The Alliteration of Love (1 Corinthians 13)

Love (1 Corinthians 13) for God, each other and others:

1. The preeminence of love (1 Cor 13:1-3).
2. The practice of love (1 Cor 13:4-7).
3. The perfection of love (1 Cor 13:8-10).
4. The progression of love (1 Cor 13:11-12).
5. The permanence of love (1 Cor 13:13).

Love must always be present, predominant and persistent. May our love for God, each other and others be:

Grace, Enthusiasm and Power (Romans 1:1-17)

"As it says in the Bible, 'the just shall live by faith'" (Rom 1:17b, The Kingdom New Testament, N. T. Wright). " "The righteous by faith will live" (NET Bible).  "The people God accepts because of their faith will live" (CEV).

Romans 1:16-17 is the gospel, the theme and the thesis statement of Romans in summary form and the essence of Christianity. It summarizes Paul's theology as a whole.

"The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves. It is power. It lifts them up. Paul does not say that the gospel brings power, but that it is (present tense = continually) power, and God's (omnipotent) power at that." Leon Morris.

Forgetting the Good Things God Has Done For You (Psalm 103)

Bless the Lord by Matt Redman is the most popular worship song of 2013. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits" (Ps 103:2, HCSB). "... may I never forget the good things he does for me" (NLT).

The book of Psalms is one of the truly majestic pieces of biblical literature. It is a collection of 150 songs inspired by the Spirit of God. Some of these celebrate the history of the nation of Israel. Others pronounce severe judgments on those who set themselves as enemies of God. There are psalms that are messianic in thrust: they point to the coming Messiah. Some psalms, though, simply lift up a chorus of praise to the Creator. Psalms 103 may be the “Mt. Everest” of praise psalms. It exalts the soul to breath-taking heights.

Who The Happy People Are

The term "blessed" (used 26 out of 45 times in Psalms) is recurrent in Wisdom Literature and describes the faithful followers.

1. Job 5:17; Ps. 94:12 — disciplined by Shaddai

2. Psalm 1:1 — studies and walks in God's word

3. Psalm 2:12 — takes refuge in YHWH

4. Psalm 32:1-2 — sin is forgiven

5. Psalm 40:4; 84:12; Pro. 16:20 — trusts in YHWH

6. Psalm 41:1-3; Pro. 14:21 — considers the poor

7. Psalm 80:6 — strength is in YHWH

8. Psalm 89:12 — know joy and walk in the light of YHWH's countenance

9. Psalm 119:2 — seek Him with whole heart, observe His testimony

10. Psalm 112:1; 128:1 — fears YHWH, walks in His ways

11. Psalm 146:5 — YHWH is his help

12. Proverbs 3:13 — finds wisdom

13. Proverbs 8:32,34 — listens to YHWH, keeps His ways

14. Proverbs 28:14 — fears YHWH

15. Proverbs 29:18 — keeps YHWH's laws

Immediate Forgiveness (Psalm 32)

"It is a Psalm of penitence, but it is also the song of a ransomed soul rejoicing in the wonders of the grace of God. Sin is dealt with; sorrow is comforted; ignorance is instructed." G. Campbell Morgan.

"This was Saint Augustine's favorite psalm. Augustine had it inscribed on the wall next to his bed before he died in order to meditate on it better." James Montgomery Boice.

A Change of Heart (Psalm 51 outline, study questions)

Sin will take me further than I want to go.

Sin will keep me longer than I want to stay.

Sin will cost me more than I want to pay.

The evidence of true repentance is a clean heart (Ps 51:10), willingness and wholeheartedness (Ps 51:12, 19), confidence (Ps 51:13, 15), brokenness (Ps 51:17) and joy (Ps 51:8, 12).

1. David's confession shows the efficacy of repentance (1-6).
2. David's cleansing shows the evidence of repentance (7-12).
3. David's confidence shows the effect of repentance (13-19).

Soft, Gentle and Kind

The softest, gentlest and kindest man who ever lived is Christ Jesus, our Lord. Men may not like to be regarded as soft. It has the connotation of being weak. But Jesus was soft as in being tender and vulnerable, not weak. Anyone could approach him without feeling intimidated or scared. Though Jesus was soft, he was also the toughest man who ever lived. He stared his vicious enemies in the face and faced his own excruciating demise without flinching. He is tender and tough. He is vulnerable and fearless. He is soft and courageous. Jesus is a man's man.

The Bible speaks volumes about gentleness and kindness, which should reflect the soft heart of God and of Christ toward us fallen, belligerent and incorrigible creatures.

This Is My Life

What is my life? What is your life?

Billy Joel captures our human sentiments with his song: "I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life. Go ahead with your own life and leave me alone."

By God's grace, I would like my version to be: "I do care what you say, I always want to care, this is my life. Do live your own life and let me walk alongside you." And if you won't, maybe I'll shed a tear.

