Do you know the story of Ezekiel in the Bible? Do you know who this man was and why his story was so important at the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon? If you want to know more about this character, keep reading this article.
The prophet Ezekiel was one of the men raised up by God to prophesy at the time of the exile of the Jewish people in Babylon.
The prophet Ezekiel lived among the Jewish captives taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC Ezekiel was one of the great Israelite prophets, warning of the destruction of Jerusalem but also announcing the restoration of God’s people.
See also: Who was the prophet Elisha in the Bible?
What does the name Ezekiel mean?
The name Ezekiel means “God strengthens” or “God makes strong”, from the Hebrew Yeheze’l.
The roots of the Hebrew name Ezekiel are formed by the words “Chazaq”, which means “to be strong” or “strengthen”, and “El”, which means “God”.
Ezekiel is the name of a prophet, who wrote a book in the Old Testament that bears his name. He is considered one of the most important prophets mentioned in the Holy Scriptures.
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Story of the Prophet Ezekiel in the Bible
Ezekiel was the son of Buzi and belonged to the priestly family, that is, he was a priest (Ezekiel 1:3).
Ezekiel was taken into exile in Babylon in 597 BC, shortly after King Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem. At that time, the king of Judah, Jehoiachin, the entire royal family, specialized craftsmen, and leading citizens were deported (2 Kings 24:14).
The prophet Ezekiel was married, but his wife died suddenly while in captivity. This occurred shortly before the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the attack of the Babylonian Empire in 586 BC. The Bible does not mention the possible children of Ezekiel.
The sudden death of his wife was announced by God, and the prophet was expressly forbidden to grieve over the sad event. He was not allowed to perform any act related to mourning (Ezekiel 25:15-16). This prohibition served as a sign of what the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem would soon do (Ezekiel 24:19-27).
See also: Who was Haggai in the Bible?
What was the ministry of the prophet Ezekiel like?
After being taken captive, the prophet Ezekiel settled by the Quebar River in the village of Tel Aviv, near Nipur, in Babylon (Ezekiel 1:1; 3:15).
After five years living in exile, he received his prophetic call. The prophet lived in his own house, where the elders came to consult him (Ezekiel 3:24; 8:1; 14:1; 20:1; Jeremiah 29:1-7).
It is quite possible that the prophet Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry at the age of 30. If this is correct, then he was between the ages of 25 and 26 when he was deported to Babylon.
In his book, the prophet appears quite familiar with the precepts of the Jewish religion and with the Temple of Solomon. But there is no evidence that he held any priestly office in Jerusalem before he was taken to Babylon.
In fact, priests generally began their functions in the Temple at the age of 30.
Therefore, when Ezekiel turned 30, he lived more than a thousand kilometers from his homeland. But in the year that he was to begin his service as a priest, God sovereignly called him to become one of the great Old Testament prophets. During the period in which he prophesied, the Temple was in ruins.
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What did God call the prophet Ezekiel?
The call of the prophet Ezekiel to exercise the prophetic ministry is one of the most spectacular recorded in the Holy Scriptures. The call is described in detail in chapters 1, 2 and 3 of his book. On that occasion the prophet had a vision of divine glory.
The four living beings, seen by the prophet Ezekiel on the occasion of his call, also recall the call of Isaiah, where he saw the seraphim who ministered before God (Isaiah 6:2). In addition, there is a strong resemblance to the vision of the throne of God that he had the apostle john (Revelation 4:16).
When the prophet Ezekiel fell before such a glorious vision, he heard the famous words: “Son of man, stand up, and I will speak to you” (Ezekiel 2:1). At that moment he received the power of the Spirit to become a channel of divine revelation and proclaim the Word of God to the people.
The prophet Ezekiel is often called by God with the expression “son of man.” In this context, this expression basically means “human being”, and emphasizes human insignificance before the power and majesty of God.
See also: What does it mean: He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men?
What did the prophet Ezekiel preach?
The great purpose of the prophet Ezekiel’s prophetic message was to encourage the exiled Jews to remain faithful to God, trusting that He would fulfill His promise of restoration.
God would take the nation back to its homeland. He would again bring times of glory to the Temple and Jerusalem. This would occur after the end of divine judgment on the Jews. This judgment was evidenced in the tests and destructions caused by the occasion of the captivity.
The prophet Ezekiel announced judgment on Jerusalem (Ezekiel 1-24). He also announced divine judgment on foreign nations (Ezekiel 25-32). He also prophesied, after the destruction of the city, restoration and mercy for the future. Ezekiel’s prophecies about the restoration of the house of David they are only fully fulfilled in Christ (Ezekiel 37:24).
Related: What does it mean that Jesus is the Son of David?
The extensive symbolic language of the prophet Ezekiel
Ezekiel uses symbolic language extensively, as did Isaiah and Jeremiah. This raises the question of whether certain portions of Ezekiel’s writings are to be taken literally or figuratively.
The prophet had to face great trials and endure terrible suffering for his life to serve as a sign to motivate the nation to seek repentance. In addition to much symbolism, the prophet Ezekiel also used parables and proverbs (Ezekiel 12:21,22; 15-19).
During his commission as a prophet, the Lord warned him that the house of Israel would not listen to him, this was because the Jews did not want to listen to God himself. That is why God said that he would strengthen the prophet against the people, in a phrase that may contain a play on words that refers to the meaning of his name (Ezekiel 3:7-8).
See also: How can I reconcile with God according to the Bible?
How did the prophet Ezekiel die?
The Bible does not report anything about the death of the prophet Ezekiel. All we know is that his ministry lasted at least 23 years (Ezekiel 29:17). Taking into account, then, that he began to prophesy in the year 592 BC, when he was 30 years old, he lived at least fifty years.
The prophet Ezekiel is not mentioned in other Old Testament books. He is also not directly quoted in the New Testament. However, much of his visions clearly serve as the basis for the symbolism present in the book of Revelation.
Related: The Seven Seals of Revelation
Which prophets were contemporaneous with Ezekiel?
The prophet Ezekiel was a contemporary of two other prophets: the prophet Jeremiah and the prophet daniel. All three lived during the time of captivity.
Although Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel were contemporaries, they were not close to each other. Jeremiah prophesied in Judah. Daniel served in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar. The prophet Ezekiel preached among the Jewish captives in Babylon.
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