July 15, 2025 • 25 mins
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Ezekiel delivered God's sobering message to exiles in Babylon: the exile wasn't just a temporary setback but divine judgment, yet even in judgment, God was already working toward restoration.
• Ezekiel was a priest by training who received his prophetic call at age 30 while in Babylonian exile
• The exile occurred in three waves (605, 597, and 586 BC), with Ezekiel part of the second deportation
• False prophets claimed the exile would be brief, but God's message through Ezekiel was that judgment had truly come
• The book follows a clear structure: judgment against Judah (ch 1-24), judgment against surrounding nations (ch 25-32), and restoration (ch 33-48)
• God called Ezekiel "son of man" over 90 times, emphasizing his humanity and dependence on divine strength
• Ezekiel used dramatic symbolic acts as visual sermons – lying on his side for hundreds of days, shaving his head, and even refraining from mourning his wife's death
• The vision of dry bones (ch 37) powerfully portrays God's ability to resurrect what appears beyond repair
• The book concludes with visions of a restored temple, purified worship, and a city named "The Lord is There" (Yahweh Shammah)
• Ezekiel's prophecies point forward to Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the gift of the Holy Spirit
If this episode helped bring Ezekiel into focus, please share it with a friend who might need the reminder that God isn't distant, even in exile. Follow the show on YouTube or your favorite podcast app so you don't miss the next episode.
RELATED EPISODES
The Prophets: Messengers of God's Word in the Bible - Pt.1
Journeying Through the Bible: Comprehending the Glory of God
When Home Is Lost: Understanding the Babylonian Exile
SOURCES
- Carson, D. A., McGregor, L. J., & others. (1994). Ezekiel. In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition (4th ed., p. 717). Inter-Varsity Press.
- MacArthur, J. (Ed.). (n.d.). The MacArthur Study Bible (NIV ed.).
- Ryken, L. (n.d.). Literary Introductions to the Books of the Bible (pp. 264–266). [Kindle edition].
- Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., & Harrison, R. K. (Eds.). (1995). Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jacqui (00:12):
Greetings listeners.
Imagine waking up in a placethat's not your home, far from
everything familiar, while thepeople around you keep saying,
oh, it's fine, this won't last.
That was life in exile forGod's people.
But God had something verydifferent to say, and he chose
(00:35):
Ezekiel to say it.
The exile wasn't just a roughpatch, it was judgment.
And it wasn't over, becauseeven in judgment, god was
already working to restore, andwhat he showed Ezekiel was one
of the most vivid, surprisingand hope-filled messages in all
(01:00):
of Scripture.
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks, as is our practice.
(01:20):
Let's start by setting thescene.
It's the early 6th century BC.
God's people have been takeninto exile in Babylon.
Jerusalem still stands for now,but its days are numbered.
Quick review as we mentioned inour earlier episode on the exile
(01:41):
, there were three ways ofJudah's captivity into Babylon.
The first one was in 605 BC,when Daniel and others were
taken to serve in the Babylonianpalace.
The second was in 597 BC, whenEzekiel was among about 10,000
(02:03):
people, mostly leaders andskilled workers, that were taken
into captivity.
And the final wave came in 586BC, when Jerusalem was destroyed
and the temple was burned.
So the book of Ezekiel beginsafter that second wave, after
(02:26):
the judgment had started, butbefore the city had completely
fallen and the people, many werestill in denial.
Though God said the exile wouldlast 70 years, false prophets
were telling them the exilewouldn't last, that God would
bring them back quickly.
(02:47):
And we see that in Jeremiah,chapter 29, verses 8 through 9,
and Ezekiel, chapter 13, verses6 through 9.
But God sent Ezekiel with asobering message.
Quote none of my words will bedelayed any longer.
(03:08):
Whatever I say will befulfilled.
That's chapter 12, verse 28.
So the exile wasn't a scaretactic, it was judgment and it
had already begun.
But even then, even as thepeople sit in a foreign land
with broken hearts and brokenhopes, god isn't done.
(03:32):
He promises in chapter 11,verses 17 through 20, I will
gather you, I will give you anew heart and put a new spirit
in you.
You will be my people.