In The Greatest Showman, Keala Settle sang the Academy Award nominated song "This Is Me" (Benj Pasek, Justin Paul).These are the catchy lyrics:

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out

I am brave, I am bruised

I am who I'm meant to be, this is me

Look out 'cause here I come

And I'm marching on to the beat I drum

I'm not scared to be seen

I make no apologies, this is me

Commandment and Love

Law and love are not in conflict. Love is part of the law, and the law commands love. The command to "love your enemies" became one of the most important moral imperatives ever uttered. Also, the word "commandment" ("commanded" - Mt 28:20) is connected to the word "love," a connection that underscores the costly nature of true love: Jn 13:34-35; 14:15, 21, 31; 15:10. The linkage of the words command and love occurs > 30 times in the N.T., and thus is a significant theme throughout. This connection between costly, Christ-like love and Jesus' commandments is why Jesus calls this imperative the "new commandment."

"Our mission as Christians is to conform ourselves evermore to Jesus as the model of our lives." Pope Francis.

John 13:34: "Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other" (NLT). "Just as I have loved you, so you must love one another" (J.B. Philips). "You must love each other, just as I have loved you" (CEV). Jesus' disciples are to love one another with the same love Jesus had for them during his sojourn. Our love is God's sign to the world (Jn 13:35). This is the mark of genuine Christianity.

"The Johannine talk of love does have practical implications. Love within the community is not merely a matter of warm feelings; rather it is a matter of action." Richard B. Hays. 1 Jn 3:11, 16-18, 23 cover a wide range of activities. There is no sectarian retreat in the new commandment.

"It took me a long time to understand that God is not the enemy of my enemies. God is not even the enemy of God's enemies." Martin Niemoller.

"Loving those we like and hating those we don't like is as common as sin." Scot McKnight.

"If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the dividing line between good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being, and who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. [Most violence occurs between people who know each other. A husband, wife, coworker, boss, neighbor, family member, or former friend becomes the target of violence. Also all kinds of categories or stereotypes: blacks, whites, Hispanics, Muslims, Arabs, Jews, Democrats, Republicans, gays, punks, pro-abortionists, pro-lifers, illegal immigrants, dictators, jihadists.]

"What if a man gives way to grief and anger and indulges these emotions (which he should struggle against)? What if he rushes wherever injustice will call him? Such a man does not fulfill the duty of virtue. For he who tries to return an injury desires to imitate that very person by whom he has been injured. In short, he who imitates a bad man cannot be good." Lactantius (250-325), a prominent Roman teacher of rhetoric converted to Christianity.

Preparing for You a Place of Love (John 14:1-6)

The whole journey of life is a journey of preparation. The journey of faith is to prepare the heart to see the marvelous face of God. The whole Christian life is a work of Jesus, of the Holy Spirit to prepare a place for us, to prepare our eyes to be able to see, to feel, to grasp the beauty of what awaits us--that definitive homeland toward which we are walking.

"Don't let your hearts be troubled," Jesus continued. "Trust God--and trust me, too! (Have faith in God and have faith in me)" There is plenty of room to live (there are many places of rest) in my father's house. If that wasn't the case, I'd have told you, wouldn't I? I'm going to get a place ready for you! And if I do go and get a place ready for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, so that you can be there, where I am (so that where I am you might be also). And as to where I'm going--you know the way!"

Love and Obedience (John 14)

Theme: To love God is to trust him (Jn 14:1). When we love and trust God we obey him (Jn 14:15, 21, 23). Our ultimate obedience is to trust God regardless of our situation (Prov 3:5).

Pray that January 2018 may be the month of love. The last two weeks we touched on Real Love (Rom 12:9-21), and  Love at Ten Years (1 Cor 13:1-13)--last Sunday being West Loop's 10th anniversary. Paul says that love must be real (Rom 12:9) and that love is the greatest (1 Cor 13:13). This Sunday, we consider what Jesus says about love and obedience (Jn 14:15, 21, 23).

In 2013, while studying Jesus' upper room dialogues, I preached on John 14 with the title Believe in Jesus. My point was that when we simply believe in God without fear or doubt, all of our problems vanish away. That's what Jesus promised his disciples (Jn 14:1). It really seems cliche and simplistic or even unrealistic to say, "Believe and trust God and you'll have absolutely no problems!"

Yet our lives, even as we profess faith in God, is often inundated with our own frustrating problems and issues that never seem to go away, or that keep recurring again and again. Often without any effort, we keep falling into the same problem over and over: fear, lust, anger, bitterness, resentment, sorrow, unforgiveness, even uncontrollable hatred.

Love that is Genuine, Sincere and Real (Romans 12:9)

Just how important is love? What is the place of love in Christianity? What is the evidence that you truly love God? What Who When Why How.

Romans 12:9-21 - Love Must Be Real; Love and its manifestations. [The transforming power of the gospel: Christian conduct (12:1-15:13).]

From Rom 12:1 Paul shifts his focus from instruction to exhortation, from theological to practical, from "indicative" to "imperative," and from "what God has given us" (Rom. 1-11) to "what we are to give to God." Yet it must be noted that what we are to give to God cannot be produced independently of God's continuing gracious provision; it cannot be anthropocentric.

