Name: The Bearded Bible Brothers: Ezekiel and the MidEast “Piece” Process
Released: 2008-06-29

Ezekiel: The Man, His Time, His Message — Then and Now

957 Length 28:29 First aired 2008-06-29 [CC]

His name means “God strengthens.” Reared as a priest in Jerusalem, Ezekiel finds himself among the exiles who are taken to Babylon. His encounter with God in a heavenly vision launches his prophetic message to a wayward people.

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Caption transcript for Ezekiel and the MidEast ‘Piece’ Process: “Ezekiel: The Man, His Time, His Message — Then and Now” (1/8)

00:04 WITH DR. JEFFERY SEIF AND SANDRA LEVITT
00:10 THE LORD SAID UNTO EZEKIEL,
00:11 "SON OF MAN, CAN THESE BONES LIVE?"
00:21 "PROPHECY UPON THESE BONES AND SAY UNTO THEM,"
00:24 "OH YE DRY BONES, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD."
01:03 A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
01:05 JEFFERY SEIF HERE WITH SANDRA LEVITT.
01:07 SHALOM
01:08 WELCOME TO THE NEW SERIES ON EZEKIEL.
01:12 JEFF, THIS IS TERRIFIC!
01:14 YES, EZEKIEL AND THE MID-EAST 'PIECE' PROCESS.
01:19 PUZZLED ARE WE ABOUT THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN?
01:22 WE'RE GONNA PUT IT TOGETHER FOR YOU, PIECE BY PIECE BY EXPLORING EZEKIEL.
01:28 I LOVE EZEKIEL.
01:29 EZEKIEL TO ME
01:31 IS THE PROMISE, THE HOPE
01:33 THAT EVERYONE WILL KNOW, "I AM THE LORD".
01:36 "THIS IS THE REASON I'M DOING IT."
01:38 "I'M GONNA CHASTISE YOU, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU CHARITY.
01:40 "YOU ARE MY PEOPLE"
01:43 "AND EVERYONE WILL COME TO KNOW YOU."
01:45 HOW MANY TIMES DOES HE SAY,
01:48 "THAT THE WORLD MIGHT KNOW THE LORD," IN EZEKIEL?
01:50 65 TIMES.
01:51 YOU'D THINK SOMEBODY WOULD GET IT WOULDN'T YOU?
01:54 YES. >>I LOVE IT.
01:55 THAT WOMEN AND MEN MIGHT COME TO KNOW GOD.
02:00 THAT'S OUR PURPOSE TO BE A WITNESS.
02:02 FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT
02:04 AND JOURNEY WITH US.
02:07 ENTER INTO A TIME MACHINE
02:09 AND GO BACK TO A FASCINATING WORLD OF VISIONS
02:14 AND A WORLD WITH DIVISIONS
02:16 AND SEE HOW IT'S ALL PUT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
02:19 EZEKIEL AND THE MIDDLE-EAST 'PIECE' PROCESS.
02:23 HERE WE GO.
02:26 IN 593 BC, EZEKIEL WAS AMONG THE EXILES BY THE RIVER KIPAR IN BABYLONIA.
02:33 AND THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED AND HE SAW VISIONS OF GOD.
02:40 A WHIRLWIND CAME OUT OF THE NORTH AND A BRIGHTNESS WAS ABOUT IT.
02:49 HIS NAME MEANS, "GOD STRENGTHENS"
02:52 AND EZEKIEL WAS GOING TO USE ALL THE STRENGTH HE COULD MUSTER.
02:58 AND WHY IS THAT?
03:00 BECAUSE THIS MAN LIVED AT THE RAGGED EDGE OF TIME.
03:06 AND WHAT TIME WAS IT PRAY TELL?
03:08 IT WAS A TIME WHEN THE CHICKENS WERE COMING HOME TO ROOST.
03:14 WHY DO I SAY THAT?
03:16 WHEN MANASSA CAME TO POWER, HEZEKIAH'S SON,
03:21 HE BROUGHT BAD THINGS WITH HIM..
