u/RaphTurtlePower

Lamentations 3:1-33 King James Version

א

1I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

2He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

3Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

ב

4My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

5He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

6He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

ג

7He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

8Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

9He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

ד

10He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

11He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

12He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

ה

13He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

15He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

ו

16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

17And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

18And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

ז

19Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

20My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

ח

22It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

ט

25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

י

28He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

29He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

30He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

כ

31For the Lord will not cast off for ever:

32But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

33For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

NOTES

Psalms and Lamentations are the only books of the Bible that have natural chapter divisions. Psalms is based on each psalm. Lamentations is based an easily identifiable (in Hebrew) acrostic structure. For chapters 1 and 2 each line starts with a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. For chapter 3 each letter gets 3 lines before moving on to the next letter. This makes for 66 verses. Chapter 4 returns to 22 acrostic lines. Chapter 5 has 22 lines, but is not organized as acrostically.

Here are notes about how Jeremiah is a type of Christ.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1.) The chapter starts with a lot of first person statements. Is Jeremiah talking about himself or is he identifying with Jerusalem’s judgement and misery or something else?

2.) Who else in the Bible drinks gall (v5, 15, 19)?

3.) Jeremiah is surrounded by gall and travail (v5), drunken on bitterness and wormwood (v15) and then remembers wormwood and gall (v19). Is there a pattern here?

4.) The chapter starts pretty dire, but then there seems to be a change in tone. Where does the shift take place?

5.) Other than being organized neatly is there any significance with the acrostic layout to Lamentations?

6.) What else would you like to add?

2 Corinthians 5:1-10 King James Version

1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7**(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)** 8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

NOTES

Call out to u/FergusCragson for innovating the formatting.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1.) What is the ‘earnest of the Spirit’ (v5)?

2.) How can you be absent from the body, but also present with the Lord (v6-9)?

3.) What does it mean to be accepted of the Lord (v9) and how can we achieve this?

4.) What is the judgement seat of Christ (v10)? What will we receive there based on the good things we’ve done? What will we receive based on the bad things we’ve done?

5.) Why does Paul state that what we receive is based on ‘things done in the body’?

6.) Anything else?

2 Corinthians 2 King James Version

Chapter 2

1But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

5But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

14Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

NOTES

2 Corinthians 1 starts with a brief introduction and then begins a pattern starting with thanksgiving (1:3-11) continuing on (character of his ministry, the present letter, proposed visit, vindication of his actions, previous letter, no rest in spirit) to mention of a journey to Macedonia (2:13). Chapter 2 ends with another round of thanksgiving (2:14-17) which begins another set of the pattern which ends with another mention of Macedon (8:1-9:15).

If this pattern is correct could it be applied in Paul’s life prior to writing 2 Corinthians? In other words, was Paul in Macedon prior to writing 2 Corinthians?

If there is a pattern can it be extended further? In verses 12-13 Paul says he was in Troas just before arriving in Macedonia and had no rest in the spirit. After mentioning Macedonia again, (ch 9) Paul mentions troubles (ch 10-12).

Thanksgiving – Troubles - Macedon – Macedon - Troubles - Thanksgiving

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. Why did Paul not want to return in heaviness (v1)?

2. Paul makes several references to his prior writings to the Corinthian church. Is this 1 Corinthians or something else?

3. Are verses 12-13 referenced in Acts?

4. Why did Paul want ‘Titus my brother’ (v12) and why did not finding him cause him ‘no rest in the spirit’ (v13)?

5. Are we modern day Christians included in the ‘we’ of verse 15? If so, how are we ‘a sweet savour of Christ’ to God?

Ezekiel Chapters 45-46 King James Version

Chapter 45

Consecration of the Land

1Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about. 2Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof. 3And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. 4The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary. 5And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers.

6And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.

The Prince's Portion

7And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border. 8In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

9Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.

10Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath. 11The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer. 12And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.

Offerings and Feasts

13This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley: 14Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer: 15And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD. 16All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel. 17And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.

18Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary: 19And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.

21In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering. 23And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering. 24And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah. 25In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.

Chapter 46

The Prince's Offerings

1Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. 3Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons. 4And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish. 5And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah. 6And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish. 7And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah. 8And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof. 9But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it. 10And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth.

11And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meat offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah. 12Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering or peace offerings voluntarily unto the LORD, one shall then open him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate.

13Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning. 14And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD. 15Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering.

16Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their possession by inheritance. 17But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons' for them. 18Moreover the prince shall not take of the people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.

Courts for Boiling and Baking

19After he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests, which looked toward the north: and, behold, there was a place on the two sides westward. 20Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people.

21Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court. 22In the four corners of the court there were courts joined of forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four corners were of one measure. 23And there was a row of building round about in them, round about them four, and it was made with boiling places under the rows round about. 24Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.

NOTES

The dimensions of Israel given by Ezekiel are rather peculiar. The tribal lands are divided by straight East/West lines with a holy portion, mentioned here, in the center. My belief is the time period covered by the final section of Ezekiel is regarding the Millennial Kingdom. This would start after the 7 Year Tribulation. If this understanding is correct (or if you disagree, humor me for a minute) I’d like to share a pet theory of mine. The tribulation will usher in global catastrophic changes that remodel the Earth. As Jesus says it will be like, ‘the days of Noah.’ Israel sits on the northeastern part of the African plate which butts up against the Arabian plate. A great fault line runs North and South along the Jordan River Valley. I believe it is possible that during the tribulation these plates separate, potentially hundreds of miles from each other, creating new land between them. If this is true (and it very well may not be) it will accomplish 2 things. First, the borders described for Israel will be much much larger than we assume them to be. Secondly, this will create a road or The Way for the rest of the world to travel to the Millennial Kingdom to worship Christ in Jerusalem.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. Who is inheriting the land? (45:1)

2. One of the mysterious aspects to some parts of Ezekiel is that he doesn’t use units of measurement. Whether he is talking about cubits, royal cubits, reeds, or something else, the places described are pretty large. Why are they so large?

3. Who is the prince? (45:7, 17, 21-25; 46:2-10, 16-18)

4. Several feasts mentioned by Ezekiel parallel those in Leviticus, but not everything is there. Which ones are missing? Why do you think they are not present? Does this add meaning to the ones that are described?

5. The sin offering is present (45:19; 46:20). Does this mean that sin will be present during this time? (See also 44:25 regarding the reality of death).

6. What else jumped out at you in these two chapters? Some of this can be rather monotonous and boring, but these are sign posts that say ‘Stop here, dig.’

Ephesians Chapter 4 King James Version

Chapter 4

Unity in the Body

1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Living as Children of Light

17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But ye have not so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil. 28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

PRAYER

Thank you Jesus for this day! Today is a great day to worship You. Go before us, come after us, and be with us as we traverse the way You have set before us. We go out faithfully and obediently to worship You by name, Jesus Christ, in all that we do. In Your holy name, amen.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. Where did Christ descend to? (v9-10)

2. Where did Christ ascend to? (v8-10)

3. Is there more than one level of heaven? (v10). Do we know what the characteristics are of each level?

4. What is the difference between a pastor and a teacher? (v11)

5. Jesus said we are to have faith like a child, but Paul says, ‘That we… be no more children…’ v14. Why the difference? (Are different Greek words used here?)

6. Verses 17-19 outline what unbelieving gentiles are like. I suspect most of us live in a fairly Christianized culture. But we are surrounded by these people just described even if there is an air of godliness around them. How do you separate yourself from their faux goodness and true Christ-natured obedience?

7. ‘And be renewed in the spirit of your mind…’ v23. Is this the Holy Spirit or your spirit or both? One would be doing the renewing, the other would be getting renewed.

8. What is the new man? v24

9. Paul had previously mentioned sealing of the HS (1:13). He mentions it again (4:30). What does it mean to be sealed by the HS? Is there a tangible change when this happens? Can you become ‘unsealed’ – if yes, how effective was the seal? If no, why not?

10. Do you struggle with ‘bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking,’? (v31). Is there any good remedy?

11. Do you have any questions? Ephesians is good food. Feel free to share whatever you wish.

Ezekiel Chapters 38-39 King James Version

Chapter 38

Prophecy against Gog

1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

7Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. 9Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

10Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: 11And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 15And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

17Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? 18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. 22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Chapter 39

The Slaughter of Gog's Armies

1Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 6And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

7So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. 8Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.

9And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: 10So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.

11And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog. 12And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. 13Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD. 14And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. 15And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog. 16And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

17And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. 18Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. 19And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. 20Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.

Israel to Be Restored

21And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. 22So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward. 23And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. 24According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.

25Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; 26After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. 27When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 28Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. 29Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

NOTES

‘The chief prince of Meshech and Tubal’ is famously used to identify Gog. The word ‘chief’ is – ro’sh (Strongs H - 7218) Some take this to refer to Russia and make Meshech to be Moscow and Tubal to be Tobolsk. This is a possibility, but ro’sh is very clearly established to mean ‘head.’

The Septuagint (LXX) and other textual traditions have an alternate verse than the Masoretic tradition which most western Christians follow. Compare Amos 7:1 of the LXX to your Bible, “Thus has the Lord God showed me; and behold, a swarm of locusts coming from the east; and behold, one caterpillar, king Gog. And it came to pass when he had finished devouring the grass of the land, that I said, Lord God, be merciful; who shall raise up Jacob? For he is small in number. Repent, O Lord, for this. And this not be saith the Lord.”

Also, in Numbers 24:7 ‘Agag’ is translated as ‘Gog.’

Meredith G. Kline writes about the end times in a noteworthy article in a theology journal. You can read it here for free. In This article he connects, linguistically, har maged (armagedon) to the Mountain of Assembly which is not the famous plain of Megiddo (which has no mountain), but Mount Zion, where God assembles His people. Satan, in typological fashion, makes an attempt on Mount Zion from his imposter, fake and pseudo mountain to the North. It’s a fantastic read. I’m curious what your thoughts are on this article.

har = mountain

Ma = place of

Gog = personal name of the belligerent king

on = an appendage connecting Gog to Abbad-on

Thus, harmagedon = mountain of the place of Gog.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. Earlier we saw a hook used as a tool to pull pharaoh out of the safety of the river for judgement (29:4) and again in chapter 19 when Israel is compared figuratively to a lion who is captured. The same word for hook is used in the same context in 2 Kings 19:28 and Isaiah 37:29. Gog and company are about to attempt an invasion of Israel. Knowing that God’s hooks are involved does this seem less like an invasion and more like a time of judgement?

2. The roster of belligerents is listed in 38:3-6. We have Gog leader of Meshech, Tubal (v3), Persia, Ethiopia, Libya (v5), Gomer, Togarmah (v6). None of these nations are next to Israel. What happened to them (Egypt, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Amorites, Tyre, Sidon, Assur, Hagarenes, Gebal, Amalek, Philistines)? Remember, we just finished a unit of prophetic judgements, but chapter 38 seems to begin looking far forward into the future.

3. Where or what are the mountains of Israel (38:8; 39:4)?

4. Another list of nations is in verse 13 (Sheba, Dedan, merchants of Tarshish, young lions).

5. Gog is repeatedly said to come from the northern parts (38:2-3, 15; 39:2) after many days-latter years (38:8, 16). A modern idea places Gog in Russia. Meshech and Tubal whom he is the chief leader are located in Asia Minor. Some also think this is figurative language. Where do you think Gog comes from?

6. God destroys the invading army with His favorite weapon – nature. We see a great earthquake (38:19), infighting (38:21), pestilence and meteors (38:22). Fire comes to Magog and the coastlands (39:6). Why does God refrain from using conventional warfare? How does this impact Israel today?

7. The aftermath of Gog’s destruction is peculiar. Israel burns their weapons for 7 years allowing forests to grow (39:9-10), takes 7 months to bury Gog’s dead (39:12), men will be employed to mark bones to be gathered and buried (39:14-15). Has this war happened already? If yes, when? If no, when will it happen? Some see this war as the synonymous with the one at the end of Revelation. Others think it must happen before the events of Revelation. What do you think?

8. Does God elsewhere in Scripture call for birds and beasts to a feast of dead men (39:17-20)? Why does God call this His sacrifice (39:17)?

9. Does Israel now know God or do they still not believe?

10. There is a lot going on in these 2 chapters. Is there anything you want to share?

Ezekiel Chapter 33 King James Version

Chapter 33

Ezekiel as Israel's Watchman

1Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 3If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

7So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 9Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

The Message of the Watchman

10Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? 11Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 12Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. 13When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 14Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

17Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. 18When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 19But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. 20Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

Explanation of Jerusalem's Fall

21And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. 22Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

23Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. 25Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? 26Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land? 27Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. 28For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. 29Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.

30Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. 31And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. 32And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. 33And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

NOTES

3:26-27 26And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house. 27But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them,

24:1 1Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

24:26-27 26That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears? 27In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. What is a watchman?

2. If Ezekiel failed to sound the alarm to wicked people God would require their blood at his hand (v6). What does this mean?’

