As the book opens we see Ezekiel, a young man of about 30, captive, yet being commissioned by God for a great service. Like the prophets generally, Ezekiel entered upon his ministry only after he had a vision and a call from God. Read of Jeremiah's call in Jeremiah 1:4-10. Turn to Isaiah 6 and review the facts of Isaiah's commission. Ezekiel opens with the description of the experiences of the prophet when he was called.
These, as well as visions, abound in Ezekiel. The more outstanding ones command great interest. 1-The parable of the two eagles (chap. 17) reveals the king of Babylon (v.12) and the king of Egypt. The "highest branch" of the cedar (v.3) corresponds to Jehoiachin carried captive to Babylon. The "seed of the land" was Zedekiah (v.5). The "tender twig" (v.22) Jehovah will plant is the Messiah, the future King of David's line through whom all nations will learn to know god. Jeremiah tells also of the "highest branch." (Jer. 23:5,6 See also Isaiah 11:1; Zech. 3:8; Isaiah 53.) For "the mountain of the Lord," see 17:22; 20:40; Micah 4:1,2; Isaiah 2:2,3. 2-Chapters 20-23 include several parables, prominent among which is that of the two sisters Aholah and Aholibah. They represent Israel's and Judah's deterioration into idolatry. 3-The parable of the boiling caldron (chap. 24) symbolizes the holocaust in Jerusalem at the hands of the invading Babylonians. Much fuel, hot fire, boiled flesh, and burnt bones show the intensity of
In this vision, a great valley is seen, filled with dry bones, said to be the "whole house of Israel" (37:11). The main lesson of the vision is the restoration of God's people. He takes them from among the heathen and gathers them out of all countries through which, as bones without flesh, they have been scattered. It is a picture also of the power of god to raise those who have not only been scattered, but dead in sins. This "new birth" was explained to Nicodemus. God promises it here to
The vine becomes a symbol of Judah, and the burning of a useless vine which bears no fruit is the destruction of the people of God. The abominations of Jerusalem are so great as to warrant the most severe punishment. This vision of doom is followed by the parable of the unfaithful wife. Israel was Jehovah's "bride," who has forsaken God to go whoring after other go
Before the siege of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is given an extended vision which shows the pe
In this vision "four living creatures" appear, having unusual faces, but each with the general appearance of a man. The main purpose of the vision is twofold--to commision Ezekiel for service, and impress upon him the need for assimilation the words God spoke to him and giving them to the people. Note "the roll of a book" which he ate in his vision (3:1). The unswerving obedience to God's will of the creatures symbolized the obedience expected of Ezelkiel. Their movement as a single unit is the picture of God's will perfectly executed. Ezekiel and Revelation are often alike in symbolism. "The man" upon the throne (1:26) is the Son of God. The "bow that is in the cloud" spoke of the covenant God made with Noah (1:28). The "fire" (1:4,13,27) bespoke God's Spirit. In Revelation, all these appear. Christ figures prominently in all the symbolism.
Ezekiel is a prophet of visions. The key text of the book shows this: As I was among the captives...the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God (Ezekiel 1:1). It is urgent that you scan all these visions before you enter into further detailed study.
In Ezekiel 25-32 we hear pronouncements of doom on surrounding nations. We remember Isaiah gave warnings in chapter 13-23. Jeremiah gave warnings in chapters 46-51. Each mentioned different nations. Ezekiel warned Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, Egypt. The remarkable thing about these prophecies is that they were given at a time when these cities and nations were strong and powerful. Each one has passed into a state of utter desolation, as Babylon, or has been put into a place of insignificance among world powers. Many of the spsecific prophecies have already been fulfilled of the most minute detail. R
To be God's sign to the people, Ezekiel underwent the loss of all personal interests. He stood ready to do anything God asked of him in order to demonstrate the plan of God for His people, and God asked some extraordinary things of him. He shut himself up in his house (3:24). He was placed inweird positions (4:4-8). He ate his food by weight (4:10). He sacrificed personal appearance (5:1), smote with hand or struck with foot (6:11), and even moved personal and domestic goods ;out of his house to show the removal of Israel into captivity (12:2-7). God may never ask these of us, but He may ask us to do things that cross our wills and desires. Will He find us as obedient as Ezekiel? Christ seeks for such--I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it:
God told Ezekiel to be a watchman. He told the prophet not to fear the prople but give them warning and that if he did not do it, he would require their blood at his hands. (Read Ezeliel 3 and 33). These chapters state plainly our personal responsibility in giving out the gospel message. Paul was so faithful in doing this that he could say, I am pure from the blood of all men (Acts 20:26).