03:25 IDOLATRY.
03:26 AND WITH BAD RELIGION CAME BAD PRACTICE.
03:30 PEOPLE WERE DEBAUCHED FROM THEIR PERSONAL LIVES.
03:33 THEY WERE UNETHICAL.
03:34 THEY WERE UNJUST.
03:36 JOSIAH, HIS GRANDSON CAME TO POWER AND ENDEAVORED TO MAKE SOME REFORMS
03:43 AND HE WAS GOOD ABOUT IT, BUT SADLY HE DIED YOUNG ON THE PLAINS OF MEGIDDO...ARMAGEDDON.
03:52 HIS SUCCESSORS WERE LIKE THE GRANDFATHER, THEY WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE.
03:57 AND THE HEBREW BIBLE TELLS US THAT THE WOUND WAS INCURABLE.
04:02 AND AGAINST THAT BACKDROP EZEKIEL MAKES HIS ENTRANCE ONTO THE STAGE OF THE HUMAN DRAMA.
04:09 AND HE MAKES HIS ENTRANCE AT A TIME WHEN IN THE WAKE OF THE BATTLE OF CARCAMESH
04:16 BABYLONIA CAME TO POWER AND JUDEA WAS ANNEXED AS A BABYLONIAN HOLDING.
04:23 AND IT WAS ONLY A QUESTION OF TIME.
04:26 EZEKIEL WITH 10,000 OTHERS WERE SPIRITED AWAY TO BABYLONIA.
04:31 SOME REMAINED IN JUDEA, BUT THEIR FATE IN EFFECT, WAS SEALED.
04:37 EZEKIEL, THE NAME MEANS, "GOD STRENGTHEN" AND AS I SAID,
04:43 HE WAS GOING TO NEED ALL THE STRENGTH HE COULD MUSTER.
04:48 AND TO HELP HIM ALONG THIS MAN HAD A VISION OF GOD.
04:55 COMPARABLE TO ISAIAH WHO IN THE 6TH CHAPTER HAS A VISION OF GOD IN HIS THRONE ROOM.
05:01 AND YOU HEAR IN THE TEXT,
05:03 "KODOISH, KODOISH, KODOISH, ADONAI TSEBAYOTH",
05:06 "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD ALMIGHTY, THE LORD OF HOSTS"
05:12 AND HERE EZEKIEL HAS A POWERFUL VISION OF HIS OWN.
05:18 AND AGAIN HE MINISTERED AT A TIME WHEN VISION AND VISION OF HOPE WAS NEEDED.
05:26 FOR HOPE WAS IN VERY HIGH DEMAND AND VERY SHORT SUPPLY.
05:31 AND WHY IS THAT?
05:32 BECAUSE JUDEA HAD SUNK.
05:35 THE TEMPLE WAS TO BE OVERUN.
05:37 THE COMMONWEALTH WOULD COLLAPSE.
05:40 AND EZEKIEL MINISTERED AMONGST REFUGEES, EXILES IN A BIG REFUGEE CAMP...
05:47 DISPLACED PERSONS, MISERABLE PERSONS, AND TO THOSE PERSONS EZEKIEL HAD A MESSAGE OF HOPE.
05:56 I'D LIKE YOU TO OPEN UP YOUR BIBLES, PLEASE AND MINE, IN THE 1ST CHAPTER OF THE 1ST VERSE:
06:01 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
06:04 AND IT CAME TO PASS
06:05 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
06:12 AND IT CAME TO PASS,
06:14 IN THE 30TH YEAR,
06:16 IN THE 4TH MONTH,
06:18 IN THE 5TH DAY OF THE MONTH,
06:20 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
06:28 AND AS I WAS AMONG THE CAPTIVES
06:31 BY THE RIVER KEBAR
06:32 THAT THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED TO ME.
06:36 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
06:40 AND I SAW VISIONS OF GOD.
06:44 AND WHAT A VISION IT WAS.
06:47 WE READ IN VERSE 4, HE SAYS:
06:48 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
06:51 AND I LOOKED
07:05 HE HAD A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.