So, yes, judgment had come, butso, had grace, god wasn't
(03:58):
abandoning his people, he waspreparing to renew them.
And here's an important note Inthe book of Ezekiel, god is
primarily speaking to the exilesfrom Judah, the southern
kingdom, but throughout the bookhe often uses the name Israel.
Why?
(04:18):
Because in prophetic messages,israel often represents all of
God's covenant people, not justa political nation, not just the
northern kingdom, but aspiritual identity.
Now let's see who Ezekiel was.
He was a priest by training,but a prophet by calling.
(04:44):
His name in Hebrew meansstrengthened by God.
He grew up in Jerusalem and asa young man he may have known of
Jeremiah, who was stillprophesying there.
Around the age of 25, Ezekielwas taken into exile, part of
(05:04):
the second wave of captivity,when leaders and skilled workers
were carried off to Babylon.
Five years later he was sittingnear the Kebar River, a canal
deep in Babylonian territory.
The river itself wasn't special, but the location was.
(05:27):
It was on foreign soil and itwas there, far from the temple,
far from home, that God showedup.
It was on his 30th birthday,the age when priests would
traditionally begin their templeservice.
Ezekiel received this somethingentirely different a vision, a
(05:55):
calling and a message for apeople who had lost their way
and didn't even realize it.
God tells him in chapter 2,verse 4, the people to whom I'm
sending you are obstinate andstubborn.
And in chapter 2, verse 7, hesays whether they listen or not,
(06:15):
you must speak, and Ezekieldoes, sometimes with words,
sometimes with wild symbolicacts, always with intensity.
We also get a glimpse intoEzekiel's personal life.
He was married, though his wifedied young and her death became
(06:40):
part of his prophetic message.
He had a home in Babylon wherethe elders would gather to hear
him speak, and he was acontemporary of the prophet
Daniel.
We know this because Ezekielrefers to Daniel by name four
times in his own prophecies, andboth men were exiled to Babylon
(07:05):
during the same general timeperiod, though in different
waves.
Now that we've met Ezekiel,let's talk about the book itself
.
Like other prophetic books,ezekiel's revelations from God
were delivered to the people ofJudah orally and presumably
(07:28):
recorded at a later date in thisbook by the repeated use of
terms like speak, say, confront,preach and the like.
The book of Ezekiel spans 48chapters covering about 20 years
(07:51):
from roughly 593 to 571 BC.
It contains four visions.
It begins with a vision ofGod's glory and ends with a
promise a renewed temple, arestored people and a city with
a new name.
(08:12):
The Lord is there.
That's in chapter 48, verse 35.
At its core, the book carriesthree major themes sin, judgment
(08:32):
and restoration.
You'll notice when you'rereading Ezekiel that almost
every new message begins withone of two phrases the word of
the Lord came to me or the handof the Lord was upon me.
They may sound similar, butthey carry different weight or
meanings.
The word of the Lord came to meintroduces spoken messages.
(08:56):
God gave Ezekiel to deliver.
The hand of the Lord was uponme.
That marks moments of intensevisionary experience, when
Ezekiel is swept up in aspiritual encounter, a vision.
The book of Ezekiel may seemoverwhelming at first, but it
(09:19):
actually follows a very clearstructure.
It moves through three mainsections that help us follow
what God is saying.
The sections are first messagesagainst Judah and Jerusalem,
then there are prophecies ofjudgment against the surrounding
nations and it ends withprophecies of Israel's
(09:43):
restoration.
Let's look at each one of thesethree sections separately.
The first section opens withEzekiel's call and then moves
into a series of warnings forJudah.
It covers chapters 1 through 24.
(10:04):
The message is direct God'speople have broken covenant,
they've rebelled and judgment iscoming.
Ezekiel delivers God's chargesagainst them, naming their sins
with shocking precision.
This isn't vague spirituallanguage, no, no, it's direct,
(10:26):
uncomfortable truth.
He names specifically Israel'ssins Violence and bloodshed,
idolatry in God's temple,oppression of the poor and
vulnerable, bribery anddishonest gain, sexual
immorality and abuse of powerand religious leaders failing to
(10:52):
guide the people.
