I have been reading "The Prophets" for days on end now and I have this irresistible urge to stand on the street corner, point my finger, and deliver some kind of ominous message ending in "thus saith the Lord". My head is full of this stuff.
If you think Jeremiah is harsh in his pronouncements, Ezekiel is even tougher. Ezekiel had visions that were outlandish, yet described in great detail. The purpose of his life was to again, warn Israel and Judah of the coming judgement, but also to give hope for the coming restoration. He uses many types of metaphors for describing Israel, but none more so than that of a prostitute. The tribe of Jacob was loved and set apart by God, but they went over to other gods and what they did was similar to committing adultery, or "whoring" as he so often calls it.
Ezekiel also calls out other nations who have come against Israel, and announces their doom also. Then, toward the end, he makes reference to the coming Messiah, and the Restoration of the temple and the Nation of Israel in the end of times.
Impressions: God has a tolerance level. Being a prophet was a tough job. Ezekiel's own wife was taken from him as an object lesson for the Israelites. God is long suffering, yet he is just and sin has its consequences.
Readability: 2 1/2 stars
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