Ezekiel 1:1-4

content/bible_journal/ezekiel_1:1-4.md

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+title = "Ezekiel 1:1–4"
+date = "2023-02-27"
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+
+### Introduction
+
+Now that the study of Luke has concluded, I want to switch to an Old Testament
+book. The pastor at my church has been going through Revelation recently, and
+that book uses a lot of the same imagery and themes as Ezekiel, so it seems
+good to me to study it in parallel.
+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel1.1-4)
+
+The prophet Ezekiel served during the Babylonian Exile, when the kingdom of
+Judah had been conquered and deported because they had failed to uphold the
+covenant God had made with them through Moses. Again and again God sent
+prophets to warn the people that this would happen and to call for repentance.
+Sometimes the people would respond, but never fully or wholeheartedly, and so
+the time finally came for God's judgement to be fulfilled upon His people.
+
+The book of Ezekiel starts with a time reference. It has more than any of the
+other prophetic writings, which scholars have determined to fall between 593
+and 573 B.C. Generally, Ezekiel uses the date of the exile of King Jehoiachin,
+the last of the Davidic line to rule in Judah. (Technically Jehoichin's uncle
+Zedekiah ruled after him, but he isn't considered a legitimate heir as he was
+installed by the Babylonian conquerors.)
+
+Ezekiel was a priest, hundreds of miles away from the temple in which he should
+serve. Normally, priests would begin to serve in the temple when they reached
+thirty years of age. Ezekiel, however, gets a different call from Yahweh, and
+sees a vision of His glory. He sees a stormy wind, a great cloud brimming with
+light and lightning as if it were made of metal. All of these things are very
+common descriptions of God manifesting His glory before human beings. All of
+Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah were brought into the presence of God to receive
+their prophetic calls, and because Ezekiel experienced this too, we can know
+that he has been delegated the authority to speak on God's behalf.
+
+* * *
+
+When our lives have not gone the way we expected, You are still in control,
+ready to use us as You see fit.