SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE BOOK OF SOME PRE-EXILIC PROPHETS IN THE BIBLE

PROPHETIC BOOK OF ISAIAH

CONTENT

MESSAGES OF JUDGMENT AND HOPE (1–12)

In the opening chapter Isaiah characterizes Israel (including Judah) as “a

sinful nation” that has rebelled against God. Although the people regularly bring

offerings to him, their worship is hypocritical, an attempt to mask their

oppression of the poor and helpless. The Lord encourages the nation to repent of

their sin or face the fires of judgment. After this introduction, Isaiah turns to

describe the peace of the messianic age in 2:1-4. The day will come when all

nations will obey God’s word and live at peace. “The mountain of the LORD”—

Jerusalem—will be raised up “and all the nations shall flow to it” (2:2-3, RSV).

In the meantime, however, both Israel and the nations have exalted themselves

against the Lord, and he will judge them in an awesome display of power. For

Israel, God’s judgment will bring great upheaval, including the loss of its

leaders. Defiant and ruthless, the rulers will face either death or deportation.

Chapter 3 ends by denouncing the pride and vanity of the women of Zion; they,

too, will suffer disgrace. After Jerusalem is cleansed of its sin, the remnant

will enjoy the rule of “the branch of the LORD,” who will protect and shield his

people (4:2-6).

In 5:1-7 Isaiah presents a short song about Israel as God’s vineyard. The Lord

did everything possible to ensure a yield of good grapes, but the vineyard

produced nothing but bad fruit and had to be destroyed. Isaiah then pronounces

six woes against Israel, and announces that the Assyrian army will invade the

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land. Against the backdrop of Israel’s sin, Isaiah (chapter 6) gives an account

of the vision through which he was called as a prophet. Overwhelmed by the

holiness of God and by his own sinfulness, Isaiah thought he was ruined, but when

he was assured that his sins were forgiven, he responded positively to God’s call

in spite of the stubbornness of the nation to which he was sent.

One of the most stubborn individuals in all the nation was King Ahaz of Judah,

and chapter 7 describes Isaiah’s encounter with this godless ruler. When Ahaz was

threatened by Damascus and the northern kingdom, he refused to believe Isaiah’s

promise that God would protect him. This was the occasion on which Isaiah gave

Ahaz the sign of Immanuel (7:14). The “virgin” refers ultimately to Mary and

“Immanuel” to Christ (Matthew 1:23), but in the near fulfillment the child could

be Isaiah’s own son Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:3). This name (meaning “swift

to plunder and quick to spoil,” verse 1, NLT mg) would be a sign that soon

Judah’s enemies would fall; “Immanuel” signified that God would be with Judah

(verse 10, NLT mg). However, if Ahaz appealed for help to the king of Assyria,

Isaiah warned him, Assyria’s powerful armies would one day invade Judah also (cf.

7:17-25; 8:6-8). The destruction brought by Assyria would plunge Judah into a

time of famine and distress (8:21-22).

Nevertheless, the gloom and darkness associated with the Assyrian invasion would

not last indefinitely, and 9:1-5 speaks of a time of peace and joy. Verses 6-7

introduce a child who would become a righteous King and would rule forever. This

“Prince of Peace” is the Messiah, the “Mighty God” whose kingdom is described in

2:2-4.

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For the immediate future, however, both Israel and Judah will suffer the agony of

war as punishment for their sins. God is angry with his people because they are

proud and arrogant, and their leaders disregard the pleas of the poor and needy.

Civil war and foreign invasion will crush the hapless nation (9:8–10:4). But once

Israel has been judged, God will turn his hand against Assyria, the instrument he

has used to judge other nations. Because of her string of victories, Assyria is

filled with pride and is eager for more triumph. Yet even at the moment when

Jerusalem is about to succumb, God will cut down the Assyrian army like a cedar

in Lebanon and spare his people (10:26-34).

After Assyria’s defeat, Isaiah describes the restoration of Israel and the

powerful rule of the Messiah (chapter 11). Both Jews and Gentiles will be

attracted to Jerusalem to enjoy an era of peace and justice. Like David, the

Messiah will have the Spirit of God resting upon him as he judges the wicked and

protects the needy. To conclude these opening messages, Isaiah offers two short

songs of praise that celebrate God’s past deliverance and his promise of future

blessing (chapter 12).

ORACLES AGAINST THE NATIONS (13–23)

Although Babylon is not the major power of the day, Isaiah begins his

announcements of judgment with two chapters about the destruction of Assyria’s

neighbor to the south. Babylon will eventually conquer Jerusalem (between 605 and

586 BC), but the Medes (13:17) along with the Elamites will capture Babylon (539

BC). In spite of the glory to be achieved by future kings of Babylon, God will

bring their pomp down to the grave (14:9-10). The chapter ends with short

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prophecies against Assyria and the Philistines.

One of Israel’s oldest enemies was the nation of Moab, situated east of the Dead

Sea. Even though it was a small country, Isaiah devotes two chapters to these

descendants of Lot. Chapter 15 describes the extensive mourning that will

overwhelm their cities. After a brief interlude urging the Moabites to submit to

Israel and to her God (16:1-5), Isaiah notes that pride will lead to Moab’s

downfall. Sounds of weeping fill the land as the vines and fields wither and are

trampled.In chapter 17 the fourth oracle is directed against Damascus and Ephraim

(the northern kingdom of Israel), probably reflecting their alliance against

Judah about 734 BC. Both nations will face ruin, and Ephraim is condemned for

abandoning the Lord, her “Savior” and “Rock” (17:10).In chapters 18 and 19 Isaiah

turns to the south and addresses Ethiopia and Egypt, countries that had strong

links from 715–633 BC, when an Ethiopian named Shabako became pharaoh in Egypt.

But Egypt is plagued with disunity and suffers greatly at the hands of Assyrian

kings. In spite of the supposed wisdom of her leaders, Egypt faces economic and

political ruin (19:5-15). Yet the time is coming when the Egyptians will be

restored and will worship the God of Israel. Along with Assyria and Israel, Egypt

will become a blessing (19:24). Some interpreters think this is a prophecy of the

salvation of Gentiles during the church age, but others relate this day to the

peace of the millennial age (cf. 2:2-4; 11:6-9). For the immediate future,

however, Isaiah announces that Assyria will take many Egyptians and Ethiopians

into captivity (chapter 20).

A second oracle about Babylon (cf. 13:1–14:23) is contained in chapter 21, and

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Isaiah is staggered as he considers the impact of Babylon’s fall (21:3-4). When

Babylon collapses, the world will know that her gods were powerless (21:9; cf.

Revelation 14:8; 18:2).Although it seems out of place among these oracles against

the nations, chapter 22 condemns the city of Jerusalem. Like the nations,

Jerusalem is full of revelry (22:2) but will soon experience the terrors of a

siege.Since the people no longer rely on the Lord (verse 11), he will hand them

over to the enemy. Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness is exemplified by Shebna, a high

official guilty of pride and materialism whose position will be taken by the

godly Eliakim (verses 15-23).The last oracle (chapter 23) is directed against the

city of Tyre, which resisted capture until Alexander the Great conquered the

island fortress in 332 BC. When Tyre fell, the economy of the entire

Mediterranean world was shaken, for her ships had carried the goods of the

nations far and wide.

