Ezekiel Ezekiel
Ezekiel
Introduction
At a Glance
Author: Ezekiel the prophet
Audience: Originally the exiled Israelite community in Babylon and those who remained behind in Jerusalem, but this canonical prophecy speaks to God’s people throughout their entire history
Date: 593–571 BC
Type of Literature: Theological prose, prophetic literature, allegorical parables, and oracles
Major Themes: God’s sovereignty, covenantal disobedience and defilement, covenant curse, judgment of the nations, individual responsibility, the promise of a new covenant, and new covenant restoration and redemption
Outline: The book of Ezekiel reveals a complex and fascinating chiastic parallel structure known technically as a chiasmus. Relevant features of this structure will be noted throughout the footnotes. This literary structure provides valuable insights into the various thematic and theological emphases beautifully woven into the fabric of the text.
Chiastic Thematic Structure in Ezekiel # This chiastic structure outline is courtesy of Stephen Renn.
A: 1:1–7:27 The desecration of land and temple [n.b.: 1:1–28, vision of the heavenly throne room].
B: 8:1–11:25 Idolatry in the temple, leading to the departure of the glory cloud from the temple [vision of God’s glory at the north gate].
C: 12:1–14:11 Corruption of Israel’s leaders; their condemnation and judgment. Implied desecration of the temple, along with the promised destruction of all towns and cities in the land (12:20).
D: 14:12–17:24 Allegorical judgments against Israel and new covenant blessing foretold.
E: 18:1–19:14 Covenant curse against Israel and divine exhortation to new life and heart renewal.
F: 20:1–49 Judgment against Israel and promise of new covenant blessing and restoration.
G: 21:1–32 Babylon: instrument of Yahweh’s judgment against Israel.
H: 22:1–23:49 Perversity of Israel’s leaders: two adulterous sisters.
I: 24:1–27 “Cooking pot” (24:3, 6) judgment on Jerusalem.
J: 25:1–17 Judgment on Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia, of whom the first two will be destroyed by the Babylonians, or “the tribes of the eastern desert” (25:4), the latter by Israel and Yahweh.
K: 26:1–28:19 # Panel K is the locus, or pivot point, of the chiasmus, where the judgment of God reaches its climax in the book. It portrays Tyre as the typological embodiment of evil, which can never withstand the power of Almighty God, which is positively indicated in the elimination of the power over sin and death, encapsulated in the coming of the new covenant age and the victory of the Messiah. [n.b.: Each item of the chiasmus—labeled alphabetically from A to J, with K at the center, followed by J1 through A1—is designated as a “panel.”] Oracle against Tyre: embodiment of blasphemous arrogance; personification of satanic pride; essence of idolatry.
J1: 28:20–32:32 Judgment on Sidon and Egypt: the latter at the hands of the Babylonians.
I1: 33:1–33 Ezekiel as watchman: Jerusalem’s fall invoked and explained.
H1: 34:1–31 Shepherds and sheep: immoral and idolatrous leaders condemned [n.b.: promise of godly leaders via the new covenant].
G1: 35:1–15 Judgment against Edom for attacks against Israel and for their rejoicing over the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians.
F1: 36:1–38 Judgment against Israel and the promise of new covenant blessing.
E1: 37:1–28 Valley of dry bones: new life and promise of covenant renewal.
D1: 38:1–39:29 Gog and Magog: symbolic judgment against the nations and promise of renewal and new covenant blessing for Israel.
C1: 40:1–42:20 Visionary plans for the ideal temple, providing the ideal environment for Israel’s godly leaders in the new covenant age.
B1: 43:1–44:31 Glory cloud returns to the temple, and prescribed worship is renewed for the exclusive priestly ministry of the Zadokites.
A1: 45:1–48:35 Division of the land and renewal of historical boundaries, implying renewed conquest [n.b.: 48:8–35, description of the sacred city, dwelling place of Yahweh: “Yahweh-Lives-There” (48:35)].
About Ezekiel
The book of Ezekiel is bursting with powerful visions, vivid prophetic text, and stirring allegories. All of these literary styles are embedded with richly significant theological themes, the most important of which is God’s sovereignty. This is on glorious display as he judges the nations, enacts judgment in response to a disregarded covenant, and powerfully reinstates a marvelous new covenant of redemption and blessing. The distribution of these themes within the book is laid out clearly and powerfully via the chiastic framework of Ezekiel, and in fact, their significance is enhanced by that literary structure. The deeper we dive into this rich framework the more clearly we see how critically important are these covenantal motifs that determine the nature of Israel’s destiny—and our own. God’s precious covenants were not only for the prophet Ezekiel and those living under the old covenant but also for all generations of God’s people since that time and up until the end of the ages, when our Lord Jesus will return and inaugurate the new heavens and the new earth and consummate the kingdom of God for all eternity.
The chiastic structure of the book reinforces these themes of sovereignty and covenant in a theological progression. First, in the first half of the book—the “ascending arm” of the chiasmus—panels A–J reinforce the primary focus on the punitive judgment of God, expressed as manifestations of Yahweh’s covenant curse. Second, the “locus,” or pivot point, of the chiasmus is reflected in panel K. Here, the climax of God’s covenant curse is directed against the king of Tyre, depicted in the book as the embodiment of blasphemous arrogance, the personification of satanic pride, and quintessential idolatry.
Finally, the second half of the prophecy—panels J1–A1, the “descending arm” of the chiasmus—shifts to a predominantly glorious emphasis on covenant blessing, renewal, restoration, and redemption. Although there are still instances of divine judicial censure, they progressively fade into the background, giving way to Yahweh’s promises to renew and redeem his people. We are living now in the first stage of that new covenant. What was only a dazzling vision of promise in Ezekiel’s time is the beautiful reality we, as God’s people, are living in today!
Purpose
The purpose of the book of Ezekiel is to passionately vindicate God’s sovereignty in human history as he administrates the divine covenant in both judgment and blessing. First, the covenant curse was directed at his people, and then divine retribution was poured out on the nations around them. Then at last we see the extraordinary, undeserved outpouring of God’s divine grace and compassion on his chosen people, leading to their promised renewal and redemption in a new covenant. This is vividly enacted through the revelation of the oracles, visions, allegories, and symbolic actions of the prophet.
The purpose for the Israelites of Ezekiel’s day was essentially twofold: First, they would soon come to realize that God was certainly not indifferent to their lifestyle and behavior. Their cavalier disdain of God’s covenantal laws and decrees would have catastrophic consequences for their land, their lives, and their liberty.
Second, in this prophecy, God granted his people a measure of mercy and grace that defies comprehension. He explained all his actions to them, repeatedly affirming throughout the book that he would be their God and they would be his people (11:19–20; 14:11; 34:30; 36:28; 37:23, 27). Such expressions encapsulate the essence of the covenant, displaying that intimate, unique bond between God and his people—both in the time of Ezekiel and today.
