Book of ezekiel overview insight for living ministries. Ezekiel overview matthew henrys complete commentary on. Like daniel a few years earlier, ezekiel was a godly young man who followed the law of moses, including the dietary laws. The prophet is so overcome by the vision that he falls on his face. The prophet ezekiel was a contemporary of jeremiah. The book of ezekiel, also called the prophecy of ezechiel, one of the major prophetical books of the old testament. An extensive introduction helps to orient readers of ezekiels prophecies to the times, methods, and message of the prophet and to the special literary features of the book. Ezekiel said the throne over israel would be given to one yet to come.
In chapter 33, a messenger came and gave the news that jerusalem had been destroyed. The book of ezekiel he will be strengthened of god. The prophet ezekiel was commissioned to be a watchman sounding the warning for the early waves of exiles in babylon 3. It is agreed that they lived much about the same time and we have reason to. Ezekiel cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. The book of ezekiel is the third of the latter prophets in the tanakh and one of the major prophetic books in the old testament, following isaiah and jeremiah. His life and actions became a sign or a living prophecy to the people.
Ezekiel was from a priestly line, and much of his ministry centered. Besides clarity of structure, the book of ezekiel reveals symmetry. In judaism, christianity, and islam, ezekiel is acknowledged as a hebrew prophet. According to the book itself, it records six visions of the prophet ezekiel, exiled in babylon, during the 22 years from 593 to 571 bc, although it is the product of a long and complex history and does not necessarily preserve the very words of the prophet. Book of ezekiel read, study bible verses online bible study tools. They are ezekiel, daniel, and john who wrote from the island of patmos. Watch our overview video on the first part of the book of ezekiel, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. He was exiled in 597 bc, eleven years before jerusalem fell, and his prophetic ministry took place in the context of the exile. Ezekiel proclaimed the words of god to the children of god, the israelites. The book of ezekiel chiefly records the events when the jews, including ezekiel himself, are among the exiles in babylon.
What is known of ezekiel is derived solely from the book that bears his name. Ezekiel god will strengthen, or prevail was, like jeremiah, a priest as well as a prophet. The book of ezekiel was likely written between 593 and 565. Ezekiel went into exile with the israelites as decreed by king nebuchadnezzar to the city of babylon. Ezekiel went in into exile with jehoiachin in 597 b. Ezekiel, prophetpriest of ancient israel and the subject and in part the author of an old testament book that bears his name. In this vision ezekiel saw four brilliant, powerful angels in action. The book of ezekiel is narrative history, prophetic and apocalyptic in genre and even contains parables. The first reason to study ezekiel is that it will help you see yourself, and especially your sin, more clearly. Block, new international commentary on the old testament nicot, eerdmans, 19971998, 1,757 pp. The septuagint employed the form iezekiel, from which the vulgate jeromes latin bible, 390405 a. He was among the jews exiled to babylon by nebuchadnezzar in 597 b.
The book of ezekiel pronounces judgment on both israel and surrounding nations, but it also provides a vision of the future millennial kingdom that complements and adds to the vision of other old and new testament texts. He is giving his messages to the jews in exile where he is also among. When god had a message for the people, he spoke to them through prophets. Ezekiels priestly lineage shines through in his prophetic ministry. In his book ezekiel is called upon by god to send his message to the people of israel who have gone astray. The prophet ezekiel was born around 622 bc and preached for about 22 years. Jesus christ often used that title for himself, probably a reference to daniel, designating his humanity and his mission of salvation some references in ezekiel have striking similarities to the prophetic book of revelation. Ezekiel with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. This visionary book is often difficult to understand. Ezekiel describes his vision as an elaborate and complex image that symbolizes the majesty of yahweh and proclaims yahwehs sovereignty over all the nations of the earth. Not only does the book present a striking picture of the resurrection and restoration of gods people ezekiel 37, it. The book of ezekiel was likely written between 593 and 565 b. The rest of ezekiel shows that application of this punishment to israel and the whole world and the promised blessings. And if the prophet be deceived and speak a word, i, yahuveh, have deceived that prophet, and i will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people israel.
