feed 210/213 mentoring through the old testament/major prophets session 8b: ezekiel dr p. marshall...
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FEED 210/213 Mentoring Through The Old Testament/Major Prophets
SESSION 8B: EZEKIEL
Dr P. Marshall [email protected]
Bartley Christian Church: 19 Sept 2015
Learning objectives
Be able to explain where Ezekiel fits into the history of the OT and the OT canon
Describe the man Ezekiel, and how he relates to his God, his people and his world
Identify key themes in the Book of Ezekiel and what these tell us about God and His purposes
Develop applications from Ezekiel on how to live as an “exile” in a world that is not our final home
Introduction to Ezekiel
The destruction of Jerusalem with its Temple & ritual, the end of the monarchy, and exile are the dominating events
We see events unfolding from the perspective of an exiled community
Life in exile had “positives & negatives”
Understanding the religious, social, political & historical aspects is vital
Understanding Ezekiel the man is vital
Historical, Social, Political & Religious Background
The Judeans under Babylonian rule are able to maintain their identity in exile
In exile they experience peace of a sort and grow in numbers.
They devote themselves to:
Reflecting on how they came to be in exile
Redaction of the pre-exilic scriptures
Historical, Social, Political & Religious Background
The exiles devote themselves to:
Writing
Judaism: “The people of god went into exile as Israelites and came out Jews”
Missionary (ethical) monotheism: The God of Abraham is now the God of all the earth
The world of Ezekiel
Date & Author
605BC first exile (Daniel)
597BC second exile Ezekiel
593BC God calls Ezekiel the priest ?aged 30 to be a prophet
586BC Shift from judgement to hope
571BC End of Ezekiel’s ministry
Symmetry in Ezekiel
The desecrated temple fit for destruction
The God of wrath
A watchman of God’s judgment
The mountains of Israel are rebuked
The restored and purified temple .
The God of comfort
A watchman of God’s new people
The mountains of Israel are consoled
Style
Prose rather than the poetry of most prophecy
Priestly proclamation (legal, conditional)
Visions
Symbolic acts
Parables
Ezekiel the prophet
Born a priest; called to be a prophet
Creative, courageous, communicator
Like Jeremiah, a man of sorrows
Great mind; keenly interested in priestly concerns, eg. purity & holiness
A watchman
A shepherd
Major themes in Ezekiel
Sovereignty of God
Scope of God’s Reign
Judgment of God
Glory of God
Major themes in Ezekiel
Son of man
A New People: A New Heart (“mind”) & a New Spirit
“Though the word ‘grace’ is not used here, the whole passage is a portrait of sovereign grace at work, for it is all founded in the wholly unmerited initiative of God. The catalogue of divine activity encompasses every aspect of Israel’s loss and need”
(Chris Wright)
Reflection on Ezekiel
The book begins with a vision of the Lord to Ezekiel in Babylon. It concludes with a vision of God’s presence in the Temple in Jerusalem. The final
overarching promise of the book of Ezekiel and the heart of Biblical faith is expressed in the new name
of the city “The LORD is there” (48:35).