There is another purpose of the book of Ezekiel. We can see the beating heart of God in his common use of the expression “that they/you will know that I am Yahweh.” It occurs over sixty times in the entire book, clearly proclaiming his sovereign purpose in both judgment and blessing.
In judgment: Israel will know that God is Yahweh as they suffer the punishments for breaking his covenant and practicing gross idolatry. God’s people are left under no illusion as to who is responsible for their calamitous sufferings. Other nations (particularly Israel’s enemies) will know that God is Yahweh as he condemns and judges them for the evil they have done toward God and toward his people, Israel. (Notably, there is a terrifying absence of this statement in the climactic judgment of Tyre. With only one exception [26:6], it is not asserted of Tyre—the ruler, the city, or its people—that they will know the Lord. Even the other nations who suffer the terrifying judgment of Yahweh will recognize who it is that is controlling their ill-fated destiny. One may reasonably assume, therefore, that Tyre’s punishment from God was an absolute one.)
In blessing: Israel—undeserving as they are—will come to know God in a truly wonderful manner as their Redeemer and Restorer (16:62; 20:42, 44; 36:11, 23, 38; 37:13; 39:22, 28). Yahweh uses this expression again and again to signal his overwhelming covenant-mercy and compassion toward his wayward people, notwithstanding their utter rejection of him. These expressions occur alongside God’s promise of a new covenant, lavishing on Israel permanent forgiveness of their sins, the restoration of their land and temple, and a brand new “heart.” This new heart will forever possess pure love for and worship of their God, accompanied by unswerving devotion and obedience to his commands. In this way, they will come to know him afresh—a promise that applied not only to the historical people of Israel but also to all future generations of God’s people. That new covenant has been inaugurated by our Savior and Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross at Calvary. How sweet is this promise that you and I can know the Lord! It is being fulfilled even as you read this book of Ezekiel right now: God is revealing himself to you within its pages so you can know him.
And this new covenant promise gets even better. Note that in the entire visionary section of chapters 40–48, nowhere does God inform the prophet that the people of Yahweh will know the Lord. That is because in this series of visions of wholesale renewal and restoration, it is assumed that the knowledge of Yahweh will be universal—in a gloriously redemptive sense. We long for that marvelous day when all will know that God is Yahweh!
Author and Audience
Ezekiel was an early sixth-century-BC prophet who was called by God to proclaim revelations of both judgment and blessing. The time in which he lived was a momentous one in the history of the people of God: the Judean people were enduring three brutal waves of deportations from their conquered promised land to the pagan empire of Babylon. During this time of upheaval, violence, and heartbreak, Ezekiel was given God’s revelation-scroll to eat (3:1–5), becoming the message of God to his exiled people. God appointed him as the “watchman” for Israel, giving him the grave responsibility of warning his fellow exiles of God’s judgment (3:16–21). But Ezekiel also conveyed the dazzling vision of God’s new covenant to the hurting exiles and proclaimed prophecies of hope in the coming messianic redemption of our Lord Jesus.
The text provides a few personal details about Ezekiel’s life. We know that he came from a priestly family and began his ministry at thirty years of age (1:2–3); although he was of priestly lineage, he was never destined to minister as a priest. His prophetic ministry was to last for more than twenty years (1:1–3; 29:17). We also learn that he owned his own house (3:24; 8:1), that he was married, and that his wife died during his ministry (24:15–16ff.). More than any other canonical prophet, Ezekiel was instructed by God to publicly enact the content of the divine judgments in a series of prophetic, symbolic actions. For example, Ezekiel was instructed to lock himself up in his own house, bind himself, and endure a season of being unable to speak (3:24–26). He was commanded by God to lie on his right side, then on his left for 430 days (4:4–8).
A little over 120 years prior to Ezekiel’s call to ministry, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been invaded by the Assyrians, and her people scattered to the far corners of the Assyrian Empire (ca. 721 BC). Since that time, the Babylonian Empire had risen to power and conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Three major deportations of Judean inhabitants from Judah to Babylon followed. The first deportation of the Judean population took place in 605 BC. This forced migration took the prophet Daniel into captivity. The second deportation took place in 597 BC, taking with it the prophet Ezekiel. While he was in Babylon, Ezekiel received his prophetic call from God in 593 BC (1:1–3), and his last recorded prophecy took place in 571 BC (29:17). The third deportation to Babylon in 586 BC was the most catastrophic of all, because the entire city of Jerusalem, along with the temple, was destroyed and the Judean countryside was left abandoned and desolate. The prophetic ministry of Jeremiah took place in Jerusalem from approximately 626 BC until the years following the sack of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
Ezekiel was clearly contemporary with the prophets Daniel and Jeremiah. Daniel, like Ezekiel, exercised his ministry in Babylon itself. Jeremiah’s ministry was almost exclusively based in Jerusalem. The likelihood of any personal interaction between any of the three men, however, must remain speculative.
The immediate audience of Ezekiel’s prophecies and visionary reports were the Judean exiles in Babylon, among whom Ezekiel lived. Those Judeans who remained in Jerusalem after 597 must also be considered part of Ezekiel’s audience. The rationale for this claim lies in the fact that the Spirit of God transported Ezekiel in a vision to the city of Jerusalem, which was recorded in chapters 8–11 (8:3; 11:1), where the desecration of the temple was revealed to the prophet in excruciating detail. Additionally, the visionary revelation of the restored temple in chapters 40–48 also begins with the declaration that the Spirit of God transported the prophet to a high mountain in the land of Israel (40:2). It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that both Israelite communities had access to these dire warnings of divine judgment and marvelous promises of divine grace and compassion.
Finally, we must know that the divinely revealed prophecies of Ezekiel—as is the case with the entire body of scriptural revelation—speak to everyone. Every subsequent generation of God’s people, including the new covenant church, the body of Christ, will be challenged to revere the holiness of the one true and living God, to venerate and obey his covenant stipulations relevant for the new covenant age, and to be mindful of the inevitable judgment of God upon those who ignore his Word. We are to rejoice in his glorious grace and compassion, fully and finally revealed in the manifestation of the new covenant, fulfilled by his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Interpreting Ezekiel’s Temple
The last nine chapters of Ezekiel (40–48) give a visionary description of a temple, with its dimensions and partial instructions concerning the purpose of the priest’s chambers. The mystery of Ezekiel’s Temple remains today. It is difficult to understand, like most prophetic and apocalyptic revelations. One Jewish writer shows how confusing are the many discrepancies between any past temple erected in Israel and Ezekiel’s ecstatic vision. He writes:
The . . . code of [chapters] 40–48 is for a clerical establishment supported by an independent Davidic king such as did not exist in postexilic times. Jerusalem as there described never existed. The twelve tribes never returned; those who did, did not settle according to the prescriptions of Ezekiel. Neither was the temple rebuilt along his lines, nor were non-Zadokite priests made Levites, nor were the Nethinim removed from temple service. Ezekiel depicts himself as in charge of the inauguration of the new altar (43:18ff.), and in [those verses] he is commanded to purify the sanctuary. This is in accord with his vision that the redemption would come at the end of forty years of Jehoiachin’s exile while he was yet alive—as it did not. The laws of chapters 40–48 contradict the Torah in so many ways as to have recommended to the later Rabbis withdrawing the book from public use. And yet later generations did not venture to alter a single passage to harmonize these divergences . . . Ezekiel has seen things that never happened; this is the key to the understanding of the rest of his visions. # Yehezkel Kaufmann, The Religion of Israel (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960), 429–430.