FINAL JUDGMENT AND BLESSING (24–27)

This section functions as a grand finale to chapters 13–23 in that it

anticipates God’s judgment upon the nations and the inauguration of the kingdom

of God. A defiled earth must bear its punishment (24:5-6) and even the forces of

Satan face judgment (verses 21-22).

In chapter 25 Isaiah rejoices over God’s great triumph and looks ahead to a day

when death will be swallowed up and tears will be wiped from all faces (25:8).

Israel’s long-time enemies, symbolized by Moab, will be laid low (verses 10-12),

but Jerusalem will be a stronghold for the righteous (26:1-3). In 26:7-19 the

nation prays that these promises will become a reality. Verses 20-21 indicate

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that the Lord will indeed respond, pouring out his wrath upon a sin-cursed earth

and upon Satan himself (27:1). When that takes place, Israel will be a fruitful

vineyard, a blessing to the whole world (27:2-6; contrast 5:1-7). First, however,

Israel will have to endure war and exile, and then the remnant will return to

Jerusalem.

A SERIES OF WOES (28–33)

Returning to his own historical period, Isaiah pronounces a series of woes

upon both the northern and southern kingdoms, as well as one upon Assyria

(chapter 33). Chapter 28 begins with a description of the fading power of

Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. Verses 7-10 portray the leaders of

Judah in the same light; they have disregarded Isaiah’s message and are out of

touch with God. Judgment is on the way, and their false preparation (verses 15,

18) will be of no avail. God will fight against Israel (verses 21-22), and even

Jerusalem will be put under siege until God in his mercy intervenes (29:1-8).

Because of their hypocritical worship, the people deserve to be punished, but in

the future Israel will again acknowledge the Lord and be made physically and

spiritually whole (29:17-24).

Chapters 30 and 31 denounce Judah’s proposed alliance with Egypt in the effort to

thwart Assyria. God wants his people to trust him, not their unreliable neighbors

to the south. The Lord promises to protect Jerusalem (30:18; 31:5) and defeat the

invading Assyrian army (30:31-33; 31:8-9). None can stand before his mighty

sword.

Continuing on this positive note, Isaiah goes on to emphasize the righteous rule

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of the messianic king in chapters 32 and 33. Zion will enjoy peace and security

at last (32:2, 17-18; 33:6), a great change from Isaiah’s own time. In eighth-

century BC Judah the women might feel secure (32:9), but the Assyrian troops will

devastate the crops and precipitate widespread mourning. However, the lamenting

will soon end, as the prophet pronounces woe upon Assyria in 33:1. After Isaiah

prays for the destruction of Assyria (33:2-9), God promises to take action

(verses 10-12). Gone will be the enemy soldiers and officials, for the Lord will

save his people and bring them justice and security.

MORE JUDGMENT AND BLESSING (34–35)

This section forms a climax to chapters 28–33. Once more, cataclysmic

judgment precedes a time of blessing and restoration. In chapter 34 Isaiah

depicts a judgment of cosmic dimensions as he moves to a consideration of the

last days. Heaven and earth endure the wrath of God that is poured out upon the

nations, and verse 4 provides the basis for John’s description of the great

tribulation in Revelation 6:13-14. Edom (like Moab; see Isaiah 25:10-12)

represents a world judged by the sword of the Lord in his day of vengeance.

Chapter 35, on the other hand, speaks of joy and restoration in a passage that

pulsates with life. A blooming desert corresponds to the physical and spiritual

age when God will come to redeem his people. Both the return of the Israelites

from the Babylonian captivity and the second coming of Christ fit this glorious

scene.

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HISTORICAL INTERLUDE (36–39)

These chapters form the hinge that connects the two halves of the book.

Chapters 36 and 37 contain the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies about Assyria’s

collapse, and chapters 38 and 39 introduce the Babylonian captivity that forms

the backdrop for chapters 40–66. In 701 BC King Sennacherib of Assyria demands

the unconditional surrender of Jerusalem. He sends his field commander to address

the people and try to gain their submission. With persuasive words, the commander

tries to convince the city that surrender is the best policy. Amazingly the

people do not panic, and King Hezekiah asks Isaiah to pray for the beleaguered

city. The prophet does so and announces that the proud Assyrians will not

triumph. Instead, they suffer a terrible disaster as the angel of the Lord

strikes down 185,000 men.

Chapters 38 and 39 relate another crisis in Hezekiah’s life when he becomes

desperately ill. Miraculously, God heals him, and Hezekiah praises the Lord for

his gracious intervention. When the king of Babylon sends envoys to congratulate

Hezekiah on his recovery, Hezekiah foolishly shows these messengers his royal

treasures. Isaiah solemnly announces that someday the armies of Babylon will

capture Jerusalem, plunder the land, and take away these treasures.

THE RETURN FROM BABYLON (40–48)

The Babylonian captivity eventually comes, but Isaiah promises that it will end.

God, the incomparably powerful Creator, is far greater than any king, nation, or

god, and he will bring his people back to Jerusalem. To accomplish this return

from exile, God raises up Cyrus, the king of Persia (41:2, 25). The Lord does not

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forget his people, and he encourages them to take heart and to rejoice.

In chapter 42 we are introduced to a person even more significant than Cyrus the

Persian. Verses 1-7 (the first of four Servant Songs) describe the servant of the

Lord, who will bring justice to the nations and will be “a light for the

Gentiles” (42:6). This is the Messiah, and the redemption he will accomplish on

Calvary (cf. chapter 53) is greater than the release from Babylon. In light of

the good news associated with the servant, Isaiah praises the Lord for punishing

the wicked and rescuing his wayward people. Chapter 43 declares that nothing will

stand in the way of Israel’s return, and the Lord will remember their sins no

more. In fact, he will pour out his Spirit on their descendants (44:3).

A God so great is far more powerful than any idol. In 44:6-20 Isaiah makes use of

satire to show the worthlessness of man-made images. God alone has the power to

create and to restore, and he will bring Cyrus on the scene to effect the release

of the exiles and to begin the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Chapters 46 and 47

contrast the God of Israel and the idols of Babylon. When God raises up Cyrus,

Babylon’s idols will be unable to save their nation, and the queen of kingdoms

(47:5) will collapse along with her sorcerers and astrologers. The final chapter

in this section (chapter 48) restates God’s purpose of gaining release of the

Israelites from Babylon through his chosen ally, Cyrus of Persia.

SALVATION THROUGH THE SERVANT OF THE LORD (49–57)

Chapters 49–53 contain the final three Servant Songs (cf. also 42:1-7),

culminating in the death of the servant for the sins of the world (52:13–53:12).

In the second Servant Song (49:1-7), Isaiah describes the call and ministry of

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the servant, noting that he will face strong opposition as he accomplishes

salvation for Israel and the nations. The rest of chapter 49 deals primarily with

the way God will bring Israel back from exile. Soon the land will be filled with

a mighty throng (verses 19-21), and the Gentiles will acknowledge Israel and her

God (verses 22-23).

