Old Testament

Hurricane UtahAdult Religion Class

Week 25:Ezekiel

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Biography of Ezekiel• Born ~623 B.C.• Deported to Babylon 597 B.C.• Called at age 30 (593 B.C.).• Final prophecy 571 B.C. (active 22

years).• A priest.• Married.• ”.God strengthens“ = יחזקאל

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The Book of Ezekiel• Structure:

Chs. 1–24: Oracles against Jerusalem. Chs. 25–32: Oracles against foreign

nations. Chs. 33–48: Oracles of restoration.

• “son of man” (Ezekiel) vs. “Son of man” (Daniel, New Testament).

• D&C 29:21—a lost prophecy of Ezekiel?

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Cherubim• Ezekiel 1:4–24.• Composite creatures:

Four faces (man, ox, lion, eagle).

Two sets of wings. Body of a man. Legs and feet of a calf.

• D&C 77:4.

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Interpreting strange visions

“I make this broad declaration, that where God ever gives a vision of an image, or beast or figure of any kind he always holds himself responsible to give a revelation or interpretation of the meaning thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or accountable for our belief in them it. Don’t be afraid of being damned for not knowing the meaning of a vision or figure where God has not given a revelation or interpretation on the subject…. [In the celestial kingdom there are] beings there, that [have] been saved from ten thousand times ten thousand earths like this, strange beasts of which we have no conception all might be seen in heaven….God glorifies himself by saving all that his hands [have] made, whether beasts, fowl fishes or man.”

—Joseph Smith, 8 April 1843

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Ezekiel’s commission• Ezekiel 2:1–5.• Rebellion against God.

Mosiah 2:37; 3:12; 15:26; 16:5. D&C 59:21. Alma 5:18.

• Rebellion vs. apostasy.

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“Apostasy,” defined“Repeatedly act[ing] in clear, open, and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders.“Persist[ing] in teaching as Church doctrine information that is not Church doctrine after [having] been corrected by [one’s] bishop or a higher authority.“Continu[ing] to follow the teachings of apostate sects (such as those that advocate plural marriage) after being corrected by [one’s] bishop or a higher authority.“Formally join[ing] another church and advocat[ing] its teachings.”

—CHI 2010, 1:57 (6.7.3).

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Avoiding apostasy“As a first step [to being converted], you must lay aside any feeling of pride that is so common in the world today. By this I mean the attitude that rejects the authority of God to rule in our lives…. You hear it expressed today in phrases such as ‘Do your own thing’ or ‘Right and wrong depend on what I feel is right for me.’ That attitude is a rebellion against God, just as Lucifer rebelled against God in the premortal world…. Our beloved Creator does not force us to accept His authority, but willingly submitting to that authority is the first step in conversion.”

—Elder D. Todd Christofferson, April 2004

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Avoiding apostasy“Letters come from those who have made tragic mistakes. They ask, ‘Can I ever be forgiven?’ The answer is yes! The gospel teaches us that relief from torment and guilt can be earned through repentance. Save for those few who defect to perdition after having known a fulness, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no offense exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness.”

—President Boyd K. Packer, October 1995

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Ezekiel’s commission• Ezekiel 2:9–3:3.

(Are scrolls kosher?) Jeremiah 15:16; Revelation 10:8–11. D&C 77:14.

• Ezekiel 3:4–7. A hopeless mission? “Hard of forehead and stiff of heart” (3:7b).

• Ezekiel 3:17–21 (cf. 33:1–20). “A watchman on a tower.” D&C 88:81.

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Men punished for their own sins

• Ezekiel 18:1–3. Vertical and horizontal effects of sin.

• Ezekiel 18:19–20, 30–31. “The son shall not bear the iniquity of

the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son.”

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Against false shepherds• Ezekiel 34:1–6.

Who were the shepherds? What were they guilty of?

• Ezekiel 34:7–10. The shepherds’ punishment.

• Ezekiel 34:11–16. The True Shepherd.

• Ezekiel 34:17–21. True sheep.

• Ezekiel 34:22–25. Promise of restoration.

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The valley of dry bones• Ezekiel

37:1–14.• Literal or

symbolic? See 37:11.

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Ezekiel’s sticks• The vision: Ezekiel 37:15–17.

“For Judah, and for the Israelites associated with him.”

“For Joseph, the branch of Ephraim and all the house of Israel associated with him.”

“Bring near one to one for you for one stick.”

• The interpretation: 37:18–23. Metaphor for gathering and

restoration of Judah and Israel (Ephraim).

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“Sticks” as two books of scripture

“I must tell you of a work that has moved quietly forward in the Church virtually unnoticed. It had its beginning in Old Testament times and is the fulfillment of a prophecy by Ezekiel….“The sticks, of course, are records or books. In ancient Israel records were written upon tablets of wood or scrolls rolled upon sticks. The record of Judah and the record of Ephraim, according to the prophecy, were to become one in our hands. Two events connected with the fulfillment of the prophecy were centered in print shops.”

—Elder Boyd K. Packer, October 1982

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“Sticks” as two books of scripture

• D&C 27:5. “The stick of Ephraim” vs.

“the record of the stick of Ephraim.”• Lehi a descendant of Manasseh

(Alma 10:3).• Ishmael a descendant of Ephraim (?).• Joseph Smith a descendant of Ephraim

(D&C 113:4).• Original context?• “I did liken all scriptures unto us”

(1 Nephi 19:23).

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Gog and MagogEzekiel 38–39

Magog

Persia

Togarmah

Libya

Ethiopia

, Meshech, Tubal, Gomer

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Ezekiel 47:1–13

Next week:Daniel