As we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and study of Ezekiel’s Temple, he will unveil many wonderful truths. Noted below are the five major models of interpreting the meaning of this temple, although we cannot be dogmatic about any interpretive mode.
1. The Historical-Literal Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel was describing what he had seen of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem to preserve its memory for the returning captives in Babylon so that they might rebuild it one day.
2. The Historical-Ideal Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel was giving a pattern, different from anything that stood previously. This was the pattern that the people should have used to rebuild the temple after returning to the land, though it was never realized.
3. The Jewish-Natural Interpretation
According to this view, Zerubbabel and his contemporaries actually followed this pattern, as did Herod the Great, but the temple will only come to perfection when the Messiah comes. Related to this is the view that when Elijah comes, he will guide the Jewish people to understand and build the temple. Among Orthodox Judaism today, there is a movement to rebuild a third temple in Israel and restore animal sacrifices and the Levitical priesthood.
4. The Future-Millennium Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel’s Temple is a literal future sanctuary that will be constructed during a one-thousand-year reign of Christ on earth, known as the Millennium.
5. The Spiritual-Symbolic Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel’s Temple was not intended to have a literal fulfillment but rather is comprised of symbolism that is meant to be understood and brought to fruition in God’s spiritual house (temple) today, which is the corporate Christ on earth, the living temple of God made up of every believer in Christ. This has been the prevailing view of the church fathers in the Christian tradition, including the Reformers. The following will summarize why The Passion Translation team believes this is the correct understanding of Ezekiel’s Temple:
• The laws and ordinances of Ezekiel’s Temple vary greatly from those of Moses’ tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple.
• The dimensions offered in Ezekiel are much greater than those of the Temple Mount. Ezekiel’s Temple is larger than Jerusalem itself.
• The mention of animal sacrifices in Ezekiel’s Temple (43:18–27) is a direct insult to the words of Jesus in John 4:19–21 and the teaching of the entire book of Hebrews, including the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ to remove sin (see Heb. 7:27). Neither his sacrifice nor any animal sacrifice will ever be repeated or required.
• The nature of prophecy and the symbolism of Ezekiel’s visions and writing point to a symbolic temple. Jesus also referred to the temple as a metaphor of his human body (see John 2:19).
• Scripture does not seem to indicate that God has ordained the rebuilding of a natural temple but rather ordained a spiritual temple that began at Pentecost.
• God no longer dwells in a building made by the hands of men but in the lives, bodies, and spirits of the redeemed in Christ. We are living stones, built together, rising together into a living, new temple, a New Jerusalem company filled with God’s Spirit. Our lives are to have a river flowing from us, a river of life clear as crystal. We are being built up as a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Paul calls the church “the temple of the living God” (2 Cor. 6:16) and then quotes Ezekiel to prove it: “I will establish my sanctuary among them forever. I will make my home above them. I will be their God, and they will be my beloved people” (Ezek. 37:26–27; see Eph. 2:21; 1 Peter 2:4–5).
• Ezekiel’s temple prophecy (Ezek. 40–48) is being fulfilled partially through the church and will ultimately be fulfilled through the New Jerusalem (see Rev. 21–22).
Major Themes
God’s Sovereignty. Dominating the entire prophetic landscape of the book of Ezekiel is the theme of the sovereignty of God. His majestic holiness and awe-inspiring transcendence are embedded into the very fabric of these revelations and underlie every vision, oracle, and allegorical parable, along with the narrative descriptions of the prophet’s symbolic actions. It is no accident that the book begins (Ezek. 1:1–28) with the vision of the heavenly, divine throne room, where God lays out for his servant the dire spiritual condition of the people of Judah. This vision of divine omnipotence and transcendent holiness leaves the prophet Ezekiel—and all those who read it—in no doubt as to who is in control of the destiny of the people of God and the reasons why such a devastating punishment will soon befall them. The Sovereign Lord of Israel will not tolerate the violation of his covenant laws and decrees. All the remaining themes of this prophetic book reveal the outworking of God’s sovereignty in his dealings with both his people and the surrounding nations.
Covenantal Disobedience and Defilement. One of the most devastating indictments of Israel in the book of Ezekiel addresses their covenantal disobedience. Their wholesale capitulation to pagan idolatry and all its attendant evils resulted in the defilement of the land, the temple, and the people themselves. This indictment takes up a significant number of chapters in the book, recorded primarily in chapters 8–20; 22–23; 34. Central to this defilement is the idolatrous worship in the heart of the temple (chs. 8–9), which leads to Yahweh abandoning his seat of worship in Jerusalem (chs. 10–11). The corruption of Israel’s rulers leads to their condemnation and judgment, along with the threatened desecration of the temple and the promised destruction of all towns and cities in the land (chs. 12–14). The condemnation of Israel’s leaders as bad “shepherds” in chapter 34 is similar in its focus.
Chapters 14–21 unveil further judgments against the people of God, but interestingly, they also contain anticipation of blessing—new covenant blessing, in fact—that will follow these terrible punishments (16:59–63; 18:30–32; 20:39–44). These surprising insertions of divine grace amid the prospect of devastating retribution illustrate a principle of divine sovereignty that is evident throughout the canonical prophets of the old covenant, namely, that the justly deserved punishments arising from covenantal disobedience are never absolute with respect to the covenant people of God. There is always the prospect of divine forgiveness and renewal. Our holy and just yet loving and redeeming God is on glorious display in this book, in all the beautiful fullness of his character.
The full horror of the people’s sin and defilement confronts hearers in the shocking allegory of the “two adulterous sisters” in chapters 22–23. These are Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of the Israelite people. The correlation of religious idolatry and spiritual adultery reaches a graphic and explicit climax in this story. The idolatrous practices of Samaria and Jerusalem are likened to the activities of two depraved prostitutes, likening the worship of pagan deities to the adulterous rejection of Yahweh’s solemn and sacred status as the “husband” of his two “brides.” No greater insult to the covenantal status of Yahweh could be imagined.
Covenant Curse. This theme overlaps with the previous one in that the punishments that Yahweh promises to hand down to his wayward people (panels A–F, H, and H1) may be precisely understood as covenant “curses.” This retribution is a judicial response to a legally binding covenantal oath-commitment. We are to understand these penalties as formal, judicial sentences, and never random responses on God’s part. It was this that the people of Judah in Ezekiel’s day totally failed to appreciate. The beginnings of this covenant can be found in the law of Moses—especially in the book of Deuteronomy, with a particular focus in chapters 27–30 that set out the nature of both covenant blessing and curse.
