Book Overviews. Did you know that we have over 70,000 essays on 3,000 topics in our 1:6 ). In an allegorical sense, the vision of the dry bones can be seen as a kind of resurrection of our own lives in which, step by step, we learn to follow Gods guiding hand as we endeavor to right the wrongs that have accumulated in ourlives. 4] I will put my ruach within you. When Ezekiel sees the vision, in the fifth year of Jehoiachins exile (Ezek. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. The Lord allowed Ezekiel to have visions of which he traveled through, and heard the voice of the Lord. Gods total sovereignty is also evident in his mobility. 3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi . Please make sure all fields are filled out. [21], The first half of the 20th century saw several attempts to deny the authorship and authenticity of the book, with scholars such as C. C. Torrey (18631956) and Morton Smith placing it variously in the 3rd century BCE and in the 8th/7th. vv. Yahwehs original glory includes four four-faced cherubim, each face turned in a unique direction. The name Shaddai is probably a cognate of the Akkadian ad"mountain" or "steppe," which is itself a cognate of the Hebrewdeh "field/wilderness." However, while we are seeing a physical fulfillment at this time, the spiritual restoration seems like it is yet to come since many are coming in unbelief of both God and their Mashiach, Yeshua. Yahwehs departure from the temple is a judgment on Judah but its also an act of compassion. According to Jewish tradition, the Men of the Great Assembly wrote the Book of Ezekiel, based on the prophet's words. Ezekiel is brought to a valley of dry bones and the Lord asks him to prophesy of the dry bones. Before the physical restoration can take place, there must be a renewal of faith. As much as I knew this before, I think it is far too easy to assume that because you may not visually see God doing and working things out in your life, that He does not care or exist. In the Old Testament, the heavens typically open so Yahweh can rain his blessings on Israel (Deut. Download Full Size Image. [26] Nevertheless, the prophet announces that a small remnant will remain true to Yahweh in exile, and will return to the purified city. (Israeli Embassy in Russia photo). The Lord had descended on Sinai in a storm cloud (Ex. And the spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that speak unto me. [7] This particular study of Ezekiel has taught me of Gods heart for His nation. As the cloud approaches, he sees whats insideliving beings, later identified as cherubim (Ezek. I want you to see what you have done against Me, not so that I can punish you, but so that there will not be anything between us again and we can freely commune. Scholars 9. Something like this has happened before. The Prophet Jeremiah: Hope, Peace, and Restoration, Elisha: the Hebrew Prophet of Love and Compassion, Malachi: The Most Mysterious of the Hebrew Prophets. 1:10). (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951), 105, James D. Newsome and Jr, The Hebrew Prophets (Atlanta, GA: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 126, Robert B. Chisholm and Jr, Handbook On the Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Academic, 2002), 270, Andrew W. Blackwood Jr. and Ezekiel-Prophecy of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Book House,1965), 224-225, John B. Taylor, Ezekiel (tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), 1ST ed. Israels restoration lies beyond human power, but not beyond the power of God. [5] Now, in the book of Ezekiel, there is not much, if any, information on how Israel responded or how Ezekiel shared these prophecies. Ezekiel goes through many different types of idolatry and images that the Israelites use to take the place of Father God. He later prophesied they would spend 70 years in exile beginning in the year 597 BC (Jeremiah 25:11). The key point, though, is the wheels themselves, which indicate that this cloud is also a chariotYahwehs chariot that was usually parked in the Most Holy Place of the temple (cf. cookie policy. ", "The Gog and Magog Tradition in Ezekiel 20:8", International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament, English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible: Ezekiel, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Book_of_Ezekiel&oldid=1132590694. Ezekiel was a priest and 30 years old at the time of his vision. When Yahweh sends Israel into exile, he packs up and heads into exile with them. Ezekiel Sees the Glory & Receives the Call Chapter 4 -24 Judgments Against Judah Chapter 25-32 Judgments Against the Gloating Nations Chapter 33-39 Restoration of Israel to the LORD Chapter 40-48 Visions of the Temple Note that the breakpoint at Ezekiel 25 marks the end of Ezekiel's prophecies