Understanding Ezekiel

Chronological arrangement of Ezekiel’s writings

The Book of Ezekiel is not chronological. It is not clear whether Ezekile himself or a later editor had composed his writings this way, however the order we have today does match the chronology found in the dead sea scrolls. Whilst we may not know for certain what the reasons for this may be, this concept is not too dissimilar to when stories preface a new section with a change of time eg “six years earlier”, or “two months later”. Table 1 below demonstrates the sections reordered chronologically with the reference supplied as evidence. The original order of the Book of the Ezekiel can be seen in the sections that follow and can be accessed via the contents menu on the left.

The dating of each section starts with Ezekiel’s description of the destruction of the Temple (587 BC) happening in the 11th year of his captivity. This would indicate that Ezekiel was captured at the same time as king Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) in 597 BC which is line with common understanding of the Babylonian invasions of 605 BC (Daniel) and 597 BC (Jehoiachin, Mordacai, and Ezekiel) and the final destruction of Jerusalem’s temple in 586 BC involving the carrying away of Zedekiah.

Ezekiel’s first series of prophecies

Ezekiel’s first series of visions come to him in the 5th year of his captivity, 591 BC which is the 13th year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. This vision last for 7 chapters from Ezekiel 1:1 – Ezekiel 7:27. Ezekiel received the first part of this vision on a Sunday 5th day of the fourth month – and the second part (Ezekiel 3:16) on Sunday the 13th day of the fourth month, during the height of summer.

1. Vision of God. given scroll to eat to speak to a rebellious house. Ezekiel 1:3

2. Word: 7 day later: Watchman responsible for warning Israel. Go to the plain. Ezekiel 3:16

3. Sign: Ezekiel to tie himself up, remain mute, and depict a siege. Ezekiel 3:23

4. Sign: Ezekiel to lie on his side 530 days eating a special bread recipe. Ezekiel 4:4

5. Sign: Ezekiel to cut and divide beard hair for fire, knife and wind. Ezekiel 5:1

6. Word: Prophesy against Mountains of Israel. Punch and stamp. Ezekiel 6:1

7. Word: The end is come upon the four corners of Israel. Ezekiel 7:1

Summary _________

Ezekiel’s second series of prophecies

Ezekiel’s second series of visions is certainly the longest lasting 12 chapters from Ezekiel 8:1 to Ezekiel 19:14 containing 15 words and visions. During this year Ezekiel receives 10 messages, 2 visions, told to conduct 2 signs and sing one lamentation. the first vision commences on Friday the 5th day of the sixth month of the 6th year of his captivity.

1. Vision: Jerusalem’s destruction. Word against leaders. Ezekiel 8:1 (note Ezekiel 11:4)

2. Word: Promise of the regathering and a new heart. Ezekiel 11:14 (note Ezekiel 11:16)

3. Vision: Being taken into Chaldean to join the captives. Ezekiel 11:24

4. Sign: Dig hole. Word: A third attack. Promise of a remnant. Ezekiel 12:1 (note vs 8)

5. Sign: Eat whilst trembling. Israel will experience violence. Ezekiel 12:17

6. Word: Prophecy will unfold in your lifetime. Ezekiel 12:21

7. Word: Prophecy will unfold in your lifetime. Ezekiel 12:26

8. Word: Prophecy against false prophets. Ezekiel 13:1

9. Word: Elder’s to remove the idols of the heart. Ezekiel 14.1

10. Word: Fourfold punishment for the land (Lev 26) + Remnant. Ezekiel 14:12

11. Word: Inhabitants of Jerusalem to burn as a vine in the fire. Ezekiel 15:1

12. Word: Jerusalems’ harlotry worse than Israel, Ammon & Moab. Ezekiel 16:1

13. Word: Riddle of the Eagle and tree. Babel & Jerusalem. Ezekiel 17:1 (note vs 11)

14. Word: People to bare consequences for their own sin. Ezekiel 18:1

15. Lamentation: Mother Lioness. Like a vine. (Genesis 49). Ezekiel 19:1

Summary – the abominations in the Sanctuary – “The sins of Isreal and Judah.”

