1. Ezekiel 8:3. Ezekiel is confronted with the “seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy…” Just what was that? (see also v. 8)

The Babylonians had only begun their conquest, so whatever it was in the Temple provoking the Lord to jealousy, it had been put there by Jews! Some say it was a statue of Ba’al, others Ashtarte, others supply different names. But here is the beginning suggestion that a false god placed in a holy place like the Temple is an abomination to God, and He will judge. The abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel and hundreds of years later by Jesus Himself, then by Paul in II Thessalonians 2, is something we should all keep in the back of our minds as we look for the signs of the end. Actually, only one sign is clearly given by the Lord, all the others being clues of the general season. That sign is the abomination that makes desolate, whose forerunner we are seeing here in Ezekiel.

2. Ezekiel 8:14. Who was Tammuz and why were Israel’s women weeping for him?

Tammuz is the ancient god “Adonis” whose name means “Lord.” A true “antichrist” if ever there was one, his career involved a death and resurrection, as did our the life of our true Lord Jesus. The women here are having the equivalent of a “Good Friday” service for the slain Adonis, weeping over his death, as they did annually, but anticipating his resurrection. The people of Israel had totally lost sight of the One Who had brought them out of Egyptian bondage, brought them into the fruitful land of Canaan, sustained them against a myriad of enemies. It is a new and tragic day in Israel, and Ezekiel is given a close-up view, miraculously, of their degenerate state.

3. Ezekiel 10:12. Again we see the wheels, the cherubim with them, the four faces. And as before, the wheels themselves are “full of eyes all around.” What could this be?

Whatever it means, John saw it 700 years later, living creatures full of eyes.

What can we say? God sees all. Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” II Chronicles 16:9, “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” Psalm 34:15, quoted in I Peter 3:12, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry.”

We have no doubt read these passages thinking in terms of our own make-up, and pictured a big God with two big eyes that can simultaneously see all. What if He is a Big God with an infinite number of eyes, that are literally in every place! What if one of those eyes is hovering near you, right now?

I am not sure if we are to extrapolate from Ezekiel the knowledge of God’s eyes, but it is the closest I can come to understanding his visions.

4. Ezekiel 12:13. How could a “prince” of Israel be taken to Babylon, but not see it?

Jeremiah tells us how King Zedekiah’s eyes were put out when Nebuchadnezzar took him and many others captive.

5. Ezekiel 13. How is God’s word to Ezekiel about false prophets so similar to that given to Jeremiah?

He claims the prophets are speaking from their own spirits, not the Spirit of the Lord.

He bashes them for claiming inspiration from the Lord every time they dreamed or felt something.

He says that the false prophets are always talking about “peace” when there is no peace.

Ezekiel also mentions the silly women with their “magic bands” that gave happy promises to wicked people – for profit. This practice encouraged the wicked to remain wicked.

How similar are both of these men’s words – God’s words – to the situation and people among us today.

6. Ezekiel 14:1-11. What is God’s response to a man who is full of idolatry?

We instinctively know the answer to this question if we are walking with God. If a man approaches God for reasons of his own, but is fully intent on serving some other god, God’s response is not going to be all that wonderful. Yet verses 4-5 and 7-8 seem to indicate that God will answer such a man. The question is, how?

The answer: “…in view of the multitude of his idols in order to lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel.” And (verses 7-8) “…in My own person. I will set My face against that man, make him a sign and a proverb, and cut him off from My people.”

God Himself will answer these evil men, yes. But they will not like the answer. The fool will be answered according to his folly. The prophet may even be bypassed in these situations, as the Lord Himself will cut the idolater off.

What a serious warning to people of all time who dare to approach God or the man of God for some request, when their hearts are totally set against the ways of God. What an insult to God’s holiness. Just who do they think they are to come into the Throne Room of the King of Kings asking favors, when they belong to the army of an enemy nation?

7. Ezekiel 14:12-23. How does God show His special affection for Israel in this passage?

When God is “finished” with a nation, He is finished with it. When they’ve crossed over the line, that’s it. No amount of intercession can stop the judgmental hand of God once it begins to move. Except for one nation. Israel is going to be –is now being – judged, and the judgment will be widespread. But not universal. There will be survivors. Israel shall live. The remnant will prevail. God has set His heart upon this nation and nothing can “un-set” His heart.

So it is with those people He has called out from the nations. If God is for us, who can be against us?

8. Ezekiel 16:3ff. How can God say that the father and mother of the Jewish people were evil Canaanite pagans?

Abraham and Sarah were called out of Chaldean moon worship. When they came to “the promised land” originally, they sojourned among the religiously and morally corrupted descendants of Canaan. Then came the transfer to Egypt, where more degenerate behavior was picked up. Judah married a Canaanite. Laban, father of Rebekkah, had false gods in his possession and taught his daughter to honor them. Joseph married an Egyptian.

Pagan ways were with the Israelites from the beginning. But then the suffering came and the blood was shed and God had pity on this people, called them out of Egypt to be His special people. He lifted them up, blessed them incredibly, only to watch them give away all their blessings to those same false gods that had been in their origins.

9. Ezekiel 16:33-34. What does God mean when He says that harlot Israel actually paid others for favors as opposed to the normal reception of gifts?

An example is cited by Ellicott: II Kings 16:8-9. Ahaz “took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord” and used it to secure the alliance of the king of Assyria.