"So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it…" Ezekiel 22:30
Who was Ezekiel?
Ezekiel was born into the priestly family of Zadok in 622BC. Along with Daniel, Ezekiel was among the first Judeans to be deported into Babylonian exile, in 597BC, when Nebuchadnezzar first captured Jerusalem. In the exile of 593BC, to reduce the conquered people to helplessness, Nebuchadnezzar deported 7,000 army officers and soldiers, 1,000 craftsmen and around 10,000 artisans. Ezekiel lived in the city of Tel-Abib, on the River Chebar. The name Ezekiel means God Strengthens. The prophet Ezekiel is also referred to 83 times as "Son of man." This is a title that our Lord used for Himself. No other prophet is known by this title. While it depicts frailty on behalf of the prophet, the Messianic title as used by our Lord emphasised authority.
Called and Commissioned
At the age of 30, when he would have started his priesthood, Ezekiel was called to be a prophet. While Jeremiah was warning the people in Jerusalem, Ezekiel was ministering amongst the exiles in Babylon, at the same time as Daniel was serving in the courts of Babylon.
Ezekiel is the only prophetic book that is autobiographical. Only in the Book of Ezekiel does the prophet write in the first person. Ezekiel demonstrates a fascinating and unique style of ministry. He used symbols, parables, poems, proverbs and artistic street theatre to dramatically present the prophecies and visons entrusted to him by God. When Ezekiel was called and commissioned as a prophet, God told him that he would make his forehead like flint, so that nothing would be able to discourage him. When the people became more rebellious, intransigent and hard-hearted, refusing to heed his warnings, Ezekiel needed to be single-minded in his determination to be faithful to his mission.