Although Israel has fully deserved the exile because of her sins (50:1-3), the

suffering endured by the servant (verses 4-11; the third Servant Song) is wholly

undeserved. The beating and mocking of verse 6 are prophetic of Christ’s

experience (cf. Matthew 27:26, 30; Mark 15:19). In verses 10-11 of Isaiah 50 the

whole nation is challenged to trust in the Lord, as the servant did. There is, in

fact, a believing remnant who obey the Lord (51:1-8), and the Lord promises that

he will restore them to their homeland. Israel has drunk the cup of God’s wrath

(verses 17, 22), but the good news of release from exile causes even the ruins of

Jerusalem to burst into songs of joy (52:7-10).

Yet the best news of all is salvation from sin; the final Servant Song (52:13–

53:12) tells how Christ wins freedom for those held in bondage to sin. In this

brief passage we learn how Christ suffers rejection (53:3) and even disfigurement

(52:14). Led like a lamb to the slaughter (53:7), he carries our sins in his body

as he dies in ignominy. The people think he is suffering for his own sins (verse

4), but he is “pierced” and “crushed for our iniquities” (verse 5). The first and

last paragraphs of this section (52:13-15; 53:10-12) state that through his

suffering the servant is highly exalted. What seems like a terrible defeat is

actually victory over death and Satan and brings salvation for many.

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As a direct result of the servant’s death, great joy comes to all people. In

chapter 54 this joy is reflected in Jerusalem’s new status as the Lord’s wife.

Her descendants will be numerous and eager to learn from the Lord. For the first

time the plural “servants of the LORD” appears (54:17), apparently including all

believers, whether Jew or Gentile (cf. 65:8-9, 13-15). Joy and prosperity also

characterize chapter 55, an invitation to a great spiritual banquet. All people

are urged to turn to the Lord who keeps his promises to Israel. In 56:1-8,

foreigners are invited to come to God’s “holy mountain” in Jerusalem, for the

temple will be a house of prayer for all the nations (56:7; cf. Matthew 21:13).

Believing Gentiles are contrasted sharply with unbelieving Jews, and in 56:9–

57:13 Isaiah returns again to the theme of judgment. Israel suffers because her

leaders are wicked and because the people are guilty of idolatry. Spiritual

healing is available, but unless individuals repent, they cannot be part of the

remnant who will return from exile and enjoy peace in the Promised Land.

ULTIMATE BLESSING AND FINAL JUDGMENT (58–66)

The last nine chapters of Isaiah emphasize redemption and glory, but

the reality of judgment is also very much in evidence. In fact, chapters 58 and

59 bemoan the sins of Israel. The people are hypocritical in their worship; they

are selfish and fail to keep the Sabbath. Lying, oppression, and murder separate

the people from God. When Isaiah openly confesses these sins (59:12-13), the Lord

suddenly takes action on behalf of his people. Like a mighty warrior, he rescues

the believing remnant from Babylon and brings them back to Jerusalem.

In chapter 60 the glory and wealth of Jerusalem reach new heights. Both the city

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and the sanctuary are adorned with splendor, matching the prosperity of Solomon’s

reign. Just as the nations treated Solomon with honor, so earth’s leaders will

assist and strengthen the returning exiles. While it is true that the Persian

government did help the Jews repeatedly, the conditions described here will have

their ultimate fulfillment during the Millennium and in connection with the new

Jerusalem (cf. Revelation 21:23; 22:5). The ancient ruins will be rebuilt (Isaiah

61:4), and the Lord will fulfill the covenant made with Abraham and David (Isaiah

61:8; cf. Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 55:3). Jerusalem will be the city of the holy

people, the redeemed of the Lord (Isaiah 62:12), and the Lord will take delight

in her (verse 4).

In order to accomplish salvation for his people, God will have to judge the

ungodly first. The great trampling of the winepress (63:2-3) graphically portrays

the judgment process and is linked with the Day of the Lord (cf. 13:3; 34:2).

Since God has promised to intervene on behalf of his people, Isaiah prays for the

realization of that promise (63:7– 64:12). He recalls God’s faithfulness in the

past and pleads that he will again have mercy upon his suffering people.

The answer to Isaiah’s prayer is found in chapter 65. God does promise to give

the Holy Land back to his servants, to those who worship him and obey him. But

for that segment of the nation that continues in its obstinacy, God promises

anguish and destruction. The ultimate joy of God’s servants is contained in a

description of new heavens and a new earth (65:17-25). Peace, long life, and

prosperity will be among the blessings enjoyed in an era that seems to combine

features of the Millennium and the eternal state (cf. chapter 60).

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In a fitting summary, chapter 66 ties together the themes of salvation and

judgment. God will comfort Jerusalem and abundantly bless her, but sinners are

the objects of his wrath. Those who honor him will endure forever, but those who

rebel will suffer everlasting rejection.

PROPHETIC BOOK OF JEREMIAH .

THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH AND THE SEPTUAGINT

The special problems of the Septuagint translation of Jeremiah demand

attention. The Septuagint translators evidently made an inaccurate translation.

About 2,300 Hebrew words are omitted from the Septuagint. After chapter 23, the

mistranslation, omissions, and mixed chronological order indicate confusion.

However, the Dead Sea Scrolls display texts with both the Hebrew and the

Septuagint order, indicating the antiquity of both editions. Both have suffered

corruption at the hands of scribes and the ravages of the ages. The Septuagint

evidently veers much further from the original, yet it has invaluable clues to

help suggest answers to some textual problems. The most evident major shift in

the Septuagint consists of the removal of chapters 46–51 of the Hebrew order, and

the placement of them in the spot from which 25:13b-14 was removed. These

chapters are renumbered 26–31 but are mixed and changed considerably from the

order of the Hebrew Masoretic Text.

BACKGROUND

DATE

(c. 627–586 BC).

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ORIGIN AND DESTINATION

After beginning his ministry in Anathoth, Jeremiah moved to Jerusalem, where he

remained until he was forced to join the disobedient refugees who arrived in

Egypt about 584 BC. Until the deportation of Jehoiachin (597 BC), Jeremiah

addressed his messages to the king and the people residing in Judah. Later

messages addressed the same group, plus the captives in Babylon (e.g., chapter

29). After the departure to Egypt, he addressed Jews in that land.

OUTLINE WITH CONTENTS

Though many see no logical order, a careful reading of Jeremiah will reveal a

grouping on the basis of content, as suggested by the following outline:

VII. Introduction (1)

VII. Oracles against the Jews (2–25)

III. History—Signs and Sufferings of Jeremiah before the Siege (26–29)

IIV. The Book of Hope written during the Siege (30–33)

IIV. History—Signs and Sufferings of Jeremiah after the Siege (34–45)

IVI. Oracles against the Nations (46–51)

VII. Conclusion (52)

The prophet opens his ministry with a series of utterances against the sins of

Jerusalem (2:1–3:5), followed by similar messages (through chapter 4), concluding

with words of judgment (chapters 5–6). The message in the temple gate (chapters

7–10) leads into the proclamation against covenant breakers (chapters 11–13). The

lamentation over the drought (chapter 14) and subsequent miseries (chapter 15)

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compares with many similar expressions of grief. Jeremiah did not differ from

other prophets in his use of object lessons. The rotted linen waistband (chapter

13), the broken jug (chapter 19), figs (chapter 24), and ox yoke (chapters 27–28)

may be supplemented by human object lessons (chapter 35), and even the prophet

himself, whose celibacy (16:1-4), resistance to sympathetic consolation (16:5-7),

and withdrawal from feasts (16:8-9) all served to illustrate and confirm his

message.

