I'm transitioning from Jeremiah and Lamentations to Ezekiel, focusing on the Babylonian exile. Ezekiel, a priest, pens his prophetic book, blending visions and vivid imagery. His insights forge a link from past woes to future restoration, nourishing the faith of the exiled.
Linking Jeremiah's devastation to Ezekiel's exile insights. Ezekiel's priestly perspective enriches the narrative, offering a profound commentary on the continuity of prophetic themes.
Ezekiel's captivity began in 597 BC, close to the Kebar River. His priestly lineage and the book's timeline from 593 to 571 BC align with historical events and internal indicators.
Transition from Jeremiah and Lamentations to Ezekiel
In our studies of Jeremiah and Lamentations, we examined the prophetic warnings and emotional laments surrounding the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
Jeremiah's messages forecasted Judah's downfall at the hands of the Babylonians due to pervasive idolatry and rebellion, and Lamentations captured the sorrow and desolation of a once-glorious city lying in ruins.
As we move from these books into the Book of Ezekiel, we remain in the same historical landscape, the tumultuous period of Babylon's dominance over the kingdom of Judah, but we now shift our vantage point from those left in the land (as Jeremiah was) to those living in exile.
Background on Ezekiel
Unlike Jeremiah, who remained in Jerusalem until its capture, Ezekiel prophesied among the first wave of exiles taken to Babylon around 597 BC.
the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)
- Ezekiel 1:3
This passage introduces him as "the priest, the son of Buzi," indicating his priestly heritage, a detail reflected in his intense concern for temple holiness, cleanliness, and proper worship. He lived among the deported community by the Kebar (or Chebar) River, likely near the city of Nippur in southern Mesopotamia.
- Priestly Focus: His background as a priest is evident in the themes of temple defilement and restoration throughout the book (e.g., ch. 8-11, 40-48).
- Life in Exile: Although stripped of the ability to serve in the Jerusalem temple, Ezekiel continued a priestly-prophetic role, conveying God's word to a displaced and often stubborn community.
Authorship and Dating
Most conservative and historical-critical scholars alike affirm that the Book of Ezekiel is substantially the work of the prophet Ezekiel himself. Several lines of evidence support his authorship:
A. First-Person Narratives
The text frequently shifts into first-person speech, such as "I, Ezekiel, was among the exiles" (Ezekiel 1:1), aligning with autobiographical style.
B. Timestamped Oracles
Ezekiel's prophecies come with clear chronological markers (e.g., "in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile" in Ezekiel 1:2), pinpointing events to a span from approximately 593 BC to 571 BC. These dated oracles align with known historical moments under Babylonian rule.
C. Consistent Theological Emphases
Recurring themes, God's glory, temple holiness, personal responsibility, demonstrate a coherent outlook throughout the 48 chapters, suggesting a unified authorship rather than a patchwork from multiple contributors.
Approximate Timeline
- 593 BC: The earliest recorded prophecy (Ezekiel 1:2-3).
- 586 BC: The fall of Jerusalem, an event Ezekiel references as a turning point (Ezekiel 24).
- 571 BC: The latest recorded date (Ezekiel 29:17), indicating at least 22 years of prophetic ministry in exile.
While a final editorial process could have shaped the book's structure, the overwhelming internal evidence points to Ezekiel as the primary author, writing under the inspiration of God's Spirit.
His perspective as both priest and prophet provides a unique voice, one grounded in Jerusalem's temple traditions yet forced to declare God's judgment and restoration from a foreign land.
Having surveyed the sorrowful conclusions of Jeremiah and the poetic grief of Lamentations, we now enter Ezekiel, where we will witness God's stunning self-revelations, His throne-chariot appearing by the rivers of Babylon, His scathing indictments against sin, and ultimately His promise to restore both temple and people.
This transition reminds us that though Jerusalem's walls have crumbled, the Lord's purposes continue among His exiled community. We will see how God's holiness, sovereignty, and covenant faithfulness shine through the darkness of displacement, paving the way for hope in future restoration.
