The “I Wills” of the LORD
Lesson IV
Introduction -
Review
Lesson 1
Our emphasis was on the words in Ezekiel’s oft times repeated:
“The Word of the Lord came to me”. If
the book is not the Word of the Lord, then we can forget it, but if it is the
Word of the Lord, we cannot afford to forget or ignore it.
Lesson 2
We brought to your attention the references to the “glory” in
Ezekiel as being prophetic of certain events connected with the First and
Second Advents of Christ: For the glory of God is seen “in the face of
Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
2 Corinthians 4:6
(6) For God, who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give]
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Lesson 3
We briefly outlined the chapters of the Book of Ezekiel as follows:
Chapters 1-3 Ezekiel’s call
and commission.
Chapters 4-24 Prophecies before the 2nd invasion of
Israel by Babylon.
The first siege had been in 606 BC. At that time some sacred vessels from the
Temple were taken to Babylon, and select individuals were taken captive, such as
Daniel and his three friends (Daniel 1:1-6).
Chapters 25-34 These
prophecies were made during the second siege in 586 BC.
At this time Babylon destroyed Solomon’s temple, the wall and city
of Jerusalem. The story is found in 2 Chronicles 36. It is difficult for us to realize just how
difficult these events were for Israel.
We shall find, later, it was likened to the death of the Prophet’s wife.
His messages at that time were against Ammon,
Moab, Edom, the Philistines, Tyre and Egypt – all
these Nations had oppressed Israel. The
fact that God would also judge the Nations who had been enemies of Israel was
intended to be a comfort to the godly remnant of the Nation of Israel.
Chapters 35-48 Prophecies after the temple and city were destroyed,
and Israel taken captive to Babylon.
The Babylonian captivity is mentioned 220 times in Scripture. [A student I had, said to me that although he
had gone to Church, he had never heard of the Babylonian captivity until he
came to my class!]
These prophecies were intended to encourage Israel during the time
of their captivity, which was a judgment from the hand of God.
We also considered the “wheels within the wheels’ of the
Providence of God, connected with the Ways of God, so difficult for us to
understand.
Today’s lesson,
Lesson 4
We have only listed some of the Scriptures that reveal “the Will
of God” up to chapter 22.
If time permits, we shall look at our Bible beyond that chapter to
the “I wills” that follow.
In the words of Joseph Parker, “Let us take these words as indicating purpose,
resolution, and solemn determination.” We are looking at what God says He will do.
Ezekiel 3:26
(26) And I will make
thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt
be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they [are] a rebellious house.
Exodus 4:11
(11) And the LORD said
unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf,
or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Ezekiel 3:26
speaking to the prophet, “And I will make thy tongue cleave to the
roof of thy mouth, and thou shalt be dumb,...”
Cf. Exodus 4:11 “And the Lord said unto
him, Who made man’s mouth? Or who maketh the
dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord?”
Perhaps these verses should make us think again about many things that
are attributed to the Devil. In these
matters God claims to be Sovereign.
Ezekiel 3:27
(27) But when I speak
with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth,
let him forbear: for they [are] a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 24:26-27
(26) [That] he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause [thee]
to hear [it] with [thine] ears?
(27) In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is
escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb:
and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall
know that I [am] the LORD.
Ezekiel 33:21-22
(21) And it came to
pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth [month], in the fifth [day]
of the month, [that] one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me,
saying, The city is smitten.
(22) Now the hand of
the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had
opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened,
and I was no more dumb.
Ezekiel 3:27 “But when I speak with thee, I
will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto
them...”
Cf. Ezekiel 24:26-27 “...he
that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to
cause thee to hear it with thine ears? In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him
which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more
dumb:...”
Ezekiel 33: 21-22 “ And it came to
pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day
of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying,
The city is smitten. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore
he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the
morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.”
A purpose in reading these three verses together is to show that the
prophecy regarding the Prophet was fulfilled in detail. Thus establishing the way we should read all
the prophecies in the Book.
Ezekiel 4:8, 13
(8) And, behold, I
will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn
thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.
(13) And the LORD
said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their
defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.
Ezekiel 4:8
“And behold, I
will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not
turn one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.”
Is this not so in all sickness? God may use accidents, tornadoes or even the
Devil to bring it about, but His hand is in it all and He will reveal
the plan He was working out in due time.
Ezekiel 4:13
“And the Lord
said, even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the
Gentiles, whether I will drive them.” At
the time of writing this was prophecy.
The rebellious house of
Ezekiel 4:16
(16) Moreover he said
unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and
they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by
measure, and with astonishment:
Matthew 5:45
(45) That ye may be
the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth
rain on the just and on the unjust.
Hosea 2:8-9
(8) For she did not
know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and
gold, [which] they prepared for Baal.
(9) Therefore will I
return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season
thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax [given] to cover her nakedness.
2 Kings 8:1
(1) Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to
life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household,
and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the
LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven
years.
Jeremiah 24:10
(10) And I will send
the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to
their fathers.
