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 24, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CATASTROPHIC PUNISHMENT OF APOSTATE JERUSALEM EXECUTED BY THE ANGRY DIVINE JUDGE BEFORE A WATCHING WORLDINTRODUCTION:Privilege brings with it responsibility. The greater the light, the greater the accountability. Here the culpability of the privileged elect...
by Paul Apple | Sep 22, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SINNERS CAN EXPECT GOD’S HORRIFYING JUDGMENT IN THE FORM OF EXTREME DEPRIVATION AND HUMILIATING DEFILEMENTINTRODUCTION:What should persistent sinners expect from a holy God? Despite His patience and long-suffering and mercy and lovingkindness, His justice...
by Paul Apple | Sep 21, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD HAS SET HIS FACE IN JUDGMENT AGAINST JERUSALEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DURATION OF HER INIQUITIESINTRODUCTION:Following his commissioning, the ministry of Ezekiel opens with a series of action-sermons where the Lord uses drama to enact special...
by Paul Apple | Sep 19, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A WATCHMAN INVOLVES THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF FAITHFULLY COMMUNICATING GOD’S WORDS OF WARNING TO THOSE IN NEED OF REPENTANCEINTRODUCTION:This section concludes the commissioning of Ezekiel as he enters into his ministry to the Jews in exile...
by Paul Apple | Sep 18, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE REINFORCEMENT OF EZEKIEL’S COMMISSIONING STRESSES• THE VALUE OF THE WORD OF GOD,• THE RESOLVE TO FAITHFULLY COMMUNICATE GOD’S WORD• AND THE ACTIVITY OF THE SPIRIT OF GODINTRODUCTION:This continuation of the calling and commissioning of Ezekiel progresses...
by Paul Apple | Sep 17, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THERE CAN BE NO DEVIATION OF MISSION OR MESSAGE IN PROCLAIMING GOD’S WORD OF JUDGMENT DESPITE OPPOSITION AND REJECTIONINTRODUCTION:The vision of the glory of the Lord from chapter 1 prepared Ezekiel for his ministry. The calling and commissioning of Ezekiel...
by Paul Apple | Sep 15, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE FOUNDATION FOR DIVINE CALLING IS THE VISION OF GOD’S GLORY COMING IN JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Ezekiel and the other exiles had to be feeling alone and abandoned there in Babylon. What a hard fall from their nationalistic pride in God’s covenant promises...
by Paul Apple | Sep 5, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE JUDAH’S SAD ENDING, ALL IS NOT LOST FOREVERINTRODUCTION:Judah is finally a barren land – even abandoned by those who had not been carried off to Babylon. The failed leadership of Nebuchadnezzar’s appointee, Gedaliah, could not sustain a stable...
by Paul Apple | Sep 4, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD TURNS THE LIGHTS OUT ON HIS HOLY CITY AND EXILES HIS APOSTATE PEOPLE — DESTRUCTION, DEPORTATION, DESECRATION, EXECUTION AND EXILEINTRODUCTION:Judgment Day has finally arrived for the city of David and for its inhabitants. It is not a pretty sight. The...
by Paul Apple | Aug 30, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S CONTROL OF THE NATIONS CONTROLS THE FATE OF HIS PEOPLEINTRODUCTION:Powerful nations like Egypt and Babylon act in their own self-interests under the direction of their sovereign leaders. But true sovereignty in world events belongs to God alone who...
by Paul Apple | Aug 27, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REFORMATION WITHOUT INWARD TRANSFORMATION CAN’T DIVERT GOD’S JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:What an impressive list of worship reforms! It’s no surprise that the wrath of God was targeting a nation that had become so apostate and idolatrous. But despite all of the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 26, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA:REFORMS UNDER JOSIAH BEGIN WITH THE RECOVERY OF GOD’S WORD AS THE NATION REFOCUSES ON TOP LEVEL PRIORITIES INTRODUCTION:Judgment against Judah and Jerusalem has already been proclaimed. The wrath of God is about to be unleashed because of Judah’s spiritual...
by Paul Apple | Aug 23, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE APEX OF APOSTASY AND IDOLATRY UNDER MANASSEH AND AMON ELICITS SEVERE JUDGMENT UPON JUDAH AND JERUSALEMINTRODUCTION:Judah and Jerusalem have now arrived at the end of the line. They failed to learn any lessons from God’s dealings with Samaria and Israel....
by Paul Apple | Aug 21, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RIGHTEOUS HEZEKIAH HOLDS ON AT THE END OF HIS REIGN AS HIS LIFE IS MIRACULOUSLY EXTENDED AND HIS VANITY IS PROPHETICALLY CHASTIZEDINTRODUCTION:Hezekiah goes into the record books as one of the greatest of the kings of Judah. By his own testimony he “walked...
by Paul Apple | Aug 19, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE BEST DEFENSE IS A DIVINE DEFENSEINTRODUCTION:You have heard the saying in the sports world: The best defense is a good offense. Here we see in the spiritual and political realm: The best defense is a Divine Defense. When God is on our side we have...
by Paul Apple | Aug 17, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: IN TIMES OF CRISIS SATAN USES MANY CRAFTY ARGUMENTS TO TRY TO UNDERMINE OUR FAITHINTRODUCTION:This historical scene in Judah is set in opposition to the preceding account of the Fall of Samaria in Israel. Once again we have a crisis facing God’s covenant...
