Ezekiel lived during the 6th century BC, serving as both priest and prophet among Jewish exiles in Babylon. He was taken captive around 597 BC when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem—about the same time Greek philosophers like Thales were developing early scientific thinking, and the first coins were being minted in ancient Lydia (modern-day western Turkey).
His prophetic ministry began around 593 BC near the Chebar River, likely a canal system near the city of Nippur, about 50 miles southeast of modern-day Baghdad in Iraq. For over twenty years, he delivered messages through dramatic visions and symbolic actions that his fellow exiles often ignored.
What made Ezekiel distinctive wasn’t just his strange behavior—it was his unwavering commitment to his calling despite constant rejection. His visions ranged from terrifying judgment to breathtaking hope, including the famous valley of dry bones that still resonates with anyone who has faced impossible circumstances.