The Book of Ezekiel

Ezekiel riding in the Chariot of Fire Agape Bible Study
The Book of Ezekiel

The Book of Ezekiel is the third of the books of the Major Prophets, coming after the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah in the Christian canon. Ezekiel's mission to the Judean exiles in Babylon was to prepare them for the greatest crisis in the history of Yahweh's covenant people: the destruction of the holy city of Jerusalem and Yahweh's Temple. In a first-person narrative, Ezekiel tells his fellow Judeans that their exile and suffering is not because of any failure or lack of fidelity on God's part. Their exile and suffering is because of their sins as individuals and as a covenant people, their failure to repent their sins, and their infidelity to their covenant with Yahweh that they swore to obey to receive the blessings of God's protection. The visions Ezekiel received when God called him to his prophetic ministry are some of the most vivid and dramatic images in Sacred Scripture.
All references for the course are found in the Course Bibliography.

Lesson Number	Date	Description	Handouts
Lesson 1	Introduction and Chapter 1	Part I: Introduction	Handouts
Lesson 2	Chapters 2-3	Part I: Ezekiel's Call to a Prophetic Ministry Ezekiel's Commissioning, the Vision of the Scroll, the Prophet as Watchman, and the First Symbolic Act Part II: Judgment of the Covenant People Chapters 4-5: Symbolic Acts Relating to the Siege of Jerusalem	Handouts
Lesson 3	Chapters 6-9	Part II: God's Judgment of the Covenant People The Sins of Israel/Judah and Ezekiel's Vision-Journey to the Jerusalem Temple	Handouts
Lesson 4	Chapters 10 - 12	Part II: God's Judgment of the Covenant People The Conclusion of Ezekiel's Vision-Journey to the Jerusalem Temple Symbolic Acts Concerning the Exile	Handouts
Lesson 5	Chapters 13 - 15	Part II: God's Judgment of the Covenant People An Oracle Against the False Prophets An Oracle Against the Idolatrous Elders in Exile The Parable of the Vine	Handouts
Lesson 6	Chapters 16 - 18	Part II: God's Judgment of the Covenant People An Allegorical History of Jerusalem The Parables of the Two Eagles and the Two Shoots from the Cedar Tree The Soul That Sins Will Die	Handouts
Lesson 7	Chapters 19 - 21	Part II: God's Judgment of the Covenant People A Lament for Jerusalem and Her Princes A History of Israel's Ingratitude and Infidelity The Sword of Yahweh	Handouts
Lesson 8	Chapters 22 - 24	Part II: God's Judgment of the Covenant People The Sins of People of Jerusalem An Allegorical History of Jerusalem and Samaria Announcement of the Siege of Jerusalem	Handouts
Lesson 9	Chapters 25 - 27	Part III: Judgment of the Nations Prophecies Against Seven Nations	Handouts
Lesson 10	Chapter 28 - 30	Part III: Judgment Against the Nations The Pride of Tyre is the Reason for its Ruin, Judgment Against Sidon, and Israel Delivered from the Nations Judgment Against Egypt	Handouts
Lesson 11	Chapters 31 - 33	Lesson 11 Part III: Judgment Against the Nations Concluded Conclusion of the Oracles Against Egypt Part IV: Oracles of Salvation and Promised Restoration for Israel During and After the Siege of Jerusalem	Handouts
Lesson 12	Chapters 34 - 36:15	Part IV: Oracles of Salvation and Promised Restoration The Failed Shepherds and the Divine Shepherd Prophecies for Edom and Israel	Handouts
Lesson 13	Chapter 36:16 - 37	Part IV: Oracles of Salvation and Promised Restoration Oracle 5: Israel's Redemption for the sake of Yahweh's Holy Name Vision of the Dry Bones in the Valley of Death and Oracle 6: Prophecy of the Reunification of Israel	Handouts
Lesson 14	Chapters 38 - 39	Part IV: Oracles of Salvation and Promised Restoration Oracle 7 ~ The Prophecies an Eschatological Battle, and God's Glory Among the Nations	Handouts
Lesson 15	Chapters 40 - 42	Part IV: Oracles of Salvation and Promised Restoration The Vision of the New Temple Ezekiel's Guided Tour of an Idealized Temple Complex	Handouts
Lesson 16	Chapters 43 - 45	Part IV: Oracles of Salvation and Promised Restoration The Vision of the New Temple God's Glory Returns, the Regulations for Liturgical Worship, and the Division of the Land	Handouts
Lesson 17	Chapters 46 - 48	Part IV: Oracles of Salvation and Promised Restoration The Conclusion of the Vision of the New Temple	Handouts