Hope and Restoration in Exile: Lessons from Ezekiel
Summary
In reflecting on the profound question, "How do you sing the Lord's song in a strange and foreign land?" we delve into the historical context of the Jewish exile in Babylon. This question resonates deeply with the African American experience of slavery, a poignant reminder of the forced displacement and suffering endured by those brought to America in chains. The ancient practice of conquering nations enslaving the vanquished is mirrored in the Babylonian captivity, where the Jewish people, once familiar with their covenant God, found themselves questioning His presence and justice.
The books of Ezekiel and Daniel emerge from this period of captivity, grappling with the theodicy—the justification of God's righteousness amidst suffering. Ezekiel, uniquely positioned as both priest and prophet, embodies the dual roles of intercession and proclamation. His calling is marked by a divine encounter, where God commands him to deliver a message of judgment to a rebellious nation. This message, though filled with lamentations and woe, is paradoxically sweet to Ezekiel, illustrating the profound truth that even God's words of judgment are sweet to those who love Him.
Ezekiel's vision of the chariot throne of God underscores the divine sovereignty and judgment. The imagery of wheels within wheels signifies God's omnipresence and His active role in the unfolding of history. Despite the dire message, the ultimate purpose is revealed: "That they may know that I am the Lord." This refrain, repeated throughout Ezekiel, calls the people to recognize God's sovereignty and cease their rebellion.
The narrative culminates in the vision of the valley of dry bones, a powerful symbol of hope and restoration. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the lifeless bones, and through the breath of God, they are revived into a great army. This vision promises the end of exile and the regeneration of God's people, affirming that even in the darkest times, God is at work, bringing new life and hope.
Key Takeaways:
- The question of singing the Lord's song in a foreign land challenges us to find faith and hope amidst suffering and displacement, much like the Jewish exiles and African American slaves. It calls us to remember God's faithfulness even when circumstances seem dire. [00:33]
- Ezekiel's dual role as priest and prophet highlights the balance between compassion and truth. As believers, we are called to intercede for others while also speaking God's truth, even when it is difficult. This dual calling requires both empathy and courage. [03:34]
- The vision of the chariot throne of God reminds us of His sovereignty and active presence in our lives. God's judgment is not arbitrary but serves a purpose: to bring His people back to Him. Recognizing His sovereignty helps us trust in His plans, even when we don't understand them. [08:47]
- The sweetness of God's Word, even when it contains judgment, speaks to the believer's heart. It is a reminder that every word from God is precious and life-giving, calling us to embrace His truth fully and let it transform us from within. [13:40]
- The vision of the valley of dry bones offers hope and assurance of God's power to bring life from death. It encourages us to trust in God's ability to restore and renew, even when situations seem hopeless. This vision is a testament to God's promise of redemption and new beginnings. [20:50]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:33] - The Question of Exile
- [01:27] - Historical Context of Captivity
- [02:08] - Theodicy in Ezekiel
- [03:34] - Priest and Prophet: Ezekiel's Role
- [05:08] - God's Command to Ezekiel
- [06:28] - Vision of the Chariot Throne
- [08:47] - God's Sovereignty and Judgment
- [10:32] - The Scroll of Lamentations
- [12:10] - Consuming God's Word
- [13:40] - Sweetness of God's Judgment
- [15:10] - Ezekiel as Watchman
- [15:57] - Knowing the Lord
- [17:28] - Promise of Hope
- [18:04] - Vision of Dry Bones
- [20:50] - Restoration and New Life
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Ezekiel 2:1-10
2. Ezekiel 37:1-14
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Observation Questions:
1. What was the historical context of the Jewish exile in Babylon, and how does it relate to the African American experience of slavery? [00:33]
2. How does Ezekiel's dual role as both priest and prophet influence his message to the people of Israel? [03:34]
3. What is the significance of the vision of the chariot throne of God that Ezekiel saw? [08:47]
4. Describe the vision of the valley of dry bones and its symbolic meaning for the people of Israel. [18:04]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the question "How do you sing the Lord's song in a strange and foreign land?" challenge believers to find faith and hope amidst suffering and displacement? [00:33]
2. In what ways does Ezekiel's message of judgment also contain elements of hope and restoration for the people of Israel? [17:28]