One of the most heartbreakingmoments in this section comes in
chapters 10 and 11, when God'sglory leaves the temple.
The visible presence of Goddeparts from Jerusalem,
signaling not just politicaldefeat but deep spiritual loss.
(11:16):
Defeat but deep spiritual loss.
And let me tell you, Ezekieldoesn't hold back.
He names the people's sinsplainly, he speaks with deep
emotions and he uses powerful,sometimes uncomfortable imagery
to call them back to God.
For example, in chapters 16 and23, he describes Judah's
(11:42):
unfaithfulness using vividillustrations, comparing their
worship of other gods to thepain of a broken relationship.
He used a strong language meantto stir hearts that had grown
cold.
Now let's move to the secondsection.
(12:03):
After warning Judah, ezekielturns his attention outward.
In chapters 25 through 32, hedelivers a series of messages to
seven foreign nations thatsurrounded Israel and that
either mocked or harmed themduring their time of judgment.
(12:23):
These oracles show that Godsees all nations, not just
Israel, and holds themaccountable for pride, violence
and injustice.
For pride, violence andinjustice.
And in places like Tyre andEgypt, the pride went so far, it
became a kind of idolatry.
(12:45):
They treated themselves likegods.
The seven nations addressed areAmmon, Moab, Edom, Philistia,
tyre, Sidon and Egypt.
These chapters remind us nokingdom stands above God's rule
(13:10):
and no nation is too big, tooold or too far away to escape
accountability.
And, most importantly, god issovereign.
After the messages of judgmentfor Judah and the surrounding
(13:30):
nations, ezekiel's tone shiftsdramatically in chapters 33
through 48.
Starting in chapter 33, afterthe fall of Jerusalem is
confirmed, Ezekiel becomes awatchman of hope.
His message God is not finishedwith his people.
(13:53):
This final section is filledwith visions of restoration,
both spiritual and physical.
In chapter 36, god promises Iwill give you a new heart and
put a new spirit in you.
That's a promise of innertransformation, not just
(14:14):
external change.
In chapter 37, Ezekiel sees avalley filled with lifeless
skeletons.
God asks, son of man, can thesebones live?
That's chapter 37, verse 3.
Can these bones live?
That's chapter 37, verse 3.
Well, only God knows.
But when Ezekiel speaks asinstructed, the bones rattle
(14:37):
together, flesh appears andbreath returns.
This powerful vision points tonational restoration, spiritual
renewal and resurrection.
(14:57):
Hope for Israel and beyond.
Oh, wow, I just thought ofsomething you might want to jot
down.
If you're like me, you leavelittle notes at the beginning of
each Bible book.
Well, here's a good one forEzekiel.
All throughout the book, godcalls Ezekiel son of man.
He does that more than 90 times.
We just heard one.
Son of man, can these boneslive?
(15:18):
It's not a title of glory here,it's a title of humility.
In Hebrew it simply means human.
It's God's way of remindingEzekiel and us that he's just a
man, a messenger.
The visions might beoverwhelming, but the prophet is
(15:40):
entirely dependent on God'sstrength.
Later, Jesus uses the samephrase in Matthew 26: 64, but
he's referring back to Daniel 7.
There the quote son of man isexalted and given everlasting
(16:00):
dominion.
So in Ezekiel, son of manhumbles, but with Jesus it
exalts.
Okay, back to the text.
These last chapters of Ezekieldescribe a future temple, a city
and land in extraordinarydetail.
(16:22):
There's a restored priesthoodand purified worship.
There's a river flowing fromthe temple, bringing life
wherever it goes, and there's acity with a new name Yahweh
Shammah.
The Lord is there.
Scholars have long debated isall of this literal, symbolic, a
(16:46):
heavenly picture?
Well, we don't know.
But what's clear is the heartof the vision God's presence
will return.
His people will be restored andworship will be re-centered
around him alone.
This section offers a promisethat God will not only bring his
(17:09):
people back home, but also makehis home among them.
Now let's move on to theprophetic imagery that speaks so
loud.
Much like other Old Testamentprophets, ezekiel's message
doesn't just come through words.
It comes through vivid visionsand symbolic actions that are
(17:31):
hard to forget.