Ezekiel’s third series of prophecies

Spanning just three chapters, Ezekiel’s receives a new series of nine messages during his 7th year of captivity. The first is received on Sunday the 10th day of the fifth month again during the height of the summer.

1. Word: Elders to understand the sins of their fathers. Ezekiel 20:1

2. Word: Prophecy of a fire against the south ‘forest’. Ezekiel 20:45

3. Word: Bitter word against Jerusalem, the holy places and Israel. Ezekiel 21:1

4. Word: Prophecy of a sword. Ezekiel to cry, howl, clap. Ezekiel 21:8

5. Word: Two routes of attack. Ezekiel 21:18

6. Word: The city of bloodshed and defilement will be judged. Ezekiel 22:1

7. Word: As dross on silver, they will be gathered and thrown in the fire. Ezekiel 22:17

8. Word: The Prophets, Priests, Princes, and People – but no intercessor.. Ezekiel 22:23

9. Word: The adultery of the two Sisters Aholah and Aholibah. Ezekiel 23:1 (note 23:38)

Summary – it is clear that all nine messages focus on one theme during this year. The focus being placed on the impending judgment of Jerusalem by fire and the spiritual cause is clear. Within four years, Nebuzaradan will be destroying the beloved city, the temple and and the city walls. though there is no public provocative signs to show the people, this wave of prophecies may have felt equally intense. Consider how God tells Ezekiel to also rebuke his peers, and those who come to learn of him in the first message. By Ezekiel 21:8 God is requiring the message to be communicated with desperation, and alarm. He instructs Ezekiel to clap, shout and howl.

Ezekiel’s fourth series of prophecies

Two and half years on from his previous series of prophecies, Ezekiel receives another three words. It is the year 589 BC, and it is the very same day Nebuchadnezzar’s army has encamped around Jerusalem to besiege and attack it (compare Ezekiel 40:1, and Jeremiah 39:1-2 with Ezekiel 24:1). Ezekiel is told to mark this day (10th day of the tenth month) and he is given a parable to share. The parable involves a pot of boiled lamb with the blood not drained that is poured onto the ground and not covered; multiple errors of uncleanness likened to the sins of the people. Ezekiel 24:13 is particularly sad, showing how they would not be purged even God tried to purge them, indicating God has no other option to ‘let his fury rest on them’ and start over.

1. Word: Mark the day. Would not be purged so must have God’s fury. Ezekiel 24:1

2. Sign: Ezekiel Wife Dies . I will profane my Sanctuary, (Note Ezekiel 24:21). Ezekiel 24:15

3. Word: Prophecy against Ammon’s response to Judah’s captivity. Ezekiel 25:1

Summary – with Ezekiel’s wife dying, and seeing his unusual reaction this would have created quite a stir among those who knew Ezekiel. There was a traditional way to mourn which would have typically involved loud a lamenting (Luke 8:52)) but here Ezekiel is silent. 2:22-24 describes the meaning of the sign, that the captives will end up doing the same, and instead mourn at the sins of Judah. As we draw closer to the destruction of Jerusalem, it is getting more personal; the bitterness and anguish would have been felt by the captives who would have been influenced by Ezekiel. The final message turns the focus away from rebuking Judea or Israel and instead condemns the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites and Philistines for their despiteful attitude toward toward Israel and now Judah’s demise. The Ammonites rejoicing at Israel’s and Judah’s capture (Ezekiel 25:1-7), the Moabites for saying Judah is like all heathen (Ezekiel 25:8-11), the Edomites for exploiting the situation to avenge themselves (Ezekiel 25:12-14) and the Philistines for avenging with despiteful heart based on former grudges )Ezekiel 25:15-17) each of these neighbouring nations will be ‘greatly avenged. Isreal will attack Edom, Amon will not be remembered among the nations, Moab will lose some of its best cities and Philistine will taste its own medicine when it is cut off.