Commands are rare in ch. 1-11 (Rom 6:11-13, 19; 11:18, 20). To Paul, what he teaches in Romans has an eminently "practical" significance. For if we take the gospel to heart it will affect our lives in uncountable ways. In ch. 6 Paul makes clear that our union with Christ in his death and resurrection leads to "walking in newness of life" (Rom 6:4) and demands that we "present ourselves to God as those who are alive from out of the dead" (Rom 6:13). Now in 12:1-15:13 he fleshes out these general principles about the transforming power of the gospel by urging Christians to manifest the power of the gospel in specific areas of day to day life.

Ro 12:1-2 is one of the best-known passages in the NT. Its fame is justified. Paul succinctly and with vivid imagery summarizes what the Christian response to God's grace in Christ should be.

12:9-21 is a parenesis. It strings together admonitions of a general ethical content and is characterized by eclecticism (borrowing from many sources). Rom 12:9a is regarded as the heading for the entire section. Genuine love is the overall topic and the underlying motif of the section. In Rom 13:8-10 Paul spotlights again that love is the fulfillment of the law and basic to the section. Paul keeps coming back to love as the single most important criterion for approved Christian behavior.

There is no verb in the Greek in Rom 12:9. Paul says, literally, "sincere love," "genuine love" or "real love." These words are the heading for what follows, as Paul proceeds in a series of clauses to explain just what sincere love is. The addition of an imperative verb in all major English translations is not off the mark, as Paul's purpose is to exhort, not simply to describe.

 

Jesus singled out love for others as the essence of the OT law (Mk 12:28-34), and the central demand of the New Covenant (Jn 13:31-35), which is enshrined as the traditional and characteristic ethical norm of Christianity (1 Th 4:9; Gal 5:13-14; 1 Cor. 13; Jas 2:8-9; 1 Pet 1:22; 1 Jn 2:7-11; 3:10-18; 4:7-12, 18-21; Rom 13:8-10). The love of Christians for others is grounded in, and enabled by, the love of God expressed in the gift of his Son (Jn 13:34; 1 Jn 4:9-11). Love is a necessity and is an indispensable mark of the new creation in Christ.

Rom 12:9. Paul has already reminded us of this love (Rom 5:5-8). So basic does Paul consider love that he does not even exhort us here to love but to make sure that the love he presumes we already have is "genuine." In urging that our love be genuine, Paul is warning about making love a mere pretense, an outward display or emotion that does not conform to the nature of the God who is love, and who has loved us. The Greek word literally means "without hypocrisy," not playing the part of an actor on the stage. This same adjective is applied to love in 2 Cor 6:6, 1 Tim 1:5 and 1 Pet 1:22 (2 Tim 1:5 describing faith; Jas 3:17 describing "wisdom from above").

Discipleship Rooted in Love

"In the twilight of our lives, we will be judged on how we loved." St. John of the Cross.

"To love yourself in the right way and to love the neighbor correspond perfectly to one another; fundamentally they are one and the same thing." Soren Kierkegaard.

"Christian perfection is loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. This implies that no passions contrary to love remain in the soul. It means that all thoughts, words, and actions are governed by pure love. Charles Wesley. For Wesley, all God is and does is motivated and governed by divine love.

"God gave love. God bestowed love. There brothers you have the scriptures of God." Augustine. "The entire finite universe disappears like a speck when placed on the scales of value next to the love of God." Kreeft. Love has infinite value.

"It is not by ideas and programs or by conscience, duty, responsibility and virtue that reality can be confronted and overcome, but simply and solely by the perfect love of God." Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

"Therefore let us repent and pass from ignorance to knowledge, from foolishness to wisdom, from licentiousness to self-control, from injustice to righteousness, from godlessness to God."  Clement of Alexandria.

"The (Bible) is God's open love letter to humankind and thus should be read with a deep hunger for the experience of eternal love." John Armstrong describing what the Bible is. When I know love through God-given experience, I can then love as he loves. This experience of love is what leads to true discipleship. God's love is central to Jesus' mandate to "make disciples" (Mt 28:18-20). At its core Christianity teaches that following Jesus in true faith and obedience really can radically change our lives, despite how our early influences may have shaped us in less than optimal ways.

"In love, our self and another become entwined, so that sorting our benefits becomes absurd. Do good for loved ones and gratefully receive the good that comes from doing so. Give and don't count the costs, but don't give because it costs. Give because there is a love for the recipient and glory in giving." Chad Engelland. The Way of Philosophy, 2016.

"A real love for God arises out of the knowledge of what God is like. But at the same time that we begin to have this knowledge, we also come to know what being in the image of God means. We long to have that image, covered over with the muck of everyday life, restored to what it was meant to be. Then we are able to seek our own salvation not out of self-hatred, but rather out of a love of our own life. We begin to see that if God loved human beings so much that we were given the gift of the incarnation, the terrible crucifixion, and the resurrection, then no one can offer any Christian justification for despising or hating any human being, ourselves included." "It is the way God made us when God set us in creation, for creation itself is changing. The real issue is not physical change at all, but moral or spiritual change, over which we (d0) have control." Roberta Bondi.

