Day 1 - Lord's Day - Sunday | Daily Devotions | The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2025-2026 |
November 16
Lesson 11 (KJV)
Ezekiel’s Sign
Devotional Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:2–6
Background Scripture: Ezekiel 1:1–3; 2:1–3:27; 8:1–4; 11:22–25; 24:15–24; 33:30–33
Ezekiel 3:10–11
10 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
Ezekiel 24:15–24, 27
15 Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.
18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
19 And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
20 Then I answered them, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
21 Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.
22 And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.
23 And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.
24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord God.
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27 In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Key Text
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.—Jeremiah 3:10
Judah, from Isaiah to the Exile
Unit 3: Ezekiel and the Exile of Judah
Lessons 10–13
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Describe the status of the inhabitants of Judah in general and Ezekiel in particular.
2. Explain the role of a prophet as a “visual aid” that God uses to communicate difficult truths.
3. Suggest ways that Christians can become a “visual aid” to proclaim the gospel of Jesus.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
A. Shaken to Our Senses
B. Lesson Context: Ezekiel, the Man
C. Lesson Context: Ezekiel, the Book
I. Two Imperatives (Ezekiel 3:10–11)
A. Listen Carefully (v. 10)
Believing in What You “Sell”
B. Speak Carefully (v. 11)
II. Unusual Reaction (Ezekiel 24:15–18)
A. God’s Command (vv. 15–17)
B. Ezekiel’s Obedience (v. 18)
III. Sobering Prophecy (Ezekiel 24:19–24, 27)
A. People’s Inquiry (v. 19)
B. Jerusalem’s Fate (vv. 20–23)
C. Ezekiel’s Role (vv. 24, 27)
Glowing in the Dark
Conclusion
A. Delivering a Hard Word
B. Prayer
C. Thought to Remember
How to Say It
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Assyrians |
Uh-sear-e-unz. |
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Babylonians |
Bab-ih-low-nee-unz. |
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Chaldeans |
Kal-dee-unz. |
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Chebar |
Kee-bar. |
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Pharaoh |
Fair-o or Fay-roe. |
Introduction
A. Shaken to Our Senses
John Newton (1725–1807), author of the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace,” had a dishonorable past. Infamous among his misdeeds was his involvement in the slave trade. Even prior to this, he lived far from what would be considered a moral life. At age 11, he lost his mother and was sent off to sea to live with his father. There he soon succumbed to sinful behavior and immoral habits.
After several years as a mariner, he encountered a life-threatening storm. Biographies point to this experience as marking the start of his journey to a committed life of faith. The fear and pain of the near-death experience caused him to struggle with who and what he had become. The result was a conversion experience that marked a shift in the direction of his life and his view of God. Newton repented of his role in the slave trade and joined England’s abolition movement.
Sometimes it takes pain and suffering to bring an awareness of our sin. At times, God chooses to allow such circumstances to awaken His people and remind us of who He is and who we are not: God.
B. Lesson Context: Ezekiel, the Man
The prophet Ezekiel was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah. Both lived at the time of the Babylonian captivity in the mid-sixth century BC. Ezekiel was 30 years old in “the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,” which was the year 592 BC (Ezekiel 1:1–2; compare 2 Kings 24:8–15).
The Babylonian captivity occurred in three stages: the deportations of 605, 597, and 586 BC (2 Kings 24–25; 2 Chronicles 36). Ezekiel’s involuntary relocation to Babylon was a part of the second stage of exile in 597 BC. He was among the 10,000 of the elite citizenry taken at that time (2 Kings 24:12–14). Daniel and other Jews who had been deported in the first stage ended up serving “in the king’s palace” (Daniel 1:4). While Ezekiel, coming in the second stage, found himself in a completely different setting. He was “among the captives by the river of Chebar” in Babylon (Ezekiel 1:1).
Ezekiel is introduced as “the priest” (Ezekiel 1:3). And that is what he would have remained had it not been for the divine wrath that was to be visited on the southern kingdom of Judah at the time. His call to be a prophet is described in Ezekiel 2, which is not part of today’s study.
C. Lesson Context: Ezekiel, the Book
The book of Ezekiel is commonly and most simply outlined in terms of three sections:
I. Judgment on the covenant people (chapters 1–24)
II. Judgment on foreign nations (chapters 25–32)
III. New hope for God’s people (chapters 33–48)
Today’s study occurs in the first of these three sections.
One important feature of this book is its many references to exact dates. These are found in Ezekiel 1:1–3; 8:1; 20:1; 24:1; 26:1; 29:1, 17; 30:20; 31:1; 32:1, 17; 33:21; 40:1. Most of these dating formulas introduce a communication from God to the prophet. One example relates news of the fall of Jerusalem from a man who had escaped that carnage (Ezekiel 33:21; compare 4:16–17; 5:10–12). Today’s study concerns God’s communication before that event happens.
I. Two Imperatives
(Ezekiel 3:10–11)
A. Listen Carefully (v. 10)
Believing in What You “Sell”
When I see celebrities or social-media influencers endorse various products, I always wonder if they really believe in and use the products themselves. Are those spokespersons true believers, or are they just taking a paid gig?
The Bible has a lot to say about beliefs and practices that spring from both self-centered and God-centered motives (1 Samuel 12:3–4; Acts 8:18–19; 16:16–21; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:1–2; etc.). The cure for wrong motives is to be so thoroughly permeated with the Word of God that there is no room for them.
Here’s a challenge in that regard: read the Bible cover to cover, word for word every year for at least 10 years. Having done just that myself, I’m always alert to the danger of substituting my word for God’s. Will you take the challenge?
—R. L. N.
B. Speak Carefully (v. 11)
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What Do You Think? Why do you think God told Ezekiel to speak His word whether the people listened or not? Digging Deeper When might God call you to speak, whether or not it seems likely people will receive it? |
II. Unusual Reaction
(Ezekiel 24:15–18)
A. God’s Command (vv. 15–17)
B. Ezekiel’s Obedience (v. 18)
III. Sobering Prophecy
(Ezekiel 24:19–24, 27)
A. People’s Inquiry (v. 19)
B. Jerusalem’s Fate (vv. 20–23)
C. Ezekiel’s Role (vv. 24, 27)
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What Do You Think? What do you think God wanted the Israelites to realize through the prophecy? Digging Deeper In what ways do you struggle to recognize that God is in control and the one that we should go to for help? |
Glowing in the Dark
My children have always loved glow sticks—the kind you can find at dollar stores. Glow sticks are meant to be enjoyed in the dark. And for them to work at all, they have to be broken. It can seem counterintuitive to break a brand-new item. But that’s what makes glow sticks work. Without breaking them, they cannot glow.
For a person to come to (or return to) God requires a certain “breaking” of one’s spirit or attitude (Psalms 34:18; 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; 66:2; etc.). It’s only when we’re broken that we realize our need for Him (compare Luke 18:9–14). Our glow can serve to light the world best when we’re in our darkest hour. The prophet Ezekiel is a prime example still today. In his darkest times, Ezekiel was a shining light for the Lord.
Everyone is broken at some time and in some way. The resulting darkness can be lonely and frightening. But it is at such times that our character can shine brightest. Consider the differing outlooks in Job 2:9 and Matthew 5:14–16. Which will you pick when disaster strikes?
—B. R.
Conclusion
A. Delivering a Hard Word
The prophets often brought words of warning or imminent destruction and pain due to the people’s lack of faithfulness to God. We see this time and time again in Scripture. The prophets were also responsible for bringing the word of God to people, whether they listened or not. Both the messages and the messengers were often rejected (Luke 11:47–51). God even predicted that such things would happen (Jeremiah 7:27; Ezekiel 3:7).
It’s probably safe to say that few, if any, of us will be asked to do something quite like Ezekiel was required to do. Even so, we all face times when speaking difficult truths to people is uncomfortable. Although the gospel is good news, it is also a stumbling block. As it tells us that we can have forgiveness in Christ, it also tells us we are sinners in need of a Savior. To speak this is our task.
B. Prayer
Heavenly Father, we struggle to pay attention during times of crisis because we do not want to face the need for change in our own lives. Empower us to make the changes we need in order to be better followers of Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Know the message. Live the message. Be the message.
Involvement Learning
Enhance your lesson with KJV Bible Student (from your curriculum supplier) and the reproducible activity page (at www.standardlesson.com or in the back of the KJV Standard Lesson Commentary Deluxe Edition).
Mark A. Taylor with Mark Hamilton and Becki Rogers, Editorial, “Ezekiel’s Sign,” in The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2025–2026, ed. Taylor Z. Stamps et al., vol. 73, The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2025), 95–96.
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