Ezekiel BS No.

26 7 December 2006
With acknowledgements to Chris Wright The Message of Ezekiel, IVP, 2001.

Read Ezekiel 47:1-48:35

Theme: The reordering of the people of God.
Yahweh’s return to his temple and his worship reinstated was not the end for
Ezekiel. There was the miraculous river, the land which had vomited the people
into exile needed cleansing and allotting again.

Questions about the miraculous river.

1. Ezekiel 47:1-12. What comparisons can we find between this miracle and that
of the valley of dry bones?

2. What does the rich and varied symbolism of this river signify in regard to
creation? See Romans 8:18-23. What do we learn about the source of the
river? See John 10:10 and 1 Chronicles 29:14-16.

3. In what ways is Ezekiel’s river of life part of a wider biblical imagery that
both preceded and followed him? Genesis 2:10-14, John 7:37-39 and
Revelation 22:1-5.

Questions about the land

See Ezekiel 45:1-12, 47:13-48; 48:21-29.
4. In what ways did Ezekiel see himself in the role of the new Moses? What was real
and what was virtual reality or theological architecture and theological cartography?

5. Ezekiel 47:13-23 deals with the external boundaries of the whole land. See
Numbers 34:1-12. What new dimension was added by Ezekiel?

6. Ezekiel 48:1-29 specifies the internal allotments of the tribes from north to south.
Give a heading to the following 3 sections:
Ezekiel 48:1-7.
Ezekiel 48:8-22.
Ezekiel 48:23-29.
What do we learn from the whole passage about equality, security, inclusivity and
sanctity?

7. Ezekiel 48:15-20,30-35. The city.

”Ezekiel is a symbolic theologian not a futuristic city-planner.”
3 significant aspects of the city:
A place for all the people of God.
What two things are different about the 12 gates? Cf. Revelation 1:10-14
A place of continuing work and activity.
See Revelation 21:26 and 22:3.
The place where God is.
God is wherever his people are. Revelation 21:3. Compare with Matthew 18:20.