Love functions as the goal, yet love is also the means to the goal. Love is the language of the covenant, and the basis for discipleship.The Spirit loves us and draws us into the redeeming relational love of the triune God (2 Cor 13:13).

Make Love Your Goal

"Let love be your highest goal!" (1 Cor 14:1, NLT) "Follow the way of love..." (NIV). "Pursue love..." (ESV, HCSB). "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" (Gal 5:6b).

The singular mark of the church should be love. Why? There are many reasons foremost of which is that God is love (1 Jn 4:8, 16). Also, the greatest struggle inside the church has always been love, or the lack of it. Yet the church (and the gospel) has often been reduced to rules, rituals, commandments, theories or organizational goals and concerns. The highest priority of various churches are outreach, worship, youth ministry, leadership development, evangelism, discipleship, church growth, mission, purity, holiness, sacraments, particular doctrines of particular Christian leaders, denominational concerns, etc. These are not unimportant and certainly have their place. But should such agendas and ideologies ever supersede the place of loving others, or relegating love to just one of the many things the church does?

What should the church do? Shame people or slam "bad" people? Win the "culture wars"? Elect our "Christian" candidate? The Christian church is singularly commanded to bear witness to God's love for the world (Jn 3:16).

"Love is not something you choose to do, but what you choose to be." Dallas Willard.

"(Jesus' cry of forsakenness from the cross was) the climax of his pain (and) the climax of his love. The fact is that if 'Jesus is Jesus Forsaken,' that is, the Son who entrusts himself to the Father, without residuals and conditions, in the act in which the Father seems to hide the name of Abba in the most cruel and darkest trial--if Jesus is this, then our faith in him is a partaking, through grace, intimately, in the very event of his abandonment. Our faith is carrying within us the faith of the abandoned One in the occupations of our day. Whoever finds this man has found the solution to every problem human and divine."  Chiara Lubich.

"By each action done to the sick and dying, I quench the thirst of Jesus for love of that person--by my giving God's love in me to that particular person, by caring for the unwanted, the unloved, (the) lonely, and ... all the poor people. This is how I quench the thirst of Jesus for others by giving his love in action to them." Mother Theresa.

"It is hard to find a church or para-church staff that is practically oriented around Jesus' instruction: 'Love one another, even as I have loved you' (Jn 13:34). You might think this would be their primary explicit goal, but it usually turns out otherwise." Dallas Willard, Getting Love Right, 2012.

"At the 'heart' of Paul's theology was the 'Gospel' or 'good news,' about Jesus as the revelation of God's love and the source of all benefits that accrue to us from it (liberation, reconcilliation, redemption, justification, access to God, sanctification, and so on). The proclamation of this mystery is what Paul called the 'good news,' and his primary concern was that those whom he brought to Christian faith might fully participate in the Paschal mystery and its benefits. (Paul) regards love as the 'super' virtue that joins together all the other virtues in perfect harmony." Daniel J. Harrington, Jesus the Revelation of the Father's Love: What the NT Teaches Us. 2010.

"We know little, but that we must trust in what is difficult is a certainty that will never abandon us; it is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult; that something is difficult must be one more reason for us to do it. It is also good to love--love is difficult. Love is perhaps the most difficult task given us, the most extreme, the final proof and text, for which all other work is only preparation." Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926).

"Jesus calls men not to a new religion but to life." Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Mt 5:17-20 is an indispensable text for understanding why everything "hangs" on loving God and our neighbor. From tradition we receive secondary forms of faith and practice. But what remains primary is the commandment Jesus gave regarding love for God and neighbor. All our religious practice and piety "hangs" on these commandments.

 "All the patterns, morals and predictions of the OT come to their complete realization in (Jesus). The first lesson we get in reading the Bible is this one: Look to Jesus as its central story." Scot McKnight, The Jesus Creed: Loving God and Loving Others.

"God does not demand great acts from us, but only surrender and gratitude." Therese of Lisieux.

"We do not achieve the disposition of agape love by direct effort, but by attending to and putting into practice the conditions out of which it arises." Dallas Willard.

Love Must Be Real (Romans 12:9-21)

Love must be real (sincere, without pretense). 

Hate (abhor) what is evil; 

stick fast (cling) to what is good. 

Be truly affectionate in showing love (show family affection) to one another (be heartfelt in your love to one another); 

compete with each other in giving mutual respect (honor one another above yourselves). 

Don't get tired of working hard (do not lack diligence; never be lacking in zeal; in zeal do not be lazy). 

Be (set) on fire with (by) the spirit. 

Work as slaves for the Lord (serve the Lord). 

Celebrate your hope (rejoice in hope); 

be patient in suffering (bear up under tribulation); 

give constant energy (be devoted) to prayer; 

contribute to (participate in) the needs of God's people; 

make sure you are hospitable to strangers (pursue hospitality).