Places where Jeremiah proclaimed his messages helped bear home his point. He

stood in the public gate, where kings came and went, to proclaim that judgment

(fire) would come through the gate (17:19, 27; 39:3). Then he went to the

potter’s house (chapter 18), and then to Hinnom or Topath, which would be called

the Valley of Slaughter (chapter 19).

The persecution suffered by Jeremiah first hinted at (1:8), then predicted (verse

19), expresses its venom privately from his home village (11:19-23). The

prophet’s kindred join the opposition (12:6). Public opposition brings beatings

and the stocks (20:2-3). Jeremiah prefers to keep silent rather than to speak and

suffer (verse 9), but he cannot withhold the word that is as fire in his bones.

The result: all his familiars reproached, derided, terrorized, and denounced him,

then sought his death (verses 7-18). Jeremiah escaped death at the hands of

priests, prophets, and people only because he had a few faithful friends (26:8-

24). When his prophecies began to materialize, hatred mounted. He was beaten and

put into a dungeon for many days (37:14-17) on a false charge. Temporary relief

at the guardhouse (verse 21) lasted only a few days. Officials clamored again for

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his death (38:4) and put him into a cistern, where he sank in the mire (verse 6).

His rescue (verse 10) preserved his life, but his imprisonment at the guardhouse

continued (verse 28). His writings were cut up and burned (36:23); his words were

denied and rejected (43:1-7; 44:16).

The “Book of Hope“ (chapters 30–33) does contain some words of judgment (32:28-

35), and other sections of the prophecy have a few bright spots (3:11-18; 16:14-

16; 23:2-8; 29:10-14), but in a volume otherwise dark, these four chapters bring

pleasant relief. The climax of hope, as indicated also in the longest NT

quotation from Jeremiah (see Hebrews 8:8-12), predicts a new covenant (31:31-40).

Other prophecies also describe the end of the Mosaic law and sacrament (e.g.,

3:16), and the new covenant (32:40; 33:19-26).

Little is known of Jeremiah’s activity or messages from c. 594–589 BC. Zedekiah’s

counselors made clandestine plans for throwing off Babylon’s yoke by alliances

with neighbor nations. A traitor may have reported the conspiracy to Babylon

(perhaps Edom). After Babylon attacked, Zedekiah sought a hopeful report from

Jeremiah but did not get it.

The Recabite faithfulness to the Nazarite vow (chapter 35) dates to the days of

Jehoiakim but as an object lesson fits the siege context. Recabites received a

human command that they obeyed; Jews received a divine command that they

rejected. Recabites will be blessed (35:18-19); Judah, judged (verses 15-17). The

reading of the scroll to Jehoiakim and his scornful rejection of it (chapter 36)

illustrates the prophetic assertion (35:15) that destruction follows the

rejection of God’s message given through the prophets.

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The siege comes into focus in chapter 37 with another inquiry from Zedekiah (the

nonchronological chapters 35–36 serve as an illustrative parenthesis). Jeremiah

37:11 moves forward to the time of the lifting of the siege of 589 BC when

Nebuchadnezzar drove Pharaoh Hophra’s army back to Egypt. During the reprieve,

Jeremiah sought to attend a meeting of relatives to settle family matters at or

near Anathoth. Perhaps the trip involved initiating the purchase that would be

made two years later (32:6-15). However, as he was leaving the city, he was

arrested for desertion to the Babylonians and jailed in a dungeon cell until

Zedekiah granted him privileged prisoner status.

The king’s officers had ample cause for the accusation of sedition: Jeremiah had

encouraged desertion (21:9; 38:2). Traitors deserved death, and this was their

verdict against Jeremiah (38:4-5). The violence of the time encouraged the

officers to select a cruel method of execution: let Jeremiah starve and bury

himself in the mire at the bottom of an abandoned cistern. A sympathetic

Ethiopian, Ebed-melech, made the rescue. Immediately, the unadulterated

prophecies of judgment came forth again from Jeremiah’s lips, including a message

to the king that reflected Jeremiah’s own recent experience: “[Your friends] have

betrayed and misled you. When your feet sank in the mud, they left you to your

fate” (38:22, NLT).

Jeremiah 39:1–43:7 records history from the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC to the

flight into Egypt, including the liberation of Jeremiah (chapter 39), appointment

and assassination of Gedaliah (chapters 40–41), a warning from God against going

to Egypt (chapter 42), and the obdurate disobedience of the people (43:1-7).

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The latest writings of Jeremiah are found in chapter 44. The audience consisted

of idolatrous Jews (44:4-6) gathered from various parts of Egypt as far as Aswan

(Pathros). Jeremiah repeated the appeal of former prophets to reject false gods

in favor of Jehovah, but to no avail (44:15-16).

The message to Baruch (chapter 45), written about 605 BC, is placed here to round

out the main part of the book, which begins with the commission to “break down”

and “pluck up” (1:10) and concludes with the same Hebrew words (45:4). If Baruch

had ambition to obtain status in the Judean court like his brother Seraiah

(51:59), he was advised that it would be useless because disaster would come, as

the preceding chapters indicate.

The oracles against the nations (46–51), introduced by a title superscription

(46:1), constitute a distinct stylistic division similar to Isaiah 13–23, Ezekiel

25–32, and Amos 1:3–2:16.

Some of the prophecies against foreign nations in Jeremiah carry dates that show

that they were written at different points during his ministry but were collected

together for the book.

The prophecy against Egypt opens with a colorful description of Egypt’s expulsion

from Carchemish (605 BC) after a short occupancy (Jeremiah 46:1-12). The second

message (verses 13-26) may picture the attack on Egypt in 601 BC when Neco

stopped Nebuchadnezzar at the border; the attack in 589 BC when Hophra lost in

his attempt to aid Zedekiah; or (most probably) the invasion of Egypt by

Nebuchadnezzar in 568 BC, when Babylon took advantage of the weakness of Egypt to

occupy it. At that time Nebuchadnezzar set up his judgment throne as predicted

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(43:10) and meted out death sentences to all rebels, including those Jews who

might have been implicated in anti-Babylonian conspiracies. The conclusion of the

Egypt oracle repeats part of the Book of Hope (46:27-28, cf. 30:10-11).

Messages against Edom, Arabia, Phoenician cities, and Ammon generally condemn

pride, cruelty, and idolatry. The oracle against Elam is unique. No other prophet

speaks judgment against this people, whose dwelling east of Babylon meant rare

contact with Judah. Jeremiah predicted that Elam would be doomed, then restored.

Ezekiel counts Elamites among the inhabitants of Sheol (Ezekiel 32:24).

