Ezekiel

by P.L. Hickling, Southport | Category: Profiles Of The Prophets | Jul 1978

His environment

Ezekiel began his prophetic work at a time of spiritual and national disaster for God's people; More than 100 years before, in the reign of Hoshea, God had "removed Israel out of His sight" (2 Kin. 17:23) by permitting Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, to carry away many people from the northern kingdom, and replace them by foreigners. Despite this cautionary fact, and the continued entreaties and warnings of God, Judah had repeated Israel's sins, and in the reign of Manasseh God determined to "cast off the remnant of His inheritance, and deliver them into the hands of their enemies" (2 Kin. 21:14). The execution of this sentence was delayed, but in 597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, and carried away to Babylon Jehoiachin the king, installing a puppet king, Zedekiah, in his stead. With Jehoiachin were taken ten thousand of the leaders and the skilled men, leaving for Zedekiah only "the poorest sort of the people of the land". The king's house and the Temple were stripped of many of their treasures, and the golden vessels which Solomon made were cut up.

Among the captives was the young priest Ezekiel. He must have been grieved to see the devastation of the house of God, and must have shared in the depression of those exiles who wept by the rivers of Babylon (Ps. 137:1). The sluggish canalized rivers on the Babylonian plain would contrast sharply with the running streams among the hills of Judea; and the tremendous ziggurat, dedicated to the worship of Marduk, dominating the skyline, would be a reminder of the hostile culture with which they were surrounded. Materially, the position of the captives was not bad; they settled in communities in Babylon, where they had apparently full freedom, apart from the right to change their domicile. The skilled artisans were used by Nebuchadnezzar in building projects, and Jehoiachin and his court were given royal privileges, as the discovery of ration-tablets at the site of Babylon attests. Despite their comparatively easy circumstances, the exiles were largely in spiritual confusion, and Ezekiel was God's instrument to explain His purposes to them.

His call

After five years of captivity, the call of God came to Ezekiel, with a vision of the glory of God (Ezek. 1). It reminded him, far from his home though he was, that his God could travel everywhere, see everything and command all things. Above all, he saw the "appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD". At this sight he prostrated himself, and then received his commission to speak the words of God to the children of Israel 'whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear". All who would speak for God need to share in Ezekiel's experience; first, to see the glory of God, then to receive and digest words from Him. Ezekiel was forewarned that he would have a difficult task, but God impressed on him his responsibility to deliver his message; the issues both of his own life and the lives of those to whom he spoke depended on his discharge of this responsibility (Ezek. 3:16-21). With such a hard task, discouragement would come easily, but the power of God was to harden him for it.

His message

The messages recorded in the book of Ezekiel fall into three parts:

(i)the declaration of the sin of God's people, and the imminent destruction of Jerusalem because of this sin (chapters 1 to 24),

(ii)prophecies against foreign nations (chapters 25 to 32), and

(iii)prophecies of the restoration of Israel to God's favour.

The overall purpose of the message was to assure the people of the constancy of the divine purpose. The faith of many must have been badly shaken by the captivity. They had believed that they were immutably the people of God, always entitled, whatever their spiritual condition, to His blessings by the right of inheritance. This theology had been battered by the captivity, and would be destroyed by the coming destruction of Jerusalem. Ezekiel had to point to the incompatibility of God's holiness and His people's sin, and to lead the people to repentance. Then he could show how God would once again take up His people, and establish a true worship among a just and spiritually enlightened nation.

The declaration of judgement

Both the method and the direction of the prophecies of judgement were remarkable. Many of them had to be acted by Ezekiel, some in conditions of extreme physical discomfort. Ezekiel 4 describes how he lay on each side with outstretched arm pointing to a picture of besieged Jerusalem, to enact the period of God's judgement on Israel and Judah. By this and other signs the prophet drew attention t9 himself as God's messenger, and when he was asked the meaning of his actions he could reply with "Thus saith the LORD..." (e.g. Ezek. 12:9-11). In all his prophecies he was the devoted servant of God; the characteristic phrase recurring throughout the book of Ezekiel is, "the word of the LORD came unto me, saying ... "

The prophecies of judgement were primarily directed towards Jerusalem; they described the destruction of Jerusalem, its depopulation, and the famines to be suffered by its inhabitants. However, they were apparently not delivered in Jerusalem. Why then did Ezekiel have to deliver the prophecies in such graphic detail? God had to show those in exile that the abominations done in Jerusalem justified, even demanded, His judgement upon it. Those in captivity were "a rebellious house" (Ezek. 12:2), like those still in Jerusalem, and they had to be brought first to acknowledge the righteousness of God, and then turn to Him in repentance. It was while the prophet sat before the elders of Judah (Ezek. 8:1) that he was taken "in visions of God to Jerusalem", where he saw the abominations which were actually taking place in the Temple. The vision showed him too the retribution of God against the offenders. When the vision had ended, he reported all he had seen to those before whom he sat (11:25) including the names of men whom they must have known, who were participating in the evil. Even these revelations seem to have brought no evident repentance; perhaps, however, they sowed the seed whose fruit was in the return of the small remnant some fifty years later.

Prophecies against foreign nations

Israel, as God's chosen people, had a special responsibility towards Him to be a holy people, but other men and nations are also judged by God according to their attitude towards Him. Ezekiel prophesied against Ammon, Moab and Seir because of their attitude towards Israel and the God of Israel; their glee at the fall of Jerusalem was to be punished by God. Tyre was self-confident in her commercial success, and her prince had claimed divine status; she was to be reduced to "a bare rock... a place for the spreading of nets" (26:14). Egypt, too, was to be reduced so that she could no longer be the confidence of the house of Israel" (29:16). These prophecies were not all given at the same time; those against Tyre were given before the fall of Tyre, while the latest prophecy in the book (April 571 B.C.) was given after the fall of Tyre, indicating that Nebuchadnezzar would be paid for his service against Tyre by the spoils of Egypt.

The restoration of Israel

The news of the fall of Jerusalem gave Ezekiel a new credibility in the eyes of the people who could see that his prophecies had been fulfilled (Ezek. 33:21,30). Even then, though outwardly respectful, there was little evidence of repentance in their actions. However, the Lord's message was now one of comfort and hope. Despite the failure of Israel's leaders, God Himself was to bring His sheep together, and set up His shepherd over them. In the millennial kingdom, Israel would be secure and holy. This restoration was not to be on account of any virtue in Israel herself, but to sanctify the great name of the Lord (36:23). Judah and Israel would be reunited under one king, and would share in an everlasting covenant of peace (37:26). Dear to the heart of Ezekiel, as a priest, would be the revelation that ~My tabernacle also shall be with them" (37:27). He had prophesied the destruction of the old house and he knew that his prophecy had been fulfilled; now God revealed to him the details of a greater temple, in which His glory should once more dwell. Full details are given in Ezekiel 40 to 48 of the house and its environs, and it is evident that the structure is intended actually to be built. Why should there be a temple with sacrifices in the millennial age, after Christ has made "one sacrifice for sins for ever" (Heb. 10:12)? Just as the sacrifices of the Old Covenant were prospective, those of the Millennium are retrospective, both looking to the one Sacrifice which is of any real value. In the darkest days of Israel's experience, Ezekiel was rewarded for his obedience to God by the vision of the glory of God in the midst of His people; it was a reward fitting to a man of faith.

P.L. Hickling, Southport | Jul 1978
Profiles Of The Prophets