The Core, Crux and Center of Christianity

The Bible. The Commands. Obedience. Faithfulness. Commitment. Loyalty. Fidelity. Yes, but is it the core, crux and center?

"Being a Christian means learning to love with God's love. But God's love is not a warm feeling in the pit of the stomach." Roberta C. Bondi.

"...the great intensity of the genuine religious life...engages and exhausts every single aspect of man... God claims our whole being for himself, not in the manner of a tyrant who wishes to exploit and annihilate us, but as a lover who deems us so precious that he will not tolerate the slightest capacity of our person going to waste. God delights in the utmost energizing of our being..." Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis (Trappist monk). Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word: Meditations on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, 2012.

"Love your neighbor as yourself--this is the major principle of the Torah." Rabbi Akiva, second-century.

"What you hate for yourself, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole law, the rest is commentary. Go and learn." Hillel (the great Jewish scholar a century before Christ).

"On three things stands the world--on the law, on the worship and on the works of love." Simon the Righteous.

A central point of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is that a renewed heart of love precedes all our actions.

"If we are sane ... we ought to fear sin more than sickness, sufferring, or death itself." Peter Kreeft.

The three most important words in the English language: "I love you." The second three most important words: "I don't know."

"The knowledge husband and wife have of each other includes a profound respect for the otherness of the other; based in love, each seeks to preserve the integrity of the other, allowing the other to be [who he or she is] without simply becoming an extension of the spouse. It is a knowledge that comes out of living together, responding to each other's daily interests and needs, being shaped by deep caring for the other. It is a transforming knowledge."

"It is in faithful self-giving (to others) that a person finds a fullness of certainty and security." John Paul II.

"The love in which we spend our lives in serving others will not give us the temporary happiness of romantic love stories, but, rather, the lasting, everyday, all-one's life-and-then-some happiness Jesus refers to as joy."

The Most Important Word

What is the most important word? Mission? Meaning? Mercy? Forgiveness? Humility? Grace? Yes, these are all very important words. But can it be the single most important word?

"Religion is nothing else but love of God and man." William Penn.

"Love, to be real, must cost--it must hurt--it must empty us of self." Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

The Who Why When What and How of Love

1. What is love? 1 John 4:8, 16.
2. Who do you love? Matthew 22:37-39. John 13:34.
3. When do you love? 1 Corinthians 13:7.
4. Why do you love? 1 John 4:8, 16. Jeremiah 31:3.
5. How do you love? 1 Corinthians 13:4.

The beginning of a new world (Ezekiel 33)

Ezekiel was informed about the siege of Jerusalem in Eze 24:1-2. They had to wait almost 2 years -- the 18 months of the siege itself and a further 6 months before the news of its terrible ending arrived among the exiles (Eze 33:21-22). In between the announcement in ch. 24 and the arrival of the news in ch. 33 is the whole section of oracles against the nations (ch. 25-32). There is thus a literary as well as a chronological pause, marking the turning point of Ezekiel's ministry.

Ezekiel 33 sounds like we have heard all this before. Indeed there are major recapitulations of earlier messages. However, it does present a new context with a coherence among its somewhat diverse parts. It is structured rather like a see-saw: the central fulcrum is the arrival of the news (Eze 33:21-22) with 2 sections balanced on each side:

1. The recommissioning of the prophet (33:1-9; 3:17-21): the renewal of Ezekiel's watchman responsibility. Be a watchman, hear the word (Eze 33:7).
2. The responsibility of the hearers (33:10-20; ch. 18): a reminder of the ways of God with the wicked and the righteous. It's not fair (Eze 33:17, 20).
   
3. The vindication and liberation of the prophet (33:21-22). Prophecy comes through.
4. The extinction of false hopes (33:23-29): a repudiation of plausible but wrong (specious) theology and false expectations of those left behind in Judah after the fall of the city.
5. The exposure of flattering attention (33:30-33): a reminder to Ezekiel of the fickleness of his listeners.

The Egyptian Oracles (Ezekiel 29-32)

The book of Ezekiel contains seven oracles against Egypt -- more than any other country. Why would Ezekiel, a Judean prophet in Babylon, be bothered with a country 1,600 miles away?

Egypt in Ezekiel's time was a superpower in slow decline. At the height of power her sphere of influence had extended the whole way up to eastern Mediterranean, embracing Palestine and what is now Lebanon and western Syria. When the Babylonians replaced the Assyrians as the dominant force in Middle-Eastern military politics, Egypt allied herself with the Assyrians in order to stop the advance of the Babylonians. The result was a complex power-struggle, and the smaller states in the region -- Jerusalem/Judah -- had to choose their friends carefully. The chronology of Egypt and Babylon;s interactions up to Ezekiel's oracles are:

• 605 BC - Babylonians defeat the Egyptian forces at Carchemish (Jer 46:2) and then press south.

• 601 BC - Babylonian and Egyptian forces clash again with heavy losses on both sides.

• 597 BC - Nebuchadnezzar subdues Jerusalem. Egypt stays neutral. Zedekiah is placed on the throne as vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar.

