Few assignments are more difficult than to proclaim God’s truth to the spiritually hard of heart—people who have departed from the Lord yet continue to practice the formalities of religion. Armed with tradition and resolute in their cynicism, they tend to resent the message and reject the messenger...Ezekiel is a model for modern-day messengers to those who are calloused toward God. It helps to know that a cool reception to the truth may be a vindication of one’s work, not a negation of it. (Word in life study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)

Allan McRae in a wonderful note that should encourage you to consider a serious study of this book, writes that

Ezekiel is one of the Bible’s most neglected books. This is because its full understanding requires an appreciation of the situation in which Ezekiel was involved (Ed note: see Timeline of Ezekiel on this website). Another reason for widespread avoidance of the Book of Ezekiel is the impression that its first chapter [Ezek. 1] gives of being extraordinarily symbolical and quite remote from normal human experience. A few people spend considerable time studying the last chapters of Ezekiel (Ed note: for instance, I found that almost 25% of the 130+ sermons on Ezekiel listed at Sermon Central were from Chapter 37!)  and the marvelous prophecies of the distant future that these chapters contain, but many of them pay little attention to the first two-thirds of the book. If the key to Ezekiel’s first thirty chapters is firmly grasped, every Christian can derive much blessing from the study of the entire book." (from his article "The Key to Ezekiel's First 30 Chapters" in Bibliotheca Sacra:1996, Page 233. Dallas Theological Seminary.)

THE 30TH YEAR: Note that the date of this vision is stated in two ways (v1 & v2), which emphasizes Ezekiel's careful attention to chronological detail. Remember that Ezekiel's prophecy is generally given chronologically, making it easier to follow then for example Jeremiah in which the chapters are not in strict chronological order.

Jeremiah had been prophesying for approximately 35 years and Daniel for approximately 9 years when Ezekiel began his ministry. Note from the Timeline (click) that Ezekiel had been taken into exile into Babylon during the second invasion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 597BC (see 2Ki 24:14) and was about twenty-five years of age. From Numbers 4:3 (cf Nu 4:23 4:30 4:39 4:43 1Chr 23:3) we know that Jewish priests begin their ministry at age 30, which supports the time reference of "30th year" as a reference to Ezekiel's 30th birthday. Luke records that the greater Son of Man likewise "was about thirty years of age"..."when He began His ministry."  (Lu 3:23).

God's plan for Ezekiel in this 30th year would radically change the course of his life.  Solomon records that "the mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps" (Pr 16:9) -- it is one thing to know this truth and quite another thing to walk out in complete confidence in that truth and to do so all the days of one's life as Ezekiel did. You might be able to identify with Ezekiel. Even as Ezekiel thought he was being prepared for the priesthood, you may have felt you were being prepared for a certain course in your life, only to have those plans radically altered by unexpected circumstances which God allowed or sent.  Jehovah is also El Elyon, the Most High God and as such He is in absolute sovereign control of all the events of our life. He is the Potter and we are but clay. As believers we must remember that our "body is a temple of the Holy Spirit Who is in (us), Whom (we) have from God, and that (we) are not (our) own" but that we "have been bought with a price" and we should seek to "therefore glorify God in (our) body" (1Cor 6:19 20) regardless of what God calls us to do. Ezekiel may have been looking forward to the prestige of a priest even in exile, but is now called to be God's prophet to the exiles. Note that Ezekiel's prophetic ministry begins not with serving, but with seeing God’s glory. This is God’s pattern in preparing a man or woman -- knowing always precedes doing – seeing comes before serving – worship comes before work.  Before Ezekiel is given a ministry for God, He’s given a vision of God. God has a ministry for every believer (cf 1Pe 4:10). Be patient. First catch a vision of God and His glory! You'll never be the same and your ministry for His Name will be transformed forever as was Ezekiel's.

Over 20 years later Ezekiel still remembered this encounter as he described the vision in Chapter 40 as

like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. (Ezek 40:3)

Ezekiel is one of the most often slighted books in Scripture and is undoubtedly the most neglected prophetic book. When was the last time you read Ezekiel "cover to cover"?.  How will you feel one day in eternity, when you bump into Ezekiel, and he says “Hello brother, how did you like my book?” It is surprising that a book as exciting as Ezekiel is as neglected as it is. Whereas Jeremiah saw through sobbing eyes, Ezekiel saw through surreal eyes, eyes of a visionary and a biblical mystic who possessed a spiritually-sensitive, other-worldly focus. Pray and read and then pause and ponder so that you can practice and apply the truths found in this great book. Then you will come to experience in a real way the repeated promise God gave in Ezekiel: You will know that I am the LORD and when we all come to take our last breath, isn't this the most glorious, rewarding and fulfilling experience we could ever have! Jesus said

