Ezekiel

The book of Ezekiel is one of the most complex books of the whole Bible.  Probably it is the most complex.  Ezekiel prophesied beginning around the time of the Babylonian Captivity.  There is a lot of symbolism and theology contained within the book of Ezekiel.  In one place Ezekiel is told by God to lie on his side for 40 and 390 days as a symbolism of bearing the sin of Israel of which the nation would be judged for.  Ezekiel is called by God as he eats a scroll.  He prophesies much against the mountains of Israel.  He speaks frequently against idolatry in the temple.  In chapter ten he speaks of the glory as departing from the temple.  He also speaks of four living creatures and then of a wheel that is spinning which represents the glory and sovereignty of God over all his creation throughout the longevity of history.  Ezekiel  symbolizes the exile in numerous manners.  He spekas of a promised return of Israel to their homeland even after exile.  He speaks symbolically about the useless vine that Israel has become to God and also speaks out clearly that the soul that sins clearly will die without question.  Chapter seventeen contains a vision of two eagles and a vine.  The first eagle carries off the vine which is symbolic of the Babylonians Captivity for the symbol of the Babylonian Empire was an eagle.  The second eagle is deabted upon but I personally think that because it speaks of an abundant supply of water, I think it is referring to the fact that Israel would be helped to become a nation again in the last days by a great eagle- namely the United States of America.  Ezekiel contains many laments for the people of the nation of Israel.  He promised both judgment and restoration.  He speaks of babylon as God's sword of judgment.  In chapter 23 he speaks of two adulterous women Oholah and Oholibah.  Oholah represents Samaria while Oholibah represents JerusalemEzekiel speaks of Jerusalem as a cooking pot as representation that it would fall prey to the wrath of the Babylonians.  As Ezekiel's wife dies, Ezekiel is told by God not to mourn for God will show no remorse for his wife- the nation of Israel.  Ezekiel then proceeds to prophesy against particular cities and nations.  He prophesies against Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Ammon, Sidon and Egypt.  Of particular theological importance is Ezekiel 28:12-14 which speaks of the king of Tyre as being without fault perfect and blameless until there was iniquity found within them.  Most conservative theologians think this passage refers to Satan.  Ezekiel speaks frequently against the mountains of Israel and of how the Israelites are sheep without a shepherd.  His prophecy of Israel's mountains are considered by some to be eschatalogical.  Ezekeil speaks of a valley of dry bones which then have breath breathed into them which in Jewish theology is symbolic of the creation of man and in Christian theology is twofold for the creation of man and the rebirth of man through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ after man's bones deteriorated and became dry because of the hindrance of sin.  Ezekiel frequently promises restorationa nd gives a Messianic Prophecy in chapter 37.  He then speaks of prophecies against Gog and Magog, nations of the north commonly thought to be Russia and Germany by most conservative theologians.  Chapters 38-39 are thought to be definitively eschatalogical.  Now the Gog of these chapters is often thought of as Russia.  These chapters speak of the Israelites burning weapons for fuel for sevenj years.  They speak of God which is thought to be Russia as invading the land of Israel after the Israelites have recovered from war.  They precede to speak of this war in which the Messiah comes down on behalf of Israel in the hand and after the war they bury bodies for seven months and then the nation of Israel eats the flesh and drinks the blood of the mighty kings and warriors that persecuted them throughout the ages. The complexity of the symbolism in Ezekiel also leads to the various interpretations that can be gotten out of each particular passage.  Thus, when it speaks of eating and drinking the flesh and blood of kings and mighty warrios, no one is absolutely one hundred percent sure of what is referring to.  Most conservative scholars think that it refers to the victory of Israel over the whole world in the end of time.  Liberal theologians would define this as something that was specifically going on and that was fulfilled shortly after the time that Ezekiel prophesied.  The many interpretations all make good sense and it could be very well possible that each interpretation is correct.  This would make the book of Ezekiel a book of multifold meaning which would mean that there is rarely a snesible interpretation of the book that can be wrong.  Whatever the case, the book presents God's power at work within his creation as he is with the exiles by the Kebar River, as he breathes life into the valley of dry bones, and how he lifts Ezekiel up into the air and carries him from place to place.  The last 9 chapters of the book speak of a rebuilt temple with rivers that flow freely from it.  This portion of the book goes through the dimensions of all the holy place in the temple and the courtyard and just about everything that encompassed the temple.  It is believed to be referring to the temple that will encompass the earth during the millenial reign of Christ.  However, I think the temple is more symbolic of Christ himself.  Based on exegetical parallelism, because most of ezekiel is symbolic- it is safe to assume that most of the passages in the book if not all of them all bear deep symbolism which involves a complex theological study of the scriptures in their proper time and contexts.