These moments aren't justdramatic.
They're deeply meaningful,divinely designed to shake
people out of their spiritualcomplacency and call them back
to God.
Let's look at a few examples.
Let's start with Ezekiel 1.
At the very beginning of hisministry, ezekiel sees a
(17:53):
heavenly vision that's almostimpossible to describe.
There are four living creatures, each with four faces human
lion, ox and eagle.
There are wheels within wheelssparkling like topaz, full of
eyes.
There's lightning flashes.
(18:14):
There's a throne above them and, seated on that throne, a
radiant figure surrounded byfire and glory.
This is God himself appearingto Ezekiel.
After witnessing this, heresponds, as you would expect,
by falling face down.
This vision reveals God's glory, radiant and overwhelming.
(18:40):
It reminds the exiles thatGod's presence isn't limited to
the temple in Jerusalem.
He's with them even in Babylon.
God's presence is not limitedto a specific place or building.
Next, there was another eventwhen God tells Ezekiel to eat a
(19:02):
scroll, Ezekiel ate it and saidit tasted quote as sweet as
honey.
That's chapter 3, verse 3.
Taste it quote as sweet ashoney.
That's chapter 3, verse 3.
Even though the message on thescroll was judgment on Israel,
the scroll was sweet because itwas God's word.
In the book of Psalms we seesome references that describe
(19:23):
the sweet word of God.
We see that in Psalm 19:10 andPsalm 119: 103.
Interestingly, the apostle Johnrecords a similar bittersweet
experience with the Word of Godin Revelation 10, where John
also eats a scroll beforeprophesying.
(19:46):
Now let's look at symbolic acts,as visual sermons, as I call
them.
Ezekiel is uniquely differentfrom other Old Testament
prophets in that his propheciesoften come through visual signs.
These actions are not just fordrama.
They are messages in motion.
(20:07):
They interrupt, confront andinvite reflection.
Here are a few examples Ezekiellies on his side for hundreds
of days to represent Israel andJudah's years of rebellion.
He shaved his head and beard,dividing the hair to symbolize
(20:31):
the fate of Jerusalem's people,burned, struck down or scattered
.
He refrains from publicmourning when his wife dies,
symbolizing the fall of thetemple and the numbing shock of
that loss of the temple and thenumbing shock of that loss.
(20:51):
And finally, he cooks food overcow poop, representing the
defilement the people would facein exile.
Ezekiel's methods are intensebut the goal is always the same
God's message to repent andreturn.
(21:16):
So, moving on in reading Ezekiel, we see that it isn't just a
book about exile or judgment.
It's a book that points aheadthrough visions and promises.
Here are just a few of the waysEzekiel connects to the message
of Jesus and the hope we havetoday.
In Ezekiel 34, god says Imyself will shepherd my people.
(21:44):
Then he promises to send oneshepherd from the line of David.
Jesus later echoes this when hesays I am the good shepherd.
That's in John 10, 11.
He is the fulfillment of thatpromise.
In Ezekiel 36, god promises Iwill give you a new heart and
(22:06):
put a new spirit in you.
That's chapter 36, verse 26.
This finds its fulfillment inthe gift of the Holy Spirit
poured out on all believers inActs 2.
Then resurrection and renewal,that vision of the dry bones
we've talked about.
It speaks of more than justIsrael's return from exile.
(22:28):
It points to resurrection power, god breathing life in what
looks beyond repair.
The Apostle Paul later writes,quote if the spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the deaddwells in you, he will also give
life to your mortal bodies.
(22:51):
That's Romans 8.11.
And finally, god dwelling withhis people forever.
The book ends with a vision ofa new temple and a new city, one
where God's presence neverleaves again.
Chapter 48, verse 35 gives thecity a new name.
(23:13):
The Lord is there.
That same hope shows up inRevelation 21:3.
Now, the dwelling of God iswith men and he lives with them.
(23:35):
Ezekiel reminds us yes, godjudges sin, but he never gives
up on his people.
His goal is always restoration.
The book of Ezekiel is apowerful chapter in God's story.
