The Book of
EZEKIEL
Author: Ezekiel
Date: 593 B.C.–573 B.C.
Theme: Destruction of Jerusalem and Its Restoration
Key Words: Judgment, Blessing, Individual Moral Responsibility
Author. The author, whose name means “God Strengthens,” is identified as “Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi” (1:3). Although this identification has been challenged, there seems to be no valid reason for doubting it. He was probably a member of the Zadokite priestly family that came into prominence during the reforms of Josiah (621 B.C.). He was trained in the priesthood during the reign of Jehoiakim, was deported to Babylon (1:1; 33:21; 40:1) in 597 B.C., and settled in Tel Abib on the Chebar Canal near Nippur (1:1). His ministry briefly overlapped Jeremiah’s.
Date. Ezekiel’s call came to him in 593 B.C., the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s reign. The latest date given for an oracle (29:17) is probably 571 B.C., making his ministry about twenty years long. The death of his wife occurred about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. (24:1, 15–17). Exiled in the second siege of Jerusalem, he wrote to those yet in Jerusalem about its imminent and total destruction, including the departure of God’s presence. Parts were also apparently written after Jerusalem’s overthrow.
Content. Ezekiel’s personality reflects a mystical strain. The immediacy of his contact with the Spirit, his visions, and the frequency with which the word of the Lord came to him provide a connection between the older ecstatic prophets and the classical writing prophets. His spiritual experiences also anticipated the activity of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. To him rightly belongs the title “charismatic.”
Ezekiel’s message was addressed to a demoralized remnant of Judah exiled in Babylon. The moral responsibility of the individual is a primary theme in his message. Corporate responsibility no longer shields the individual. Each individual must accept personal responsibility for the national calamity. Each individual is responsible for his or her individual sin (18:2–4). It is the weight of the cumulative sin of each individual that contributed to the breaking of God’s covenant with Israel, and each bears a share of the blame for the judgment that resulted in the exile to Babylon.
The book is easily divided into three sections, Judah’s judgment (chs. 4–24), the heathen nations’ judgment (chs. 5–32), and future blessings for God’s covenant people (chs. 3–48).
Two theological themes act as a counterpoise in the prophet’s thought. In Ezekiel’s doctrine of man, he placed the emphasis on personal responsibility (18:4, “the soul who sins shall die”). On the other hand, he emphasized the divine grace in the rebirth of the nation. The repentance of the faithful remnant among the exiles would result in the re-creation of Israel from the dry bones (37:11–14). The divine Spirit would quicken them to a new life. By this emphasis on the Holy Spirit in regeneration Ezekiel anticipated the New Testament doctrine of the Holy Spirit, especially in the Gospel of John.
Christ Revealed. In Ezekiel, Christology and the Person and work of the Holy Spirit are inextricably bound together. Although a messianic figure is not clearly discernible in Ezekiel’s final vision, several messianic titles and functions in the book indicate that a Messiah is part of his eschatological vision.
The title “Son of Man” occurs some ninety times in Ezekiel. While the title is applied to Ezekiel himself, it was appropriated by Jesus as His favorite self-designation. Therefore, Ezekiel may be regarded as a type of Christ. As such, Ezekiel was empowered as a prophetic voice of the messianic age when “the Spirit of the LORD fell” upon him (11:5). The descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus at Jordan empowered Him to articulate the advent of the messianic kingdom (Luke 4:18, 19).
Another messianic title is reflected in the vision of the Lord God as the divine Shepherd who gathers again His scattered flock (34:11–16). The figure evokes images of Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11–16).
Ezekiel further develops the fundamental idea of Israel as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” which was rooted in the covenant of Sinai (Ex. 19:6). A restored sanctuary in the midst of a regathered people whose head is the King-priest, the Davidic Messiah (37:22–28), foreshadows the restored tabernacle of David, the church (Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16).
A final messianic prophecy of Christ employs the figure of a sprig of cedar planted by the Lord Himself on a lofty mountain, which becomes a lofty cedar providing fruit and nests for birds. This nature metaphor, like “the Root of Jesse” (Is. 11:1, 10; Rom. 15:12), serves to represent the future Messiah. Birds and trees represent Gentile nations to show Christ’s universal reign.