• 589 BC - Judah under Zedekiah is in open rebellion against the Babylonians.

• 588 (Jan) - The Babylonians advance to besiege Jerusalem.

• 588 BC - The siege is lifted temporarily as the Babylonians redirect their efforts against the Egyptian relief forces (Zedekiah had asked the Egyptians for help). However the Egyptians are soon repulsed, and the Babylonians return to besiege the city.

• 587 (Jul) - Jerusalem'[s walls are breached. The city and temple are burnt. The state of Judah comes to an end. The country is in ruins.

The Egyptian oracles in Ezekiel are unusual in that all but one of them are dated. Nearly half of the 13 dates given in the book are found in the Egyptian section. When arranged in chronological order, the oracles date are as follows:

• 587 (Jan) 29:1-16.
• 587 (Apr) 30:20-26.
• 587 (Jan) 31:1-18.
• 586/585 32:17-32.
• 585 (Mar) 32:1-16.
• 571 (Apr) 29:17-21.
• The oracle in 30:1-19 is undated but its content is similar to the others.

Like Tyre, Egypt had much national pride. If Tyre was "new money," then Egypt was "old money." Her pride lay in that which she had inherited and seemingly would keep for ever. She was a vast country with considerable resources (especially the Nile). she had a marvelous imperial history, a sizable army and widespread political influence throughout the Middle East. Yet her confidence in her glorious past was misplaced. Her fate was to be humbled. Likewise, in this age, we should not let memories of past national glories (actual or otherwise) distort our perception of a nation's true needs. It is easy to feel confident that problems and disasters which occur to others can never happen to us. This kind of complacency is never realistic.

1. Egypt: decline and fall (29:1-16).
2. Nebuchadnezzar's reward (29:17-21).
3. A dark day for Egypt (30:1-19).
4. Pharaoh's broken arms (30:20-26).
5. The lesson of the felled cedar for Egypt (31:1-18).
6. Lament for Pharaoh (32:1-16).
7. Egypt's descent to the domain of death (32:17-32).

Ezekiel 33

1. The scope of accountability (33:1-20).
2. Ezekiel regains his speech (33:21-22).
3. Ezekiel's illegal possessions (33:23-33).

Prophecies of Restoration (Ezekiel 34-48)

The prophecies of Ezekiel 34-48 have an entirely different theme from the earlier ones. The oracles of Ezekiel 1-33 consist primarily of warnings of disaster that would befall the people of Israel or their neighbors. But the emphasis in Ezekiel 34-48 is on restoration and hope. Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed. The people had been driven into exile. But yet there is hope.

Against Tyre (Ezekiel 26-28)

In geographical terms, Tyre was minute. In economic terms, she was highly significant. A substantial part of her strength lay in her seafaring ability. Her wealth stemmed from her extensive trading throughout the ancient world. Her people were famous for their business skills, which in turn led to her prosperity.

Tyre was an important seaport for the area which is now southern Lebanon (between Beirut to the north and Haifa to the south). The city had two harbors, one on an island just off the coast. Both her prowess and predicted downfall are described using marine allusions.

Tyre's relations with Israel had some economic factor. Hiram I supplied David with materials for building the palace at Jerusalem (2 Sa 5:11; 1 Ch 14:1). He also supplied Solomon with materials for the temple, Over a century later, king Ahad married Jezebel, a daughter of the king of Tyre (1 Ki 16:31). Through Jezebel the worship of the Tyrian god -- Baal Melqart -- was introduced into Israel.

Prior to the time of Ezekiel, Tyre had enjoyed a period of prosperity. However, Ezekiel, Jeremiah (25:22; 27:1-11) and Zechariah (9:2-7) all prophesied Tyre's suppression by the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Tyre (from 587 - 574 BC) was a hard campaign (Eze 29:18). The city eventually acknowledged Babylonian domination.

The oracles against Tyre (ch.26-28) and Egypt (ch.29-32) are instructive guides to the nature of national pride. Most people maintain some element of pride in and support for the advance of their nation. Tyre shows the arrogant confidence of self-made economic success. Her wealth was to her the sign that she was superior. She was prepared to support corrupt business practices in order to maintain that superiority. Israel's demise was simply seen as a business opportunity (Eze 26:2).

Tyre was condemned for these attitudes which are still prevalent in society today. We must not let the material success of our nation become its sole criterion of achievement.