It marks the collapse of theold covenant era, a time when
the people had broken trust,lost their way and were
experiencing the consequences.
But that's not where God leavesthem.
(23:58):
But that's not where God leavesthem.
Where do you need to bereminded that God has not left
you and that he still restores?
Maybe there's an area of yourlife that feels like dry bones,
or maybe you've been carryingshame, thinking God is done with
you.
Ezekiel shows us that's neverthe end of the story.
(24:22):
God is still the good shepherd,he still gives new hearts and
he still breathes life intowhat's been lost.
Next time we'll turn the pageto a new season in Israel's
story the return from exile.
(24:43):
We'll meet the prophet Haggai,a voice calling to God's people
to rebuild their lives, theirpriorities and their faith.
If this episode helped youbring the story of Ezekiel into
focus, would you considersharing it with a friend you
never know who might need thereminder that God isn't distant,
(25:05):
even in exile?
And if you haven't alreadyfollow the show on YouTube or
your favorite podcast app, soyou don't miss the next episode?
Until then, keep reading, keepseeking and keep growing in your
faith.
Greetings listeners.
Imagine waking up in a placethat's not your home, far from
everything familiar, while thepeople around you keep saying,
oh, it's fine, this won't last.
That was life in exile forGod's people.
But God had something verydifferent to say, and he chose
(00:35):
Ezekiel to say it.
The exile wasn't just a roughpatch, it was judgment.
And it wasn't over, becauseeven in judgment, god was
already working to restore, andwhat he showed Ezekiel was one
of the most vivid, surprisingand hope-filled messages in all
(01:00):
of Scripture.
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks, as is our practice.
(01:20):
Let's start by setting thescene.
It's the early 6th century BC.
God's people have been takeninto exile in Babylon.
Jerusalem still stands for now,but its days are numbered.
Quick review as we mentioned inour earlier episode on the exile
(01:41):
, there were three ways ofJudah's captivity into Babylon.
The first one was in 605 BC,when Daniel and others were
taken to serve in the Babylonianpalace.
The second was in 597 BC, whenEzekiel was among about 10,000
(02:03):
people, mostly leaders andskilled workers, that were taken
into captivity.
And the final wave came in 586BC, when Jerusalem was destroyed
and the temple was burned.
So the book of Ezekiel beginsafter that second wave, after
(02:26):
the judgment had started, butbefore the city had completely
fallen and the people, many werestill in denial.
Though God said the exile wouldlast 70 years, false prophets
were telling them the exilewouldn't last, that God would
bring them back quickly.
(02:47):
And we see that in Jeremiah,chapter 29, verses 8 through 9,
and Ezekiel, chapter 13, verses6 through 9.
But God sent Ezekiel with asobering message.
Quote none of my words will bedelayed any longer.
(03:08):
Whatever I say will befulfilled.
That's chapter 12, verse 28.
So the exile wasn't a scaretactic, it was judgment and it
had already begun.
But even then, even as thepeople sit in a foreign land
with broken hearts and brokenhopes, god isn't done.
(03:32):
He promises in chapter 11,verses 17 through 20, I will
gather you, I will give you anew heart and put a new spirit
in you.
You will be my people.
So, yes, judgment had come, butso, had grace, god wasn't
(03:58):
abandoning his people, he waspreparing to renew them.
And here's an important note Inthe book of Ezekiel, god is
primarily speaking to the exilesfrom Judah, the southern
kingdom, but throughout the bookhe often uses the name Israel.
Why?
(04:18):
Because in prophetic messages,israel often represents all of
God's covenant people, not justa political nation, not just the
northern kingdom, but aspiritual identity.
Now let's see who Ezekiel was.
He was a priest by training,but a prophet by calling.
(04:44):
His name in Hebrew meansstrengthened by God.
He grew up in Jerusalem and asa young man he may have known of
Jeremiah, who was stillprophesying there.
Around the age of 25, Ezekielwas taken into exile, part of
(05:04):
the second wave of captivity,when leaders and skilled workers
were carried off to Babylon.
Five years later he was sittingnear the Kebar River, a canal
deep in Babylonian territory.
The river itself wasn't special, but the location was.