The final judgment indicates the unbiased attitude of the prophet. His messages

placed him in an advantageous position with the Babylonians, who treated him with

respect and kindness, in contrast to their cruelty to other Jews. But when God

spoke against Babylon, Jeremiah uttered God’s words without respect to his own

comfort, just as he had spoken against Egypt when silence would have been logical

for self-preservation.

Chapter 51 concludes “the words of Jeremiah.”

Chapter 52 repeats historical facts previously stated prophetically by Jeremiah,

and partially recorded also as history in chapter 39 (cf. 2 Kings 25 and 2

Chronicles 36). The editor of Jeremiah evidently desired to climax the book with

a historical confirmation of Jeremiah’s prophecy, but he included facts beyond

those contained elsewhere.

BOOK OF EZEKIEL

EZEKIEL’S CALL (1:1–3:21)

The prophet’s call in one sense was similar to that of Isaiah

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and Jeremiah. Isaiah received his mission in a vision of God’s glory in the

temple (Isaiah 6). Jeremiah was called unexpectedly in his youth, and received

signs that solemnly set forth the nature of his mission (Jeremiah 1:11-15). The

call of Ezekiel combined those two elements. Revelation of God’s glory to the

prophet at the same time revealed the nature of the prophet’s mission. Ezekiel’s

call contained a full description of God’s glory. Isaiah briefly stated that he

saw the Lord enthroned in the temple, and he concentrated on the seraphim

representing and magnifying God’s glory. Ezekiel elaborated on the revelation of

the Lord’s glory as well as on the ministering angels who went before the Lord as

part of his royal entourage. The vision of God’s glory, though difficult to

understand, is the key to the book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel, as a priest, was concerned about the future of the temple. That sacred

place had been ordained by God as his home among his people. The glory, presence,

and holiness of God were symbolized in the temple (see 1 Kings 8:10-11). In exile

Ezekiel could not serve his people as a priest, for they were far from Jerusalem,

the city God had chosen. Against all expectations the Lord revealed himself to

Ezekiel in the land of Babylon. In calling Ezekiel to a prophetic ministry, God

assured his servant that he had not forsaken his people, even though they had

been banished from the Promised Land.The prophet’s vision began with a storm. As

a large cloud approached from the north, Ezekiel saw a brightness surrounding the

cloud, four creatures, and four wheels. The combination of creatures and wheels

suggests that the Lord appeared in a chariot. God’s chariot is a familiar OT

representation of his coming in judgment (see Isaiah 66:15-16). The wheels within

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wheels and the position of the four living creatures may signify God’s total

control over the whole earth, so he could move his “chariot of judgment” in any

direction. It is also possible that the living creatures with their four faces,

and the wheels full of eyes, may be separate symbols showing that God sees all

that happens and thereby knows the plight of the exiles. In the vision the

prophet’s attention was drawn to a throne above the heads of the creatures. On

the throne was “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD” (1:28).

In his vision of God’s coming in judgment, Ezekiel received his call to the

prophetic ministry: “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to a nation

of rebels who have rebelled against me” (2:3, RSV). During a dark hour of

Israel’s history, Ezekiel had to prophesy, rebuke his fellow exiles (3:11), and

be responsible as a watchman over the house of Israel (3:17; cf. 33:1-9).

Symbolic of his mission was a scroll filled with lamentations and woe (2:9-10),

which when eaten became sweet as honey (3:1-3). Difficult as the mission was,

God’s presence and the certain fulfillment of the prophecies sweetened Ezekiel’s

task. Such encouragement was intended to take away any fear of the rebellious

Israelites (2:6-7). Instead of being elated with his mission, however, Ezekiel

became despondent.A week later, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel to remind

him of his important role as a watchman (3:16-17). Ezekiel became responsible for

Israel as a nation, not just for individuals. His witness to Israel had the

express aim of national repentance (verses 18-19).

Ezekiel was confined to his house by God (3:24-25). The house ministry was to be

carried on only with those Israelites who sought God’s will, for the Lord had

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abandoned those who continued in their apostasy. The prophetic word would not

help the apostates (verse 26). The principle of Ezekiel’s ministry is found in

3:27: “Whenever I give you a message, I will loosen your tongue and let you

speak. Then you will say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ Some of

them will listen, but some will ignore you, for they are rebels” (NLT; cf.

Matthew 11:15; 13:43).

PROPHECIES OF JUDGMENT AGAINST ISRAEL (3:22–24:27)

Symbolism figures prominently in Ezekiel are writing.

His priestly background and preparation probably suited him to receive and

communicate God’s word in symbolic acts and speech. Chapters 4 and 5 contain four

symbolic acts: (1) Jerusalem’s siege is portrayed on a brick (Ezekiel 4:1-3); (2)

Israel’s iniquity is represented by Ezekiel’s lying on his sides (verses 4-8);

(3) Jerusalem’s grief and horror in the last days of the siege are represented by

Ezekiel’s food and drink (verses 9-17); (4) Jerusalem’s fate is represented by

the prophet’s hair being cut off (5:1-4).

Ezekiel’s instructions were further illuminated by God’s explanation of Israel’s

apostasy (5:6-7) and his judgment on Israel (verses 8-12). The judgment will last

until the Israelites admit that in covenant faithfulness their Lord has inflicted

righteous judgment on them (verse 13).God would direct his judgment first against

the people and the city of Jerusalem. Next in line were the mountains of Israel

(chapter 6) and the land (chapter 7). God’s wrath included the cities and cultic

sites in the hill country of Judah, leaving no protection for the people (6:3-6).

Abominations that were practiced throughout the land caused God’s judgment to

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fall on the land as well as on the people (7:2-3, 10-11, 23). But because God is

righteous, he judged the people according to their ways of life, desiring that

they would once more acknowledge him as their God (7:27).

The prophet then (chapters 8–11) focused on the abominations practiced in

Jerusalem, particularly idolatry in the temple courts, which caused the judgment

announced in chapters 1–7. An idol had been erected in the inner court (8:3-5).

By the wall of the court, elders of the city were paying homage to the idols that

surrounded the court (verses 11-12). Closer to the temple, women were weeping for

the god Tammuz (verse 14), and men were worshiping the sun (verse 16). In

preparation for the ultimate judgment on the land, the prophet placed a mark on

the foreheads of the few faithful Israelites so that they would survive (9:4-6).

Then (chapter 10), the glory of God, which had filled the temple from the time of

Solomon, gradually left: “Then the glory of the LORD went up from the city and

stopped above the mountain to the east” (11:23, NLT). The people, now without

divine protection, were being handed over to the Babylonians (verse 9).

The message of doom for Jerusalem contains four elements of hope: restoration of

the people (11:17), restoration of the land (verse 17), purification of the

people (verse 18), and renewed fellowship between God and his people (verses 19-

20). The prophet develops those four themes in chapters 33–48.

The visions of chapters 10 and 11 made clear that when God removed his presence

from Jerusalem, the exile was approaching. Those who were already in Babylon were

unwilling to believe that such an extensive devastation of Jerusalem would happen

or that the people would all be exiled and the land become desolate.