Judgment of the Nations. This theme is a corollary motif that runs alongside the previous one. Yahweh’s anger at the nations is twofold. First, his righteous anger is directed at those nations who attacked his people, Israel, throughout her history—Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia (Ezek. 25, panel J). Second, Sidon is an object of wrath for their wickedness in God’s sight (see 28:20–23, panel J1). A general indictment and prospective destruction of the unidentified “Gog” and “Magog” is laid down in chapters 38–39 (panel D1) as a symbolic divine judgment against the nations.
Far and away the most terrifying denunciation and retribution is reserved for the kingdom of Tyre and her ruler in 26:1–28:19. As indicated previously, this oracle constitutes the central focal-point of the chiasmus (panel K), indicating that the divine anger directed toward this nation is absolute. Egypt is also singled out (chs. 29–32, panel J1) in a lengthy woe-oracle for her blasphemous pride and wickedness.
These divine judgments against the nations are not curses in the same sense as the indictments against Judah and Israel, since the nations were never included in a legally binding covenant relationship with Yahweh. Rather, these divine reprisals were expressions of Yahweh’s sovereignty in condemning and punishing any nations or rulers who dared to challenge the unique power and authority of the one true and living God or seek to destroy his people. Yahweh will always fight for his glory and for his people!
Individual Responsibility. Chapters 18 and 33 (panels E and I1) contain oracles in which God outlines the principle that individuals bear the responsibility for their own actions. The oracle in chapter 33 is distinctive for its detailed exposition of this principle via the metaphorical designation of Ezekiel as a “watchman,” whose role will be to advise and warn his fellow countrymen of their responsibilities in this regard. Not only does God emphasize the single point of individual responsibility, but he also outlines several scenarios that reinforce it via the device of contrasting responses. The oracle concludes with the solemn declaration from God: “I will judge each of you according to your ways” (33:20).
The Promise of a New Covenant. The promise of a new covenant is the beautiful high point of blessing in the book of Ezekiel. This theme dominates the “descending arm” of the chiasmus, combined with the theme of restoration and renewal found in the final series of visions that detail the design and function of a renewed and restored Jerusalem temple (chs. 40–48; see the following discussion of the final theme). In short, the theme of new covenant blessing takes up the entire section of text in chapters 36–48 (panels F1–A1) coupled with chapter 20 (panel F). Foremost in this promise of a new covenant (chs. 18–20; 34; 36–37) is the guarantee that all of Israel’s past sins will be forgiven, their punishments will all be abrogated via the formal abolition of the covenant curse, and they will receive a “new heart”—a thorough, all-encompassing transformation of their spiritual orientation—that will result in a life of unqualified love and passion for Yahweh as their Covenant Lord and God. This outpouring of love and covenant-mercy will be accomplished through the promised Davidic Messiah (34:23ff.), who will reign over and “shepherd” his people with righteousness, justice, and compassion. He is also anticipated by the Messianic Prince of chapter 44. In short, Jesus Christ fulfills these old covenant types; these promises in Ezekiel are beautiful, comforting previews of the New Testament. Jesus Christ inaugurates and fulfills the promises of the new covenant by accomplishing the salvation of all God’s people—past, present, and future—for all eternity by his atoning death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension to glory.
New Covenant Restoration and Redemption. As indicated previously, the glorious theme of new covenant restoration and redemption is displayed in chapters 40–48 (panels C1–A1). It gives us a beautiful, visionary anticipation of the new covenant age that was promised in the preceding section (chs. 36–39). There are three distinct elements to this set of visionary revelations: First, there are the visionary plans for the “ideal temple” in chapters 40–42 (panel C1), plans that provide the ideal environment for Israel’s godly leaders in the new covenant era. Second, chapters 43–44 (panel B1) contain a vision of the glory cloud returning to the temple (ch. 43) and the renewing of prescribed worship, reserved for the exclusive priestly ministry of the Zadokites (ch. 44). Then finally, in chapters 45–48 (panel A1), there is the vision of an idealized division of the land and renewal of historical boundaries, both of which imply a renewed conquest. The final section of this panel in 48:8–35 is of climactic significance, as it records the description of the renewed sacred city, the dwelling place of Yahweh. The final sentence of the book simply but powerfully states the name of the dwelling place: “Yahweh-Lives-There.” The clear implication is that Yahweh will not be moving from there ever again since this vision anticipates the emergence of the new heavens and the new earth. This interpretation is confirmed by the similarities of this passage to Revelation 21–22.
In fact, Ezekiel’s descriptions of the renewed city and temple have an undeniable relationship with John’s visions of the new heavens and the new earth in Revelation. God granted to John visions that were direct fulfillments of the visions he gave Ezekiel.
Prophetic parallels between Ezekiel and Revelation:
Visions of the New Jerusalem (Ezek. 40–48; Rev. 21)
The river of life (Ezek. 47:1–12; Rev. 22:1–2)
A throne room vision (Ezek. 1; Rev. 4)
A sealed scroll (Ezek. 2–3; Rev. 5)
The command for Ezekiel and John to “eat the scroll” (Ezek. 2:8–3:3; Rev. 10:8–11)
A mark or seal on the foreheads of the saints (Ezek. 9; Rev. 7)
Coals from the altar (Ezek. 10; Rev. 8)
The great feast of God as punishment for the enemies of God and his people (Ezek. 39:17–20; Rev. 19:17–21)
A victorious battle against Gog and Magog—a coalition of the enemies of God and his people (Ezek. 38:1–39:20; Rev. 20:7–9)
There is also a contrasting element between the language of Ezekiel and Revelation, showing the two books as type and antitype respectively. For example, Ezekiel points forward in anticipation of the fulfillment of divine prophecy in the book of Revelation, the final eschatological vision. Notably, the language of Ezekiel describing the heavenly visions is of a lesser clarity than the visions described in John’s book of Revelation. This is particularly evident in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4. For example, Ezekiel 1:5 states that “standing in the middle of the storm [were] what seemed to be four creatures,” and in 1:26 he declares: “High on the platform over their heads, I saw something that looked like a beautiful throne made of sapphire.” Then, in Revelation 4:2 we read: “Instantly I was taken into the spirit realm, and behold—I saw a heavenly throne.” This is followed by the description in 4:6, which reads: “Around the throne and on each side stood four living creatures.” Ezekiel’s visionary descriptions contain the language of similitude, whereas John’s visions contain explicit descriptions of unambiguous clarity. These, along with numerous other examples of linguistic contrast between these visions, make clear that what was only anticipated and promised to Ezekiel found ultimate fulfillment in the visions of John. The visions of Revelation and Ezekiel combine to magnificently reveal God’s incredible plan for his people—beginning with his loving redemption of us through Christ and resolving in his full restoration and renewal of all things in the new heavens and the new earth.
Ezekiel
The Prophet of Glory
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationEzekiel Ezekiel
Ezekiel
Introduction
At a Glance
Author: Ezekiel the prophet
Audience: Originally the exiled Israelite community in Babylon and those who remained behind in Jerusalem, but this canonical prophecy speaks to God’s people throughout their entire history
Date: 593–571 BC
Type of Literature: Theological prose, prophetic literature, allegorical parables, and oracles
Major Themes: God’s sovereignty, covenantal disobedience and defilement, covenant curse, judgment of the nations, individual responsibility, the promise of a new covenant, and new covenant restoration and redemption
Outline: The book of Ezekiel reveals a complex and fascinating chiastic parallel structure known technically as a chiasmus. Relevant features of this structure will be noted throughout the footnotes. This literary structure provides valuable insights into the various thematic and theological emphases beautifully woven into the fabric of the text.
Chiastic Thematic Structure in Ezekiel # This chiastic structure outline is courtesy of Stephen Renn.
A: 1:1–7:27 The desecration of land and temple [n.b.: 1:1–28, vision of the heavenly throne room].
B: 8:1–11:25 Idolatry in the temple, leading to the departure of the glory cloud from the temple [vision of God’s glory at the north gate].
C: 12:1–14:11 Corruption of Israel’s leaders; their condemnation and judgment. Implied desecration of the temple, along with the promised destruction of all towns and cities in the land (12:20).
D: 14:12–17:24 Allegorical judgments against Israel and new covenant blessing foretold.
E: 18:1–19:14 Covenant curse against Israel and divine exhortation to new life and heart renewal.
F: 20:1–49 Judgment against Israel and promise of new covenant blessing and restoration.
G: 21:1–32 Babylon: instrument of Yahweh’s judgment against Israel.
H: 22:1–23:49 Perversity of Israel’s leaders: two adulterous sisters.
I: 24:1–27 “Cooking pot” (24:3, 6) judgment on Jerusalem.
J: 25:1–17 Judgment on Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia, of whom the first two will be destroyed by the Babylonians, or “the tribes of the eastern desert” (25:4), the latter by Israel and Yahweh.
K: 26:1–28:19 # Panel K is the locus, or pivot point, of the chiasmus, where the judgment of God reaches its climax in the book. It portrays Tyre as the typological embodiment of evil, which can never withstand the power of Almighty God, which is positively indicated in the elimination of the power over sin and death, encapsulated in the coming of the new covenant age and the victory of the Messiah. [n.b.: Each item of the chiasmus—labeled alphabetically from A to J, with K at the center, followed by J1 through A1—is designated as a “panel.”] Oracle against Tyre: embodiment of blasphemous arrogance; personification of satanic pride; essence of idolatry.
J1: 28:20–32:32 Judgment on Sidon and Egypt: the latter at the hands of the Babylonians.
I1: 33:1–33 Ezekiel as watchman: Jerusalem’s fall invoked and explained.
H1: 34:1–31 Shepherds and sheep: immoral and idolatrous leaders condemned [n.b.: promise of godly leaders via the new covenant].
G1: 35:1–15 Judgment against Edom for attacks against Israel and for their rejoicing over the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians.
F1: 36:1–38 Judgment against Israel and the promise of new covenant blessing.
E1: 37:1–28 Valley of dry bones: new life and promise of covenant renewal.
D1: 38:1–39:29 Gog and Magog: symbolic judgment against the nations and promise of renewal and new covenant blessing for Israel.
C1: 40:1–42:20 Visionary plans for the ideal temple, providing the ideal environment for Israel’s godly leaders in the new covenant age.
B1: 43:1–44:31 Glory cloud returns to the temple, and prescribed worship is renewed for the exclusive priestly ministry of the Zadokites.
A1: 45:1–48:35 Division of the land and renewal of historical boundaries, implying renewed conquest [n.b.: 48:8–35, description of the sacred city, dwelling place of Yahweh: “Yahweh-Lives-There” (48:35)].
About Ezekiel
The book of Ezekiel is bursting with powerful visions, vivid prophetic text, and stirring allegories. All of these literary styles are embedded with richly significant theological themes, the most important of which is God’s sovereignty. This is on glorious display as he judges the nations, enacts judgment in response to a disregarded covenant, and powerfully reinstates a marvelous new covenant of redemption and blessing. The distribution of these themes within the book is laid out clearly and powerfully via the chiastic framework of Ezekiel, and in fact, their significance is enhanced by that literary structure. The deeper we dive into this rich framework the more clearly we see how critically important are these covenantal motifs that determine the nature of Israel’s destiny—and our own. God’s precious covenants were not only for the prophet Ezekiel and those living under the old covenant but also for all generations of God’s people since that time and up until the end of the ages, when our Lord Jesus will return and inaugurate the new heavens and the new earth and consummate the kingdom of God for all eternity.
The chiastic structure of the book reinforces these themes of sovereignty and covenant in a theological progression. First, in the first half of the book—the “ascending arm” of the chiasmus—panels A–J reinforce the primary focus on the punitive judgment of God, expressed as manifestations of Yahweh’s covenant curse. Second, the “locus,” or pivot point, of the chiasmus is reflected in panel K. Here, the climax of God’s covenant curse is directed against the king of Tyre, depicted in the book as the embodiment of blasphemous arrogance, the personification of satanic pride, and quintessential idolatry.
Finally, the second half of the prophecy—panels J1–A1, the “descending arm” of the chiasmus—shifts to a predominantly glorious emphasis on covenant blessing, renewal, restoration, and redemption. Although there are still instances of divine judicial censure, they progressively fade into the background, giving way to Yahweh’s promises to renew and redeem his people. We are living now in the first stage of that new covenant. What was only a dazzling vision of promise in Ezekiel’s time is the beautiful reality we, as God’s people, are living in today!
Purpose
The purpose of the book of Ezekiel is to passionately vindicate God’s sovereignty in human history as he administrates the divine covenant in both judgment and blessing. First, the covenant curse was directed at his people, and then divine retribution was poured out on the nations around them. Then at last we see the extraordinary, undeserved outpouring of God’s divine grace and compassion on his chosen people, leading to their promised renewal and redemption in a new covenant. This is vividly enacted through the revelation of the oracles, visions, allegories, and symbolic actions of the prophet.
The purpose for the Israelites of Ezekiel’s day was essentially twofold: First, they would soon come to realize that God was certainly not indifferent to their lifestyle and behavior. Their cavalier disdain of God’s covenantal laws and decrees would have catastrophic consequences for their land, their lives, and their liberty.
Second, in this prophecy, God granted his people a measure of mercy and grace that defies comprehension. He explained all his actions to them, repeatedly affirming throughout the book that he would be their God and they would be his people (11:19–20; 14:11; 34:30; 36:28; 37:23, 27). Such expressions encapsulate the essence of the covenant, displaying that intimate, unique bond between God and his people—both in the time of Ezekiel and today.