(05:27):
It was on foreign soil and itwas there, far from the temple,
far from home, that God showedup.
It was on his 30th birthday,the age when priests would
traditionally begin their templeservice.
Ezekiel received this somethingentirely different a vision, a
(05:55):
calling and a message for apeople who had lost their way
and didn't even realize it.
God tells him in chapter 2,verse 4, the people to whom I'm
sending you are obstinate andstubborn.
And in chapter 2, verse 7, hesays whether they listen or not,
(06:15):
you must speak, and Ezekieldoes, sometimes with words,
sometimes with wild symbolicacts, always with intensity.
We also get a glimpse intoEzekiel's personal life.
He was married, though his wifedied young and her death became
(06:40):
part of his prophetic message.
He had a home in Babylon wherethe elders would gather to hear
him speak, and he was acontemporary of the prophet
Daniel.
We know this because Ezekielrefers to Daniel by name four
times in his own prophecies, andboth men were exiled to Babylon
(07:05):
during the same general timeperiod, though in different
waves.
Now that we've met Ezekiel,let's talk about the book itself
.
Like other prophetic books,ezekiel's revelations from God
were delivered to the people ofJudah orally and presumably
(07:28):
recorded at a later date in thisbook by the repeated use of
terms like speak, say, confront,preach and the like.
The book of Ezekiel spans 48chapters covering about 20 years
(07:51):
from roughly 593 to 571 BC.
It contains four visions.
It begins with a vision ofGod's glory and ends with a
promise a renewed temple, arestored people and a city with
a new name.
(08:12):
The Lord is there.
That's in chapter 48, verse 35.
At its core, the book carriesthree major themes sin, judgment
(08:32):
and restoration.
You'll notice when you'rereading Ezekiel that almost
every new message begins withone of two phrases the word of
the Lord came to me or the handof the Lord was upon me.
They may sound similar, butthey carry different weight or
meanings.
The word of the Lord came to meintroduces spoken messages.
(08:56):
God gave Ezekiel to deliver.
The hand of the Lord was uponme.
That marks moments of intensevisionary experience, when
Ezekiel is swept up in aspiritual encounter, a vision.
The book of Ezekiel may seemoverwhelming at first, but it
(09:19):
actually follows a very clearstructure.
It moves through three mainsections that help us follow
what God is saying.
The sections are first messagesagainst Judah and Jerusalem,
then there are prophecies ofjudgment against the surrounding
nations and it ends withprophecies of Israel's
(09:43):
restoration.
Let's look at each one of thesethree sections separately.
The first section opens withEzekiel's call and then moves
into a series of warnings forJudah.
It covers chapters 1 through 24.
(10:04):
The message is direct God'speople have broken covenant,
they've rebelled and judgment iscoming.
Ezekiel delivers God's chargesagainst them, naming their sins
with shocking precision.
This isn't vague spirituallanguage, no, no, it's direct,
(10:26):
uncomfortable truth.
He names specifically Israel'ssins Violence and bloodshed,
idolatry in God's temple,oppression of the poor and
vulnerable, bribery anddishonest gain, sexual
immorality and abuse of powerand religious leaders failing to
(10:52):
guide the people.
One of the most heartbreakingmoments in this section comes in
chapters 10 and 11, when God'sglory leaves the temple.
The visible presence of Goddeparts from Jerusalem,
signaling not just politicaldefeat but deep spiritual loss.
(11:16):
Defeat but deep spiritual loss.
And let me tell you, Ezekieldoesn't hold back.
He names the people's sinsplainly, he speaks with deep
emotions and he uses powerful,sometimes uncomfortable imagery
to call them back to God.
For example, in chapters 16 and23, he describes Judah's
(11:42):
unfaithfulness using vividillustrations, comparing their
worship of other gods to thepain of a broken relationship.
He used a strong language meantto stir hearts that had grown
cold.
Now let's move to the secondsection.
(12:03):
After warning Judah, ezekielturns his attention outward.
In chapters 25 through 32, hedelivers a series of messages to
seven foreign nations thatsurrounded Israel and that
either mocked or harmed themduring their time of judgment.
(12:23):
These oracles show that Godsees all nations, not just
Israel, and holds themaccountable for pride, violence
and injustice.
