Ezekiel: Son of Man

EZEKIEL:

SON OF MAN

B.G. BRAINARD

ALSO BY B.G. BRAINARD

ESTHER’S SONG: A NOVEL

BABYLON: CENTER OF THE WORLD

JERUSALEM BOUND!

ISAIAH: HERE I AM

JEREMIAH: TOO YOUNG

EZEKIEL:

SON OF MAN

B.G. BRAINARD

MIGDOL PRESS, OREGON

Copyright © 2019 by B.G. Brainard

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or other without permission.

For information on getting permission for reprints and

excerpts, contact info@bgbrainard.com

This is a work of historical fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents may be the product of the imagination of the author or are used fictionally, and any resemblance to actual people living or dead, business establishments, events, or localities is entirely coincidental.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 - ON THE MOVE

Chapter 2 - TEL ABIB

Chapter 3 - JERUSALEM UNDER SIEGE

Chapter 4 - IMPENDING DOOM

Chapter 5 - VISIONS

Chapter 6 - THE GLORY DEPARTS

Chapter 7 - REBELLIOUS PEOPLE

Chapter 8 - FAITHFUL PROPHETS

Chapter 9 - UNFAITHFUL JERUSALEM

Chapter 10 - MOSES

Chapter 11 - TREACHERY

Chapter 12 - LOVE DEMONSTRTED

Chapter 13 - REBELLION

Chapter 14 - FIRE AND SWORD

Chapter 15 - TWO SISTERS

Chapter 16 - SPIRITUAL WATCHMAN

Chapter 17 --TRUST GOD

Chapter 18 - DREAMS

Chapter 19 - FALL OF JERUSALEM

Chapter 20 - NEW LIFE

Chapter 21 - RESTORATION

Chapter 22 - DRY BONES

Chapter 23 - RENEWED HOPE

Chapter 24 - TEMPLE VISION

Chapter 25 - INIQUITY IN ISRAEL

Chapter 26 - PROMISES NEAR AND DISTANT

Chapter 27 - GOG AND MAGOG

Chapter 28 - GOD WILL PROVIDE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I continue to be immensely grateful to the work of historians, archaeologists, theologians, and biblical scholars, whom I have liberally drawn from. My hope is that they feel I have been respectful of their research and writings.

This novel is a fictional account of the life and times of the priest and prophet Ezekiel of the Bible book bearing his name. During my research and reparation for this book I found captivating facts, encouragement, and inspiration for the historical background of the novel Ezekiel: Son of Man in the following literary works: Prophecy in Ancient Israel by J. Lindblom; Sage, Priest, Prophet by Joseph Blenkinsopp; The Visionary Mode by Michael Lieb; The Prophetic Existence by Andre Neher; and My Servants the Prophets by Edward J. Young. Bible commentaries included Ezekiel 1-19 by Leslie C. Allen; Ezekiel 20-48 by Leslie C. Allen; The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 1-24 by Daniel I. Block; The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 25-48 by Daniel I. Block; Ezekiel 1-20 by Moshe Greenberg; Ezekiel 21-37 by Moshe Greenberg; Ezekiel by John B. Taylor; Ezekiel 1 by Walther Zimmerli, and Ezekiel 2 by Walther Zimmerli.

In addition, I would like to thank my faithful readers, you know who you are, for your unconditional support and encouragement toward my scripturally-based novels and myself. You my readers are always in my thoughts, as I continue to do my best to sympathetically present life in the ancient Near East and the biblical people who lived, loved, worshipped, and died there.

PSALM 8

To the Chief Musician upon the Gittith.

A Psalm of David.

O Yahweh, our Lord,

How majestic is your name in all the earth,

you have set you glory above the heavens.

From the mouth of babes and sucklings, you have ordained strength, because of your foes, to cause the enemy and the avenger to cease.

When I [contemplate your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have established;

What is man that you remember him, and the son of man that you visit him?

Yet you have made him but a little lower than the heavenly beings, and have crowned him with glory and honor.

You make him to rule over the works of your hands; all you have put under his feet,

All sheep and oxen, and also the animals of the field,

The birds of the air and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the sea.

OYahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Author Translation

1 ON THE MOVE

Ezekiel had been married to Ahav for over two years, yet many of his friends had not met his lovely wife. Seven years earlier to avert the destruction of Jerusalem, Jehoiakim, king of Judah, gave tribute to the king of Babylon including gold, silver, and temple artifacts. Nebuchadnezzar also required members of the royal family and nobility be taken to Babylon to assure the loyalty of King Jehoiakim. Ezekiel still got angry whenever he thought about how his boyhood friends Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were carted away as hostages.

