Tag: Book of Ezekiel

04 - Sacred Texts Journey, 200s - Religions/Sacred Texts, 220s - The Bible, 221 - The Old Testament, 224 - Prophetic Books of Old Testament, Adult Literature, Audiobooks, Major Prophets, Nonfiction, Sacred Texts 2022, SRC 2023, Starlight Book Reviews, Stellar Reading Challenges

Starlight Book Review – Old Testament – Book of Ezekiel – Major Prophets

The Starry Night Elf
Ezekiel by Michelangelo (The Sistine Chapel ceiling) on a Dark Blue Background.
Painting Image Source: Michelangelo.org | © Starry Night Elf

Part of a series of Starlight Book Reviews (SBR) on Old Testament (OT) Books. Click here to see other OT SBR.

* The following post transparently exhibits my Christian faith.

5/5 I continue my Starlight Book Reviews (SBR) for the 2023 Sacred Texts Journey Stellar Reading Challenge (SRC), Gnomies. This SBR pertains to the Major Prophets Book of Ezekiel. The name Ezekiel means “God is strong” or “God strengthens” and I believe this prophet represents his name well.

Click here to check out the Sacred Texts Journey SRC.

The Major Prophets is a grouping of books in the Christian Old Testament that does not occur in the Hebrew Bible. All of these books are traditionally regarded as authored by a prophet such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. The term “major” has nothing to do with the achievement or importance of the prophets, rather with the length of the books. In comparison to the books of the Twelve Minor Prophets, whose books are short and grouped together into one single book in the Hebrew Bible, these books are much longer.

“The Book of Ezekiel (Hebrew: ספר יחזקאל; Latin: Liber Ezechielis) is the third of the Latter Prophets in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and one of the major prophetic books in the Christian Bible, where it follows Isaiah and Jeremiah. According to the book itself, it records six visions of the prophet Ezekiel, exiled in Babylon, during the 22 years from 593 to 571 BC, although it is the product of a long and complex history and does not necessarily preserve the very words of the prophet… The visions and the book are structured around three themes: (1) judgment on Israel (chapters 1–24); (2) judgment on the nations (chapters 25–32); and (3) future blessings for Israel (chapters 33–48). Its themes include the concepts of the presence of God, purity, Israel as a divine community, and individual responsibility to God. Its later influence has included the development of mystical and apocalyptic traditions in Second Temple Judaism, Rabbinic Judaism, and Christianity.”

I must say, reading Ezekiel always makes me nervous; that remains true to my latest time just last month. The vivid imagery of the Vision of Dry Bones alone leaves me on edge. Yet, I always look forward to reading a certain verse I discovered in 2017:

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26

Select Bibliography (Alphabetical Order by Author’s Surname)

  • Joyce, Paul M. (2009). Ezekiel: A Commentary. Continuum. ISBN 9780567483614.
  • Petersen, David L (2002). The prophetic literature: an introduction. John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664254537.
  • Sweeney, Marvin A. (1998). “The Latter Prophets”. In McKenzie, Steven L.; Graham, Matt Patrick (eds.). The Hebrew Bible Today: An Introduction to Critical Issues. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664256524.