[Faith-talk] What does that mean?

Sun Nov 17 01:03:11 UTC 2013

Have you actually read  this book? Here is an introduction of the book so 
you may get your barings strait because right now your looking glass seems 
to be a little out of focus.
Matthew Henry,
      WHEN we entered upon the writings of the prophets, which speak of the 
things that should be hereafter, we seemed to have the same call that St. 
John had (Rev. iv. 1), Come up hither; but, when we enter upon the prophecy 
of this book, it is as if the voice said, Come up higher; as we go forward 
in time (for Ezekiel prophesied in the captivity, as Jeremiah prophesied 
just before it), so we soar upward in discoveries yet more sublime of the 
divine glory. These waters of the sanctuary still grow deeper; so far are 
they from being fordable that in some places they are scarcely fathomable; 
yet, deep as they are, out of them flow streams which make glad the city of 
our God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. As to this 
prophecy now before us, we may enquire, I. Concerning the penman of it--it 
was Ezekiel; his name signifies, The strength of God, or one girt or 
strengthened of God. He girded up the loins of his mind to the service, and 
God put strength into him. Whom God calls to any service he will himself 
enable for it; if he give commission, he will give power to execute it. 
Ezekiel's name was answered when God said (and no doubt did as he said), I 
have made thy face strong against their faces. The learned Selden, in his 
book De Diis Syris, says that it was the opinion of some of the ancients 
that the prophet Ezekiel was the same with that Nazaratus Assyrius whom 
Pythagoras (as himself relates) had for his tutor for some time, and whose 
lectures he attended. It is agreed that they lived much about the same time; 
and we have reason to think that many of the Greek philosophers were 
acquainted with the sacred writings and borrowed some of the best of their 
notions from them. If we may give credit to the tradition of the Jews, he 
was put to death by the captives in Babylon, for his faithfulness and 
boldness in reproving them; it is stated that they dragged him upon the 
stones till his brains were dashed out. An Arabic historian says that he was 
put to death and was buried in the sepulchre of Shem the son of Noah. So 
Hottinger relates, Thesaur. Philol. lib. 2 cap. 1. II. Concerning the date 
of it--the place whence it is dated and the time when. The scene is laid in 
Babylon, when it was a house of bondage to the Israel of God; there the 
prophecies of this book were preached, there they were written, when the 
prophet himself, and the people to whom he prophesied, were captives there. 
Ezekiel and Daniel are the only writing prophets of the Old Testament who 
lived and prophesied any where but in the land of Israel, except we add 
Jonah, who was sent to Nineveh to prophesy. Ezekiel prophesied in the 
beginning of the captivity, Daniel in the latter end of it. It was an 
indication of God's good-will to them, and his gracious designs concerning 
them in their affliction, that he raised up prophets among them, both to 
convince them when, in the beginning of their troubles, they were secure and 
unhumbled, which was Ezekiel's business, and to comfort them when, in the 
latter end of their troubles, they were dejected and discouraged. If the 
Lord had been pleased to kill them, he would not have used such apt and 
proper means to cure them. III. Concerning the matter and scope of it. 1. 
There is much in it that is very mysterious, dark, and hard to be 
understood, especially in the beginning and the latter end of it, which 
therefore the Jewish rabbin forbade the reading of to their young men, till 
they came to be thirty years of age, lest by the difficulties they met with 
there they should be prejudiced against the scriptures; but if we read these 
difficult parts of scripture with humility and reverence, and search them 
diligently, though we may not be able to untie all the knots we meet with, 
any more than we can solve all the phenomena in the book of nature, yet we 
may from them, as from the book of nature, gather a great deal for the 
confirming of our faith and the encouraging of our hope in the God we 
worship. 2. Though the visions here be intricate, such as an elephant may 
swim in, yet the sermons are mostly plain, such as a lamb may wade in; and 
the chief design of them is to show God's people their transgressions, that 
in their captivity they might be repenting and not repining. It should seem 
the prophet was constantly attended (for we read of their sitting before him 
as God's people sat to hear his words, ch. xxxiii. 31), and that he was 
occasionally consulted, for we read of the elders of Israel who came to 
enquire of the Lord by him, ch. xiv. 1, 3. And as it was of great use to the 
oppressed captives themselves to have a prophet with them, so it was a 
testimony to their holy religion against their oppressors who ridiculed it 
and them. 3. Though the reproofs and the threatenings here are very sharp 
and bold, yet towards the close of the book very comfortable assurances are 
given of great mercy God had in store for them; and there, at length, we 
shall meet with something that has reference to gospel times, and which was 
to have its accomplishment in the kingdom of the Messiah, of whom indeed 
this prophet speaks less than almost any of the prophets. But by opening the 
terrors of the Lord he prepares Christ's way. By the law is the knowledge of 
sin, and so it becomes our school-master to bring us to Christ. The visions 
which were the prophet's credentials we have ch. i.-iii., the reproofs and 
threatenings ch. iv.-xxiv. betwixt which and the comforts which we have in 
the latter part of the book we have messages sent to the nations that 
bordered upon the land of Israel, whose destruction is foretold (ch. 
xxv.-xxxv.), to make way for the restoration of God's Israel and the 
re-establishment of their city and temple, which are foretold ch. xxxvi. to 
the end. Those who would apply the comforts to themselves must apply the 
convictions to themselves.


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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mostafa" <mostafa.almahdy at gmail.com>
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2013 11:38 AM
Subject: [Faith-talk] What does that mean?


> Greetings to my Muslim and Christian mates, domestically and abroad.
>
>
>
> I was constantly asked by my Christian mates to try reading the Bible.
>
> I was told that in the Bible, I will find healing, tranquility, devotional 
> bundals and prosperity.
>
> Well to be perfectly fair, I found significant Theology expressed 
> throughout the biblical literature.
>
> But, I was wondering; have you all read the Bible entirely?
>
> In a plainly rephrased question, have you read all what is in the Bible?
>
> Have you read the Bible vertically or  perpendicularly?
>
> Have you ever approached the book of Ezekiel?
> Well, if you haven’t done so, please you may do.
>
> Please note, that it contains unethically explicit contents, and it might 
> be highly offensive for conservative minorities.
>
>
>
> And as you reading it, please, you may write a summary about the spiritual 
> benefits it reflects on you.
>
> What lesson could possibly be learned from reading Ezekiel?
>
> I could only think of explicitly propagated eroticism that is heavily 
> expressed in that segment of the biblical literature.
>
>      The textual spectrum  of Ezekiel is filled with staggeringly unmoral 
> vocabulary, and particularly, in contemporary English translations.
>
> The modern it is, the worse it becomes, unfortunately.
>
>
> I couldn’t believe what I read in there.
>
>  I am just wondering, how could that be considered some part of God’s 
> word.
>
> That would be such heavy remarks to make.
>
> Please don’t misapprehend my enquiry.
>
> I’m not attempting to denounce the Bible, nor I’m attempting to denigrate 
> who believe in it.
>
> Please excuse my emotional sentiments, I’m just taken aback of what I 
> read.
>
> I am intrigued to listen to pastoral exculpations on that regard.
>
>  I merely could think of pornographically portrayed literalism in that 
> erotic drama.
> I am afraid but, I won’t be able to quote even a one single sentence from 
> Ezekiel.
>
> If you decided to have a look at what it contains, please you may keep the 
> distinctly articulated cautionary in mind, as I am not accountable for any 
> offence or negative effects brought by that review.
>
> I apologize for posing directly critical criticism.
>
>    Thank you.
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