of doom and gloom for Judah. Daniel 1:17. Likewise, we see leaders of nations, the media, and even churches the prophets of our day mislead the world into a false impression that Israel is not really threatened in the Middle East, or they say that Israel is the real threat the world. In a couple passages above, the writer talks about the word ruach being used. Ezekiel 40:2. As many people assume that the Holy Spirit is not active in the Old Testament, the Lord proves every one of those people wrong. The Bible is, after all, a book has a prophetic vein running through it promising all of His people that one day He would return to save them from the evils of the earth and give them the gift of eternal life with Him. [2] This chapter is part of a larger complex consisting of Ezekiel 1:1-3:15 which belongs to the genre of the prophetic call narrative, [3] and it details how YHWH arrives in his chariot to speak with Ezekiel. The genre of the book is mainly of a prophetic nature, with a mixture of oracles, prophesies and reports of the situation in Judah; however it does deviate from this, most notably in chapter 13, where it takes the form of a supposed psalm. 2:1, 3, 8; 3:1, 3, 4, 10; etc.). That was also the place out of which God had called Abraham that He might have a chosen people (Gen. 11:6, 31). In the 1st century CE the historian Josephus said that the prophet wrote two books: he may have had in mind the Apocryphon of Ezekiel, a 1st-century CE text that expands on the doctrine of resurrection. Sometimes He may make no sense and it can be very scary, but just as Jesus says in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; When ones heart is devoted to God, he can be sure that the Lord will direct his steps. It happens again in Ezekiels time. [2] This issue of idolatry is not just a new problem for Israel. Because Ezekiel can feel the Lords heart towards Israel, being so fully devoted to God, it allows the Father to take control of Ezekiels heart and reveal incredible love to him. In 36:31 Ezekiel shows the turned exiles in bitter repentance as they think upon the past. 1:28). Furthermore, the Lord gives instructions to Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that it is time to rebuild Gods house. The vision of the whirlwind. Here he shows them lost in reverence as they acknowledge the power and unshakable moral purpose of God. My Repent and live! (18:3032). His desires for a holy nation. The "throne vision", in which Ezekiel sees God enthroned in the Temple among the Heavenly Host; The first "temple vision", in which Ezekiel sees God leave the Temple because of the abominations practiced there (meaning the worship of idols rather than YHWH, the official God of Judah; Images of Israel, in which Israel is seen as a harlot bride, among other things; The final temple vision, in which Ezekiel sees the third temple commonwealth centered around a new temple in Jerusalem, to which God's, This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 16:27. 48 Vitosha Boulevard, ground floor, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgarian reg. 28:18). He showed himself to prophets like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. So, we can see that Isaiah is writing in a time of great conflict and insecurity, which increased throughout his prophetic life, ending in the unavoidable conquering of the small Judean kingdom by the Assyrian empire., The first 39 books of the larger work called the Bible, is called the Old Testament. Because of this traditional connection between Ezekiels vision of the chariot in chapter 1 and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (which is celebrated on Shavuot/ Pentecost) Ezekiel 1:128 is read as the Haftarah (Prophetic) portion on this holy holiday. What is amiss with the nation is that it is corrupt at this center, that as repudiated the God who made it a people and has replaced him by the gods of the surrounding countries. Important Vision #3 Ezekiel 37:1-14. It doesnt take Ezekiel up to heaven; it brings heaven to earth. This book is written at a time of great strife for the region of Israel. The parallels among these different structures are suggestive. [26] The image of the valley of dry bones returning to life in chapter 37 signifies the restoration of the purified Israel. Another important lesson, God really, really, REALLY loves His kids. There have been many books written and published to survey, explain, and/or bring to light the Old Testament, but none more helpful to me than the review subject of this paper, the work of Dr. Elmer L. Towns, entitled A Journey Through the Old Testament., God choses whomever He wants to give His messages to His people. 23 Read Ezekiel 1:26-28. The hand of the LORD was upon me there: For the third time ( Ezekiel 1:3, 3:14) Ezekiel experienced this. Tradition says John the apostle (Mark 3:14-19) was the author of both Revelation and the Gospel of John, but that is not certain. 