For pride, violence andinjustice.
And in places like Tyre andEgypt, the pride went so far, it
became a kind of idolatry.
(12:45):
They treated themselves likegods.
The seven nations addressed areAmmon, Moab, Edom, Philistia,
tyre, Sidon and Egypt.
These chapters remind us nokingdom stands above God's rule
(13:10):
and no nation is too big, tooold or too far away to escape
accountability.
And, most importantly, god issovereign.
After the messages of judgmentfor Judah and the surrounding
(13:30):
nations, ezekiel's tone shiftsdramatically in chapters 33
through 48.
Starting in chapter 33, afterthe fall of Jerusalem is
confirmed, Ezekiel becomes awatchman of hope.
His message God is not finishedwith his people.
(13:53):
This final section is filledwith visions of restoration,
both spiritual and physical.
In chapter 36, god promises Iwill give you a new heart and
put a new spirit in you.
That's a promise of innertransformation, not just
(14:14):
external change.
In chapter 37, Ezekiel sees avalley filled with lifeless
skeletons.
God asks, son of man, can thesebones live?
That's chapter 37, verse 3.
Can these bones live?
That's chapter 37, verse 3.
Well, only God knows.
But when Ezekiel speaks asinstructed, the bones rattle
(14:37):
together, flesh appears andbreath returns.
This powerful vision points tonational restoration, spiritual
renewal and resurrection.
(14:57):
Hope for Israel and beyond.
Oh, wow, I just thought ofsomething you might want to jot
down.
If you're like me, you leavelittle notes at the beginning of
each Bible book.
Well, here's a good one forEzekiel.
All throughout the book, godcalls Ezekiel son of man.
He does that more than 90 times.
We just heard one.
Son of man, can these boneslive?
(15:18):
It's not a title of glory here,it's a title of humility.
In Hebrew it simply means human.
It's God's way of remindingEzekiel and us that he's just a
man, a messenger.
The visions might beoverwhelming, but the prophet is
(15:40):
entirely dependent on God'sstrength.
Later, Jesus uses the samephrase in Matthew 26: 64, but
he's referring back to Daniel 7.
There the quote son of man isexalted and given everlasting
(16:00):
dominion.
So in Ezekiel, son of manhumbles, but with Jesus it
exalts.
Okay, back to the text.
These last chapters of Ezekieldescribe a future temple, a city
and land in extraordinarydetail.
(16:22):
There's a restored priesthoodand purified worship.
There's a river flowing fromthe temple, bringing life
wherever it goes, and there's acity with a new name Yahweh
Shammah.
The Lord is there.
Scholars have long debated isall of this literal, symbolic, a
(16:46):
heavenly picture?
Well, we don't know.
But what's clear is the heartof the vision God's presence
will return.
His people will be restored andworship will be re-centered
around him alone.
This section offers a promisethat God will not only bring his
(17:09):
people back home, but also makehis home among them.
Now let's move on to theprophetic imagery that speaks so
loud.
Much like other Old Testamentprophets, ezekiel's message
doesn't just come through words.
It comes through vivid visionsand symbolic actions that are
(17:31):
hard to forget.
These moments aren't justdramatic.
They're deeply meaningful,divinely designed to shake
people out of their spiritualcomplacency and call them back
to God.
Let's look at a few examples.
Let's start with Ezekiel 1.
At the very beginning of hisministry, ezekiel sees a
(17:53):
heavenly vision that's almostimpossible to describe.
There are four living creatures, each with four faces human
lion, ox and eagle.
There are wheels within wheelssparkling like topaz, full of
eyes.
There's lightning flashes.
(18:14):
There's a throne above them and, seated on that throne, a
radiant figure surrounded byfire and glory.
This is God himself appearingto Ezekiel.
After witnessing this, heresponds, as you would expect,
by falling face down.
This vision reveals God's glory, radiant and overwhelming.
(18:40):
It reminds the exiles thatGod's presence isn't limited to
the temple in Jerusalem.
He's with them even in Babylon.
God's presence is not limitedto a specific place or building.
