Ezekiel

What makes Ezekiel special?

Ezekiel is unique among the prophetic books because the Hebrew text is written completely in the first person. That is, the prophet Ezekiel's visions, prophecies, and strange actions are described from Ezekiel's own point of view. The book has traditionally been thought to be difficult to interpret, and even dangerous. Some early Jewish teachers were troubled by Ezekiel's vision of the new temple (40–48) because it seemed to contradict parts of the Law of Moses. They were also afraid that Ezekiel's graphic visions of God's glory (1.1-28; 10.1-22) might lead to controversial beliefs about the mystery of God. Some even thought a person could be seriously troubled by thinking about the visions too deeply. For these reasons, some taught that Ezekiel should only be read by people over the age of thirty.

Why was Ezekiel written?

In the years just before Ezekiel was chosen to be a prophet, the kingdom known as Judah was caught up in the power struggle between Egypt and Babylonia. Eventually, Babylonia invaded Judah and took over Jerusalem in 597 b.c. Many of Judah's leaders, including King Jehoiachin and Ezekiel himself, were taken as prisoners to live in exile in Babylonia. Ten years later, when Judah rebelled, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia put down the rebellion, destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, and took more people into exile. Ezekiel's visions and prophecies were meant to explain why the Lord God of Israel had allowed such a terrible thing to happen. Ezekiel spoke the Lord's messages of doom and warning to the people of Judah and Jerusalem because they had sinned against God. They had worshiped idols, turned to foreign powers instead of God in times of need, and not lived according to God's Law. The people had made their land and God's temple impure by their sin and rebellion. Because of this, the “glory of the Lord” left the temple in Jerusalem. The Lord's people were defeated by the Babylonians and forced to live as captives in exile.

But Ezekiel's message also included promises of hope for the future. The Lord would free the people from exile and lead them back to Jerusalem where they would worship the Lord in a new, holy temple and once again live according to God's Law. The Lord's glory would shine brightly again in Jerusalem, and both the people of Israel and the surrounding nations would recognize that there is no other God but Israel's Lord.

What's the story behind the scene?

Some prophetic books give little or no information that helps place the time of the prophet or the prophet's message, but many of Ezekiel's messages (oracles) begin with specific dates (for example, see 1.1-3; 8.1; and 40.1). According to these dates, Ezekiel's work as a prophet probably began in late June or early July of 593 b.c. At the time he received his first vision, Ezekiel was living by the Chebar River in Babylonia. He and a number of Israel's leading families had been forced to leave Jerusalem when Babylonia first took over the city in 597 b.c. While Ezekiel and others lived as refugees there, the king of Babylonia made Jehoiachin's uncle Zedekiah the king in Judah (see 2 Kgs 24.8-17).

At first, Zedekiah was loyal to Babylonia, but eventually Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kgs 24.18-20). That's when King Nebuchadnezzar once again invaded Judah and destroyed Jerusalem and its temple (587 or 586 b.c.). Most of Ezekiel's prophecies date to the time between 593 and 586 b.c. and provide warnings to the people of Judah about the Lord's coming judgment—their defeat at the hands of the Babylonians because of their sin and unfaithfulness. Ezekiel's prophecy about the future temple in Jerusalem is dated 573 b.c. His prophecy about the fall of the city of Tyre is given a later date (571 b.c.).

How is Ezekiel constructed?

The final form of Ezekiel appears to be carefully structured around several dates. These dates relate to the events in the years just before and after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. The general themes of Ezekiel's prophecies also relate to this defeat. Chapters 1–32 include Ezekiel's messages of judgment and doom against Judah and the nations. Chapters 33–48 focus on how the Lord will restore Judah and bring a bright new future for God's people.

The division of the book into these two main sections is also reflected in the two accounts of Ezekiel's call to be a prophet. The first section begins with the Lord calling Ezekiel to be a watchman for the people of Israel (3.16-21). This call is repeated in Ezekiel 33.1-9. Ezekiel's speaking voice is taken away at the beginning of the first section (3.22-27) and is restored at the beginning of the second section (33.22). Here is one way Ezekiel can be outlined: