LDS Old Testament Notes 25: Ezekiel

2014, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Old Testament
Week 25: Ezekiel
1) Introduction.
a) [SLIDE 2] The man.
i) Ezekiel was born about 623 B.C.
ii) He was deported from Judah to Babylon when King Nebuchadnezzar II conquered
Jerusalem in 597.
1

iii) It was there, while he was living in exile, that he was called as a prophet in 593 B.C.,
at age 30 (Ezekiel 1:1).
2

iv) His last recorded prophecy was given in 571 (29:17), so he was active as a prophet for
at least 22 years.
v) He was a priest (1:3), and probably had a good education, especially in the Law of
Moses.
vi) He was married (24:18), but little else is known about his personal life.
vii) His name (yechezqel) means God strengthens.
b) [SLIDE 3] His prophecies.
i) Ezekiel was a visionary man. His visions are some of the most vivid and detailed of
any prophet in recorded scripture. Most prophets have visions, but Ezekiels visions
were in 3-D digital Technicolor IMAX widescreen with 12-track Dolby surround
sound.
3

(1) His visions included strange heavenly creatures and large wheeled objects with
eyes.
(2) Not only did he prophesy of the destruction of Jerusalem, he actually was taken
there in vision where he saw the desecrated temple, with graven images and sun
worship (Ezekiel 811).
(3) He also saw the rebuilt latter-day temple in Jerusalem and the ordinances
performed there in great detail (4047).
(4) Like other Biblical prophets, Ezekiel saw the Lord. He described him as a physical
being like a man, only divine and glorious (e.g., 1:2628; 8:13).
4

(5) The New Testament book of Revelation drew much of its imagery from Ezekiel.
5

1
The Assyrians began the tactic of large-scale forced deportation of conquered populations in order to stifle rebellions.
Uniting, gaining freedom, and returning to retake ones own country would be considerably more complicated than living in
ones own homeland and waiting for an opportunity to drive out an occupying force. The Babylonians also used this practice,
and deported Judeans to Babylon on multiple occasions. The practice was reversed by the Persians, who sought the favor of
their subjects (and their subjects gods) by allowing them to return to their homelands.
2
Unlike many Old Testament prophets, Ezekiel gave specific dates for his prophecies. In some cases we can even pinpoint
specific dates on which his oracles were given; for example, the vision that begins in Ezekiel 8:1 was given on 17 September 592
B.C., and the report of the fall of Jerusalem (33:21) was received on 19 January 585 B.C.
3
See, for example, chapters 1, 8, 10, 37, and 40.
4
Compare Ezekiels vision of Gods physical appearance to Isaiah 6; Daniel 7:914; Revelation 45.
5
Both books contain visions of beasts with four faces surrounding the throne of God (Ezekiel 1:10; 10:14; Revelation 4:6
8), 1), and both prophets were commissioned by eating a scroll (Ezekiel 2:93:3; Revelation 10:811). Both books contain
visions of the righteous who received a mark on their foreheads (Ezekiel 9:4; Revelation 7:23; 9:4; 14:1; 22:35.), the great
Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class Old Testament: Ezekiel Week 25, Page 2
ii) [SLIDE 4] The first two-thirds of his book contain prophecies of judgment against
Judah, and the surrounding nations (132). After Ezekiel learned of the fall of
Jerusalem in 587 B.C., he dedicated the last third of his writings to prophecies of
restoration of Israel and the Temple (3348).
iii) In his prophesies the Lord called him son of man ( / ben dm) 93 times,
which emphasized the mere mortal nature of Ezekiel in contrast to God and the
other divine beings in his visions.
6

(1) Satan used the same phrase to intimidate Moses into worshiping him (Moses
1:12).
(2) In the book of Daniel the title Son of man was given to the future Messiah.
7
It is
also used 87 times in the New Testament to describe Jesus Christ in his role as
the Messiah.
8

iv) There are also prophecies of Ezekiel that are not found in our Bible, including one
that the great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall be
cast down by devouring fire (D&C 29:21).
9

2) [SLIDE 5] Ezekiel 1:424. This is Ezekiels description of cherubim (so named in 10:14
15).
10
They were composite creatures that had four faces (a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle),
two sets of wings, the body of a man, and the legs and feet of a calf.
11

a) They are similar to the seraphim in Isaiahs theophany (Isaiah 6), in that they are divine
winged creatures who serve God near his throne.
b) These descriptions are the source of the Christian tradition of angels having wings.
c) How do we explain these bizarre creatures?

battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 3839; Revelation 20:79), and the New Jerusalem with the celestial temple and the tree of
life (Ezekiel 28:19; 40:23; 43:19; 47:112; 48:3035; Revelation 21:1022:2).
6
Other Old Testament examples of son of man as a reference to a mortal being include Numbers 23:19; Job 25:6;
Psalms 8:4; 144:3; Isaiah 51:12; 56:2; Jeremiah 50:40.
7
See Daniel 7:1314. This phrase is also found in the contemporary 1 Enoch 4648 (http://bit.ly/1enoch4546) and 6263
(http://bit.ly/1enoch62). See also R. H. Charles explanatory essay The Son of Man: Its Origin and Meaning, The Book of
Enoch (Oxford, 1893), 31217 (http://bit.ly/RHCSofM).
8
The phrase Son of Man is used in the messianic sense 80 times in the Gospels, indicating Jesus lowliness, humility,
and suffering (e.g. Matthew 11:19), as well as the honor and dignity granted him as the head and founder of the kingdom of
God (Matthew 13:41). It also appears once in Acts (7:56) and twice in Revelation (1:13; 14:14). It also appears in Hebrews (2:6)
in a non-messianic sense.
9
See John A. Tvedtnes, Ezekiels Missing Prophecy, in Voices of Old Testament Prophets: The 26th Annual Sidney B.
Sperry Symposium (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997), 11021. Tvedtnes examined three possibilities regarding this
prophecy: (1) The text of the book of Ezekiel may have been modified, resulting in the loss of this prophecy from the Bible.
(2) Ezekiel may have written a second book containing the prophecy, but which is not found in our current Bibles. (3) The
prophecy, though perhaps distorted, is, in fact, found in the biblical Ezekiel. Tvedtnes argues that Ezekiels description of
brimstone and fire raining down on Gog and Magog (38:22; 39:6) can be connected with Johns vision of the mother of
harlots and other evildoers being cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 19:20; 20:710, 14; 21:8).
10
Cherubim (sing. cherub) are spoken of throughout the Old Testament. They are first mentioned as being placed at the
east of the garden of Edento [guard] the way of the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). The Ark of the Covenant had the
representation of two cherubim on the mercy seat (Exodus 2526; 3637; Numbers 7:89). David had a vision in which he saw
the Lord riding on a flying cherub (2 Samuel 22:11; Psalm 18:10). Solomons temple had two 30-foot tall gold cherubim in the
holy of holies (1 Kings 6:2329). Ezekiel gave the only detailed description of their appearance; they appear throughout his
book, including in representations on the walls of the future temple in his vision (41:1820, 25).
11
Representations of mythological winged creatures were common on the Ancient Near East. Even the term cherubim is a
loan-word from another ANE culture: Akkadian karibu, karubu (intercessor) or karibi, kuribi, karibati (gatekeepers). The
Babylonian shedu was a winged bull with the face of a man. These colossal mythological creatures flanked the entrances of
Mesopotamian palaces and temples.
i) D&C 77:4 explains that their eyes are a representation of light and knowledge, that
is, they are full of knowledge; and their wings are a representation of power, to move,
to act, etc.
(1) If we follow this leadthat the representations of divine creatures are meant
symbolicallythen its possible that the four faces each represent something
about God and his divine council: The mans face, wisdom and intelligence; the
ox, strength; the lion, kingly authority; the eagle, swiftness and far-sight.
ii) [SLIDE 6] Joseph Smith:
I make this broad declaration, that where God ever gives a vision of an image, or
beast or figure of any kind he always holds himself responsible to give a revelation
or interpretation of the meaning thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or
accountable for our belief in them it. Dont be afraid of being damned for not
knowing the meaning of a vision or figure where God has not given a revelation or
interpretation on the subject. [In the celestial kingdom there are] beings there,
that [have] been saved from ten thousand times ten thousand earths like this,
strange beasts of which we have no conception all might be seen in heaven.God
glorifies himself by saving all that his hands [have] made, whether beasts, fowl
fishes or man.
12