07:08 EZEKIEL MINISTERED AT A TIME WHEN JUDEA WAS IN A RUINOUS STATE.
07:15 AND AS I STAND HERE IN AMONGST FORMER RUINS OF A BY GONE ERA,
07:20 JUST BENEATH THE JEWISH QUARTER IN MODERN ISRAEL.
07:23 YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SIGHT OF A FORMER DEVASTATION AS THE COMMONWEALTH COLLAPSED.
07:31 WELL, IN THIS SERIES ON EZEKIEL WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER THE DEMISE
07:35 AND WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER THE RISE AS WE CONSIDER WHAT EZEKIEL HAS TO SAY,
07:41 AS WE LOOK AT EZEKIEL AND THE MID-EAST 'PIECE' PROCESS
07:45 AND CONSIDER THE PROPHETIC WORD THAT HE BROUGHT FROM HIS TROUBLED CIRCUMSTANCE.
07:52 AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO EZEKIEL,
07:55 "SON OF MAN, I SHALL TAKE YOUR WIFE FROM YOU.'
07:58 "WEEP NOT, MOURN NOT."
08:01 "AND SO IT WAS THAT THE LORD REVEALED TO ISRAEL"
08:05 "THAT JERUSALEM'S TEMPLE WOULD SOON PASS AWAY."
08:09 "THE DEATH OF A BELOVED WIFE,"
08:11 "A HOLY TEMPLE VANQUISHED,"
08:14 "A PICTURE OF GRIEF BEYOND EXPRESSION."
08:21 WE ARE STANDING ON HOLY GROUND.
08:25 NOW THAT'S AN OLD SONG OF THE CHURCH.
08:28 AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW WE ARE STANDING ON HOLY GROUND.
08:34 IT DOESN'T GET A WHOLE LOT HOLIER THAN THIS, HERE IN JERUSALEM.
08:40 HERE AT THE SOUTHERN STEPS OF THE TEMPLE PROPER, STEPS THAT JESUS CHRIST WALKED UP AND DOWN.
08:47 IT'S A THRILL TO COME TO YOU FROM THIS PLACE.
08:51 IN FACT THIS PLACE IS A THRILL FOR SO MANY.
08:55 YOU CAN SEE THE GOLDEN BRICKS ALIGHTING BEHIND ME,
08:59 THERE'S A FAMOUS SONG THE JEWS SING, "YERUSHALAYIM SHEL ZAHAV", "JERUSALEM A CITY OF GOLD."
09:06 I LOVE THIS CITY, YOU LOVE THIS CITY, AND EZEKIEL LOVED THIS CITY.
09:13 A PRIEST...CAN'T TELL YOU HOW HEART BROKEN HE WAS, HOWEVER,
09:18 TO HAVE TO INFORM THAT THIS CITY WILL BE LAID WASTE.
09:25 I'M SITTING ON TOP OF PILLARS HERE IN THE TEMPLE COMPLEX
09:29 THAT WERE FELLED IN A FORMER GENERATION.
09:32 "THE LORD GIVES AND THE LORD TAKES AWAY".
09:35 YOU'VE HEARD THAT EXPRESSION.
09:37 THIS IS THE LORD'S HOUSE
09:39 AND HE LET HIS HOUSE BE OVERRUN,
09:41 BECAUSE OF THE INIQUITY OF HIS PEOPLE.
09:46 THE WAY EZEKIEL WAS POSITIONED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT IS STRIKING.
09:51 AND WHY DO I SAY THAT?
09:53 EZEKIEL WAS A PRIEST TRAINED TO MINISTER IN THIS HOUSE.
09:58 EZEKIEL, HOWEVER, WAS SPIRITED WAY FROM THIS HOUSE WITH 10,000 OTHERS
10:04 AFTER THE BABYLONIANS ANNEXED JUDEA AS ONE OF IT'S HOLDINGS.
10:09 AND IN CAPTIVITY EZEKIEL WAS GIVEN A WORD.