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Ezekiel acted out the certainty of God’s word of judgment by packing his bags and

showing the baggage to his fellow exiles. First, he placed the bags in the

courtyard outside his modest home. Next, he went out by making a hole through the

wall. Finally, the prophet walked about the settlement with his bags in full

view. Skeptical observers did not understand Ezekiel and probably thought he was

crazy. The believers who saw him understood. His strange actions dramatized how

the king’s aides would do all they could to help King Zedekiah escape just before

the fall of Jerusalem. Second Kings 25 tells how the king and his soldiers left

Jerusalem for the wilderness, to be overtaken by the Babylonians at Jericho and

brought before Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah. As a captive, Zedekiah witnessed the

murder of his sons; then his eyes were put out, and he was sent into exile with

the other Judeans (cf. Ezekiel 12:13). The prophet’s explanation concluded with a

word of comfort. Because of his covenant with Abraham, God promised not to

destroy the people completely. A remnant who overcame the sword, famine, and

pestilence would live to tell the story of God’s judgment (verses 15-16).

Ezekiel further illustrated the nation’s plight by eating as though full of fear,

depicting the great trauma that all of Judah’s inhabitants would soon undergo.

Both symbolic acts, packing his belongings and eating, emphasized the

truthfulness of God’s word. The people needed to face the nature of their God: He

is magnificent, and when he speaks, his words are powerful and come to pass.

Thus, the devastation of the land and the people’s exile were a fulfillment of

God’s word through the prophets. The judgment was meant to produce a recognition

of the Lord, repentance, and a return to God. Some in Judah doubted the efficacy

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of God’s prophecies, saying, “Time passes, making a liar of every prophet”

(12:22). Others thought God’s word would come true in the distant future (verse

27). The prevailing attitude of distrust in God’s word had been stimulated by the

popular preaching of false prophets (chapter 13). Never commissioned by the Lord,

they deceived God’s people by lying and misdirecting them with messages of peace

(verses 8-10). Wickedness, lying, and deceit were encouraged among the people by

such false prophets (verse 22). The magnitude of their sin and their great

responsibility for Judah’s fall would be matched by the Lord’s heavy judgment.

Yet God would save his people from such evil and will prepare a righteous nation

with whom to maintain his covenant (verse 23).

The certainty of the judgment has been connected with the truthfulness of

God’s word. Ezekiel’s difficult task of affirming the doom of Jerusalem to

stubborn hearers was intensified by the people’s idolatry. Their whole way of

life denied the existence of God. They practiced idolatry in their worship, and

they had set up idols in their hearts (14:3). Before the covenant with God could

be restored, they had to be purified from their idolatry. Even so, repentance

would not guarantee immunity from judgment. Sword, famine, wild beasts, and

plagues would ravage the population (verse 21). After the execution of his

judgment, God would take back those survivors who had turned to him for mercy.

God would surely accomplish all that he intended for his people’s good (verse

23).

In chapters 15–17 Ezekiel uses three parables to set forth the apostasy, present

uselessness, and judgment of Israel. Jerusalem and Judah are compared to a piece

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of charred wood, an adulterous woman, and a vine.

Chapter 15 reviews Jerusalem’s case. Jerusalem is compared to a piece of wood,

both ends of which have been charred with fire, so that the wood is of no value.

As the whole piece of wood is burned instead of being saved, so Jerusalem would

undergo complete devastation (15:7-8).

Chapter 16 presents God’s case against Jerusalem from a different perspective,

stressing his care for Jerusalem in the past. The beginnings of her history are

compared to the birth of a female child, left abandoned by her mother (16:3-5).

God adopted the child and washed and clothed her (verses 6-7). He made a covenant

with her (verse 8), making her his own possession. He generously gave her all the

fine things of life (verses 9-13). In the height of her development, Jerusalem’s

fame spread to the nations (verse 14). Her self-reliance made her a spiritual

prostitute as she took up the religious practices and way of life of the nations

(verses 15-34). The cities of Sodom (Genesis 19) and Samaria (2 Kings 17:6),

known for their immorality, are called Jerusalem’s sisters (Ezekiel 16:46). They

had been judged by God, but the corruption of those cities was little compared to

the lewdness of Jerusalem (verses 48-51). Thus, Jerusalem also would surely fall

and become desolate. Yet Ezekiel anticipates the judgment’s final outcome;

Jerusalem will be restored to covenantal blessing (verses 62-63) after her

repentance.

The third parable (chapter 17) focuses on God’s sovereignty over political

developments. Assyria was no longer a power to be reckoned with. Babylon and

Egypt both exercised dominion, although the balance of power was veering in favor

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of Babylon. Their extension of power is likened to an eagle. Nebuchadnezzar,

pictured as “a great eagle with broad wings full of many-colored feathers,” took

control over the affairs of Judah by removing Jehoiachin, “the highest branch of

a cedar tree,” from office and by exiling him with young leaders of the Judean

state (17:3-4). Ezekiel was among them. Nebuchadnezzar let the Judeans control

their own affairs under Zedekiah but expected them to be subject to Babylon and

not to any other power. But Judah (likened to a vine) tried to ally itself with

Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt, “another great eagle with broad wings and full plumage”

(verse 7), against Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah’s folly in turning to Egypt would

cause Nebuchadnezzar to pull up the vine by its roots and make it wither (verses

9-10). In explaining the parable, God told the exiles that Judah’s fall was a

result of its unfaithfulness to King Nebuchadnezzar, to whom Judah owed

allegiance by covenant (verses 13-18). Judah’s unfaithfulness thus extended to

all of its relationships: religious, cultural, and political. After the exile,

God promised, he would restore his people to their land under a Messiah, “a

tender shoot” (verse 22). The messianic rule is signified by the young twig,

which when planted in the land will become a magnificent cedar, giving shade and

protection to the birds. Chapter 17 is an inspiring affirmation of the

sovereignty of God in human affairs (“All the trees will know that it is I, the

LORD, who cuts down the tall tree and helps the short tree to grow tall. It is I

who makes the green tree wither and gives new life to the dead tree”—17:24, NLT).

Chapters 18–22 contain Ezekiel’s oracles to Judah, its leaders, and the exiles.

First, he enunciates God’s standard of righteousness: “The person who sins will

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be the one who dies” (18:4, NLT). The people are charging God with injustice, for

they believe themselves to be under God’s judgment for the sins of their

ancestors (verses 25-29). Although the Ten Commandments do say that God may

punish “the sins of their parents to the third and the fourth generations”

(Exodus 20:5, NLT), the prophet vindicates God’s justice, telling the people that

they are not being punished merely for their ancestors’ sin. Each person must be

directly accountable to God; the sinner will die in wickedness, and the righteous

will live by righteousness. A life of faithfulness to God’s moral and civil law

will be rewarded (Ezekiel 18:5-9). Even if one’s father was a sinner, the

father’s sin is not transferable (verses 14-18). God is ready to forgive any

sinner who repents (verse 27). The prophet’s vindication of God’s justice becomes

a call to repentance. The sinners in Judah and in exile were thus warned of the

consequences of their evil, and were exhorted to return to their God and his

standard of right and wrong (verses 31-32).

