May 2025 - Ezekiel
The Gospel authors had a favorite name for Jesus: “Son of David.” They associated Jesus with the king who ruled at the height of Israel’s greatness as a kingdom and a military power. But Jesus associated Himself with someone else. He referred to Himself as “Son of Man,” which is the moniker that God used for Ezekiel; an eccentric, suffering, largely rejected prophet at one of the lowest points in Israel’s history.
What was so special about Ezekiel, that Jesus would choose to align and identify Himself with this unconventional prophet?
ELEMENTARY LESSONS:
MEMORY VERSE:
"In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3b
Lesson 1: No matter how things appear, God is in power.
Synopsis: At a time of defeat and despair, God peeled back the curtain of heaven to show Ezekiel an image of power and glory. On the surface, things looked bad, but God showed Ezekiel that there was more going on than existed on the surface. Likewise, the cross is an image of weakness and defeat. But behind the scenes, it was the sealing of Christ’s greatest victory.
Scripture: Ezekiel 1, Colossians 2:13-15
Lesson 2: Jesus is our Bread of Life.
Synopsis: Ezekiel’s bizarre bread baking bore a meaningful message. God instructed him to bake “horse bread” over dried excrement. This was the type of food people would eat as a last resort; an alternative to death by starvation. It was meant to communicate the death, destruction, poverty, and desperation Israel was to experience if they did not turn back to God. It was the bread of death. But Jesus is our Bread of Life!
Scripture: Ezekiel 4:9-17, John 6:35
Lesson 3: Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Synopsis: Ezekiel may have offered the very first customer complaint. He used the image of an inept shepherds to rip Israel’s leaders, detailing their failures, incompetence, selfishness, and inability to lead God’s people. Ezekiel also promises that God will appear one day to shepherd His people Himself. When Jesus said “I am the good shepherd,” He was claiming to be the very One that Ezekiel spoke about. He was also indicting the religious leaders through the clear inference that they were the bad shepherds that Ezekiel reprimanded.
Scripture: Ezekiel 34, John 10:11-18
Lesson 4: Jesus brings life to dead places.
Synopsis: Ezekiel’s vision of reanimated bones held a message of hope. Imagine Ezekiel arriving at the valley that God led him to. It was the scene of a war that took place many years ago. Scavengers have claimed any weapons or other objects of value. Buzzards and jackals have had their way with the remains of the defeated, so that nothing was left except for the old, dry, bones of the dead. God turns to Ezekiel and asks, “What do you think I can do with this?” God is an expert at bringing life out of dead places, relationships, and situations. And this is displayed in full glory through the ministry and resurrection of Jesus.
Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14, John 5:24
PRESCHOOL LESSONS:
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Included Each Week: A craft, wiggle-tamer, table time activity, discussion questions, take-home page, and more.
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Creative Teaching Method:
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Lesson 3:
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Lesson 4:
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