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The name "Ezekiel" literally means "God Strengthens". Ezekiel was a 6th. Century BC. Prophet who lived and prophesied during the Babylonian exile. His father's name was Buzi. He came from a priestly family and grew up in Jerusalem where he was familiar Temple ritual. and with the teachings and prophecies of Jeremiah. In 597 BC. He was deported along with King Jehoiachin, king of Judah, to Babylon. In Babylon he lived with a colony of exiles at Tel-Abib on the River Chebar. He married and was allowed to have a house of his own. The Lord called him 5 years after he was exiled, when he was 30 years old. He became the "Pastor" to the congregation at Tel-Abib as well as a Prophet-Priest to the exiled Jews.
His sermons were easily understood for he was a master of the "allegory". An allegory expresses a truth by symbolic means, i.e. fictional figures depicting human conduct or experience. Ezekiel expressed deep religious truths by using symbolic fictional means such as Babylonian art and winged creatures that he found decorating gates and palaces in Babylon.
Early in his life, he suffered from a nervous affliction, perhaps epilepsy or paranoid schizophrenia, which was due to the extreme tension under which the Prophet worked in Babylon. This apparently was cured when he heard of the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. which probably released him from the concern that he had for the city.
His congregation did not like it when he preached on the moral causes that caused their nations downfall, but they would crowd into his little mud brick home never-the-less to hear the eloquence of this man who quickly won national exposure. His sermons covered areas of history, politics and commerce and demonstrated an amazing knowledge of many subjects even becoming an important source of knowledge concerning ancient navigation.
Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel stressed individual responsibility and recognized the "heart" as the starting place for a new life. Ezekiel believed that "conversion" would bring "salvation". With the destruction of the Temple, Jeremiah maintained his religion but Ezekiel, who believed that religion could only be maintained in a Temple with a Priesthood and Laws, seem to loose his.
Tradition has it that Ezekiel was put to death by some Jews in Babylon for his boldness in condemning their sins. It was said that he had his brains bashed out. Arab historians claim that he was buried in the tomb of Shem, one of the sons of Noah.
The book consists of sermons written by Ezekiel and arranged in topical and chronological order. It teaches that God is Holy and the existence of Angels. Angels are considered guardians of nations and were god's servants and a part of His Throne Room. It speaks of a universal monotheistic God but does not teach a universal religion.
Many of Ezekiel's teachings are found in the New Testament:
The book of Ezekiel can be divided into four parts:
With this introduction, let us look briefly at the book of Ezekiel.
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