The Analysed Bible, Volumes 1, 2, 3, by Rev. G. Campbell Morgan: The Book of Ezekiel - Analysed and Explained in Detail (Full Text and PDF).

A detailed analysis of the book of Ezekiel: The Prophet of Hope.

To the best of our knowledge we are of the understanding that this book, being published in 1907, and freely available elsewhere on the internet is in the public domain.

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The Book of Ezekiel - Analysed and Explained in Summary - Volumes 1, 2, and 3 of "The Analysed Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.

To the best of our knowledge we are of the understanding that this book, taken from Volumes 1, 2, & 3 of the "Analysed Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan published in 1907, and freely available elsewhere on the internet is in the public domain.

EZEKIEL - THE PROPHET OF HOPE

PART A: PROPHET'S PREPARATION - Ezekiel 1:1-3:27

A1. The Visions - Ezek. 1:1-1:28

  1. Title Page - 1:2-1:3
  2. Fire - 1:1 and 1:4
  3. Living Ones - 1:5-1:14
  4. Wheels - 1:15-1:21
  5. The Likeness - 1:22-1:28

A2. The Voice - Ezek. 2:1-3:27

  1. The Message - 2:1-3:3
  2. The Equipment - 3:4-3:15
  3. The Responsibility - 3:16-3:21
  4. The Commission - 3:22-3:27

Part B: REPROBATION - Ezekiel 4:1-24:27

B1. Results of Reprobation - Ezek. 4:1-14:23

  1. The Four Signs - 4:1-5:17
  2. The Denunciations - 6:1-7:27
  3. The Judgement - 8:1-14:23

B2. Reason for Reprobation - Ezek. 15:1-19:14

  1. The Two General Figures - 15:1-16:63
  2. The Riddle - 17:1-17:24
  3. The False Excuse - 18:1-18:32
  4. The Lament - 19:1-19:14

B3. Righteousness of Reprobution - Ezek. 20:1-24:27

  1. Vindicated to Elders - 20:1-20:44
  2. The Song of the Sword - 20:45-21:32
  3. The Utter Evil of the City - 22:1-22:31
  4. Oholah. Oholibah - 23:1-23:49
  5. The Destruction of the City - 24:1-24:27

Part C: RESTORATION - Ezekiel 25:1-48:35

C1. The Nations - Ezek. 25:1-32:32

  1. The Doom of Four - Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia - 25:1-25:17
  2. The Doom to Two - Tyre and Zidon - 26:1-28:24
  3. (Parenthesis Restoration of Israel - 28:25-28:26)
  4. The Doom of One - Egypt - 29:1-32:32

C2. The Nation - Ezek. 33:1-39:29

  1. The Watchman - 33:1-33:33
  2. Shepherds, False and True - 34:1-34:31
  3. The New Order - 35:1-36:38
  4. The Vision of the Bones - 37:1-37:28
  5. The Last Enemy - 38:1-39:29

C3. The Restored Order - Ezek. 40:1-48:35

  1. The Temple - 40:1-42:20
  2. Jehovah - 43:1-43:27
  3. The Service of the Temple - 44:1-46:24
  4. The River - 47:1-47:12
  5. The Land - 47:13-47:23
  6. The People - 48:1-48:29
  7. The City - 48:30-48:35

Introduction

Of the prophet Ezekiel personally we only know that he was a priest, and the son of Buzi. If the expression "the thirtieth year" in the opening verse of the book refers to his age, which is probable, seeing that he was a priest, and that thirty was the age at which they commenced their work, he must have been twenty-five years of age when the captivity commenced. During the whole of those years Jeremiah was exercising his ministry. This would account for the evident influence exercised upon Ezekiel by the teaching of Jeremiah. His method was superlatively that of symbolism. The book is full of visions, symbolic actions, similitudes, parables, proverbs, allegories, and open prophecies. He was the prophet who supremely looked through the then existing devastation to ultimate deliverance. Recognizing the fact of the reprobation of the people by Jehovah, and the righteousness thereof, he yet foretold a glorious restoration, basing his conviction upon his conception of the character of God. The main object of his prophesying would seem to have been the comfort of the exiles, and their preservation from the idolatry by which they were surrounded. The book falls into three main parts, the first describing how the word of the Lord came expressly to him, by visions and in a voice; the second dealing with the reprobation of the people of God; and the last foretelling their restoration, and indicating the methods by which it would be brought about. It may be divided thus: the Prophet's Preparation (1-3); Reprobation (4-24); Restoration (25-48).

