Read Hebrews 2

Discoveriniscovering the Word

• In verse 1 we read, "pay more careful attention . . . to," and in verse 3 we are told not to "ignore." What is it that we are to focus our lives on? We need  to Focus  on  living  our lives  for Christ and not on what others  want us  to live for.
• What logic does the writer use in verses 2-3 to further focus our attention on the peril of drifting away? That  there is a time  that  we need to stand  up and say  that   we  are wiling  to know  that  we are wrong and have sinned.  We also know  that  as God's children  when we do wrong  just as a parent  will discipline there children.  Some times  it  will be a soft spoken word  " you don's want to do that.  Sometimes It  is a good  old fashion whipping.  Yes God  does  spiritual whip  us when we  sin.  I have never seen in the Bible  God  using  a time outs when we  sinned.  
• How does the writer strengthen the warning that God's salvation in Christ is well worth our most intense obedience (vv. 3-4)?He has  show  us  signs and wonders of Salvation.

Ezekiel 25-32

Judgments against the Ammonites. (1-7) Against the Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines. (8-17)1-7. It is wicked to be glad at the calamities of any, especially of God's people; it is a sin for which he will surely reckon. God will make it appear that he is the God of Israel, though he suffers them for a time to be captives in Babylon. It is better to know Him, and to be poor, than to be rich and ignorant of him.

8-17 Though one event seem to the righteous and wicked, it is vastly different. Those who glory in any other defence and protection than the Divine power, providence, and promise, will, sooner or later, be ashamed of their glorying. Those who will not leave it to God to take vengeance for them, may expect that he will take vengeance on them. The equity of the Lord's judgments is to be observed, when he not only avenges injuries upon those that did them, but by those against whom they were done. Those who treasure up old hatred, and watch for the opportunity of manifesting it, are treasuring up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath.

Explore the Bible Lesson Preview
June 29, 2014
“When Pride Turns to Greed”
Background: Ezekiel 25:1 – 32:32
Lesson: Ezekiel 28:1-5, 11-13a, 14-19

Motivation: Surely by now the Jewish exiles in Babylon had grown weary of Ezekiel’s prophecies against Jerusalem.  As often happens when sin and judgment are disclosed, thoughts immediately turn to the other guy and ask “what about him?”  In this lesson, Ezekiel answers that question about Israel’s neighbors. 

HCSB, p. 1390: 25:1-32:32 “This section of Ezekiel bridges the book’s message of doom and its message of hope.  Doom for Israel’s antagonists spells hope for Israel itself.  The placement of these oracles at this point disrupts the flow of the book and heightens the tension as the destruction of the temple is imminent.  God’s judgment on these nations is based on the Abrahamic covenant, which said that those who cursed Israel would be cursed by God (Gn 12:1-3.¹ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

² And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:)

³ And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. All the nations named in the oracle had either taken part in Jerusalem’s destruction or had rejoiced over it.  The audience for these oracles was Judean, and so they had cause for future hope.”

Examination:

I.    Condemnation of Bitter Revenge (25:1-17)

      “Say to the Ammonites: Hear the word of the Lord God: This is what the Lord God says: Because you said, ‘Good!’ about My sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession.” (25:2-4)

Nation	Relationship with Judah	Sin
Ammon	Founded by Lot’s illegitimate son.	Rejoicing over the defeat of God’s people. (25:6)
Moab	Founded by Lot’s other illegitimate son.	Rejoicing over the defeat of God’s people. (25:8)
Edom	Founded by Esau	Probably aided the Babylonians in attacking Jerusalem. (25:12)
Philistia	Founded by immigrants from Macedonia & Greece	Vengeance against God’s people. (25:15)

II.   Condemnation of Selfish Pride (26:1 – 28:19)

A.   Judgment of the Cities “Son of man, because Tyre said about Jerusalem, ‘Good! The gateway to the peoples is shattered.  She has been turned over to me.  I will be filled now that she lies in ruins,’ therefore this is what the Lord god says: See, I am against you, Tyre! I will raise up many nations against you, just as the sea raises it waves.” (26:2-3)

HCSB, p. 1391; 26:2 “The Phoenicians represented the remnants of the original population that occupied Canaan before the Israelites arrived. As the most powerful city on the Phoenician coast, Tyre dominated not only other coastal cities but much of the Phoenician inland areas as well.  Tyre’s Hebrew name is tsur, which means “rock.” Built atop an island off the Phoenician coast, Tyre was virtually impregnable by sea or land.  The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel (722 B.C.) but were forced to withdraw from their siege of Tyre after five years of effort.  Relations between

Israel and Tyre were often cordial (1 Kg 5; 7). Tyre, the preeminent maritime power of the ancient world, joined Judah in revolt against the Babylonian Empire (Jr 27:3). After Nebuchadnezzar defeated Jerusalem he besieged Tyre for 13 years (585-572 B.C.) but was unsuccessful in his campaign to conquer the offshore rock fortress.  In the fourth century B.C., Alexander built a causeway of stone, timber, and rubble a half mile long and 200 feet wide from the mainland to the island.  By this means Tyre was finally conquered, thus fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophecy (27:36).”