I. Introduction and Inaugural Vision (Ezekiel 1-3)
1. Historical Context and Background
The Book of Ezekiel is set during a turbulent period in Judah's history. The Babylonian Empire was rising to power and eventually destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. Ezekiel himself was among the exiles taken to Babylon around 597 BC, before the final fall of the city.
This period of loss, displacement, and political upheaval forms the background of his prophecies. Ezekiel came from a priestly family, which is significant because his vision and messages often reflect a priestly concern for God's holiness and proper worship. Major themes emerge right from the outset:
God's absolute sovereignty, the inevitability of judgment on persistent sin, and the promise that God's glory, though seemingly withdrawn, will return. The structure of Ezekiel divides into three broad segments:
- Judgment on Judah – Ezekiel 1-24
- Judgment on foreign nations – Ezekiel 25-32
- Prophecies of Israel's restoration – Ezekiel 33-48
2. Ezekiel's Inaugural Vision and Call (Ch. 1-3)
Ezekiel's call narrative spans these first three chapters and begins with one of the most vivid visions in Scripture: the appearance of God's glory in Babylon. This is immediately arresting because it locates God's presence outside Jerusalem, demonstrating that the Lord is not confined to the temple or to the borders of Judah.
3. Vision of the Glory of God (Ch. 1)
Whirlwind, four living creatures, wheels within wheels Ezekiel 1 opens with a majestic vision: "the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God" (1:1). He sees a whirlwind coming from the north, a direction often associated with invasion or judgment.
In the midst of this storm are four living creatures, later identified as cherubim (10:15), each with four faces and four wings (1:6). Their faces represent different aspects of creation, a human face, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, symbolizing God's sovereign rule over all forms of life.
Beneath these creatures are wheels described as "a wheel intersecting a wheel" (1:16). The complexity of the wheels' movement, which can go in any direction without turning (1:17), conveys that God's Spirit and presence are not restricted.
These wheels and creatures support what appears to be a divine throne above them: "There was something like a throne... and on that throne, high above, was a figure like that of a man" (1:26). The majestic radiance around this figure resembles a rainbow on a rainy day, capturing the awe and splendor of God's glory (1:28).
4. Significance of God's throne/chariot appearing in Babylon
One of the most striking aspects of this vision is that it occurs in Babylon, not in the Jerusalem temple. This reveals God's sovereignty and omnipresence, He is not limited by geography or Israel's national boundaries. Even in exile, God's covenant people are not abandoned.
The glory departing from the temple (seen fully in chapters 8-11) will parallel this first appearance, emphasizing that God alone controls where His presence dwells. For Ezekiel and the exiles, this vision challenges any assumption that God is defeated by Babylon or absent from His people; rather, He is powerfully present and still orchestrating events for His purposes.
5. The Prophet's Commission (Ch. 2-3)
God calls Ezekiel to speak to a rebellious house Following the overwhelming vision of the throne-chariot, Ezekiel hears the voice of God commissioning him: "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you" (2:1). This title, "son of man," underscores Ezekiel's humanity in the presence of divine majesty.
God sends him to "the Israelites, to a rebellious nation" (2:3), indicating that the people, though exiled, have not humbled themselves. Ezekiel's task is to deliver God's words faithfully, regardless of the people's responsiveness.
6. Eating the scroll, internalizing God's message
1Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3He said to me, "Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you." Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.
- Ezekiel 3:1-3
The prophet is told to eat a scroll inscribed with "words of lament and mourning and woe" (2:10). Surprisingly, as he eats it, "it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth" (3:3).
This action symbolizes that before Ezekiel can proclaim God's message to others, he must first fully absorb it himself. It also suggests that the Word of God, even when speaking of judgment, is ultimately sweet and life-giving to those who receive it.