Ezekiel’s fifth prophetic experience

During the 10th year of Ezekiel’s captivity, year 588 BC, Ezekiel has only one prophetic experience. This experience comes to him during the first month on a Sunday 12th day of the first month two days Ezekiel 29:1-16. At this point Jerusalem’s was are not penetrated and King Zedekiah is quite adamant he can defend the city against the Babylonians (See Jeremiah ______. He most likely is hoping that his appeals of support from Egypt _______

1. Egypt destroyed and scattered for forty years. Ezekiel 29:1-16

Summary. Such a short and direct message would have warned those Judaen’s who had already begun to place their confidence in Egypt for safety. It is apparent from the latter part of Jeremiah’s writings that many people of Judah had already fled to or were already dwelling in land ruled by Egypt (Jeremiah 44:1). Given Egypt had been Babylons greatest rival and perhaps the only nations to defeat them once in battle, it is no surprise some of the Jews would have assumed they would safety there. However, both Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophecy simultaneously a united message of God’s disproval of their ways and prophesies of not only theirs but also Egypts destruction at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

Ezekiel’s sixth series of prophecies

It is now the year 587 BC. The siege of Jerusalem has lasted more than a year long and it is now the first day of the 11th year (Wednesday 01/01) when Ezekiel receives 5 prophetic words from God. Six days later later he receives another word (07/01) and then a final word two months later on the first day of the third month (Sunday 01/03)*.

1. Word: Tyre to be attacked for seeking to exploit Jerusalem’s fall, Ezekiel 26:1

2. Lamentation:: Lamentation for Tyre. Ezekiel 27:1

3. Word: Prophecy against the prince of Tyre. Ezekiel 28:1

4. Lamentation:: Lamentation against the King of Tyre. Ezekiel 28:11

5. Word: Prophecy against Zidon. Ezekiel 28:20

6. Word: +6 days: Word against Pharaoh of Egypt’s scattering. Ezekiel 30:20

7. Word: +54 days* Pharaoh the great tree with be brought dow]n. Ezekiel 31:1

Summary

9th day of the fourth month the city was attacked during the 11th year of Ezekiels captivity (compare Ezekiel 40:1, and Jeremiah 39:1-2 with Ezekiel 24:1). Zedekiah was carried away during the fifth month and died at the end of that year (Jeremiah 1:3).

Ezekiel’s seventh series of prophecies

It is the year 586 BC, Jerusalem is in ruins, the temple destroyed, the king Zedekiah has died in captivity, all by the end of the previous year. King Jehoiachin (Zedekiah’s predecessor) remains in captivity. On Sunday 5th day of the 10th month, Ezekiel receives 8 further prophetic words from God, follow by another word on Sunday the 1st day of the 12th month and two more prophetic words two weeks later on Sunday 15th day of the 12th month. After this, we don’t hear from Ezekiel for over 12 years.

1. _______ Ezekiel 33:23

2. Word: Judgment against Israel’s Shepherds who failed the flock. Ezekiel 34:1

3. Word: Prophecy against Edom (Mt Seir). Ezekiel 35:1

4. Word: Prophecy of restoration for the land of Israel. Ezekiel 36:1

5. Word: New Covenant, Ezek 36:26-27 (11:19, 37:14, 39:29). Ezekiel 36:16

6. Vision: The revival of an army of dry bones in a valley. Ezekiel 37:1

7. Word: Sanctuary in the midst of them for ever – (note Ezek 37:26-28). Ezekiel 37:15

8. Word: Battle of Gog and Mago against God’s people, and the great burial. Ezekiel 38:1

9. Word: +55 days: Prophecy against Pharaoh and Egypt. Babylon attack. Ezekiel 32:1

10. _______ +14 days: Wail. Ezekiel 32:17

11. _______ Ezekiel. 33:1

Summary ____

Ezekiel’s eighth series of prophecies

Text

1. Vision: Vision of the New Temple, Jerusalem and the land restored. Ezekiel 40:1-48:35

Summary: By far Ezekiels longest single vision and perhaps one of the most detailed one. Whilst it could be said that the detail given in how the Temple should look could be the blueprint for the new Temple that was rebuilt 140 years later, it is clear that Ezekiel 47:1-12 speaks of time in the future where a river travels from the temple and heals the waters of the dead sea. Compare with Zechariah 14:4-8.

Ezekiel’s ninth series of prophecies

Two years on from the vision of new temple, Ezekiel records his final two prophetic words.

1. Wood: Egypt, as Babylon’s wages for Tyre attack. Ezekiel 29:17

2. Word: Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Egypt \9note vs 10). Ezekiel 30:1-19