About 600 BC to 550 BC
Ch 1 Priest and prophet, son of Buzi. During reign of Jehochin, just before Zedekiah. Was among the captives in Babylon. Given visions of 4 creatures and the likeness of the glory of the Lord on His throne. See also Psalms 137 river Che-bar, Rev 4:6-9 the 4 beasts, Isaiah 6 the throne of the Lord, seraphims which have 6 wings
Ch 2 God tells Ezekiel that he is being sent to the children of Israel who are rebellious and whether they listen or not they will know that a prophet has been among them.
Ch 3 Ezekiel told to eat the roll of words. God tells him not to be dismayed at the hard looks the children of Israel will give him.
We should defend the Word as strongly as the world hates it.
In verse 15, Ezekiel sets down with them where they were. See I Corinthians 9:19, we need to have compassion on those without Christ. A watchman must give warning of danger. Acts 20:31
See also Psalms 19:7,10, 119:89,103, Jeremiah 5:16, I Peter 2:2, Matthew 4:4,13:57,15:24, I Samuel 8:6,7
Ch 4 Already in exile, God gives Ezekiel a prophecy of another wave of captivity and siege against both Israel(390 years) and Judah(40 years). Told to bake bread with dung and eat it in their sight as an example of how the Lord sees how the children of Israel have defiled themselves. Famine to come. Ezekiel told to put a pan between his face and them as a sign that God will not hear them, see Isaiah 59:2
God also tells him to lay on his left side one day for of the number of years of iniquity of each Israel(390) and then Judah(40), representing the time that they have been rebellious.
Ch 5 Judgement against all of Israel in 3 parts. Famine, pestilence and the sword, even cannibalism. Will be made an reproach unto all the nations.
Ch 6 Idols and high places to be laid waste with the slain falling among the idols, but the Lord will leave a remnant that will be scattered among the nations.
Ch 7 An end is come: it waiteth for thee. No pity. Those that escape shall mourn. The shall seek peace and not find it (ref Matt 24?). The law will perish from the priests and counsel from the ancients.
Ch 8 Parallel with the end times. Ezekiel sees the likeness of one being on fire from his loins downward as amber and brightness. This likeness lifts Ezekiel by the hair and takes him to Jerusalem and shown successively greater abominations the people were doing. The image of jealousy - foreshadows the abomination of desolation.
Ch 9 The likeness then cries out to the rulers of Jerusalem to draw near and to bring their slaughter weapons. One of these men had a writers horn and dressed in linen. This man was told to make a mark on the foreheads of those that cried out about the abominations. These were the good guys, the ones that were not in agreement with the evil abominations being done. The ones that did not receive the mark were to be slain. See Revelation 7:3, 94, Daniel 11:31, 12:11
Ch 10 Ezekiel sees above the head of the cherubims, a throne like a sapphire. These were the same living creatures he seen by the river Che-bar.
Ch 11 The Spirit of the Lord takes Ezekiel to the east gate in Jerusalem and tells him to prophesy against Israel and the princes of the people, who had told those of the captivity to forget the Lord and they were the ones who God favored since they were left and still in the city. The Lord will gather those that have been scattered. The jews have prided themselves in 3 different covenants - Abraham, Moses and David. Verse 19 likely refers to the new covenant but also seems to point to the time under Ezra and Nehemiah. See also Jeremiah 29, 30:9, 31:31,32:38, John 3:9, I Cor 6:19, 1:11, 3:3
Ch 12 The Lord tells Ezekiel to remove stuff by day as a sign for the people that they will be carried off into captivity, including the prince (king) among them. Also, the Lord will leave a few so they might tell of their abominations among the heathen. Also tells Ezekiel to eat and drink with trembling as a sign of famine to come and that their proverbs they have made up will be said no more.
Ch 13 Prophesy against the false prophets of Israel who have daubed the walls with untempered mortar, and against the daughters who prophesy out their own hearts (women preachers). The women are trying to cause to be slain those who should not die and save those should not live as well engaging in divination (witchcraft).