There is another purpose of the book of Ezekiel. We can see the beating heart of God in his common use of the expression “that they/you will know that I am Yahweh.” It occurs over sixty times in the entire book, clearly proclaiming his sovereign purpose in both judgment and blessing.
In judgment: Israel will know that God is Yahweh as they suffer the punishments for breaking his covenant and practicing gross idolatry. God’s people are left under no illusion as to who is responsible for their calamitous sufferings. Other nations (particularly Israel’s enemies) will know that God is Yahweh as he condemns and judges them for the evil they have done toward God and toward his people, Israel. (Notably, there is a terrifying absence of this statement in the climactic judgment of Tyre. With only one exception [26:6], it is not asserted of Tyre—the ruler, the city, or its people—that they will know the Lord. Even the other nations who suffer the terrifying judgment of Yahweh will recognize who it is that is controlling their ill-fated destiny. One may reasonably assume, therefore, that Tyre’s punishment from God was an absolute one.)
In blessing: Israel—undeserving as they are—will come to know God in a truly wonderful manner as their Redeemer and Restorer (16:62; 20:42, 44; 36:11, 23, 38; 37:13; 39:22, 28). Yahweh uses this expression again and again to signal his overwhelming covenant-mercy and compassion toward his wayward people, notwithstanding their utter rejection of him. These expressions occur alongside God’s promise of a new covenant, lavishing on Israel permanent forgiveness of their sins, the restoration of their land and temple, and a brand new “heart.” This new heart will forever possess pure love for and worship of their God, accompanied by unswerving devotion and obedience to his commands. In this way, they will come to know him afresh—a promise that applied not only to the historical people of Israel but also to all future generations of God’s people. That new covenant has been inaugurated by our Savior and Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross at Calvary. How sweet is this promise that you and I can know the Lord! It is being fulfilled even as you read this book of Ezekiel right now: God is revealing himself to you within its pages so you can know him.
And this new covenant promise gets even better. Note that in the entire visionary section of chapters 40–48, nowhere does God inform the prophet that the people of Yahweh will know the Lord. That is because in this series of visions of wholesale renewal and restoration, it is assumed that the knowledge of Yahweh will be universal—in a gloriously redemptive sense. We long for that marvelous day when all will know that God is Yahweh!
Author and Audience
Ezekiel was an early sixth-century-BC prophet who was called by God to proclaim revelations of both judgment and blessing. The time in which he lived was a momentous one in the history of the people of God: the Judean people were enduring three brutal waves of deportations from their conquered promised land to the pagan empire of Babylon. During this time of upheaval, violence, and heartbreak, Ezekiel was given God’s revelation-scroll to eat (3:1–5), becoming the message of God to his exiled people. God appointed him as the “watchman” for Israel, giving him the grave responsibility of warning his fellow exiles of God’s judgment (3:16–21). But Ezekiel also conveyed the dazzling vision of God’s new covenant to the hurting exiles and proclaimed prophecies of hope in the coming messianic redemption of our Lord Jesus.
The text provides a few personal details about Ezekiel’s life. We know that he came from a priestly family and began his ministry at thirty years of age (1:2–3); although he was of priestly lineage, he was never destined to minister as a priest. His prophetic ministry was to last for more than twenty years (1:1–3; 29:17). We also learn that he owned his own house (3:24; 8:1), that he was married, and that his wife died during his ministry (24:15–16ff.). More than any other canonical prophet, Ezekiel was instructed by God to publicly enact the content of the divine judgments in a series of prophetic, symbolic actions. For example, Ezekiel was instructed to lock himself up in his own house, bind himself, and endure a season of being unable to speak (3:24–26). He was commanded by God to lie on his right side, then on his left for 430 days (4:4–8).
A little over 120 years prior to Ezekiel’s call to ministry, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been invaded by the Assyrians, and her people scattered to the far corners of the Assyrian Empire (ca. 721 BC). Since that time, the Babylonian Empire had risen to power and conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Three major deportations of Judean inhabitants from Judah to Babylon followed. The first deportation of the Judean population took place in 605 BC. This forced migration took the prophet Daniel into captivity. The second deportation took place in 597 BC, taking with it the prophet Ezekiel. While he was in Babylon, Ezekiel received his prophetic call from God in 593 BC (1:1–3), and his last recorded prophecy took place in 571 BC (29:17). The third deportation to Babylon in 586 BC was the most catastrophic of all, because the entire city of Jerusalem, along with the temple, was destroyed and the Judean countryside was left abandoned and desolate. The prophetic ministry of Jeremiah took place in Jerusalem from approximately 626 BC until the years following the sack of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
Ezekiel was clearly contemporary with the prophets Daniel and Jeremiah. Daniel, like Ezekiel, exercised his ministry in Babylon itself. Jeremiah’s ministry was almost exclusively based in Jerusalem. The likelihood of any personal interaction between any of the three men, however, must remain speculative.
The immediate audience of Ezekiel’s prophecies and visionary reports were the Judean exiles in Babylon, among whom Ezekiel lived. Those Judeans who remained in Jerusalem after 597 must also be considered part of Ezekiel’s audience. The rationale for this claim lies in the fact that the Spirit of God transported Ezekiel in a vision to the city of Jerusalem, which was recorded in chapters 8–11 (8:3; 11:1), where the desecration of the temple was revealed to the prophet in excruciating detail. Additionally, the visionary revelation of the restored temple in chapters 40–48 also begins with the declaration that the Spirit of God transported the prophet to a high mountain in the land of Israel (40:2). It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that both Israelite communities had access to these dire warnings of divine judgment and marvelous promises of divine grace and compassion.
Finally, we must know that the divinely revealed prophecies of Ezekiel—as is the case with the entire body of scriptural revelation—speak to everyone. Every subsequent generation of God’s people, including the new covenant church, the body of Christ, will be challenged to revere the holiness of the one true and living God, to venerate and obey his covenant stipulations relevant for the new covenant age, and to be mindful of the inevitable judgment of God upon those who ignore his Word. We are to rejoice in his glorious grace and compassion, fully and finally revealed in the manifestation of the new covenant, fulfilled by his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Interpreting Ezekiel’s Temple
The last nine chapters of Ezekiel (40–48) give a visionary description of a temple, with its dimensions and partial instructions concerning the purpose of the priest’s chambers. The mystery of Ezekiel’s Temple remains today. It is difficult to understand, like most prophetic and apocalyptic revelations. One Jewish writer shows how confusing are the many discrepancies between any past temple erected in Israel and Ezekiel’s ecstatic vision. He writes:
The . . . code of [chapters] 40–48 is for a clerical establishment supported by an independent Davidic king such as did not exist in postexilic times. Jerusalem as there described never existed. The twelve tribes never returned; those who did, did not settle according to the prescriptions of Ezekiel. Neither was the temple rebuilt along his lines, nor were non-Zadokite priests made Levites, nor were the Nethinim removed from temple service. Ezekiel depicts himself as in charge of the inauguration of the new altar (43:18ff.), and in [those verses] he is commanded to purify the sanctuary. This is in accord with his vision that the redemption would come at the end of forty years of Jehoiachin’s exile while he was yet alive—as it did not. The laws of chapters 40–48 contradict the Torah in so many ways as to have recommended to the later Rabbis withdrawing the book from public use. And yet later generations did not venture to alter a single passage to harmonize these divergences . . . Ezekiel has seen things that never happened; this is the key to the understanding of the rest of his visions. # Yehezkel Kaufmann, The Religion of Israel (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960), 429–430.