1. Self-satisfaction denounced (26:1-21). In the 12th year--586 BC (Eze 26:1), Tyre is rebuked for seeing the fall of Jerusalem as merely an event which will enhance her own prosperity (Eze 26:2). Therefore, God is against her and she will be pillaged and destroyed (26:3-6). Nebuchadnezzar would lay siege and bring about her downfall (Eze 26:7-14). The campaign was a difficult one (Eze 29:18); it lasted 13 years (587 - 574 BC). She will never be rebuilt (Eze 26:14). She will be dragged down to the pit and not return (26:19-21). Delight at the downfall of others is an emotion that Christians, and others, need to deal with as it is very pervasive, but not readily acknowledged.
2. A lament (27:1-36). Tyre is likened to a marvelously-wrought merchant ship. She gloried and took great pride in her beauty (Eze 27:3-4; 16:15), being constructed from the finest materials (27:5-7). The suppliers of her timbers are her merchandise are her trading-partners. She employed many nations to build, operate and defend her (27:8-11). The extensive list of countries and products of highest quality and widest range gives a clear picture of why Tyre was famous for trading (27:12-25). Her links spread throughout most of the Mediterranean, N. Africa, Asia Minor and the Middle East. She employed foreigners in both industry and defense. Yet this ship of state was to be sunk (27:26-27); she will lose it all. Tyre would be overthrown. Her neighbors and trading partners will be appalled (27:28-36). She will be no more (Eze 27:36). Her demise not only affected her but also her local suppliers and services. Recession and economic collapse are some of the modern punishments a state may endure.
3. Against arrogance (28:1-10). The achievement of economic wealth brought with it a sense of pride. Skill -> Wealth -> Pride (Eze 28:5). The king is depicted as believing he is as wise as a god (Eze 28:2). The prophecy warns that the penalty for such arrogance is both humiliating and final (28:7-10). It will be at the hands of Babylon, the most ruthless of nations (Eze 28:7). Since they practiced circumcision, her humiliation is to die the death of the uncircumcised (Eze 28:10). Examples of pride and subsequent fall are easy to find throughout history and today, even in the church.
4. Expulsion from "paradise" (28:11-19). This lament depicts the rise and fall of the king, and hence of the city state itself. The imagery is strongly reminiscent of the Garden of Eden narrative. However there is no attempt to parallel the Genesis account closely. As is often the case in Ezekiel, metaphors are freely mixed, altered and adapted to suit the language of the prophecy. The poetic language serves to highlight the extent of the fall that Tyre experienced; it was like an expulsion from paradise. She who was perfect in beauty (Eze 28:12) dwelling in a paradise (Eze 28:13-14) and exhibiting blameless behavior (Eze 28:15a). But her widespread commercial activities led to oppression (Eze 28:16a). Her splendor made her conceited and corrupted her thinking (Eze 28:15b, 17).
5. Prophecy against Sidon: "Know the Lord" (28:20-26). Sidon, Tyre's neighbor, would suffer due punishment as well. Notice the repeated phrase in a few verses (Eze 28:22, 23, 24, 26). 

Know that I am the Lord (Ezekiel 25-32)

Then the nations will know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 25-32 begins a series of oracles against the foreign nations surrounding Israel. Egypt (ch. 29-32) and Tyre (ch. 26-28) receive the most attention, but this oracle concentrates on Judah's immediate neighbors: Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia (ch. 25). They had regarded the downfall of Judah with delight (Ammon) and derision (Moab); they had taken the opportunity to execute revenge on Judah (Edom and Philistia). Ezekiel's oracle warns that retribution will come.

It is easy to condemn these neighbors of Israel for their attitudes to her. Yet these attitudes can be ours too when trouble befalls one of our neighbors. Meanwhile God is the God of the whole earth and is ultimately in control of the fate of nations, as of individuals.

1. Against aggression and revenge (25:1-17): Judah's four neighbors.
2. Against economic arrogance (26:1-28:19): Tyre and Sidon.
3. Against imperial delusions (29:1-32:32): Egypt.
4. God and the nations: The message.

The heat of God's anger and the bitterness of his sarcasm targeted at Israel have been heard through Ezekiel (ch. 1-24). In a few months Ezekiel will embark upon a different and positive pastoral message and ministry (ch. 33-48). In the interim, to prepare for this transition, into the gap, is a portfolio of oracles spoken against various nations (ch. 25-32). They were delivered during or shortly after the siege of Jerusalem. So it is reasonably appropriate that they are inserted at this point in the book, in view of the historical context referred to in ch. 24 and 33. They fill the gap between the announcement of the beginning of the siege (Eze 24:2) and the news of its terrible end (Eze 33:21).

There are many similarities in Ezekiel 25-32 and comparable collections of oracles against the foreign nations in Amos 1-2, Isaiah 13-23 and Jeremiah 46-51. Such chapters are remarkably similar to the prophets attacking and condemning Israel. The same forms of speech are used, the same metaphors of courtroom justice, sometimes the same accusations of sins and crimes, the same ringing words of condemnation, the same declarations of coming doom and destruction, and above all, the same ultimate speaker: the Lord (Yahweh), the God of Israel. The prophets took the words and forms and language against Israel's enemies and turned them upon Israel itself--effectively saying that God was now treating Israel as his own enemy. Beginning with Amos (ch.1-2), the other prophets followed his example, using the oracle of woe upon the enemies of God, as their sharpest weapon against Israel itself.

Ammon. They gloated over the destruction of Israel and Judah. They will be plundered by the peoples of the east [nomadic tribes; Rabbah - capital of Ammon] (25:1-5). Because they rejoiced maliciously over Israel, they will be ruined (6-7).

