Last Three Weeks Jeremiah 10 29 Jeremiah 30

Last Three Weeks: § Jeremiah 10 -29 § Jeremiah 30 - 40, Psalms 74 & 79, 2 Kings 24 -25 / 2 Chron. 36, Habakkuk § Jeremiah 41 - 52, Lamentations 1 - 2

This Week: Lamentations 3 – 5, Ezekiel 1 -15 Remaining: Ezekiel 16 – 48 / Joel / Daniel Psalms 137, 126 Haggai / Zechariah / Malachi Ezra / Esther / Nehemiah

O. T. TIMELINE: Israel 8. United Kingdom Samaria Falls 722 BC 9. Divided Kingdom Judah WE ARE HERE Judah Alone 10. Captivity

§ Written after the destruction of Jerusalem § Widely attributed to Jeremiah § Setting and tone place time of writing soon after the fall (586 B. C. ) § Literary structure: Five mournful poems of one chapter each § Theme: Funeral dirges for Jerusalem

I. Grief at the Destruction of Jerusalem (1) II. The Anger of Jehovah (2) III. Prayer for Mercy; Hope Expressed (3) IV. Horrors of the Siege Described (4) V. A Prayer for Restoration (5)

• From a worldly view, his preaching failed • In God’s view, Jeremiah was serving God’s purpose (1: 9 -10) • Jeremiah warned the wicked of judgment • He assured the faithful remnant to have faith even in difficult times • Jeremiah reminded his audience that God would keep his promise to punish Israel • He also conveyed God’s promises of return and a future Messiah

• 4 Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel • 12 Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Three Waves of Captivity: 605 – 597 – 586 B. C.

Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts C 1993 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

§ Ezekiel means “God is strong” or “God strengthens” § Called in the 30 th year (of age? ) and in the 5 th mo. of 5 th year of Jehoiachin’s exile § Likely dates of prophesy: 593 -571 B. C. § A priest and the son of Buzi § Among the captives exiled by River Chebar at Tel-abib § Little is known of family, although married § Contemporary with Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Daniel and likely Zephaniah

Settings of Ezekiel

592 From Ezekiel, Daniel King, 2006

I. Ezekiel’s Call (1 -3) II. The Judgment on Judah (4 -24) III. Judgments on other Nations (25 -32) IV. Israel’s Restoration & A Future New Order (33 -48)

§ Begins with vision of desecrated temple fit for destruction (8 -11) § Ends with vision of restored & ideal temple (40 -48) § Begins with angry departure of God from the temple § Ends with God’s return - “the LORD is there”

§ § § § § Siege of Jerusalem (4) Eating defiled bread (4) Shaving and scattering of hair (5) Packing for exile / trembling (12) The wood of the vine (15) The foundling child (16) Eagles and the cedar (17) The forest fire (20) Sword of the LORD and the caldron (20 -21) The fiery furnace (22)

§ § § The two harlots (23) The cooking pot (24) No mourning at death of wife (24) The shipwreck (27) The irresponsible shepherds (34) The renewal of dry bones (37)

1. “The word of the LORD came to me saying” – 49 • shows direct inspiration of Ezekiel 2. “Thus says the LORD God” – 64 • Affirms source of message vs. false prophets 3. “Son of man” – 93 • God’s way of referring to Ezekiel, showing his humanity in contrast to God’s power & glory • Used often by Jesus to describe himself • Ezekiel a foreshadowing or type of Christ? 4. “LORD God”/ Sovereign LORD”/Lord Jehovah” – 210 of 362 uses • Stresses Lordship and sovereign nature of God

5. “Then you will know that I Am the LORD” – 65 • Shows God’s resolve to be acknowledged • Common theme back in Exodus (6: 6 -7, 7: 5, 14: 4) • Seen in other prophets (Isa. 11: 9, Hab. 2: 14) 6. “I am against you” (5: 8, 13: 8, 21: 3, nation oracles) • Shows God’s determination to judge 7. “I am for you” (36: 9) • Shows God’s mercy and decision to pardon

§ God’s holiness (36: 22 -23) and desire for a holy Israel, temple, city, and land § Individual responsibility • Righteous marked (9: 4 -5) • Even Noah, Dan. , & Job would only save themselves (14) • Proverb disputed (18) § The doom of Jerusalem (1 -24) § God’s mercy and desire to pardon (18: 3132) § Ezekiel as people’s advocate (9: 8, 11: 13)

§ Like Isaiah and Jeremiah, commissioned by contact with God or vision of God (Is. 6 § § § Jer. 1) Promised protection from the obstinate people (like Jeremiah) Told to speak even if they did not listen Given scroll to eat (Like John in Revelation) Appointed as a watchman to warn Israel The trauma of Ezekiel’s call and the initial visions left him stunned (3: 14 -15) Ezekiel struck partially mute (3: 26 -27, 24: 2527, 33: 21 -22)

§ Many sections are apocalyptic literature – like Daniel, Zechariah, Revelation, Mt. 24 § Characteristics include use of symbolism, visions, numerical symmetry, and futurism § Ezekiel also contains many allegories and parables § Try to see the grandeur of the visions, not attempting to sketch out every detail