3) [SLIDE 7] Ezekiel 23. Ezekiels commission.
a) 2:15. The Lord called Ezekiel to prophesy to the children of Israel, whom the Lord
referred to as a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me (2:3).
1
And he said unto me, Son of man, stand
upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.
1
He said to me, Son of man, stand on your
feet and I will speak with you.
2
And the spirit entered into me when he
spake unto me, and set me upon my feet,
that I heard him that spake unto me.
2
As he spoke to me, a wind came into me
and stood me on my feet, and I heard the
one speaking to me.
3
And he said unto me, Son of man, I send
thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious
nation that hath rebelled against me: they
and their fathers have transgressed against
me, even unto this very day.
3
He said to me, Son of man, I am sending
you to the house of Israel, to rebellious
nations who have rebelled against me; both
they and their fathers have revolted against
me to this very day.
4
For they are impudent children and
stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and
thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the
Lord GOD.
4
The people to whom I am sending you are
obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must
say to them, This is what the sovereign
LORD says.
5
And they, whether they will hear, or
whether they will forbear, (for they are a
rebellious house,) yet shall know that there
hath been a prophet among them.
(KJV Ezekiel 2:15.)
5
And as for them, whether they listen or
notfor they are a rebellious housethey
will know that a prophet has been among
them.
(NET Ezekiel 2:15.)

12
Joseph Smith, 8 April 1843. Words of Joseph Smith 185 (http://bit.ly/wjs185186), punctuation modernized. Compare
History of the Church 5:343 (http://byustudies.byu.edu/hc/5/18.html#343); Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith 291
(http://scriptures.byu.edu/stpjs.html#291).
i) Ten times in Ezekiels commission, the Lord referred to Israel as rebellious or
rebelled:
(1) 2:3 (2).
(2) 2:58 (5).
(3) 3:9 (1).
(4) 3:26 (1).
(5) 3:27 (1).
ii) What is rebellion against God?
(1) The Book of Mormon considers it one of the most serious sins, and the root of all
others:
(a) He [who rebels] becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord
has no place in him (Mosiah 2:37).
(b) Salvation cometh to none such [who rebel against God] (Mosiah 3:12).
(c) The Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in their
sinsthat have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the
commandments of God, and would not keep them (Mosiah 15:26).
(d) He that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and
rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all
power over him. Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption made,
being an enemy to God. (Mosiah 16:5.)
(2) Satans sin was rebellion (D&C 29:36; 76:25, 28; Moses 4:3).
(3) And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save
those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments
(D&C 59:21).
(4) So we are not talking about the small sins and weaknesses that afflict everyone,
but rather a complete rejection of God and his commandments, and acting
according to the desires of our hearts.
(a) Can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls
filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a
perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have
set at defiance the commandments of God? (Alma 5:18.)
iii) How can we avoid becoming rebellious?
(1) Rebellion and apostasy are the same thing.
(a) The English word apostasy comes from the Greek (apostasia),
which means turning away, rebellion, abandonment.
13
Its closely related to
the term (apostasion ), divorce.
14

13
John R. Kihlenberger III and James A. Swanson, The Strongest Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2001), 1482 (Greek ref. #646). The KJV translates this word as forsake (Acts 21:21) or falling
away (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
14
Ibid. (Greek ref. #647).
(2) What is apostasy?
(a) [SLIDE 8] The Church Handbook of Instructions defines apostasy as:
Repeatedly act[ing] in clear, open, and deliberate public opposition to the
Church or its leaders.
Persist[ing] in teaching as Church doctrine information that is not Church
doctrine after [having] been corrected by [ones] bishop or a higher
authority.
Continu[ing] to follow the teachings of apostate sects (such as those that
advocate plural marriage) after being corrected by [ones] bishop or a
higher authority.
Formally join[ing] another church and advocat[ing] its teachings.
15

(3) How do we avoid apostasy?
(a) [SLIDE 9] Elder D. Todd Christofferson:
As a first step [to being converted], you must lay aside any feeling of pride
that is so common in the world today. By this I mean the attitude that
rejects the authority of God to rule in our lives. You hear it expressed
today in phrases such as Do your own thing or Right and wrong depend
on what I feel is right for me. That attitude is a rebellion against God, just
as Lucifer rebelled against God in the premortal world. Our beloved
Creator does not force us to accept His authority, but willingly submitting
to that authority is the first step in conversion.
16

(b) [SLIDE 10] President Boyd K. Packer:
Letters come from those who have made tragic mistakes. They ask, Can I
ever be forgiven? The answer is yes! The gospel teaches us that relief from
torment and guilt can be earned through repentance. Save for those few
who defect to perdition after having known a fulness, there is no habit, no
addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no offense exempted from the
promise of complete forgiveness.
17

b) [SLIDE 11] 2:93:3. (Are scrolls kosher?)
2:9
And when I looked, behold, an hand was
sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was
therein;
2:9
Then I looked and realized a hand was
stretched out to me, and in it was a written
scroll.
2:10
And he spread it before me; and it was
written within and without: and there was
written therein lamentations, and mourning,
and woe.
2:10
He unrolled it before me, and it had
writing on the front and back; written on it
were laments, mourning, and woe.
3:1
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man,
eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go
speak unto the house of Israel.
3:1
He said to me, Son of man, eat what you
see in front of youeat this scrolland then
go and speak to the house of Israel.

