Stdy Paper P.

Riley
OT 3: Exilic & Post­Exilic Prophets 2007

Introduction to the Exilic Prophets, with special reference to Ezekiel.

1. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Timeline See PDF timeline

2. THE EXILIC PROPHETS

• Deportation to Babylon took place in stages beginning in 605BC
• Daniel was first and finished in 587BC but officially in 589 with Cyrus’ edict. And return
of exiles
• For this exilic period cover fall of Jerusalem to edict of Cyrus
• Exilic prophets then are:
• Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, 2nd Isaiah (40-55)1

3. THE ALTERNATIVES WHICH CONFRONTED ISRAEL IN EXILE

• three options (Ackroyd 4 but 2 are similar)
a. Return to older cults
• Particularly clear in Jer 44
• Worship of female deities was practiced prior to Josiah’s reform
• Further evidence in Ezek 8
b. Accept religion of conquerors
• Similar to previous response but embarks on new rather than old
• Tempting :’ Babylon seems to be blessed
• No direct evidence that they did this but plenty of wngs against
• Is 46 mentions Bel and Nebo (Babylonians carry their gods YHWH carries Israel)
c. Recognise the disaster as judgement and so return to YHWH
• Response of exilic prophets
• Interpreted the exile in light of the blessings and curses of the Sinai covenant and earlier
prophetic wngs.
• Implication being that YHWH is in control and the only one Israel can turn to.

3. THE PROPHET EZEKIEL

a) The man
• Son of Buzi a priest (1:3) and trained for the priesthood.
• Married (24:16) and fond of his wife
• Status amoung the exiles as the elders met in his house (8:1, 14:1, 20:1).
b) Place of ministry.
• Different locales suggested
d. Babylon
• As stated in 1:1
• Although addressed to Judah no hint in book that he ever ministered in Palestine
• Lived amongst the exiles yet under the influence of the SPIRIT able to return to his
homeland.
e. Palestine
• Herntrich suggested Palestine and that a latter disciple added Babylonian context
f. Double Ministry
• Bertholet argued that Ezekiel received call (c.593) and ministered first in Palestine.
1
Authorship of this disputed but undeniable that the prophecy has the exile in view.

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OT 3: Exilic & Post­Exilic Prophets 2007

• Prior to fall he moved to Judah

• Taken to Babylon (587) and 2nd call

Consensus that “house of Israel” was meant exiled community and he didn’t yell across the desert
to them. Relevance of his prophecy directed at Jerusalem also applies to the exiles (see notes)

5: THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL2

a) Unity
• Until 1920 thought of as one book
• 1924 Holscher claimed Ezek a poet and he didn’t write the prose sections
• also out was any poetry not meeting the meter typical of Ezek (symbolism mixed with fact)
• this left him with only 144/1273 verses.
• Contrast Greenberg who argues for integrity of work as product of one hand and mind.
• Recent comments opt for a via medina.
• Conclusion Ezek is chief author/editor of book.

b) Structure
Two great themes: sin and judgement, 1-24, restoration and blessing, 33-48, separated by news of
Jerusalem’s fall, 24:26, 33:21, the turning point of Ezekiel’s ministry.
(i) Visions of glory
Ch1 the glory appears in Babylon
Ch 8-11 the glory leaves Jerusalem
Ch 40-48 the glory returns to Jerusalem
These 3 visions are linked in 43:3
(ii) The central pivot: chapters 25-32
• Collection of oracles against the foreign nations stands at centre of the book, flanked by
references to fall of Jerusalem. 24:1-2, 33:21.
(iii) The balancing of contrasting elements: judgement and salvation
• 1-24 essentially –ve
• 33-48 +ve.
• Other balancing elements
• 2 x sentinel passages chs 3 & 33
• prophecy against (6) and for (36) the mountains of Israel
• scattering and gathering of bones
• temple defiled and restored
• glory departs and returns
Outline
A: Oracles against Jerusalem and Judah, chs. 1-24
1- 3 Call and commission
4- 7 Enacted messages and oracles of judgement
8-11 Sin and punishment of Jerusalem
12-24 Oracles about sins of Israel and Judah
B: Oracles against foreign nations, chs. 25-32
25 Neighbours: Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia
26-28 Tyre
29-32 Egypt
C: Oracles of restoration, chs. 33-48
2
For a helpful reconstruction of the discrete phases involved in the process from prophetic speech to prophetic book,
see Block (1997), p.18.