10:13 BUT HE WASN'T JUST GIVEN A WORD,
10:16 TRAGICALLY HE WAS GIVEN AN ILLUSTRATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT WORD.
10:22 IF YOU'D OPEN UP YOUR BIBLES PLEASE TO EZEKIEL CHAPTER 24,
10:27 I WANT TO READ SOME HORRIBLE TEXT TO YOU.
10:32 HORRIBLE IN VERSE 16:
10:36 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
10:38 "SON OF MAN"
10:40 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
10:42 "BEHOLD"
10:44 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
10:51 "BEHOLD I WILL TAKE AWAY FROM YOU WITH ONE STROKE THE DESIRE OF YOUR EYES.
11:02 THE LORD TOLD EZEKIEL "I AM GOING TO TAKE YOUR WIFE'S LIFE".
11:10 AND THE DEATH OF EZEKIEL'S WIFE WAS RIGHT AT THE TIME WHEN
11:16 THIS TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM SUFFERED IT'S OWN DEATH.
11:23 WHEN IT WAS FINALLY OVERRUN BY THE BABYLONIANS.
11:26 AND IN AS MUCH AS EZEKIEL LOST THE DESIRE OF HIS EYES.
11:33 WE READ IN EZEKIEL 24:21 THAT THIS WAS ILLUSTRATIVE OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN JUDEA
11:41 AND IS MADE EXPLICIT.
11:43 HE SAYS AND I QUOTE:
12:05 TRAGIC WORDS UTTERED MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
12:12 AND HERE I SIT AMONGST THE DEVASTATIONS OF A FORMER GENERATION.
12:20 LET ME JUST SAY PARENTHETICALLY, THAT YOU'RE INVITED TO COME AND WALK IN THESE STEPS,
12:27 THE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARK IN JERUSALEM,
12:30 AND THE DAVIDSON CENTER OF THE PARK PARTICULARLY
12:34 HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF RESURRECTING ALL OF THIS.
12:37 BUT THE RESURRECTION OF THIS PALES IN COMPARISON TO THE RESURRECTION TO COME.
12:44 EZEKIEL IN THESE DARK DAYS FORECASTED GLOOMY DAYS.
12:50 BUT HE SAID AS WELL THAT THE BRIGHT LIGHT WILL ONCE AGAIN RISE OVER THE HORIZON
12:55 AND ILLUMINATE THESE STONES, THE LIMESTONE HERE IN JERUSALEM.
13:00 THE PROPHET HAD BAD NEWS, BUT HE CLOSED ON GOOD NEWS.
13:04 AND SPEAKING OF BAD AND GOOD NEWS,
13:06 HERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MIDDLE EAST 'PIECE' PROCESS FROM EZEKIEL'S PERSPECTIVE.
13:12 THERE'S BAD NEWS, BUT THERE'S GOOD NEWS STILL TO COME.
13:22 FOR INSIGHTFUL PERSPECTIVES OF ISRAEL AND BIBLE PROPHECY
13:26 ASK FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER "THE LEVITT LETTER".
13:30 WHEN YOU CALL, BE SURE TO ASK FOR OUR FREE CATALOGUE
13:32 WITH THE LATEST VIDEOS, BOOKS, AND MUSIC.
13:35 OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE, "THE INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH CHRISTIAN STUDIES" INCLUDES:
13:39 READING PACKETS, TEACHING CDs, AND MAIL-IN TESTS.
13:43 YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN US ON AN UPCOMING TOUR OF ISRAEL OR PETRA
13:46 OR CRUISE THE MEDITERRANEAN, VISITING GREECE AND EPHESUS.
13:49 PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
13:53 HEY, YOU LIKE THIS GUYS? (JEFF) >>YEAH!!! (CROWD)
13:55 JOIN US IN ISRAEL FOR A TRIP OF A LIFETIME.
13:58 MY FATHER'S COME 5 TIMES BEFORE AND LOVES ISRAEL.
14:03 AND THIS IS IS MY 1ST TIME
14:06 AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW, BEYOND WORDS
14:08 THE MEANING OF COMING HOME.
