that Jehovah had had a prophet in the midst of them. Even though they would refuse to listen, if he failed to warn them with the words Jehovah gave him, he would be held responsible for their lives—he would be bloodguilty.—Ezek. 3:7, 17, 18; 2:4, 5; 33:2-9.

TABLEAUX AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Ezekiel frequently prophesied by means of tableaux, performance of symbolic actions, and by visions, allegories or parables. A most outstanding tableau was the 390- and 40-day picture of the siege of Jerusalem, which contains an important time prophecy. It required obedience, patience and much faith to carry out this pictorial warning to a faithless, ridiculing people. During the siege of Jerusalem Ezekiel turned prophetic attention to the pagan nations that hated Israel and would take part in and rejoice in Israel’s downfall, describing the punishment Jehovah would bring upon them. Subsequent to the fall of Jerusalem the tone of Ezekiel’s prophesying was changed. After a strong condemnation of Israel’s greedy shepherds and of Seir, he directed his prophetic activities toward building faith in the promise of God that Israel would be revived, regathered and united, and that the glorious shepherdship of Jehovah’s “servant David” would bless them to time indefinite under a covenant of peace. (Ezek. chap. 37) Ezekiel then gives a detailed description of the rebuilt temple, “blueprinted” for him by Jehovah. This visionary temple was prophetic of something in the far distant future, for no such temple was ever actually constructed.—Ezek. chaps. 40-48.

SIMILARITIES TO WORK OF JESUS CHRIST

There are similarities in the work done by Ezekiel and by Jesus. Both Ezekiel and Jesus had to go up against an indifferent, hardhearted people with a message of condemnation and also a message of hope for those who would turn from their wicked course. Ezekiel was told that people would come and hear his words, but their hearts would not respond. (Ezek. 33:30-32) Likewise, many crowds came out to hear Jesus talk, but few responded to his teachings. Ezekiel preached to captives in Babylonia. Jesus stated his commission to preach release to the captives. (Luke 4:18) He plainly explained to the Jews that they were in spiritual bondage and needed release, which he was sent to provide. (John 8:31-36) Like Ezekiel, he never acted as a reprover of the Jews with his own words, but spoke what Jehovah told him to say.—John 5:19, 30.

EZEKIEL’S HOPE

Ezekiel was faithful to God, carrying out every command given, even though his job was difficult. He is among those of the prophets who endured through faith and who were “reaching out for a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven.” (Heb. 11:16) While not of the class that makes up the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 11:11), Ezekiel looked forward to the time of the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom and will in due time receive, by resurrection, fulfillment of the promise of God and the blessing of Messianic rule. (Heb. 11:39, 40) Ezekiel was outstanding in energy, courage, obedience and zeal for the worship of God.

EZEKIEL, BOOK OF

This remarkable prophecy bears the name of the prophet who was given this series of prophetic warnings and visions. Ezekiel the son of Buzi, a priest, may have completed writing the book in Babylonia in the year 591 B.C.E. It covers a period of approximately twenty-two years, from 613 to about 591 B.C.E.—Ezek. 1:1-3; 29:17.

The book of Ezekiel is distinguished by visions, similes, allegories or parables and especially by performance of symbolic actions, as when Ezekiel was told by God to engrave a sketch of Jerusalem on a brick and then to stage a mock siege against it as a sign to Israel. (4:1-17) Other symbolic actions were the joining of two sticks, representing the two houses of Israel (37:15-23), and Ezekiel’s digging a hole in a wall and going out with his luggage, representing the captivity of Jerusalem. (12:3-13) The illustration of Oholah and Oholibah is one of the vivid allegories of the book. (Chap. 23) Another notable feature of the book of Ezekiel is the meticulous care Ezekiel took to date his prophecies, giving not only the year of King Jehoiachin’s exile but also the month and day of the month.—1:1, 2; 29:1; 30:20; 31:1; 32:1; 40:1.

AUTHENTICITY

Proof of the book’s authenticity is to be found in the fulfillment of its prophecies. (For examples see TYRE; EDOM, EDOMITES; AMMONITES.) Further attesting to the authenticity of this book is archaeology. The noted American archaeologist W. F. Albright wrote in his book The Bible After Twenty Years of Archaeology: “Archaeological data have . . . demonstrated the substantial originality of the Books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, of Ezra and Nehemiah beyond doubt, they have confirmed the traditional picture of events as well as their order.”

The authenticity of the book of Ezekiel is supported by its harmony with the other books of the Bible, although it is not quoted or cited directly by any of the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Allusions to some of its statements and similar expressions are, nevertheless, found profusely. Ezekiel and Jesus speak of the drying up of a moist tree. (Ezek. 17:24; Luke 23:31) Ezekiel and Jesus both spoke of a judgment of people as sheep and goats. (Ezek. 34:17; Matt. 25:32, 33) The book of Revelation uses many illustrations similar to those in Ezekiel.—Compare Ezekiel 1:28—Revelation 4:3; Ezekiel 10:3, 4—Revelation 15:8; Ezekiel 12:25—Revelation 10:6; Ezekiel 37:10—Revelation 11:11.

It is to be noted that among the Chester Beatty Greek Biblical papyri is one codex containing, among other portions of the Bible, Ezekiel, Daniel and Esther. These are all found in one codex, probably consisting originally of one hundred and eighteen leaves. It is a copy written by two scribes, likely in the first half of the third century, indicating the substantial soundness of the book of Ezekiel as it has come down to us.

Since Jeremiah and Ezekiel were contemporaries, their prophecies have many things in common. (Compare Ezekiel 18:2—Jeremiah 31:29; Ezekiel 24:3—Jeremiah 1:13; Ezekiel 34:2—Jeremiah 23:1.) Daniel and Ezekiel, also contemporaries, have similarities of expression in their writings. Ezekiel, while bound by cords, prophesied about the kingdom of Judah and designated a year in fulfillment for each day of the prophecy. (Ezek. 4:4-8) Likewise, Daniel spoke of a tree stump banded and a day-for-a-year time feature, a prophecy concerning the kingdom. (Dan. 4:23) Another time prophecy of Daniel was the seventy weeks in connection with the coming of the Messiah the Leader, also using a day to symbolize a year in the fulfillment.—Dan. 9:24-27.

ARRANGEMENT OF MATERIAL

For the most part, Ezekiel’s prophecies and visions are arranged chronologically as well as topically. The four verses of chapter 29:17-20 are placed out of their chronological order (compare Ezekiel 29:1; 30:20), but topically they belong here with the prophecy against Egypt. Up until the tenth month of the ninth year of the first captivity, the central point around which Ezekiel’s prophecies revolved was the complete fall and desolation of Jerusalem, with only brief references to the restoration. Such is the tenor of the first twenty-four chapters. During the siege of Jerusalem, the prophet turned his attention mainly to pronouncing woes upon the pagan nations