Ezekiel 33

Summary

It’s been a while since we last studied Ezekiel together. So, let me once again refresh your memory regarding the historical background to this book and about what the previous chapters have been about.

You’ll recall that God rescued his people from Egypt and he brought them through the wilderness and into the land of Canaan, that Eden-like land flowing with milk and honey which God had promised to give to Abraham and his descendants. At first he gave them judges to lead them. Then the people asked for a king and the Lord gave them, first Saul, and then David to rule over them on God’s behalf. David was succeeded by his son, Solomon. And during his reign, Israel became renowned throughout the world because of Solomon’s wealth and wisdom and the people lived in peace and prosperity. After his death, the one kingdom of Israel was divided into two: there was the larger kingdom in the north which kept the name Israel; and there was the smaller kingdom in the south which was known as Judah. The city of Jerusalem, where the temple was, was in the southern kingdom of Judah. Lots of different kings ruled in the north, but the south was always ruled over by the descendants of David.

And the Lord not only gave his people the land to live in and kings to rule over them, but he also gave them his commandments and laws to show them how they were to live as his people in the Promised Land. However, instead of obeying him, the kings and the people went astray. Not all of them, of course. Some of the kings did what was right in the sight of God and they taught the people to do what was right. However, most of the kings were wicked and they did not stop the people from doing what was wicked. And so, the kings and the people kept turning from the Lord to worship false gods and idols. And instead of trusting the Lord to help them, they turned again and again to the pagan nations and to their gods for help. And instead of walking in the ways of the Lord and doing good, they went astray and did evil.

The Lord was patient with them and he sent them prophets to summon them to repent and to return to him. But they disregarded his prophets and they persisted in their sinful rebellion. And so, the Lord did what he warned he would do and he sent the people into exile. First, he sent the people of the northern kingdom into exile by means of the Assyrians. And then he sent the people of the southern kingdom into exile by means of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. This happened in the days of king Jehoiakim and in the days of king Jehoiachin who were both kings of Judah. Jehoiakim became Nebuchadnezzar’s vassal. That is to say, he became subject to Nebuchadnezzar and had to pay tribute to him. And in the days of Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land again and laid siege to Jerusalem. The city fell to him and he removed all the treasures from the temple and from the royal palace and he took away all the gold articles which Solomon had made for the temple. And he took away the best of the people: the officers and fighting men and the craftsmen and artisans as well as the king and his family. He took away the best people who could use their skills and talents for the good of Babylon. And Ezekiel was including among their number.

And so, when we meet Ezekiel at the beginning of his book, he’s living among the exiles in the land of Babylon, far away from the Promised Land. And the Lord appeared to Ezekiel in a vision in which Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord who was seated above a kind of chariot-throne on wheels and he was surrounded by angels. And the Lord called Ezekiel to be his prophet and to declare his word to his people living in exile. And the Lord made clear that it was not going to be easy for him, because the Lord was sending him to the exiles, who were a rebellious and obstinate and stubborn people who would not listen to him.

And from chapter 4 to chapter 24 the Lord revealed to Ezekiel various messages which he was to proclaim to the exiles concerning Jerusalem, which at that time was still standing, but would eventually be destroyed. And that’s really the sum total of the Lord’s message to the exiles in those days. The exiles were hoping that the Lord would deliver Jerusalem out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and that they would be able to return to Jerusalem. But the Lord’s message to the exiles was that Jerusalem will be destroyed and the people in the city will die by the sword or by famine or by disease and any survivors will be taken away into exile. And the reason Jerusalem will fall is because of the wickedness of the people, who had turned from the Lord to do evil.

And you’ll perhaps remember that Ezekiel was to convey this message to the exiles in different ways. Sometimes the Lord commanded him to speak out in a straight-forward way against Jerusalem. But on other occasions the Lord told the prophet to perform sign-acts or little mimes before the people. He was to act out what God was doing to do to Jerusalem. The Lord also commanded Ezekiel to tell the people certain parables to show them what was going to happen. And the Lord also revealed his message to Ezekiel through visions. And in these ways, the Lord revealed to the exiles that Jerusalem would fall.

From time to time, his message included good news about the future. He spoke about a time when the exiles will be restored to the land, when it was purified from all their evil. He spoke about making a new covenant with them and about making atonement for their sins. He spoke about a new king who was coming. But more often than not, the message the Lord proclaimed through Ezekiel was a message of judgment.

