Introduction to The Book of Ezekiel

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Introduction to The Book of Ezekiel

1. Background
2. History
3. Main Parts
4. God Message in The Book

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Background

• Ezekiel The Strength of God
• or One strengthened of God
• Ezekiel and Daniel are the only writing prophets
  of the Old Testament who lived and prophesied any
  where but in the land of Israel, except we add
  Jonah, who was sent to Nineveh to prophesy.
  Ezekiel prophesied in the beginning of the
  captivity, Daniel in the latter end of it.
• Used parables, symbolic behavior, object lessons
  to drive his message.

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History

• Was born about 623 AD to Boozy the Priest.
• At age of 25 (598 AD) was captured to Babylon.
• There the prophecies of this book were preached
  and written, while the prophet himself, and the
  people to whom he prophesied, were captives
  there.
• He could not practice priesthood however his
  thoughts were about the temple and the sacrifice.
• At the beginning, the temple was not destructed
  yet (587 AD) and the people thought that the
  captivity will not be for long and did not
  repent.
• He was put to death by the captives in Babylon,
  for his faithfulness and boldness in reproving
  them.

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History Cont.

• Ezekiel lived and Influenced by
• His father Boozy the priest.
• Jeremiah the prophet and his prophecies.
• Josiah the Good King and his revival of the
  temple and Gods commandments.
• The fall of Nineveh, Jehoahaz Eliakim the bad
  kings, Egyptian Pharaohs, the captivity in
  Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the
  flourish of his kingdom, the destruction of the
  Temple, and the surrounding kingdoms.

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Main Parts

• The Judgment of Judah (Ch 4-24)
• The commission of Ezekiel (Ch 1-3)
• The Judgment of the Gentiles (Ch 25-32)
• The restoration of Israel (Ch 33-39)
• The New Temple (Ch 40-48)

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The commission of Ezekiel (Ch 1-3)

• The Vision of God in His Glory, encouragement
• Ezekiel 28, 9 "But you, son of man, hear what I
  say to you. Do not be rebellious like that
  rebellious house open your mouth and eat what I
  give you."   Now when I looked, there was a hand
  stretched out to me and behold, a scroll of a
  book was in it.
• Ezekiel 32, 4 So I opened my mouth, and He
  caused me to eat that scroll .. and it was in my
  mouth like honey in sweetness.
• Ezekiel 3 17-19 "Son of man, I have made you a
  watchman for the house of Israel therefore hear
  a word from My mouth, and give them warning from
  Me "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely
  die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to
  warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his
  life, that same wicked man shall die in his
  iniquity but his blood I will require at your
  hand. "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does
  not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked
  way, he shall die in his iniquity but you have
  delivered your soul.

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The Judgment of Judah (Ch 4-24)

• Parables
• 41-3 The clay tablet.
• 44-8 Lie also on your left side, to the number
  of the days, three hundred and ninety days And
  when you have completed them, lie again on your
  right side.
• 4 9-17 The bread of wheat, barley, beans,
  lentils, millet, and spelt. Your food shall be by
  weight and drink by measure.
• 5 1-4 Shave your head and your beard then
  scales to weigh and divide the hair.

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The Judgment of Judah Cont.

• Messages of Judgment
• 63, 4 'O mountains of Israel, Thus says the
  Lord GOD "Indeed I will bring a sword against
  you, and I will destroy your high places. "Then
  your altars shall be desolate, your incense
  altars shall be broken, and I will cast down your
  slain men before your idols.
• 817,18 Is it a trivial thing to the house of
  Judah to commit the abominations which they
  commit here? For they have filled the land with
  violence then they have returned to provoke Me
  to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their
  nose.  "Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye
  will not spare nor will I have pity and though
  they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not
  hear them."

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The Judgment of the Gentiles (Ch 25-32)

• Israel was punished because of his sins, however
  God will punish the surrounding nations because
  they gloat over Jerusalem destruction.
• Ammon, Moab, Edom Philistia, Tyre, and Sidon will
  be destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
• 2915, 16 Egypt shall be a lowly kingdom, it
  shall never again exalt itself above the nations,
  for I will diminish them so that they will not
  rule over the nations anymore. No longer shall it
  be the confidence of the house of Israel, but
  will remind them of their iniquity when they
  turned to follow them. Then they shall know that
  I am the Lord GOD."

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The restoration of Israel (Ch 33-39)

• 3311 "Say to them 'As I live,' says the Lord
  GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the
  wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and
  live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why
  should you die, O house of Israel?
• 3415 "I will feed My flock, and I will make
  them lie down," says the Lord GOD.   16 "I will
  seek what was lost and bring back what was driven
  away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was
  sick
• 3925 " Therefore thus says the Lord GOD 'Now I
  will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have
  mercy on the whole house of Israel and I will be
  jealous for My holy name

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The New Temple (Ch 40-48)

• Visions of comfort and consolation
• The reconstruction of the Temple.
• The return of the glory of the Lord.
• Regulations concerning worship.
• The new land and city.

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God Message in The Book

• There is hope even in the house of bondage.
• Though the reproofs and the threatening are very
  sharp and bold, yet towards the close of the book
  very comfortable assurances are given of great
  mercy God had in store.
• 3622, 25,26 "Thus says the Lord GOD "I do not
  do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but
  for My holy name's sake "Then I will sprinkle
  clean water on you, and you shall be clean I
  will cleanse you from all your filthiness and
  from all your idols.   26 "I will give you a new
  heart and put a new spirit within you I will
  take the heart of stone out of your flesh and
  give you a heart of flesh.
• The Role of the Servant, 317-19, 337-9