3. How does the imagery of the chariot throne of God emphasize His sovereignty and active presence in the lives of His people? [08:47]
4. Why might God's words of judgment be described as sweet to those who love Him, according to the sermon? [13:40]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like you were in a "strange and foreign land" in your life. How did you find faith and hope during that period? [00:33]
2. Ezekiel was called to balance compassion and truth in his roles as priest and prophet. How can you apply this balance in your interactions with others, especially when delivering difficult truths? [03:34]
3. The vision of the chariot throne of God reminds us of His sovereignty. How can recognizing God's sovereignty help you trust in His plans, even when you don't understand them? [08:47]
4. Consider a situation in your life that seems hopeless. How can the vision of the valley of dry bones inspire you to trust in God's power to restore and renew? [18:04]
5. How can you cultivate a love for God's Word, even when it contains messages of judgment or correction? What steps can you take to let His Word transform you from within? [13:40]
6. Think of a time when you felt God's presence in a powerful way. How did that experience impact your faith and understanding of His sovereignty? [08:47]
7. How can you be a source of hope and encouragement to others who are experiencing their own "exile" or difficult times? [17:28]
Devotional
Day 1: Singing in Exile: Faith Amidst Displacement
In times of exile and displacement, the question of how to maintain faith and hope becomes paramount. The Jewish exiles in Babylon and the African American slaves in America both faced the challenge of singing the Lord's song in a foreign land. This struggle is a call to remember God's faithfulness even when circumstances seem dire. It is a reminder that God is present in our suffering and that His promises remain true, offering hope and strength to endure. [00:33]
Psalm 137:1-4 (ESV): "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion!' How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?"
Reflection: Think of a time when you felt out of place or in a difficult situation. How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness and presence in those moments today?
Day 2: Balancing Compassion and Truth
Ezekiel's dual role as priest and prophet highlights the delicate balance between compassion and truth. As believers, we are called to intercede for others while also speaking God's truth, even when it is difficult. This dual calling requires both empathy and courage, as we navigate the tension between offering comfort and delivering challenging messages. Embracing this balance allows us to be effective witnesses of God's love and justice. [03:34]
Ezekiel 3:17-19 (ESV): "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand."
Reflection: Consider someone in your life who needs to hear God's truth. How can you approach them with both compassion and honesty today?
Day 3: Recognizing God's Sovereignty
The vision of the chariot throne of God in Ezekiel serves as a powerful reminder of His sovereignty and active presence in our lives. God's judgment is not arbitrary but serves a purpose: to bring His people back to Him. Recognizing His sovereignty helps us trust in His plans, even when we don't understand them. This trust allows us to find peace and assurance in the midst of uncertainty. [08:47]
Ezekiel 1:26-28 (ESV): "And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you struggle to trust God's sovereignty? What steps can you take today to surrender this area to Him?
Day 4: The Sweetness of God's Word
The sweetness of God's Word, even when it contains judgment, speaks to the believer's heart. It is a reminder that every word from God is precious and life-giving, calling us to embrace His truth fully and let it transform us from within. This transformation is a testament to the power of God's Word to bring about change and renewal in our lives. [13:40]
Ezekiel 3:1-3 (ESV): "And he said to me, 'Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.' So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. And he said to me, 'Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.' Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey."
Reflection: Reflect on a challenging passage of Scripture you have read recently. How can you allow its truth to transform your heart and actions today?
Day 5: Hope and Restoration in the Valley of Dry Bones
The vision of the valley of dry bones offers hope and assurance of God's power to bring life from death. It encourages us to trust in God's ability to restore and renew, even when situations seem hopeless. This vision is a testament to God's promise of redemption and new beginnings, reminding us that He is always at work, bringing new life and hope. [20:50]
Ezekiel 37:4-6 (ESV): "Then he said to me, 'Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.'"
Reflection: Identify an area in your life that feels lifeless or hopeless. How can you invite God's restorative power into this area today?