3:1621). With Ezekiel, God did not force Israel to listen, He gave the option and they had to choose. cite it. In other words, Israel is surrounded by prophesied enemies, not only those revealed in Ezekiel 38 but also Psalm 83. Visions of the slaughter of the guilty. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (Matthew 27:51), Yeshuas victory now enables each ofus to approach God. Tearing Down False Promises: The War of Gog and Magog. 24:16). 1:12 ), and we know which direction. The Dry Bones. It was originally published in German by Econ Verlag GmbH under the title Da tat . The prophet Jeremiah, who remained in Jerusalem during that time, tried to warn the Jewish People to repent of their idol worship and wickedness or face destruction and captivity. The throne vision Chapter 1 Chapter 4 2. His stern judgments on Israel ultimately reflect his grace. 1:4). How wonderfully scary it must have been for Ezekiel to experience His strong glory and presence for so many years. [5], The Book of Ezekiel describes itself as the words of Ezekiel ben-Buzi, a priest living in exile in the city of Babylon between 593 and 571 BCE. Ezekiel encountered God through extraordinary visions full of metaphor and symbology that have produced much speculation over the millennia, yet God also conveyed His message to the People of Israel through Ezekiel very clearly: "Repent! God choses whomever He wants to give His messages to His people. Peter J. Leithart is president of the Theopolis Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. The book of Daniel recounts timeless stories of heroes exhibiting unshakable faith and . The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was the color of beryl, and the four of them had the same likeness. Can an utterly rebellious nation against God be redeemed? The book moves on to anticipate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, explains this as God's punishment, and closes with the promise of a new beginning and a new Temple. For an informed reading of Ezekiel 1:1-28, 3:12. 1:2627). Occasion: Ezekiel is writing from Babylon for the people exiled . Ezekiel Chapter 1. Chapter 5 3. Its a fitting prelude to a prophetic commission. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds. We might conclude that Israel is a cherubic nation, called to stand watch at the house of God, just as cherubim were stationed at the gate of Eden. Neither do we require such mystical works written outside the Biblical texts to teach us how to approach the throne of God; and it most certainly can be done alone, even in our prayer closets (Matthew 6:6). Num 4:30) and in the 5th year of Jehoiachin's reign or about 593 BC.1 Ezekiel records the dates of when he received his visions throughout the book as shown in the first column in the table below. There was a vision of the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel 1-33. God is free to judge, and he is equally free to be gracious. And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee. For Ezekiel and his people, these years were bitter ones because the remnant of the Israelite domain, the little state of Judah, was eliminated by the rising Babylonian empire under Nebuchadrezzar (reigned 605-562 bc ). Are these past. But the Lord would open their graves and bring them back to the land. He was exiled to Babylon in 597 BC, and his ministry began five years later when he was 30 years old. . Please click below to LIKE our Bibles For Israel Facebook page, so that others can know about our Free Bible, and receive Breaking News, Bible Teachings and Feature Articles from the Holy Land. Yet the glory isnt in the temple. The bones symbolize the whole house of Israel, which had given up any hope of being revived as a nation. It seems that Israel stands alone as the invading soldiers cover the land like a cloud. [22], As a priest, Ezekiel is fundamentally concerned with the Kavod YHWH, a technical phrase meaning the presence (shekhinah) of YHWH (i.e., one of the Names of God) among the people, in the Tabernacle, and in the Temple, and normally translated as "glory of God". Therefore, let us lookforward to Yeshuas soon return with ever increasing anticipation and expectation. When the Philistines destroyed the tabernacle at Shiloh, they took Yahwehs ark back home as a war trophy, where Yahweh made war on Israels enemies (1 Sam. 2:1), the Spirit enters him, he eats a book, and then hes sent out to speak the words of Yahweh and stand as a watchman over the house of Israel (Ezek. Ezekiel unashamedly spoke the truth to Israel about their sin, their captivity and how the people could be redeemed from it. Further, God has sent His Divine Presence the same Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) that