Ezekiel was sent to his own people. It is sometimes easier to go as a missionary to China or India than to speak to the members of your own household or your own friends. Perhaps God is speaking to us as He spoke to Ezekiel--Thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel . . . Go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them (Ezekiel 3:5,11). It was a difficult task to speak to false prophets, elders,
It seems that God called Ezekiel that He might explain and justity His action in allowing His children to be taken into captivity. They had been wicked and stiff-necked; they were guilty of unspeakable sin and abomination. When other nations did what Israel had done, God had wiped them out. But all of God's dealings with Israel were for correction. They should say, I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me (Psalm 119:75). He was punishing His children for their sin and was teaching them great lessons. He said a remnant would survive. They shall know that I am God was His purpose. And it is true that with all their sins, the Jews have never been idolaters since the captivity! They insisted upon it before, in spite of the warnings of God, but never after they had come out of Babylon. God set Jeremiah to be a strong tower of strength in the land of Judah. In the same way He set Ezekiel to be a tower among his own captive people by the river Chebar, in the land of the Chaldeans. He told Ezekiel that as adamant harder than flint had He made his forehead (Ezekiel 3:9). Strength characterized the ministry of the prophet whose name means "G
Ezekiel's prophecy is intensely practical for nation and church. As Israel's captivity was the result of sin, so we must remember that sin is a reproach to any people. A nations' troubles are the result of national apostasy from God. The same is true of the church of Christ. The glory of the Lord left the house of the Lord because of the sins of God's people. It is also true of individual Christian experience. God's blessing returns to His people when His people return to Him.
This was Ezekiel's message to the nation. Their captivity was a result of their sin, and before they could hope for return to their land they must return to their Lord. This message reaches its climax in the impassioned cry of Ezekiel 18: 30-32. God's judgment on sin is certain and severe. His redemption is equally certain when it is welcomed by the human heart. Ezekiel's message close with the promise of future glory. Ezekiel 37 is the great classic of Israel's hope.The closing vision of the temple is equally significant. The glory of the Lord returns (Ezekiel 43:2-6) and fills the house of the Lord (Ezekiel 44:4)
In the Old Testament the glory of God refers to the light that shone between the cherubim in the holy of holies as the evidence of the presence of God. Ezekiel opens with this heavenly glory in the vision (Ezekiel 1). The book ends with earthly glory (Ezekiel 40-48). Ezekiel's visions given in between tell of the departing of this glory (Ezekiel 9:3). First it left the cherubim for the threshold of God's house (Ezekiel 10:4), thence to the east gate (Ezekiel 10: 18,19) and finally clear away from the temple and city to the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 11:22,23). Thus gradually, reluctantly, majestically, the glory of the Lord left the temple and Holy City. Then captivity came.
We grieve the Spirit when we do not allow ourselves time to read the Word or pray. We limit the Spirit when we refuse to be clean channels through which He can work. We resist Him by allowing idols to be in our hearts. Remember, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Does His presence glow in your life?
Young Christians, this is just what can happen to us. We can grieve the Holy Spirit and resist Him until He is quenched and our heart becomes like a ruined temple bereft of its glory. There are so many blighted Christian lives from which the radiance has gone through disobedience.
The "glory of God" seems to be the key phrase to Ezekiel. It occurs twelve times in the first eleven chapters. Then it does not occur again until the forty-third chapter. The glory of the Lord was grieved away from the temple at Jerusalem by the idolatry of the people. God says, Ye have defiled my sanctuary, therefore I will make thee waste. In Ezekiel 8 we see Ezekiel in a vision transported to Jerusalem and he sees four kinds of idolatry which were practiced in the courts of the Lord's house, even to the worshiping of the sun, with their backs to the sancruary, while their faces were to the East. We see the glory of the Lord gradually grieved away from the inner sanctuary by the sin of idolatry, and the brightness filled the court. Then it departed to the threshold and rested over the cherubim. As the cherubim rose from the earth, the glory of the Lord abode above their pinions and mounted with them, forsaking the city and removing to the mountains (Ezekiel 10).
God told Ezekiel to go to the people in captivity. He was a captive ministering to captives. We must get alongside people to help them. This was our Lord's way. God tells Ezekiel to speak whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear (Ezekiel 3:11) Ezekiel's responsibility was to deliver God's message. The results were not in his hands.
