Ezekiel

Ezekiel was taken as a captive to Babylon in 587 BC.  He prophesied from 592 to 570 BC, overlapping Daniel, Jeremiah, and Obadiah.  Ezekiel refers to Daniel twice (14:14, 28:3).  Some contend that he means another Daniel, perhaps Dan’el, a Canaanite epic hero from Ugarit.  However, Dan’el would hardly qualify as an example of righteousness for Israelites.  Also, when Ezekiel wrote, Daniel had been governor for 10 years of the province in which Ezekiel lived.  The righteousness of the prophet Daniel was already legendary.  Ezekiel was the prophet to the exiles, with much competition from prophets telling the people that their captivity would be short, that God would rescue them very soon.  Ezekiel told them to build homes and settle down because they were going to be in Babylon for quite a while.

Ezekiel 17:23  (Matthew 13:32, Luke 13:19)  When Israel trusted in the military might of Egypt to protect them from Babylon, God told them that He could make great kingdoms from the lowliest, by means not natural.  Jesus cited this eternal truth to describe His kingdom, which was not to be built upon military might or diplomacy, but by the power of God.

Ezekiel 36:20 – 23  (Romans 2:24)  Paul reminded Jewish people that poor conduct defames the character of God.

Ezekiel 38:1  (Revelation 20:7 – 20)  John used the image of Gog, who was a prince of Magog destroyed by many forces brought to bear by God, as an example of how Satan would be quickly destroyed as soon as he was released from the abyss.

Ezekiel 37:16 has been made famous by Joseph Smith, who claimed that it was a prophecy of the Book of Mormon.

Ezekiel 40 – 48 is a long description of a visionary Temple that would not fit on Mt. Zion or within the earth’s atmosphere.