He sighed. It seemed like an eternity since they were taken along with all the other changes in Jerusalem. Rumors that King Nebuchadnezzar was again on the move toward Judah grew more intense with each passing day. As though that were not enough to keep the city stirred up, two days earlier raiders had invaded Jerusalem and slaughtered King Jehoiakim. Nothing else was known about the incident, but everyone suspected the king of Babylon was behind it in response to the attempted revolt by the king of Judah against Nebuchadnezzar.

Regardless of the circumstances, King Jehoiakim was laid to rest in the family tomb, after an eleven-year reign during which he did much evil. Now his son Jehoiachin was about to be crowned king of Judah. With little leadership experience and like his father appeared to have forsaken the God of Israel.

He heard footsteps coming his way and felt a hand on his shoulder. My lord husband, why have you not changed into your finery? We should already be on our way to the palace.

Ezekiel shook his head. I was just thinking that Jehoiachin is almost the same age as me.

Ahav put her hands on her hips. Well since you are twenty-five years old, you should know better than to be late for your first appearance before the new king. You being from the priestly line of Zadok and all. Ezekiel stood two heads taller than his slim wife, but they both knew who ruled the roost so to speak. He wrapped a muscular arm around her. I will be ready before you reach the courtyard, my lady.

She tossed her glistening, black hair over a shoulder. Her dark eyes gleamed, as she gave him a smug smile. We will see about that, my lord husband.

They arrived in the courtyard at the same time and walked contentedly the short distance to the palace her arm hooked through his, accompanied by two menservants. The audience hall was already packed, but they were shown to a place near the front.

Ezekiel knew he should have paid more attention to the brief coronation ceremony of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim. But still he could not stop himself from watching the queen mother dab tears from her eyes, and the stern face of the prophet Jeremiah, as he stood with arms crossed tight across his chest while he surveyed the crowd.

The year Nebuchadnezzar ascended the Babylonian throne, Ezekiel heard first hand two scathing messages delivered by the prophet Jeremiah to King Jehoiakim. These had included a breach of covenant loyalty toward Yahweh by the king and the people. Eight years later Jerusalem fell to the king of Babylon.

Ezekiel shuddered. He was glad he did not have such a burden to bear or to endure the animosity of the aristocracy, who could not seem to stop smirking at the spokesman of their God. Then his thoughts drifted to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which had followed after foreign gods to its ultimate destruction by the Assyrians. The Israelites were deported from the land and other people groups were brought in to repopulate the area. He prayed this would not happen to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

The people of Judah refused to repent or to call upon the name of the Lord, and within a few days the Babylonian army arrived from the north, to lay siege against Jerusalem. The Judean defenders within their crenellated turrets at the top of the sturdy limestone wall shot a volley of arrows at the adversary.

The Babylonians brought in a siege engine and battering ram to break down the Sheep Gate, while the inhabitants hoped would hold out against such foes. From the rampart Ezekiel could just make out a group of Babylonian archers standing on a wooden tower, as the enemy maneuvered it into position across from the turrets. They let loose a barrage of arrows from behind protective shields.

A Judean soldier lowered an iron chain to divert the battering ram away from the city wall. To counteract this, a pair of Babylonian soldiers used hooks to pull down the chain. From behind the left upper turret, a Judean archer shot a volley of arrows at the enemy soldiers. Then a fellow Judean flung a fiery torch onto the siege engine below, while the man beside him fell from the rampart while trying to extract an arrow from his neck.

While he watched, Ezekiel caught a glimpse of the Babylonian king as he shot a volley of arrows while he darted out from behind the siege engine. Then he saw on the other side of Nebuchadnezzar, a soldier waving a long spear and shield as he deflected enemy arrows from the king. A royal attendant stood behind the king and his bodyguard holding a bow, quiver, and mace.

The assault continued for nearly three months, each attack leaving the Jerusalemites weaker and more demoralized by the loss of so many warriors killed or wounded by enemy arrows or falling from the rampart defending the city. Ezekiel was recruited to deliver supplies to the soldiers on the wall.

During a lull, he peeked out and noted the enemy had placed a ladder against the city wall on which a Babylonian soldier had started to climb while holding a shield over his head against a shower of arrows. Another soldier was close behind him on the ladder. Then he saw a soldier standing between the ladder and the city wall, holding a shield over a soldier attempting to crawl through what appeared to be an opening.

Ezekiel yelled, It looks like the wall is breeched underneath us. Several Judean soldiers scrambled down the rampart to make sure the wall was still secure inside. Then to his horror a friend tripped and fell off the wall in front of a pair of horses pulling a Babylonian war chariot. Ezekiel shuddered, and consoled himself that his fellow Judean had probably escaped an even worse fate of being taken captive with the fall of the city.

Then he heard a voice cry out, "The Babylonian soldiers are breaking through! They are using iron crowbars to chisel out chunks of the city wall. If we do not stop them, they will make a hole big enough for all of them to get in. As Ezekiel watched in dismay, he saw they were too late. The enemy had made quick work of removing the great limestone blocks the inhabitants had thought would protect them.

