1. Oracles of Judgment. Ezekiel 1-24.
2. Against Foreign Nations. Ezekiel 25-32.
3. Restoration of Israel. Ezekiel 33-39.
4. The New Community. Ezekiel 40-48.

1. Judgment on Judah. Ek 1:1-24:27.

A. The Call. Ek 1:1-3:27.
B. Fate of Jerusalem. Ek 4:1-5:17.
C. Oracle against Mountains. Ek 6:1-14.
D. The Coming End. Ek 7:1-27.
E. Visit to the Temple. Ek 8:1-11:25.
F. Symbols of Exile. Ek 12:1-28.
G. Oracles against Prophets. Ek 13:1-23.
H. Judgments on Idolaters. Ek 14:1-23.
I. The Vine. Ek 15:1-8.
J. Unfaithful Wife. Ek 16:1-63.
K. Two Eagles. Ek 17:1-24.
L. Individual Responsibility. Ek 18:1-32.
M. Apostasy. Ek 19-20:49.
N. The Sword. Ek 21:1-32.
O. Indictment of Jerusalem. Ek 22-23:49.
P. Caldron of Fire. Ek 24:1-14.
Q. Death of Ezekiel’s Wife. Ek 24:15-27.

2. Oracles against Foreign Nations. Ezekiel 25-32:32.

A. Ammon and Others, Ek 25:1-17
B. Against Tyre. Ek 26-28:26.
C. Egypt. Ek 29-30:26.
D. Downfall of Great Cedar. Ek 31:1-18.
E. Lament over Egypt. Ek 32:1-32.

3. Restoration of Israel. Ezekiel 33-39:29.

A. Oracles on Responsibility. Ek 33:1-33.
B. Shepherds of Israel. Ek 34:1-31.
C. Restoration of Mountains. Ek 35-36:38.
D. Valley of Dry Bones. Ek 37:1-14.
E. The Two Sticks. Ek 37:15-28.
F. Gog and Magog. Ek 38-39:29.

4. Restored Community. Ezekiel 40-48:35.

A. The Temple. Ek 40:1-42:20.
B. The Altar. Ek 43:1-27.
C. Ordinances. Ek 44:1-31.
D. Sacred District. Ek 45-46:24.
B. River from the Temple. Ek 47:1-23.
F. Allotment of Territories. Ek 48:1-35.

1. Ezekiel was author of the original book. But the book was subjected to a thorough job of rewriting by a later editor.
2. The editorial work was so extensive as to almost make this editor a coauthor.
3. The editor greatly amplified the reasons for the captivity: idolatry, lewdness, false prophets, Sabbath-breaking, immorality, social sins, etc.
4. The editor may have also been a priest.
5. The editor made use of more than fifty characteristic words or phrases in his work. The phrase “Then they will know that I am the Lord” he uses 56 times.
6. Date: Generally accepted — 593-571 B.C. Σ.

1. The author was familiar with the temple and had heard the preaching of Jeremiah.
2. His book covers 22 years of his life.
3. He was taken to Babylon along with King Jehoiachin.
4. He lived in a colony of exiles at Tel Abib on the Chebar, a canal of the Euphrates irrigation system.
5. He was married and had a house of his own. His great tragedy was the loss of his wife.
6. In trying to solve his problems, Ezekiel failed to make adjustment to reality; he retreated into a dream world of his own fantasy.
7. It would seem that he finally resolved his conflicts on the higher level of religious adjustment and became a prophet.
8. He had visions and was addicted to allegories.
9. He contributed much to the doctrine of angelology among the Hebrews.
10. It is strange that neither Jeremiah nor Ezekiel ever mentions the other. The same is true of Amos and Hosea.
11. From Ek 3:25-26, 4:4, 24:27, 33:22 we may conclude that his ailment was catatonic schizophrenia.
12. You recall that King Saul was afflicted with manic-depressive psychosis. Now we have Ezekiel with schizophrenia.

1. It is doubtful if Ezekiel wrote these chapters. The concept of a “new age” belongs to the editor rather than Ezekiel.
2. The new Jerusalem and new ideas about inner religious experience also belong to the editor.
3. Ezekiel was more pessimistic than the editor.
4. The book of Ezekiel is replete with new ideas and concepts. And this all suggests that numerous writers and editors contributed to the book as we now have it.

1. Like Isaiah, he protested against foreign alliances.
2. He is the outstanding prophet teaching about angels.
3. Yahweh had as wives two sisters; one consorted with the Assyrians and was punished; the other with the Egyptians and was likewise destroyed.
4. He was the prophet of allegories-winds, fire, wheels within wheels, etc.
5. He introduced the idea of God as a shepherd, which Jesus used so effectively.
6. He talked about “individual religious experience"-"God’s law written on the tablets of the heart.”
7. Individual responsibility for sin- “Whoso sinneth, he shall die.” He denounced concept of fathers’ eating sour grapes and the children’s teeth being set on edge.
8. Ezekiel tried to reform the Jewish ritual. Not so much against ceremonies as was Jeremiah.
9. He uttered curses against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Sidon, and Egypt.
10. He presented a universal God, but not a universal religion-Yahweh and Israel belonged together.
11. It would seem that the allegories of Ezekiel had considerable influence on the author of Revelation-the river of life, foursquare city, etc.

1. Seraphic velocity. “And the living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.” Ezekiel 1:14.
2. Called Son of man. “And he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.’” Ezekiel 3:1.
3. Divine wrath and anger. “‘Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself; and they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken in my jealousy.’” Ezekiel 5:13.
4. Cause and effect. “‘And you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, says the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 14:23.
5. Like mother, like daughter. “‘Behold, every one...will use this proverb about you, “Like mother, like daughter.”’” Ezekiel 16:44.
6. Eating sour grapes. “‘What do you mean...”The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge"? As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.’” Ezekiel 18:2-3.
7. No pleasure in death of the wicked. “‘Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 18:23.
8. References to Lucifer. “‘You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you...Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.’” Ezekiel 28:15, 17.
9. His aphonia cured. “So my mouth was opened, and I was no longer dumb.” Ezekiel 33:22.
10. Showers of blessing. ‘"And I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.’” Ezekiel 34:26.
11. Being unafraid. “‘They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.’” Ezekiel 34:28.
12. A new heart. “‘A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you.’” Ezekiel 36:26.
13. The valley of dry bones. “There was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.” Ezekiel 37:7.
14. Gog and Magog. “‘I will summon every kind of terror against Gog.’” 38:21. “You shall fall...for I have spoken, says the Lord God.” 39:5.

(Note: For a hundred years prophetic students have referred this prophecy about Gog and Magog to Russia.)