Introduction to Ezekiel Person, Place and Time There is very little guesswork needed in discovering who wrote the book of Ezekiel, or where and when it was written. The opening three verses of the book give us much of the information we need.

Ezekiel describes himself as the son of Buzi, and a priest (1:3). The fact that he is a priest might help to explain why much of his discussion

concerning holiness draws upon the section of Leviticus (chapters 17-26) which is often referred to as ‘The Holiness Code’. The reference to the ‘thirtieth year’ in verse one is not clear, but could well refer to his own age (as NIV) and thus to the year when he entered service as a priest.

Ezekiel is in Babylonia, in exile, as a result of the deportation of King Jehoiachin in 597 BC (2 Kings 24:8-17), and has been there for five years (1:2). We are told that the first vision he sees comes while he is ‘by the River Kebar’. While there is debate as to where this river is — at least two possibilities have been mentioned — it is likely that it refers to a canal in

the city of Nippur, not far from Babylon itself (see map above). His prophetic ministry lasts until at least the 27th year of the exile (29:17), when he would have been 52.

Ezekiel was married but his wife died at the time of the final fall of Jerusalem in 587/6 BC (24:1-2; 15-18) . 1

It is an interesting possibility that Ezekiel may have known Jeremiah before being taken into exile. There are some close links between Ezekiel’s sayings and some of Jeremiah’s (Ezek 11:19-20 and Jer. 31:33; 32:39-40 for example) . Unlike Jeremiah (and 2

The box above gives some suggested dates for important events in Israel’s history. This is adapted from 1

the ESV Classic Reference Bible.

See McConville G, 832

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Old Testament Historyc. 1445 Exodus

c.1400 Entry to the Promised Land

c. 1010-970 David

c. 931 Division of the Kingdom

c. 722 Israel is destroyed by Assyria

c. 597 Deportation to Babylon

c. 587/6 Fall of Jerusalem

538 The return from exile begins

515 Rebuilding of Temple begins

445 Nehemiah travels to Jerusalem

Isaiah), Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry all takes place in Babylonia and is, thus the only prophetic book that is set totally in exile. As Gordon McConville points out, Daniel is also set in exile, but is not a ‘prophetic’ book in the way that Ezekiel is.

Uniquely among the prophets, Ezekiel gives very specific dates for many of his sayings, or oracles. While there is some debate as to exactly what calendar he used (there are two possibilities, either that he used one which ran from autumn to autumn, or from spring to spring) this allows us to date much of what he wrote with some accuracy . 3

Reference Event/Oracle Date

1:1 Ezekiel’s call 31st July 593

8:1 Vision of idolatry in Jerusalem 17th Sep 592

24:1 The siege begins 15th Jan 588

29:1 Oracle against Egypt 7th Jan 587

31:1 Oracle against Pharaoh 21st June 587

33:21 ‘The city has fallen’ 19th Jan 586

40:1 Vision of new Jerusalem 28th April 573

Themes Ezekiel has a number of important themes, and like all of scripture, the emphasis starts with the person of God.

Transcendence and Immanence The book begins and ends with the presence of God. In the first chapter this is depicted through the vision of God’s throne approaching Ezekiel from the north. In the final chapter, we have the vision of the new Jerusalem and its name: The Lord is There.

The table below is adapted from Taylor JB, 36 and assumes a calendar that runs from spring to spring. It is 3

not a complete record of dates that Ezekiel gives. 2

Old Testament Prophets It can be helpful to see the prophets in relation to each other (as well as to the history of Israel). Ezekiel, for instance, covers the same time as Obadiah and the end of Jeremiah. The story of Daniel is also set in the time of the Exile. The diagram below gives one possibility of how the prophets relate to each other historically.

The first vision might be said to present God’s transcendence; the fact that he is ‘other’ different from and truly above humanity. However, it also touches upon God’s presence; for Ezekiel and the other exiles, the vision of God’s throne in Babylonia would have been a comfort, and a reminder that God is God over all, not just Israel.

