Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19940605.htm

EZEKIEL: BLOSSOMING DURING LIFE'S MOST SEVERE CRISES
Part XV: God's Work To Overcome Satan, His People's Arch Enemy
(Ezekiel 27:1-28:19)
  1. Introduction
    1. The believer lives and moves in a world that has a much deeper dimension to it that what meets the eye. As Paul put it, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against ... the powers of this dar k world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)
    2. To catch a glimpse of the enormity of this conflict, to appreciate God's work in our behalf within this realm, and to understand what our role is in it, we examine Ezekiel 27:1-28:19:
  2. God's Work To Overcome Satan, His People's Arch Enemy, Ezekiel 27:1-28:19.
    1. From the perspective of God's people, things could not have been more painful and more devastating: the city of Jerusalem had just been ransacked by Babylon, and the nation had come to terms with being deceive d by idols against the better judgment of persecuted, godly prophets, cf. Ez. 24:1-27.
    2. From the perspective of an enemy of Israel, the nation of Tyre, the fall of Jerusalem meant that Tyre would now inherit the dominance that once had belonged to Jerusalem, Ez. 26:2.
    3. But from God's perspective, the events surrounding Jerusalem's fall and Tyre's resulting gloating were much deeper into the angelic conflict than met the human eye:
      1. Following the prediction of the fall of Tyre (last week's lesson, Ez. 26:1-21), God had Ezekiel take up a lamentation for Tyre in Ezekiel 27:1-36. This lamentation pictures Tyre deck ed out materialistically as a lavish trading ship which sinks suddenly in a fierce Mediterranean Sea storm.
      2. Then the Lord had Ezekiel take up a lamentation for the human leader of Tyre, Ez. 28:1-10:
        1. The human leader of Tyre considered himself a god, Ez. 28:1-3.
        2. He credited his fame and wealth to his wisdom and trade, v. 4-5.
        3. Because of this sin of pride, God predicted the death of this king at the hand of foreigners, 28:6-10.
      3. But behind the human leader of Tyre was the Evil One himself, Satan. Thus, God had Ezekiel take up a lament for the fall of Satan which will be fulfilled in the future, Ez. 28:11-19:
        1. Where the human leader of Tyre is referred in the Hebrew to a "prince," this lament in verses 11-19 is about a "king" of Tyre, Bib. Know. Com., O.T., p. 1283.
        2. According to Dan. 10:13,20-21, there is an armada of evil demons behind world leaders and kingdoms. At that time in Israel's history, apparently SATAN himself was personally behind the human ruler of Tyre. Satan was attempting to counter the work of God in Jerusalem by setting up his own counterfeit king and kingdom opposite the king and kingdom in Israel!
        3. Because Satan was behind Tyre's prideful gloating at Jerusalem's fall, God reveals facts about Satan and his fall and judgment, Ez. 28:11-19: (a) Satan had been full of wisdom and beauty, with an inbuilt musical organ in his being, the covering cherub around God's throne before he sinned, Ez. 28:12-15. (b) However, sin was found in him, the sin of pride found in the human leader Satan had influenced in Tyre, Ez. 28:15b (cf. Isa. 14:13-14). (c) Accordingly, Satan will one day be judged to be cast into the Lake of Fire, Rev. 20:10 with Ez. 28:18b-19.
Lesson Application: (a) When God's people are unusually bad and spiritually down, immediately suspect Satanic activity! (b) When excessive materialism, pride and a competitive spirit accompany those who promote evil, suspect angelic pressures as we ll. (c) As in the case of fallen Jerusalem, let God get involved to correct the problems as we have no personal power over Satan like God does, cf. Rom. 16:20. (d) Accordingly, obey Eph. 6:12-18 in such times: ((a)) Take advantage of divine cleansing, th e armor of God, by using 1 Jn. 1:9 (cf. the O.T. context of the armor of God in Isa. 59:16-21 in light of Eph. 6:13ff)!! ((b)) pray (Eph. 6:18). ((c)) Don't flee or attack, but stand in the correct issue(s) at hand, Eph. 6:14! ((d)) Trust the Word of God in order to quench all of the painful attacks of the Evil One, Eph. 6:17.