Ch 14 Some of the elders of Israel come to Ezekiel. The Lord tells Ezekiel to say unto the people to repent and turn from their idols and the false prophets will be cut off. When the land sins are grievous, the Lord will stretch out His hand and send famine and cut off (kill) man and beast. The Lord tells Ezekiel that that He will send four judgements against Jerusalem - the sword, famine, beasts and pestilence, yet He will leave a remnant.
Ch 15 Parable of the vine tree, referring to the children of Israel. See also Isaiah 5:7, Deuteronomy 7:6. The jews have started to see themselves as better than all the other nations and look down on other nations.
Ch 16 The Lord tells Ezekiel a parable of a whore. He says to say unto the people all the ways they have played the harlot with false gods and idols, even sacrificing their children in the fire, and that He is angry. The Lord will deliver them into the hands of those they have committed whoredoms with, the Assyrians and Egyptians. The Lord tells him to say that even the sins of Sodom and Samaria were not as great as what they have done, nevertheless, the Lord says He will establish an everlasting covenant and in verses 53-55 that only when Sodom and Samaria return to their former estate that they (the children of Israel) will return their former estate. He is likely speaking of a millenial reign. See also Matthew 19:28
Ch 17 The parable of the two great eagles and the vine, against Jerusalem for seeking help from Egypt against Babylon. The last section seems to be referring to a coming messiah
Ch 18 God tells Ezekiel they will no more be able to use the proverb of "sour grapes". The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor the father of the son. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
Ch 19 A lamentation for the princes of Israel and the proverb of the two lions, representing Israel and Judah who are taken captive at different times.
Ch 20 Elders of Israel come to Ezekiel to enquire of the Lord. The Lord tells him that he will not be enquired of by them He recounts to Ezekiel how they rebelled against Him.
Ch 21 God tell's Ezekiel to sigh before the people of Israel and to smite his thigh because he sees a sword that is sharpened and given into the hand of the slayer. The king of Babylon will come by two different ways. Verse 26,27 refers to the messiah to come, see also Genesis 49:10, Shiloh. God also promises Ezekiel He will finish off the Amonites. When God judges nation, He does it indiscriminately see Matthew 5:45
Ch 22 God tells Ezekiel that Jerusalem (the city), because of her abominations, will be mocked of those countries far and near. God will scatter them among the heathen. They will be melted in the furnace of God's fury as silver, brass and tin. God sought for a man to stand in the gap but found none.
Ch 23 The sisters Aholah and Aholibah, the lewd women, as the names of Samaria and Jerusalem, who have committed whoredoms with the Assyrians, will God deliver into the hands of their lovers - the Babylonians and Assyrians. They shall cut off their noses and ears. Some had even slain their children to idols then came into the Lords house the same day. In verse 47, God says He will cause them to be stoned them with stones, then dispatched with swords, their sons and daughters will be slain, then their houses burned. America, maybe you need to pay attention?
Ch 24 Parable of the pot. Woe to the bloody city. God is going to clean the pot with a hot fire to burn up the scum and filth.
Ch 25 God tells Ezekiel to prophesy against the Amonites because they have been glad at the captivity of Israel and they will be delivered into the men of the east also. The Amonites will not be remembered among the nations.
Ch 26 God tells Ezekiel that many nations will come against Tyre because they have been glad that the children of Israel were conquered. She will be scraped clean like the top of a rock. Up to verse 7, we are told that its Nebuchadnezzar is to come against Tyre. In verse 12, the prophesy switches from "he" to "they". Remember, it is many nations that will come against Tyre. When they do fall, the princes of the sea will lament for Tyre and they shall never be found again. We can read in history books about Nebuchadnezzar's campaign that failed to take the whole of Tyre. Later came the Persians. A few hundred years after Ezekiel's prophecy, around 332 BC, Alexander the Great came against Tyre. Unlike the conquests of others before him, they took the remains of the old part of the city and built a long causeway out to the island and used that to take the walled city there, something Nebuchadnezzar failed to do. Ezekiel didn't name Alexander by name, but his actions are unique in the way the Bible describes, laying the stones, dust and timber in the sea...to make a causeway out to the island to lay siege to it...all of it God showed to Ezekiel hundreds of years before.
