After the sudden passing of his wife, Ezekiel received news regarding the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem. He had made every effort to prepare his people for the blow, and once the downfall of Jerusalem was confirmed by a messenger from the ruined city (see Ezek. 24:15-27 and 33:21, 22), the prophet could speak out boldly and direct his energies toward reformation and renewal.
It was now his task to see what could be built out of the wreckage, offering hope and encouragement to the remnant of the people of Israel surviving the disaster.
Babylon had apparently triumphed over Israel, but God's people must never forget that He was on their side in spite of appearances, for even in their darkest hour they could still cling to His word of hope and inspiration: "They shall know that I am the Lord," a theme that is repeated with variations, dozens of times in this book. Time and again the prophets had proclaimed this transcendent truth, but, as often, their people had ignored it, turning to the worship of pagan deities, thus producing the weakness that made Israel vulnerable to attack, captivity, and exile.
