Ezekiel was thrust into the midst of the chaos around Jerusalem and the forced exile to Babylon. He and his family were forced marched to their new home in the philosophical, military, and scientific centre of the known world at the time.
Ezekiel's writing as a prophet is unique as it is relayed entirely in the first person, from Ezekiel himself, reporting the Word of the LORD. His writing exhibits an expansive knowledge across a variety of fields, probably reflecting his learning and experience in Babylon. However he maintains a strong theme about the LORD's temple in Jerusalem, which was still standing for the first seven years of his exile before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. His prophetic writing about the future centered on a vision of a new Jerusalem, new Temple and detailed measurements, all of which are overwritten by the final words of his book: "And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE." (Ezekiel 48:35).
Ezekiel was primarily writing to the remaining people in Jerusalem who faced either deportation or destruction. Ezekiel reported vivid heavenly visions, and being transported by the Spirit to see some ungodly, and downright evil, activities of the so-called Temple leadership, inside hidden rooms. There was no faithfulness to the LORD their God, and their religious activity was a sham. Ezekiel wrote to the Jerusalem leadership and exposed the corruption. Of course, the Temple leadership had no idea how this exile so far away could know of their sinfulness - and not believing God's power, they never would.
Ezekiel's writing resonated well into the New Testament times, as his prophecies were read and pondered upon - especially his prophecies regarding God's future plans. Just as Ezekiel lived during the days of Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Solomon's Temple and David's Jerusalem, so the New Testament writers witnessed Rome's full-scale invasion and destruction of Herod's Temple and the Sanhedrin's Jerusalem. Thus Ezekiel's writing of an even greater Temple, and God's impending nearness, were sweet themes to their ears. Of course, for the New Testament writers, the translation came through the coming of Jesus, God the Son.
Indeed, Ezekiel wrote of God's departure from the Temple and His disobedient, unfaithful people. In the same way, the last time Jesus, God the Son, entered the Temple, it was to violently cleanse out the corruption of the traders and money changers in the courtyards. He left - and God never returned to it. The Temple curtain was ripped in half on Good Friday, and a generation later, no stone was left upon another on that site.
The Christian hope is not in buildings, nor institutions. Our hope is in the faithfulness of the LORD our God, who promises that He will dwell with His people forever, in a place purpose built for them. There will be no Temple, no sun, no fear and no suffering, all because of these four words at the end of Ezekiel's book: THE LORD IS THERE.
Ezekiel's writing as a prophet is unique as it is relayed entirely in the first person, from Ezekiel himself, reporting the Word of the LORD. His writing exhibits an expansive knowledge across a variety of fields, probably reflecting his learning and experience in Babylon. However he maintains a strong theme about the LORD's temple in Jerusalem, which was still standing for the first seven years of his exile before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. His prophetic writing about the future centered on a vision of a new Jerusalem, new Temple and detailed measurements, all of which are overwritten by the final words of his book: "And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE." (Ezekiel 48:35).
Ezekiel was primarily writing to the remaining people in Jerusalem who faced either deportation or destruction. Ezekiel reported vivid heavenly visions, and being transported by the Spirit to see some ungodly, and downright evil, activities of the so-called Temple leadership, inside hidden rooms. There was no faithfulness to the LORD their God, and their religious activity was a sham. Ezekiel wrote to the Jerusalem leadership and exposed the corruption. Of course, the Temple leadership had no idea how this exile so far away could know of their sinfulness - and not believing God's power, they never would.
Ezekiel's writing resonated well into the New Testament times, as his prophecies were read and pondered upon - especially his prophecies regarding God's future plans. Just as Ezekiel lived during the days of Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Solomon's Temple and David's Jerusalem, so the New Testament writers witnessed Rome's full-scale invasion and destruction of Herod's Temple and the Sanhedrin's Jerusalem. Thus Ezekiel's writing of an even greater Temple, and God's impending nearness, were sweet themes to their ears. Of course, for the New Testament writers, the translation came through the coming of Jesus, God the Son.
Indeed, Ezekiel wrote of God's departure from the Temple and His disobedient, unfaithful people. In the same way, the last time Jesus, God the Son, entered the Temple, it was to violently cleanse out the corruption of the traders and money changers in the courtyards. He left - and God never returned to it. The Temple curtain was ripped in half on Good Friday, and a generation later, no stone was left upon another on that site.
The Christian hope is not in buildings, nor institutions. Our hope is in the faithfulness of the LORD our God, who promises that He will dwell with His people forever, in a place purpose built for them. There will be no Temple, no sun, no fear and no suffering, all because of these four words at the end of Ezekiel's book: THE LORD IS THERE.
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