Ezekiel Background Jeff Randolph June 2011

Transcription

1 Ezekiel Background Jeff Randolph June 2011 Ezekiel ( God strengthens ) prophesied near Babylon during Judah s captivity over a span of about 20 years ( BC), focusing on the imminent fall of Jerusalem, coming judgment on certain Gentile nations, and instilling hope for his fellow captives toward a future restoration of Israel. He wrote contemporary with Jeremiah and Daniel, and therefore had a similar focus. Purpose The purposes of the messages in the book are: 1) To warn of coming judgment 2) To explain the reason for coming judgment: sin 3) To emphasize God s power and authority 4) To provoke repentance 5) To instill hope Theme Judgment (Power of God) o Then you shall know that I am the Lord (6:7, 10, 13, 14; 7:4, 9, 27; 11:10, 12; 12:15, 16, 20; 13:9, 14, 21, 23; 14:8; 15:7; 16:62; 17:21, 24; 20:12, 20, 28, 38, 42, 44; 22:16, 22; 23:49; 24:24, 27; 25:5, 7, 11; 26:6; 28:22, 23, 24, 26; 29:6, 9, 16, 21; 30:8, 19, 25, 26; 32:15; 33:29; 34:27, 30; 35:4, 9, 12, 15; 36:11, 23, 36, 38; 37:6, 13, 14, 28; 38:16, 23; 39:6, 7, 22, 23, 28) Restoration (Mercy of God) o New Heart and New Spirit (11:19; 18:31; 36:26) o That they may be my people and I may be their God (11:20; 37:23; 37:27; cf. Gen. 17:8; Jer. 24:7; Jer. 31:33; Jer. 32:38; Zech. 8:8; 2 Cor. 6:16; Heb. 8:10; Rev. 21:3) Key Verses Ezek. 2:6; 12:20; 18:4; 18:31; 33:11; 37:26-27; 48:35 Writer and Location The writer of the book is Ezekiel son of Buzi (1:3), a priest who was taken captive to Babylon around the same time as King Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8-16; 597 BC). Ezekiel dwelt near the River Chebar (Tel Abib; 3:15), which was a tributary off the Euphrates River. The initial reference to the 30 th year could quite possibly be referring to Ezekiel s age (see Josephus Antiquities ) 1. The significance of this age is displayed by the fact that Jesus began His ministry at age 30 (Lk. 3:23), and that the work of a priest in the tabernacle was from age (Num. 8:24-25), in which it appears there was a 5 year training period after which public work began at age 30 (Num. 4:3; see Clarke, Coffman, JFB). This matches up nicely to the work of Ezekiel, who was not able to fulfill his priestly role in the temple. 1 Another possibility is that the 30 th year refers to the time since Hilkiah found the book of the Law in Josiah s reign and renewed the covenant (2 Kings 22; 23:1-21). Page 1 of 5

2 Style The book of Ezekiel is very visual. Much of the book consists of the prophet: a) Acting something out b) Receiving a vision c) Telling a parable Date Unlike some books (e.g., Jeremiah), the book of Ezekiel is pretty much chronological and frequently provides the date of writing. The book was written over a span of about 20 years, beginning in the 5 th year of Jehoiachin s captivity (1:2; 592 BC) 2. Timeline Jeremiah starts ministry (Jer. 1:1-3) Jewish nobles taken to Babylon (Dan. 1:1-7) plundered, people taken (2 Kings 24:1-16; Jer. 52:28) Ezekiel taken Ezekiel sees first vision (Ezek. 1:1-3) destroyed (2 Kings 25:8-11; Ezek. 33:21; Jer. 52:29) Ezekiel s vision (Ezek. 40:1) Persia conquers Babylon (Dan. 5:31) Decree of Cyrus, First return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1) Rebuilt (Ezra 6:15) 626 BC 606/605 BC 597 BC 592 BC 586 BC 572 BC 539 BC 536 BC 516 BC Chronology of Ezekiel 5 th year of Jehoiachin s captivity 1:2 593/592 BC 6 th year 8:1 592/591 BC 7 th year 20:1 591/590 BC 9 th year 24:1 589/588 BC 10 th year 29:1 588/587 BC 11 th year 26:1 587/586 BC 12 th year 32:17; 33:21 586/585 BC 25 th year 40:1 573/572 BC Canonicity The place of Ezekiel in the canon of the Old Testament is well established, though there has been debate on its authenticity. F.F. Bruce cites that according to one tradition, there were some concerns expressed over Ezekiel by rabbis in the late first century, after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD: As for Ezekiel, the prescriptions in its closing chapters for the new temple and its services could with difficulty be made to agree with those in the Pentateuch, and the chariot vision of chapter 1 gave rise to mystical speculations and exercises which some rabbis believed to be spiritually dangerous. The opinion was expressed that Ezekiel ought to be withdrawn (withdrawn, probably, from the synagogue calendar of public 2 The dates herein are arrived at as follows. The first year of Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon) was 605 BC. Nebuchanezzar took Jehoiachin in the 8 th year of his reign (597 BC; 2 Kings 24:10-16), which was Jehoiachin s first year (2 Chr. 36:9-10). Therefore, Jehoiachin s 5 th year would be about 592 BC. Additionally, the in Jerusalem was destroyed in the 19 th year of Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8-10; 586 BC), which would be about 11 th or 12 th year of Jehoiachin being taken, which accords with Ezek 33:21. Page 2 of 5

