Ezekiel
The book of Ezekiel is the last of the 3 Major Prophets in Jewish Scriptures (Christians include Lamentations and Daniel). The book is famous for its strange visions; some have seen a prediction of flying saucers or "men from outer space" in the famous chariot vision that begins the book. Because of the oddity of the book, early Jewish scholars debated whether to include it in the canon (the collection of inspired Scripture we now call the Bible). Ezekiel was the first prophet to prophesy outside Jerusalem, which posed a problem for Jews who wondered whether God could speak outside of Jerusalem, in Babylon. (Recall the story of David who feared, in his flight from Jerusalem, he would be unable to worship God. Or the story of Naaman, the Syrian, who carried some earth from Jerusalem with him back to Syria in order to worship the Jewish God.) The book's strange images inspired the Christian book of Revelation, which borrows motifs and images from the earlier book (the four creatures, etc.). Despite its strangeness, Ezekiel is a favorite in Gospel music.
The book of Ezekiel is the last of the 3 Major Prophets in Jewish Scriptures (Christians include Lamentations and Daniel). The book is famous for its strange visions; some have seen a prediction of flying saucers or "men from outer space" in the famous chariot vision that begins the book. Because of the oddity of the book, early Jewish scholars debated whether to include it in the canon (the collection of inspired Scripture we now call the Bible). Ezekiel was the first prophet to prophesy outside Jerusalem, which posed a problem for Jews who wondered whether God could speak outside of Jerusalem, in Babylon. (Recall the story of David who feared, in his flight from Jerusalem, he would be unable to worship God. Or the story of Naaman, the Syrian, who carried some earth from Jerusalem with him back to Syria in order to worship the Jewish God.) The book's strange images inspired the Christian book of Revelation, which borrows motifs and images from the earlier book (the four creatures, etc.). Despite its strangeness, Ezekiel is a favorite in Gospel music.
1
[1] As I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens opened. I saw visions of God.[2] It was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin,
[3] the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest.
[4] As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness round about it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, something like gleaming bronze.
[5] There came the likeness of four living creatures.
[10] As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man in front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back.
These creatures became the source of the imagery for the 4 Christian evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, with Matthew identified as the man, Mark the lion, Luke the ox, and John the eagle. (See Revelation 4:7.) Ezekiel takes care not to say this is how they looked, only this is how they appeared to look ("the likeness of"). The heavenly realm is beyond human standards; the prophet can only come close to describing his experience in human terms or images.
[12] And each went straight forward without turning as they went,
[14] like lightning.
[15] Then I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of them.
[16] The wheels were like a wheel within a wheel.
The point is that these creatures can move in any direction without effort: it's an image of heavenly power.
[17] They went in any of four directions without turning as they went.
[19] And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them;
[20] for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
[26] And above the firmament over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above was a likeness of a human form.
More emphasis on "likeness of." These are only human images of heavenly appearances.
[27] And
2
[1] And he said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you."The theme of "empowerment" again ("stand on your feet"). "Son of Man" becomes a Messianic phrase in the Gospels. This phrase has been often debated, especially when later used by Jesus of himself. Here it seems clear that it stresses the mortality of the prophet: compared to God, he is ONLY a man and (using Hebrew parallelism) a son of man.
3
[1] And he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll, and speak to the house of Israel."[3] Then I ate it; and it was as sweet as honey.
This suggests the prophet has made God's words his own (in modern slang, he not only talks the talk but walks the walk); and moreover, that God's word is sweet, even when predicting woe (see the great psalm praising the Law, Psalm 119). These verses are similar to the Commision (Call) verses in Isaiah and Jeremiah, including the challenge to face a stubborn people:
[9] Like rock have I made your forehead; fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house."
[14] The Spirit lifted me up and took me away;
[15] and I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who dwelt by the river Chebar.
[16] At the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me:
[17] "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.
[18]
[19] But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, he shall die; but you will have saved your life.
The prophet has a moral responsibility to warn the flock (like a parent's moral's responsibility). But the prophet (or parent) is not responsible beyond this. The person who sinned in the past will be saved if he stops sinning; the good person will be killed if she turns to evil today. But children will not pay for their parents' sins; each will pay for their own sins. Note how commerce is god, as it is today:
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[12] "The time has come, the day draws near. Let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn, for wrath is upon all their multitude.[19] Their silver and gold are not able to save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD; they cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their sin."
8
[1] As I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.[2] Then I saw a form like a man; below what appeared to be his waist it was fire, and above his waist it was like brightness, like gleaming bronze.
[3] He put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven,
[14] Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD; and there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
[15] Then he said to me, "You will see still worse than these."
Tammuz was a vegetation god mourned in an annual ritual. Some see a relation between Tammuz and Jesus, since they both rose in the spring (like fruits and flowers).
[16] And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD; and at the door of the temple of the LORD were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, worshiping the sun toward the east.
The story of Samson has been seen as an image of the sun (his hair looks like the rays of the sun, he sets like the sun [goes blind], adopted for the Hebrew religion). Thus sun worship must have been common among Jews, one of many temptations. The idea of the incarnation is hinted in the next verse (incarnation=making flesh, as Jesus was God in the flesh, thus fulfilling the law).
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This explains why the Israelites could be conquered by the Babylonians; because the Lord has stopped protecting them from his temporary home in the Temple. The reason is the temple is no longer a holy place, but a place where false gods are worshipped (see ch. 8 above).
Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple. . . . This explains why the Israelites could be conquered by the Babylonians; because the Lord has stopped protecting them from his temporary home in the Temple. The reason is the temple is no longer a holy place, but a place where false gods are worshipped (see ch. 8 above).
11
[19] "I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,[20] that they may walk in my statutes and keep my laws and obey them; they shall be my people, and I will be their God."
12
[1] The word of the LORD came to me:Another good example of a symbolic action:
[3] Prepare for yourself an exile's baggage; go into exile by day in their sight; you shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand.
[5] Dig through the wall in their sight, and go out through it.
[6] In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark; you shall cover your face, that you may not see the land; for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel."
V. 6 is a possible reference to King Zedekiah, who was blinded ("you shall cover your face and not see the land") after taken captive by the Babylonians. Note the reference to the Diaspora (dispersion of the Jews):
[15] They shall know I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries.
[16] But I will let a few escape, that they may confess their abominations among the nations where they go."
The "remnant" again.
[21] And the word of the LORD came to me:
[22] "Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in Israel, saying, `The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing?
Above shows how people lose faith when prophecies are not fulfilled. Just like today, people read the Bible and see prophecies that are unfulfilled:
[23] The days are at hand, and the fulfilment of every vision.
[26] Again the word of the LORD came to me:
[27] "Son of man, they say, `He prophesies of times far off.'
[28] Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be delayed any longer."
13
[3] Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing![10] Because they have misled my people, saying, `Peace,' when there is no peace; and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets paint it with whitewash;
"Whitewashing" something means pretending it is better than it is, probably coming from this text (and repeated texts in Ezekiel).
[11] say to those who cover it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a storm of rain, great hailstones will fall, and a stormy wind break out;
[12] and when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, `Where is the white with which you washed it?'
[13] Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a wind break out in my anger.
[14] And I will break down the wall.
Bob Dylan's early song, "Blowin' in the Wind" is based on such OT (Old Testament) imagery: "the answer is blowing in the wind."
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[1] Again the word of the LORD came to me:[2] "Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her evil,
[3] and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite.
Above is an interesting text; it suggests a more complex racial type of Hebrew (from Amorite and Hittite tribes). Remember, Uriah (the man whose wife was stolen by David) was a Hittite and more observant of God than David himself! The following is called personification: Israel is pictured as a person (woman):
[4] As for your birth, the day you were born your navel string was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor swathed with bands.
The Bible can be enjoyed for details such as the above, the way that babies were treated after birth (rubbing salt, etc.). The idea in v. 6 is that all life comes from God ("Live"). The image of the "plant" is developed in both OT and NT in the image of the "vineyard."
[6]"And when I passed by you, and saw you bathed in your blood, I said to you in your blood, `Live,
[7] and grow up like a plant of the field.' And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full maidenhood; your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.
[8] "When I passed by you again and looked upon you, you were at the age for love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yea, I plighted my troth to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord GOD, and you became mine.
The above should be read remembering Ruth, covered by Boaz with his cloak, in the covenant of redemption in marriage. The extended metaphor means Israel is a woman who, when she reached puberty should have loved God instead of foreign lovers (gods), for wealth, as below shows:
[15] "But you trusted in your beauty, and gave your beauty to any passer-by.
[16] You took your garments, and made for yourself gaily decked shrines, and on them played the harlot.
[20] And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured.
Child murder/sacrifice was practiced among Jews, though against the Hebrew religion. The metaphor (God as Husband of Israel) shows that Israel's children are his own children.
[33] Men give gifts to harlots; but you gave gifts to your lovers, bribing them to come to you.
Note the sarcasm above, using the sex metaphor: most harlots (whores) do it to get money; but these paid money instead (for political alliances).
[44] Behold, every one who uses proverbs will use this proverb about you, `Like mother, like daughter.'
The above proverb survives in English as "Like father, like son." The reference is to the notorious city, Sodom (of Sodom and Gomorrah fame), as well as Samaria (the northern kingdom), who by then had been destroyed.
18
[1]The word of the LORD came to me:[2] "What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, `The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?
See the same quote in Jeremiah 31:29. Also Lamentations, 5:7: "Our fathers sinned . . . and we bear their punishment." See also Exodus 20:5, where God says he punishes to the third and fourth generations.
[3] As I live, says the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.
[20] The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the sin of the father, nor the father suffer for the sin of the son.
The past will not determine the future. This also teaches thinking of what one is doing ("because he considered and turned away from all the wrongs" [v.28]).
22
[1] Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,[7] the alien suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.
[15] I will scatter you among the nations.
[27] Her princes are like wolves, shedding blood, killing for dishonest gain.
[28] And her prophets have painted with whitewash, seeing false visions saying, `Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the LORD has not spoken.
The issue is the same as in Jeremiah: how to tell real from false prophets. The problem remains today.
[30] And I sought for a man who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.
A Christian Revival movement named itself after v. 30, calling itself The Gap.
[31] Therefore I have poured out my anger upon them."
23
[1] The word of the LORD came to me:The following is another personification, picturing northern and southern Israel (Israel and Judah) as two daughters. The significance of the names is not clear (don't remember them unless you choose to). By now the message (sins, punishment, etc.) should be clear:
[2] "Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother;
[3] they played the harlot in Egypt; they played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and their virgin bosoms handled.
[4] As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.
[5]"Oholah played the harlot while she was mine; and she doted on her lovers the Assyrians.
[9] Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
[11]"Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was more corrupt than she in her doting and in her harlotry, which was worse than that of her sister.
[12] She doted upon the Assyrians.
[20] and doted upon her paramours there, whose members were like those of asses, and whose issue was like that of horses.
The prophets were not shy of using sex images, as here. The "members" refer to the male organ.
[21] Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians handled your bosom and pressed your young breasts."
[22]Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will rouse against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side.
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[1] In the ninth year, the word of the LORD came to me:Another symbolic action:
[2] "Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.
[3] And speak an allegory to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Set on the pot, set it on, pour in water also;
[4] put in it the pieces of flesh, all the good pieces, the thigh and the shoulder; fill it with choice bones.
[5] Take the choicest one of the flock, pile the logs under it; boil its pieces and bones.
[6] "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose rust is in it, and whose rust has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.
The rust (sins) cannot come out, since part of the pot (Israel).
[10] Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the flesh and empty out the broth, and let the bones be burned up.
[11] Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, that its filthiness may be melted in it, its rust consumed.
[13] Its rust is your filthy lewdness.
[15] Also the word of the LORD came to me:
Another symbolic action:
[16] "Son of man, look, I am about to take away the delight of your eyes; yet you shall not mourn or weep nor shall your tears run down."
[18] So my wife died. And the next morning I did as I was told.
[19] And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things mean, why you are acting thus?"
[20] Then I said to them, "The word of the LORD came to me:
[21] `Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD:
[22] You shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of mourners.
[23] You shall not mourn or weep, but shall pine away in your iniquities and groan to one another.
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[1] The word of the LORD came to me:[10] Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.
[12] As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered.
[16] I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.
God will judge shepherds and sheep. Compare Jesus as Good Shepherd and Righteous Judge:
[17] "As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep.
V. 18 could be relevant to the modern ecology movement:
[18] Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must foul the rest with your feet?
[22] I will save my flock, they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
A Messianic prophecy. "David" refers to a member of the house of David, like "Israel" refers not to the man Israel (Jacob) but to the nation named after him:
[23] And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David [refers to the House of David, not David himself], and he shall feed them.
