Within the general structure, the order of the material is, on the whole, chronological. These doubts were strong enough, in those early days, to raise the question of whether ezekiel should be one of the biblical books. With a commentary, critical, philological, and exegetical classic reprint by ebenezer henderson feb 9, 2017. All the positive conditions that ezekiel describes in this part of the. 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 book of ezekiel, one of the major prophetical books of the old testament. The book of ezekiel is set in the tumultuous period of the early sixth century, when successive babylonian invasions devastated judah and jerusalem. But when his wife died during his prophetic ministry, god prevented ezekiel from mourning her in public as a. Ezekiels concern with sin also accounts for the many places where the book echoes the laws given in the pentateuch, as well as the. God eventually promises that hell be a kind shepherd who will lead his people out of darkness. Frank shallieu in 19871989, with additional notes inserted from a 19731976 study. The autobiographical style of the book supports ezekiel as the author of the book i, me, my are in almost every chapter of the book. It is because of the glory of god that the failings of israel and. Ezekiel prophesied to the the jewish captives in babylon.
Ezekiel s priestly lineage shines through in his prophetic ministry. The following notes were compiled from a bible study on the book of ezekiel led by bro. The book of ezekiel in the old testament of the bible is one of the books of the major prophets. Just as god gave ezekiel creative ways to communicate his message to the exiles, we can creatively communicate the good news about god to a lost generation.
The jewish scriptures were translated into greek in the two centuries prior to the common era. Student resources teacher resources videos study guides college prep. He skips a lot of material within ezekiel, and instead of connecting various aspects of ezekiels imagery as a unified theme, story, or messagei. Although ezekiel is a pretty wrathintensive book, it also has compassion and forgiveness in evidence. The assyrian empire that had once conquered the syropalestinian area and destroyed the. While this idea is not entirely absent in the book of ezekiel, the prophet nevertheless believes that yahwehs presence is located in the temple more than in any other place. The book the theme of ezekiel is the glory of the lord. The various dates given in the book suggest that ezekiel was 25 when he went into exile, 30 when he received his prophetic call, and 52 at the time of the last vision c. This summary of the book of ezekiel provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of ezekiel. The book of ezekiel is the twentysixth book in the old testament. Ezekiel god will strengthen, or prevail was, like jeremiah, a priest as well as a prophet. He first of all dealt with gods judgment upon them and the purpose of it. Introduction and overview of ezekiel andy brewer introduction a study of the sacred old testament scriptures is an invaluable asset to any and all students of the bible, new testament christians or not. The book of ezekiel culminates with a prophecy envisioned on yom kippur 3352 410 bce, fourteen years after the first temples destruction.
The new testament is a collection of 27 books, usually placed after the old testament in most christian bibles. The babylonian king has begun his final siege of jerusalem. The book of ezekiel has always been a problem book. The overall theme of the prophecy of ezekiel is the glory of god. The priest ezekiel was the first prophet to be called by the lord outside of israel during the babylonian captivity. So far, ezekiels message to the exiles in babylon has centered on one theme. Ezekiel study guide for growing christians ministries. The books theological center is the unfolding of gods saving purposes in the history of the worldfrom the time in which he must withdraw from the defilement of his covenant people to the culmination. The book of ezekiel from the holy bible king james version kjv authorisedauthorized version book 26 please note we have slowed the speed of the or. It seems that biblical kings who keep faith in gods power still manage to keep their own.
Dec 24, 2019 the prophet ezekiel is the author of the book of ezekiel ezekiel 1. The purpose of ezekiels inspired text is easily deduced from its theme. To engage in such is to tap into the forethought, foreknowledge, foreshadows, and foresight of the eternal god whom we serve. He cut his hair and beard to demonstrate what god would do to jerusalem and its inhabitants. The bible handbook by joseph angus makes this comment in its introduction to the book of ezekiel.
Upwards of 75 times god expresses his own concerns in the book as for my names sake or that ye shall know that i. Ezekiels book is one of the most original in the sacred literature of israel. This is important to remember when discerning the meaning of this great vision. 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. Behold, i, even i, am against thee, and will execute.
