter 16, the emphasis was on idolatries as breaking the marriage relationship and the sacred Covenant with God. Here it is on the nation’s Worldly Spirit and Worldly Alliances for safety and national security. There are two sisters, insatiable in their lewdness, Aholah the elder, which was Samaria, the Northern Kingdom, and Aholibah the younger, which was Jerusalem, the Southern Kingdom.
Aholah means "her tent; she has her own tent; her tabernacle; her temple; her own habitation” and shows that the Northern Kingdom had a Sanctuary or Temple, but it was not the Lord’s. Today this is the mountains in the northern part of the West Bank. This is now under Palestinian Authority and a source of much conflict in the Middle East. This was the capital of Israel and they had their own temple at Mt. Gerizin. Samaria’s lovers are the nations with whom she formed an alliance, first with Assyria, then with the land of Egypt (5-8). The Kingdom of Israel sought to play off Assyria and Egypt (Hos. 7:11; 11 Kg. 17:4), with the result that Shalmaneser, having discovered King Hoshea’s treachery, besieged Samaria and took her sons and daughters into exile (9-10). Judah, instead of having been warned by the fate of her sister Israel, courted alliances with Assyria, Chaldea, and Egypt, being fascinated by their splendor and idolatries which incited Judah to cultivate religious, political, and commercial relations with all those nations.
Aholibah means “My tent in her; my temple was in the southern Kingdom”. God’s sanctuary or His Temple was in the Southern Kingdom. Judah having gone the same way as her sister must also drink of the same cup of judgment. (22-35). God declares unto Aholah and Aholibah their abominable idolatries as the cause and the basis of their judgment. (36-49)
In the light of the Church, Aholah or Samaria, speaks to us of the mixture of the Spirit and the flesh. There are those who are preoccupied with the emphasis of their tent (their denomination, thier ministries, thier man-made kingdoms). Aholibah then represents all those who have gone beyond Pentecost in their understanding. This includes the outpouring of the Latter Rain (1947-1949) to the present.
Bro. Britton comments on this: “Aholah, Samaria, is a half-breed…I have seen a tragedy in the anointed people who received the Holy Spirit…they want the anointing of God but they want to stay in their system of religion…half anointed of God and half led by men. They have the leadership of the Spirit to a degree…they enjoy their prayer tongues…but they want to keep in that system of religion, whatever denomination it might be…but their religious life is ruled by their headquarters…ruled by man…and there are men preaching this… ‘Get the Holy Spirit, but stay in your system…make it a better church,’ but they find out that their system will not tolerate that for too long. It will eventually kill that spirit that is within them…when it threatens, the denomination won’t stand for it.” (BB)
23:49: "And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the sins of your idols and you shall know that I am the Lord God. "
We can further parallel this chapter with Rev. 18: 1-5.
The prophecies of chapters 20-23 were given in the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity (20:1). The prophecy in chapter 24 was given two years later, the ninth year after the deportation. This chapter, which deals with the fall of Jerusalem ends with the irreversible word that the judgment of God must fall on His city and His people. We have heard the allegory of the Caldron (1-4) and the death of Ezekiel’s wife (15-27). The death of his wife took place on the day that the siege began. This was a heart-rending sign to the exiles that there beloved Jerusalem and the Temple was now to be taken from them. Silence was imposed upon Ezekiel until news came of the fallen city some three years later. (27) ( 33: 21-22)
It is the view of Bro. Bill Britton and Kelly Varner that Babylon prophetically throughout these chapters means “confusion” or the “gate of God” – “Religious Confusion. It is important to understand that the spirit of Babylon is that which builds all the man-made kingdoms. It is significant that the head of Nebuchadnezzar’s image was of gold and represented Babylon. Babylon was the head (man’s thinking – carnal mind). It reveals man’s way to the divine nature, the very spirit of anti-christ.