15
Church Handbook of Instructions (2010), 1:57 (6.7.3). According to the handbook, Total inactivity in the Church or
attending another church does not constitute apostasy (ibid).
16
D. Todd Christofferson, When Thou Art Converted, General Conference, April 2004 (https://www.lds.org/general-
conference/2004/04/when-thou-art-converted).
17
Boyd K. Packer, The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness, General Conference, October 1995
(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/10/the-brilliant-morning-of-forgiveness).
3:2
So I opened my mouth, and he caused me
to eat that roll.
3:2
So I opened my mouth and he fed me the
scroll.
3:3
And he said unto me, Son of man, cause
thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this
roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it
was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
(KJV Ezekiel 2:93:3.)
3:3
He said to me, Son of man, feed your
stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I
am giving to you. So I ate it, and it was
sweet like honey in my mouth.
(NET Ezekiel 2:93:3.)
i) Ezekiel was presented with a scroll, written on both sides with lamentations for the
sins of Judah. He was then commanded to eat the scroll, which he did.
ii) We find exactly the same event in Jeremiah (15:16) and Revelation (10:811).
iii) What is the symbolism of the eating the scroll?
(1) D&C 77:14 tells us that it is symbolic of the prophets commission from the Lord.
By taking the scroll internally, Ezekiel is nourished and sustained by the word of
God; he will then take that same message and speak it to the people.
c) 3:47. A hopeless mission?
4
And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get
thee unto the house of Israel, and speak
with my words unto them.
4
He said to me, Son of man, go to the
house of Israel and speak my words to them.
5
For thou art not sent to a people of a
strange speech and of an hard language, but
to the house of Israel;
5
For you are not being sent to a people of
unintelligible speech and difficult language,
but to the house of Israel
6
Not to many people of a strange speech and
of an hard language, whose words thou canst
not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to
them, they would have hearkened unto
thee.
6
not to many peoples of unintelligible
speech and difficult language, whose words
you cannot understandsurely if I had sent
you to them, they would listen to you!
7
But the house of Israel will not hearken
unto thee; for they will not hearken unto
me: for all the house of Israel are impudent
and hardhearted.
(KJV Ezekiel 3:47.)
7
But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen
to you, because they are not willing to listen
to me, for the whole house of Israel is hard-
headed and hard-hearted.
(NET Ezekiel 3:47.)
i) The irony here is that if the Lord had sent Ezekiel to foreign nationspeople whose
language he could not understandthey would have listened to him. But the Lord
sent Ezekiel to his own people, where no language barrier existed, and they wouldnt
listen to him. They were (in literal Hebrew) hard of forehead and stiff of heart
(3:7b).
d) 3:1721. The Lord compared Ezekiels mission to the duty of a watchman on a tower (cf.
33:120).
17
Son of man, I have made thee a watchman
unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the
word at my mouth, and give them warning
from me.
17
Son of man, I have appointed you a
watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever
you hear a word from my mouth, you must
give them a warning from me.
18
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt
surely die; and thou givest him not warning,
nor speakest to warn the wicked from his
wicked way, to save his life; the same
wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his
blood will I require at thine hand.
18
When I say to the wicked, You will
certainly die, and you do not warn himyou
do not speak out to warn the wicked to turn
from his wicked deed and wicked lifestyle so
that he may livethat wicked person will die
for his iniquity, but I will hold you
accountable for his death.
19
Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn
not from his wickedness, nor from his
wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but
thou hast delivered thy soul.
19
But as for you, if you warn the wicked and
he does not turn from his wicked deed and
from his wicked lifestyle, he will die for his
iniquity but you will have saved your own
life.
20
Again, When a righteous man doth turn
from his righteousness, and commit iniquity,
and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he
shall die: because thou hast not given him
warning, he shall die in his sin, and his
righteousness which he hath done shall not
be remembered; but his blood will I require
at thine hand.
20
When a righteous person turns from his
righteousness and commits iniquity, and I set
an obstacle before him, he will die. If you
have not warned him, he will die for his sin.
The righteous deeds he performed will not
be considered, but I will hold you
accountable for his death.
21
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous
man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth
not sin, he shall surely live, because he is
warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
(KJV Ezekiel 3:1721.)
21
However, if you warn the righteous person
not to sin, and he does not sin, he will
certainly live because he was warned, and
you will have saved your own life.
(NET Ezekiel 3:1721.)
i) This commission applies to each of us in leadership positions within the Church and
as member-missionaries to our family and friends. When we see spiritual dangers
coming, it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor (D&C
88:81).
4) [SLIDE 12] Ezekiel 18:13. The Lord quoted what appears to have been a common proverb
going around the community of exiled Jews
18
and then condemned it.
1
The word of the LORD came unto me again,
saying,
1
The word of the LORD came to me:
2
What mean ye, that ye use this proverb
concerning the land of Israel, saying, The
fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the
childrens teeth are set on edge?
2
What do you mean by quoting this proverb
concerning the land of Israel,
The fathers eat sour grapes
And the childrens teeth become numb?
3
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not
have occasion any more to use this proverb
in Israel.
3
As surely as I live, declares the sovereign
LORD, you will not quote this proverb in
Israel anymore!
a) Why would the Lord condemn this saying? Is it not true that our actions affect others?
i) Sin has vertical effects: Our sins can have negative consequences on the lives our
children, especially when we dont teach them (by word and example) to keep the
commandments of God.

