The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1:15). He states that God Himself will put hooks into the jaws of a leader named Gog of a land called Magog (to the far north of Israel), persuading him to invade the Promised Land. Vision of the glory of the Lord. He promises: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. b. This Temple is associated with the coming Messianic Age. harmony in order to life, The Visions of Ezekiel. While Gods plan of redemption for Israel as a nation is being played out in these last days, each person in every generation has a responsibility to repent and turn to the holy God of Israel or face personal judgment from Him. This supernatural encounter with the heavenly realm began a new school of thought called merkabah (chariot mysticism). Ezekiel, was a great man of God and very faithful to Him. Ezekiel 43:12. At the same time, others who called themselves prophets led Israel to believe that there would be no destruction in Jerusalem, that its walls would not be breached nor its families taken into exile: Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, Peace, when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! 28:12; Ps. Download Full Size Image. View cart for details. In this film, created for Practical Matters by independent documentary filmmaker Sonia Narang, an Indian Jewish visual artist works with a group of high school students at the SAR Academy, a modern Orthodox day school in New York City. In the example of The Dry Bones Ezekiel prophesys to the bones, then prophesys to the actual Holy Spirit to breathe life into those dry bones. The chariot of God in Ezekiels vision represents the mobility of Gods Divine Presence. This is the law of the temple: all the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy, such is the law of the temple. It also suggests that it should not be done alone. Ezekiel's commission would last for some 22 years and involve some challenging assignments. I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. (18:30). He later prophesied they would spend 70 years in exile beginning in the year 597 BC (Jeremiah 25:11). So, we can see that Isaiah is writing in a time of great conflict and insecurity, which increased throughout his prophetic life, ending in the unavoidable conquering of the small Judean kingdom by the Assyrian empire., The first 39 books of the larger work called the Bible, is called the Old Testament. A false religion perverts its life and threatens catastrophe. v. 1 "I saw visions of God" compare Ezekiel to the other captives who said, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion" ( Psalm 137:1 ). The Bible is, after all, a book has a prophetic vein running through it promising all of His people that one day He would return to save them from the evils of the earth and give them the gift of eternal life with Him. Ezekiel purpose were to bring restoration and hope to Gods people., Isaiah 6 is written with a mixture of prose and verse, detailing the calling, or commission, of Isaiah by the Lord God. . 1:1). In the Old Testament, the heavens typically open so Yahweh can rain his blessings on Israel (Deut. But, God did not do this for embarrassment, He did this to remind the people of Israel that He was still going to be their God and that He still desperately wanted to be loved and served by them. 1:4), and the face at the front is the face of a man; that means the man face faces south. Soon after Jeroboams death, civil war broke out in Israel and in 721 BC the Assyrian armies completely subjugated the kingdom. Ezekiel encountered God through extraordinary visions full of metaphor and symbology that have produced much speculation over the millennia, yet God also conveyed His message to the People of Israel through Ezekiel very clearly: Repent! Behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Each cherub has four facesthe face of a bull, a lion, an eagle, and a man (Ezek. In Ezekiel, you see that God uses every part of Himself to draw His people back to Him, almost in an underlying message to say, Please come back to Me, I just love you so much and I miss you. Illustration. A long passage with much detail, Ezekiel describes his first word from the Lord. 1 It was the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month of our captivity. Not only does the book present a striking picture of the resurrection and restoration of God's people ( Ezekiel 37 ), it . In 36:31 Ezekiel shows the turned exiles in bitter repentance as they think upon the past. Comparing his vision to Babylonian iconography reveals that Ezekiel saw a divine "throne chariot" of the heavenswidely described in the ancient biblical world. But the Lord does tell us that these disconnected and utterly dried out bones that Ezekiel tours are the Jewish people (37:11), who had been living with seemingly no hope of redemption or a Promised Land of their own since the time of the Babylonian exile. We may be tempted to think that David-plus-three-mighty-men form a human replica of the glory, and then we might recall that Jesus, the son of David, also has his three: Peter, James, and John. Furthermore, the Lord gives instructions to Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that it is time to rebuild Gods house. Ezekiel was a faithful servant that loved his Master. 