Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"Again the word of the LORD came to me"
Text: Ezekiel 11:14
THE POWER OF GOD AT WORK
Ezekiel obeyed the LORD and began to preach prophetically. What happened next shook the prophet. Death struck one of the leaders.
“Now it happened, while I was prophesying,
that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died.
Then I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said,
‘Ah, Lord GOD! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?’
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
‘Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen,
and all the house of Israel in its entirety,
are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said,
‘Get far away from the LORD;
this land has been given to us as a possession.””
Ezekiel 11:13-15
1. A sudden death.
a) As Ezekiel preached, he warned of God’s judgment.
b) Many would be slain in Jerusalem in the near future.
c) Pelatiah the son of Benaiah.
i) He died while Ezekiel was preaching.
ii) The suddenness of death shook Ezekiel.
2. Ezekiel’s cry to the Lord.
a) Would the Lord make a complete end of Israel?
b) Would all the remnant of Israel be totally destroyed?
c) Benaiah’s death caused Ezekiel to be deeply worried.
3. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel.
a) This word was necessary.
b) It would calm the spirit of Ezekiel.
c) It would strengthen his understanding of the Lord’s prophecy given to him.
4. The family of Ezekiel.
a) His brethren.
b) His relatives.
c) They would not be spared if they walked in wickedness!
5. The house of Israel.
a) Ezekiel’s countrymen.
b) The entirety of Israel would face judgment and death.
c) The inhabitants of Jerusalem.
d) If they are non-repentant, they too will be consumed by death.
6. The wicked words uttered by many in Israel.
a) The land of Israel had been given by the Lord to the people.
b) The land is their possession and they can do what they like.
c) The advice of the leaders to all in Israel “Get far away from the Lord!”
d) What do the words mean?
i) They reject the Lord their God.
ii) They will not heed any word from the prophets.
iii) They had chosen the path of defiance and rebellion.