The Book of Ezekiel was written during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. He sought to bring his fellow Jews to repentance and to give them hope for the future. Ezekiel sought to remind the Jews that God was sovereign even in defeat and despair and they must obey to receive God's blessings. Through the illustration of a wayward wife, the prophet Hosea reminded Israel that His love for Israel is long-suffering and unwavering.