Ezekiel

This is the twentieth in a series of biblical summaries from David Dorsey's book: The Literary Structure of the Old Testament.  This is the fourth in the sub-series of major prophets, covering Ezekiel.

a   Ezekiel's call and first collection of messages about coming judgment (1:1-7:27)
     (1) vision: Ezekiel's commissioning near the Chebar River (1:1-3:11)
     (2) vision: Ezekiel's second message of commissioning (3:12-21)
     (3) vision: Ezekiel's third message of commissioning (3:22-27)
           (4) symbolic act: siege of Jerusalem and the clay tablet (4:1-17)
           (5) symbolic act: exile and judgment and Ezekiel's hair (5:1-17)
                 (6) message against the mountains of Israel (6:1-14)
                 (7) message about the coming disaster upon Israel (7:1-27)

b   second collection of messages about coming judgment (8:1-13:23)
     (1) vision, part 1: idolatry in the temple (8:1-18)
     (2) vision, part 2: slaying of Jerusalem's wicked citizens (9:1-11)
     (3) vision, part 3: burning of Jerusalem (10:1-22)
     (4) vision, part 4: corrupt rulers of Jerusalem (11:1-25)
           (5) symbolic act: exile and Ezekiel's luggage (12:1-16)
           (6) symbolic act: coming disaster and Ezekiel's eating (12:17-20)
                 (7) message about false visions and divinations (12:21-13:23)

c   third collection of messages about coming judgment (14:1-19:14)
     (1) message against idolatry (14:1-11)
     (2) message about coming judgment and God's justice (14:12-23)
           (3) allegory of the useless vine (15:1-8)
           (4) allegory of the adulterous wife (16:1-63)
           (5) allegory of the two eagles and the vine (17:1-24)
                 (6) message about individual responsibility and God's justice (18:1-32)
                       (7) lament over the kings in exile (19:1-14)

d   fourth collection of messages about coming judgment (20:1-24:27)
     (1) message about Israel's rebellion and the impending judgment (20:1-44)
     (2) message against the south (20:45-49)
     (3) message about Yahweh's sword of judgment (21:1-32)
     (4) message of indictment against Jerusalem (22:1-31)
           (5) allegory of Oholah and Oholibah (23:1-49)
           (6) allegory of the boiling pot (24:1-14)
                 (7) message involving death of Ezekiel's wife (24:15-27)

e   oracles against the nations (25:1-32:32)
     (1) Ammon (25:1-7)
     (2) Moab (25:8-11)
     (3) Edom (25:12-14)
     (4) Philistia (25:15-17)
     (5) Tyre (26:1-28:19)
     (6) Sidon (28:20-26)
     (7) Egypt (29:1-32:32)

f   messages about Israel's punishment and future restoration (33:1-39:29)
    (1) message about individual responsibility and Yahweh's judgment (33:1-20)
    (2) message on the eve of Jerusalem's fall (33:21-33)
          (3) good news: shepherds and sheep (34:1-31)
          (4) good news: Edom's fall and Israel's restoration (35:1-36:38)
          (5) good news: valley of dry bones (37:1-14)
          (6) good news: one future nation under one king (37:15-28)
          (7) good news: Gog and Magog (38:1-39:29)

g   vision of the new temple and the new land (40:1-48:35)
     (1) measurements of the temple (40:1-42:20)
           (2) arrival of the glory of God from the east (43:1-12)
                 (3) temple regulations (43:13-44:31)
                       (4) measurements of land's sacred sector (45:1-12)
                 (3') temple regulations (45:13-46:24)
           (2') departure of river to the east (47:1-12)
     (1') measurements of the land of Israel (47:13-48:35)

David Dorsey writes:

"It appears that the Book of Ezekiel has been rigorously designed in a grand sevenfold structuring scheme.  The book's four introductory units plus the three concluding units create seven major units, and each of these contains seven smaller units.

"The book is not arranged in an overall symmetry; but there is a significant symmetric touch involving the opening and closing of the book.  The book opens with the vision of the glory of God arriving in Babylonia.  This conveys one of the book's major themes: Yahweh is abandoning his temple in Jerusalem and his presence will now be among the exiles.  The book closes with the reversal of this: God's glory arrives back at the temple in Jerusalem - after God's judgment upon the city, initiating a new and glorious era.  This final vision emphasizes another main theme in Ezekiel: Yahweh has a wonderful future for his people, and it involves a new temple back in Jerusalem.  Opening the book with the vision of God's glory in Babylonia encouraged the exilic audience that God's presence is among them.  Closing the book with the vision of God's return to his new temple encouraged them to remain faithful, because God has wonderful plans for them.  This design suggests that the book is written to encourage and uplift the exiles, who had every reason to think God had punished them by banishing them (rather than their fellow Judeans, who remained back home).  The intent to encourage is also suggested by the placement of the messages of hope and future restoration (chapters 25-48) at the end of the book.  This layout leaves the audience with uplifting visions and messages that point them toward better days to come.  The book is arranged and composed to inspire the exiled audience to sever their emotional ties with the doomed temple in Jerusalem and to place their trust in Yahweh, whose glorious presence is now among them and whose glorious presence will one day return with them to their homeland." (258)