BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

The book of Ezekiel opens with one of the most depressing birthday parties of all time. Ezekiel is one of the exiled people of Israel. On the day he turns 30, he sits on the bank of an irrigation canal. To say that Ezekiel’s had a rough year would be an understatement.

Ezekiel was supposed to be ordained as a priest in Jerusalem during that year, which means he would have been serving Yahweh in the golden splendor of Jerusalem’s great temple. Instead, he’s serving the Babylonian empire as a political prisoner in a refugee camp. Ezekiel has no idea whether he’ll ever see his home again.

Then Ezekiel’s birthday takes a wild turn. The sky fills with fire and lightning, brightness and burning. Wheels spin within wheels, eyes blinking from their rims. At the center of it all is a glowing throne-chariot contraption, held up by hybrid human-animal creatures with four faces.

Brace yourself: The story only gets stranger from there. Watch the video to learn about the bizarre and hopeful book of the Hebrew Bible’s third major prophet, Ezekiel.

Reflection Questions

• Compare Ezekiel’s vision to the manifestations of Yahweh’s kavod, that is “Yahweh’s glory” (see the video below), in Exodus 3, 19, and 24. What similarities do you notice?
• Can you think of any other examples from the Hebrew Bible where someone’s loyalty is tested using food or drink? (Turn to Genesis 3 or Numbers 5 if you need a hint.) How do these hyperlinks help you understand Yahweh’s command to Ezekiel to eat the scroll of grieving in today’s reading?