filled Ezekiel and the prophets of the Tanakh (Old Testament) to every Believer in Yeshua HaMashiach. and set me on my feet--that he might stand as a servant before his master, to receive orders. The prophet is so overcome by the vision that he falls on his face. The idea of building the temple will draw them to repentance and reveal their sin to them regardless. The priests and elders on Sinai peered up through a sapphire pavement to see the God of Israel and Moses got to enter the cloud. A false religion perverts its life and threatens catastrophe. A Jewish man purchases groceries in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem. Ps. He is specifically mentioned by Ben Sirah (a writer of the Hellenistic period who listed the "great sages" of Israel) and 4 Maccabees (1st century CE). He received oracles from God and passed them on to . Need urgent help with your paper? As one writer wrote, taking such steps allows God to unearth the dry bones in our lives, to revive our hearts and to breathe new life into our souls. 33:2122). The first major vision can be found in Ezekiel 1:4-28. The main theme running through Isaiah is the message of salvation, even the name of the prophet means salvation of Yahweh. 6), Ezekiels is part of his ordination as prophet. It was nineteen years since Ezekiel had seen the vision of the glory of the Lord leaving His temple (10:18-22; 11: 22-24). When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the LORD.. In Ezekiel 43:10-12 it says, Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. initiative, where were encouraging Christians and churches to read together through Gods Word in a year. The tabernacle was at the center of the camp, with furnishings at each point of the compass: the bronze altar in the courtyard to the east, the ark in the far west, the table of showbread on the north wall of the Holy Place, and the lampstand on the south wall. 7, p. 358). Ezekiel's Vision--Glory of the Lord Ezekiel was a sixth century prophet. The pendulum swung back in the post-war period, with an increasing acceptance of the book's essential unity and historical placement in the Exile. Judgment concerning the idolatrous Israelites (Ezekiel 6, 3-7), published 1886 Judgment of the Lord concerning the idolatrous Israelites (Ezekiel 6, 3-7). Old Testament Overviews. This sovereign God resolved that he would be known and acknowledged. This is a reminder to the Israelites. For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. His appearance was the same as it had been before by the river Chebar (yet another link which this closing vision has with Ezekiels earlier work) and it prompted the same response of awe and adoration. The Lord allowed Ezekiel to have visions of which he traveled through, and heard the voice of the Lord. In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible and in all other English Bibles, the book follows on from the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs. We may be tempted to think that David-plus-three-mighty-men form a human replica of the glory, and then we might recall that Jesus, the son of David, also has his three: Peter, James, and John. In application to my life, I think that the biggest lesson one can learn is how to submit to the Lord and listen to His voice no matter what it is saying. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan., The future; a daunting subject that people over generations have fretted about and try to plan against by constructing predictions on what may happen based on what they think they know. The Interpreter's Bible: The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Versions with General Articles and Introduction, Exegesis, Exposition for Each Book of the Bible. This has been a consistent problem throughout history. And centuries later, the heavens split open again as another prophet, another Son of Man, is commissioned at the age of 30 to see visions of God (Luke 3:21-24; cf. 41. (Downers Grove, Ill,; Intervarsity Pr, 1969), 264, Leon J. Explore how the human body functions as one unit in When he did that, the flesh reappear on these bodies. . 3348 promise that God will be known through the restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel. Take part in TGCs Read the Bible initiative, where were encouraging Christians and churches to read together through Gods Word in a year. Each cherub has four facesthe face of a bull, a lion, an eagle, and a man ( Ezek. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. 2). Gods wrath and judgment against His unfaithful bride is not the only theme in Ezekiel. The chariot is the original glory of God, and the world itself is modeled after the pattern of this glory. Are these. He chose them for a reason, and He wanted them to know His love like no other.
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