The Babylonian army continued to attack from all directions, and the Judeans and Jerusalemites could do nothing to stop the onslaught. Women wailed their laments, and Ezekiel peeked over the wall to see a man jump. An empty quiver hung over his left shoulder, as he continued to clench the bow in his hand. Ezekiel wondered if he was trying to escape the city or commit suicide. Either way he looked to be dead or dying when he hit the ground.

When Ezekiel took his eyes off the corpse he saw two women and a child being led away by red-clad soldiers, as they joined a procession of Judean prisoners. He knew the men would be forced to do manual labor in the Babylonian countryside or be deported to live in other areas of their domain, but most likely would not be killed. This provided a bit of relief before he went back to attending the wounded.

The defenders had held off the enemy for three months before the city of Jerusalem fell. No one had believed the God of Israel would let it happen. As it was Jehoiachin, reigned after the death of his father three months and ten days. He did evil in the sight of Yahweh and was forced to surrender to the Babylonians.

Likewise, Ezekiel’s life was changed forever. He, his wife Ahav, and the royal family were among three thousand leading citizens in Jerusalem taken captive to Babylon in the second Babylonian attack. Just like Daniel and his friends had been taken captive and deported after the first siege of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar.

The exiles journeyed from Jerusalem to Babylon by way of the city of Carchemish on the Greet Sea to avoid the worst of the summer heat. Otherwise, the caravan would have had to traverse the desert regions by night and early morning to avoid the scorching heat of the day. They would have had to make camp, eat, find what shade they could, and sleep during the day before continuing on in the early evening day after day. And because the caravan included women, children, and household effects they would have moved at a slower pace than a highly trained and lightly equipped military force. As it was, it took the exiles nearly four months to reach their final destination of Tel Abib on the river Chebar in Babylon. Once the exiles reached the outskirts of Babylon, Ezekiel could not help being impressed by the lush green fields of barley stretching as far as the eye could see. He also admired the inventiveness of their conquerors to build such an extensive irrigation canal system. The diverted water from the vast Euphrates River enabled such lush growth. He did not like to think despairingly of his homeland, but a river like this near Jerusalem would have been a wondrous thing for irrigating the dry Judean hills Ezekiel did not say anything to his wife, but he was sorely disappointed when they were not able to visit the great city of Babylon. He had hoped he might somehow be able to contact his friend Daniel, but that was not to be. Instead they were herded southeast to Tel Abib. They were told it was not too far from the city of Nippur, which apparently fell into decay sometime after the Assyrians were defeated.

2 TEL ABIB

Everyone was relieved when the exiles reached Tel Abib by the river Chebar in the middle of summer, but appalled at the unrelenting heat. The Judeans were used to the higher elevation of Jerusalem, with its afternoon breeze. Here it was hard to even breath, in what felt like an inferno. But Ezekiel forgot all about his discomfort when he found out they would have a house to themselves, and Ahav was thrilled at the thought of being able to shut out the world after being surrounded by thousands of people day and night for months.

They gingerly walked into the mud-brick structure with its plastered and whitewashed walls inside and out. There was a reception room, kitchen, lavatory, and two bedchambers. Furniture consisted of low tables, high-backed chairs, and a bed with a wooden frame. There were also household vessels made of clay, stone, copper and bronze, and baskets and chests of reed and wood. Floors and walls were adorned with reed mats, animal skin rugs, and wool hangings.

The next morning Ezekiel had the distinct feeling he was not welcome in his own home.

My lord husband, do you not think you should make sure everyone else is settled in as well? For whatever reason, it appears the Babylonians have decided you are to be our leader.

Are you sure you do not need any help?

Ahav put her hands on her hips and looked around. No, I just want to unpack our meager belongings and stow everything away in an orderly manner. She flashed a seductive smile. I can get done quicker, if you are not here to distract me, my lord husband.

He thrust his head back and gave a hearty laugh. Well you are rather enticing, but I know when I am not wanted.

She turned him around by the shoulders and directed him toward the front door. Find us some fresh meat and vegetables for dinner, so I can build up my strength for whatever might come next, my lord. Also, if you could secure some barley to grind, we could have fresh flat bread to go with it.

He bowed with a grin on his face, and headed out the door. Your wish my lady, is as always my command.

Ezekiel did not want to be the leader of the exiles or anyone else. All he wanted to do was walk along the river Chebar that he now knew was really a canal, and to hear what Yahweh might have to say about their new home. Once he was out of sight of the village, he took a deep breath and lifted his hands up. He felt a great relief to finally be by himself. He loved being with Ahav, but after being together day and night for months on end, he needed to be alone with his God.