The Holy Spirit at Work. Whether the prophetic revelation is presented symbolically in visions, signs, parabolic actions, or in human speech, Ezekiel claims for them the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. In addition, there are numerous references to the Spirit of God in the book. One might almost characterize the Book of Ezekiel as the “Acts of the Holy Spirit” in the Old Testament. Several of these references merit special notice.
In 11:5, the prophet asserts autobiographically that “the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me.” The oracle that follows is thus God’s Word in Ezekiel’s words, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The same chapter (11:24) presents the Spirit as active in a vision: “Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity.”
Perhaps the best-known instance of the Spirit’s activity is in chapter 37, the vision of the valley of dry bones: “The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones” (v. 1). The subsequent vision relates the spiritual rebirth of the remnant then in exile.
A final aspect of the Spirit’s action in the life of the prophet is found in 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” It is not solely an external act of the Spirit “falling upon” someone, but the prophesied subjective experience of the Spirit’s presence within, such as Ezekiel uniquely experienced when “the Spirit entered” him (2:2). Ezekiel anticipated the new covenant’s “new birth” experience, which would be by the Spirit.
Personal Application. Three very important personal, relevant lessons can be learned in Ezekiel. First is the importance of individual moral responsibility. Although it is true that God still blesses and corrects entire local churches (Rev. 2; 3), His primary dealings are with individuals. As such, one cannot appeal to the righteousness of others as his righteousness nor need he fear personal correction for the sins of another (18:20).
Second, Ezekiel teaches that though God is reluctant to discipline His people severely, He must. He is a righteous and jealous God as much as He is merciful and forgiving (12:1–16).
Third, Ezekiel assures us that God will ultimately triumph in history. His enemies may be winning battles now, but future judgment will totally destroy them (35:1–15).
Jack W. Hayford, Spirit Filled Life Study Bible
EZEKIEL
Author: Ezekiel
Date: 593 B.C.–573 B.C.
Theme: Destruction of Jerusalem and Its Restoration
Key Words: Judgment, Blessing, Individual Moral Responsibility
Author. The author, whose name means “God Strengthens,” is identified as “Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi” (1:3). Although this identification has been challenged, there seems to be no valid reason for doubting it. He was probably a member of the Zadokite priestly family that came into prominence during the reforms of Josiah (621 B.C.). He was trained in the priesthood during the reign of Jehoiakim, was deported to Babylon (1:1; 33:21; 40:1) in 597 B.C., and settled in Tel Abib on the Chebar Canal near Nippur (1:1). His ministry briefly overlapped Jeremiah’s.
Date. Ezekiel’s call came to him in 593 B.C., the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s reign. The latest date given for an oracle (29:17) is probably 571 B.C., making his ministry about twenty years long. The death of his wife occurred about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. (24:1, 15–17). Exiled in the second siege of Jerusalem, he wrote to those yet in Jerusalem about its imminent and total destruction, including the departure of God’s presence. Parts were also apparently written after Jerusalem’s overthrow.
Content. Ezekiel’s personality reflects a mystical strain. The immediacy of his contact with the Spirit, his visions, and the frequency with which the word of the Lord came to him provide a connection between the older ecstatic prophets and the classical writing prophets. His spiritual experiences also anticipated the activity of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. To him rightly belongs the title “charismatic.”
Ezekiel’s message was addressed to a demoralized remnant of Judah exiled in Babylon. The moral responsibility of the individual is a primary theme in his message. Corporate responsibility no longer shields the individual. Each individual must accept personal responsibility for the national calamity. Each individual is responsible for his or her individual sin (18:2–4). It is the weight of the cumulative sin of each individual that contributed to the breaking of God’s covenant with Israel, and each bears a share of the blame for the judgment that resulted in the exile to Babylon.