Ch 27 Descriptions of the rich trading merchants of various kingdoms that dealt with Tyre. All their riches, men of war and merchandise will fall into the midst of the sea in the day of their ruin and all the merchants will will weep for them.
Ch 28 God tells Ezekiel that because of the pride of Tyre, that He will send strangers to draw the sword upon them. However, it's done in a way that references both the prince of Tyre and the king of Tyre. This is describing both the antichrist (the prince) and the devil (the king). How do we know this isnt strictly discussing the physical king of Tyre? Who else was in the garden of Eden besides Adam and Eve? Now look at verse 13. It was pride that caused Lucifer to fall. Ref: II Thess 2:1-4, Gen 3, Tyre is sarcastically compared to Daniel (who was alive and preaching then) as if he knows more than him. God also tells Ezekiel to prophesy against Zidon via pestilence and the sword, a coastal area north of Tyre for being a thorn in the side of Israel.
Ch 29 God tells Ezekiel to prophesy against Pharaoh and all Egypt. Reference Deuteronomy 8:1-18. Egypt thinks the river is their own and they have brought their own blessings, just as the children of Israel had their hearts lifted up when things were going well. The Egyptian rulers believed it was crucial that their bodies were cared for when they died with mummification etc. God is telling Pharaoh that he will be left dead in an open field. The Bible speaks elsewhere of dragons. See Job 41. It will be made desolate for 40 years and disperse them through the countries and after 40 years they will be brought back but will no more rule over other nations. It will also no more be the confidence of the house of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar was to take Egypt and use the wages for his army and in that day, God will let Ezekiel be heard among the children of Israel that they may know that He is the Lord.
Ch 30 Prophesy against all the nations round about and in league with Egypt, will fall by the sword and thrown down. God will make the rivers dry in Egypt.
Ch 31 God tells Ezekiel to speak unto Pharaoh and remind them about the Assyrian how He gave him into the hand of the heathen (Nebuchadnezzar actually his father? in about 600 BC). He also paints the Assyrian as an image of the devil - how his heart was lifted up and made more more fair than all the trees of Eden. Finally, the Lord tells Ezekiel that what has happened to the Assyrian is what will happen to Pharaoh.
Ch 32 Continuation of previous chapter, prophesy against Pharaoh. Pictures the end times when the sun and moon going dark as Pharaoh and Egypt is destroyed. See Matthew 24, Revelation 6, Joel 2:31 and the hearts of many people will be vexed at their fall. A picture of end times Babylon.
Ch 33 God gives Ezekiel a parable of the watchman. God has set Ezekiel as a watchman to the house of Israel. The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression. How sins can be forgiven. Isaiah 43:25, Psalms 103:12, Romans 8:1
The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy against those that remain in Israel who look to Abraham as their justification for them being in the land, yet they do all kinds of abominable things. The sword are coming for them also. The Lord tells Ezekiel that the people come to him (Ezekiel) to hear his words, but do them. When the things the Lord has told them come true, then will they know that a prophet has been among them.
Ch 34 Prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. The Lord Himself will search out the lost sheep and the shepherds will be no more. Matthew 10:6, 18:12 God tells Ezekiel that David His servant will be their shepherd.
Ch 35 Prophesy against mount Seir and Idumea because of what they did to the children of Israel in the time of their calamity. Mount Seir was the place where Esau made his home, just to the south of Judah see Genesis 36:9 and this was also the general area of Idumea which is another name for Edom. A lesson for us not to be hateful or gloat when bad things happen to our enemies.