The final vision goes further in this exploration of God’s presence; it reminds us that while God is transcendent, he is also immanent–he is with his people. For the Jews, the Temple was the ultimate symbol of this. For us, living after the incarnation when God becomes a human being — Immanuel, God with us — then the reality of God’s immanence is even more profound. Our hope, is still the hope of Ezekiel’s final vision, of a time when God dwells with his people for eternity (Rev 21:3).

Sovereignty of God The vision at the start of the book demonstrates the fact that God is not just the god of Israel (as we have seen). He is the God of the whole world. The Jewish faith starts with the understanding that God is creator and sustainer of the universe. This fact lies behind the biblical understanding of God as Judge; he is Judge because he is creator. The book of Ezekiel reminds us that whatever the circumstances may be, God is still sovereign. For the Jews in exile this meant that God was still working out his covenantal promises to his people. For us, now, it is a reminder that however much of a mess the word may seem, God is still on his throne and still in control.

Humanity’s Sin and Responsibility Part of how Ezekiel brings God’s message to the people is to remind them that, while God is sovereign and they are his covenant people, they have personal and corporate responsibility for how they live. So, in a series of allegories (16:1-63; 20:1-31 and 23:1-49 ) 4

he shows Israel’s history of repeated faithlessness in contrast to God’s faithfulness. The allegory of Oholah and Oholibah in chapter 23 is perhaps the most graphic of these, but all of them aim to shock the people out of their complacency. The sin of the people is not something that is obvious in ordinary life, it has taken hold in the very centre of Jewish faith and religious activity: the Temple (8:1-18).

The Reality of Judgment Old Testament prophets are probably known for their teaching on the judgment of God. Ezekiel is no exception. Ezekiel’s message is not just one of judgment, but of the imminent nature of that judgment, and of its certainty. On a number of occasions, God emphasises that he will act as Judge (see e.g. 12:28; 22:14). The first vision brings this message as well. While there is hope in the presence of God, the vision is full of symbols of judgment (from the throne itself, to the threat of the storm) so that God’s presence is seen as bringing both hope and judgment.

The Promise of Restoration The final section of the book turns to the theme of hope and restoration. God can make even dry bones live (37:1-14) so there is hope for the people of God. Ezekiel’s final visions are of a land where the presence and the glory of God have returned (43:1-12) and where

See Taylor JB, 42 for a more detailed discussion of this.4

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the land is now a place of blessing and abundance. This was to give hope to the exiles, but it also brings hope to us. For we live at the time when in Jesus we see these visions of hope appear in flesh. So that in Jesus we see, as he himself said, the fulfilment of the prophets (Matt 5:17).

In all of these themes, part of the message of Ezekiel is that no-one can have the privilege of catching a glimpse of the glory of God without its having a profound effect on their lives. His response at the end of the first vision has to be the response of God’s people thought the ages to the revelation of God, ”This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown.” (1:28b)

Structure The book divides into three major sections : 5

1. God’s judgment on Judah and Jerusalem - chapters 1-24 1.1. The call of Ezekiel to confront a rebellious people - chapters 1-3

1.2. Signs, visions, metaphors and oracles declaring judgment for Jerusalem - chapters 4-24

2. God’s judgment on foreign nations - chapters 25-32 2.1. Oracles against Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia - chapter 25

2.2. Oracles against Tyre - chapters 26-28

2.3. Oracles against Egypt - chapters 29-32

3. God’s restoration of Israel - chapters 33-48 3.1. Renewal, return, restoration and resurrection - chapters 33-39

3.2. Vision of new temple, Torah, land and city - chapters 40-48

Recommended Books Two readable introductory commentaries:

Taylor JB, 1969, Ezekiel, London: Tyndale

Wright CJH, 2001, The Message of Ezekiel, Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press

An excellent introduction to all of the prophetic books:

McConville G, 2002, Exploring the Old Testament Volume 4 The Prophets, London: SPCK

A very good, more detailed commentary which is extensive but accessible:

Duguid IM, 1999, Ezekiel, Grand Rapids: Zondervan

This structure is taken from The Proclamation Bible, Hodder and Stoughton, 8825

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