That was from chapter 4 to chapter 24. Chapters 25 to 32 contain messages about seven nations. And by means of these messages, the Lord made clear to the exiles that he was going to judge and destroy these nations, because of all the wicked things they had done to God’s people and because of their foolish pride. And since the number seven in the Bible signifies completion and fullness, then this means the Lord’s message to these seven nations is really a message for every nation. The Lord rules over all the nations of the world and he will hold everyone to account for what they have done. In the end every nation will be destroyed and the only kingdom that will last for ever is the kingdom of God.

And the way to become a member of God’s kingdom is by turning from our sins in repentance and it’s by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God’s Eternal Son, who came into the world as one of us to give up his life on the cross to pay for our sins and shortcomings and to make peace for us with God. And whoever believes in him is pardoned and accepted and becomes a member of God’s kingdom, which he’s building on the earth through the reading and preaching of his word and which will last for ever.

And so, chapters 4 to 24 are about Jerusalem. Chapters 25 to 32 are about the nations. Today we come to chapter 33. And at the centre of this chapter is the report in verses 21 and 22 that a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to Ezekiel with the news that Jerusalem had fallen. What the Lord had said would happen has happened. The city had been destroyed. This, of course, was terrible news. God’s once holy city had fallen to the Babylonians and its walls and the temple of the Lord in the midst of the city had been destroyed. Once it was a great city and people came from all over the world to see it and to admire it. But now it was in ruins.

This was terrible news. And yet, this chapter marks a kind of turning point in the book, because whereas the first 32 chapters contain mostly a message of judgment on Jerusalem and on the nations of the world, the remaining chapters are mostly about hope for the future and about good things to come.

Verses 1 to 9

But let’s turn now to the chapter and we’ll start with verses 1 to 9. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel once again and the Lord commanded him to speak to his fellow exiles about the role of a watchman.

Now, if the image of a watchman rings a bell, it’s probably because the same image was used back in chapter 3 where the Lord appointed Ezekiel to be a watchman for his people. The role of the watchman in those days was to watch out for the enemy. Whenever the watchman saw the enemy approaching, he was to warn the people so that they would get ready. And the Lord appointed Ezekiel as a watchman, because he wanted Ezekiel to warn his people about the danger that was coming to them. They were in danger, because the Lord was coming to punish them for their sin and rebellion. And so, Ezekiel was to warn them so that they would give up their evil ways and return to the Lord, confessing their sins and asking for forgiveness.

That was in chapter 3, when the Lord called Ezekiel to be his prophet and to warn his people of the danger they were in because of their sinful rebellion. And the Lord uses the same image of the watchman in chapter 33. But this is not a message for Ezekiel, as it was in chapter 3. This is a message for the exiles. The Lord says to them in verse 2 that if he brings a sword against the land and if the people appoint a watchman to warn them, and if the watchman warns the people, but the people ignore the warning and are killed, then the people will be responsible for their own death. If they had listened to the warning, and taken action, they would have lived. But instead of listening they ignored the warning and they were killed. You can’t blame the watchman for that.

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not warn the people, and the people are killed, then the watchman will be held accountable. The people were killed because of their sin. They were blameworthy and deserved to die. However, the watchman is also responsible for their deaths, because he did not warn them.

That’s in verses 1 to 6. And in verse 7 the Lord says to the exiles that he appointed Ezekiel to be a watchman for Israel. And therefore Ezekiel is duty-bound to warn them about the coming judgment. If he does not warn them, then God will blame him for his failure. However, if he does his duty and warns them, and they disregard his warning, then they will die for their sins. That’s in verse 9. Ezekiel himself will be saved, but the people will die, because they did not listen to his warning.

And, of course, Ezekiel has been warning the people throughout the past 32 chapters. He has done his duty. He has warned the exiles about God’s coming judgment on themselves and on Jerusalem and on the other nations. He’s done his job. So, will they listen to him and believe what he has said and return to the Lord, confessing their sins and asking for forgiveness? That’s the question. Will they listen and repent?

Verses 10 to 20

Let’s turn now to verses 10 to 20 where the Lord quotes something which the people have been saying. And this is a remarkable quotation, because it shows that finally some of the exiles are beginning to recognise and to acknowledge their guilt before the Lord. Some of them were saying that their offences and sins are weighing them down and they are wasting away because of them. So, they’re beginning to feel the burden of their guilt. Their guilt — their sense of having doing wrong — is beginning to weigh on their minds and consciences. They realise that the reason they’re in exile is because of their sinful rebellion. ‘How then can we live?’ they ask at the end of verse 10. How then can we live? In other words: we’re doomed, aren’t we? We’re guilty sinners and we deserve God’s wrath and curse and there’s nothing we can do to escape from God’s wrath. We’re doomed.

