Ezekiel means “God Strengthens.” While the prophecies he relates contain many warnings, the overall message is in harmony with the meaning of his name and strengthens the faith of those who want to give God pure worship.

• JEREMIAH,

  from a priestly family, served mostly in Jerusalem (647-580 B.C.E.)

• HULDAH

  served when the book of the Law was discovered in the temple about 642 B.C.E.

• DANIEL,

  part of the royal tribe of Judah, was taken to Babylon in 617 B.C.E.

• HABAKKUK

  likely served in Judah early in Jehoiakim’s reign

• OBADIAH

  prophesied against Edom, likely at the time of Jerusalem’s destruction

1. c.643: Born

2. 617: Taken captive to Babylon

3. 613: Begins prophesying; sees vision of Jehovah

4. 612: Sees vision of apostasy at the temple

5. 611: Begins to denounce Jerusalem

6. 609: Wife dies and the final siege of Jerusalem begins

7. 607: Receives confirmation that Jerusalem has been destroyed

8. 593: Sees vision of the temple

9. 591: Foretells Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Egypt; completes writing

1. 659-629: Josiah promotes pure worship but dies in battle against Pharaoh Nechoh

2. 628: Jehoahaz rules badly for three months and is captured by Pharaoh Nechoh

3. 628-618: Jehoiakim is a bad king and is made a vassal by Pharaoh Nechoh

4. 625: Nebuchadnezzar defeats the Egyptian army

5. 620: Nebuchadnezzar invades Judah for the first time and makes Jehoiakim a vassal in Jerusalem

6. 618: Jehoiakim rebels against Nebuchadnezzar but likely dies during the Babylonians’ second invasion of the Promised Land

7. 617: Jehoiachin, also known as Jeconiah, is a bad king who rules for three months and then surrenders to Nebuchadnezzar

8. 617-607: Zedekiah, a wicked, weak-willed king, is made a vassal by Nebuchadnezzar

9. 609: Zedekiah rebels against Nebuchadnezzar, who then invades Judah for a third time

10. 607: Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem, captures Zedekiah, blinds him, and takes him to Babylon