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Eze. 1:1-3

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth [shalowshiym] year [shaneh], in the fourth [rabiy`iy] month, in the fifth [chamesh] day of the month [chodesh], as I was among [tavek] the captives [gowlah] by the river [nahar] of Chebar [Kabar], that the heavens [shamayim] were opened [pathach], and I saw [ra'ah] visions [mar'ah] of God [elohiym].
2 In the fifth [chamesh] day of the month [chodesh], which was the fifth [chamiyshiy] year [shaneh] of king [melek] Jehoiachin's [Yowyakiyn] captivity [galuwth],
3 The word [dabar] of the LORD [Yahovah] came expressly unto Ezekiel [Yachezqe'l] the priest [kohen], the son [ben] of Buzi [Buwziy], in the land [erets] of the Chaldeans [Kasdiy] by the river [nahar] Chebar [Kabar]; and the hand [yad] of the LORD [Yahovah] was there upon him. KJV-Interlinear

1 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile, 3 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.) NASB

Since Ezekiel makes his date reckoning from time of king Jehoiachin in verse two, the thirty year reference given in the opening verse of his book is most probably related to his own personal age. It is the fifth day of the fourth month. Our months of June/July being the fourth month of the year by the Jewish calendar in Ezekiel's time.

The age of thirty was typically the age that priests were honored to begin their priesthood. And thus the same age that Jesus began His ministry in a manner consistent with the tradition of the Levitical priesthood.

Luke 3:23
23 And when He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, NASB

Num. 4:23
23 from thirty years and upward to fifty years old, you shall number them; all who enter to perform the service to do the work in the tent of meeting. NASB

Ezekiel at the age of thirty and beginning his priesthood, is also an indication of the lack of qualified priests that were available and in an acceptable spiritual condition, to be used by God in such a manner.

The invasion of the land by Babylon has been completed. Most folks have been either killed or taken captive in the battles that occurred. The long march of tears from Judah to the region near the Chebar canal, in Babylon, took the lives of many more people. Many having died along the way. The exiles, now living as captives are there under tremendous pressure, but they are still alive.

Now it is five years later, from when the time of the captivity began. The captives had no one to turn to in the foreign land in which they now resided, and as captives they were relegated to a second class status at best, with no rights, no privileges, no citizenship, and lots of ridicule.

It was a time of perpetual mourning and tears. But then, just how long can a people feel sorry for themselves?

Lam 1:7
7 In the days of her affliction and homelessness Jerusalem remembers all her precious things That were from the days of old When her people fell into the hand of the adversary, And no one helped her. The adversaries saw her, They mocked at her ruin. NASB

In the course of history, people will be exposed to various trials and difficulties. For some it is the common day to day dealings with people, work, and such. But as a people persist in their lives without God, then their lives take on the character of their sin natures. Their transgressions, their indifference, their false spirituality all come back to haunt them.

As their sins increase then their judgment also increases until their spiritual status becomes so low that they are overwhelmed by the world around them. Choosing to live in the world, which we often call the jungle in our study, means that you suffer the consequences of the jungle.

When a coast line is utterly destroyed as in the case of the tsunami of last year, when an entire city is rendered useless as in the case of New Orleans, then you can know that their destruction was not by means of a simple accident of nature. There are no accidents in life. Jesus Christ controls history.

In the midst of the death and destruction there will often times be survivors. To these a second chance at life is given.

For some, the destruction is a test of their faith. Not that they have done anything wrong, but they have just been caught up in an environment of sin and corruption which needs to be cleaned up. They are delivered and they realize the details of the historical situation in which they lived. They come out of it all with stronger faith.

For others the destruction is strong discipline for the errors of their ways, and the wake up call is now very difficult to misinterpret. They are given a chance to repent, or to feel sorry for themselves, or to become bitter about it all. Turning to God will give them a better live. Continuing in their corrupt indifferent ways will only lead to yet another round of judgment from which they risk not receiving another chance.

Sometimes God keeps the corrupt around so that they can be used as historical illustrations, examples and tests of evil, for those people who are positive in their spiritual lives.

For still others, the judgment is the last of their lives and they number among the dead. The dead include those whose lives were simply up by Gods standards. God in His sovereignty can call anyone home at anytime. For others, their deaths were a matter of Gods final pronouncement on their evil life.

The severity of the destruction is often an indication of the severity of the spiritual lives of the people.

A simple rain or wind storm are all that are needed to nudge people on the edge, back to their spiritual path. A more severe storm indicates that the spiritual state of the general population is in a more dangerously low level.

The people of Judah were corrupt to the core. Their nation was invaded and overrun. Many were killed, tortured, and enslaved. They lost all of their possessions, save what was carried on their backs.

By recent events in our current history, you can easily see that this can happen to any of us at anytime. However, you do not have to be caught up in a national or regional storm. Your storm can come in the form of a car accident or a slip in the bathtub.

But regardless of the state of our circumstances, regardless if we become casualties of a storm or difficulty in life, God is always there for us to discover.

Ezekiel was that discovery back in his time. Ezekiel was a captive, and yet his captivity did not prevent God from communicating doctrine to him, and through him to the people of his time and all of history thereafter.

God is never limited by mans circumstances. Gods plan for your life and for all of history is never limited or hindered by your circumstances. We have but to see the opportunities and forget our complaints and move forward in our spiritual lives.

Now is the time to post a prayer.

End Of Lesson

Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.

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