18
This proverb was also quoted by Jeremiah (31:2930).
ii) Sin also has horizontal effects: Our actions can cause suffering on our spouse,
brothers and sisters, and neighbors.
b) In this case the exiled Jews were attempting to absolve themselves of guilt by claiming
that their current situation was the fault of their parents: They said were being punished
because of their parents sins.
i) The Lord took this opportunity to remind them that men will be punished for their
own sins, and not for Adams [or anyone elses] transgression:
19
Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the
iniquity of the father? When the son hath
done that which is lawful and right, and
hath kept all my statutes, and hath done
them, he shall surely live.
19
Yet you say, Why should the son not
suffer for his fathers iniquity? When the
son does what is just and right, and observes
all my statutes and carries them out, he will
surely live.
20
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son
shall not bear the iniquity of the father,
neither shall the father bear the iniquity of
the son: the righteousness of the righteous
shall be upon him, and the wickedness of
the wicked shall be upon him.
20
The person who sins is the one who will
die. A son will not suffer for his fathers
iniquity, and a father will not suffer for his
sons iniquity; the righteous person will be
judged according to his righteousness, and
the wicked person according to his
wickedness.
. .
30
Therefore I will judge you, O house of
Israel, every one according to his ways, saith
the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves
from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall
not be your ruin.
30
Therefore I will judge each person
according to his conduct, O house of Israel,
declares the sovereign LORD. Repent and
turn from all your wickedness; then it will
not be an obstacle leading to iniquity.
31
Cast away from you all your transgressions,
whereby ye have transgressed; and make
you a new heart and a new spirit: for why
will ye die, O house of Israel?
(KJV Ezekiel 18:1920, 3031.)
31
Throw away all your sins you have
committed and fashion yourselves a new
heart and a new spirit! Why should you die,
O house of Israel?
(NET Ezekiel 18:1920, 3031.)
5) [SLIDE 13] Ezekiel 34. A prophecy against false shepherds.
a) 34:16. Condemnation of the shepherds of Israel.
1
And the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying,
1
2
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds
of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus
saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe
be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed
themselves! should not the shepherds feed
the flocks?
2
Son of man, prophesy against the
shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to
themto the shepherds: This is what the
sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds
of Israel who have been feeding themselves!
Should not shepherds feed the flock?
3
Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the
wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed
not the flock.
3
You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with
the wool, you slaughter the choice animals,
but you do not feed the sheep!
4
The diseased have ye not strengthened,
neither have ye healed that which was sick,
neither have ye bound up that which was
broken, neither have ye brought again that
which was driven away, neither have ye
sought that which was lost; but with force
and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
4
You have not strengthened the weak,
healed the sick, bandaged the injured,
brought back the strays, or sought the lost,
but with force and harshness you have ruled
over them.
5
And they were scattered, because there is
no shepherd: and they became meat to all
the beasts of the field, when they were
scattered.
5
They were scattered because they had no
shepherd, and they became food for every
wild beast.
6
My sheep wandered through all the
mountains, and upon every high hill: yea,
my flock was scattered upon all the face of
the earth, and none did search or seek after
them.
6
My sheep wandered over all the mountains
and on every high hill. My sheep were
scattered over the entire face of the earth
with no one looking or searching for them.
i) Who are the shepherds?
(1) Political leaders (kings).
(2) Religious leaders (priests).
ii) What were they guilty of?
(1) Feeding themselves and not the flock.
(2) Allowing the flock to be scattered without looking or searching for them.
b) 34:710. Punishment of the shepherds of Israel.
7
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of
the LORD;
7
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word
of the LORD:
8
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because
my flock became a prey, and my flock
became meat to every beast of the field,
because there was no shepherd, neither did
my shepherds search for my flock, but the
shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my
flock;
8
As surely as I live, declares the sovereign
LORD, my sheep have become prey and have
become food for all the wild beasts. There
was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not
search for my flock, but fed themselves and
did not feed my sheep,
9
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word
of the LORD;
9
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of
the LORD:
10
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am
against the shepherds; and I will require my
flock at their hand, and cause them to cease
from feeding the flock; neither shall the
shepherds feed themselves any more; for I
will deliver my flock from their mouth, that
they may not be meat for them.
10
This is what the sovereign LORD says: Look,
I am against the shepherds, and I will
demand my sheep from their hand. I will no
longer let them be shepherds; the shepherds
will not feed themselves anymore. I will
rescue my sheep from their mouth, so that
they will no longer be food for them.
i) The Lord promised to take the sheep from the false shepherds and nurture them
himself.
c) 34:1116. The True Shepherd.
11
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I,
even I, will both search my sheep, and seek
them out.
11
For this is what the sovereign LORD says:
Look, I myself will search for my sheep and
seek them out.
12
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the
day that he is among his sheep that are
scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and
will deliver them out of all places where
they have been scattered in the cloudy and
dark day.
12
As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he
is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek
out my flock. I will rescue them from all the
places where they have been scattered on a
cloudy, dark day.
13
And I will bring them out from the people,
and gather them from the countries, and
will bring them to their own land, and feed
them upon the mountains of Israel by the
rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the
country.
13
I will bring them out from among the
peoples and gather them from foreign
countries; I will bring them to their own
land. I will feed them on the mountains of
Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited
places of the land.
14
I will feed them in a good pasture, and
upon the high mountains of Israel shall their
fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold,
and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the
mountains of Israel.
14
In a good pasture I will feed them; the
mountain heights of Israel will be their
pasture. There they will lie down in a lush
pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on
the mountains of Israel.
15
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them
to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
15
I myself will feed my sheep and I myself
will make them lie down, declares the
sovereign LORD.
16
I will seek that which was lost, and bring
again that which was driven away, and will
bind up that which was broken, and will
strengthen that which was sick: but I will
destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed
them with judgment.
16
I will seek the lost and bring back the
strays; I will bandage the injured and
strengthen the sick, but the fat and the
strong I will destroy. I will feed themwith
judgment!
i) The Lordwho is the True Shepherdpromised to fulfill the duties that the false
shepherds failed to perform: Seek out the lost sheep, gather them to fertile lands,
feed them and heal them.
ii) How did he fulfill this?
(1) By restoring the people of Israel from Babylon (accomplished beginning in 539
B.C.).
(2) By gathering of the people of Israel in the last days (in process right now),
including Jews to their homeland and Jews and Gentiles into the restored
Church.
d) 34:1721. Ezekiels prophecy continued, even though one would expect it to end there.
In the last portion, the Lord also condemned the flock!
17
And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the
Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle
and cattle, between the rams and the he
goats.
17
As for you, my sheep, this is what the
sovereign LORD says: Look, I am about to
judge between one sheep and another,
between rams and goats.
18
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have
eaten up the good pasture, but ye must
tread down with your feet the residue of
your pastures? and to have drunk of the
deep waters, but ye must foul the residue
with your feet?
18
Is it not enough for you to feed on the good
pasture, that you must trample the rest of
your pastures with your feet? When you
drink clean water, must you muddy the rest
of the water by trampling it with your feet?
19
And as for my flock, they eat that which ye
have trodden with your feet; and they drink
that which ye have fouled with your feet.
19
As for my sheep, they must eat what you
trampled with your feet, and drink what you
have muddied with your feet!
20
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto
them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between
the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
20
Therefore, this is what the sovereign
LORD says to them: Look, I myself will judge
between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
21
Because ye have thrust with side and with
shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with
your horns, till ye have scattered them
abroad.
21
Because you push with your side and your
shoulder, and thrust your horns at all the
weak sheep until you scatter them abroad.
i) (The translation cattle in KJV verses 17 and 20 is archaic; the word means
sheep.)
ii) What are the sins of the sheep?
(1) They trample the pasture and muddy the drinking water.
(2) They abuse the weaker sheep.
iii) It is not enough to have a Good Shepherd; we must also be good sheep!
e) 34:2225. Ezekiel concluded with a promise of restoration under a Davidic Messiah.
22
Therefore will I save my flock, and they
shall no more be a prey; and I will judge
between cattle and cattle.
22
I will save my sheep; they will no longer
be prey. I will judge between one sheep and
another.
23
And I will set up one shepherd over them,
and he shall feed them, even my servant
David; he shall feed them, and he shall be
their shepherd.
23
I will set one shepherd over them, and he
will feed themnamely, my servant David.
He will feed them and will be their
shepherd.
24
And I the LORD will be their God, and my
servant David a prince among them; I the
LORD have spoken it.
24
I, the LORD, will be their God, and my
servant David will be prince among them; I,
the LORD, have spoken!
25
And I will make with them a covenant of
peace, and will cause the evil beasts to
cease out of the land: and they shall dwell
safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the
woods.
25
I will make a covenant of peace with them
and will rid the land of wild beasts, so that
they can live securely in the wilderness and
even sleep in the woods.
i) The messianic king is here called David
19
because he will fulfill the Davidic royal
ideal depicted in the prophets and royal psalms (e.g. Psalms 2; 89).