[25] "I will make with them a covenant of peace.
[28] They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them; they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.
A restatement of the Shepherd imagey from Moses to Jesus (as well as the most famous Psalm [23]):
[31] And you are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, says the Lord GOD."
36
This motif of the Way or Path runs throughout the Bible and is a major motif from the first verses of Genesis to Revelation; namely that the world is "good," the Law is good (and clear), but the path to righteousness has been ignored. So Isaiah speaks of making a highway to Zion [that is, to the Jewish Law]; the Law is referred to throughout Psalms, Proverbs, and the prophets. The original name of the Jewish-Christians was the "Way," until they were named Christians in Atioch. The "problem" of the Bible is how to return people to God; so there are covenants, promises of rest (Sabbath; the Promised Land); a new heart (Jeremiah, Ezekiel); and finally the last sacrifice that should make following the law as easy as following Jesus ("my yoke is easy" [Matthew 11:30]); beyond this, the permanent presence of the Holy Ghost to guide the person to righteousness (for today's Christians, Jesus replaces the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit: the "Comforter").
[26] A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.This motif of the Way or Path runs throughout the Bible and is a major motif from the first verses of Genesis to Revelation; namely that the world is "good," the Law is good (and clear), but the path to righteousness has been ignored. So Isaiah speaks of making a highway to Zion [that is, to the Jewish Law]; the Law is referred to throughout Psalms, Proverbs, and the prophets. The original name of the Jewish-Christians was the "Way," until they were named Christians in Atioch. The "problem" of the Bible is how to return people to God; so there are covenants, promises of rest (Sabbath; the Promised Land); a new heart (Jeremiah, Ezekiel); and finally the last sacrifice that should make following the law as easy as following Jesus ("my yoke is easy" [Matthew 11:30]); beyond this, the permanent presence of the Holy Ghost to guide the person to righteousness (for today's Christians, Jesus replaces the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit: the "Comforter").
[27] And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.
37
This is one of the most famous texts in the Bible: the Valley of Dry Bones:[1] The
[3] And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, thou knowest."
[5] Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.
[7]So I prophesied and there was a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
[9] Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."
[10] So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great host.
[11]Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, `Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost.'
[12] Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you home into the land of Israel.
[14] And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live."
Note that the above does not refer to resurrection (though it can be used for this purpose); it refers to a symbolic promise to restore Israel, as the symbolic action below:
[15]The word of the LORD came to me:
[16] "Son of man, take a stick and write on it, `For Judah; then take another stick and write upon it, `For Joseph [Israel; also called Samaria, above, by the name of its capital] and the house of Israel associated with him';
[17] and join them together into one stick.
[18] And when your people say to you, `Will you not show us what you mean by these?'
[19] say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph and I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand.
[22] and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms.
Another Messianic prophecy; some think these Messianic texts were added later, since the book itself ends with an imaginary restoration of the Temple.
"My servant David shall be king over them; and they shall have one shepherd.
[25] and David my servant shall be their prince for ever.
[26] it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will bless them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
39
This explains ("rationalizes") why Israel suffered while promising a better future when the Glory of the Lord returns to the Temple in ch. 43:
[21] I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them. [22] From that day on the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. [23] And the nations will know that the people of Israel wen into exile fro their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them. . . . This explains ("rationalizes") why Israel suffered while promising a better future when the Glory of the Lord returns to the Temple in ch. 43:
43
Then the man [God's messenger] brought me to the [Temple] gate facing east and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east.47
[1]Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.[3]Then he led me back along the bank of the river.
[7] As I went back, I saw upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.
[8] And he said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the dead waters of the sea, the water will become fresh.
In this vision of a restored temple, the waters from the Temple can revive the waters in the Dead Sea and give life. See the River of Life in Revelation 22:1ff.
[9] And wherever the river goes every living creature which swarms will live, and there will be very many fish; for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.
[12] And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not die nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing."
Compare Revelation 22:2: "On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."
48
[35] The circumference of the city shall be eighteen thousand cubits. And the name of the city henceforth shall be, The LORD is there."That is, the Lord will no longer abandon his city or his people. Remember Isaiah's "Immanuel" (God is with us); Jesus ("Immanuel") fulfills these promises.
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