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OT 3: Exilic & Post­Exilic Prophets 2007

33-37 Restoration to Palestine

38-39 Battle with Gog
40.48 New Jerusalem

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OT 3: Exilic & Post­Exilic Prophets 2007

The Theology of the Exilic Prophets

I: EZEKIEL
1. A Theology of the Spirit
• One of the outstanding marks of Ezeks ministry.
• Book begins with a vision of a stormy ruach wind which is closely associated with God
himself
• Spirit animates creatures and drives his chariot wheels
• Ch 2 ruach enters him and stands him up in prep for hearing God likewise ‘resurrects’ the
nation in ch 37.
• It is the spirit inspired prophecy of Ezek that breathes life into the nation
• Also the new covenant passages of ch 11 & 36 feature the Spirit centrally.
• New age will be an age with a ‘new spirit’ placed in the hearts of God’s people. Thus
changing to receptors of God’s word.
• Where Jer speaks of the law written on the heart, Ezek speaks of Spirit changing hearts of
stone to hearts of flesh.
• New age beyond judgment is age of the spirit.

2. A Theology of Purification
• Priestly background particularly prominent.
• Crowning sin which brought about the fall of J was defilement of Y sanctuary.
• This idolatrous practice was pandemic through the land.
• Penalty is expulsion.
• Judgement in ch 10 is pictured ritual purification.
• Ch 36 explicitly uses the language of purification.
• Book culminates in scene of perfect unity in which pure people offer pure worship.

3. A Theology of Divine Rule (most fundamental aspect to Ezek’s theo)

• Consistently affirms that Israel is a theocracy (truth of Sinai cov) .
• Book begins with YHWH lifted on high above the creatures.
• Temple symbol of divine kingship. (poss why such a strong feature in Ezeks future vision).
• 40-48 shows Isreal rtnd to their theological roots – gathered around YHWH.
• Throughout the book kingly rule exercised in judgement (1-24); then salvation (33-48).
This stress on Divine kingship finds its reflex in Ezeks –ve attitude towards human kings. Critical
of kings of Judah after Josiah.
While there is genuine Messianic currents to Ezeks vision of the new age (34 & 37) it is
guarded (see esp role of prince in 40-48). This tension is overcome in the NT :’ human and
divine kingship is combined in X. this results in perfect harmony between the 2; one doesn’t
usurp or threaten the other; they co-exist in perfect harmony.

4. A Theology of Reunification
• Tragic result of the maonarchy period is fracturing of the nation.
• Frther fracturing of Judah into Palestine and Babylon.
• Not just physical but psychological also.
• Palestinian community wrote off exiles as spiritual rejects (11:14-15).
• Ezek affirmed this as incorrect. Physical removal not excommunication.

• Ezek’s understanding of unity of God’s people derived from view of God’s kingship

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OT 3: Exilic & Post­Exilic Prophets 2007

• If one Shepherd (34) then only one flock (37).

• 12 tribes around central sanctuary is vision of unity under God.

• Of course this does not include the Gentiles.

• Seen more clearly in Isaiah.
• But still HINTS in Ezek
• e.g. Lords action in restoring Israel will have an affect the nations they will know
that he is YHWH and that he has done it (35:15; 36:36)
• life giving water from temple in ch 47 reminiscent of Gen 2 with waters from Eden.
• Hint here that blessing on Israel will overflow to the ret of the world.
• In NT X apparently alludes to the shepherd passages when he speaks of himself as the
good shepherd and foreshadows the inclusion of the Gentiles. 1flock; 1 shepherd (Jn
10:16).

5. A Theology of Divine Jealousy

• esp. evident in ch 36 where ? of divine motivation comes up.
• Basically YHWH is jealous for what is his and will not allow it to be permanently misused.
• He will act in jealous wrath against those who misuse what is his 36:6.
• 2 aspects
• jealous for his people who are misused by the nations (36:6-7).
• for his name and reputation (39:25; 36:20-23; 32).
These 2 are of course closely related since YHWH name and rep are closely related to the
condition of his people. The most important though from Ezeks perspective is his name and rep.
this is YHWHs fundamental motivation. This undercuts human pride and has its theological roots
in Decalogue (ex 20:5)

6. A Theology of Individual Responsibility

• seen particularly in chs. 3 & 33 and father & son passage in ch.18.
• Factors are:
• Dissolution of national structures as result of exile. Scattered people felt like
collected indiv than a nation.
• Tendency to see themselves as victims suffering for sins of past generation IOT
avoid responsibility.
• Against this backgnd Ezek places more emphasis than previous prophets on indiv.
• As a ‘sentinel’ his ministry was to warn and rebuke indiv.
• While ch 18 is more about divine justice then indiv resp, the latter is clearly assumed.
• Indiv resp not a new thing though just a new stress in Jer and Ezek.
• Developed strongly in intertestamental period and in Xnty.