🛑 Israel's rebellion brings God's correction.

Babylon attacked Israel due to King Jehoiakim's refusal to pay tribute and his pro-Egyptian stance, leading to the siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC. This first stage of the exile saw Ezekiel and others among the first to be deported to Babylon.

Everytime Israel rebels against God, He chastises them until they repent. Our Father's love is never-ending.

Jehoiakim's Rebellion:
After initially agreeing to pay tribute to Nebuchadnezzar II, King Jehoiakim of Judah stopped the payments and allied with Egypt. This act of rebellion, along with the payment stop, prompted Nebuchadnezzar to besiege Jerusalem.

First Deportation:
The capture of Jerusalem in 597 BC resulted in the first stage of the Babylonian exile. Nebuchadnezzar II looted the city, including the treasures of the Temple, and deported a large portion of the population, including those from the royal family, nobility, and craftsmen.

Ezekiel's Presence:
Among those deported in this first stage was the prophet Ezekiel, along with other prominent figures like Daniel. Ezekiel would later become a key figure in the Babylonian exile, delivering prophecies and offering hope to the exiled Jews.

Daniel and Ezekiel were not exiled to Babylon at the same time. Daniel was exiled to Babylon approximately 10 years before Ezekiel. Daniel's exile occurred in 605 BC, while Ezekiel's exile was in 597 BC.

Just remember that Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel although different ages, were ALL Prophets of the ONE TRUE GOD and they ALL lived during the same time period…just in different locations.

Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel were contemporaries who lived during the same period, though in different locations within the Babylonian Empire. Jeremiah primarily ministered in Jerusalem, while Ezekiel and Daniel were in exile in Babylon.

Jeremiah: He was based in Jerusalem for much of his ministry and lived through the destruction of the city and the temple.

Ezekiel: He was among the exiles taken to Babylon and lived near the river Chebar in Tel Abib.

Daniel: He was part of the first wave of exiles taken to Babylon.

Tel-abib (on the river Chebar, where Ezekiel and many of the captive Jews in Babylon lived, and meaning hill of green ears, hill of verdure, green hill, hill of eager desire, hill of young fruits) bespeaks groups of thoughts whose ardent desire for good, for God, for Truth

⚠️FAIR WARNING

God explicitly stated that he had chosen Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 3:17-18, God tells Ezekiel,

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear the word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me."

This passage clarifies that God had appointed Ezekiel as his messenger and watchman, emphasizing his role in delivering God's messages to the people.

Ezekiel is considered a major prophet. The term "major prophet" refers to a group of four prophetic books in the Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. They are called major primarily due to the length and scope of their books compared to the minor prophets, whose books are shorter and more focused.

In Ezekiel's vision, the angels are described as having four faces (cherub, man, lion, and eagle), four wings, and what looked like human hands beneath their wings. Their bodies and wings were covered in eyes, as were their four wheels that accompanied them. These beings also possessed wheels that sparkled like chrysolite and were described as "wheels intersecting a wheel".

Elaboration:

Multiple Faces:
Each of the angels had four faces: one like a cherub, one like a man, one like a lion, and one like an eagle.

Wings and Hands:
They possessed four wings and something resembling human hands beneath their wings.

Eyes:
Their entire bodies, including their backs, hands, wings, and the wheels, were covered in eyes.

Wheels:
The wheels beside the angels were described as sparkling like chrysolite and were also covered in eyes. They were also described as "wheels intersecting a wheel," meaning they were interconnected.

Movement:
The angels and the wheels moved together in unison, going in any of the four directions the angels faced, without the wheels changing direction.