Prophets of Israel Two

Ezekiel, Daniel
Exilic Prophets
 Ezekiel
Form of message, formation of book, person, message and
purpose, prophetic
 Historical Context
Seventh century prophets: Nahum, Zephaniah,
Habakkuk, Jeremiah ministered in Jerusalem
warning of the impending destruction; Daniel and
Ezekiel were taken captive and conducted their
ministries in Babylon
Daniel was not a prophet per say, he worked as an
administrator, through him God revealed the
future: apocalyptic prophecy
 Historical Context

The first exilic prophet Daniel, not by profession

taken in the first aspect of captivity, 605 BC., the
time Habakkuk wrote his prophecy
The second exilic prophet is Ezekiel, taken in the
second aspect of captivity, 597 BC, Habakkuk still
alive and Jeremiah also still vigorously doing his
ministry
 Historical Context

While Daniel was doing administrative work,

Ezekiel was serving as a prophet shepherding the
flock in the foreign territory
 Ezekiel

As A Person

Spiritual and Spirit Filled Person

Magnanimous Person
 Ezekiel

Literary Analysis:

Victor P. Hamilton in Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary,

pp. 2010-2022: power point lecture.
 Who Wrote the Book?
Ezekiel a member of the priestly family of Buzi and
contemporary of Jeremiah, Daniel, [Habakkuk], is
the author of the book. The evidence for this is quite
substantial, [also see Lasor, etal]:
1. There is the clear claim of the book (1:1), all of
which is given autobiographically (phrase like, “I
looked,” and “the word of the Lord came to me”
occur throughout).
 Who Wrote the Book?

2) There is unity of apocalyptic (visions) style

through the entire book.
3) The whole book is written from the priestly point
of view that one would expect given Ezekiel’s
priestly background (note sacrifices, the Temple,
etc.).
 Who Wrote the Book?
4) Both early Jewish teachers and many Bible critics
agree that Ezekiel was the author
5) The Basis upon which some critics reject Ezekiel’s
authorship are insubstantial. For example, they say
that Ezekiel purports to give eye witness accounts of
events which occurred in Jerusalem years after he
was exiled (chs. 8, 11, 12). But these critics overlook
the fact that the “I saw” is description of his visions
from God rather than his direct observation—the
 Who Wrote the Book?

—the whole style of the book is apocalyptic (cf., 8:3). Critics

also mistakenly suppose that the same prophet could not
pronounce both doom and future blessings on his people. But
this criticism ignores the dual role to which virtually every
prophet, including Isaiah, Micah, Amos, and Hosea, was
called.
In brief, there is no plausible reason why Ezekiel could not
have written the book and there is no good reasons to believe
that he did” (Geisler, 273-274 ).
 Date of the Book

See ibid., Lasor etal

Internal evidence:

570 BC
When Was Ezekiel Written?
Ezekiel ministered between 593 and 570 BC. He was
taken in 597 by Nebuchadnezzar with the second
group of captives. There were three major invasions
of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar:
(1). In 605 BC., during Jehoiakim’s reign—Daniel
was taken to Babylon (cf., Daniel 1).
(2). In 597 BC., during Jehoiachin’s reign-Ezekiel
was taken to Babylon (cf., Ezekiel 1).
When Was Ezekiel Written?
(3) In 586 BC. During Zedekiah’s reign—Jeremiah
was left in the land while Zedekiah was taken to
Babylon (Jeremiah 39)
Now Ezekiel was called to his prophetic ministry in
593 BC. (the fifth year of the captivity of king
Jehoiachin) when he was about thirty years of age
(1:1). The book of Ezekiel was written between 593
and 570 BC., (cf., 29:17)” (Geisler, 274).
 To Whom was Ezekiel
Written?

Ezekiel addressed the exiles in Babylon who were

discouraged with false hopes of an early return to
their homeland (cf., 12:25).
Where Were They Located?

Ezekiel was taken captive to a community near

Nippur called Tell Abib on the river Chebar (about
fifty miles south of Babylon on the Euphrates River)
(1:1). Here he received his visions and ministered to
the Jews in Babylon exile.”
 God’s Portrait
God is portrayed as:
1. Lord God (2:4; 3:27; 4:14)
2. I am the Lord your God (6:7, 10, 13);
3. God of Israel (8:4; 9:3;10:19);
4. A garden of renown (34:29);
5. My sanctuary/tabernacle (37:26, 28/37:27).
 Jesus’s Portrait
Jesus is portrayed as:
1. Shepherd (34:12; 37:24; cf.,John
10:11, 14, 16; 1 Pet 2:25; 5:4);
2. Holy one of Israel (39:7; cf., Lk 1:35;
Acts 2:27; 3:14, 13:35; 1 Jn 2:20);
3. Typified in the ministry of Ezekiel as
the Son of Man (2:1, 3, 6; 3:1, 3);
 Jesus’s Portrait

Jesus is portrayed as:

4. Typified in the life of David as a servant
(34:24; 37:25; cf., Mat 12:18;
Mark10:45; Phil 2:5-8).
5. Sacrifices and offering of the temple
(45:9-25; cf., Heb 7:27; 9:11; 10:17)
 Why Was Ezekiel Written?

Historical purpose
“As a prophet of the exile, Ezekiel’s intentions were to
comfort and encourage God’s people by revealing God’s
plan for their full and final restoration and to counteract
any false hope of any early return to their homeland.”
 Why Was Ezekiel Written?

The doctrinal purpose

The central doctrinal teaching of Ezekiel concerns the
glory of God ( 1:28; 10:4). Connected with God’s glory
is the need for judgment on sin in the vindication of His
righteousness (cf., 11:12). And finally the book stresses
God’s faithfulness to His promises (cf., “for my name’s
sake,” 20:44).
 Why Was Ezekiel Written?

Christological purpose
Ezekiel anticipates Christ as the glory of God (10:18, 19),
the Renewal of the covenant (16:60), the Shepherd of the
flock (34:23), the Cleaner of the Temple (36:24), the
Regenerator of Israel (36:25, 26); and throughout the
book He is presented as the Restorer of Israel
What Is Ezekiel About?
 Commentaries

Lasor etal, eds. Old Testament Survey: The Message,

Form and Background of the Old Testament, 2 ed.,
pp. 2286-289.
 Ezekiel

Download:  www.freebiblecommentary.org .
 Ezekiel

Literary Textual Analysis: Bob Utley.

Ezekiel Chapter 9
 Outline of the Book

1. Ezekiel vocation (1:1-3:27)

2. Prophecies about the fall of Jerusalem (4:1-
24:27)
3. Israel’s restoration (33:1-39:29)
4. The new Temple in future Jerusalem (40:1-
48:35)
 Outline of the Book

The prophecy divides into three parts:

1. Judgment on Israel (chs. 1–24)
• Ezekiel’s call as prophet of judgment (1:1–3:21)
• Signs of judgment (3:22–5:17)
• Oracles of judgment (6:1–7:27)
 Outline of the Book
• Visions of judgment (chs. 8–11)
• Signs and oracles of judgment (chs. 12–19)
• Oracles of judgment (chs. 20–24)

2. Judgment on the other nations (chs. 25–32)

[Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon,
Egypt]
 Outline of the Book
3. Restoration of Israel (chs. 33–48)
• Oracles of salvation (chs. 33–36)
• Vision of new life (ch. 37:1-14)
• Sign of a royal scepter (ch. 37:15-28)
• Victory of Gog (chs. 38-39)
• Vision of new temple and repossessed land (chs.
40-48)
 Outline of the Book
1. God’s denunciation of Judah (1–24)
--the departure of God’s glory
2. God’s visitation o f the nations (25-32)
--preparation for glory
3. God’s restoration of Israel (33-48).
--the return of God’s glory
 How to Interpret
Ezekiel 40-48

1. Spiritually or
2. Literally
See Geisler, pp279-281
 Gary Hamrick

Israel and the End Times - Part 1 | Ezekiel 36-37 |

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