The parable of the boiling pot (compare 11:3) shows the complete destruction and irrevocable doom of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar in a siege that lasted about two years, fulfilling the punishments threatened in 23: 22-49.
The sign of the death of Ezekiel’s wife reveals the destruction of Jerusalem to be an overwhelming blow which will stupefy the people with grief too deep for tears and a sorrow too great for expression. (24: 16-18). “Son of man, behold, I take away from the desire of your eyes with a stroke: yet neither shall you mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down. Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead. Bind the tire of your head upon you, and put on your shoes upon your feet, and cover not your lips, and eat not the bread of men. So I spoke to the people in the morning: and at evening my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.”
The wounding of Ezekiel by the stroke of God with the suppression of any outward show of grief provides and almost awful and frightening insight into the possible sufferings of a prophet who must continue his ministry in a state of hidden grief. The prophet’s message is not only conveyed by his words, but also by his actions (17-19) that are sometimes utterly contrary to custom and propriety. This event will end the prophet’s ministry as a sign. (24:24) “Thus Ezekiel is to you a sign: according to all that he has done shall you do: and when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord God.
Also this ends the period of silence as imposed in 3:26-27 as the messenger from Jerusalem arrives in Chaldea almost three years after the beginning of the siege.
“Also, you son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters. That he that escapes in that day shall come to you, to cause you to hear it with your ears? In that day shall your mouth be opened to him who is escaped, and you shall speak, and be no more dumb: and you shall be a sign to them: and they shall know that I am the Lord.”
SEVEN NATIONS
Chapters 25-32 contain prophecies against the nations who were in some contact with Israel. Seven Nations were singled out for condemnation: Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre and Sidon; and Egypt. The nations were in sequence from northeast to west. The dates vary. These prophecies against the nations were inserted between the predictions before and after the siege of Jerusalem. Thus, those of chapter 25, are to be dated soon after 586 B.C. because they presuppose the fall of Jerusalem. The occasion is the delight of the Nations in the city’s fate. The judgment of these same nations is covered in Isaiah 13-19 and Jeremiah 46-51. To cover all three books, would take weeks of intense study. That would be a feast to my Spirit, but not necessarily a good Bible Study for a group. This can be items that we cover from time to time at our Wed. night prayer group.
Chapter 25 of Ezekiel is the Word of the Lord God to Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia. We will see the sins of these nations against Israel and identify the sins of the church against one another which is against the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Ammonites speak of the principle of mixture Bro. Britton likens the Ammonites to the flesh, especially fleshly pride. . They lived on the edge of the desert east of Jordan and north of the territory of Moab. Their capital was Rabbah, the present Amman. They had joined Babylon against Judah about 600 B.C. (11 Kg. 24:2) Of incestuous origin, Ammon had ever been hostile to God’s people. (Gen. 19: 37-38; Judg. 10:1; 1 Sam. 11; 11 Sam, 10; 12: 26-32; Amos 1: 13-15). The Lord’s controversy with Ammon concerned their joy over the profanation of the sanctuary of the Lord. (“You shall know that I am the Lord.” (Verse 7b)
Bro. Bill Britton calls the Moabites a lazy people (Jer. 48:11-12)”Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. Therefore, behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will send to him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.” The origin of the Moabites is given in Gen. 19: 37-38. Their territory was the area south of the Arnon River along the lower region of the Dead Sea. The sin of Moab was that they claimed that Israel was like all the other nations, which was scorn. (Amos. 2: 1-3) “And you shall Know that I am the Lord (Verse 11b)
He shows that Edom is Esau, or the principle of work in the strength of the flesh, or the natural man. Edom was a descendant of Esau. Edom, or Seir, was related more closely to Israel than either Ammon or Moab. (Gen. 25:23). They settled the territory south of Moab from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. They were conquered and almost annihilated by David, subjugated by Amaziah and Uzziah, they won back their independence at the time of the Syro-Ephariamitic invasion of Judah during the reign of Ahaz. Hostility to Israel was plainly laid to revenge. “And they shall know my vengeance, says the Lord God.” (Verse 14)
