Objective:
Students will be able to tell the historical background of Ezekiel and identify/explain at least 2 of Ezekiel’s vision
Warm-up:
Have the students think about and answer the following question:
How do you identify yourself? American? Indian? Malayalee? etc?
Why? What helps your maintain your identity?
Lesson Time:
Background Information to share:
- During the Babylonian captivity
- People were exiled … but kept together (unlike the Assyrian empire – where the community ceased to exist… ie. the Samaritans)
- No Temple anymore –> was destroyed by the Babylonians
- Contemporaries: Jeremiah / Daniel
- Ezekiel: Prophet and Priest
- Prophet
- Guide for the people (turn back to God, morality, etc)
- Moral compass
- Righteousness vs Hollow worship
- Visions and messages from God
- Priest
- Liturgical worship
- Ceremonies and service on behalf of the people
- Worship in the temple
- Example: Chap 40 – detail on worship in the temple
- Prophet
Group Activity 1 – Ezekiel’s Visions
Split up into groups per vision and answer the following questions in each Group. The Group should present their findings to the rest of the class:
- Group 1 – Ez 37:1-14 / Group 2 – Ez 47:1-12 / Group 3 – Ez 48:30-35
- What happens in the vision?
- Why would this be encouraging to the exiles in Babylon?
- What does this mean post-Christ (ie. to us Christians)?
Group Activity 2 – Ezekiel Chapter 18
Have the kids read Ezekiel 18 in groups. After reading have them answer:
- Questions:
- What does the (false) proverb “The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” mean?
- How do you think it would have been used in the minds of the exiled Israelites?
- What does this passage say about our relationship with God?
- How would you apply this passage to yourself?
- What does the (false) proverb “The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” mean?
Wrap-up:
Have the kids create 5 quiz questions (and answers) on something from the Ezekiel lesson. The quiz questions should not be 1 word answers… at least one question should be a “how” question and at least one should be a “why” question.
Extra resources
The following presentation below can be used if you have a projector in the class room (link to google presentation):