The book is easily divided into three sections, Judah’s judgment (chs. 4–24), the heathen nations’ judgment (chs. 5–32), and future blessings for God’s covenant people (chs. 3–48).
Two theological themes act as a counterpoise in the prophet’s thought. In Ezekiel’s doctrine of man, he placed the emphasis on personal responsibility (18:4, “the soul who sins shall die”). On the other hand, he emphasized the divine grace in the rebirth of the nation. The repentance of the faithful remnant among the exiles would result in the re-creation of Israel from the dry bones (37:11–14). The divine Spirit would quicken them to a new life. By this emphasis on the Holy Spirit in regeneration Ezekiel anticipated the New Testament doctrine of the Holy Spirit, especially in the Gospel of John.
Christ Revealed. In Ezekiel, Christology and the Person and work of the Holy Spirit are inextricably bound together. Although a messianic figure is not clearly discernible in Ezekiel’s final vision, several messianic titles and functions in the book indicate that a Messiah is part of his eschatological vision.
The title “Son of Man” occurs some ninety times in Ezekiel. While the title is applied to Ezekiel himself, it was appropriated by Jesus as His favorite self-designation. Therefore, Ezekiel may be regarded as a type of Christ. As such, Ezekiel was empowered as a prophetic voice of the messianic age when “the Spirit of the LORD fell” upon him (11:5). The descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus at Jordan empowered Him to articulate the advent of the messianic kingdom (Luke 4:18, 19).
Another messianic title is reflected in the vision of the Lord God as the divine Shepherd who gathers again His scattered flock (34:11–16). The figure evokes images of Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11–16).
Ezekiel further develops the fundamental idea of Israel as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” which was rooted in the covenant of Sinai (Ex. 19:6). A restored sanctuary in the midst of a regathered people whose head is the King-priest, the Davidic Messiah (37:22–28), foreshadows the restored tabernacle of David, the church (Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16).
A final messianic prophecy of Christ employs the figure of a sprig of cedar planted by the Lord Himself on a lofty mountain, which becomes a lofty cedar providing fruit and nests for birds. This nature metaphor, like “the Root of Jesse” (Is. 11:1, 10; Rom. 15:12), serves to represent the future Messiah. Birds and trees represent Gentile nations to show Christ’s universal reign.
The Holy Spirit at Work. Whether the prophetic revelation is presented symbolically in visions, signs, parabolic actions, or in human speech, Ezekiel claims for them the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. In addition, there are numerous references to the Spirit of God in the book. One might almost characterize the Book of Ezekiel as the “Acts of the Holy Spirit” in the Old Testament. Several of these references merit special notice.
In 11:5, the prophet asserts autobiographically that “the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me.” The oracle that follows is thus God’s Word in Ezekiel’s words, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The same chapter (11:24) presents the Spirit as active in a vision: “Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity.”
Perhaps the best-known instance of the Spirit’s activity is in chapter 37, the vision of the valley of dry bones: “The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones” (v. 1). The subsequent vision relates the spiritual rebirth of the remnant then in exile.
A final aspect of the Spirit’s action in the life of the prophet is found in 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” It is not solely an external act of the Spirit “falling upon” someone, but the prophesied subjective experience of the Spirit’s presence within, such as Ezekiel uniquely experienced when “the Spirit entered” him (2:2). Ezekiel anticipated the new covenant’s “new birth” experience, which would be by the Spirit.
Personal Application. Three very important personal, relevant lessons can be learned in Ezekiel. First is the importance of individual moral responsibility. Although it is true that God still blesses and corrects entire local churches (Rev. 2; 3), His primary dealings are with individuals. As such, one cannot appeal to the righteousness of others as his righteousness nor need he fear personal correction for the sins of another (18:20).
Second, Ezekiel teaches that though God is reluctant to discipline His people severely, He must. He is a righteous and jealous God as much as He is merciful and forgiving (12:1–16).
Third, Ezekiel assures us that God will ultimately triumph in history. His enemies may be winning battles now, but future judgment will totally destroy them (35:1–15).
Jack W. Hayford, Spirit Filled Life Study Bible