It is placed between the book of lamentations and the book of daniel in the old testament canon of scripture. Ezekiel is the central protagonist of the book of ezekiel in the hebrew bible. Many of the divine visions that ezekiel shares are relevant to gods plans for reconstructing the present world and restoring his people to our former days in the garden of eden. Among his more famous prophecies, which were compiled in the book of ezekiel, are his visions of the divine chariot, the valley of the dry bones and the third temple. The most popular bible verses from ezekiel found 1,273 verses ezekiel 36. Ezekiel in his prophecy likens israel to what sort of tree.
The prophet wastes no time dropping his readers right into the thick of the life and times of judah immediately following the fall of jerusalem. The book of the prophet ezekiel cambridge bible commentary. The three major prophets isaiah, jeremiah, ezekiel and zephaniah all have the same basic sequence of messages. Intro to ezekiel biblica the international bible society. Chapter 1, ezekiels visions, the four living creatures, the glory of the lord. By way of his prophesy and ministry ezekiel seeks to bring the people. In judaism and christianity, he is also viewed as the 6thcentury bce author of the book of ezekiel, which reveals prophecies regarding the destruction of jerusalem, the restoration to the land of israel, and what some call the millennial temple visions. This book is basically about the destruction and exile of judah and the promise of its eventual restoration by god. All his energies were directed toward keeping the exiles hopes alive, just at the point at which, on hearing the news of the fall of jerusalem, they were liable to feel that god had abandoned them forever. The book of ezekiel takes its title from the priest of the same name, son to a man named buzi. More than 90 times, god calls ezekiel son of man, a term used to highlight the prophet s humanity.
He was of the great company of captives carried to babylon, with the young king jehoiachin, by nebuchadnezzar, b. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. More than any other prophet more even than hosea and jeremiah he was directed to involve himself personally in the divine word by acting it out in prophetic. Ezekiel was given prophethood at an age thirty after he saw a majestic vision of gods glory during his captivation in babylon. Watch our overview video on the first part of the book of ezekiel, which. Key personalities include ezekiel, israels leaders, ezekiel s wife. The book of ezekiel, one of the major prophetical books of the old testament.
The problem was the people didnt want to hear his warning 2. Ezekiel then spends the rest of his prophecies in telling about the restoration of israel in the future. After the fall of jerusalem ezekiel was recommissioned to show the necessity and inevitability of judahs restoration to fellowship by god chaps. Ezekiel s in babylon, having been exiled there after the first siege of judah by the babylonians. In contrast to various other prophets ezekiel has not been criticised as much. With a commentary, critical, philological, and exegetical in preparing the following work for the press, the author has been greatly encouraged by the kind reception given to his previous labours on the prophets by theological readers both in this country and america. Ezekiel 25 is the twentyfifth chapter of the book of ezekiel in the hebrew bible or the old testament of the christian bible. The book of ezekiel can seem vague and confusing for some readers, but with careful observation it contains key details god wants us to know about. Ezekiel, prophet priest of ancient israel and the subject and in part the author of an old testament book that bears his name. The book of the prophet ezekiel holy bible this page is being displayed without its intended css styles in web. I know of no expounder of holy scripture on this side of the atlantic in the same class as mr. God showed ezekiel events that would happen in the future. Book of ezekiel known to be written by prophet ezekiel and is placed immediately after lamentation in ot. What happened on the day that god told ezekiel that he was going to take away the desire of his eyes.