Next, there was another eventwhen God tells Ezekiel to eat a
(19:02):
scroll, Ezekiel ate it and saidit tasted quote as sweet as
honey.
That's chapter 3, verse 3.
Taste it quote as sweet ashoney.
That's chapter 3, verse 3.
Even though the message on thescroll was judgment on Israel,
the scroll was sweet because itwas God's word.
In the book of Psalms we seesome references that describe
(19:23):
the sweet word of God.
We see that in Psalm 19:10 andPsalm 119: 103.
Interestingly, the apostle Johnrecords a similar bittersweet
experience with the Word of Godin Revelation 10, where John
also eats a scroll beforeprophesying.
(19:46):
Now let's look at symbolic acts,as visual sermons, as I call
them.
Ezekiel is uniquely differentfrom other Old Testament
prophets in that his propheciesoften come through visual signs.
These actions are not just fordrama.
They are messages in motion.
(20:07):
They interrupt, confront andinvite reflection.
Here are a few examples Ezekiellies on his side for hundreds
of days to represent Israel andJudah's years of rebellion.
He shaved his head and beard,dividing the hair to symbolize
(20:31):
the fate of Jerusalem's people,burned, struck down or scattered
.
He refrains from publicmourning when his wife dies,
symbolizing the fall of thetemple and the numbing shock of
that loss of the temple and thenumbing shock of that loss.
(20:51):
And finally, he cooks food overcow poop, representing the
defilement the people would facein exile.
Ezekiel's methods are intensebut the goal is always the same
God's message to repent andreturn.
(21:16):
So, moving on in reading Ezekiel, we see that it isn't just a
book about exile or judgment.
It's a book that points aheadthrough visions and promises.
Here are just a few of the waysEzekiel connects to the message
of Jesus and the hope we havetoday.
In Ezekiel 34, god says Imyself will shepherd my people.
(21:44):
Then he promises to send oneshepherd from the line of David.
Jesus later echoes this when hesays I am the good shepherd.
That's in John 10, 11.
He is the fulfillment of thatpromise.
In Ezekiel 36, god promises Iwill give you a new heart and
(22:06):
put a new spirit in you.
That's chapter 36, verse 26.
This finds its fulfillment inthe gift of the Holy Spirit
poured out on all believers inActs 2.
Then resurrection and renewal,that vision of the dry bones
we've talked about.
It speaks of more than justIsrael's return from exile.
(22:28):
It points to resurrection power, god breathing life in what
looks beyond repair.
The Apostle Paul later writes,quote if the spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the deaddwells in you, he will also give
life to your mortal bodies.
(22:51):
That's Romans 8.11.
And finally, god dwelling withhis people forever.
The book ends with a vision ofa new temple and a new city, one
where God's presence neverleaves again.
Chapter 48, verse 35 gives thecity a new name.
(23:13):
The Lord is there.
That same hope shows up inRevelation 21:3.
Now, the dwelling of God iswith men and he lives with them.
(23:35):
Ezekiel reminds us yes, godjudges sin, but he never gives
up on his people.
His goal is always restoration.
The book of Ezekiel is apowerful chapter in God's story.
It marks the collapse of theold covenant era, a time when
the people had broken trust,lost their way and were
experiencing the consequences.
But that's not where God leavesthem.
(23:58):
But that's not where God leavesthem.
Where do you need to bereminded that God has not left
you and that he still restores?
Maybe there's an area of yourlife that feels like dry bones,
or maybe you've been carryingshame, thinking God is done with
you.
Ezekiel shows us that's neverthe end of the story.
(24:22):
God is still the good shepherd,he still gives new hearts and
he still breathes life intowhat's been lost.
Next time we'll turn the pageto a new season in Israel's
story the return from exile.
(24:43):
We'll meet the prophet Haggai,a voice calling to God's people
to rebuild their lives, theirpriorities and their faith.
If this episode helped youbring the story of Ezekiel into
focus, would you considersharing it with a friend you
never know who might need thereminder that God isn't distant,
(25:05):
even in exile?
And if you haven't alreadyfollow the show on YouTube or
your favorite podcast app, soyou don't miss the next episode?
Until then, keep reading, keepseeking and keep growing in your
faith.
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