©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:7 This is a cynical proverb from Jer. 31:29 and Ezek. 18:2.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:8–18 A list of horrors that had befallen Judah.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:16 The crown has fallen. Israel lost its line of kings wearing the crown. The Davidic monarchy was temporarily over and will not be resumed until Christ comes as King (Jer. 23:5–8; Ezek. 37:24–28; Rev. 19:1– 21).
Beyond Lamentations: Hope of Restoration
Beyond Lamentations: Hope of Restoration 1. Isaiah 35:1–10 2. Jeremiah 30:1–31:40 3. Ezekiel 37:1–28 4. Hosea 3:5; 14:1–9 5. Joel 3:18–21 6. Amos 9:11–15 7. Micah 7:14–20 8. Zephaniah 3:14–20 9. Zechariah 14:1–11 10. Malachi 4:1–6 ©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:19 your throne endures to all generations. Here is the high point of this chapter. Jeremiah was consoled by the fact that God always sits on his sovereign throne ruling over the universe from heaven (Ps. 45:6; 93:2; 102:12; 103:19; Dan. 4:3, 34–35).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:21 Restore us to yourself. God must himself initiate and enable any return to him (cf. Ps. 80:3, 7, 19; Jer. 24:7; 31:18; John 6:44, 65). Renew our days. The intercessions of Lam. 5:19–22 will yet be fulfilled in the New Covenant restoration of Israel (cf. Jer. 30–33, and see notes there).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:21–22 This plea was not made with anger. The humble closing prayer sought God, who can never reject his people forever, to be faithful in restoring them (cf. Jer. 31:35–37; 33:25–26). In fact, their godly sorrow over sin was the beginning of that restoration, which would be completed
by turning to God in faith and obedience.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel 1 • Ezekiel 2 • Ezekiel 3 • Ezekiel 4 • Ezekiel 5 • Ezekiel 6 •
Ezekiel 7 • Ezekiel 8 • Ezekiel 9 • Ezekiel 10 • Ezekiel 11 • Ezekiel 12 • Ezekiel 13 • Ezekiel 14 • Ezekiel 15 • Ezekiel 16 • Ezekiel 17 • Ezekiel 18 • Ezekiel 19 • Ezekiel 20 • Ezekiel 21 • Ezekiel 22 • Ezekiel 23 • Ezekiel 24 • Ezekiel 25 • Ezekiel 26 • Ezekiel 27 • Ezekiel 28 • Ezekiel 29 • Ezekiel 30 • Ezekiel 31 • Ezekiel 32 • Ezekiel 33 • Ezekiel 34 • Ezekiel 35 • Ezekiel 36 • Ezekiel 37 • Ezekiel 38 • Ezekiel 39 • Ezekiel 40 • Ezekiel 41 • Ezekiel 42 • Ezekiel 43 • Ezekiel 44 • Ezekiel 45 • Ezekiel 46 • Ezekiel 47 • Ezekiel 48 Introduction to Ezekiel
Title Author and Date Background and Setting Historical and Theological Themes Interpretive Challenges Outline Footnotes Study Notes
Introduction to Ezekiel
Title
The book has always been named for its author, Ezekiel (1:3; 24:24), who is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture. His name means "strengthened by God," which, indeed, he was for the prophetic ministry to which God called him (3:8– 9). Ezekiel uses visions, prophecies, parables, signs, and symbols to proclaim and dramatize the message of God to his exiled people.
Author and Date
If the "thirtieth year" of 1:1 refers to Ezekiel's age, he was 25 when taken captive and 30 when called into ministry. Thirty was the age when priests commenced their office, so it was a notable year for Ezekiel. His ministry began in 593/92 B.C. and extended at least 22 years until 571/70 B.C. (cf. 25:17). He was a contemporary of both Jeremiah (who was about 20 years older) and Daniel (who was the same age), whom he names in 14:14, 20; 28:3 as an already wellknown prophet. Like Jeremiah (Jer. 1:1) and Zechariah (cf. Zech. 1:1 with Neh. 12:16), Ezekiel was both a prophet and a priest (Ezek. 1:3). Because of his priestly background, he was particularly interested in and familiar with the temple details; so God used him to write much about them (8:1–11:25; 40:1– 47:12).
Ezekiel and his wife (who is mentioned in 24:15–27) were among 10,000 Jews taken captive to Babylon in 597 B.C. (2 Kings 24:11–18). They lived in Tel-abib (Ezek. 3:15) on the bank of the Chebar River, probably southeast of Babylon. Ezekiel writes of his wife's death in exile (Ezek. 24:18), but the book does not mention Ezekiel's death, which rabbinical tradition suggests occurred at the hands of an Israelite prince whose idolatry he rebuked around 560 B.C.