3. God outlines His desire (that the wicked do not perish) and His logic behind judgement. He states the righteous will die if they turn to sin and the sinner will live if he turns to righteousness. He then points out that Israel cries foul that this is not fair (v10-20).

Is this fair? Does fairness matter? Do you want God to treat you with fairness?

4. God tells Ezekiel that beasts will devour people in the waste places (v27). Are these beasts acting naturally or are they possessed by God?

5. Ezekiel is struck dumb by God in 3:26-27. He can only speak the words God gives him. Chapter 1 tells us this is the 5th year. Chapter 33 tells us God allows him to speak with his own words in the 12th year. Is there significance in this 7 year period of only hearing God’s word? Why does God now allow Ezekiel to speak?

6. If my understanding of the timing is correct (and it may be off) we are told how long Jerusalem was under siege by Nebuchadnezzar. See the passages mentioned in the notes and compare to 33:21. How long was the city attacked?

7. What stood out to you in this chapter?

I don't think the connection is clearly stated anywhere in the New Testament. I'd like to learn more about how this tradition originated.

2 Thessalonians Introduction King James Version

Thessalonica breaks down into ‘thessaly’ and ‘nike.’ No one knows with confidence what ‘thessaly’ means. ‘Nike’ means victory. Paul’s letter is not addressed to Thessalonica however, it is addressed to the ‘Church of the Thessalonians’ in 1:1. Thus, the letter is addressed to the ‘Church of the victory of Thessaly.’

Paul had visited Thessalonica in Acts 17. He moved on to Corinth and was persuaded to write to them after he left. This is 1 Thessalonians. Shortly after this he received a response from the Church of the victory of Thessaly. This letter, presumably, brought up further concerns that needed to be remedied. Paul writes back attempting to provide the remedy. This is 2 Thessalonians.

Both 1 and 2 Thessalonians are widely regarded as 2 of the earliest written documents of the New Testament dating to around AD 50. Here is an image of Papyrus 30, the earliest surviving manuscript dated to the AD 200’s.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. Imagine your church gets an original letter written by Paul. Who reads it, shares it? Do you make copies? Where do you keep it? Does anyone recognize this letter is not just about your local congregation, but is the start of the ‘New Testament’?

2. A friend of mine has had a hard life. He consistently claims he is persecuted by others, by Satan, etc. But most of his troubles are self-inflicted. Have you ever been persecuted? Was this persecution because you are a Christian?

3. Both 1 and 2 Thessalonians are referenced by Christians to support the rapture of the Church. Do you believe in the rapture? Why or why not? Is it physical or spiritual or both or neither?

The rapture is a fiery topic amongst Christians. Please be respectful when reading and responding to other people’s comments.

4. Chapter 2 encourages the Church of the Thessalonians to keep the traditions they have been taught (v15). What traditions were in place by AD 50?

5. Is there anything else you want to add or are looking forward to in 2 Thessalonians?

Ezekiel Chapter 21 King James Version

The Parable of the Lord's Sword

1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, 3And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. 4Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north: 5That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more. 6Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes. 7And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.

8Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

9Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

10It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.*

11And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. 12Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh. 13Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord GOD.

14Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers. 15I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter. 16Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set. 17I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.

18The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 19Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city. 20Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced. 21For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. 22At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort. 23And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

24Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand. 25And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, 26Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. 27I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.

28And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering: 29Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end. 30Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity. 31And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy. 32Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the LORD have spoken it.

NOTES

Furbished means polished

v10 could alternatively be read, ‘It is sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every tree.’

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. At the end of chapter 20 God commands Ezekiel to ‘drop thy word toward the south…and say to the forest of the south…’ v46-47. Here in 21:2 God again uses the same formula ‘drop’ and ‘say.’ ‘drop thy word toward the holy places…and say to the land of Israel…’

This chapter contains some archaic language in the KJV, but this is the normal word for ‘drop’ and it is used in a handful of other places to refer to speech. Why did God choose to use the word ‘drop’ in this sense?

2. The Bible often depicts people as trees. Who are the trees in v10?

3. v10-14 depict a conflict between God’s sword and a rod/scepter. What do you make of this?

4. In v25 God rebukes the ‘wicked prince of Israel’ and removes his crown in the next verse. What is the meaning of saying ‘overturn’ 3 times in a row in v27?

