The Calling of Ezekiel
To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.
To view a .docx version of this guide, click here.
Introduction
Previously, we talked about the story of Hezekiah being healed by God then foolishly boasting about how much wealth he has to envoys from Babylon. During this story, we discussed how we can be faithful to God by humbly accepting God’s decisions.
Discuss with your group how you’ve been trying to apply this idea in your life since last week.
After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.
Connect
- How do you respond when you are responsible for completing a difficult task?
- What makes completing a difficult task worth it to you?
- When you say you are committed to something, where is the breaking point for when you choose to give up?
- What could help you press on in your commitment at that point?
Opening Thought
When difficulties show up in our lives, people have a tendency to get discouraged. Sometimes the task that needs to be done seems completely impossible or so difficult that we may give up before we begin. God, however, shows that the impossible can be possible when we life our lives with him at the center. He invites us to listen to his voice so we can live a life filled with him and his word so that his vision for our lives can be fulfilled, regardless of how difficult the road in front of us looks.
This leads us to our main idea for this week:
Main idea for the week
We can be obedient to God by listening for his voice in our lives
The Story so Far
While some of Judah’s kings were faithful, specifically Hezekiah and Josiah, some were not. Specifically, Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh was so horrible and unfaithful to God (he introduced a child sacrifice system) that God warned he would deliver Judah into the hands of its enemies. Two kings after Manasseh, this happened. In 2 Kings 23 and 24, A Pharoah named Neco took over the land of Judah, only to have it then taken over by the Babylonians, who were the major political and military power at that time. After conquering Judah, the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, demanded a tribute from King Jehoiakim, the king of Judah at the time, who, while obedient for a time, eventually rebelled. Nebuchadnezzar retaliated by exiling many of the wise men and promising young people in Judah to Babylon. The next three kings of Judah acted similarly, however. As a result, Nebuchadnezzar attacked Judah two more times, once destroying Jerusalem, pillaging the temple, and exiling more people. Some were brought to Nebuchadnezzar’s own court while some were scattered around the land and others still were left in the land of Israel.
Here’s where we are this week
This week we start to discuss the biblical stories of life in the Babylonian Exile, a significant time period in the story of God within the Bible. Some of these stories will have an element of prophecy to them, meaning that they will be describing events the authors were given during visions from God. As such, we must interpret them through that lens, when necessary, to not misconstrue what is narrative and what is a vision being given by God for the purpose of teaching the people of that time.
The story we will be reading today is from the book of Ezekiel, one of God’s prophets in the Babylonian Exile, who was exiled in the first Babylonian attack on Judah. We will be starting in chapter 2, midway through a vision God is giving to Ezekiel to commission him to be a prophet by filling Ezekiel with God’s word so he can then give the word of God to the people of Israel. Ezekiel’s main purpose was to call the people of Israel to repent of their ways and return to worship of God as well as to prophecy the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and give hope to the exiles in Babylon that God has not abandoned them.
Unpack
Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:
Read
Ezekiel 2:1-10
Unpack
- Why do you think God tells Ezekiel to speak to the people if he knows they will refuse to listen?
- How do you respond to things God is telling you to do when you don’t think it’ll make any difference whether you do it or not?
- Why is it important to still be obedient in these times?
- How do you respond to things God is telling you to do when you don’t think it’ll make any difference whether you do it or not?
- God commanded Ezekiel not to be afraid despite resistance. How can we cultivate a similar kind of courage in our lives?
- How do you balance the responsibility to speak truth to those resistant to it with the need to maintain relationships and peace?
- Verse 8 says “do not join [the people] in their rebellion”. Why do you think God included this in his call to Ezekiel?
- What would cause you to become resistant to God?
- Are there any areas of your life you are currently being hard-hearted or rebellious towards God in? If are comfortable doing so, share them.
- How can we ensure we continue to be open to God’s messages to us?
- Are there any areas of your life you are currently being hard-hearted or rebellious towards God in? If are comfortable doing so, share them.
- What would cause you to become resistant to God?
Read
Ezekiel 3:1-11
Unpack
- In the culture of Ezekiel’s day, the stomach was seen as the center of a person’s being, similar to how our culture speaks of the heart. With this in mind, what do you think the act of Ezekiel eating the scroll in his vision is supposed to symbolize?
- Why do you think God chose for Ezekiel to have such an intense experience to know that God’s word was in him?
- How can we know that we have God’s word in us today? How does this affect your life?
- In our current context, what might “eating the scroll” look like?
- Why do you think God chose for Ezekiel to have such an intense experience to know that God’s word was in him?
- Why do you think that sometimes, the people who are most familiar with us have the hardest time accepting hard truths from us?
- How does this story challenge your understanding of being obedient to God?
- What does true obedience to God look like, according to the calling God gave Ezekiel?
Apply
Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be:
- How will you be open to something God may be calling you to do in your life?
- What is a form of hard-heartedness towards God that you will begin to change starting this week?
- What are some ways that you will allow God’s Word to fill you to transform you this week?
- How will you show the effects of this to those around you?
- How can we as a group encourage each other to be more attentive to speaking and living out God’s word in our daily lives?
Closing
Read the first section to your group, then read the verse out loud to the group, and finally, move to the Prayer and Verses section:
When we spend time filling ourselves with the words of God, things take on a new perspective. The struggles that we have don’t seem so difficult as they once did because we know we have God sustaining us. This doesn’t mean our lives are easy, but when we listen to God’s voice and his guidance, we become transformed into a person who doesn’t rely on ourselves but on God and his strength.
Prayer and Verses
Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group.
Thematic Reflection Verse for the Week
*Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.
Psalm 18:30
“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.”
**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.
Daily Devotional Verses
Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.
Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well.
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read?
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read?
Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.
Day 1: 2 Peter 2:1-12
Day 2: Isaiah 55:6-7
Day 3: 1 Chronicles 16:11
Day 4: Romans 12:2
Day 5: Isaiah 41:10
Day 6: Psalm 56:4