Ezekiel

EZEKIEL: THE LORD'S WATCHMAN¹

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2016

An Outline of Ezekiel

I. The Condemnation of the Nation (1:1-24:27)

A. The Call of Ezekiel (1:1-3:27)

1. The prophet has an initial vision—the LORD enthroned (1:1-28).

Application: You must live as citizens of the kingdom and servants of the king.

2. The prophet receives a commission from the LORD (2:1-3:27).

Application: God does not hold you responsible for the success of your assignment, which falls squarely on “whoever will listen” (1 Pet 3:15).

B. The Siege of Jerusalem (4:1-17)

C. The Destruction of Jerusalem (5:1-17)

D. The Judgment of God (6:1-7:27)

1. The prophet issues an oracle against the mountains (6:1-14).

2. The prophet issues an oracle against the countryside (7:1-27).

E. The Practice of Idolatry (8:1-11:25)

1. The LORD reveals the idols in the temple (8:1-18).

2. The LORD judges the idolaters in the temple (9:1-11).

3. The prophet sees the glory depart from the temple (10:1-22).

4. The LORD judges the leaders of the nation (11:1-25).

F. The Exile as Symbolic (12:1-28)

G. The Case Against Judah (13:1-24:7)

1. The prophet issues an oracle against false prophets (13:1-23).

Application: Apart from the accuracy of a prediction there are two other factors to identifying false teachers.

• Consider the character of the messenger (Deut 18:14-15).
• Consider the consistency (content) of the message (Deut 18:20).

2. The prophet issues an oracle against false gods (14:1-23).

3. Jerusalem is a worthless vine (15:1-8).

4. Jerusalem is an unfaithful wife (16:1-63).

5. The prophet tells a parable about two trees (17:1-24).

6. The prophet corrects a common proverb (18:1-32).

7. The prophet laments for Israel’s princes (19:1-14).

Application: Even if you are not enamored with your political leaders, you are still obligated to pray for them (1 Tim 2:1-2). The subject of such prayer is not their personal prosperity but that they might not hinder your righteous pursuits.

8. The prophet condemns Israel’s rebellion (20:1-49).

9. Babylon is the sword of the Lord (21:1-32).

10. Jerusalem is a city of bloodshed (22:1-30).

Application: While you need not respond to every hint of injustice, you should not lead such a quiet life as to be invisible (Matt 5:13-14; (2 Cor 10:5; Eph 2:10).

11. The prophet tells a parable about two adulterous sisters (23:1-49).

12. The prophet tells a parable about a cooking pot (24:1-14).

13. The prophet receives the news of his wife’s death (24:15-27).

Application: God may use your loss to prepare you to comfort someone who has also experienced loss and, thereby, for you both to know Him better (2 Cor 1:3).

H. The Condemnation of Gentiles (25:1-32:32)

1. The prophet issues an oracle against Ammon (25:1-7).

2. The prophet issues an oracle against Moab (25:8-11).

3. The prophet issues an oracle against Edom (25:12-14).

4. The prophet issues an oracle against Philistia (25:15-17).

5. The prophet issues an oracle against Tyre (26:1-28:19).

6. The prophet issues an oracle against Sidon (28:20-26).

7. The prophet issues an oracle against Egypt (29:1-32:32).

II. The Restoration of the nation (33:1-48:35)

A. The Fall and Recovery (33:1-39:29)

1. The prophet is a watchman (33:1-20).

Application: It is essential for you to select the right ending to this life before this life is over (Matt 25:46).

2. The prophet foresees the destruction of Jerusalem (33:21-33).

3. The prophet laments the shepherds of Israel (34:1-31).

4. The prophet issues an oracle against Edom (35:1-15).

5. The prophet predicts the restoration of the nation (36:1-38).

6. The prophet has his medial vision—the deserted battlefield (37:1-14).

Application: If the literal sense makes good sense, seek no other sense lest it result in nonsense (Jer 31:31-37).

7. The prophet predicts reunification for Judah and Israel (37:15-28).

8. The prophet issues an oracle against Gog and Magog (38:1-39:29).

B. The Renewal of Jerusalem (40:1-48:35)

1. The prophet has his final vision—the rebuilt temple (40:1-4).

Application: God has called you, and it is irrevocable. (Rom 11:29). Remember—“The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thess 5:24).

2. The prophet measures the temple complex (40:5-42:20).

a. The East Gate (40:5-16)
b. The Outer Court (40:17-19)
c. The North Gate (40:20-23)
d. The South Gate (40:24-27)
e. The Inner Court (40:28-43)
f. The Priests’ Chambers (40:44-47)
g. The Vestibule (40:48-49)
h. The Most Holy Place (41:1-4)
i. The Temple Wall (41:5-26)
j. The Temple Chambers (42:1-20)

3. The prophet sees the glory return to the temple (43:1-27).

Application: What is most important is that no matter how often you fall short of God’s perfect standard, you get up and try again (Phil 3:12).

4. The prophet notes several other restoration features (43:1-48:35).

a. The Gate of the Prince (44:1-14)
b. The Service of the Priesthood (44:15-45:12)

Application: Do not assume that your decisions pertain only to you; they may, in fact, have a temporally more far-reaching affect (Exod 20:6).

c. The Offerings and the Festivals (45:13-46:24)
d. The River from the Temple (47:1-12).
e. The Allotment of the Land (47:13-48:29)
f. The Gates of the City (48:30-35)

In 587 B.C., Babylon, the reigning superpower in the Ancient Near East (ANE), invaded Judah for the first of three incursions designed to subjugate the Jewish people and use the southern kingdom as a buffer state to keep an expanding Egypt in check.² Several years earlier (722 B.C.), the previous regional superpower invaded and defeated the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting its people and resettling them elsewhere in the Assyrian empire. Although Babylon followed a similar deportation policy, the resettled people were able to retain their ethnic cohesion, forming Jewish communities in their new locations. One such community was along the Kebar River, a major canal that connected the Tigris with the Euphrates.³ Among the initial deportees from Judah were members of the royal family, like Daniel, and members of the priestly guild, like Ezekiel.⁴

Because of its length (88 pages) the complete study isn't available online. "Ezekiel: The Lord's Warchman" along with its Bibliography and Endnotes, can be downloaded as a pdf here.