The author received his call to prophesy in 593 B.C. (1:2), in Babylon ("the land of the Chaldeans"), during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, which began in 597 B.C. Frequently, Ezekiel dates his prophecies from 597 B.C. (8:1; 20:1; 24:1; 26:1; 29:1; 30:20; 31:1; 32:1, 17; 33:21; 40:1). He also dates the message in 40:1 as 573/72, the fourteenth year after 586 B.C., i.e., Jerusalem's final fall. The last dated utterance of Ezekiel was in 571/70 B.C. (29:17).
Prophecies in chs. 1–28 are in chronological order. In 29:1, the prophet regresses to a year earlier than in 26:1. But from 30:1 on (cf. 31:1; 32:1, 17), he is close to being strictly chronological.
Background and Setting
From the historical perspective, Israel's united kingdom lasted more than 110 years (c. 1043–931 B.C.), through the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon. Then the divided kingdom, Israel (north) and Judah (south), extended from 931 B.C. to 722/21 B.C. Israel fell to Assyria in 722/21 B.C. leaving Judah, the surviving kingdom for 135 years, which fell to Babylon in 605–586 B.C.
In the more immediate setting, several features were strategic. Politically, Assyria's vaunted military might crumbled after 626 B.C., and the capital, Nineveh, was destroyed in 612 B.C. by the Babylonians and Medes (cf. Nahum). The neo-Babylonian empire had flexed its muscles since Nabopolassar took the throne in 625 B.C., and Egypt, under Pharaoh Neco II, was determined to conquer what she could. Babylon smashed Assyria in 612–605 B.C., and registered a decisive victory against Egypt in 605 B.C. at Carchemish, leaving, according to the Babylonian Chronicle, no survivors. Also in 605 B.C., Babylon, led by Nebuchadnezzar, began the conquest of Jerusalem and the deportation of captives, among them Daniel (Dan. 1:2). In December, 598 B.C., he again besieged Jerusalem, and on March 16, 597 B.C. took possession. This time, he took captive Jehoiachin and a group of 10,000, including Ezekiel (2 Kings 24:11–18). The final destruction of Jerusalem and the conquest of Judah, including the third deportation, came in 586 B.C.
Religiously, King Josiah (c. 640–609 B.C.) had instituted reforms in Judah (cf. 2 Chron. 34). Tragically, despite his effort, idolatry had so dulled the Judeans that their awakening was only "skin deep" overall. The Egyptian army killed Josiah as it crossed Palestine in 609 B.C., and the Jews plunged on in sin toward judgment under Jehoahaz (609 B.C.), Jehoiakim [Eliakim] (609–598 B.C.), Jehoiachin (598–597 B.C.), and Zedekiah (597–586 B.C.).
Domestically, Ezekiel and the 10,000 lived in exile in Babylon (2 Kings 24:14), more as colonists than captives, being permitted to farm tracts of land under somewhat favorable conditions (Jer. 29). Ezekiel even had his own house (Ezek. 3:24; 20:1).
Prophetically, false prophets deceived the exiles with assurances of a speedy return to Judah (13:3, 16; Jer. 29:1). From 593–585 B.C., Ezekiel warned that their beloved Jerusalem would be destroyed and their exile prolonged, so there was no hope of immediate return. In 585 B.C., an escapee from Jerusalem, who had evaded the Babylonians, reached Ezekiel with the first news that the city had fallen in 586 B.C., about six months earlier (Ezek. 33:21). That dashed the false hopes of any immediate deliverance for the exiles, so the remainder of Ezekiel's prophecies related to Israel's future restoration to its homeland and the final blessings of the messianic kingdom.
Historical and Theological Themes
The "glory of the Lord" is central to Ezekiel, appearing in 1:28; 3:12, 23; 10:4, 18; 11:23; 43:4–5; 44:4. The book includes graphic descriptions of the disobedience of Israel and Judah, despite God's kindness (ch. 23; cf. ch. 16). It shows God's desire for Israel to bear fruit which he can bless; however, selfish indulgence had left Judah ready for judgment, like a torched vine (ch. 15). References are plentiful to Israel's idolatry and its consequences, such as Pelatiah dropping dead (11:13), a symbolic illustration of overall disaster for the people.
Many picturesque scenes illustrate spiritual principles. Among these are Ezekiel eating a scroll (ch. 2); the faces on four angels representing aspects of creation over which God rules (1:10); a "barbershop" scene (5:1–4); graffiti on temple walls reminding readers of what God really wants in his dwelling place, namely holiness and not ugliness (8:10); and sprinkled hot coals depicting judgment (10:2, 7).
Chief among the theological themes are God's holiness and sovereignty. These are conveyed by frequent contrast of his bright glory against the despicable backdrop of Judah's sins (1:26–28; often in chs. 8–11; and 43:1–7). Closely related is God's purpose of glorious triumph so that all may "know that I am the Lord." This divine monogram, God's signature authenticating his acts, is mentioned more than 60 times, usually with a judgment (6:7; 7:4), but occasionally after the promised restoration (34:27; 36:11, 38; 39:28).
Another feature involves God's angels carrying out his program behind the scenes (1:5–25; 10:1–22). A further important theme is God's holding each individual accountable for pursuing righteousness (18:3–32).