And this is eternal life, that they may know (by personal, intimate experience) Thee, the Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent. (Jn 17:3)

Expositors notes that

Few books of the Bible use such a wide variety of literary forms as does Ezekiel. Though most of the book is prose, some of it is poetry. Ezekiel uses almost every kind of literary device and imagery to communicate graphically the messages of judgment and blessing: dream-visions (Ezekiel 1-3; 8-11); apocalyptic literature (37:1-14; 40-48); drama (4-5; 12); allegory, parable, proverbs (16:44; 18:2); and funeral dirges (19; 26-28; 32). The frequent rhetorical questions and repetitious phrases enhance the vitality and thrust of the oracles. (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary OT 7 Volume Set: Books: Zondervan Publishing)

WHILE I WAS BY THE RIVER CHEBAR (KEBAR):  (3; 3:15 3:23; 10:15 10:20 10:22 43:3)  (See discussion of Chebar/Kebar in ISBE)

Ezekiel received this vision in a region now occupied by the modern nation of Iraq. The River Chebar is mentioned in Babylonian texts (referred to as  "nar Kabaru") from the city of Nippur in the fifth century BC and was apparently a canal which provided artificial irrigation from the Euphrates.  The River Chebar is mentioned 8 times in Scripture, all in Ezekiel (click here for uses). Thus Ezekiel's ministry was among the exiles whereas Daniel's ministry was among the ruling powers and Jeremiah's among the Jews in Judah. Keep in mind the historical context which will help understand Ezekiel's messages -- The year is 593 BC, indicating that five years had passed since invaders from Babylon had entered Jerusalem and taken Ezekiel and a group of 10,000 of his fellow Israelites captive. The final Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC was still 7 years away as he receives his prophetic call from God. In Babylon, the Jewish prisoners of war had been treated surprisingly well. They were given decent housing and a good deal of freedom. They were allowed to practice their trades and to work the fertile fields allocated to them. All was not well, however. Many of the captives were not satisfied with a comfortable existence in a pagan land. They longed for the temple in Jerusalem and wondered why their God remained silent and unresponsive to their needs.

AMONG THE EXILES: (Eccl 9:1; 9:2 Jer 24:5-7)

in the midst of captivity (Amp)

Among - Don't miss this word -- Where was Ezekiel? Not off to the side in a "holy huddle" but right in the middle (the Greek word mesos which is the word the Septuagint uses to translate the Hebrew and which means "in the middle") of all the other sinners, a good place to be if you are going to speak to them about your God. Where are you located? At work, in your neighborhood, etc, do you make a point to fraternize with the brethren to the exclusion of the pagans?

As Cooper writes

Ezekiel had a unique consciousness about his role and relationship with those to whom he was to minister. He saw himself as a prophet “in the midst” of a time, place, and people who desperately needed a word from Yahweh. Ezekiel used the Hebrew word betôk, translated “among” and “in the midst,” 116 times, substantially more than any other Old Testament book and more than all others combined.

Both the Assyrians and the Babylonians had a policy of deporting large populations of conquered enemies. The Babylonian practice of settling the exiles in self-contained villages is demonstrated in extra-Biblical texts from the region of Nippur. While it was a traumatic event for the people of Judah, they were encouraged to settle into their new situation (Jer 29:4–23)  and many followed this advice too well and became so comfortable in Babylon that they choose to remain there even though being freed by King Cyrus to return and rebuild their Temple. Ezra characterized those who choose to return as those

whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:5)

THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED: (Mt 3:16; Jn 1:51; Acts 7:56; 10:11; Rev 4:1; 19:11)

This description was also associated with the inauguration of the ministry of the Son of Man, Luke recording that "Jesus...was baptized and while He was praying, heaven was opened." (Lu 3:21) and will also mark His triumphant return at the end of this age and the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:21) when the heavens will be "opened" revealing the Son of Man as the King of kings

Faithful and True" the One Who "in righteousness...judges and wages war." (Rev 19:11)

The difference is that God was speaking to Ezekiel while Jesus, the God-Man, was speaking to His Father.