Bro. Britton says that the Philistines represent Demonic spirits in the land, the perpetual enemies of Israel. We understand those demons as they attack the work of the Lord. The Philistines speak of the principle of the earthy, carnal mind and those who wallow in the same. They were Israel’s perpetual enemy. They can also be likened to demonic powers with Goliath as their champion. God accused the Philistines of having been motivated repeatedly by revenge and having carried on a perpetual enmity against Israel. Among the enemies of Israel, the Philistines were more referred to in the O.T. than any other nation. They gave their name to the entire land although they were able to subjugate to their rule only a small portion of the coast. They constantly harassed and oppressed Israel until subjugated by David, who broke their power. They were conquered by Jehoshaphat, subjugated by Uzziah, were strong under Jehoram, were powerful under Ahaz, and were subdued by Hezekiah. ‘And They shall know that I am the Lord” (Verse 17b)
The Word of Ezekiel touched the nations all about him revealing the influence of the Glory of the Lord. Chapters 33-37 will reveal that the Lord will one day gather His people from all the nations (Eph. 1:10). His Glory will be over all and He will be there (Ezek. 48:35) in the midst of His whole creation. Indeed, this judgment is unto victory! (Matt. 12: 18-21)
The prophecy concerning Tyre covers chapters 26-28. Tyre was an ancient city of the Phoenicians. It was a great commercial city in O.T. times and was prosperous in the Roman period even up to the fifth century. Tyre was destroyed by the Saracens during the Middle Ages and has been a sleepy Lebanese town in recent history. The city was actually composed of two parts, one of the mainland and the other on a rocky island a half mile from the coast. During the reigns of David and Solomon Tyre exercised a great influence on the commercial, political, and religious life of Israel. Hiram, king of Tyre, was a devoted friend of David who help him and Solomon in their building operations. Tyrians sold Jews as slaves later to the Greeks and Edomites. The prophecy set forth in chapters 26-28 have been fulfilled with unmistakable literalness. (Isa. 23; Jer. 47:4)`
Ezekiel here prophesied that Tyre would become like the “top of a rock” – a bare place where fishermen would “spread nets.” Tyre was famous for its Phoenician alphabet and its purple or “royal purple” dye. Nebuchadnezzar called “king of kings” by Ezekiel, besieged Tyre for 13 years *585-573 BC) and, with its subjugation by the King of Babylon, it ceased to be an independent power. It was later subdued by the Persians and finally by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. who conquered the insular city. The causeway from the “old” Tyre provided walls for the “new” Tyre which were 150 feet high. During the Crusades (1144 A.D.) when it was abandoned to 50-60 families who “spread their nets” on the island, bringing to pass the word of Ezekiel in detail almost 2000 years later! The god of Tyre was Melkart, an idol with hands outstretched to receive human blood.
Tyre speaks of the principle of trafficking and merchandizing, the pomp and pride of the satanic world system. God was going to judge Tyre because of her delight in Jerusalem’s overthrow to the advantage of her own. Commercial interests. Tyre speaks of the love of money. ( ITim. 6:10)
In chapter 26, we see the judgment of Tyre announced (26: 1-6) and then executed (26: 7-21). We see her sin, her coming doom, and the means of executing it and the effect to be produced upon other nations at her downfall. The “princes of the sea” (26:16) will lament her destruction as she sinks into the pit (Sheol), the realm of the dead. (26: 19-21). She had refused to help Jerusalem, being filled with pride.
26:18-21:”Now shall the isles tremble in the day of your fall: yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at your departure. For thus says the Lord God; when I shall make you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon you, and great waters shall cover you; When I shall bring you down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set you in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with that that go down to the pit that you be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living. ”I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more: though you be sought for, yet shall you never be found again, says the Lord. God.
We will continue next week.
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from King James Bible, Text from Principles of Present Truth by: Kelly Varner.
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