78:23; Mal. Livable, A Tale of Trees: How Arboreal Theology Pervades the Bible. While respected minds differ, a good case can be made that Magog is in fact the modern nation of Russia. It would be extremely humbling to them for them to have to rebuild their worship place to God. I want you to see what you have done against Me, not so that I can punish you, but so that there will not be anything between us again and we can freely commune. assignments. A Vision of The Glory of the Lord - and Ezekiel's Call (chapters 1 - 3) Words can barely encapsulate the vision Ezekiel saw. Hes the living chariot of God, come from heaven to live among exiles, his face shining with the light of Gods glory. It was nineteen years since Ezekiel had seen the vision of the glory of the Lord leaving His temple (10:18-22; 11: 22-24). Ezekiel 40:2. 1 Chron. can use them for free to gain inspiration and new creative ideas for their writing The book of Ezekiel pronounces judgment on both Israel and surrounding nations, but it also provides a vision of the future millennial kingdom that complements and adds to the vision of other Old and New Testament texts. Ps. You can use it as an example when writing The Jewish Bible in Hebrew is called the Masoretic text (meaning passing down after a Hebrew word Masorah; for Jewish scholars and rabbis curated and commented on the text). This word is parallel to the Greek word in the New Testament, Pneuma, which is typically used for describing the Holy Spirit. Scholars Amazingly, Ezekiel describes all of these future scenarios that we have seen unfold in our generation. Mom, Your Pain Is Realbut So Is Gods Comfort, Manage His Household Well: A Challenge for All Dads, When Your Difficult Boss Is Also Your Pastor. [2], According to the book that bears his name, Ezekiel ben-Buzi was born into a priestly family of Jerusalem c.623BCE, during the reign of the reforming king Josiah. 28:18). As one writer wrote, taking such steps allows God to unearth the dry bones in our lives, to revive our hearts and to breathe new life into our souls. Occasion: Ezekiel is writing from Babylon for the people exiled . Now he sees His return, to occupy and to consecrate this new building to be His holy sanctuary. It doesnt take Ezekiel up to heaven; it brings heaven to earth. In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible and in all other English Bibles, the book follows on from the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs. His most recent book is a commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles (Brazos Press, 2019). [6]. Prophet (Luke 4:24; 7:16; 24:19), but hes more than a prophet. The idea of building the temple will draw them to repentance and reveal their sin to them regardless. But God continues to reign on His throne in the heavens, and He promises to bring about the final, true peace treaty, the one that will never be broken: I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. [28], The theology of Ezekiel is notable for its contribution to the emerging notion of individual responsibility to God each man would be held responsible only for his own sins. This is an extremely fascinating word that the Lord uses. The book is first of the major prophets, so called due to its greater length than the shorter minor prophets or twelve prophets. The priests and elders on Sinai peered up through a sapphire pavement to see the God of Israel and Moses got to enter the cloud. This resurrection of life is to happen in stages: Bone align themselves together; tendons attach the bones to each other; flesh covers the bones; and finally, the breath of God (literally, His Ruach or Spirit) brings the bones to life as they stand on their feet and form a mighty army. There are six visions recorded in Ezekiel: 1.Vision of the Cherubim (1:4-28) 2.Vision of the Scroll (2:93:3) 3.Vision of the Plain (3:22-23) He enters Babylonian territory riding on his war chariot, on the wings of the cherubim. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rebuked the worlds leaders for this lie in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Oct. 1, 2015: Irans rulers promise to destroy my country, murder my people, and the response from this body the response from nearly every one of the governments represented here has been absolutely nothing utter silence deafening silence.. 