I SAW VISIONS OF GOD: (Ezek 8:3; 11:24; Ge 15:1; 46:2; Nu 12:6; Isa 1:1; Da 8:1 8:2; Hos 12:10; Joel 2:28; Mt 17:9; Acts 9:10-12; 10:3; 2Cor 12:1)

Visions of God here includes visions given by God and visions in which God was seen and is always in the plural and always with the word "God" (not "LORD"). This exact phrase "Visions of God" occurs only three times in the NASB, all in Ezekiel,` (click here for all three), this verse, Ezekiel 8:3 and Ezekiel 40:2 and its occurrence is a marker in a sense, as it divides Ezekiel's prophecy into three sections. Saul of Tarsus had a somewhat similar life changing encounter

as he journeyed...approaching Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Like Ezekiel, Saul of Tarsus' was never the same after that encounter. (see Acts 9:3 9:4 9:5 9:6  9:15 9:16 9:20)

MacArthur observes that

This scene has similarities to the visions of God’s throne in Rev 4 , Rev 5 where the emphasis is also on a glimpse of that throne just before judgment is released in Rev 6-19."

To sum up the guidelines in simple terms, don’t focus on the details of Ezekiel’s vision, but on the overall impression it conveys.

Larry Richards adds that although

Some people have become bogged down seeking to explain the details of Ezekiel’s vision, and artists have even toiled to portray them...the best way to sense the reality Ezekiel portrays is to read the chapter quickly, opening ourselves to receive an impression of the awe-inspiring majesty of our God." (The Bible reader's companion. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Book)

Ray Stedman adds that

"The story of this book is the story of human life and the book begins with a tremendous vision of God, because all life starts with God. God is the greatest fact in existence, in history. If you are going to think about anything, you have to start somewhere. Anyone who wants to think logically about life must always begin with God. That is where the Bible begins. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." This book of Ezekiel begins, then, with a mystic vision of God. The glory of the prophet Ezekiel was that he saw God more clearly than any of the other prophets. If your heart needs to be set on fire by the revelation of the character and glory of God, read Ezekiel. He is the great prophet who saw the glory of God."

Ezekiel begins with a vision and then the call similar to the prophet Isaiah’s call in Isaiah chapter 6. Like Isaiah, Ezekiel’s vision reveals the character of God. Isaiah saw God seated on a throne, high and exalted and as this chapter describes Ezekiel saw God seated on a throne high above.

C. H. Spurgeon makes an interesting comment in his introduction to the sermon on Jehovah-Shammah (Ezek 48:35)

The prophet Ezekiel has been telling us many remarkable things which I shall not attempt to explain to you; and my chief reason for not doing so is the fact that I do not understand them.

And so we too must approach this great book with humility and the realization that

now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then (we) shall know fully just as (we) also have been fully known." (1Cor 13:12).

We must continually remain in total dependence upon the Spirit's teaching (1Jn 2:27) for "we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God" (1Cor 2:12)

As New Testament saints we must remember that

these things (taught in the Old Testament, click verse at end of this quote to read the immediate context) happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved." (1Cor 10:6)

Paul reiterates to the Corinthians and to us that 

these things (click on the passage at the end of this verse to read what "these things" refers to in context) happened to them as an example (Gk = tupos = English "type"), and they were written for our instruction (NIV = warnings, NKJV=admonition), upon whom the ends of the ages have come." (1Cor 10:11) 

The children of Israel and the facts of their history are types or examples for believers today, because we will be conformed to them if we do not exercise caution. Our doom will correspond to theirs. Therefore, the great book of Ezekiel stands as a stern warning to all who would toy with the "deceitfulness of sin" (see note Hebrews 3:13) or would "love the world (and) the things in the world." (1Jn 2:15). "Do not be deceived (GWT = make no mistake about this, NLT = don't be misled), God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." (Gal 6:7)

On the positive side Paul adds that

whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction (NIV = to teach us), that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (see note Romans 15:4)

Indeed the message of Ezekiel begins with warnings of judgment but ends with promises of hope and restoration. In the midst of wrath our loving God always remembers mercy. Have you thanked Him for His undeserved mercy lately?

Scofield divides Ezekiel into

seven great prophetic strains indicated by the expression, "The hand of the Lord was upon me." (Ezek 1:3; 3:14,22; 8:1; 33:22; 37:1; Ezek 40:1)

It should be noted that the verse by verse notes on this website reflect a literal, historical interpretation of Ezekiel's prophecy. Even well respected sources like the New Bible Dictionary have statements like the following

Considerable controversy exists as to how Ezekiel’s symbolic actions are to be interpreted. Some, e.g. A. B. Davidson, Ezekiel (Cambridge Bible for Schools & Colleges), page 30), and J. Skinner, (Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, page 817) have held they took place purely in the prophet’s mind. More usual is the conception that, though they were carried out, in our understanding of them we must allow for a metaphorical element inconsistent with a purely literal interpretation."