Day 305

Ezekiel 1:1–3:15; Hebrews 3:1-19; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 26:24-26

HAVING JOURNEYED THROUGH the warning prophecies of Jeremiah, and then seeing those prophecies come true in Lamentations, we found ourselves today at the threshold of a new month and a new book of prophecy: the book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel was a well-educated man who was deeply loyal to God and the traditions of his people. He came from a priestly family and, like Jeremiah, was often instructed by God to symbolically act out his prophecies. Jeremiah prophesied before and alongside Ezekiel, but whereas Jeremiah prophesied from Jerusalem, Ezekiel’s prophecies were from exile in Babylon.

Ezekiel lived in a climate of international struggle and upheaval. The Babylonian Empire had conquered the Assyrian Empire. Egypt and Babylon clashed within the land of ancient Israel because possessing it equaled control of the major trade routes between lands to the north and east and the continent of Africa.

At one point or another, the Israelites had been allied with or subdued by all of these ancient empires, but Jerusalem had not been destroyed. Rather, Judah paid tribute and became a vassal that changed hands. This all happened during the generational decline in kingly leadership that we observed in the books of Kings and Chronicles.

In 597 BC, the Babylonians subdued Jerusalem and began deportations. Ezekiel was among the first to go into exile. Several years later, Zedekiah —a king who had been installed to reign in alliance and allegiance to Babylon —rebelled against Babylon (contrary to Jeremiah’s clear prophetic advice), and in 588 BC, the Babylonians laid siege. Two years later, they conquered and completely destroyed Jerusalem.

During Ezekiel’s early years in exile, he prophesied Jerusalem’s destruction —even as Jeremiah was prophesying the same from Jerusalem. After the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, the prophecies of Ezekiel transform into some of the most hope-filled messages of renewal and restoration found in the Bible.

Ezekiel also contains descriptions of almost cinematic visions that are not unlike the visions of Daniel or those found in the book of Revelation. These parallels are often cross-examined in eschatological studies (the apocalyptic study of the end times).

Ezekiel’s visions had great impact on him personally, and the same can happen for us as we read them. If we’re able to approach the book and the imagery from the perspective of what it says to our hearts, we’ll be able to revel in its deep and rich textures, allowing it to speak to us as a sunrise would —rather than how the morning newspaper does.

The book of Ezekiel holds much promise for us today and is one of the larger and most influential books of prophecy we have in the Bible. Although the words were written thousands of years ago, they tell of the ultimate hope and blessing that God has for us when we return to Him.

WORSHIP:

Let all that I am praise the LORD. O LORD my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty.