The Lessons from the Book of Ezekiel

     How old was he? What was his role in Israel? When did he live? Why did God choose him to be a significant person? What were the challenges he faced? Why was God confident in Ezekiel to carry on his godly role versus other leaders in Israel?

Let’s first take a look at his personality:

     In growing up, Ezekiel was in a family of priests. His father Buzi, was his primary example as he learned the activities of temple service. He saw his father teaching the Law and traditions of their people. Zeke, short for Ezekiel, was probably quite respectful of the temple leaders for he was around them quite a bit.

     With this in mind, Zeke was taught to revere his elders and parents. Learning obedience right from birth since he would be in line to be a priest as well.

     The King Josiah was reigning during his upbringing, and saw how the king was turning Israel around from all its corruption. King Josiah basically created a revival in the people. He found the Book of the Law in the temple and made it a priority among the people resulting in Zeke’s love for the Law. He saw idols torn down, reinstating Passover and commanding the people to turn from their wicked pagan worship.

     Personality? I imagine he would have demonstrated an acute sense of following God’s ways and his family’s strong love for Him. Obedience would have had a force in every manner of his daily life. The impact of the revival and renewal shaped this tremendously. A passion for holiness could have emboldened him and perhaps a sense of how wicked idol worship was. He learned that God, his unseen God, was not pleased with the idols created by the people. Zeke might have pushed the truth of the Law above all else perhaps giving him a reputation of truth-teller. With his father being a priest, a longing to know more of God was prominent and probably a sign to God that he was a good pick to be a special person in his later years of life.

     When someone sees corruption and knows what should be done for the people, they think about it quite often and perhaps even take action. Zeke studied The Torah, the five books of the Law. Memorizing would have been essential and thus creating his mindset of following God with enthusiasm, ie. Temple rituals learned, purity laws, sacrifices to God.

     Another part of his personality would have been humility and teachableness as he was mentored not only by his father but by other leading priests for his future role in the temple.

     Among the people were many festivals, so Zeke could have had a fun side as well mixed with soberness as he learned about his history and ways of God intervening in His people’s lives.

Challenges:

     Zeke grew up in King Josiah’s leadership and also after his death. The next kings were opposite of this and thus he saw corruption make it way through the people. The land of Judah, where Zeke lived, followed a turn towards wickedness bringing a decline from righteousness to sinful behaviors. How did this affect Zeke?

     Frustration perhaps? Anger at his people? A spiritual rebellion against their God, Who had prospered them? How did he settle this in his own spirit?

     When living among people you remembered to have a high morality to then transition to living like pagans must have stirred confusion and a deep unsettledness with him. What could he do?

     Around 597 B.C., the Babylonian King Nebuchadnessar came against Jerusalem and exiled Zeke to Babylon. He might have been around the age of 25, not yet a priest yet, not yet a leader yet, but taken into a new land with family, friends all facing fears and anxieties of what will happen now. There was no longer a temple for his to look forward to… no sacrifices to their God…no longer a freedom to walk in God’s ways. He had to adapt to a new people and new laws under the guard of Babylonians.

     Five years later… at the age of 30, Zeke had an amazing encounter with God Himself. A young man, looking forward to bring sacrifices to God, becoming a leader, experienced something broadly different. God met with him personally! Could he have imagined this? To see God, to hear God… was not thought of as possible. HIs life in Babylon had taken all this away. So why would God choose him to serve? A broken personal vision and way of life was stolen by foreigners and God allowed it. The idea that God would see fit for His people to be taken into exile and now face ungodly rulership and oppression was probably too much for Zeke. But now God was choosing him still!

     In the next post we will look at the new life God intended for Ezekiel and how his passion formed early was to now be emboldened.