Ezekiel

As we read through Ezekiel, we come face to face with a man who is devoted to God. Ezekiel is a wild character, often called to live out the words of God in dramatic ways. Ezekiel himself is a priest, living in exile at the time of the Babylonian captivity. Ezekiel has been forced to leave his homeland and the temple behind. It is part of God’s plan to call Israel to repentance from idolatry. In Ezekiel 1:1, we are told that Ezekiel is living near the Chebar River in Babylon, the same place that King Jehoiachim, father of the last king of Judah, had been exiled. Ezekiel 3:15 tells us that Ezekiel lived in the city of Tel-abib. Ezekiel will talk about the temple, the glory of the Lord, the sacrificial system, and the sin of the people. He lives in a foreign land and calls God’s people to be faithful, to have hope, and to trust in God. Difficult circumstances often call us to revisit our priorities. In the Book of Ezekiel, you will find how God can work in a world that is broken and in people that are hurting.