September 16, 2020 – Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Read Ezekiel 26-28

Questions to Consider

1. Review your notes from last week’s lesson and be reminded of the things that lead into, and set the stage for, this week’s passage.

2. Read chapters 26-28. Using a good Old Testament map, locate Tyre, Sidon, and any of the other cities or geographical locations mentioned (if possible). Where were these located in relation to Israel? Recall from lesson 10 (link above) what God said about Israel’s reputation in the eyes of the pagan nations surrounding them.

Read this article. If you are unfamiliar with Tyre, it will help shed some light on this passage.

3. What did Tyre do that brought God’s judgment upon them? (26:2, 27:3b, 28:2-6, 17a) What were the consequences of their actions? (26:3-21)

4. What metaphor does God use to describe Tyre’s beauty, power, and influence in 27:4-9? How was Tyre the “flagship” city of its time and region? (27:10-25)

Why would the surrounding nations be so appalled at the downfall of Tyre? (27:28-32,35-36)

5. What did Sidon do that brought God’s judgment upon them? (28:24) What were the consequences of their actions? (28:22-23)

6. List the passages in chapters 26-28 which bear out the truths of “The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” and “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall,” (Proverbs 16:18):

The bigger they are… / Pride/a haughty spirit go before…

…the harder they fall. / …a fall.

7. After studying God’s judgment and wrath against Israel for their heinous sins over the past several lessons, why do you think God would exercise judgment against pagan peoples like Tyre for coming against Israel? (28:24) Think about this through the lens of the parent-child relationship, in which God, the Father, is disciplining His rebellious child, Israel. When you are disciplining your own child for her sin, does that mean you are OK with other people being abusive toward her? Why or why not? What is God’s long term goal for exercising judgment against Israel’s neighbors who have stood against her? (28:25-26)

8. What can we learn from Tyre and Sidon about the sins of pride, idolizing wealth and power, trusting in wealth and power instead of trusting in God, and failing to give God thanks and glory for how He has blessed us and the work He has done in our lives?

9. Compare God’s wrath against Tyre and Sidon for pridefully trusting in themselves rather than God to the judgment that awaits individuals, who, in their pride and rebellion think in their hearts, “I sit in the seat of God (28:2) over my own life.” What will be their eternal fate? How should this inform our evangelism?

Homework

• Add 26:6, 28:22, 23, 24, 26 to your “And you/they shall know that I am the Lord” list. Write down who will know that He is the Lord, what will cause them to know He is the Lord, and why God wants them to know He is the Lord.