19
Compare Jeremiah 30:9; Hosea 3:5; Isaiah 11:1; Micah 5:2.
6) [SLIDE 14] Ezekiel 37:114. The vision of the valley of dry bones.
a) Ezekiel was shown a valley full of dry bones, which miraculously came togetherbone,
flesh, sinew, skin, and spirit
20
to form a great army (37:110).
b) There is a traditionalist impulse here to see this as a prophecy of the future
resurrection.
21
However, verse 11 specifically states that the vision is meant
symbolically: The bones represent the house of Israel in her captivity in Babylon:
11
Then he said unto me, Son of man, these
bones are the whole house of Israel: behold,
they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope
is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
11
Then he said to me, Son of man, these
bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they
are saying, Our bones are dry, our hope has
perished; we are cut off.
c) The opening of the graves and breathing life into the corpses is metaphorical for the
restoration of the people of Israel to their lands in peace and prosperity under divine
ruler (37:1114).
d) The resurrection is still a true doctrine, but its not found much in the Old Testament,
and Ezekiel 37 is not a good prooftext for it.
7) [SLIDE 15] Ezekiel 37:1528. For Latter-day Saints, Ezekiels prophecy of the joining of
two sticks is certainly the best-known passage in the book.
a) There are two parts to this: The vision, and the revealed interpretation.
i) 37:1517. The vision.
15
The word of the LORD came again unto me,
saying,
15
16
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one
stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for
the children of Israel his companions: then
take another stick, and write upon it, For
Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the
house of Israel his companions:
16
As for you, son of man, take one branch,
and write on it, For Judah, and for the
Israelites associated with him. Then take
another branch and write on it, For Joseph,
the branch of Ephraim and all the house of
Israel associated with him.
17
And join them one to another into one
stick; and they shall become one in thine
hand.
17
Join them as one stick; they will be as one
in your hand.
(1) The Lord commanded Ezekiel to take a stick, branch, or piece of wood
22
and write
on it the phrase for Judah, and for the Israelites associated with him (NET,
NRSV), or belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him (NIV).

20
The Hebrew word (ruakh) means wind, breath, or spirit, depending on the context. This can be particularly
problematic when the theological meaning of a verse depends on the English translation. For example, in Ezekiel 2:2, what was
it that picked Ezekiel up and stood him on his feet? The KJV says it was the spirit (lowercase s), and the NIV, NASB, and ESV
go even further, rendering it as the Spirit (uppercase s, meaning the Holy Spirit, the member of the Godhead), but the
absence of an article in Hebrew make both of these unlikely. The NRSV translates it a spirit, and the NET renders it a wind.
The context is unclear, so the translator is forced to render the text in English based on his or her interpretation of the events.
This is a particular difficulty in Ezekiel because ruakh appears 53 times in the book, more than any other book in the Old
Testament.
21
The chapter heading of the LDS edition of Bible makes this exact interpretation: Israel will inherit the land in the
Resurrection.
22
The Hebrew word is (ets), which means tree; by extension, the product of the tree: wood, any wooden object;
Strongest Strongs, 1437 (Hebrew ref. #6086). The KJV most often translates this word as tree/trees (162) or wood (107); it
(2) On a second stick, branch, or piece of wood, he was told to write For Joseph, the
branch of Ephraim and all the house of Israel associated with him (NET, NRSV),
or belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with
him (NIV).
(3) The Lord then told him to bring near one to one for you for one stick (literal
translation from Hebrew). In other words, hes told to join the two sticks together
so that they become one.
ii) 37:1823 (continuing to 37:28). The interpretation.
18
And when the children of thy people shall
speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew
us what thou meanest by these?
18
When your people say to you, Will you
not tell us what these things mean?
19
Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph,
which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the
tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put
them with him, even with the stick of
Judah, and make them one stick, and they
shall be one in mine hand.
19
tell them, This is what the sovereign LORD
says: Look, I am about to take the branch of
Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and
the tribes of Israel associated with him, and
I will place them on the stick of Judah, and
make them into one stickthey will be one
in my hand.
20
And the sticks whereon thou writest shall
be in thine hand before their eyes.
20
The sticks you write on will be in your
hand in front of them.
21
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; Behold, I will take the children of
Israel from among the heathen, whither
they be gone, and will gather them on every
side, and bring them into their own land:
21
Then tell them, This is what the sovereign
LORD says: Look, I am about to take the
Israelites from among the nations where
they have gone. I will gather them from
round about and bring them to their land.
22
And I will make them one nation in the
land upon the mountains of Israel; and one
king shall be king to them all: and they shall
be no more two nations, neither shall they
be divided into two kingdoms any more at
all:
22
I will make them one nation in the land, on
the mountains of Israel, and one king will
rule over them all. They will never again be
two nations and never again be divided into
two kingdoms.
23
Neither shall they defile themselves any
more with their idols, nor with their
detestable things, nor with any of their
transgressions: but I will save them out of
all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have
sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they
be my people, and I will be their God.
23
They will not defile themselves with their
idols, their detestable things, and all their
rebellious deeds. I will save them from all
their unfaithfulness by which they sinned. I
will purify them; they will become my
people and I will become their God.
(1) When the captive people of Judah would ask Ezekiel what the object lesson
meant, the Lord told him to say that the two sticks joined together are a
metaphor for the gathering and restoration of the nations of Judah and Israel (or
Ephraim) into a single nation, never again to be divided, as they were after the
reign of King Solomon.