Chapter 19 contains two parables in the form of a lamentation. The first portrays

a lioness and her two cubs. The lioness is Hamutal, the wife of King Josiah (2

Kings 23:31), who bore two sons: Jehoahaz and Zedekiah. Jehoahaz is referred to

in Ezekiel 19:3-4 as a cub who grew up and was taken to Egypt (by Pharaoh Neco in

608 BC; see 2 Kings 23:31-34). Zedekiah succeeded to the throne ten years later.

In the lamentation the prophet imaginatively represents Zedekiah as a young cub

who is ultimately taken to Babylon as a rebellious ruler (Ezekiel 19:7-9). The

second parable changes the imagery to a vine, representing Israel (verse 10). In

its early days God blessed Israel with strong rulers, but now the vine was

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wilting as Zedekiah irresponsibly led Judah to its last days. Ezekiel’s

lamentation stresses the lack of a good candidate for the throne and the lack of

life in the vine (verses 13-14).

In chapter 20 the prophet concludes God’s argument against his people. He reviews

the history of Israel’s past, starting with God’s self-revelation in Egypt (20:5-

6). He took to himself a stubborn nation, tied to idolatry (verse 8) and prone to

apostasy (verses 13, 21). Israel wanted to be one of the great nations (verse 32)

instead of a sanctified people (verse 12). As a result of its spiritual hardness,

Israel is dispersed to live among the nations (verse 35). Yet God had a solemn

covenant with Israel, made by oath to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

On the basis of that covenant, God will reach out with compassion to those who

repent of their sinful ways (verses 37-44). In Israel’s judgment and restoration

the nations will see the holiness of God, which does not tolerate unfaithfulness

in Israel (verse 41).

Ezekiel’s prophecies alternate between God’s judgment on Israel’s sin and his

restoration of Israel, spanning the bridge between Israel’s past and future. In

view of the people’s doubts of the coming judgment on Jerusalem, he stresses the

necessity of judgment and the need for repentance. Still, the future restoration

of a remnant is touched upon here and there as the counterpart of his message of

judgment. After announcing the fall of Jerusalem, the prophet shifts from a

message of judgment to one of hope.

The prophet returns to the proclamation of judgment in four oracles (20:45–

21:32). He speaks against the Negev Desert area (20:45-49), Jerusalem and the

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land of Israel (21:2-17, 20-27), and against the Ammonites (verses 28-32). God

permitted the sword of Nebuchadnezzar to be his instrument of judgment upon the

Judeans (verse 19). He would see to the judgment on the Ammonites. The Judeans

would recover their previous glory, but the memory of the Ammonites would perish

(verses 27, 32). The oracle against the Ammonites anticipates a larger treatise

on Israel’s other neighbors: Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt

(chapters 25–29).

Chapters 22–24 contain a renewed series of indictments against Jerusalem.

Jerusalem’s religious and civil leadership (the prophets, priests, and princes)

are corrupt, and the people have followed their example (22:25-30). The parable

of the two sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, is a variation of the parable of

adulterous Jerusalem (chapter 23; cf. chapter 16). It differs in that the

comparison drawn between Jerusalem, soon to be exiled, and Samaria, already in

exile, is more explicit in the parable of Oholah and Oholibah. In chapter 16

Jerusalem was charged with greater sins than Sodom and Samaria, but was promised

restoration. Only the adulterous nature of the two sisters and God’s judgment on

them is emphasized in chapter 23, with no word of restoration. This parable is a

fitting introduction to that of the boiling pot (chapter 24), in which Jerusalem

is compared to a rusty pot boiling with water. The Jerusalemites, likened to

pieces of meat in the boiling pot, will die in the city. The parable was

pronounced on the starting day of Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem. Thus, the

exiles were divinely forewarned of God’s intent to destroy the temple (24:21) and

were prepared for messengers bringing the bad news of Jerusalem’s fall.

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Those oracles and parables conclude the first division of the book. Ezekiel has

stated God’s case against the rebellious house of Judah in many ways. His

metaphors have likened Judah to a burnt piece of wood, to an uprooted vine, to a

baby who grew up to be an adulteress, and to Oholibah, the adulterous woman. He

has countered arguments against the fulfillment of God’s word and against the

justice of God. He has reassured the exiles that God will not leave the righteous

and that the future of Israel begins with a righteous remnant. The pendulum of

Ezekiel’s writing has swung from judgment to restoration, while the clock was

bringing Judah closer to the hour of its fall.

ORACLES AGAINST THE NATIONS (25:1–32:32)

Ammon, Moab, and Edom were Israel’s neighbours to the east. Because

they were ethnically related to Israel, they were not attacked by the Israelites

on their march to the Promised Land. Ammon and Moab were descendants of Lot,

Abraham’s nephew, and the Edomites descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob.

Although God forbade war with them, relations between Israel and its eastern

neighbours were always tense. Israel had been overrun by the Ammonites for a

time, and Israel was never successful in controlling the Edomites’ competitive

trade relations. Those neighbouring nations joined the Babylonian attack against

Jerusalem and rejoiced when Jerusalem fell and the temple was devastated (Ezekiel

25:3-12). They were ready to take over and loot Judah’s cities, and to instigate

trouble in a time when Jerusalem was distressed. Therefore, says Ezekiel, God’s

judgment will also extend to Ammon, Moab, and Edom (verses 4-14).

The Philistines had been Israel’s enemy to the southwest. During the period of

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the judges and the united monarchy, the Philistines had controlled much of

Israel’s territory. King David successfully limited the Philistine threat by

confining them to their own territory. But in Ezekiel’s day they were still

considered Israel’s “everlasting” enemy (25:15), possibly intensified by

Philistine support of the Babylonian invasion of Judah.

The city of Tyre had received reports of the overthrow of Jerusalem and was ready

to exploit the opportunity for its own advantage (26:2). Tyre’s trade position

was unrivaled; its ships crossed the seas to exchange goods with many distant

lands (Ezekiel 27). But Tyre would soon be broken by the Babylonians, its wealth

dried up with the destruction of the fleet and the murder of its sailors (27:26).

The prince of Tyre is singled out in chapter 28, but verse 12 refers to the

“king” of Tyre. Interpreters disagree whether they are one person or two. Those

who distinguish between the two understand the prince of Tyre to be the ruler of

that city, but they consider the “king” of Tyre to represent Satan (28:13-15).

The Garden of Eden with all its splendor is an appropriate setting for the

original glory of an angelic Satan before his fall. But there is no reason within

the context to distinguish between the prince and the king of Tyre. Each is said

to have exalted himself, and both took authority over men as if they were gods

and enjoyed all the splendor and royalty that belong to God. And both prince and

king fall from their high position. The passage is a magnificent example of

Ezekiel’s literary ability. He draws a glorious picture of the Garden of Eden,

reworking the same theme as he depicts the glory and fall of the king of Tyre.

