EZEKIEL
Author:
The prophet Ezekiel. His name means “God strengthens”. Ezekiel was from a priestly family. His father was an official of high rank. Nebuchadnezzar took Ezekiel along with other captives in Babylon in 597 BC.
Date:
God called Ezekiel to be a prophet in 593 BC, when Ezekiel was 30 years of age. The events in this book cover a period of 22 years. He wrote either during those years or shortly afterwards.
Themes:
God’s glory; in prophetic vision the departure of God’s glory from His temple in Jerusalem, and in a future time the return of that glory to a new temple. Between these two events the prophet writes of the corrupt condition of the people of Israel, God’s judgment on them and on other nations, the change that will come to Israel at the end of this age, the destruction of armies invading from the north. Everywhere in this book we see that the LORD (Jehovah) God is the sovereign ruler of the world. We also see His determination that through His deeds and actions men should know that He alone is God. The phrase “then they will know that I am the LORD” is found a great many times. Another common phrase is “the word of the LORD came”. Ezekiel did not devise the messages he delivered. They came directly from God. See 1 Pet 1:20-21.
Contents:
A word about Ezekiel 1:1-3
Ezekiel’s vision of God’s glory 1:4-28
The four living creatures and a chariot 1:4-21
Divine splendor 1:22-28
God calls Ezekiel 2:1-10
Ezekiel to be God’s spokesman 3:1-15
Ezekiel a watchman 3:16-21
God shut Ezekiel’s mouth and opened it 3:22-27
The siege and capture of Jerusalem symbolized by Ezekiel 4:1—5:4
God’s words concerning Jerusalem 5:5-17
Idolatry the reason for coming judgment 6:1-14
Punishment of wickedness – sword, plague, famine, enemies 7:1-27
Ezekiel is taken in vision to Jerusalem 8:1-3
Idolatry and wickedness in the temple 8:4-18
Slaughter of Jerusalem’s wicked people 9:1-11
God’s glory leaves the temple and city 10:1—11:25
Prophecy against the leaders 11:1-13
God will scatter and gather Israel again 11:14-21
Ezekiel’s actions symbolize the Jews’ exile 12:1-28
A condemnation of false prophets 13:1-23
Idols in the heart 14:1-11
No way of escape 14:12-23
A parable of the unfruitful vine 15:1-8
A parable of the adulterous woman – Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness 16:1-63
God's choice of Jerusalem and Jerusalem’s sin 16:1-34
The penalty for unfaithfulness 16:35-43
Jerusalem and Samaria their sin and restoration 16:44-63
The parable of the two eagles 17:1-21
A new Branch in Israel 17:22-24
The person who sins will die 18:1-29
God wants everyone to be saved 18:30-32
A song of sorrow for the princes of Israel 19:1-14
The visit of Israel’s elders to Ezekiel and God’s message to them 20:1-31
God promises to restore Israel 20:34-44
Prophecy against the southland 20:45-49
A sword was ready 21:1-32
Jerusalem’s sins and the coming judgment 22:1-31
The parable of the unfaithful sisters 23:1-49
Their names, wicked lives and punishment 23:1-49
The parable of the boiling pot 24:1-14
Death of Ezekiel’s wife 24:15-27
Prophecies against various nations 25:1—32:32
Ammon, Moab and Edom 25:1-14
Tyre 26:1—28:19
Prophecy against Tyre 26:1-21
Lament for Tyre 27:1-36
A message for the rulers of Tyre 28:1-10
A lament for the king of Tyre 28:11-19
Sidon 28:20-26
Egypt 29:1—32:32
A lament for Egypt 30:1-26
Comparison with Assyria 31:1-18
A lament for Pharaoh 32:1-32
God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman 33:1-33
False shepherds 34:1-10
The true Shepherd 34:11-31
Destruction of Edom 35:1-15
A word against the mountains of Israel 36:1-21
God will restore Israel and give them a new heart 36:22-38
A valley of bones 37:1-10
Promise of a new life 37:11-14
Unification of Judah and Israel 37:15-28
Gog and Magog 38:1—39:29
Prophecy against Gog, his invasion of Judah 38:1-18
Victory over Gog and his armies 38:17—39:29
A new temple 40:1—44:31
In a vision Ezekiel goes to Israel 40:1-4
The courts, gates, and rooms in the courtyard 40:5-47
The temple itself 40:48—41:26
Rooms in the inner court 42:1-20
The glory of God returns 43:1-12
Altar of burnt offering 43:13-27
One gate for the LORD God 44:1-3
Glory fills the temple 44:4
Regulations regarding worship 44:5-31
Levites and priests 44:10-31
A new division of the land of Israel 45:1—48:29
The sacred district and a portion for the prince 45:1-8
Offerings, festivals and holy days 45:13—46:24
A river giving new life to the land 47:1-12
Boundaries of the land for the tribes 48:1-29
The city’s gates and God’s presence 48:30-35