A. The Prophet's Preparation - Ezekiel 1:1-3:27

The division dealing with the prophet's preparation falls into two sections, the first describing the visions he saw, and the second the voices he heard. The second and third verses, which are really parenthical, may be treated as a title-page. This gives the date, states the fact that the word came expressly to him, and indicates the place in which he saw the visions and heard the voice.

The visions were inclusive visions of God. They proceeded in four manifestations. The first was that of a cloud swept into sight by a stormy wind, surrounded by brightness, and continually flashing forth in glory. The second was the appearance out of the midst of this fire, of four living ones, who moved in rhythmic unity. The third appearance was that of wheels which rotated in harmony with each other, and in co-operation with the movements of the living ones. The last appearance was that, first of a firmament over-arching the ceaseless activity of the living ones; above the firmament a voice was heard, and then the likeness of a throne was seen, and finally a Person was manifested, of the nature of fire, surrounded by a glory like that of the rainbow. In the presence of the manifested glory Ezekiel fell upon his face, and then heard the voice. This voice called him to listen, and then commissioned him to deliver the message of God to the children of Israel, charging him that he was to speak it whether they would hear or forbear. The commission was ratified by the symbolism of a roll handed to him, which he was commanded to eat. He obeyed, and found the roll in his mouth "as honey for sweetness." Continuing, the voice announced to him what his equipment for the fulfilment of his mission would be, warning him of the difficulties awaiting him, promising him that he should be strengthened for his work, and charging him to be loyal to the word of the Lord. In an interval he was borne up by the Spirit, and carried to the midst of the captives, where he sat "astonied" for seven days. The word of Jehovah then came to him again, laying upon him his responsibilities anew. He was first reminded of the source of the message, and told that his first responsibility was that of hearing, and his second that of speech. He was called into the plain, where once again he saw the glory of Jehovah as he had seen it by the river. A double charge was again laid upon him, the first part of which was that of silence, and the second that of speech.

B. Reprobation - Ezekiel 4:1-24:27

The second division of the book contains the messages of the prophet concerning the reprobation of the chosen nation. These fall into three parts. In the first, by symbol and speech, he described the results of reprobation; in the second he declared its reason; and in the last he proclaimed its righteousness.

The results of reprobation were first symbolically set forth in four signs. These were immediately followed by general denunciations. Finally the coming judgment was dealt with at length, as to its cause and its process.

Ezekiel's first sign was that of a tile, upon which he portrayed a city, around which were depicted all the forces of a siege. His second sign consisted of a posture. For three hundred and ninety days he lay upon his left side, and for forty days upon his right, prophesying during the whole period against Jerusalem. The third sign was that of the food of which he partook during the period of the three hundred and ninety days. The fourth was that of the shaving of his hair from head and face. This hair was divided into three parts, a third was burned, a third was smitten with the sword, and a third was scattered to the wind. This last sign was carefully explained. The hair symbolized Jerusalem, and the treatment of it indicated the method of the Divine judgment against it.

These signs were followed by denunciations. The first foretold tlie coming judgment of the sword against the whole land, and the consequent scattering of the people. In this process of judgment a remnant would be spared, in order that the lesson might be learned. The prophet was charged to deliver this message of the sword with vehemence, and to make clear the fact that vengeance moved toward the purpose of making the people who had forgotten, know Jehovah. The second dealt with the fact of the completeness of the judgment. Its keynote was expressed in the words "an end." The prophet declared that an end was determined upon the land, and upon the people; and that it should be accomplished by the act of God. He then proceeded to describe that end. Its first manifestation would be the paralysis of the people, so that although the trumpet was blown to the battle, and all was ready, yet none moved forward, being overcome by terror and grief. This paralysis would issue in poverty, not wholly in the absolute lack of silver and gold, but in the awful consciousness that these things were useless as means of deliverance from the wrath of Jehovah. All this, finally, would produce the confession of overwhelming perplexity, and no interpreter would be found. The second denunciation ended, as did the first, by indicating the purpose of the vengeance: "They shall know that I am the Lord."

The long prophecy, descriptive of the cause and process of judgment, came to the prophet as he sat in his own house in the presence of the elders of Judah. In its first movement it described the idolatry in Jerusalem, which was the sin to be visited with punishment. The prophet first saw the image of jealousy at the entrance of the inner court of the house of God. He then saw, through a hole in the wall, all secret abominations before which the elders of Israel were burning incense. In the third place he was shown the depravity of the women of Israel, who were seen weeping for Tammuz. Finally, in the inner court men were seen with their backs toward the Temple, worshipping the sun. On account of this utter corruption of the people, Jehovah would proceed in judgment.

The next section of the message reveals the fact of the Divine discrimination in judgment. A man with an inkhorn passed through the midst, and set a mark upon the foreheads of such as mourned the abominations. These were to be spared, while all the rest were to be slain. The vision appalled the prophet, and he cried out in intercession, but he was told that the sin of Israel and Judah was great, and therefore the punishment was irrevocable.

The prophet then described the process of judgment. He was first granted a preliminary vision. The man with the inkhorn gathered coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scattered them over the city. Out of the midst of visions of the glory of God, similar to those which he had seen by the river Chebar, this fire was taken.

Again the prophet saw the princes of the people devising iniquity; and, instructed of the Spirit, he uttered a denunciation of them, and declared God's vengeance against them. One of the princes died, as he prophesied, and he appealed to Jehovah in terms of intercession. This appeal was answered by the declaration that Jehovah would protect those scattered among the nations, that eventually they should be restored, but that vengeance would inevitably fall upon such as were persistent in their sin. Again there was granted to him a vision of the glory of God, but he saw it departing from the city. Returning from the height of these visions, the prophet uttered in the hearing of the captives all the things that the Lord had showed him.

He was next commanded, in the sight of these people, to act as an exile going forth from his country. In answer to the inquiry of the people as to the meaning of what he did, he foretold the capture of the people and the princes in Jerusalem, and their carrying away to Babylon. By the sign of his own method of eating and drinking, he was charged to foretell the desolations which would fall upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The people of Israel declared in proverbs the failure of prophecy, or the distance of its fulfilment; and Ezekiel was charged to announce that the things foretold would immediately be fulfilled.

The next movement in the prophesying was that of a denunciation of false prophets and false prophetesses. The evil inspiration of the former was described, and its disastrous effect declared. Their destruction was foretold, and its reason made clear. They had seduced the people by promising peace, when judgment was determined. The prophetesses had been guilty of the same iniquity for the sake of hire, and their judgment was equally sure.

Certain of the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel, and he was instructed by Jehovah to declare to them that, while idolatry remained in their heart, the only answer of Jehovah to them must be that of punishment.

This determined attitude of judgment was then explained to Ezekiel, first by a statement of principle. In days of wilful and persistent corruption men as righteous as Noah, Daniel, and Job could not prevent the operation of vengeance, but only save their own souls by their righteousness. The application of this to the sore judgments against Jerusalem would prove to the prophet how that all that the Lord had done had been not without cause.

This final word as to the results of reprobation leads naturally to the part of the prophecy dealing with the reason thereof. This reason is first set forth under two general figures; secondly, in the form of a riddle; thirdly, as an answer to a false excuse; and finally, in a great lament.

The figures were familiar, because they had been used by former prophets. The first was that of the vine, and the second that of the adulteress. As to the vine, the prophet declared its uselessness as a tree, and its still more pronounced uselessness when burnt; the intention of which declarations was to show that the only value of a vine is in the fruit it bears. The application of the figure was made immediately to Jerusalem, whose inhabitants were to be given to the fire on account of their trespass.

The second figure the prophet wrought out at greater length. It was that of Jerusalem, the faithless city, as an adulteress. Maintaining his figure throughout, he traced the history of the city. An abandoned child, born and forsaken, was found and nurtured by Jehovah. At maturity the child was taken in marriage, and loaded with benefits. Then as wife she trusted in her beauty, and turned to harlotry, in which she prostituted her husband's wealth. This harlotry had been worse than the common, in which the harlot receives gifts, in that in this case she had bestowed gifts to seduce others. The punishment of the adulteress was that of stripping and shame. Yet this very process was intended to produce in the heart of the sinning city the shame of repentance. The last movement is one in which the prophet foretold the restoration of the wife by the remembrance of the covenant and its re-establishment by Jehovah.

The prophet then, commanded by Jehovah, put forth a riddle. A great eagle came upon Lebanon, took off the top of the cedar; carried away the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil, where it became a spreading vine. Toward a second eagle it bent its roots, that he might water it. The vine was denounced for this act of treachery, its judgment being that it should be plucked up by the roots, and withered by the east wind. The riddle was then explained. The first eagle was the king of Babylon, who carried away the king, and planted the seed royal in Babylon. The second eagle was the king of Egypt, whose help Zedekiah sought, and who was punished by Jehovah in consequence. The riddle ended with the promise of Jehovah that He would ultimately plant again a cedar in the mountain of the height of Israel, and as a result there should be universal recognition of the activity of Jehovah.

The people at this time were quoting a proverb, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge," by which they intended to lay the blame of their present suffering upon their fathers. The truth of this the prophet denied, first by illustrations, declaring that the righteous man lives, that the wicked son of a righteous man dies, that the righteous son of a wicked father lives. He then stated the principle that God deals with individuals directly, and consequently that the sinner, turning to righteousness, should live; and the righteous man, turning to sin, must die. Then in the name of Jehovah he appealed to Israel to turn from transgression, and declared that God had "no pleasure in the death of him that dieth."

The final movement in this section is that of the lament of the prophet over Jehoahaz, in which he first described Judah, the lioness mother, and the captured whelp; then over Jehoiachin, the second whelp, and his capture; finally, over Zedekiah, whose mother, Judah, was like a vine plucked up, and destroyed by fire proceeding out of her rods, that is, from her children.

In the next section we have a series of prophecies, showing the righteousness of reprobation. This was first vindicated to the elders; secondly, celebrated in the song of the sword; thirdly, declared in a description of the utter evil of the city; fourthly, shown in a description of the sins of Samaria and Jerusalem; and finally, manifested in a description of the destruction of the city.

Certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and Ezekiel was commissioned to answer them. This he did, first by reviewing their past history, and showing how God had dealt with them for His name's sake, in delivering them from Egypt; in delivering them in the wilderness; and in sparing them there. He then examined the relation of the present sin to the past. The fathers had sinned in the land; so also had the sons; and consequently they were punished. He then foretold the future. The Lord God, by a mighty hand, would gather His people to the wilderness and discipline them, and sanctify His name among them. As a result, Israel would be restored, and Jehovah's name sanctified among the nations; and all this for His name's sake.

The prophet was then commissioned to prophesy against the forest of the south, that a fire should be kindled in it. Not understanding the meaning of the message, he made his appeal to God, that men would say to him that he was a speaker of parables, and immediately the explanation was given. The sword of Jehovah was about to proceed against the land of Israel. The prophet's anguish in the presence of the judgment was to become a sign to the people. All this prepared the way for the song of the sword, in which in graphic language the process of its sharpening, and its readiness for use were described; and its commission was uttered. The song was immediately followed by an interpretation, announcing that the king of Babylon was coming against the city, and the prince of Israel was to be degraded by Jehovah, who would overturn until the coming of the rightful king. This interpretation was followed by a brief address to the children of Ammon, who had drawn the sword, commanding them to sheathe it, and declaring the judgment decreed against them.