14:10 IT'S BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION
14:14 AND I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE THIS,
14:17 I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE LIKE THIS.
14:19 AND THE EXPERIENCE HAS TO BE HAD IN PERSON.
14:24 ONE OF THE STORIES THAT I LOVE TO TELL IS WHEN WE'RE IN ISRAEL
14:27 AND PEOPLE FALL IN LOVE WITH THE LAND,
14:30 FALL IN LOVE WITH THE PEOPLE,
14:32 AND THEY COME TO US AND THEY SAY,
14:34 "I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE LIVED IN BIBLE TIMES."
14:37 AND JEFF AND I LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND KIND OF CHUCKLE AND WE SAY,
14:40 "YOU ARE LIVING IN BIBLE TIMES."
14:43 IT IS FASCINATING THE DAYS WE LIVE IN
14:46 AND WE ARE PLEASED TO OFFER YOU THIS WEEK, THE OFFER:
14:49 "ISRAEL, THE CHURCH, AND THE FUTURE,"
14:51 WE HAVE NEWS LETTERS,
14:53 WE HAVE DVDs, WE HAVE THE INTERNET.
14:57 MY GOODNESS WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF WAYS
14:59 FOR PEOPLE TO TUNE INTO US.
15:01 IT'S A BIBLE TEACHING MINISTRY.
15:03 THERE'S A GREAT STORY THERE TOO
15:05 ABOUT ISRAEL, THE CHURCH AND THE FUTURE
15:07 TO SEE HOW BIBLE PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED IN OUR DAY.
15:11 FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT,
15:13 PEOPLE, ALL WE NEED IS YOUR TIME.
15:15 IF YOU WOULD GO TO:
15:19 YOU CAN SEE OUR STUFF ONLINE,
15:22 PAST TELEVISION PROGRAMS ARE FREE IF YOU WANNA VIEW IT THERE.
15:25 WE CARE TO GET THE WORD OUT.
15:27 INDIVIDUALS SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY TO ENABLE US TO DO THAT
15:30 AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GET THE WORD OUT.
15:33 AND SPEAKING OF THE WORD AND GETTING IT OUT, IT WAS EZEKIEL'S JOB TO GET IT IN.
15:38 STRANGE WAS THE MOMENT WHEN GOD GAVE HIM A SCROLL AND HE SAID, "EAT IT."
15:42 HENCE, THE PROVERBIAL EXPRESSION, "TO EAT THESE WORDS."
15:46 LET'S CHECK OUT GOD'S WORD AND EZEKIEL'S WORD AS WE CONTINUE
15:49 WITH EZEKIEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST 'PIECE' PROCESS.
15:55 AND EZEKIEL REACHED TOWARDS THE LORD AND RECEIVED A SCROLL.
15:59 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO EZEKIEL,
16:01 "SON OF MAN, EAT THIS SCROLL AND GO SPEAK UNTO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL MY WORDS."
16:07 THE MOURNFUL MESSAGE TO ISRAEL WOULD BE TROUBLING.
16:11 BUT IN HIS OBEDIENCE TO GOD
16:13 EZEKIEL WOULD FIND THE TASTE OF THE SCROLL TO BE AS SWEET AS HONEY.
16:22 I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE,
16:24 BUT I KNOW FOR MYSELF
16:27 THAT WHEN I FIND MYSELF STRESSED, PERPLEXED,
16:31 I FIND IT TO BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO GET INTO THE SCRIPTURES.
16:35 FOR WHAT I WANT TO DO IS GET GOD'S WORD IN MY MIND, TO HELP ME HAVE EQUILIBRIUM.
16:41 TO HELP TO HAVE PEACE, TO HELP ME TO, WITH GOD'S HELP, GET NEW IDEAS
16:47 IN ORDER TO CONFRONT THE PRESSING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE IMPOSING THEMSELVES UPON ME.
16:54 EZEKIEL FINDS HIMSELF IN A WORLD WHERE HE AND THE JUDEAN EXILES WERE PRESSED ROUND ABOUT.