Ch 36 Prophesy unto the mountains of Israel that they have borne the shame of the heathen but the Lord will lift up His hand against the heathen that they shall bear their shame and He will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. He will bring the people back, not for their sakes but for His holy name's sake, which they profaned. The lord will give His people a new heart and a new spirit, ref II Corinthians 6:16, Ezekiel 11:17, speaking of regeneration, and Jeremiah 31:31 and this is one reason Jesus was frustrated with Nicodemus in John 3 that he couldn't understand this. Ezekiel is being told that the children of Israel are going to be brought back into their land, but there is also a time coming that it will be like the garden of Eden. That hasn't happend...yet, but it will.
Ch 37 Prophesy of the dry bones that live again - the whole house of Israel. This refers to the resurrection, spoken of in Daniel 12. Prophesy of the bundle of sticks as one, each with a name of a tribe on it. The Lord shall bring them back into their land and they shall have David as their king.
Ch 38 Gog and Magog. In the latter days they, along with the armies of Persia, Libya and Ethiopia and will come into the land that has been brought back. They will come to take a spoil. Then the fury of the Lord will come. There will be a great shaking and all men and beasts will quake at His presence. See also I Chronicles 5:4
Ch 39 Gog shall fall upon the mountains of Israel. God will send a fire upon them and be eaten of the birds and beasts of the field and that He will not let His holy name be polluted anymore. They will take the weapons of Gog and burn them with fire 7 years. A valley on the east of the sea( dead sea?) is where they are to be buried. The smell will be horrible to those passing by. The valley will be called valley of Hamongog and a city called Hamonah, and it will take 7 months to bury all the dead. The children of Israel will dwell safely in their land and none will make them afraid.
Ch 40 Note 40-48 deal with the same vision and there is a lot of debate among Christians concerning this. In the 25th year of captivity, Ezekiel receives visions. This high mountain mentioned, see II Chronicles 3:1 mount Moriah, where David bought the threshing floor and also Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac. This man that appears to Ezekiel looks like brass, see also Daniel 10:5,6, and Revelation 1:12-17 description sounds very similar. This man has measuring tools. A cubit in the Bible is about the space between a mans elbow and the tip of the hand. The measurement here is about a cubit and a hand breadth.
Ch 41 Ezekiel is given the measurements and features of the temple and the different parts - the gates, the walls, porches and the holy place. Some say this is a symbolic temple, but this passage here and in the next few chapters are way too specific. It must be a literal temple.
Ch 42 More descriptions of the temple, rooms for the priests, upper and lower chambers. So far, just going by the measurements, this temple is pretty big, much bigger than what was built under Ezra and Nehemiah. In Ezekiel 41:8, the wall is 500 reeds square(each reed is 6 great cubits or about 9 feet). The "great" cubit having an additional hand breadth in length. In Ezra 3, toward the end in verse 12, when the foundation of the 2nd temple has been laid, there were some old men there who had seen the first temple and they wept with a loud voice. The temple that Ezekiel is describing a temple bigger than Solomon's. Haggai 2:3, those looking at the 2nd temple who also seen the 1st see it as nothing. Also, both with Solomon's temple and Ezekiel's temple, fire comes from heaven and the glory of the Lord fills the temple. None of this happens with the 2nd temple under Ezra and Nehemiah. This 2nd temple is the one that is around and later Jesus comes to, throws out the money changers and points out the stones.
Ch 43 The glory of God comes to the temple, through the eastern gate. God says this is the place of my throne and shall be defiled no more. It was like the vision when he came to destroy the city.
So is this the tabernacle of God AFTER the millennial reign described in Revelation 21 that comes down as some say? At this point in the book of Revelation, the events of the end times are well along - past the tribulation, rapture, battle of Armageddon, millennial reign and the battle of Gog and Magog. This temple of Ezekiel can't be the same as God's tabernacle, look at Revelation 21:22, John sees that there is NO temple in it, because "for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
Ch 44 The Lord tells Ezekiel that the gate shall be shut and no man shall enter into it. It is for the prince to enter it. Some are to be excluded from the temple - strangers, uncircumcised. Now the Levites are to bear their shame, but they are to be keepers of the house. They have basically been demoted. The priests and sons of Zadok are the ones that are to minister unto the Lord. Then clothing and hair standards are mentioned for the priests. Who they're allowed to marry, their work and inheritance of the priests.
So is this the temple of the millennial reign? Hmm, Ezekiel's temple has animal sacrifices and keeping the sabbath. In Hebrews 7:12, 9:9-12 the priesthood and law has changed. This is usually the dispensation view. What changed in the law from OT to NT? - meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances. Everything else remains the same in the NT - its still sin to commit adultery, to murder, to lie etc.
Ch 45 Dividing the land by lots. One portion of the land is to be kept aside and holy will be for the priests and their houses and the sanctuary. Details for the offerings during the feasts new moons etc, for the temple.
Ch 46 The prince and how he will enter the gate and go into the temple.
Ch 47 Water flows from under the right side of the house (the temple) toward the east and flow into the sea. The waters of the sea (the dead sea?) are healed and have trees on either side and the sea will have fish as the great sea but the marshes and mirey places will be given to salt. The trees will be never be without meat (fruit for eating) and the leaves will be for medicine. This is the tree of life. See Revelation 22:2 Also, the dividing the land unto the twelve tribes and the strangers that sojourn among them.
Ch 48 The allotments of the land to the tribes, the prince, the city and the sanctuary. The name of the city is to be 'The Lord is there'
Ezekiel's Temple
In chapters 40-48, there are very detailed descriptions that God shows and explains to Ezekiel about a new temple. There are some things that are not easy to understand. This is one of those areas.
In I Corinthians 13:12 we are told that we see through a glass darkly and in Deuteronomy 29:29 the secret things belong unto the Lord. There are at least 4 different ideas about this temple.
1. its the temple in the millennial reign and the old law, levitical priests and sacrifices return
2. its symbolic (see ch 41)
3. It is the temple rebuilt during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
4. It's an eternal temple, in a time after the millennial reign that comes down with down with the new heaven and earth
Consider these these things about God
- God knows the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:9,10
- God knows the consequences of your decisions. I Samuel 23:7-13
- We spend our time in a tale that has already been told Psalms 90:9
- God knows our thoughts Psalm 139:1-6
- God gives us the free will to make our own choices, He does not make those choices for you Deuteronomy 30:19
- God has made an ending for every decision II Samuel 12:8
Notes on the covenants
- The Old Covenant was meant to take the children of Israel thru the end times. Numbers 18:19, Numbers 23:19, 25:11-13
- The old covenant was canceled and replaced by a better covenant Hebrews 8:6
- The old covenant was not replaced because of a problem with the covenant, but because faults of the people. Hebrews 8:7-9
Ezekiel's temple might be...
- These passages might be describing what the end times would have been like IF the children of Israel had not broken the old covenant.
See Ch 43, especially
- It might be, that because the old covenant was cancelled, and replaced with a new covenant, Ezekiel's version of the temple was cancelled also
The short answer is - I don't know what the temple that Ezekiel is shown represents, but I can say what I think it is not.
- It is definitely NOT Ezra & Nehemiah's temple
- It is definitely NOT a temple in the 1000 year kingdom because there are priests and sacrifices being performed
- It is definitely NOT a temple in the eternal era after the 1000 year period
- It is definitely NOT figurative or symbolic, as it is far too specific and detailed
Reasons why this temple was conditional and will never be, is for no other reason than the priests and sacrifices mentioned. These things have been done away with.
- Jesus is our high priest, Hebrews 4:14-16
- Jesus has changed the law and the priesthood, Hebrews 7:12
- Jesus was and is our sacrifice, done once for all, Hebrews 10:10
I found the following video interesting, if for nothing else, than that there are those in Israel now that have at least as one of their designs for rebuilding the temple using the descriptions given to Ezekiel. This is mentioned at about the 2:00 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCFJJ57WUKs If you have read through Daniel and Revelation, we know there will be another temple built someday, but the one who enters in and declares himself God, will instead be the antichrist.
