Hard Words for Desperate Times

Book excerpt: The challenge of reading the Old Testament as Christian Scripture is nowhere more evident than in the book of Ezekiel. Its judgmental attitude, harsh words, and bizarre imagery provoke Christian readers who, familiar with the gospel, are unsure of what to do with such a strange book. This volume from the Wycliffe Studies in Gospel, Church, and Culture series offers some Christ-centered reflections on the book of Ezekiel, showing us that, even here, the same God present to us in Jesus Christ can be heard through an attentive listening to what Ezekiel is saying to us. From words of judgement and bizarre imagery of heaven, to redemptive forecasts of a hopeful future, these meditations cover the difficult terrain of Ezekiel’s visions and draw out a life-giving and Christ-centered reading of his strange message.