Page 97 - Old Testament Survey Student Textbook

Study Section 12: Exilic Books of Prophecy (Major Prophets: 2 Books)

12.1 Connect

Why does God allow his people to go through suffering? This is one of the biggest questions
asked by many people. The Book of Daniel and Ezekiel gives us a glimpse of what the
children of God went through during the Exile. God makes it clear that he allowed them to
be taken into exile because of their continuous rebellion. Sometimes God allows his
children to suffer because He wants to discipline them. However, even in the midst of their
suffering God revealed His presence among them and gave them hope that their suffering was not
permanent….

12.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to discuss what the two exilic books of Prophecy are all about.

2. The student should be able to discuss the important questions such as: what, when, where,
how for each book.

3. The student should be able to discuss the main message and main divisions of each individual
exilic book of Prophecy.

4. The student should be able to discuss the applications from these books.

12.3 EZEKIEL ‘May YHWH strengthens’ (priest)

Date/Setting: 592-572 B.C. (1:3, 40:1), last days of Judah, after 2nd exile (written from
Babylon)

Theme(s): Glory (YHWH leaves temple), Greatness (I am
YHWH, 80+ times), Renewal (People and Covenant), Return
(Temple and Glory)

Main Message: Because of Zion’s sin, God removes His glory and
promises judgment to purify remnant, punish Israel’s enemies and
proclaim His greatness! In the future, God will renew His people and
covenant, and return to His temple and glory!

Call of Ezekiel (1:1-3:27) Ezekiel sees the likeness (28x) of YHWH’S glory enthroned on a vehicle carted
by strange creatures (human-animal); he humbly bows, ready to listen (1) God calls Ezekiel to deliver His
message, regardless of response. God satisfies and sustains him with message (2:1-3:3). Though Israel is
hard, God will ‘harden’ Ezekiel to oppose their rebellion, but he must speak God’s word (4-15). As a
watchman, he is to warn wicked or be accountable but only at time of God’s choosing (16-27).

Concrete Examples (4:1-5:17) With two signs, Ezekiel symbolized siege and destruction of Zion. First, he
etched map of the city on a brick and besieged it (1-3). He was to lie on his left side to bear Israel’s past
iniquity (390 years, idolatry?) and on his right side as a symbol of Judah’s future exile (40 years,
wilderness) (4-8); even his food evoked exile (9-17). Second, he shaved head/beard and divided hair into

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