17:02 AND I FIND IT INTERESTING PERSONALLY THAT THERE'S A STORY HERE
17:06 OF EZEKIEL COMING UPON GOD'S WORD AND BEING TOLD TO ACTUALLY EAT IT
17:12 AND THEN REPORTING THAT IT WAS SWEET TO HIM.
17:15 I FIND SOMETHING IN THIS LIVING DRAMA THAT'S SO VERY POWERFUL,
17:18 NOT JUST FOR EZEKIEL, BUT FOR ME.
17:23 I'M INTERESTED IN EZEKIEL AT ONE LEVEL BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY.
17:27 IT'S FASCINATING AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE AS WE FOLLOW ALONG IN THIS SERIES
17:31 HOW EZEKIEL ENVISIONS THE WORLD AT THE RAGGED EDGE OF TIME.
17:35 AND HE SAYS WHAT GOD'S GOING TO DO IN THAT WORLD
17:37 AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HOW ISRAEL'S RECONSTITUTION AS NATION STATE FACTORS INTO THAT.
17:42 YOU'RE GOING HEAR ABOUT HOW THE NATIONS ROUND ABOUT ARE HELL BENT ON HER DESTRUCTION
17:46 AND A WHOLE LOT MORE.
17:48 YOU'RE GONNA LEARN ABOUT THE END GAME IN HUMAN HISTORY.
17:50 BUT HERE AS EZEKIEL IS PRESSED WE LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT HIS STORY
17:56 IN CHAPTER 3 VERSE 1 THE LORD SAYS:
18:02 AND THEN WE'RE TOLD THAT HE COMES UPON A SCROLL.
18:04 AND THEN WE'RE TOLD AT THE END OF VERSE 3
18:12 SO IT'S FASCINATING AND IT BEARS REMINDING,
18:16 THOSE OF YOU THAT NEED GOD'S PEACE PLAN FOR YOUR OWN CIRCUMSTANCES,
18:21 YOU'D DO WELL TO GET INTO GOD'SWORD TO DIGEST IT, TO TAKE IT IN.
18:26 I CAN'T UNDERSCORE THAT ENOUGH.
18:29 I MEAN IT'S A PASTORAL POINT AT ONE LEVEL.
18:31 AND YOU DON'T NEED TO WATCH NATIONAL TV,
18:33 YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR THIS IN YOUR OWN LOCAL CHURCH.
18:36 BUT IT'S SO WORTH UNDERSCORING
18:38 THAT WHAT YOU NEED IF YOU FIND YOURSELF PRESSED IS YOU NEED TO GET IN THE WORD.
18:43 YOU NEED TO EAT IT, YOU NEED THAT FIBER OF THE WORD TO INFORM YOU AND TO STRENGTHEN YOU.
18:50 AND IN AS MUCH AS EZEKIEL'S NAME MEANS, "GOD STRENGTHENS,"
18:53 THAT YOU CAN DO WHAT EZEKIEL DID AND GET STRENGTHENED.
18:56 WELL HE WAS STRENGTHENED FOR A PURPOSE, BEYOND HIS OWN NEEDING TO RECOVER EQUILIBRIUM.
19:00 WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 10 OF THIS SAME CHAPTER, CHAPTER 3
19:05 THE LORD SAYS:
19:14 FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS OPEN OURSELVES UP TO HEAR THE SCRIPTURES.
19:18 TO GET THEM IN OUR MIND AND THEN TO OPEN UP OUR HEART,
19:21 LET IT GO THROUGH OUR EARS, INTO OUR MIND AND THEN DOWN INTO OUR HEART.
19:41 LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, EZEKIEL HAD A REALLY TOUGH ASSIGNMENT.
19:46 AND HE WAS STRENGTHENED FOR THE TASK IN PART,
19:49 BECAUSE HE HAD A GODLY VISION.
19:52 THE LORD HAD SHOWN UP AND GIVEN HIM A VISION OF WHO HE WAS,
19:57 A FANTASTIC VISION.