The next movement described the utter evil of the city. Its fundamental sins of bloodshed and idolatry were named, and the resultant evils of oppressions by princes, irreligion, lewdness, and greed were described. On account of these things, the judgment of Jehovah would be terrible, and would proceed to purpose which was illustrated under the figure of the furnace into which Israel was cast. Again the prophet described the corruption of the inhabitants, first in general statement, in which he described a land with no water, having no teaching; and the springs as polluted, having no prophets; and then proceeded to make particular charges against priests, princes, prophets, people. He concluded by describing the utter hopelessness of the case. There was no man to stand in the gap. Therefore the fire of wrath must proceed upon its way.

The next prophecy dealt with the sins of Samaria and Jerusalem under the figure of two women, Oliolah and Oholibah. Samaria was charged with unfaithfulness in her confederacy with Assyria and Egypt, this being the cause of her judgment. Jerusalem was charged with unfaithfulness with Assyria, with Babylon, and with Egypt, this being the cause of her judgment. In other terms the prophet declared their sins. They were guilty of idolatry and bloodshed, profanation of the sanctuary, and unholy alliances. Returning to the figure, he declared them to be worthy of judgment by righteous men, of stoning by consent of the assembly, in order that the land might be purged.

Under this section the last prophecy described the destruction of the city. This was first done under the parable of the caldron set upon a fire, filled with water, and made to boil, which symbolized the coming destruction of Jerusalem and its people.

The prophet was then bereft of his wife, and commanded not to mourn, in order that he might be a sign to the people of coming judgment. Ezekiel was then told that the news would be conveyed to him of the fall of the city, and that in that day his mouth would be opened, and he would be able to speak with assurance the messages of Jehovah.

C. Restoration - Ezekiel 25:1-48:35

The last division of the prophecy deals with the subject of the ultimate restoration of the chosen nation. It falls into three sections. The first has to do with the nations; the second with the Nation; and the last describes the restored order.

The prophecies concerning the nations fall into three groups. The first pronounced the doom of four, the second the doom of two, and the third the doom of one.

The doom of four dealt with Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Ammon had mocked the people of God in the day of their desolation, therefore they were to be destroyed. Moab had rejoiced in the degradation of Judah, therefore judgment was determined against it. Edom had been brutal in her treatment of Judah, and therefore was to be made desolate. Philistia had taken vengeance with perpetual enmity, and therefore vengeance was determined against her. Each of these dooms ended with the same thought - that these people by judgment should know Jehovah.

The doom of two dealt with Tyre and Zidon, but principally with Tyre. Concerning her the prophet first made a general statement describing her sin and the judgment determined against her, declaring that the purpose was that she should know Jehovah. He then described in detail the destruction of the city by Nebuchadrezzar, and foretold the lamentation of the princes over her downfall. At the command of Jehovah, Ezekiel then took up a lamentation for Tyre, which first described her commercial supremacy and enterprises, and then in language full of force foretold her commercial ruin. The prophecy concerning Tyre ended with a message to its prince, and a lamentation for its king. To the prince the prophet declared his sin to have been that of pride, which thought of himself as a god, and boasted accordingly. His judgment was to be, that by humiliation and destruction, even to the pit, he should learn that he was a man, and not God. The lamentation concerning the king of Tyre first described his glory, and his appointment by God to his original position. The prophet then described his sins, and their consequent judgment. Unrighteousness was found in him, and therefore he was cast out of the mountain of God. Pride filled him, therefore he was cast down in the presence of kings. For the multitude of his iniquities a fire devoured him, and he was burnt to ashes.