Jeremiah 29:17-18
(17) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the
sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that
cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
(18) And I will
persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and
will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a
curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the
nations whither I have driven them:
Ezekiel 4:16 “Moreover he said unto me,
Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem:”
Who provides rain for the earth?
Matthew 5:45 “(he) sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust…”
Who makes food to grow?
Hosea 2: 8,9 “For she did not know that I gave her corn,
and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and her gold, which they prepare
for Baal. Therefore will I return, and
take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season
thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover
her nakedness.”
Who sends famine?
2 Kings 8:1 “Then spake Elisha...the Lord hath called for a famine....”
Jeremiah 24:10 “And I will send the sword, the
famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from the
land that I gave unto them and their fathers.”
Jeremiah 29:17,18 “Thus saith the LORD of
hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the
pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are
so evil. And I will persecute them
with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence,
and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a
curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a
reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them.”
Ezekiel 5:16
(16) When I shall send
upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for [their] destruction, [and]
which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and
will break your staff of bread:
Ezekiel 5:16 “When I shall send upon them
the evil arrows of famine , which shall be for their destruction, and which I
will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and
will break your staff of bread: So will
I send upon you famine and evil beasts , and they
shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I
will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.”
Who can read verses like this, and there are many more, and not see
that famine is a judgment upon people who have rejected God.
Ezekiel 5:2
(2) Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city,
when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt
take a third part, [and] smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword
after them.
1 Chronicles 5:22
(22) For there fell down many slain, because the war [was] of God.
And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.
Ezekiel 5:2 the last part of the
verse “...and I will draw out a sword after them.”
This and many other verses not only in Ezekiel but in other writings of
the Prophets shows clearly that war is always God’s judgments upon sinful
nations. So it is impossible for sinful
men to bring lasting peace to this earth.
cf 1 Chronicles 5:22
Ezekiel 5:8
(8) Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, [am] against thee,
and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.
Romans 11:22
(22) Behold therefore
the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward
thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Ezekiel 5:8 “Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, am against thee ,and will execute judgments in the midst
of thee in the sight of the nations.”
In other words, the judgments will be so visible that all the nations
can see it.
Romans 11:22 “Behold
therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity...”
We know that it was the Jews who fell.
Where was God when
Ezekiel 5:9
(9) And I will do in
thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like,
because of all thine abominations.
Luke 12:48
(48) But he that knew
not, and did commit things worthy of [stripes], shall be beaten with few
stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and
to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Ezekiel 5:9 “And I will do in thee that
which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like,
because of all thine abominations.”
To whom much has been given of him much shall be required (Luke 12:48). The suffering of the Jews is to be greater
than any nation so that all the nations will see and know that the hand of God
is in history.
Ezekiel 5:10
(10) Therefore the
fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their
fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee
will I scatter into all the winds.
1 Chronicles 16:14
(14) He [is] the LORD
our God; his judgments [are] in all the earth.
Ezekiel 5:10 “Therefore the
fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their
fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee
will
I scatter into all the winds” (i.e. every direction).
Remember these things were prophesied aforetime that the Nations of the
world might be without excuse because they should know that there is a God in
Heaven who is in charge of the affairs of ungodly men (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:14).
Ezekiel 5:11
(11) Wherefore, [as] I
live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast
defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish [thee];
neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
Hebrews 10:30
(30) For we know him
that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will
recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall
judge his people.
Ezekiel 5:11 “Wherefore, as I
live, saith the Lord God; Surely,
because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with
all thine abominations, therefore will
I also deminish thee, neither shall mine eye
spare, neither will I have pity.”
Do not think, as some do, that the God of the Old Testament is not the
God of the New Testament. The same God is God still. Vengeance belongeth
unto God (Hebrews 10:30). If judgment
fell upon
Ezekiel 5:12-14
(12) A third part of
thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in
the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee;
and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword
after them.
(13) Thus shall mine
anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will
be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have
spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.
(14) Moreover I will
make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that
[are] round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.
Hebrews 9:27
(27) And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Ezekiel 5:12-14 “A third part of
thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in
the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee;
and I
will scatter a third part into all the winds and will draw out a sword
after them.”
Verse 13 “Thus
shall my anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon
them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have
spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury.”
Verse 14 “Moreover
I
will make thee waste and a reproach among the nations....”
Would anyone be so bold as to say these things have not been a part of
Jewish history? The burden of proof
rests with the unbeliever. Details are
so spelled-out in Ezekiel that finally, all men will be without excuse as to
the fact of the reality of the hand of God in history and in the judgments of
time, which are but warnings of the judgment yet to come (Hebrews 9:27).
Ezekiel 5:16-17
(16) When I shall send
upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for [their] destruction, [and]
which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and
will break your staff of bread:
(17) So will I send
upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence
and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.
Ezekiel 5:16-17 “I
will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon
you...” “So will I send upon you
famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood
shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have
spoken it.”
Ezekiel 6:3-6
(3) And say, Ye
mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith
the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the
valleys; Behold, I, [even] I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy
your high places.
(4) And your altars
shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your
slain [men] before your idols.
(5) And I will lay the
dead carcases of the children of Israel before their
idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.