The ancient Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon were renowned for their adventurous seamen and multiplied trade.  In David and Solomon’s day, they cooperated in building the temple (2 Sam. 5:11 ff). Judgment is now forthcoming because they rejoiced in the defeat of God’s people; they thought that the destruction of Jerusalem would increase their share of trade.  Their pride was so great that in 28:6, God’s Word states, “…you regard your heart as that of a god.” Ultimately, all sin results from an attitude which supposes man knows more than God. 

B.   Judgment of Satan (28:1-19)

      Chapter 28 has a double application: First to the historical ruler of Tyre, probably Ittobaal II and next to Satan “you were an anointed guardian cherub” (14)

1.   Sin of Pride “Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.  Yes, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you! By your wisdom and understanding you have acquired wealth for yourself.  You have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.  By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has become proud because of your wealth.” (28:2-5)  Pride centers around the pronouns; “I, Me, My and Mine.”  Our minds attention and hearts affection is diverted from God to us.

2.   Sin of Ingratitude “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, lament for the king of Tyre and say to him: This is what the Lord God says: You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.  You were in Eden, the garden of God.  Every kind of precious stone covered you: carnelian, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and emerald.  Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold; they were prepared on the day you were created.” (28:10-13) Both the King of Tyre and Satan had perfect settings “in Eden, in the garden of God” (12).  Their rebellion and utter lack of gratitude reminds one of Paul’s condemnation, “For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude.” (Romans 1:21)

3.   Sin of Rebellion “You were an anointed guardian cherub, for I had appointed you.  You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones.  From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways until wickedness was found in you.  Through the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned.  So I expelled you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and banished you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.  Your heart became proud because of your beauty; For the sake of your splendor you corrupted your wisdom.  So I threw you down to the earth; I made you a spectacle before kings.  You profaned sanctuaries by the magnitude of your iniquities in your dishonest trade.  So I made fire come from within you, and it consumed you.  I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of everyone watching you.  All those who know you among the nations are appalled at you.  You have become an object of horror and will never exist again.” (28:14-19)

III. Condemnation of Contempt for God’s People (28:20-26)

      Following the long exposition on judgment of Judah’s neighbors, Ezekiel gives a reassuring prophecy of future hope.  Having used Judah’s neighbors to punish her, God promises a future featuring:

A.   Safety – God’s people will not be threatened by so much as a thorn. (24)

B.   Security – Having been scattered, they will now be gathered under the protection of God Himself. (25)

C.   Significance – Not only will they be safe and secure, they will prosper in the land.  This prophecy will obviously have only partial fulfillment until Christ returns to set up His kingdom. (26)

IV. Condemnation of Empty Boasting (29:1 – 32:32)

A.   Four figures to describe Egypt.

1.   Monster (29:3) – crocodile clumsy – powerful                             

2.   Broken reed (29:6-9a) – unreliability

3.   Broken arms (30:20-26) – helplessness

4.   Great cedar tree chopped down (31:1-18) – pride brought down                      

B.   Egypt’s False Sense of Greatness -All through the Old Testament, Egypt is presented as having a false sense of greatness, living in past grandeur.

      History:

3000 BC     - Union of Kingdom

2450          - Great Pyramid

      1720 - 1550     - Rule by Hyksos (foreigners; period of Joseph)

      1520 - 1320     - Military Achievements

      1320 - 1200     - Great building activity, Ramses II – end of greatness

      1200 -   745     - Long period of decay

        745 -   663     - Ethiopian Pharaohs

              663 -   525      - Saitic Dynasty, period of Ezekiel – Pharaoh Necho attempted to recapture grandeur of                                        past.

        332 -              - Alexander ended dynasties of Egypt (30 dynasties) 

C.   False sense of greatness precedes downfall (Rome, England, France)

            Warning signals of downfall (losing power of God)

            1.   Attitude of self-centeredness

            2.   Rebellious attitude toward the will of God

3.   Pride in achievement (past or present)

4.   Loss of interest in Bible Study or prayer

5.   Serious doubts about authenticity of the Bible

6.   Appeal of secular (worldliness)

7.   No remorse over sin

8.   A critical, unforgiving, bitter spirit

D.   Three major lessons from all oracles

1.   Final impotence of world power before God.

2.   Universal sovereignty of God.

3.   Fate of a nation that resists God.            

Application:

1.   Those opposed to God’s people will be judged.

2.   Satan leads forces opposed to God’s purpose and God’s people.

3.   Pride precedes destruction.