19:59 AND WITH THAT HE WAS STRENGTHENED,
20:03 IN FACT HIS NAME MEANS, "GOD STRENGTHENS," AS I'VE SAID, RATHER PROVIDENTIAL IT SEEMS.
20:08 IN ANY CASE WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A STORY OF A MAN WHO'S BEING GIRDED UP.
20:12 HE'S GETTING INTO THE WORD, HE'S STUDYING UP, HE'S ENCOURAGED TO SPEAK UP.
20:18 AND WHY IS THAT?
20:19 BECAUSE GOD WAS GOING TO WORK THROUGH EZEKIEL TO TELL THE STORY
20:23 TO LOOK AT THE UNFOLDING OF THE MYSTERY OF THE AGES.
20:27 FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT FOLLOW ME THROUGH EZEKIEL,
20:31 WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A WHIRLWIND TRIP THROUGH TIME.
20:34 WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO EZEKIEL'S TIME.
20:37 WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE PRESENT TIME AND THEN A TIME TO COME.
20:42 AS WE CONSIDER GOD'S PEACE PLAN.
20:44 WE CONSIDER ABC, NBC, FOX NEWS,
20:48 AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR BIBLE NEWS AND YOU'RE GONNA BE FASCINATED.
20:52 THIS MAN ATE THE WORD, HE GOT THE MIND OF THE LORD,
20:56 AND HE GAVE A WORD THAT'S SPELL BINDING FOR ITS POTENCY.
21:00 YOU'RE GONNA BE DRAWN INTO EZEKIEL'S WORLD
21:03 AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE WORLD AT THE RAGGED EDGE OF TIME.
21:06 AND IN THE PROCESS OF SO DOING, I HOPE YOU'LL GET A WORD FOR YOUR OWN TIME
21:11 AND BE REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT AT THE END OF DAYS
21:14 GOD HAS A PEACE PLAN TO RESTORE PEACE TO YOU PERSONALLY
21:17 AND RESTORE PEACE TO THE WORLD AT LARGE.
21:28 ♪(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)♪
22:25 ZOLA WROTE OVER 50 ALBUMS OF MUSIC.
22:29 THE MUSIC THAT YOU JUST HEARD IS JUST ONE OF THOSE SONGS.
22:33 HIS MUSIC REALLY SPEAKS TO THE JEWISHNESS OF THE MESSIAH AND THE JEWISHNESS OF THE WORD.
22:39 JEFF, I'M LISTENING TO YOUR TEACHING,
22:41 I'M LISTENING TO ALL ABOUT EZEKIEL,
22:44 HOW HUMBLE HE WAS,
22:45 HOW SUBMISSIVE HE WAS,
22:46 EATING GOD'S WORD,
22:47 AND YET VERY SUBMISSIVE TO GOD.
22:49 AND IN A MINUTE WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM RABBI KOHEN.
22:54 DOESN'T MAKE ANY MUSIC,
22:56 BUT HE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE ZOLA LEVITT.
23:00 AN INTERESTING FELLOW, RABBI KOHEN IS.
23:03 HE IS AN ORTHODOX JEWISH RABBI, YESHIVA TRAINED, A SERIOUS SCHOLAR,
23:08 DRAWS FROM THE JEWISH BIBLE, FROM A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE,
23:13 HAS COMMITMENTS TO THE JEWISH TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT
23:17 AND HE GOES INTO THE INTERESTING ANCIENT WORD
23:20 AND FINDS APPLICATIONS FOR TODAY THAT WOULD RELATE TO PROPHECY.
23:24 AND HERE NOW IS SANDRA LEVITT WITH RABBI KOHEN.
23:29 RABBI KOHEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US,
23:31 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EZEKIEL.
23:32 WE'RE IN A NEW SERIES, THE EZEKIEL SERIES
23:35 AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW PROPHECY REALLY IS PART OF OUR LIVES,
23:39 NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT THE FUTURE.
23:41 AND I LOVE THE STORY ABOUT YOU
23:43 GETTING TOGETHER WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE
23:45 AND THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT PROPHECY.
23:48 HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?