(6) In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high
places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate,
and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and
your works may be abolished.
Zephaniah 3:6
(6) I have cut off the
nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no
man, that there is none inhabitant.
Ezekiel 6:3-6 “And say, ye mountains of Israel.....Behold, I
even I will bring a sword upon
you, and I will destroy you high places. And your altars will be desolate,
your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of
My first trip to the Land of Israel in 1952 was a disappointment to the
brother who paid my way. He had expected
the land to be like the Garden of Eden, but we spent most of our time walking
through ruins of cities and towns. And God clearly says, He ruined the cities.
Ezekiel 6:11-12
(11) Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine
hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of
the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by
the pestilence.
(12) He that is far
off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword;
and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by
the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.
Ezekiel 6:11-12
“Thus saith the Lord God;
Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and
say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! For they shall fall by the sword,by the famine, and by the pestilence. He that is far off shall die of the
pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by famine; thus will
I accomplish my fury upon them.”
How could our Lord have spoken more plainly? The problem is that we have not bothered to
read what the Lord has said that He would do.
Ezekiel 6:14
14 So will I stretch
out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the
wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations:
and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.
Ezekiel 6:14
“So will
I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more
desolate than the wilderness.....”
In a book by Henry Van Dyke, first printed in 1908 on page 28 he
writes: “There were few trees, except
now and then an olive-orchard or a round topped carob with its withered pods.”
Page 49 “Jerusalem
is no longer and never will be, the capital of an earthly kingdom.” (How wrong he was about the future of
Page 61 “The
greasy, gliddery steps of David street.” It is still so.
Page 70 He
mentions the city of Jaffa. At that time
there was no city called Tel Aviv.
Page 224 “If
the Jews really want Palestine, no doubt they can have it.” How wrong he was here.
I have quoted from this book to show how literal was the desolation of
the
There are many
desolate places on earth and the Lord has made them all.
Ezekiel 7:8-9
(8) Now will I shortly
pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will
judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.
(9) And mine eye shall
not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways
and thine abominations [that] are in the midst of
thee; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD that smiteth.
Ezekiel 7:8 “Now will
I shortly pour out my fury upon thee...and I will judge thee
according to thy ways.”
The only nation on earth that has received what she has deserved is the
nation of Israel. This is intended to be
a warning to all other nations. What is
stated in verse 8 is repeated in verse 9.
Ezekiel 7:21-24
(21) And I will give
it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth
for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.
(22) My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret
[place]: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.
(23) Make a chain: for
the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.
(24) Wherefore I will
bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will
also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be
defiled.
Ezekiel 7:21
“I will give it (the land) into the
hands of strangers (Gentiles) for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a
spoil; and they shall pollute it.”
Read history. First the Babylonians. Then the Medes and Persians.
Then the Greeks, then
the Romans. All rule the
Ezekiel 7:22 “My face will
I turn away from them.”
This alone would
explain the horrors of the holocaust during the days of Hitler in my lifetime!
Ezekiel 7: 24 “Wherefore I
will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their
houses….”
This began to be
fulfilled with the coming of Babylon.
Ezekiel 12:13-14, 25, 28
(13) My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare:
and I will bring him to Babylon [to] the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he
not see it, though he shall die there.
(14) And I will
scatter toward every wind all that [are] about him to help him, and all his
bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.
(25) For I [am] the
LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it
shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say
the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
(28) Therefore say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none
of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be
done, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 12:13-14 The prince....I
will bring him to
Ezekiel 12:25 “For I am the
LORD; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to
pass”, cf verse 28.
Ezekiel 15:7-8
(7) And I will set my
face against them; they shall go out from [one] fire, and [another] fire shall
devour them; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I set my face against
them.
(8) And I will make
the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith
the Lord GOD
Ezekiel 15:7 And I
will set my face against them
Ezekiel 15:8 And I
will make the land desolate
Ezekiel 16:38
(38) And I will judge
thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
Ezekiel 16:38 And I
will judge thee as women that break wedlock..”
Ezekiel 22:15
(15) And I will
scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will
consume thy filthiness out of thee.
Ezekiel 22:15 “And I
will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the
countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.”
Ezekiel 23:30, 46-47
(30) I will do these [things]
unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, [and] because thou
art polluted with their idols.
(46) For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them,
and will give them to be removed and spoiled.
(47) And the company
shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall
slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
We quote but
three verses from chapter 23, which is full of “I wills”.
Ezekiel 23:30 “I
will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the
heathen, and because thou art polluted with idols.”
Ezekiel 23:46-47 “For thus saith
the Lord God; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be
removed and spoiled. And the company
shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall
slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.”
Much of what the Lord had said that He would do to the nation of
Israel, He has already done. One cannot
read these things lightly. These
predictions have been fulfilled to the very letter. All Jewish history proves the truth of Holy
Scripture and thus should sober our hearts.
Journalists who cover religion in the secular press selected the
Holocaust as the 20th century’s most important religious event.” (Jerusalem
Dispatch, March-April 2000).
There are many
more I
wills in the following chapters of Ezekiel, how will they be fulfilled?