Seminary
Lesson 143: Ezekiel 33–36


“Lesson 143: Ezekiel 33–36,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Material (2018)

“Lesson 143: Ezekiel 33–36”

Lesson 143

Ezekiel 33–36

Introduction

Through Ezekiel, Jehovah warned the Jews in Babylon of the consequences of continuing in their sins. After He condemned some of the leaders of the Israelites for not caring for the people as they should, Jehovah compared Himself to a good shepherd who loves and protects His flock. The Lord promised His people that their enemies would be destroyed and, after returning to Him, His people would be restored to their land.

Suggestions for Teaching

Doctrinal Mastery Review—Malachi 3:8–10 (5 minutes)

Divide students into pairs. Invite them to take turns reading Malachi 3:8–10 aloud to each other in their pairs and to think of ways they can remember the reference and content of this doctrinal mastery passage. Remind students that the ideas they come up with should be appropriate and in keeping with the sacred nature of scriptural text. After sufficient time, invite several students to share their ideas with the class.

Ezekiel 33

As a watchman, Ezekiel warns the people against continuing to live sinfully

Draw the following diagram on the board. Read aloud the following statement, and invite students to explain whether they believe it is true: “As long as you perform more righteous acts than sins during your life, you will certainly return to live with Heavenly Father forever.”

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sins and righteous acts diagram

Invite students to look for truths as they study Ezekiel 33 that indicate how Jesus Christ will judge us and what we must do to qualify to live with Heavenly Father forever.

To help students understand whose words are recorded in this chapter, you may want to remind them that in both ancient times and today, Heavenly Father appointed Jesus Christ, or Jehovah, to speak for Him to the prophets. “The God known as Jehovah [in the Old Testament] is the Son, Jesus Christ. … Jesus works under the direction of the Father and is in complete harmony with Him” (Guide to the Scriptures, “God, Godhead,” scriptures.lds.org).

Summarize Ezekiel 33:1–9 by explaining that Jesus Christ reiterated that the role of a prophet is similar to the role of a watchman. A watchman is responsible for warning people of unforeseen danger (see Ezekiel 3:17–21). Remind students that Ezekiel was called to preach to Israelites who had previously ignored the warnings of prophets and were now suffering the consequences of their sins while living as captives in Babylon.

Invite a student to read Ezekiel 33:10 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for a question that the Lord said the Israelites had asked. Explain that the phrase “we pine away in [our sins]” means the people felt they were wasting away in their sins. The word live in this verse can mean to enjoy peace and happiness in this life and eventually live in Heavenly Father’s presence.

  • According to verse 10, what was the people’s concern?

Ask a student to read Ezekiel 33:11 aloud. Invite the class to follow along, looking for Jehovah’s response to the Israelites’ concern.

  • What message about Himself did Jehovah instruct Ezekiel to communicate to the Israelites?

  • What did Jehovah instruct the Israelites to do?

Explain that as recorded in Ezekiel 33:12–16, the Lord gave two examples to help the Israelites understand the importance of turning from their sins and living righteously.

Invite a student to read Ezekiel 33:12–13 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Jehovah taught about our righteousness.

  • What does it mean that our righteous acts will “not be remembered” if we “commit iniquity” (verse 13)?

Invite a student to read Ezekiel 33:14–16 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what happens to the wicked who turn from their sins.

  • What happens to the wicked who turn from their sins?

  • What does it mean in verse 16 that “none of [the] sins” of a wicked person who repents “shall be mentioned unto him”? (The Lord will not take those sins into account at the Final Judgment [see D&C 58:42].)

Invite a student to read Ezekiel 33:17–20 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, with half of the class looking for what the people said about “the way of the Lord” (verse 17), or the way He will judge us, and the other half of the class looking for the Lord’s response to the people. (You may want to explain that the word equal in these verses means just or fair [see verse 17, footnote b].)

  • What did the people say about the way of the Lord?

  • How did Jehovah respond to the claim that His judgment is not fair? (He said, “I will judge you every one after his ways” [verse 20], meaning that everyone will be judged according to his or her own wickedness or righteousness [see also Alma 41:3–6].)

  • How would you explain why Jesus Christ’s method of judging us is fair?

  • Using what you have learned from Ezekiel 33, how would you summarize the Lord’s manner of judging us? (Students may provide a variety of answers, but make sure it is clear that Jesus Christ will judge us by the person we have become as the result of our repentance.)

To help students better understand how Jesus Christ will judge us, invite a student to read aloud the following statement by President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency.

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Dallin H. Oaks

“The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32).

  • Why do you think it is important to understand that Jesus Christ will judge us by what we have become as the result of repentance?

Invite students to consider thoughts or ideas they have had regarding what the Lord desires them to become and to prayerfully consider what they can do to become those things. Encourage them to act on the impressions they receive.

Summarize Ezekiel 33:21–33 by explaining that Ezekiel learned that Jerusalem had been destroyed. Ezekiel prophesied that those who remained in or moved into the land of Israel would also be destroyed. The Lord also told Ezekiel that the Israelites “hear thy words, but they do them not” (verse 32).

