At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | Ezekiel, priest among first exile (597 BC) |
| Date | ~593-571 BC ministry |
| Audience | Judean exiles in Babylon |
| Genre | Prophecy and apocalyptic visions and symbolic actions |
| Purpose | God's glory and judgment of Judah and restoration promises |
| Chapters | 48 |
Outline
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Visions of God and call | 1-3 | Wheels-within-wheels theophany |
| Judgment of Judah | 4-24 | Symbolic actions and judgment oracles |
| Judgment of nations | 25-32 | Oracles against neighboring nations |
| Restoration promises | 33-48 | Good Shepherd; dry bones; new temple |
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| God's glory | Visions of throne and departure from temple and return |
| God's holiness and justice | Strict judgment of sin |
| Individual responsibility | Ezekiel 18, each person accountable for own sin |
| New heart and new spirit | Ezekiel 36:25-27, foundation of New Covenant texts |
| Dry bones to life | Ezekiel 37, Israel's restoration |
| Good Shepherd | Ezekiel 34, Davidic Shepherd-King |
| New temple | Ezekiel 40-48, eschatological vision |
Key passages
- Ezekiel 1, vision of God's throne
- Ezekiel 18, individual responsibility
- Ezekiel 34, God and David as shepherds
- Ezekiel 36:25-27, new heart and new spirit (foundational for New Covenant)
- Ezekiel 37, dry bones vision
- Ezekiel 40-48, new temple vision
NT use
- John 10, Christ as Good Shepherd (Ezekiel 34)
- Hebrews 8-10, New Covenant connection (Ezekiel 36 alongside Jeremiah 31)
- Rev. uses Ezekiel imagery extensively (throne; New Jerusalem; eating scroll)