And the Lord’s response to them is wonderful, because his response speaks to us of God’s infinite grace and mercy towards sinners. The Lord’s message to his rebellious people in exile is there in verse 11: ‘Say to them, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.”‘ Isn’t that wonderful? It’s not that God is an evil king who is looking forward to killing them. Nebuchadnezzar may have been like that. The Babylonian soldiers may have been like that. Perhaps they liked to inflict pain on their enemies and they enjoyed frightening people. Some people are like that. But the Lord is not like that. He does not take pleasure in punishing people. He does not get a thrill from killing them. He wants his people to live and not die. And so, he tells them in verse 11 to turn. Turn from your evil ways. Turn from that evil path you’re on which will only lead to punishment and death. Turn from that evil path and return to me! That’s his message to them. Repent. Turn. Come to me and you will live.

‘Why will you die?’ he asks. He’s reasoning with them. This is something they can think about and they can weigh up the pros and cons. If they continue to do evil, they will die. If they turn back to God, they will live. And so, think about it. You’ve got a choice to make. What will it be: death or life?

And in verses 12 to 16 he presents them with two cases to help them to think these things through. He first of all refers to the righteousness of a righteous man. So, here’s a man who is known for doing what is right. But if he turns from his righteousness and does evil, he cannot be saved. He will die. And he will die because he turned from doing what is right to doing what is wrong.

Or course, there haven’t been too many people like that in Ezekiel’s day. There weren’t too many righteous people among the exiles. There was Daniel and his three friends. There was Mordecai and Esther. There were others no doubt and they knew it was important to remain faithful to the Lord and to do what was right in his sight. But there probably weren’t too many like them. And so, the second case is the more relevant one for the exiles and it’s the case of the wicked man who turns from his wickedness. And if a wicked man turns from this wickedness, he will not fall. Instead he will live.

So, if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die. But if a wicked man turns from his wickedness and does what is right, he will live. And just to make sure there’s no doubt about it, the Lord repeats the same message in verses 13 to 16. So, none of the righteous deeds of the righteous man will count for anything if he turns from the Lord. He will die for the evil he has done. But if the Lord warns the wicked man so that he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, then he will surely live. He will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him.

This is the wonder of the gospel and it speaks to us of God’s infinite grace and mercy towards sinners. Though we may have done everything wrong, God is willing to forgive us and to remember our sins no more and to treat us as if we’ve done everything right. And he’s able to do that because of Christ, who took the blame for us when he died on the cross, taking the punishment we deserve. And Christ then shares with all who believe in him his own perfect righteousness. The record of all our wrongdoing is destroyed; and in its place God puts the record of Christ’s perfect obedience.

The people living in exile were beginning to recognise and acknowledge their guilt before God. They were beginning to feel the burden of their sins. And they were also beginning to think that they were doomed and that nothing could be done to save them from death. But the Lord sent them a prophet to reassure them of God’s great love and mercy and his willingness to pardon them and to save them if only they will give up their wicked ways and return to God. And that’s the message we all need to hear, because all of us are sinners who sin against the Lord continually in thought and word and deed. And who knows? Some of us this evening may be burdened with a sense of guilt and there’s something you had done which you cannot forget and it preys on your conscience and you feel that it’s unforgivable. And so, hear the wonderful good news of God’s willingness to remember your sins no more. Because of Christ who died for us, he’s willing to forget your sins, no matter how terrible they are, and to treat you as if you’ve never done anything wrong and as if you’ve done everything right. Instead of scowling at you, he smiles at you. And he smiles at you because of Christ who loved you and gave up his life to make peace for you with God.

And since this is so hard to believe, the Lord repeats the same message one more time in verses 17 to 20. It seems that some people were complaining that the Lord is not being just. Maybe there were some who still thought that they didn’t deserve what has happened to them and they shouldn’t be in exile. And perhaps they boasted about some of the good things they have done in the past. And so, the Lord reiterates that if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it. But if a wicked man turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live. People were complaining that the Lord was not just. But the Lord is more than just, because he’s also merciful. It’s just or it’s right for him to punish the guilty. And so, when a formerly righteous person does what is wrong, it’s right that he should be punished for what he has done wrong. But if that person turns from his wickedness and turns back to the Lord, he’ll discover the Lord’s wonderful mercy and grace and his willingness to forget our sins and to accept us because of Christ the Saviour who died for us.

The Lord appointed Ezekiel as a watchman to warn his rebellious people of the coming judgment on them. God will hold them responsbile for their sins and shortcomings. But if they will only listen to Ezekiel and turn from their wicked ways and turn to the Lord, they will find mercy and forgiveness. They will not die, but will live. And that’s the Lord’s message to sinners in every generation: turn from your sins and turn to God; and God will forgive you because of Christ the Saviour who died for sinners.

