Study 9 From the Book of Ezekiel is: Ezekiel
14 and 15
1.
14:1-11.
(a) If men whose hearts are inwardly alienated from God come professing to seek
guidance from Hi, will God answer them? What must they first do? If they do not
so do, what will be their end? (b) If a prophet should fail to follow this
rule, and attempt to give guidance, how will God deal with him?
2.
People
might ask, ‘Will not the presence of righteous men among a sinful nation save
it from destruction’? Cf., e.g., Gn. 18:23-26. How does God in reply show that
in the present instance the righteous will be saved out of the destruction, but
will not be able to save others? Cf. 9:4-6; Je. 15:1. If any should escape, what
purpose will this accomplish (see 14:22, 23)?
Notes
1.
Noah,
Daniel and Job are probably all three patriarchal characters. It is not likely
that Ezekiel would be thinking of his contemporary in exile, Daniel the
prophet. We know of a Daniel from the Ras Shamra tablets of 1400 BC, and this
is a more likely identification.
2.
15:2.
For another example of Israel as God’s vine, see Is. 5:1-7