23:50 IN ONE OF OUR STUDY GROUPS
23:52 I BEGAN TO INCLUDE THE TOPIC OF PROPHECY
23:57 AND THE REASON FOR IT WAS
23:59 TO HAVE THE PEOPLE AT LEAST UNDERSTAND
24:04 THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD
24:07 IS ORCHESTRATED BY GOD, WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS.
24:12 WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS, RIGHT.
24:13 EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T UNDERSTAND NECESSARILY THE DAY TO DAY AFFAIRS,
24:18 BUT JUST KNOWING THAT HE'S IN CHARGE WAS COMFORTING FOR THEM.
24:25 I LIKE THAT ISRAEL HAS BECOME A NATION AGAIN.
24:27 FOR ME THAT JUST SAYS IT ALL.
24:29 THAT GOD SAYS,
24:31 "I AM GOING TO MAKE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT
24:34 WITH YOU, ISRAEL, AND HE DOES.
24:35 AND NEVER TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE LAND AGAIN
24:37 AND THEIR HOME AGAIN.
24:39 AND I THINK THAT FOR ME IS A TIME CLOCK,
24:40 THAT ISRAEL STARTS IN 48 WHEN THEY BECAME A STATE.
24:44 BUT ACTUALLY IT STARTS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE,
24:48 SO YOU GO BACK IN EZEKIEL WHERE EZEKIEL TALKS ABOUT
24:53 THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL ARE GOING TO BRING FORTH
24:57 BLOSSOMS, NECTAR.
24:59 AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S MARVELOUS, WHAT'S MIRACULOUS
25:04 IS THAT FOR 1800 YEARS
25:06 ISRAEL WAS A DESERT >>RIGHT
25:08 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN OUT OF NOWHERE IT BLOSSOMS AND... >>RIGHT
25:11 RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT. >>I'M NOT RIGHT.
25:16 NO, IT'S THE HISTORY THAT'S RIGHT.
25:18 WE SEE IT BLOOMING, WE SEE THE DESERT REALLY COMING TO LIFE.
25:21 AND THEN EZEKIEL SAYS IT'S FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RETURNING.
25:27 RABBI KOHEN IS A FASCINATING HUMAN BEING.
25:31 AND I'M SO PLEASED THAT YOU WERE EXPOSED TO HIM,
25:33 IN PART BECAUSE HE GIVES YOU A WINDOW INTO THE ORTHODOX JEWISH WORLD, WHERE HE FAIRS FROM.
25:40 AND HE DRAWS US INTO A PERSPECTIVE OF PROPHECY.
25:46 IN OUR SERIES, EZEKIEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST 'PIECE' PROCESS,
25:50 WE WANNA LOOK AT THE END GAME, PIECE, BY PIECE, BY PIECE.
25:56 IT'S LIKE THE WORLD IS PUZZLING AND IT'S A PUZZLE.
26:00 BUT EZEKIEL SEES 1 PIECE, 2 PIECE, 3 PIECE, 4 PIECE.
26:04 HE HAS A PROGRESSION THAT GET'S US
26:07 RIGHT TO GOD'S FIXING THE PROBLEMS INHERENT IN HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
26:12 AND WE'RE GONNA LEARN WHAT EZEKIEL SAYS OR WHAT GOD SAYS THROUGH THE PROPHET, EZEKIEL.
26:17 YOU KNOW EACH WEEK I CLOSE WITH, "SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM",
26:20 "PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM".
26:23 I'M TALKING ABOUT 'PEACE', WHERE THERE IS THE FINAL PEACE.
26:28 THERE IS NO MORE WAR, NO MORE SORROW, NO MORE PAIN.
26:32 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PEACE OF BEING WITH GOD,
26:35 FOREVER AND EVER.
26:36 AND YOU'RE GONNA SHOW US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM
26:38 HOW THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER,
26:41 SO THAT WE ALL HAVE PEACE AT THE END.
26:43 AND THAT'S JUST A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
26:46 STAY TUNED.
26:47 AND AS YOU GO,
26:48 SHA 'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM
26:50 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM