A Biblical Theology of Ezekiel
1. The Setting of Ezekiel
The book of Ezekiel was written during Israel’s exile in Babylon between 593–571 BC. Ezekiel, a priest turned prophet, was called by God to proclaim both judgment and hope in the aftermath of Jerusalem’s fall in 587 BC. The book divides into four major sections:
The call of the prophet (Ezekiel 1–3).
Judgment against Judah and Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4–24).
Judgment against the nations (Ezekiel 25–32).
Restoration and renewal for God’s people (Ezekiel 33–48).
Ezekiel addresses questions central to biblical theology: What happens when God’s people break covenant? How will God’s presence return to dwell with his people? What hope exists beyond judgment? These questions, rooted in exile, reach forward to the Gospel of Christ and the promise of God’s final dwelling with humanity (Revelation 21:3).
2. Uncreation and Re-creation
Ezekiel begins with visions that echo Genesis. He sees a storm-wind (Ezekiel 1:4), reminiscent of God’s Spirit at creation (Genesis 1:2) and the wind that dried the flood (Genesis 8:1). He sees living creatures later identified as cherubim (Ezekiel 10:1), recalling Genesis 3:24. The vision culminates in God’s glory, encircled by a rainbow (Ezekiel 1:28; Genesis 9:13).
This theme of uncreation and re-creation unfolds throughout Ezekiel:
Ezekiel himself is called “son of Adam” (ben-’adam), a new Adam figure (Ezekiel 2:1).
He eats the scroll of lamentation, which becomes sweet like honey (Ezekiel 3:3), reversing the first Adam’s disobedience (Genesis 3:6).
The valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1–11) depicts the Spirit re-creating Israel, forming lifeless bodies and filling them with breath.
The New Testament picks up this re-creation in Christ, the true Son of Man (Matthew 26:64). Jesus, as the second Adam (Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 15:45), brings life through the Spirit. Paul connects resurrection hope to Ezekiel’s vision: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus dwells in you, he… will give life to your mortal bodies” (Romans 8:11).
3. Covenant Curse and Covenant Renewal
Ezekiel frames exile as the covenant curse fulfilled. The blessings and curses of Leviticus 26 provide background: obedience leads to rain, peace, and God’s presence; disobedience brings famine, sword, and exile.
Covenant curses in Ezekiel: famine (Ezekiel 5:16), pestilence (Ezekiel 5:17), wild beasts (Ezekiel 14:15), exile (Ezekiel 12:15).
Covenant loss: God’s glory departs from the temple (Ezekiel 10:18).
False heirs: Those left in Jerusalem claim Abraham’s inheritance but are not true children (Ezekiel 33:24).
Yet God promises covenant renewal for his people:
A new heart and new Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26–27).
A covenant of peace and everlasting presence (Ezekiel 37:26–28).
The return of God’s glory to a renewed temple (Ezekiel 43:1–5).
The Gospel fulfills this covenant renewal. Jesus bore the curse of the covenant (Galatians 3:13), establishing the blessings of the new covenant in his blood (Luke 22:20). He is God’s presence among us (John 1:14), the true temple raised on the third day (John 2:19–21).
4. Sin, Judgment, and Responsibility
Ezekiel highlights human responsibility. Each person is accountable before God: “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). The prophet condemns kings, priests, prophets, and people alike (Ezekiel 22:23–31). The exiles cannot rely on heritage or ritual but must repent.
Three features stand out in Ezekiel’s theology of sin and judgment:
Universal guilt: Leaders and people alike corrupt God’s covenant.
Personal responsibility: Each must turn and live (Ezekiel 18:30–32).
Righteous judgment: God repays according to deeds (Ezekiel 9:10).
This sharpens the Gospel’s call. In Christ, judgment and mercy meet. He bears judgment on behalf of sinners (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21), so that those who repent find life. Yet the principle of accountability remains, for final judgment will still render to each according to works (Romans 2:6–8).
5. Ezekiel’s Vision of the Future
Ezekiel ends with grand visions of restoration:
Victory over Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38–39): God defeats cosmic enemies.
The temple vision (Ezekiel 40–46): A new order of worship.
The river of life (Ezekiel 47): Flowing from God’s temple, bringing healing.
The renewed land (Ezekiel 48): God’s people settled in peace.
The New Testament reshapes these visions through Christ:
Gog and Magog appear in Revelation 20:8 as symbols of final rebellion.
The new Jerusalem fulfills Ezekiel’s temple (Revelation 21:10–27).
The river of life flows from God’s throne and the Lamb (Revelation 22:1–2).
The covenant promise is realized: “The dwelling place of God is with man” (Revelation 21:3).
Thus Ezekiel’s biblical theology points forward to the Gospel. The prophet’s imagery finds fulfillment in Christ, who brings not only Israel’s restoration but the renewal of creation.
6. Conclusion
The biblical theology of Ezekiel reveals a pattern of judgment and hope, exile and restoration, covenant breaking and covenant renewal. His visions of uncreation and re-creation, covenant curse and covenant establishment, and sin and responsibility all prepare the way for the Gospel of Christ.
In the Bible, Ezekiel’s message points to Jesus as the second Adam, the true temple, the bearer of covenant curses, and the bringer of covenant blessings. The Spirit who re-created the dry bones of Israel now breathes life into all who believe in Christ. The hope Ezekiel foresaw—a renewed people dwelling in God’s presence—comes to its fullest realization in the church and will reach completion in the new creation.