Verses 20 and 21

And so, we come to verses 20 and 21 where Ezekiel records for us how this man came from Jerusalem with the news that Jerusalem had fallen. What the Lord said would happen has happened. And it happened because the people in Jerusalem would not turn from their sins and return to the Lord. They persisted in their sin and rebellion. And as a result, the Lord sent Nebuchadnezzar to destroy them.

But look now at verse 22 where Ezekiel tells us that before the man arrived, the Lord’s hand was on Ezekiel and the Lord opened his mouth and he was no longer silent. When he says he was no longer silent, he’s referring to what we read back in chapter 3, when the Lord told him that he would make Ezekiel’s tongue stick to the roof of his mouth and he will be silent. And at that time I explained that the Lord meant he was not to say anything unless the Lord told him to speak. So, when other people were out and about, going about their daily business and chatting to one another, he was to remain silent. The only time he was to speak was to announce a word of judgment from the Lord. That was back in chapter 3. But now that Jerusalem has fallen, the Lord is going to loosen his tongue and Ezekiel is going to be allowed to say new things. He’s going to be allowed to speak a new kind of message to the exiles: one of hope and of peace and of good things to come.

Verses 23 to 33

And yet, before we get to that new message in chapters 34 to 48, the final part of chapter 33 shows us that the hearts of many people are still far from the Lord.

In verses 23 to 29, the Lord refers to the people who were left behind in the ruins of Jerusalem and Judah. According to 2 Kings 25, these were the poorest people in the land and they were left behind to work their field and the vineyards. And it seems from what we read in verse 24 that they were hoping now to take over the land. They thought that this was now their chance to possess the land and make themselves rich.

But look what the Lord says about them in verses 25 and 26. They eat meat with the blood in it, which the Lord forbade. They looked to idols. They shed blood. They rely on the sword. They were doing detestable things. They defiled their neighbour’s wife. In other words, instead of turning from their wicked ways and doing what is just and right, they continued to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

And since that’s the case, they will fall by the sword or they will be devoured by wild animals or they will die by the plague. In other words, God is against them and he will make the land even more desolate than it already is by destroying them for their wickedness. The Lord will make the land a desolate waste, because of the wicked things they have done and have continued to do.

And then in verses 30 to 33, the Lord addresses the people in exile. And he says about them that they’re talking about Ezekiel and they’re willing to come to him to hear God’s message. According to verse 31, God’s people are coming to Ezekiel and they’re sitting before him to listen to his words. And that sounds good, doesn’t it? That sounds like there’s been a change of heart among then and they’re eager to listen to the Lord’s messenger. And that’s what every preacher wants: people who are eager to come on Sundays to hear the word of the Lord.

However, the Lord goes on to say about them in verse 31 that though they listen to his word, they do not put into practice what they have heard. With their mouths they express devotion to the Lord and his word, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. They want more and more and more stuff for themselves and they’re willing to cheat one another in order to get it. They love money and the things it can buy instead of loving the Lord.

And according to verse 32 to them Ezekiel is nothing more than someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and who plays an instrument well. That is to say, they’re treating Ezekiel as an entertainer. He’s someone who amuses them. They’re entertained by him. They regard him as they would regard a singer or a comedian or an actor. They go to him to be entertained and to pass the time instead of going to him in order to hear from him a word from the Lord.

Conclusion

And this message from the Lord to his people in exile is also a message to us today. The Lord wants us to search our hearts and to think about why it is we come to church and what we expect from it. Do we come to church to pass the time and to be entertained? In that case, we’ll judge a church on how much we enjoy our time here. Was the music to my likening? Was the message interesting? Was the minister amusing? Was the after-service supper any good and what activities does this church offer to fill up my week?

And so, do we come to church to pass the time and to be entertained? Or do we come because this is the place where God’s word is proclaimed.

And when we hear God’s word, do we believe what we have heard so that we give up our foolish and sinful ways and commit ourselves all over again to loving the Lord wholeheartedly and to living our lives for his glory?

And do we rejoice when Sunday comes, because once again we have the opportunity — morning and evening — to see the glory of our God, which he reveals to us in the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to be transformed by it into the likeness of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who loved us and who gave up his life for us so that we might live with him in the holy city which is to come, where God will dwell with his people and where we’ll see him and become like him. For ever and for ever, we’ll gaze on the glory of our God. And it begins right now, here in church on Sundays, when we behold his glory in the preaching of the gospel. And so, that’s why we should come to church. Not to be entertained or amused. But to see God’s glory in the preaching of the gospel and to be transformed by it and to praise God because of it.