As we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and study of Ezekiel’s Temple, he will unveil many wonderful truths. Noted below are the five major models of interpreting the meaning of this temple, although we cannot be dogmatic about any interpretive mode.
1. The Historical-Literal Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel was describing what he had seen of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem to preserve its memory for the returning captives in Babylon so that they might rebuild it one day.
2. The Historical-Ideal Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel was giving a pattern, different from anything that stood previously. This was the pattern that the people should have used to rebuild the temple after returning to the land, though it was never realized.
3. The Jewish-Natural Interpretation
According to this view, Zerubbabel and his contemporaries actually followed this pattern, as did Herod the Great, but the temple will only come to perfection when the Messiah comes. Related to this is the view that when Elijah comes, he will guide the Jewish people to understand and build the temple. Among Orthodox Judaism today, there is a movement to rebuild a third temple in Israel and restore animal sacrifices and the Levitical priesthood.
4. The Future-Millennium Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel’s Temple is a literal future sanctuary that will be constructed during a one-thousand-year reign of Christ on earth, known as the Millennium.
5. The Spiritual-Symbolic Interpretation
According to this view, Ezekiel’s Temple was not intended to have a literal fulfillment but rather is comprised of symbolism that is meant to be understood and brought to fruition in God’s spiritual house (temple) today, which is the corporate Christ on earth, the living temple of God made up of every believer in Christ. This has been the prevailing view of the church fathers in the Christian tradition, including the Reformers. The following will summarize why The Passion Translation team believes this is the correct understanding of Ezekiel’s Temple:
• The laws and ordinances of Ezekiel’s Temple vary greatly from those of Moses’ tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple.
• The dimensions offered in Ezekiel are much greater than those of the Temple Mount. Ezekiel’s Temple is larger than Jerusalem itself.
• The mention of animal sacrifices in Ezekiel’s Temple (43:18–27) is a direct insult to the words of Jesus in John 4:19–21 and the teaching of the entire book of Hebrews, including the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ to remove sin (see Heb. 7:27). Neither his sacrifice nor any animal sacrifice will ever be repeated or required.
• The nature of prophecy and the symbolism of Ezekiel’s visions and writing point to a symbolic temple. Jesus also referred to the temple as a metaphor of his human body (see John 2:19).
• Scripture does not seem to indicate that God has ordained the rebuilding of a natural temple but rather ordained a spiritual temple that began at Pentecost.
• God no longer dwells in a building made by the hands of men but in the lives, bodies, and spirits of the redeemed in Christ. We are living stones, built together, rising together into a living, new temple, a New Jerusalem company filled with God’s Spirit. Our lives are to have a river flowing from us, a river of life clear as crystal. We are being built up as a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Paul calls the church “the temple of the living God” (2 Cor. 6:16) and then quotes Ezekiel to prove it: “I will establish my sanctuary among them forever. I will make my home above them. I will be their God, and they will be my beloved people” (Ezek. 37:26–27; see Eph. 2:21; 1 Peter 2:4–5).
• Ezekiel’s temple prophecy (Ezek. 40–48) is being fulfilled partially through the church and will ultimately be fulfilled through the New Jerusalem (see Rev. 21–22).
Major Themes
God’s Sovereignty. Dominating the entire prophetic landscape of the book of Ezekiel is the theme of the sovereignty of God. His majestic holiness and awe-inspiring transcendence are embedded into the very fabric of these revelations and underlie every vision, oracle, and allegorical parable, along with the narrative descriptions of the prophet’s symbolic actions. It is no accident that the book begins (Ezek. 1:1–28) with the vision of the heavenly, divine throne room, where God lays out for his servant the dire spiritual condition of the people of Judah. This vision of divine omnipotence and transcendent holiness leaves the prophet Ezekiel—and all those who read it—in no doubt as to who is in control of the destiny of the people of God and the reasons why such a devastating punishment will soon befall them. The Sovereign Lord of Israel will not tolerate the violation of his covenant laws and decrees. All the remaining themes of this prophetic book reveal the outworking of God’s sovereignty in his dealings with both his people and the surrounding nations.
Covenantal Disobedience and Defilement. One of the most devastating indictments of Israel in the book of Ezekiel addresses their covenantal disobedience. Their wholesale capitulation to pagan idolatry and all its attendant evils resulted in the defilement of the land, the temple, and the people themselves. This indictment takes up a significant number of chapters in the book, recorded primarily in chapters 8–20; 22–23; 34. Central to this defilement is the idolatrous worship in the heart of the temple (chs. 8–9), which leads to Yahweh abandoning his seat of worship in Jerusalem (chs. 10–11). The corruption of Israel’s rulers leads to their condemnation and judgment, along with the threatened desecration of the temple and the promised destruction of all towns and cities in the land (chs. 12–14). The condemnation of Israel’s leaders as bad “shepherds” in chapter 34 is similar in its focus.
Chapters 14–21 unveil further judgments against the people of God, but interestingly, they also contain anticipation of blessing—new covenant blessing, in fact—that will follow these terrible punishments (16:59–63; 18:30–32; 20:39–44). These surprising insertions of divine grace amid the prospect of devastating retribution illustrate a principle of divine sovereignty that is evident throughout the canonical prophets of the old covenant, namely, that the justly deserved punishments arising from covenantal disobedience are never absolute with respect to the covenant people of God. There is always the prospect of divine forgiveness and renewal. Our holy and just yet loving and redeeming God is on glorious display in this book, in all the beautiful fullness of his character.
The full horror of the people’s sin and defilement confronts hearers in the shocking allegory of the “two adulterous sisters” in chapters 22–23. These are Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of the Israelite people. The correlation of religious idolatry and spiritual adultery reaches a graphic and explicit climax in this story. The idolatrous practices of Samaria and Jerusalem are likened to the activities of two depraved prostitutes, likening the worship of pagan deities to the adulterous rejection of Yahweh’s solemn and sacred status as the “husband” of his two “brides.” No greater insult to the covenantal status of Yahweh could be imagined.
Covenant Curse. This theme overlaps with the previous one in that the punishments that Yahweh promises to hand down to his wayward people (panels A–F, H, and H1) may be precisely understood as covenant “curses.” This retribution is a judicial response to a legally binding covenantal oath-commitment. We are to understand these penalties as formal, judicial sentences, and never random responses on God’s part. It was this that the people of Judah in Ezekiel’s day totally failed to appreciate. The beginnings of this covenant can be found in the law of Moses—especially in the book of Deuteronomy, with a particular focus in chapters 27–30 that set out the nature of both covenant blessing and curse.