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. In response to the rebellion of jehoiakim of judah in 601 b. Throughout the book the phrase that is repeated over and over again is, that you may know that i am the lord. The book of ezekiel he will be strengthened of god. Ezekiel yechezkel was a prophet who lived in babylonia at the time of the destruction of the first temple. The book has a uniformity of language, style, theme, and message which support the theory of a single author. Key personalities include ezekiel, israels leaders, ezekiels wife.
The first dated message in ezekiel is from the summer of 593 b. We hope that our outline of ezekiel will help you broaden your understanding of this complex book. He began his ministry at age 30, as did all levitical priests and jesus of. The glory of god may well be viewed as the theme of the book, because ezekiels ministry begins with a vision of gods glory and emphasizes it throughout the book 1. Issues of purity persist throughout the book, and come to the fore here. Highlights from the book of ezekielii watchtower online.
This piece lays out the discrepancies in detail, surveys some traditional and modern answers, and ends with my own thoughts about why ezekiel s system is so different. In contrast to various other prophets ezekiel has not been criticised as much. Ezekiel saw himself being transported to the temple mount, where an angel holding a measuring rod gave him a detailed tour of the third temple, delineating the exact measurements of its various. A free bible version and commentary on the old testament book of ezekiel in easy english. The book opens with an account of the vision that summoned ezekiel to his prophetic calling. 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. In this division of the book the complete captivity of jerusalem and israel will become a reality, and the. The name refers to the new covenant or promise between god and humanity through the death and resurrection of jesus christ. Ezekiel lived during a time of international upheaval. However, ezekiel s version of god isnt really merciful in the commonly accepted, modern day sense of the word mercy. The discrepancies between the sacrifices in ezekiel and.
This remarkable book bears the name of the prophet who wrote it. As any traditional outline of the book quickly reveals, ezekiel follows the same basic sequence that is found in isaiah and jeremiah and zephaniah. The book of ezekiel, chapters 124 new international commentary on the old testament by daniel i. Ezekiel chapters 1 to 24 free bible commentary in easy english. Also included is a separate 2003 update of ezekiel 38 and 39. A second attack against the city occurred in 597 b.
Many bear the unmistakable marks of their oral origin and can best be. Ezekiel powerfully depicts the grandeur and glory of gods sovereign rule see themes and his holiness, which he jealously safeguards. The prophet is so overcome by the vision that he falls on his face. In the second part, to combat despair, he taught that they had a future hopereturning. However, ezekiels version of god isnt really merciful in the commonly accepted, modern day sense of. The notes should be utilized with the following understanding. Its name is drawn from ezekiel, a priest prophet who lived in jerusalem and was one of the jews deported by nebuchadnezzar ii to babylon at the beginning of the 6th century bc. Book of ezekiel overview insight for living ministries. Ezekiels theme in the first partjerusalem must be destroyed. The sinfulness of humanity this theme cannot be separated from gods glory. The problems are so significant that some talmudic sages thought it would be best to withdraw the book of ezekiel.
A series of studies in the old testament book of ezekiel. There are different themes explored in the book of ezekiel. Book of ezekiel known to be written by prophet ezekiel and is placed immediately after lamentation in ot. Books of the bible list order complete new and old testament. Intro to ezekiel biblica the international bible society. Various visual methods to symbolize jerusalems destruction and gods forthcoming judgment against the city. The babylonians had invaded judah three times and each time they took prisoners back to babylon. Along with verbal prophecies, god asked ezekiel to use dramatic visual images to command the peoples attention and to burn an indelible impression on their minds. 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. Ezekiel seems to have access to a totally different realm of reality.
Hill and walton write, the lack of strict chronological ordering of the. The land grant theme is clearly present in the eschatological new heaven, new earth, and new jerusalem. As mentioned before, ezekiels twofold theme in writing was essentially judgment and hope. Most of the book of ezekiel contains prophecies that were given before the final fall of jerusalem to the babylonians. As a priest, ezekiel is fundamentally concerned with the kavod yhwh. When jehoiakims successor, jehoiachin, surrendered in 597, nebuchadnezzar appointed zedekiah king and deported to babylon jehoiachin and the royal family, along with members of the upper class, including ezekiel the priest. On the one hand, god gives us a victorious life through our relationship with him. Bible survey ezekiel hebrew name yehezqel god is strength greek name iezekiel greek form of the hebrew author ezekiel according to tradition date 595 bc approximately theme the final restoration of israel types and shadows in ezekiel jesus is.
Apr 18, 2018 the various themes of ezekiels oracles reverberate throughout revelation, but perhaps none resonate more deeply than the parallels between ezekiel 37. What are the themes in the book of ezekiel answers. He was of the great company of captives carried to babylon, with the young king jehoiachin, by nebuchadnezzar, b. All the human rulers, from the kings of judah to the king of tyre to the pharaoh of egypt have to deal with gods wrath. What are the themes that the book of ezekiel explores. Oct 03, 2015 the book of ezekiel from the holy bible king james version kjv authorisedauthorized version book 26 please note we have slowed the speed of the or. Not only does the book present a striking picture of the resurrection and restoration of gods people ezekiel 37, it. The book of ezekiel opens and concludes with visions of the glory of god. Ezekiel the son of buzi, a priest, may have completed writing the book in babylonia in about the year 591 b. The book of ezekiel contains the visions, revelations and warnings given to the prophet ezekiel by yahweh during the exile of the people of judah away from their homeland in the land of babylon. He used art in drawing a depiction of jerusalem, symbolic actions and unusual conduct to secure attention. Review of jerusalems abominations michael fronczak.
The moral responsibility of the individual can be considered his main theme. Book of ezekiel bible wiki fandom powered by wikia. The hebrew name yhezekiel ezekiel means may god strengthen. The book of ezekiel is filled with global significance, both for the world of ezekiels time and for our own world today. The pervasive theme throughout ezekiel is the judgement of judah by god through babylon as his agent and judahs eventual spiritual. Its principal features are its systematic arrangement and homogeneity. The book of ezekiel takes its title from the priest of the same name, son to a man named buzi. This book portrays much symbolism which john refers to often in revelation. 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. It is composed of 48 chapters divided almost half before and after the fall of jerusalem. The prophet ezekiel is the author of the book of ezekiel ezekiel 1. Ezekiel lived and prophesied among the jewish exiles in babylon immediately after the fall of jerusalem in 586 b. Ezekiel was given prophethood at an age thirty after he saw a majestic vision of gods glory during his captivation in babylon.
The testimony of jesus is the spirit of prophecy revelations 19. The book of ezekiel is narrative history, prophetic and apocalyptic in genre and even contains parables. The new testament chronicles the life and ministry of jesus, the growth and impact of the early church. It contains three sections, each of which addresses a different subject matter. The laws of holiday sacrifices in ezekiel 4546 contradict the laws in numbers 2829. Ezekiel used various methods to convey gods word to his people. Yahwehs dwelling place is in human hearts rather than in a specific place in the temple. The book of ezekiel has the most logical arrangement of any of the prophetic books. Ezekiel cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. The prophet ezekiel is one of four major prophets along with isaiah, jeremiah, and daniel in hebrew scripture, our old testament of the bible. If ezekiel was 30 years old when his ministry began, the final vision of the book came when he was about 50. Theme the final restoration of israel types and shadows in ezekiel jesus is the son of man. On the other, he gives us a life that is filled with abundant joy, which is the theme of the rest of the book of ezekiel. May 02, 2020 ezekiel used various methods to convey gods word to his people.
Analysis of book of ezekiel themes by phd students from stanford, harvard, berkeley. The book of ezekiel was written between 593 and 565 b. Nonetheless, ezekiel shared many ideas in common with the. In its general theme the book of ezekiel resembles the book of isaiah, the first part having to do with judgment, the second with blessing. Ezekiel was a priest in the temple at jerusalem towards the end of the monarchy in judah, and was then deported to babylon, where he wrote his book. Summary of the book of ezekiel the story of the bible. Ezekiel in the picture study bible the book of ezekiel. It covers a period of approximately 22 years, from 6 to about 591 b. The latest dated oracle is 22 years later, in april 571 b. Structure, themes, and contested issues oxford handbooks. Ezekiel with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Unfortunately, none of those guys show up in the book of ezekiel. It opens with a vision of the priest where he is visited by god. The kjv bible is a public domain works that i have uploaded primarily for myself to be able to play and listen to in the background but also to pass along to other seeking the divine word of god.
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