by Paul Apple | Nov 2, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: MILLENNAL RESTORATION TRANSFORMS WORSHIP AND GLORIFIES GODINTRODUCTION:Note that the familiar Recognition Refrain marks the end of each of the three segments of this section of the book (vs. 38, 42, 44). Ezekiel now looks ahead to the end times scenario when...
by Paul Apple | Nov 1, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ISRAEL’S CONSISTENT PATTERN OF SIN DOWN THROUGH HER HISTORY JUSTIFIES GOD’S JUDGMENT AND MAGNIFIES HIS MERCYINTRODUCTION:Once the Lord has the attention of the elders in exile, He turns the table on their desire for some type of new counsel that would answer...
by Paul Apple | Oct 30, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE DAVIDIC DYNASTY HAS GONE DOWN IN FLAMES DUE TO FAILED LEADERSHIPINTRODUCTION:Here we have the sad lament of Judah’s failed leadership and its impact on the nation. The common figures of a lioness and a vine are employed to picture the rapid decline and...
by Paul Apple | Oct 30, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD CANNOT BE ACCUSED OF INJUSTICE BECAUSE HE HOLDS EACH INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS OWN CONDUCTINTRODUCTION:Amidst the blame shifting and complaining of the exiles in Babylon who refused to take responsibility for sin, Ezekiel delivers a clear...
by Paul Apple | Oct 28, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: JUDGMENT ON JERUSALEM JUSTIFIED IN LIGHT OF THE TREACHERY OF ZEDEKIAH BUT ULTIMATELY SUPERSEDED BY MESSIANIC RESTORATIONINTRODUCTION:This parable (or allegory or fable) once again reinforces the certainty of coming judgment against Jerusalem. This time the...
by Paul Apple | Oct 27, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE UNPRECEDENTED ABOMINATIONS, PRIVILEGED BUT UNFAITHFUL JERUSALEM WILL BE RESTORED TO COVENANT SECURITY AFTER APPROPRIATE JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:The guilt of Jerusalem is set against the backdrop of her privileged adoption as God’s chosen nation. The...
by Paul Apple | Oct 16, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: JERUSALEM AS THE WORTHLESS VINE CAN’T ESCAPE THE CONSUMING FIRE OF GOD’S JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Constable: This is the first in a series of three parables designed to impress on the overly optimistic exiles that there was no possibility that Jerusalem would...
by Paul Apple | Oct 15, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: JERUSALEM CANNOT ESCAPE JUDGMENT EVEN IF THE MOST RIGHTEOUS MEN INTERCEDEINTRODUCTION:Context: God promising to bring 4 judgments upon Jerusalem – even the intercession of the most godly men could not avert that judgment; yet we want to learn from the...
by Paul Apple | Oct 13, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: HIDDEN IDOLATRY PROVES TO BE A STUMBLING BLOCK FOR SIN AND A RED FLAG IN TERMS OF DIVINE CONFRONTATION AND CONDEMNATIONINTRODUCTION:Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. These respected Jewish elders living in exile with Ezekiel in...
by Paul Apple | Oct 12, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FALSE PROPHETS AND PRACTITIONERS OF THE OCCULT MUST BE CONDEMNED FOR THEIR LIES AND EMPTY PROMISES THAT ORIGINATE FROM THEIR OWN CRYSTAL BALLINTRODUCTION:Ezekiel had just finished refuting the false claims of those who either denied the certainty of coming...
by Paul Apple | Oct 11, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY SILENCES ANY MOCKING OF DELAY IN GOD’S TIMETABLEINTRODUCTION:Scoffers have always made fun of God’s prophetic word – charging God with long delays in fulfillment – essentially mocking the veracity of God’s promises. But God is neither...
by Paul Apple | Oct 11, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: KING ZEDEKIAH AND THE JEWS STILL IN JERUSALEM SHOULD FEAR IMMINENT DEPORTATION- IT IS CERTAIN- IT WILL BE DEVASTATINGINTRODUCTION:Much false confidence and false optimism and arrogance can be traced to what seems to be a delay in God’s guillotine of judgment...
by Paul Apple | Oct 8, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: AS THE GLORY OF THE LORD DEPARTS JERUSALEM, EZEKIEL’S VISION CONCLUDES WITH WORDS OF JUDGMENT AND OF MERCYINTRODUCTION:God constantly proclaims a message of both Judgment and Mercy – as he does here in the conclusion of Ezekiel’s vision. At the crux always...
by Paul Apple | Oct 6, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: JERUSALEM WILL BE JUDGED BY FIRE AFTER THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTS FROM THE TEMPLEINTRODUCTION:The imminent judgment upon Jerusalem (to be burned with fire by the Babylonian troops) was directly tied to the retreat of the Glory of God from His residence in the...
by Paul Apple | Oct 5, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE MARK OF GOD DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN JUDGMENT AND PRESERVATIONINTRODUCTION:The visions of the abominations in chapter 8 naturally lead to the execution of God’s justice in chapter 9. Here we see the tension between the vast majority of ungodly who must be...
by Paul Apple | Oct 4, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: IDOLATROUS ABOMINATIONS POLLUTING THE TEMPLE AROUSE DIVINE JEALOUSY AND DISGUSTINTRODUCTION:Chapters 8-11 form our next unit of revelation in the book of Ezekiel. A series of visions captures the depravity of the idolatrous abominations defiling worship in...
by Paul Apple | Oct 1, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S PROMISED IMMINENT AND COMPREHENSIVE JUDGMENT AGAINST JUDAH REPAYS SINFUL ABOMINATIONS WITH HORRIFIC AND INESCAPABLE ABOMINATIONSINTRODUCTION:The end has come, according to Ezekiel. There is no possibility of God relenting or showing pity. Any remaining...
by Paul Apple | Sep 29, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DIVINE JUDGMENT EXALTS THE SUPREMACY OF THE LORD IN THE EYES OF BOTH THE JEWS IN ISRAEL AND THE EXILES DISPERSED AMONG THE NATIONSINTRODUCTION:What a horrifying picture – God setting His face in judgment against His own people and His holy city Jerusalem. It...
by Paul Apple | Sep 28, 2021 | Sports
What a brilliant stealth move by the Ravens personnel department. Before their rash of running back injuries, when there was no way to hang on to Nate McCrary, they subtly allow him to leak out to the Denver Broncos. Now on the game week when they need that valuable...
by Paul Apple | Sep 27, 2021 | Sports
The Ravens are certainly providing the best value for the entertainment dollar this season. In another miracle finish, Lamar overcomes a fourth and 19 hole to set up Justin Tucker for a game-winning record 66 yard field goal as time expires. Not only that, but the...
