Introduction
Ezekiel 37:15-28 contains the famous object lesson of the two sticks, representing the divided kingdoms of Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). God commands the prophet Ezekiel to join the two sticks in his hand to symbolise that He will reunite, cleanse, and restore His scattered people under one eternal King. The passage moves from the nation’s physical restoration to a profound spiritual covenant of peace and God’s permanent dwelling among His people
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Understood the historical and prophetic context of the division and eventual reunion of Israel and Judah.
- Identified the characteristics of the “Davidic” King and the nature of the everlasting covenant as described in the text.
- Reflected on how God’s promise to cleanse His people and to dwell among them applies to believers today.
Outline
- The Symbol of Unity
- The Covenant of Peace
- The Reality of God living within and among us
- Take two separate sticks and join them into one
Group Study Time
Ezekiel 37: 15-28.
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Read Ezekiel 37:15-19. In these verses, Ezekiel is told to take two sticks and join them into one. What do these two sticks represent, and what does their miraculous joining reveal about God’s power over human division?
- Read Ezekiel 37:20-23. What do these verses reveal about the gathering and cleansing of the people of Israel? God promises to gather His people from the nations and bring them back to their own land. According to the text, what is the connection between being gathered geographically and being cleansed spiritually?
- Read Ezekiel 37:24-25. The prophecy speaks of “my servant David” being king and shepherd over them forever. Who is this ultimate King, and what kind of leadership will He provide His people?
- Read Ezekiel 37:26-28. God promises to establish an “everlasting covenant” with them. What specific blessings and promises are included in this covenant, and how do they transform the people’s relationship with God?
- God declares that His dwelling place (sanctuary) will be in the midst of His people forever, so the nations may know that He makes Israel holy. How should the reality of God living within and among us change the way we live our daily lives?
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.