WHO WROTE:  Ezekiel.

 

 

WHAT TIME PERIOD IS COVERED:  B.C. 615 - B.C. 596.

 

According to Second Kings 24:8-17, we are given the account of the second Babylonian attack upon the city of Jerusalem.  Ezekiel is captured, along with many other Jerusalem captives; and 5 years after that event (Eze. 1:2) is when this Book takes place.  It is the year of his 30th birthday (Eze. 1:1); the year when he would have been installed as a priest (Eze 1:3).

 

 

WHEN WRITTEN:  After B.C. 627.  Since he was 30 years old (Eze. 1:1) when he had his vision, he may have begun his writing at that time; meaning about B.C. 597.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:  I am not sure if there is a better Book to express the “anger” of God than this Book and to tell you why.

 

According to Ezekiel 5:11:  “because thou hast defiled My Sanctuary with all thy detestable things,” we can know the reason that God gave this ministry to Ezekiel.  But, according to Ezekiel 3:7:  “But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee.”  Rather disheartening.  All the coming demonstrations, all the pleading, all the visions and warnings, yet, “But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee.”  Even though we find “Thus sayest the Lord” 126 times in the Book of Ezekiel.

 

Ezekiel means, “God will strengthen,” or, “God strengthens,” or even, “The Strength of God,” the Hebrew being “Yehezqel.”  Ezekiel was among the captives, along with King Jehoiachin in the second of the three deportations under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  He mentions Daniel three times (Eze. 14:14 & 20; 28:3), who had been in Babylon nine years before Ezekiel arrived.  He also shows an acquaintance with the writings of Hosea (Eze. 37:22), Isaiah (Eze. 8:12; 29:6), and especially with those of Jeremiah, his older contemporary (Jer. 24:7 & 9; 48:37).

 

God calls Ezekiel “Son of man” 93 times in this Book.  The literal translation is, “son of the dust.”  Not to be confused with Jesus being called with this title.  For His is in reference to his humanity, not like Ezekiel’s reference to his humility of creature.

 

Ezekiel was born in approximately B.C. 627.  He was the son of “Buzi,” which as Jewish history has it, was also a priest.  In his captivity he lived at the River “Chebar,” which was the great ship canal branching off from the Euphrates above Babylon and turning through Nippur to the Tigris.  This was the primary settlement location of the Jewish captives.

 

It is interesting that even though he never served as a priest, he apparently so influenced later worship that today he is called by some, “The Father of Judaism.”  From Numbers 4:3 we know that the Kohathites had to be 30 years old before they could begin service as priests.  In fact, the modern Jews so magnify this Book as to ordain that no one shall read this Book until he has passed his thirtieth year.  It is possible, speaking of Ezekiel’s age only, that when Ezekiel became 30 (see my Note on Eze. 1:1), he was deported in approximately the eighteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

 

After the vision (or manifestation; see my Eze. 1:28 Note) of Chapter One, Chapters 2 & 3 are used by Ezekiel to warn Israel of their injustice towards (specifically) God and their fellow man.  With Chapters 4 & 5 he uses physical/visual representation in order to get his (God’s) message across.

 

In Ezekiel 1:3, Ezekiel lets us know that this discourse is given by God Himself: “The Word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel.”  By contrast, “I am the LORD,” adjoined with, “ye shall know;” “shall ye know that;” they shall know;” etcetera, is given 67 times in this Book.

 

The closing visions of this Book are referred to in the Book of Revelation.  Some examples are: 

 

Ezekiel, Chapter 38 = Revelation 20:8;

Ezekiel 47:1-8 = Revelation 22:1 & 2.

 

Other references to this Book also found in the New Testament are:

 

Compare Romans 2:24 with Ezekiel 36:2;

Romans 10:5 & Galatians 3:12 with Ezekiel 20:11;

Second Peter 3:4 with Ezekiel 12:22.

 

Certain passages maintain that Ezekiel was a prophet of our Lord:  Ezekiel 3:10; 14:4; 20:1, 27; 24:18; 43:10.  Also, according to Ezekiel 40:2, the entire last nine Chapters are to be interpreted as a vision.

 

We learn from two incidental allusions that Ezekiel was married (Eze. 24:18) and that he owned a house (Eze. 8:1).

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