7, p. 358). To get the full effect of the vision, we need to see that Ezekiel 1 is only the first of a three-chapter sequence, during which Ezekiel is commissioned as a prophet. This is a reminder to the Israelites. This book is written at a time of great strife for the region of Israel. John was a Christian leader of Jewish origin who was in exile on the Roman prison island of Patmos. Can these bones live? asks God. It happens again in Ezekiels time. Ezekiel glimpses the interior of the throne room because Yahweh is about to invite him to take his place among the living creatures. 1:12), and we know which direction. (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951), 105, James D. Newsome and Jr, The Hebrew Prophets (Atlanta, GA: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 126, Robert B. Chisholm and Jr, Handbook On the Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Academic, 2002), 270, Andrew W. Blackwood Jr. and Ezekiel-Prophecy of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Book House,1965), 224-225, John B. Taylor, Ezekiel (tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), 1ST ed. The Lord had descended on Sinai in a storm cloud (Ex. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. cookie policy. My Father! The Ruach Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Mashiach (Romans 8:1517), In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37). Here he shows them lost in reverence as they acknowledge the power and unshakable moral purpose of God. (My Jewish Learning), The idea of a heavenly chariot is not unique to Ezekiel. As the cloud approaches, he sees whats insideliving beings, later identified as cherubim (Ezek. If that were not enough to take on, the Old Testament comes our way through multiple styles of authorship and formats, including but not limited to, books of history, law, proverbs, ethics, philosophy, treatises, dramas, songs, epics, biographies, and letters. In Ezekiels day the Lord publicly proved that the promises of peace were false: I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. Those who have followed this school of mysticism since its earliest teachings in AD 100 seek to emulate Ezekiels experience and enter into the physical as well as emotional presence of God. A voice from the throne revives him (Ezek. 1:6) and four wings ( Ezek. [2] This chapter is part of a larger complex consisting of Ezekiel 1:1-3:15 which belongs to the genre of the prophetic call narrative, [3] and it details how YHWH arrives in his chariot to speak with Ezekiel. Ezekiel unashamedly spoke the truth to Israel about their sin, their captivity and how the people could be redeemed from it. The main theme running through Isaiah is the message of salvation, even the name of the prophet means salvation of Yahweh. Sometimes He may make no sense and it can be very scary, but just as Jesus says in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; When ones heart is devoted to God, he can be sure that the Lord will direct his steps. [26], Previous prophets had used "Israel" to mean the northern kingdom and its tribes; when Ezekiel speaks of Israel he is addressing the deported remnant of Judah; at the same time, however, he can use this term to mean the glorious future destiny of a truly comprehensive "Israel". He is not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. A long passage with much detail, Ezekiel describes his first word from the Lord. Nonetheless, Ezekiel shared many ideas in common with the Deuteronomists, notably the notion that God works according to the principle of retributive justice and an ambivalence towards kingship (although the Deuteronomists reserved their scorn for individual kings rather than for the office itself). Life and Building in the Book of Ezekiel (CWWL, 1961-1962, vol. A storm blows in with a cloud containing God's chariot held up by four living creatures (cherubim). support@phdessay.com. The Interpreter's Bible: The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Versions with General Articles and Introduction, Exegesis, Exposition for Each Book of the Bible. 28:12; Ps. Visions of the slaughter of the guilty. We might conclude that Israel is a cherubic nation, called to stand watch at the house of God, just as cherubim were stationed at the gate of Eden (Gen. 3:24). Yahwehs departure from the temple is a judgment on Judah but its also an act of compassion. His appearance was the same as it had been before by the river Chebar (yet another link which this closing vision has with Ezekiels earlier work) and it prompted the same response of awe and adoration. We don't know why John was exiled to Patmos, but it may have been for refusing to worship the Roman emperor Domitian, who had declared himself a god. Are the Jewish People Still the Chosen People. 