Judgment was to fall upon Zidon that she might know the Lord; and that there should be no more a pricking brier to the house of Israel. Immediately following this prophecy dealing with the doom of two is a brief parenthesis describing the restoration of Israel; the prophet declaring in the name of Jehovah that she should be gathered and settled, in order that her people should know that Jehovah was their God.

The doom of one had to do with Egypt. It consists of seven prophecies, which are placed here, not in the order of their delivery. Throughout these prophecies the purpose of judgment is constantly declared to be that of making Jehovah known. The first is against Pharaoh, and all Egypt. His sin the prophet declared to be the pride which claimed the river as his own creation, and the doom he poetically described as the taking of Pharaoh as a great fish out of his river, and casting him upon the land. That doom he then proceeded to foretell as the coming of a sword upon the land of Egypt, and the scattering of its people among the nations. After forty years he declared that Jehovah would gather them again, and in their own land make them a people degraded, no more to rule over the nations. The second prophecy foretold that the instrument of judgment should be Nebuchadnezzar, and the capture of Egypt would be his wage for the defeat of Tyre. The third prophecy described the process by which Nebuchadnezzar would accomplish this purpose of Jehovah. His stroke would fall on the multitudes, on the idols, on the cities. The fourth prophecy was directed against the power of Pharaoh, and declared that the Lord would break his arms, and strengthen those of the king of Babylon for the accomplishment of His purpose. The fifth prophecy was against the greatness of Pharaoh. That greatness was first described as that of a stately cedar in Lebanon, and then its destruction was foretold, first under the same figure, and then by a graphic and awful picture of the descent of Pharaoh into Sheol. The sixth prophecy was a lamentation for Pharaoh, in which his doom was first described, and then its widespread effect. Again the prophet declared that the destruction of Pharaoh and of Egypt would be brought about by the sword of the king of Babylon. The seventh prophecy was a wail for the multitudes of Egypt, in which the descent to death is portrayed, and all the companies of the dead from among the nations are represented as companions of Pharaoh and his hosts in the under-world.

Ezekiel next delivered a series of messages concerning the chosen nation. The first described the watchman; the second dealt with shepherds, false and true; the third set forth the new order; the fourth consisted of a vision of the valley of bones; and the fifth dealt with the last enemy.

The first message to Israel described the function and responsibilities of the prophet under the figure of a watchman. The duty of the watchman was to give warning of the approach of a foe. Ezekiel occupied that position. He was charged to declare to the people in the midst of their sins that Jehovah had no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and that they were to remember their responsibilities. Past acts of righteousness would not atone for present transgression. Past sin would be pardoned if the sinner turned to Jehovah. Upon the basis of this announcement the prophet defended Jehovah against the people who charged Him with being unequal in His ways. Immediately upon the delivery of this message fugitives who had escaped from the sack of Jerusalem came to the prophet. He was prepared and commissioned to deliver to them the message of Jehovah. The attention of the people was aroused, but they were disobedient to his voice.

The next prophecy dealt with the one Shepherd. Its first movement was an indictment of the false shepherds, through whom the evil things had happened to the chosen people. They had cared for themselves, and neglected the flock, with the result that the flock was scattered and devoured. Therefore Jehovah was against the shepherds, and required His sheep at their hands. This indictment was followed by a description, full of beauty, of Jehovah's method of deliverance. He Himself would come to search for His sheep. His government would proceed in strict discrimination and righteous administration. The message ended with the promise of the appointment of the one Shepherd under Whose rule order would be restored, blessing would be bestowed, and peace established.