Moab. Because they viewed Judah with contempt, they will be taken over by the people from the east (25:8-11).

Edom. Because they took revenge on Judah, they will suffer devastation at the hands of Israel (25:12-14).

Philistia. Because they took revenge on Judah, the Kerethites and the rest of the coastal peoples will be destroyed (25:15-17).

Ezekiel 1-24 (Sep to Nov 2017)

1. Ezekiel 1 (9/3/17) An Encounter with God (Ezekiel 1).
2. Ezekiel 2 (9/10/17) A Spirit Driven Calling (Ezekiel 2-3a). Driven by a High Calling.
3. Ezekiel 3 (9/17/17) The Crux of the Call (Ezekiel 3b). A Job Description with Strange Instructions and Restrictions.
4. Ezekiel 4-7 (9/24/17) A Horrifying Message (Ezekiel 4-7).
5. Ezekiel 8-9 (10/1/17) God's Glory Departs (Ezekiel 8-9).
6. Ezekiel 10-11 (10/8/17) God's glory departs II (Ezekiel 10-11).
7. Ezekiel 12-15 (10/15/17) False Bible Teachers and Idolators (Ezekiel 12-15).
8. Ezekiel 16 (10/22/17) You Trusted in Your Beauty (Ezekiel 16).
9. Ezekiel 16-19 (10/29/17) Face the Facts, Listen to the Truth (Ezekiel 15-19).
10. Ezekiel 20-23 (11/5/17) Face the Facts about Your (His)Story (Ezekiel 20-23).
11. Ezekiel 23-24 (11/12/17) The Whore, the Pit and the Wife Who Dies (Ezekiel 23-24, 16).

Timeline of Israel and Judah (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel)

Ezekiel is easily the most bi_____ of all the prophets. He was struck d___ (Eze 3:26). He  a____ out his prophecies (ch. 4). He prophesied to the e_____. He insu____ and an_____ them with his ora____ and par_____ (ch. 16, 23). Ezekiel verses.

 

Isaiah prophesied around 740-700 BC, about 100 years before Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, and 160 years before Cyrus, king of Media and Persia, conquered Jerusalem and Babylon in 539 BC.

Ezekiel prophesied around 590-570 BC. A contemporary of Daniel, Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon in 597 BC (eight years after Daniel).

• 930 BC:   Israel divided into E______ (capital S______) and J____ (capital J_______).

• 722 BC:   No______ Israel (E_____) defeated by Assyria (Isa 7:8-9; 2 Ki 18:9-12).

• [740-400 BC: Isaiah's ministry]

• 605 BC:   First siege. Those exiled include Daniel.

• [626-586 BC: Jeremiah's ministry]
  

• 597 BC:   Second siege. Those exiled include Ezekiel (Jer 52:28).

• [590-570 BC: Ezekiel's ministry]
  

• 593 BC:   Ezekiel's call; he saw visions of God (Eze 1:1-2). He was stuck dumb (3:26).
  
• 592 BC:   Ezekiel transported to Jerusalem in a vision (Eze 8:1, 3).
  
• 588 BC:   King of Babylon laid final siege to Jerusalem (Eze 24:1-2).
  
• 586 BC:   Jerusalem/temple destroyed (Eze 33:21). Ezekiel's mouth opened (33:22).
  

Ezekiel's Wife Dies (Ezekiel 24)

Losing your wife, the delight of your eyes

Explain Ezekiel's emotional state when he knows that God took his wife in her youth in order to be a sign to the people.

"Son of man, with one blow I will take away your dearest treasure (the delight of your eyes). Yet you must not show any sorrow at her death. Do not weep; let there be no tears. ¹⁷ Groan silently, but let there be no wailing at her grave…" (Ezekiel 24:16-17a, NLT).

Judgment (1-32): Oracles of doom

• Jerusalem must fall (1-24)

• Judah's enemies must fall (25-32)

Salvation (33-48): Oracles of good news

• Jerusalem must be comforted. The gospel according to Ezekiel. The Messiah will come and save a remnant.

Face the Facts, Listen to the Truth (Ezekiel 15-19).

• [Ezekiel 15 - A useless vine] You are useless.

• [Ezekiel 16 - A nymphomaniac bride] You forgot God's grace and used your beauty for yourself/satisfaction (15).

• [Ezekiel 17 - The eagle and the vine] You broke your oaths.

• [Ezekiel 18 - Only the sinner needs to die] You blame others and do not take responsibility.

• [Ezekiel 19 - A lament] Your leadership sucks.

Face the Facts about Your (His)Story (Ezekiel 20-23).

• Ezeliel 20: What you do. You make up your contrary to the facts and reality, to make yourself look good.
  
• Ezeliel 21: What God does. He sends Babylon as his sword of judgment.
  
• Ezeliel 22: Why God does it. They are corrupt beyond redemption.
  
• Ezeliel 23: Why it's fair. Their adulterous idolatrous hearts are insatiable and incurable.