Its great news that a new davidic king was coming to shepherd gods people. And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, i the lord have deceived that prophet, and i will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people israel. Ezekiel s commission would last for some 22 years and involve some challenging assignments. It is composed of 48 chapters divided almost half before and after the fall of jerusalem. Apr 22, 2018 the first reason to study ezekiel is that it will help you see yourself, and especially your sin, more clearly. All three of these men wrote what is called an apocalypse. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. This chapter contains the oracles against four nations. Dyer, notes on the book of ezekiel, unpublished class notes in 304 preexlic and exilic prophets, dallas theological seminary, fall 1993, 4. There were three prophets of israel who spoke when they were out of the land. Ezekiel is a major prophet in the old testament, the author of the book of ezekiel. Ezekiel had a message for them, and he gave it to them see ezek. The prophet as a sign ezekiel was a prophet to the generation that would see the fulfillment of the prophecies.
These doubts were strong enough, in those early days, to raise the question of whether ezekiel should be one of the biblical books. Khabour, that the heavens were opened, and i saw visions from god. He lived during the time of the fall of jerusalem and was among those who were exiled to babylon. The book opens with an account of the vision that summoned ezekiel to his prophetic calling. Ezekiel was a prophet holy man who lived at the same time as the last kings of judah. Ezekiel has his fair share of oracles verbal burdens from god, but this book is best known for ezekiel. A new heart will i give you and a new spirit will i put within you, and i will take away the stony heart out of. The book of ezekiel has always been a problem book. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet priest ezekiel, and is one of the books of the prophets. The prophet ezekiel is one of four major prophets along with isaiah, jeremiah, and daniel in hebrew scripture, our old testament of the bible. Through the bible will be broadcast tonight on youtube at 7.
Encounter divine dreams and visions in the book of ezekiel. The prophet ezekiel is the author of the book of ezekiel. As a priestprophet called to minister to the exiles separated from the temple of the lord with its symbolism, sacrifices, priestly ministrations and worship rituals. The bible handbook by joseph angus makes this comment in its introduction to the book of ezekiel. The book of ezekiel begins with a bang as the prophet reveals the heavens opening to unveil a vision of god. Tonight we look at the third major prophet, ezekiel. He shared the hardest years the jews spent in babylon. Best commentaries and books on ezekiel logos bible software. Ezekiel yechezkel was a prophet who lived in babylonia at the time of the destruction of the first temple. Dr carleys commentary makes its meaning available to the modern reader. The book of ezekiel is categorized with the writings of the major prophets. Thousands of years ago, ezekiel recorded warnings and promises of god that are intended for our time, now. Although not mentioned in the quran by name, all muslim scholars, both classical and modern have included ezekiel in lists of the prophets of islam. God told ezekiel that ezekiel must warn the people about these events ezekiel 33.
Ezekiel ministered to his generation who were both exceedingly sinful and thoroughly hopeless. Writing from a first person perspective, ezekiel recorded the visions and revelations he received from the. In no other book is this pattern clearer than in ezekiel see outline. The prophet ezekiel, in exile from the land of judah, came, to see the reason for his countrys downfall, and prophesied its eventual restoration with the revival of faith and moral responsibility. The priest ezekiel was the first prophet to be called by the lord outside of israel during the babylonian captivity. According to dates given in the text, ezekiel received his prophetic call in the fifth year of the first deportation to babylonia 592 bc and was active until about 570 bc. The book of the prophet ezekiel king james bible version. Ezekiel is recognized as a prophet in islamic tradition. Historians and scholars agree that ezekiel was a highly intelligent man. Key personalities include ezekiel, israels leaders, ezekiels wife. Ezekiel, whose name means strengthened by god, grew up in jerusalem, served as a priest in the temple and was among the second group of captives taken to babylon along with king jehoiachin. According to the book itself, it records six visions of the prophet ezekiel, exiled in babylon, during the 22 years from 593 to 571 bc, although it is the product of a long and complex history and does not necessarily preserve the very. The prophecies of ezekiel concerning the restoration of. Ezekiel prophesied about the judgment of jerusalem and other nations in ezekiel 2.
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