1:6 ). Each creature is accompanied by a wheel. He can respond to his peoples sin by leaving his sanctuary in Israel, and he can graciously condescend to visit his exiled children in Babylon. Please make sure all fields are filled out. Ezekiel also prophesied the coming destruction, but he focused his efforts on telling the Israelites why God was exiling them and how they could get right with the Lord again. The most influential modern scholarly work on Ezekiel, Walther Zimmerli's two-volume commentary, appeared in German in 1969 and in English in 1979 and 1983. The Lord explains the meaning of he vision in verses 11-14. In the 1st century CE the historian Josephus said that the prophet wrote two books: he may have had in mind the Apocryphon of Ezekiel, a 1st-century CE text that expands on the doctrine of resurrection. [17], The Jewish scriptures were translated into Greek in the two centuries prior to the Common Era. We might conclude that Israel is a cherubic nation, called to stand watch at the house of God, just as cherubim were stationed at the gate of Eden. When Yahweh sends Israel into exile, he packs up and heads into exile with them. 3. Gog will think that Israel is living in relative peace and abundance, making her an easy target. There was a vision of the valley of dry bones. It seems that Israel stands alone as the invading soldiers cover the land like a cloud. In this passage, Ezekiel also finds evidence of the worship of the Babylonian deity Tammus (8:14) and of the sun god (8:16). From a distance, Ezekiel sees what Israel saw, a storm wind and a great cloud flashing with lightning and fire. When the Philistines destroyed the tabernacle at Shiloh, they took Yahwehs ark back home as a war trophy, where Yahweh made war on Israels enemies (1 Sam. Another important lesson, God really, really, REALLY loves His kids. [31] To take just two well-known passages, the famous Gog and Magog prophecy in Revelation 20:8 refers back to Ezekiel 3839,[32] and in Revelation 2122, as in the closing visions of Ezekiel, the prophet is transported to a high mountain where a heavenly messenger measures the symmetrical new Jerusalem, complete with high walls and twelve gates, the dwelling-place of God where His people will enjoy a state of perfect well-being. By John A Carroll Week 46 in the WordNovember 12-18, 2021 This week, if you are following the Concealed and Revealed schedule, we will conclude Hebrews and begin our reading in Ezekiel. with free plagiarism report. Tradition says John the apostle (Mark 3:14-19) was the author of both Revelation and the Gospel of John, but that is not certain. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be My people, and I will be your God. (Ezekiel 36:2224, 28). Tearing Down False Promises: The War of Gog and Magog. biblica. [5], The Book of Ezekiel describes itself as the words of Ezekiel ben-Buzi, a priest living in exile in the city of Babylon between 593 and 571 BCE. He is believed to have prophesied from about 592 to 570 B.C., almost a quarter-century, between and overlapping . For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. These faces always face the same direction ( Ezek. Ezekiel sees a whirlwind fire storm (Ezekiel 1:4). The Visions of Ezekiel e) The Refuse (32:5) 32:5 "I will lay your flesh on the mountains And fill the valleys with your refuse. com/niv/study-bible/ezekiel/ accessed March 8th, 2013. (Photo by Greg Hirson). He resided by the river of Chebar . Yet the glory isnt in the temple. Ezekiel was obedient to the visions and listened to Gods voice and what He instructed him to do, no matter what the consequence was or how strange, terrifying, weird the message may have been for Israel. 33:2122). What a contrast visions and weeping! Everything that he said came directly from the Lord. In chapter 8 Ezekiels vision starts out and talks about false values. The vision of the whirlwind. [5] Now, in the book of Ezekiel, there is not much, if any, information on how Israel responded or how Ezekiel shared these prophecies. 48 Vitosha Boulevard, ground floor, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgarian reg. 1:21). These visions can even be applied today in the modern day church and show how much God loves His people despite repetitive sin. The Lord allowed Ezekiel to have visions of which he traveled through, and heard the voice of the Lord. 4) The Life and Way for the Practice of the Church Life The key point, though, is the wheels themselves, which indicate that this cloud is also a chariotYahwehs chariot that was usually parked in the Most Holy Place of the temple (cf. Unashamedly spoke the truth to Israel about their sin to them regardless gives instructions Ezekiel! Later identified as cherubim ( Ezek and to consecrate this new building to be his Holy.! Ezekiel was a great man of God and very faithful to him a! To occupy and to consecrate this new building to be his Holy sanctuary the message of salvation even..., their captivity and how the people could be redeemed from it held. To earth of salvation, even the name of the temple will draw them have... Making her an easy target will think that Israel is living in relative peace abundance. And get a new Spirit Brazos Press, 2019 ) allowed Ezekiel to tell the that. 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