Ezekiel Survey of the Old Testament: The Prophets Fall 2005

Prophecies Against Other Nations (chapters 25-32)

The second set of prophecies are given after Babylon begins its two-year long siege against Jerusalem. Things don't look good for Jerusalem, and the nations around Judah are reveling in the destruction of their neighbor. In response, God gives Ezekiel prophecies of judgment against the other nations for rejoicing in the destruction of Judah. This is in fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant, which states that those who curse Israel will be cursed (Genesis 12:3) [1]. This message would have been one of encouragement for the exiles, for God was still faithful to the Abrahamic covenant and did not rejoice in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Prophecies of Judah's Restoration(chapters 33-48)

Restoration of the Israel (chapters 33 – 39)

The Background to the Message of Restoration

On the fifth day of the tenth month of the twelfth year of his exile, refugees from Jerusalem arrive and report the news that Jerusalem has fallen (33:21). With that announcement, the final set of prophecies come after the destruction of Jerusalem (33:22). This destruction has taken place so that the exiles will know, first that Yahweh is God (33:29) and secondly that Ezekiel is a true prophet of God (33:33).

But after this report comes a message of hope.

Restoration of Leadership (chapter 34)

In chapters 12 – 19, Ezekiel condemns the leadership of Israel, including the false prophets, elders and the monarchy. With the destruction of Jerusalem comes the end of the monarchy and the extinction of the throne of David (19:14). These shepherds of Israel have not been tending the flock, and have been feeding themselves instead of the flock of Israel (34:3).

But, there is hope, for the Lord himself will be the shepherd for his people (34:11). He will care for them and gather them from exile (34:12-13). He will provide for them and care for his sheep. In addition, God will restore the throne of David and set up a descendent of David as the one shepherd (34:23-24). When that happens, he will bring “showers of blessings,” (34:26) and great fertility to the land. When that happens, the people will “know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them” (34:30-31).

Restoration of the Land (Chapters 35-36)

Not only will the monarchy be restored, but so will the land itself. In chapter 6, Ezekiel prophesied against the mountains of Judah. Now in chapter 35 God condemns another mountain, Mt. Seir, located in Edom. This is followed by a blessing on the mountains of Judah in chapter 36. The exiles will return, and God will cause the land to be fertile (36:8-10).

Valley of Dry Bones (Chapter 37)

After the restoration of the monarchy, and a restoration of the land, the people themselves need to be restored. This restoration is more than just a return of the people from exile (36:24), but a cleansing of the people from their sin (36:25). But this alone will not prevent the people from returning to their rebellious and idolatrous ways. Therefore God promises to change their hear (36:26) and to give them the Holy Spirit (36:27).

"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:26-27 NASB)

This is followed with Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones. This vision is the same message as in the end of chapter 36. God will take the old dry bones of Israel and bring it back to life with flesh (37:21).

Protection from Gog (Chapters 38-39)

In chapter 38, Ezekiel predicts that in this time of restoration, there would be an army from the north, an army from Gog which invades the nation (chapter 38). While there is much conjecture about who Gog might be, the fact that it is an invasion “from the north” is significant. Both Assyria and Babylon invaded from the north. This attack will cause the returning exiles to remember their exile and could cause undo fear. However, unlike Assyria and Babylon, Gog is not an agent of judgment. In fact, God will defend and protect Israel from this invader (chapter 39). God will be the defender of his people in the time of restoration.

God's Glory Returns (Chapters 40-48)

Restoration of the Temple

The land, the leadership and the people have been restored to the land. However one significant event remains in the restoration. The temple must be restored. The culmination of this temple restoration comes when the glory of God returns and God dwells again with His people. Just as God's disapproval was made evident by a vision of God's glory leaving the temple, so the promise of restoration is also focused on the temple and the return of God's glory.

Chapters 40-42 are a detailed description of a new temple that is to be built. The exact measurements of each gate, court and sanctuary are given in precise figures.

After this description, the glory of the LORD comes out of the East, and fills the temple. God declares that now there will be no more abominations in the temple. It is important to note that just as God's glory left the temple and departed toward the east, so also God's glory will return on the Mount of Olives and descend westward into the temple.