Ezekiel presents him as a cherub, in accordance with the local belief that the

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king was divine. He wore the finest clothing, with nine kinds of precious stones

(verse 13). Though God had elevated him to the royal throne (verses 13-14), the

king’s heart turned to materialism and to religious and judicial corruption

(verses 16-18). In a sense the king (prince) represents the people of Tyre. They

were all guilty of corruption, injustice, and violence. If God judged his

covenant people for their perversion of justice and for their sins, his judgment

would surely come also on the city of Tyre (verses 18-19). When the Babylonians

marched on Tyre, they laboriously built a jetty from the mainland to the city. At

the same time Tyrian ships loaded with goods and treasures sailed out across the

Mediterranean, so that when Nebuchadnezzar’s troops finally breached the walls,

little loot could be taken (29:18).

The city of Sidon also cheered Jerusalem’s destruction. Sidon was a port city in

Phoenicia, to the north of Tyre. By pestilence and war, the inhabitants of Sidon

would learn the justice of Israel’s God.

Six nations (Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Sidon) scorned Israel at the

fall of Jerusalem. Because God had invested his holiness in the temple of

Jerusalem and in his people, the temple’s destruction and the people’s exile

signified to the nations that Israel’s God was impotent. They did not realize

that the reason for Israel’s fate was God’s intolerance of his people’s sin.

God’s holiness required the punishment of sin, and it also required vindication

for his name (28:22-23). God was still concerned for his people, that Israel

might know he had removed the scorn of their neighbors (verse 24). In the

restoration of Israel the Lord would further manifest his holiness before the

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nations. Israel would receive back the land, vineyards, and houses, and would

enjoy the bounty of the Lord in peace (verses 25-26).

Egypt had convinced the people of Israel and Judah that with its help the

Assyrians and the Babylonians could not stand their ground in Palestine. In 722

BC the Assyrian troops took the northern capital of Samaria, and in 586 the

Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, while Egypt remained passive. The Egyptians had

desired control over Palestine for economic reasons, but not at the expense of

their own welfare. Egypt, too, would lose its leadership under God’s judgment

(29:9-16). Reduced to dependence on foreign powers, Egypt would no longer be a

stumbling block for Israel. First, Babylonia was permitted to break Egypt’s power

(23:1–32:21); later, the Persians, Greeks, and Romans would incorporate Egypt as

a province. The fall of Egypt coincided with the fall of several great and small

kingdoms: Assyria (32:22-23), Elam (verses 24-25), Meshech and Tubal (verses 26-

28), Edom (verse 29), and Sidon (verse 30).

PROCLAMATION OF HOPE (33:1–48:35)

After the visions of God’s judgment on the surrounding nations, Ezekiel

returns to the future hope of Israel. In the first major section of his book he

dealt with the reasons for Judah’s exile and the destruction of the temple,

alluding often to the future of Israel. But the prophet’s organization of his

material included, between prophecies of Israel’s judgment and restoration, the

oracles of God’s judgment on Israel’s neighbors who had encouraged and rejoiced

in its fall. Throughout its history Israel had allowed foreign nations to

influence its religion, culture, and form of government. The reduction of their

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powers meant Israel, restored to the Promised Land, would be more free for

faithfulness to God. Before taking up the theme of the restoration, Ezekiel

reviews the emphases of chapters 1–24: (1) He was called to be a watchman over

Israel (33:1-9; cf. 1:1–3:21). (2) Israel had sinned against the Lord and had to

receive a righteous judgment (33:10). (3) Jerusalem was to be taken by the

Babylonians (verse 21). (4) Israel’s repentance is necessary for restoration

(verses 11-16).Thus far, his ministry had not met with success. The exiles who

had heard his messages were full of appreciation for Ezekiel’s rhetorical and

literary abilities (33:32). They readily accepted Ezekiel as a watchman who

warned the people of the impending catastrophe at Jerusalem, and they may have

admitted that their sin was the reason for God’s judgment on Israel and

Jerusalem. But they were slow in applying the prophetic word to their own lives.

God was ready to forgive their sins if they repented, acknowledged him, and

demonstrated their renewed spirit by practicing the law of God (verse 32). Now

that the news of Jerusalem had been reported to the exiles (verse 21), the

necessity for the people to act responsibly was even more urgent. The Lord had

demonstrated that Ezekiel was a true prophet (verse 33).

The success of Ezekiel’s ministry was not measured in numbers. He faithfully

declared the word of God in word, sign, and parable. The exiles had followed the

false hopes proclaimed by false “shepherds” who had fattened themselves at the

expense of the flock (34:2-3). They did not take care of those in need (verse 4),

and they allowed the flock to be scattered (verses 5-6). God promised his people

that he would be the faithful shepherd, bring the sheep together, feed them, and

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care for them (34:11-15; cf. Psalm 23). God would also distinguish between the

sheep and the goats, to find out whose hearts were right with him, so that the

true sheep could be restored to God’s flock (Ezekiel 34:20-22). God’s promise

included the restoration of the land and the restoration of the divinely

appointed Davidic dynasty (verse 24). The renewed fellowship between the Lord and

Israel under the messianic ruler would be sealed with a new covenant, the

“covenant of peace.” That covenant assured the people of God’s blessing on their

labor, bringing them abundant harvests (verses 26-27). The people would not be

forced to fight against nature in their pursuits (verses 25-28). They would not

have to struggle against other peoples who might try to share in their blessings

by force (verses 27-29). The prophetic vision telescoped the events of the

restoration of Israel after the exile, the coming of Jesus the Messiah (cf. John

10), and the full restoration of the sin-cursed world.Chapter 34 is the key to

the messages of restoration. The emphases include the outworking of the

frequently repeated verse “They will truly be my people, and I will be their God”

(11:20; cf. 34:30; 36:28). The most significant aspects of the restoration theme

include: (1) God’s gracious restoration of his people to covenant blessing

(36:20-36; 37:23-26; 39:25); (2) God’s restoration of the nation of Israel to the

land (36:1-15, 24; 37:14-23; 39:27); (3) God’s new covenant, giving his Spirit to

his people (36:25-27; 37:14; 39:29), and his blessing on his people (36:8-12, 29-

38; 39:9-10, 26), assuring them of victory over their enemies (35:1-15; 36:36;

37:28; 38:1–39:24); (4) God’s appointment of a Davidic king, the Messiah, over

his people (37:24-25); and (5) God’s temple restored among his people (37:26-27).

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THE PEOPLE OF GOD

The rejection of the exiles did not last forever. Based on the Abrahamic

covenant, the Lord promised to bless the faithful remnant and to make of them a

new people. The imagery of a valley of dry bones is particularly fitting. The dry

bones represent God’s people without hope (37:11). Ezekiel proclaims to them the

good news that God will renew and restore them (verse 12). The Lord’s purpose for

his people is that all the nations may honor his holy name through his people

(39:7, 25-27).

THE LAND

The promise also extends to the land, originally given to Abraham and his

descendants. The Abrahamic covenant included a messianic element, for through the

family of Abraham living in the Promised Land all nations would receive God’s

blessing (Genesis 12:3). In a vision Ezekiel saw the boundaries and described the

division of the land (Ezekiel 47–48). The royal city of Jerusalem is the central

symbol of God’s presence among his people; its name will be “The Lord is there”

(48:8-35).

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