7. Watchman theme introduced (3:16-21)
God further instructs Ezekiel that he is a "watchman" for the house of Israel. In ancient times, a watchman stood on city walls, scanning the horizon for approaching danger. Similarly, Ezekiel is accountable to warn the people of coming judgment. "When I say to a wicked person, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn them... I will hold you accountable for their blood" (3:18).
The watchman theme highlights both the urgency of declaring the truth and the personal responsibility Ezekiel bears. If he fails to warn, he shares in the guilt of the unrepentant; if he warns faithfully, he fulfills his duty, even if the people ignore him.
8. God's overwhelming holiness
The opening vision underscores the intensity of God's holiness. The storm, the cherubim, and the radiant presence all proclaim that God is set apart from and above every created thing. This holiness demands reverence and underscores the seriousness of sin.
9. The authority of God's call on Ezekiel
Ezekiel's commission is not self-appointed. The vision of the throne-chariot emphasizes that this message and mission come directly from the Almighty. Ezekiel must speak regardless of how people respond, because the authority rests in God's word, not in human acceptance.
10. The seriousness of proclaiming judgment and hope
Ezekiel's role as a watchman shows that proclaiming God's message, whether of impending judgment or future restoration, is a matter of life and death. God longs for repentance, but He also holds His messenger responsible for delivering truth. This intertwines hope (God wants to save) with gravity (those who do not heed the warning face dire consequences).
In summary, Ezekiel's opening chapters lay a firm foundation for all that follows: the transcendent, sovereign God commissions a prophet to warn a stubborn people, yet offers them hope if they turn back. Even in exile, God's glory is undiminished and His word remains the final authority.
Lessons
1. A Watchman to the World: The Church's Prophetic Calling
Ezekiel was commissioned as a "watchman" to warn his fellow exiles of impending judgment (Ezekiel 3:16-21). He bore the responsibility of declaring God's truth, whether people heeded it or not.
In the modern era, the Church similarly stands as a prophetic witness among the nations, holding out both the warning of sin's consequences and the hope found in Christ. Like Ezekiel, believers today are not merely passive observers but active messengers of God's redemptive word, entrusted with proclaiming the gospel and interceding for the world's transformation.
2. Exiles in a Foreign Land: Christians in an Unbelieving World
Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon, far from the temple he loved, yet God's presence was not diminished by physical displacement (Ezekiel 1:1-3). In the New Testament, Christians are described as "strangers and exiles" on earth (I Peter 2:11). Living in a culture often at odds with biblical faith, believers can take heart that God's glory and sovereignty transcend any national boundary or hostile environment.
Just as Ezekiel experienced the reality of God's presence in exile, Christians today can affirm, "The Lord is there" (Ezekiel 48:35), no matter how spiritually foreign the surrounding culture may feel. God's Spirit sustains His people, enabling them to remain faithful ambassadors of His truth and love.
3. Leading with Integrity: Lessons for Modern Church Leaders
Ezekiel ministered among a rebellious and disheartened people, faithfully conveying God's message of both judgment and restoration (Ezekiel 2:3-7; Ezekiel 34:1-10). In the same way, today's church leaders (elders, ministers, and other shepherds) bear the responsibility to care for the flock with integrity and courage.
They must confront sin and idolatry in the church, akin to Ezekiel's bold exposure of temple corruption (Ezekiel 8), while also offering hope in God's power to restore hearts (Ezekiel 36:26). Servant leaders, like Ezekiel, are called to stand in the gap, interceding for those under their care and equipping believers to remain faithful in a world that often ignores God's truth.
Through humility, prayer, and commitment to God's Word, modern church leaders echo Ezekiel's spirit by pointing God's people to the holiness and compassion of the Lord.
In other words,
- The Church, like Ezekiel, is called to be a prophetic watchman, boldly warning of sin and proclaiming God's hope.
- Christians, though exiles in an unbelieving world, remain sustained by God's abiding presence and power.
- Church leaders must follow Ezekiel's example by courageously confronting sin and shepherding God's people toward restoration.