Ezekiel 34

The Lord will take care of His flock like a good shepherd

Display or draw a picture of a shepherd on the board.

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shepherd with sheep
  • What are characteristics of a good shepherd?

Explain that Ezekiel 34:1–10 records that the Lord compared the leaders of Israel to shepherds and the people to sheep. Invite several students to take turns reading aloud from Ezekiel 34:1–10. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Lord said about the leaders of Israel and their treatment of the people.

  • What did the Lord say about the shepherds of Israel?

Write the following incomplete statement on the board: Jesus Christ is like a shepherd to His people because He …

Invite students to read Ezekiel 34:11–16 silently, looking for what Jesus Christ will do as a shepherd for His people. Invite students to consider marking what they find.

Invite students to create a list on the board of what Jesus Christ will do as a shepherd for His people. (Students may list a variety of answers, including that Jesus Christ gathers His people and gives them security, their own land, nourishment, rest, and healing.)

  • How would you summarize as a principle what Jesus Christ will do for us if we follow Him? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following principle: If we follow Jesus Christ as our shepherd, He will lead and nourish us.)

Invite students to look at the principle and the list on the board and then explain how Jesus Christ does those things for us.

  • What do we need to do to receive these blessings from Him?

  • When has the Savior been like a good shepherd to you by providing one of the blessings listed on the board?

Summarize Ezekiel 34:17–31 by explaining that Ezekiel prophesied that the Lord would deliver His people from their oppressors. This prophecy also refers to the time when the Lord will come to the earth in the latter days and gather the lost sheep of Israel through covenants. They will live with Him in safety, never to be scattered again.

Ezekiel 35–36

The Lord pronounces judgments and promises on Edom and Israel

Summarize Ezekiel 35:1–36:7 by explaining that after Jerusalem was destroyed and many of the Jews were taken captive to Babylon, the people of Edom, a neighboring nation of Israel and Judah, planned to take over the land that was now left desolate. Jehovah promised that because the people of Edom rejoiced in the destruction of Israel, they would also be destroyed and their land would be left desolate. As recorded in Ezekiel 36:8–38, the Lord then promised that He would bless the land to be fruitful and would gather all of Israel to rejoice in it. This prophecy, like the prophecy recorded in Ezekiel 34:17–31, refers to Ezekiel’s day as well as to the last days.

Invite several students to take turns reading aloud from Ezekiel 36:24–28. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Lord promised to do for those who choose to follow Him in the last days.

  • What does it mean to have a “stony heart” (verse 26)? How might having a stony heart affect someone?

  • According to verse 26, what did the Lord promise to do for those who follow Him? (Students may use different words, but they should identify the following principle: If we follow Jesus Christ, He can change our hearts.)

To help students understand what it means to have “a new heart” (verse 26), or a change of heart, consider asking them to read Mosiah 5:2 silently. Invite them to consider recording this reference next to Ezekiel 36:26.

  • What does it mean to have a change of heart?

You may want to share your testimony that each of us can receive a change of heart if we seek it by following Jesus Christ. Write the following questions on the board:

  1. In what ways do I need a change of heart?

  2. What will I do in the coming week to invite the Holy Ghost to help me receive a change of heart?

Invite students to write their responses to these questions in their study journals. Encourage students to consider challenges they have had in the past that have made receiving a change of heart difficult and to consider how they might overcome those challenges with the Lord’s assistance. Explain that you will not ask them to share their responses with the class.

After sufficient time, encourage students to seek a change of heart in the ways they have identified.

Commentary and Background Information

Ezekiel 33:12, 14–16. Turning from sin

One may erroneously assume from these verses that repentance is easy and that we can indulge in sin and then quickly turn from our sin through repentance and all will be forgotten. President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:

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Dallin H. Oaks

“All of our personal experience confirms the fact that we must endure personal suffering in the process of repentance—and for serious transgressions, that suffering can be severe and prolonged. …

“Why is it necessary for us to suffer on the way to repentance for serious transgressions? We tend to think of the results of repentance as simply cleansing us from sin. But that is an incomplete view of the matter. …

“When a person has gone through the process that results in what the scriptures call a broken heart and a contrite spirit, the Savior does more than cleanse that person from sin. He also gives him or her new strength. That strengthening is essential for us to realize the purpose of the cleansing, which is to return to our Heavenly Father. To be admitted to his presence, we must be more than clean. We must also be changed from a morally weak person who has sinned into a strong person with the spiritual stature to dwell in the presence of God” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Sin and Suffering,” Ensign, July 1992, 73).

Ezekiel 36:26. “A new heart”

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that the Savior’s Atonement allows us to receive a new heart:

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David A. Bednar

“To have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that ‘we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually’ (Mosiah 5:2), as did King Benjamin’s people, is the covenant responsibility we have accepted. This mighty change is not simply the result of working harder or developing greater individual discipline. Rather, it is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin, both the taint and the tyranny of sin” (David A. Bednar, “Clean Hands and a Pure Heart,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 82).