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Ezekiel: Introduction Introduction: One cannot say Ezekiel is the forgotten prophet, since it is hard to forget a prophet who’s book contains 48 chapters. But he is often over looked. While we read Isaiah and his prophecies concerning the Messiah, Jeremiah and his writings to an apostate Judah, Daniel and his message during captivity, Ezekiel is kind of out there unnoticed. Probably we are familiar with chapters 3 and 18 but not much else. Prophets could proclaim their message from God in at least three ways: orally, in written form, or through symbolic acts. Ezekiel was the master of prophesying trough symbolic acts. The prophetic books of the Bible are collections of spoken prophecies called oracles. The oracles were not usually given all at once. One must read carefully to learn where one oracle begins and ends. A single oracle can be one or two verses or several chapters. Keys to understanding Ezekiel: 1. God spoke to his people through each prophet in a particular setting (time and place) with a particular purpose. Think context! 2. Think about what the people who first heard the prophet would have understood. 3. Read in terms of oracles (distinct messages). Try to get the message of a complete oracle. Don’t put oracles together that don’t go together. I) Background A) Ezekiel was born in the time of Josiah’s reforms, 2 Kings 22.-23. 1. Judah the southern kingdom was a vassal of Assyri from the time of Josiah’s grandfather, King Manasseh (697-642 BC), until Jehoiakim. 2. Judah was in moral and political decay. B) Rise of Babylon and decline of Judah. 1. 625 BC Nabopolassar, ruler of Babylon overthrew the rule of Assyria, declared Chaldean independence. 2. 612 BC Nebuchadnezzar conquered and overthrew Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. 3. 609 BC remnant of the Assyrian army destroyed in a battle near Haran. a. Pharaoh Neco defeated Josiah at Megiddo and Josiah is killed, 2 Kings 23.28-30. b. Jehoahaz is made King of Judah and rules for 3 months.. c. Both Assyria and Egypt are defeated in battle by Babylon. 4. Pharaoh Neco replaces Jehoahaz with Jehoiakim, 2 Kings 23.34. 5. 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar defeats Assyria and Egypt at Carchmish, chasing Egypt back to its homeland. Jehoiakim becomes a vassal of Babylon, 2 Kings 24.1. a. Nebuchadnezzar’s father dies and he returns to Babylon. b. This is the first set of captives taken from Judah. Includes Daniel and his three friends. 6. 601 Babylon and Egypt fight another battle which is a stalemate. Jehoiakim becomes a vassal of Egypt. 7. 598 BC Jehoiakim dies and Jehoiachin becomes king of Judah and reigns 3 months, 2 Kings 24.8. a. Jehoiachin is also called Jeconiah or Coniah. b. Direct prophecy concerning Coniah in Jeremiah 22.28-30. 8. 597 BC Babylon besieged Jerusalem and takes everything of value back to Babylon. a. This is the second captivity; Ezekiel is taken off to Babylon. b. Zedekiah is made king by Nebuchadnezzar. 9. 588 BC Zedekiah rebels, 587 BC Nebuchadnezzar again besieges Jerusalem, 586 BC Jerusalem is destroyed, Zedekiah’s eyes are put out. 2 Kings 25.2-3. a. Third group taken as captives. b. Beginning of the 70 years of exile of Judah. 2 Chronicles 36.17-21 II) Ezekiel’s Commission A) 598 BC Ezekiel taken captive to Babylon 1. Thought to of been born around 630 to 623 BC. Overlap the prophets Jeremiah and Daniel. 2. 593 is when Ezekiel is chosen by God, Ezekiel 1.1-2. B) His mission 1. To save from complete apostasy the group that had been taken into captivity in 597 BC. 2. Jeremiah 24 the good figs are the captives take to Babylon in 597 BC. This would be the remnant. 3. 586 BC these were the bad figs. C) Division of this Book 1. The call of the prophet (first vision), chapters 1-3.15 2. The sins and fall of Jerusalem and Judah, chapters 3.16-24.27 3. The judgment of the nations, chapters 25-32 4. Restoration of the remnant, the coming of the spiritual kingdom, chapters 33-39. 5. The New Temple, chapters 40-49. Conclusion: A re-occurring theme throughout Ezekiel is Glory of God. Judah’s captivity was directly related to their rebellion against God. Despite being God’s “holy nation” they were punished because of their sins. God will be exalted and glorified by a holy people. We, Christians, today are God’s holy nation, His peculiar people, 1 Peter 2.9.
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