Tuesdays Are for the Old Testament
6/25/24
Lessing, R. Reed, & Steinmann, Andrew E. (2014). "Chapter Twenty-Five: Ezekiel." In Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. (417-432).
Ezekiel was a priest from Judea who was deported at the time of Babylon's mass deportation of 597 BC (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 417). He took up a call as a prophet around 592 BC at the age of 30. For this reason, Lessing and Steinmann consider it appropriate to consider Ezekiel either as a pre-exilic or post-exilic prophet. His moral teaching and mentions of historical crises are similar to the work of earlier prophets. Yet, the relatively bizarre imagery and actions are more typical of the post-exilic prophets.
Lessing and Steinmann observe that almost the entirety of Ezekiel is in the first person, the prophecies were to be written down, and the name of Ezekiel was associated with the book fairly early (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 418). The higher critical community is not satisfied with this understanding, and tends to create different theories of redaction and authorship.
From a literary standpoint, Ezekiel 1-24 is primarily concerned with condemnation while chapters 33-48 promises return and restoration. Chapter 24 depicts the siege of Jerusalem, chapter 33 its capture (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 418). Chapters 5-32 condemn seven foreign nations (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 419). The text of Ezekiel regularly uses brief phrases which are repeated many times. Images are also repeated frequently. Lessing and Steinmann note frequent allegories and similarities to inscriptions on buildings (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 421).
The text of Ezekiel is difficult, in part because the Septuagint is about 5% shorter than the Masoretic Text (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 421). The material is possibly the second hardest prophet to read.
Ezeliel uses many historical markers, and seems to Lessing and Steinmann to be nearly completely in chronological order (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 422). They briefly trace the overall arc of history of Ezekiel's time period.
Lessing and Steinmann consider God's glory to be the central theological concept in Ezekiel (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 423). This is shown in the visions of chapter 1 and chapters 8-11. A second important theme is the covenant from Sinai. God has promised to be the God of his chosen people (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 424). A third core concept is that of God's marriage to Israel. Though Israel is unfaithful, God is always faithful. He will redeem his people (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 425). Fourth, Lessing and Steinmann see a strong apocalyptic message in Ezekiel. The land will be cleansed of its defilement while the other nations will be destroyed. Lessing and Steinmann observe that some scholars take the cryptic statements about "Gog" and "Magog" to refer to Babylon (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 426). A fifth theological emphasis in Ezekiel is that of God's temple, seen in chapters 40-48. The temple in Ezekiel is missing most of its furnishings, yet Lessing and Steinmann observe with God present nothing else is necessary (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 427). Lessing and Steinmann describe the vision of the temple in considerable detail.
Christ is seen in Ezekiel as a "new David who will shepherd and rule his people" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 429). He is also seen as the embodiment of the temple and the source of the living water. There is a relatively constant alternation in Ezekiel between sin and grace. The people are cast out but will be restored (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 430). The sin of Judah is clear in their idolatry. God's promise to David, however, still stands.
6/25/24
Lessing, R. Reed, & Steinmann, Andrew E. (2014). "Chapter Twenty-Five: Ezekiel." In Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. (417-432).
Ezekiel was a priest from Judea who was deported at the time of Babylon's mass deportation of 597 BC (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 417). He took up a call as a prophet around 592 BC at the age of 30. For this reason, Lessing and Steinmann consider it appropriate to consider Ezekiel either as a pre-exilic or post-exilic prophet. His moral teaching and mentions of historical crises are similar to the work of earlier prophets. Yet, the relatively bizarre imagery and actions are more typical of the post-exilic prophets.
Lessing and Steinmann observe that almost the entirety of Ezekiel is in the first person, the prophecies were to be written down, and the name of Ezekiel was associated with the book fairly early (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 418). The higher critical community is not satisfied with this understanding, and tends to create different theories of redaction and authorship.
From a literary standpoint, Ezekiel 1-24 is primarily concerned with condemnation while chapters 33-48 promises return and restoration. Chapter 24 depicts the siege of Jerusalem, chapter 33 its capture (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 418). Chapters 5-32 condemn seven foreign nations (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 419). The text of Ezekiel regularly uses brief phrases which are repeated many times. Images are also repeated frequently. Lessing and Steinmann note frequent allegories and similarities to inscriptions on buildings (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 421).
The text of Ezekiel is difficult, in part because the Septuagint is about 5% shorter than the Masoretic Text (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 421). The material is possibly the second hardest prophet to read.
Ezeliel uses many historical markers, and seems to Lessing and Steinmann to be nearly completely in chronological order (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 422). They briefly trace the overall arc of history of Ezekiel's time period.
Lessing and Steinmann consider God's glory to be the central theological concept in Ezekiel (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 423). This is shown in the visions of chapter 1 and chapters 8-11. A second important theme is the covenant from Sinai. God has promised to be the God of his chosen people (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 424). A third core concept is that of God's marriage to Israel. Though Israel is unfaithful, God is always faithful. He will redeem his people (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 425). Fourth, Lessing and Steinmann see a strong apocalyptic message in Ezekiel. The land will be cleansed of its defilement while the other nations will be destroyed. Lessing and Steinmann observe that some scholars take the cryptic statements about "Gog" and "Magog" to refer to Babylon (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 426). A fifth theological emphasis in Ezekiel is that of God's temple, seen in chapters 40-48. The temple in Ezekiel is missing most of its furnishings, yet Lessing and Steinmann observe with God present nothing else is necessary (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 427). Lessing and Steinmann describe the vision of the temple in considerable detail.
Christ is seen in Ezekiel as a "new David who will shepherd and rule his people" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 429). He is also seen as the embodiment of the temple and the source of the living water. There is a relatively constant alternation in Ezekiel between sin and grace. The people are cast out but will be restored (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 430). The sin of Judah is clear in their idolatry. God's promise to David, however, still stands.
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