What follows is additional regulations described by God concerning who can be admitted into the temple, the division of land among the tribes of Israel, the sacrificial offering regulations, and other details of this restored city. There is also a great deal of discussion regarding a prince , which has some sort of political authority in this new land.

A Discussion of the Fulfillment

The question arises: when is this prophecy fulfilled? There are a number of interpretations as to which temple this really is and how it might be fulfilled. The following temples are often given as the answer to this question:

• Zerubbabel builds the temple at the end of the captivity. This is unlikely, for the temple described here is much larger than Zerubbabel's temple, and we have no evidence that the glory of God ever filled this temple.
• The temple rebuilt by Herod- The chief argument in favor of this temple is that this was the temple in which Jesus worshipped. This would fulfill the prophecy of God's glory re-entering the temple, for Jesus is the fullness of God's glory. However, this temple was shortly destroyed thereafter and Israel did not completely repent. A derivation of this interpretation is that the church inherits this promise and becomes the repentant nation of Israel.
• The temple is purely figurative and merely represents the worship of God in heaven. This is a purely subjective interpretation and does not fit with the detailed physical description given by Ezekiel.
• The temple is a literal temple that will be built and will be dwelled in by the Messiah after His Second Coming. This Millennial Temple will match the exact description given by Ezekiel, and the regulations and division of the land will fit with this prophecy at some point in the future.

The later was most preferred interpretation given by most conservative Christian scholars. However, it, too, has some difficulties. First, if this takes place in the future, why are sacrifices made on the altar when Christ was the ultimate sacrifice? Hebrews clearly said that the sufficiency of Christ's death negated the need for additional sacrifices. Secondly, why is the church not mentioned in the era? What happens to all the believers from the church-age who are not in need of a priest or a sacrificial system?

The most plausible explanation I found is given by Feinberg, who states,

...It must be recognized that Old Testament sacrifices never had any redemptive efficacy...But just as the Old Testament sacrifices could have value in pointing forward to the death of Christ, why may they not have equal value in pointing back to the death of Christ as an accomplished fact? The celebration of the Lord's Supper through the Christian centuries has added not one infinitesimal particle of the efficacy of the work of Christ on the cross, but who will dare to deny that it has value for the believer, since it is enjoined upon us as a memorial. [2]

In answering the second objection, one has to look at the intended audience of Ezekiel. The prophet wrote to the Jews in captivity, not to the church. His emphasis is on the role of Israel in this period, not the church. To see the role of the church during this time, one needs to look to Revelation 20, for it was written to the church. Furthermore, to think that the church is God's final agent in God's eternal plan is probably arrogant and shortsighted. [3]

Nonetheless, God does promise to restore Israel, even after the abominations they performed. He is faithful to his covenant. [4] The book ends with a wonderful capsulation of the whole concept of God's glory as it dwells with Israel. After describing the city in which the new temple resides, Ezekiel records the name of the city in the very last verse of the book.

(Ezekiel 48:34 NKJV)”All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”

Bibliography

_____. “Ezekiel.” The Nelson Study Bible. Radmacher, Earl D., ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1997. Electronic edition STEP file.

Alexander, Ralph H. “Ezekiel.” Expositor's Bible Commentary . Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan, 1998. Electronic edition STEP file.

Dyer, Charles H. “Ezekiel,” The Bible Knowledge Commentary , John F. Walvoord & Roy B. Zuck, ed., Victor Books, 1988, p.1249.

Fee, Gordon D. and Douglas Stuart. How to Read the Bible Book by Book. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2002.

Feinberg, Charles Lee, The Prophecy of Ezekiel: The Glory of the Lord , Chicago: Moody Press, 1974, p. 234.

Keil, C.F. Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel , as discussed in Taylor, p. 113.

Taylor, John B. Ezekiel: An Introduction and Commentary, Moody Press: Downers Grove IL, 1974, p. 99.

Footnotes

1. Alexander.
2. Charles Lee Feinberg, The Prophecy of Ezekiel: The Glory of the Lord , Chicago: Moody Press, 1974, p. 234.
3. Ibid., p. 235.
4. Although the Mosaic covenant required that he withdraw his glory from Israel, the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants promised an everlasting kingdom over which He will reign.

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