The prophet then described the new order by contrasting Mount Seir with the mountains of Israel. The sin of Mount Seir had been that of perpetual enmity, and its judgment would be that of perpetual desolation. Its guilt had been that of the possession of Jehovah's land, and its punishment would be that of dispossession. The mountains of Israel were to be delivered from their enemies, and to be made abundantly fruitful. This prediction the prophet was charged to explain by affirming the fact that their own sin had been the reason of their sufferings, and by declaring that for the sake of His holy name they would be restored. A description of the method of restoration followed. The people were to be gathered from all countries, and cleansed from filthiness, and spiritually re-made. The results of restoration would be that they should dwell in their own land, and in place of desolation there should be fruitfulness. The conditions of restoration were that Jehovah would be inquired of for these things, and its purpose that He should be known.

There was now granted to the prophet the great vision of the valley filled with bones. Over these bones he was commanded to prophesy. He obeyed, and beheld the bones coming together, and being clothed with sinews and flesh. Again he was commanded to prophesy to the wind. He obeyed, and saw the corpses in the valley stand upon their feet, a living army. This vision was the outcome of a proverb in which the people had declared, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost, we are clean cut off." The application of the vision was made in the declaration that God would bring His people from their graves, and make them live. Having thus foretold the renewal of the people, the prophet was commanded to take two sticks and join them into one, and to declare to the people, by an explanation of his action, that God would gather the scattered ones from among the nations, and make them one under the dominion of a new king, and within the terms of a new covenant.

The final message concerning the nation dealt with matters far removed from the times of the prophet. He described the final antagonism of Gog, who with his allies would gather, under Divine compulsion, and in malice, against Israel. The prophet declared that this coming would be against Jehovah. He then proceeded to foretell the antagonism of God to the gathered hosts. The destruction of the enemy would be brought about by the act of Jehovah, completely and terribly; and the issue would be the restoration of the whole house of Israel.

The final movement in the prophecies of restoration described the restored order, and dealt with the Temple, Jehovah, the service of the Temple, the river, the land, the people, and the city.

Fourteen years after the sack of Jerusalem, Ezekiel was given visions of the ultimate restoration of the scattered and desolate people. His description of the new Temple commenced with the courts, of which he described the outer and the inner. Passing to the Temple proper, he portrayed it first from the outside, describing the actual Temple, with its holy place, and holy of holies; then the side-chambers, finally the separate building; ending with general dimensions of the inner court, the house buildings, and the separate building. He then gave a description of the internal woodwork and ornamentation. Returning to the buildings, he described the chambers in the inner court, and their uses, ending with external measurements of the whole.

His next vision was that of the return of Jehovah to His house. The visions which he had seen by the river Chebar appeared again, and all the glory moved into possession of the new Temple. Again he heard the voice declaring that Jehovah had taken up His abode in the house, and that Israel should no more defile His holy name. Then follows a parenthesis, which chronicles the charge delivered to the prophet to show this house of future glory to the house of Israel, that she might be ashamed of her iniquities. The prophet then described the ordinances of the altar, giving its measurements and the arrangements for its consecration.

The next section described the service of the new Temple. The gate by which the God of Israel entered would be kept shut. The place of the prince was appointed, and the prophet was charged to pay careful attention to the instructions concerning the ordinances of the house. No aliens would be allowed to minister therein. The Levites would be restored to the service of the sanctuary, and the priests to their sacred offices. Careful instructions were given for the support of priest, Levite, and prince. The duties of the prince would be to provide for the offerings. The actual services were next set forth. The feasts, the Sabbaths and months, the freewill offering, the daily burnt-offering, were all arranged for. Instructions were given concerning the inheritance of the sons of the prince, and the prophet was shown the boiling-houses.

The prophet was brought back again to the door of the house, and there beheld the wonderful symbolic river proceeding under the threshold past the altar. He watched it in its course, and observed its marvellous growth and its life-giving effect.

The new boundaries and divisions of the land were next described, and careful instructions were given concerning the disposition of the people. At the centre was the sacred land, occupied by priests and Levites, the city, and the prince. To the north places were appointed for Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah; and to the south places for Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad.

The last vision granted to Ezekiel was of the city in the south of the sacred land. Its gates and dimensions were given; and the final words of this prophet of hope announced the name of the city, Jehovah-shammah, "The Lord is there."