EZEKIEL Bible Study No.

8 Paphos 23 February 2006

Ezekiel chapter 8 Idolatry in the Temple

Questions on Ezekiel 8:1-4

1. How did the elders regard Ezekiel? What was the date according to our reckoning;
and in relation to his first vision? How far was it from Jerusalem to Babylon?

2. Ezekiel 8:2-3a. How is the means of transport described? Compare 1:27; 2:2; 3;12,
14. Who transported Ezekiel?

3. What experiences of other servants of God are recorded in Scripture? See 2

Kings 5:26; 6:32; Acts 8:39 and 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Do their experiences match
the scale, duration and detail of Ezekiel’s vision?

4. What was the purpose of this detailed visionary account for Ezekiel himself, and
for his message? What 4 stages brought Ezekiel nearer and nearer to the more sacred
area. See Ezekiel 8:14. Compare 1:28 and 3:12.

Questions on Ezekiel 8:5-6

5. What so shocked Ezekiel? What does the statue actually represent? See 2 Kings
21:7, 2 Chronicles 33:15; 2 Kings 23:6; Jeremiah 7:17-19, 44:15-19.

6. When is jealousy a proper response? Numbers 5:14 & 30; Proverbs 6:34. See also
Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 4:24; 32:21. What is positive about God’s jealousy?
Zechariah 8:2 ff. A. God’s sovereignty was challenged. There should be no
intermediary. B. fertility cult. C. the sin of the world generates God’s grief and anger.
The sin of his people produces God’s jealousy. See 1 Corinthians 5; 6:12-20, 1
Corinthians 10:22; 1 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.

Questions on Ezekiel 8:7-13

7. Describe the surreal and dream-like vision. See Deuteronomy 4:15-20. 70 elders –
who was the co-ordinator? 2 Kings 22:3-14. What clues do we have that the political
leadership was trying to enlist the help of the Egyptian gods and armies? Is this a
recurring problem among God’s people in every age?

8. What should they have done? Leviticus 26:40-42; Deuteronomy 30:1-10.

Question on Ezekiel 8:14-15 Mourning cults

9. List 3 detestable things about the cult of Tammuz.

Questions on Ezekiel 8:16-18

10. Sun worship – they turned literally their backs on Yahweh. How does our attitude
to God as creator affect our attitude to his creation? Deuteronomy 4:19. The sun was
among the most powerful of the Babylonian gods. What effect did this idolatry have
on sex, politics, agriculture and international affairs? What do we see today?