5. The end of v27 states, ‘and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.’ What does this mean?

6. God uses a sword to judge, but this appears to be representative of someone who also has a sword. How many different swords are mentioned in this chapter? And who or what are they?

7. God says He will judge the Ammonites in the land of their nativity. Where was the land of Ammon? Where did Ammon originate? Does this judgement have near and far fulfillment?

Ezekiel Chapter 16 King James Version

Jerusalem's Unfaithfulness

1Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. 4And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. 5None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

6And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. 7I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.

8Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. 9Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. 10I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. 11I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. 12And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. 13Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. 14And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.

15But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. 16And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. 17Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, 18And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. 19My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD. 20Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, 21That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? 22And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.

23And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord GOD;) 24That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. 25Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. 26Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. 27Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way. 28Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. 29Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

30How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; 31In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire; 32But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband! 33They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. 34And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.

Judgment on Jerusalem

35Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: 36Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; 37Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. 38And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. 39And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. 40They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords. 41And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more. 42So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. 43Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

44Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter. 45Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite. 46And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters. 47Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. 48As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. 49Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. 51Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. 52Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

53When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: 54That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. 55When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. 56For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, 57Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about. 58Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD.

The Covenant Remembered

59For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

60Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. 61Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. 62And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: 63That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1. When speaking about the origins of Jerusalem v3 states, ‘thy father was an Amorite, and they mother an Hittite.’ Is this figurative or literal or both? Who are these Amorite and Hittite? See also v45-46.

2. What does it mean to spread your skirt over someone (v8)?

3. Jerusalem is referred to as a woman throughout this chapter. When God meets her He cares for her. What does it mean for a man to give a woman jewelry, bracelets and a nose ring (translated as forehead), etc. (v11-13)? Is there another woman God gives gifts to? Can you think of human examples where this has happened?

4. Compare this woman to the one in Isaiah 54. Is this the same woman?

5. What does it mean that this woman, Jerusalem, removes the gifts God gave her and offers them to others (v16-21)?

6. Wasn’t Sodom completely destroyed? How will Sodom return from captivity (v55)?

7. Repeatedly, throughout Ezekiel, God says He will perform an action ‘So that you will know I am the Lord.’ After harsh judgement chapter 16 ends with similar language. Do you think the Israelites will learn their lesson and abandon pagan gods?

8. Is there a section that stands out to you? For me it’s the language of v31-34. God tells Jerusalem that even a prostitute gets paid for her work, but Jerusalem is worse than a prostitute because she pays her lovers - and pays them with God’s gifts.

Ezekiel Chapter 6 King James Version

Judgment against Idolatry

1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, 3And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. 4And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. 5And I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. 6In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. 7And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

A Remnant Shall Be Blessed

8Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. 9And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. 10And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.

11Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. 12He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. 13Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols. 14So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

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QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

1.) God tells Ezekiel to speak to the landscape (v3), ‘Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys…’ How would these objects hear? Why would God not send the message to people? What is going on here?

2.) God really does not like the high places. Why?

3.) How can ‘they know I am the LORD’ if they are all dead? See v7 and 14.

4.) What is the purpose of the remnant?

5.) We just saw in chapter 5 Ezekiel divide his hair into thirds. Each third will die, but then God says to take a very small number and save them as a remnant. This number is so small it does not alter the math (1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 + very small amount = 1). Do we know how many people are part of this remnant?

6.) What or where is Diblah? This passage (v 14) seems to indicate total destruction, but it is only used here. ‘From Dan to Beersheba’ or other geographic markers are used elsewhere in Scripture. Is there any unique significance here?

7.) Anything else you want to share?

I'm looking for resources that discuss the arrangement of the Psalms. Something like how many scholars consider Psalms 1 & 2 to be introductory and the last 5 to be conclusions. The Ascent Psalms are another example. Some have identified chiasmus. Psalms has 5 books. I've read that there is a theme at the start of one, progresses to the end and is then picked up and progressed in the next book.

What I'm not looking for is groupings of Psalms based on topics. For example, 14 Psalms about suffering that are spread throughout, or 9 Psalms about hope spread throughout.

I want to focus on the consecutive arrangement of the 150 Psalms of protestant canon, although I know other traditions have different numbers and slightly different arrangements. I'm open to studying this but would really like the focus to be on the 150.

In this commentary Kaiser translates the text and frequently adds a footnote saying, "x is a gloss."

What does he mean by gloss? There is no explanation in the book.

I can't add a photo to show you. I will try with a comment.