Soon after Ezekiel was born a great reformation of popular worship and social life was aroused. This was caused by the inspiration of the Book of Deuteronomy, which had just been published ( 621 B.C.). But the reformation was only superficial. The religious decline was crowned by political disaster and Jerusalem was taken after an eighteen-month siege amid horrors untold. The temple, on which such a passion of love had been lavished, was reduced to ashes and the people deported to Babylon.
Ezekiel has a style and method of preaching all his own. He uses symbols, as the mimic siege of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4), visions (Ezekiel 8), parables (Ezekiel 17), poems (Ezekiel 19), proverbs (Ezekiel 12:22,23; 18:2) and prophecies (Ezekiel 6: 20; 40-48). Ezekiel is an artist. He paints strange pictures for us. They are mystifying and full of terror and sometimes hard to be deciphered. They glow with life and action. He talks of sin and punishment, of repentance and blessing.
Ezekiel's Babylonian home was by the Chebar river. It was a ship canal which branched off from the Euphrates above Babylon, the most beautiful city of the world, filled with palaces, gardens, temples and bridges, making it an outstanding show place of the East. Chebar was probably one of many canals we know the Babylonian monarchs had dug. Ezekiel was among the captives digging the canal. Tradition tells us that the little village of Kifil (which is the Arabian for Ezekiel) was the town where Ezekiel lived, died and was buried. Tel-abib, where a colony of captive Jews dwelt, was near at hand. Ezekiel lived with these. He was fifty miles from Babylon. No doub
God had told of Judah's captivity by Babylon more than one hundred years before it happened. (see Isaiah 39:6; Micah 4:10) The seventy years of its duration was foretold by Jeremiah. (see Jeremiah 25:11-12) It is interesting to notice that God told them the exact time of their exile. But the captivity did not bring the people of Judah back to God. This judgment of God only seemed to drive the people into greater wickedness. They worshiped idols and set up groves in the hills and defiled the sanctuary of Jehovah. (See Ezekiel 5:11) Ezekiel began his prophecies to them.
The kinfdom of Israel had been taken captive 120 years before by the king of Assyria. Then God brought judgment upon the southern kingdom of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar had come to Jerusalem and carried away ten thousand of the chief men of the southern kingdom and some of the royal seed, including Daniel and Ezekiel. (See 2 Chronicles 36:6,7; Daniel 1:1-3; 2 Kings 24:14-16) The people of Israel had been living in constant trouble. It took Nebuchadnezzar twenty years to completely destroy Jerusalem. He could have done it sooner but he wanted tribute money. Then, too, Daniel was his court favorite and he may have been influenced by his young prime minister. He was finally forced to devastate Jerusalem because the city persisted in allying herself with Egypt. It was a tragic hour for Jerusalem when her walls were laid flat, her houses burned, the temple destroyed and her people dragged away as captives.
Daniel and a few other Jewish boys had been brought to Babylon in 606 B.C. Ezekiel came nine years later. Ezekiel found that Daniel had attained a high position in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, although he was only a youth. No doubt Daniel helped ease the lot of the captives because of his station. Ezekiel and Daniel were both young men of about the same age. Jeremiah was older. He had been prophesying for about thirty years in Jerusalem when Ezekiel was taken away. No doubt Ezekiel had been Jeremiah's pupil while he was in the Holy City and we find him preaching to the captives in Babylon the same things that Jeremiah had preached. He told them of their sin and certain judgment. He reiterated their folly in relying on Egypt.
This book is named after its author as are the other boooks of the prophets. Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel was not only a prophet but he was a priest as well. He was a prophet during the captivity. When he was twenty-five years old, he was carried captive to Babylon in 597 B.C. with the upper class of people, eleven years before the destruction of Jerusalem. This means that for eleven years 10,000 exiles were living in a concentration camp in Babylon while Jeremiah and the folks at home tried to "carry on" at Jerusalem. For five years the captives had no preacher. Then Ezekiel began to serve them. He immediately tried to remove their false hopes of an early return to Palestine. He tried to prepare them for the news of the tragic destruction of their beloved Jerusalem. He lived at the same time as Daniel and Jeremiah. Jeremiah remained among the Jews in Jerusalem. Ezekiel lived with the exiles in Babylon, and Daniel lived in the court of the rulers in Babylon.
Ezekiel is for the Jew today. It tells God's chosen prople that God wil fulfill His sure promises. Their land, their city, their temple will be restored to them. It reveals God's plan for them.
Ezekiel is for the Christian today. It is a book of the times, for God's time is always revealed by His dealing with the Jew. Israel is beginning to return to her land and divine history is being made. The nation now exists officially. When the Jew moves, we know god is getting ready to act.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen
