ezekiel outline

Ezekiel Outline

1-24 Vs. Judah and Jerusalem

25-32 Oracles against foreign nations, especially Egypt

33-48 Words of Hope

3:22-27 Prophet unable to speak

24:26-27 When Jerusalem falls, your mouth will be opened

33:21-32 City falls; Ezekiel speaks

Tensions with the Torah

Lev 21:13-14 The (high) priest may only marry a virgin. A widow or a divorced woman, or a raped woman, or a prostitute--these the (high) priest shall not marry

Ezek 44:22 The priests (in general) shall not marry a widow, or a divorced woman, but only a virgin of the stock of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

The Dates in the book of Ezekiel

593-571 Ezekiel’s Ministry– Jeremiah (626-580s) Second Isaiah (547-540)

26:1 (587/586) vs. 29:17 (571) – So I didn’t give you Tyre...– O thou who changest too, abide with me!

593 call--cf. Jeremiah 28 8 dates in the years 588-586 8 dates in oracles against the nations 40:1 25th year--halfway to the new day of Jubilee!

Characteristic themes in Ezekiel

So that you may know that I am Yahweh– used with words of judgment against land

(7:2-4)

– used with oracles against foreign nations (25:3-5)

– used with words of salvation (37:6, 13-14) The faithfulness and freedom of Yahweh

The Prophet’s Call (1)

God’s presence• came from “north”• eyes on wheels• winged animals (cherubim)• face of man, lion, ox, eagle• throne on firmament• earthquake, “many waters,” storm, lightning, wind• glory of Yahweh• one “like” a man; bronze above and fire below

The Prophet’s Call (2)

God’s presence in Babylon. Note emphasis on God’s mobility

• wheels• wings• legs• faces go anywhere without turning• spirit

The Prophet’s Call (3)

Closest parallels with Isaiah (ch. 6)and Micaiah ben Imlah (1 Kings 22)

“Son of Man”; “mortal” (not Ezekiel) Eat scroll that is written on both sides--full of

lamentation, mourning, and woe Yet, it is sweeter than honey called to be a watchman (only has to warn;

Yahweh sends watchman against Yahweh’s self!)

Symbolic actions

4:1-3 A mock attack on Jerusalem 4:4-8 390 days lying on left side; 40 days

lying on right side 4:12-15 cooking with human dung 5:1-3 the prophet’s hair (burn, sword, scatter) 12:1-16 going into exile 24:15-28 wife dies 37:15-28 two sticks become one

The Second Great Vision 8-11 (1) statue of passion which provokes to

passion idolatrous figures on a wall (Osiris?):

“Yahweh does not see us; Yahweh has abandoned the land”

women weeping for Tammuz 25 men worshipping the sun; they have

put the “branch” to their (or my) nose

The Second Great Vision 8-11 (2) chap 9: marks put on those who sigh

and groan over abominations in city 10:19 and 11:23 the chariot-throne’s

great pauses Pelatiah the son of Benaiah dies during

Ezekiel’s sermon• “Yahweh delivers” (Pelatiah), the son of

“Yahweh builds up” (Benaiah)• Who can escape judgment?

Ezekiel’s Unique History of Israel 20:1-26 Sequence: a. grace, b. laws, c. rebellion, d. God

acted for the sake of the Name in Egypt in the first generation in wilderness in the second generation in the wilderness

– exile decided already in the wilderness– Yahweh gave them laws that were not good

vv. 27-29 life in the land

As I live, I will not be consulted by you!

The History that is to come 20:32-44 Let’s be like the nations and worship wood

and stone New Exodus: escape--wilderness/sorting

out--procession to the temple I swear I will be king! God as king, judge, and shepherd…in Ezekiel

and Second Isaiah God acts for his name’s sake, not according

to your evil ways

The Possibility of repentance

18:2 “The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge”

repentance not prevented by the behavior of previous generations

repentance not prevented by one’s own earlier lifestyle

Yahweh has no delight in death of the wicked; Yahweh wants them to turn and live

Life is offered to the house of Israel, which is with Ezekiel in Babylon…but to them only on the basis of repentance.