In his thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while he was among the exiles by the river Chebar. This happened during the fifth year of the captivity of King Jehoiachin. There in Babylonia beside the river Chebar, Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, heard Yahweh speak to him, and he felt the power of Yahweh come upon him. He felt himself relax, and looked up. To his amazement the heavens opened and he saw visions of God.

When the visions receded, Ezekiel sat stunned. He closed his eyes and revisited everything he had seen over and over again. Then still feeling dazed he stumbled home to try to explain the miraculous sights he had seen to Ahav.

He was not sure he had the words to tell her about the living beings and glory of Yahweh that had been revealed to him, but he would do the best he could to share such wondrous revelations from their God with her.

He lifted his feet and began to run. He did not stop until he had firmly shut the courtyard gate of their mud-brick home in Tel Abib on the river Chebar, which was really a massive canal behind him.

Ahav looked up from her weeding in the vegetable garden, got to her feet, and hastily brushed herself off. Her eyes narrowed. My lord, what is wrong? Has something unfortunate happened to one of our people?

He shook his head trying to catch his breath. He bent over to place his hands on his knees and gasped, I think I am a seer.

She blinked and began to rub his back, until he turned to grab her in a fierce hug. He looked around. Let us go inside.

They climbed the front stairs, filed through the front door, and silently lowered themselves onto the red-and-black woven rug in the reception room.

Ezekiel’s eyes flitted around the room as though to make sure no one was listening. He leaned forward. "I was taking my daily walk along the river Chebar, when I saw what appeared to be a wind storm coming out of the north. Then I noticed an enormous cloud with flashes of lightening, surrounded by brilliant light. And in the midst of what looked like fire something glowed like gleaming amber.

And in the fire, there was what looked like four living beings. In their appearance they had human form, but each one had four faces and four wings.

Ahav pressed her slim hands together wide-eyed. Four faces and four wings?

 Ezekiel nodded. "Yes, and their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like the feet of a calf. They gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, they made a square with their wings touching each other. But they did not turn their heads or bodies when they moved, but went straight ahead.

"As for the appearance of their faces, each of the four had the face of a man, with the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle. Their wings were spread out above them. Each had two wings that touched the wings of one of the other beings on either side, and two wings covered their bodies. Each living being moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go; they would go, without turning as they went.

"In the middle of the square of living beings was something that looked like burning coals of fire or torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning flashed from out of the fire. The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as those flickers of lightning.

Then I looked, and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of the four beings. The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like gleaming jasper, and all four wheels had the same form. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel. When they moved they would move in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved. Their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around.

Ahav tapped the corner of her right eye. Like our eyes?

Ezekiel wet his lips. "Like human eyes. And when the living beings moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living beings rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up too. Wherever the spirit went, they would go, and the wheels rose beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheels.

When the living beings moved, the wheels moved, and when they stopped moving, the wheels stopped. When they rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up from the ground. The wheels rose up beside them, because the spirit of the living being was in the wheels.

Ezekiel looked up at the whitewashed plastered ceiling of their home. "Over the heads of the living beings was something that looked like a platform, like glittering ice, stretched out over their heads above. Under the platform their wings were stretched out, each toward the other. Each of the beings also had two wings covering its body. When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, or the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

"Then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when they stood still. Above the platform over their heads there was something that looked like a sapphire shaped into the likeness of a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man. I saw an amber glow like a fire enclosed all around from his waist up. From his waist down, I saw something that looked like fire.

There was a brilliant light around it; like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard him speaking to me.

Ezekiel took hold of Ahav’s hand as he met her glance and nodded. "Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.’ As he spoke to me, spirit entered into me and set me upon my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

He said to me, ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the house of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have rebelled against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hardhearted, and you must say to them that this is what the Lord Yahweh says, ‘As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.’

Ahav leaned back. Her brow furrowed. But as she did not speak a word, Ezekiel pressed on. "Then he said, ‘But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions. Do not fear their words nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious people. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or not, for they are most rebellious.

"But you, son of man, listen to what I am saying to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.’

Ezekiel held out his hand with splayed fingers. "And when I looked, behold, a hand was extended to me, and, lo, in it was a scroll. He unrolled it before me, and it had writing on the front and back, and written on it were words of lamentation, mourning, and woe.

"He said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what you see in front of you. Eat this scroll, and then go and speak to the house of Israel.’ So, I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, fill your stomach with this scroll.’ And when I ate it; it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

Ahav squinted causing her forehead to furrow. So, in your vision you were told you to eat a scroll, but did you really eat a scroll?

Ezekiel stared out the window. It is hard to explain. I ate the scroll in my vision, but I felt like I had eaten something truly delicious.

She refolded her hands. All right, then what happened?

Ezekiel blinked. "He said to me, ‘Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my very words to them. For you are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel. Not too many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. For surely, if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.

‘"But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me. For the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not fear them or be dismayed by their looks, for they are a rebellious people.’

"Then he said to me,