3 readings). Other pious souls were content to wait until Elijah came at the end of the age: the problems of Ezekiel would be among those which he was expected to solve. Despite this, Bruce continues: Happily, it was not necessary to wait so long: one Hananiah the son of Hezekiah sat up night after night burning the midnight oil to the tune of 300 measures until he had worked out a reconciliation between Ezekiel and Moses. But this simply means that the rabbis of Jamnia, like religious disputants of other ages, enjoyed a really tough subject for theological debate; it does not mean that at this late date the status of Ezekiel was in serious jeopardy. (The Canon of Scripture, pp ) Despite the difficulties of the book 3, we can be sure Ezekiel is divinely inspired because: 1) It claims to be the word of God given through Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:3) 2) It contains prophetic statements that no unaided human could know, such as the then future siege and fall of Jerusalem (586 BC; Ezek. 4-5), fall of Tyre (332 BC; Ezek ), and restoration of Judah from captivity (536 BC; Ezek. 37). 3) It was quoted or alluded to many times in the New Testament (2 Cor. 6:16), especially in the book of Revelation (see chart below). Outline I. Function of Ezekiel (1-3, 592 BC) a. Vision of The Glory of God (Ch. 1) b. Ezekiel s Commission (Ch. 2) c. The Watchman (Ch. 3) II. Fall of Judah (4-24, BC) a. The Siege of Jerusalem (Ch. 4-5) b. Judgment on Israel (Ch. 6-7) c. Abominations (Ch. 8) d. The Mark (Ch. 9) e. The Glory of God Departs (Ch ) f. Judgment is Near (Ch. 12) g. Against False Prophets (Ch. 13) h. Idols In The Heart (Ch. 14) i. The Outcast Vine (Ch. 15) j. Jerusalem, Bride and Harlot (Ch. 16) k. The Eagles and the Vine (Ch. 17) l. The Soul Who Sins Shall Die (Ch. 18) m. The Lions and the Vine (Ch. 19) n. Rebellious Israel (Ch. 20) o. Babylon The Sword (Ch. 21) p. Sins of Jerusalem (Ch. 22) q. Harlot Sisters (Ch. 23) r. The Cooking Pot (Ch. 24) 3 Jerome is cited as reporting that those under 30 were advised not to read the beginning and end of the book lest they become discouraged. Page 3 of 5

4 III. IV. Foes of Judah (25-35, 586 BC) a. Against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia (Ch. 25) b. Against Tyre (Ch :19) c. Against Sidon (Ch. 28:20-26) d. Against Egypt (Ch ) e. Last Call For Jerusalem i. Jerusalem Falls (Ch. 33) ii. Irresponsible Shepherds vs. The True Shepherd (Ch. 34) f. Against Mount Seir (Ch. 35) Future of Judah (36-48, BC) a. Blessing on Israel (Ch. 36) b. The Dry Bones (Ch. 37) c. Gog Attacks Israel (Ch. 38) d. Gog Destroyed (Ch. 39) e. Measuring a New (Ch ) f. The Glory of God Returns (Ch. 43) g. The People of the (Ch. 44:1-45:17) h. Worship (45:18-46:24) i. The Healing Waters and Trees (47:1-12) j. Division of the Land (47:13 48:35) New Testament References Four Living Creatures and Glory of God Ch. 1; Ch. 10 Rev. 4 Son of Man Many times (90+) Matthew, Mark, Luke, John Eating the Scroll Ch. 3 Rev. 10 The Four Corners 7:2 Rev. 7:1 The Mark 9:1-7 Rev. 7:1-4 Eyes Do Not See, Ears Do Not Hear 12:2 Matt. 13:15 (Isa. 6:10) Days Are Prolonged 12:22 2 Pet. 3:4 Four Severe Judgments 14:21 Rev. 6 The Great Harlot Ch. 16 Rev. 17 The Holy Mountain 20:40 Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1 (Isa. 2:1-3; 11:9; 65:25; 66:20; many others) Heir To the Throne 21:27 Lk. 1:32-33 Fall of a Wealthy City Ch Rev. 18 Gathering of Israel 28:25 Matt. 24:31; Jn. 11:52; Eph. 1:10 Hearing and Not Doing 33:31 Jas. 1:22 The Good Shepherd Ch. 34 Jn. 10; 1 Pet. 2:25 Tabernacle of God is with Men 37: Cor. 6:16; Rev. 21:3 Gog and Magog Ch Rev. 20:8 Birds of Prey 39:4 Matt. 24:28; Rev. 19:17-18 The Measuring Rod 40:3-5 Rev. 11:1ff. River of Life 47:1ff. Rev. 22:1 Healing Trees 47:12 Rev. 22:2 New City Rev. 21 Page 4 of 5

5 References Halley, H.H. (1965), Halley's Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 24 th edition. Holman Quick Source Bible Atlas, (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers), Jenkins, Ferrell (1972), The Old Testament in the Book of Revelation ( Terrace, FL: Florida College), Second Paperback Edition, Josephus, Flavius (1987 reprint), The Works of Josephus, trans. William Whiston (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson). Malick, David, An Introduction to the Book of Ezekiel, Bible.org, Retrieved from Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps & Charts (Thomas Nelson), Page 5 of 5