Book of Ezekiel: Introduction and Chapter 1
A Brief Introduction to Ezekiel: Prophet, Priest, Exile
According to the book of Ezekiel, the man was a priest approaching his 30th birthday. Like his father before him, he intended to serve God at the Temple of Jerusalem. But sometimes, God has other plans. After the fall of King Jehoiachin to the Babylonian army in 597 BC (2 Kings 24:14), Ezekiel was exiled, along with approximately 10,000 of his fellow Judeans.
Ezekiel 1
This entire book is told mostly in the first person point of view. Because of this we get an insight into what Ezekiel experiences during his prophecy and his ministry.
Ezekiel 1 mostly describes a very detailed vision of God and His glory. Ezekiel’s vision shows God, in human form, sitting upon a great throne surrounded by a rainbow halo. Below Him is a group of four Cherubim, forming a square shape, standing wing-tip to wing-tip. The head of each Cherubim has four faces: that of a human, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. Below each Cherubim was a wheel (much like a caster) covered in eyes.
After encountering this prophetic vision, Ezekiel falls face-first to the ground and begins to hear the Lord’s voice.
Many of the visions that Ezekiel encountered were apocalyptic in nature. The imagery used throughout much of Ezekiel can be compared to the imagery found in the book of Revelation.
As we walk through the book of Ezekiel, we’ll view his visions, learn of his commission, and see how God worked through this prophet.
Key Verse:
“In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.” ~ Ezekiel 1:1
Questions to ponder:
- Compare the vision described in Ezekiel 1 with that of Revelation 4. What similarities and differences do you see?
- If you were taken away from your home and your life plan, how would you react? How can you turn to God for guidance and commission?