Quotes
SPROUL: "How do you sing the Lord's song in a strange and foreign land?" That was the question that plagued the Jewish people who were carried away into the Babylonian captivity. I remember back in the Civil Rights era, during that struggle, that Martin Luther King made this observation: that America, in its foundational development was considered a melting pot where people from all over the world fled various kinds of persecution to seek freedom on the shores of this country; but there was one group, and only one group, that came to this country in chains. [00:00:12]
But in the ancient world, that type of thing -- of stealing people from one country and deporting them and enslaving them in the conquering nation was somewhat commonplace. And after the Babylonians conquered the Jewish nation, they took the cream of the crop from the Jewish people and brought them to serve in this foreign land. And these people who had known their covenant God and had known their traditions, their histories, and the promises were now left to ask the question: How could God allow this to happen? [00:01:39]
And so it's important when we look at the books of Ezekiel and of Daniel that we understand that these books are written at a time when the people of God were in captivity, and they were struggling with the question of the presence of God -- has God abandoned us? And one of the things that it is said about the book of Ezekiel, that in large measure the book functions as a theodicy. [00:02:16]
We have a tendency to make a sharp distinction in the Old Testament between the priests and the prophets; and the priests were those who interceded in behalf of the people to God. They were those intermediaries who, in a sense, ministered to the people, where the prophets were spokesmen for God, and so often, their mission was to rebuke the people, to admonish the people, to chasten the people, and call them to repentance, which was anything but an enviable task. [00:03:40]
Now, the theodicy of Ezekiel really begins in the second chapter of the book that bears his name. "And He said to me" -- that is God -- "'Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.' And then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. And He said, 'Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. [00:04:59]
You remember in the Old Testament that when the people of Israel were on the move, the Ark of the Lord went before them. It was carried, and people walked on foot carrying these poles that were inserted through the loops on the outer edges of the ark, and that signified the throne of God and God's leadership going before the people; but remember that all of the symbolism of what was going on on the earth, in the tabernacle, later in the temple, was to call attention beyond itself to the transcendent reality, to the heavenly reality of the inner chamber and inner sanctum of God, where God's glory was above the heavens, and God was exalted and was the King of all of the earth. [00:07:54]
And this is what Ezekiel saw. He saw the outward vision of the heavenly throne of God as it whirled and moved rapidly about, came down from the heaven, filled with the glory of the presence of God. And Ezekiel said, "When I saw it I fell on my face." And it is God who speaks to him out of this vision of the judgment throne, and the message is a message of judgment. And He addresses Ezekiel with the phrase "son of man," which is a title, of course, that is later on given to Jesus. [00:09:08]
Now notice what God is saying. He said, "I don't want you to just chew on My Word. I want you to swallow it. I want it in your stomach. I want it to be digested so that it permeates your whole body." This is not just a casual nip at the Word of God, but he is to consume the Word of God that it becomes a part of his bloodstream. But remember that the words that he is called to eat are words of woe and mourning and of lamentation. [00:12:39]
But Ezekiel does what God commands him to do and we read these words, "So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness." And you see the jarring irony of this. How could these words that were filled with such negative meaning taste to the prophet as sweet as honey? Well I think this is what really explains the psychology of the prophet in Israel. Even though the message that the prophet was called to deliver was often dire and was anything but palatable, nevertheless there was something about it that caused it to be sweet. [00:13:19]
But the final explanation that he gives for why all of this is taking place is found in this phrase that is repeated in the book of Ezekiel: "That they may know that I am the Lord." Sixty times in the book of Ezekiel that phrase is announced by the prophet, coming from God. "I'm doing this that they may know I am the Lord." It reminds you of the statement in the Psalms where the psalmist writes, "Be still and know that I am God." [00:15:57]
In chapter thirty-seven we read these words, "The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. And then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And then God said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?'" [00:17:45]
So that the end of the book of Ezekiel comes with the glorious promise that God is not going to leave His people in exile. He looks forward to new life, new breath, a new response to His Word, the end of captivity, and the regeneration of His people. [00:21:10]
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