Judgment of the Nations. This theme is a corollary motif that runs alongside the previous one. Yahweh’s anger at the nations is twofold. First, his righteous anger is directed at those nations who attacked his people, Israel, throughout her history—Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia (Ezek. 25, panel J). Second, Sidon is an object of wrath for their wickedness in God’s sight (see 28:20–23, panel J1). A general indictment and prospective destruction of the unidentified “Gog” and “Magog” is laid down in chapters 38–39 (panel D1) as a symbolic divine judgment against the nations.
Far and away the most terrifying denunciation and retribution is reserved for the kingdom of Tyre and her ruler in 26:1–28:19. As indicated previously, this oracle constitutes the central focal-point of the chiasmus (panel K), indicating that the divine anger directed toward this nation is absolute. Egypt is also singled out (chs. 29–32, panel J1) in a lengthy woe-oracle for her blasphemous pride and wickedness.
These divine judgments against the nations are not curses in the same sense as the indictments against Judah and Israel, since the nations were never included in a legally binding covenant relationship with Yahweh. Rather, these divine reprisals were expressions of Yahweh’s sovereignty in condemning and punishing any nations or rulers who dared to challenge the unique power and authority of the one true and living God or seek to destroy his people. Yahweh will always fight for his glory and for his people!
Individual Responsibility. Chapters 18 and 33 (panels E and I1) contain oracles in which God outlines the principle that individuals bear the responsibility for their own actions. The oracle in chapter 33 is distinctive for its detailed exposition of this principle via the metaphorical designation of Ezekiel as a “watchman,” whose role will be to advise and warn his fellow countrymen of their responsibilities in this regard. Not only does God emphasize the single point of individual responsibility, but he also outlines several scenarios that reinforce it via the device of contrasting responses. The oracle concludes with the solemn declaration from God: “I will judge each of you according to your ways” (33:20).
The Promise of a New Covenant. The promise of a new covenant is the beautiful high point of blessing in the book of Ezekiel. This theme dominates the “descending arm” of the chiasmus, combined with the theme of restoration and renewal found in the final series of visions that detail the design and function of a renewed and restored Jerusalem temple (chs. 40–48; see the following discussion of the final theme). In short, the theme of new covenant blessing takes up the entire section of text in chapters 36–48 (panels F1–A1) coupled with chapter 20 (panel F). Foremost in this promise of a new covenant (chs. 18–20; 34; 36–37) is the guarantee that all of Israel’s past sins will be forgiven, their punishments will all be abrogated via the formal abolition of the covenant curse, and they will receive a “new heart”—a thorough, all-encompassing transformation of their spiritual orientation—that will result in a life of unqualified love and passion for Yahweh as their Covenant Lord and God. This outpouring of love and covenant-mercy will be accomplished through the promised Davidic Messiah (34:23ff.), who will reign over and “shepherd” his people with righteousness, justice, and compassion. He is also anticipated by the Messianic Prince of chapter 44. In short, Jesus Christ fulfills these old covenant types; these promises in Ezekiel are beautiful, comforting previews of the New Testament. Jesus Christ inaugurates and fulfills the promises of the new covenant by accomplishing the salvation of all God’s people—past, present, and future—for all eternity by his atoning death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension to glory.
New Covenant Restoration and Redemption. As indicated previously, the glorious theme of new covenant restoration and redemption is displayed in chapters 40–48 (panels C1–A1). It gives us a beautiful, visionary anticipation of the new covenant age that was promised in the preceding section (chs. 36–39). There are three distinct elements to this set of visionary revelations: First, there are the visionary plans for the “ideal temple” in chapters 40–42 (panel C1), plans that provide the ideal environment for Israel’s godly leaders in the new covenant era. Second, chapters 43–44 (panel B1) contain a vision of the glory cloud returning to the temple (ch. 43) and the renewing of prescribed worship, reserved for the exclusive priestly ministry of the Zadokites (ch. 44). Then finally, in chapters 45–48 (panel A1), there is the vision of an idealized division of the land and renewal of historical boundaries, both of which imply a renewed conquest. The final section of this panel in 48:8–35 is of climactic significance, as it records the description of the renewed sacred city, the dwelling place of Yahweh. The final sentence of the book simply but powerfully states the name of the dwelling place: “Yahweh-Lives-There.” The clear implication is that Yahweh will not be moving from there ever again since this vision anticipates the emergence of the new heavens and the new earth. This interpretation is confirmed by the similarities of this passage to Revelation 21–22.
In fact, Ezekiel’s descriptions of the renewed city and temple have an undeniable relationship with John’s visions of the new heavens and the new earth in Revelation. God granted to John visions that were direct fulfillments of the visions he gave Ezekiel.
Prophetic parallels between Ezekiel and Revelation:
Visions of the New Jerusalem (Ezek. 40–48; Rev. 21)
The river of life (Ezek. 47:1–12; Rev. 22:1–2)
A throne room vision (Ezek. 1; Rev. 4)
A sealed scroll (Ezek. 2–3; Rev. 5)
The command for Ezekiel and John to “eat the scroll” (Ezek. 2:8–3:3; Rev. 10:8–11)
A mark or seal on the foreheads of the saints (Ezek. 9; Rev. 7)
Coals from the altar (Ezek. 10; Rev. 8)
The great feast of God as punishment for the enemies of God and his people (Ezek. 39:17–20; Rev. 19:17–21)
A victorious battle against Gog and Magog—a coalition of the enemies of God and his people (Ezek. 38:1–39:20; Rev. 20:7–9)
There is also a contrasting element between the language of Ezekiel and Revelation, showing the two books as type and antitype respectively. For example, Ezekiel points forward in anticipation of the fulfillment of divine prophecy in the book of Revelation, the final eschatological vision. Notably, the language of Ezekiel describing the heavenly visions is of a lesser clarity than the visions described in John’s book of Revelation. This is particularly evident in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4. For example, Ezekiel 1:5 states that “standing in the middle of the storm [were] what seemed to be four creatures,” and in 1:26 he declares: “High on the platform over their heads, I saw something that looked like a beautiful throne made of sapphire.” Then, in Revelation 4:2 we read: “Instantly I was taken into the spirit realm, and behold—I saw a heavenly throne.” This is followed by the description in 4:6, which reads: “Around the throne and on each side stood four living creatures.” Ezekiel’s visionary descriptions contain the language of similitude, whereas John’s visions contain explicit descriptions of unambiguous clarity. These, along with numerous other examples of linguistic contrast between these visions, make clear that what was only anticipated and promised to Ezekiel found ultimate fulfillment in the visions of John. The visions of Revelation and Ezekiel combine to magnificently reveal God’s incredible plan for his people—beginning with his loving redemption of us through Christ and resolving in his full restoration and renewal of all things in the new heavens and the new earth.
Ezekiel
The Prophet of Glory
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