translates it stick/sticks only 14 times. The NRSV, ESV, and NASB translate the word in Ezekiel 37:15 as stick; the NET uses
branch; the NIV, stick of wood; the NAB, single stick.
b) Latter-day Saints have historically interpreted this passage as a prophecy of the coming
forth of the Book of Mormon in the last days.
23

i) [SLIDE 16] Elder Boyd K. Packer explained it this way:
I must tell you of a work that has moved quietly forward in the Church virtually
unnoticed. It had its beginning in Old Testament times and is the fulfillment of a
prophecy by Ezekiel.
The sticks, of course, are records or books. In ancient Israel records were written
upon tablets of wood or scrolls rolled upon sticks. The record of Judah and the
record of Ephraim, according to the prophecy, were to become one in our hands.
Two events connected with the fulfillment of the prophecy were centered in print
shops.
24

ii) [SLIDE 17] One of Joseph Smiths early revelations made the connection between
the Book of Mormon and Ezekiels stick of Ephraim, so we are bound to this
interpretation in some form:
The hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth,
and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon,
containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the
keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim. (D&C 27:5.)
iii) There are some challenges to literally interpreting the passage this way.
(1) D&C 27:5 tell us that Moroni holds the keys of the record of the stick of
Ephraim. What is the difference between the stick of Ephraim (Ezekiel 37:16)
and the record of the stick of Ephraim?
(2) Lehi was a descendant of Manasseh, brother of Ephraim (Alma 10:3), so why is
the Book of Mormon the stick of Ephraim and not the stick of Manasseh?
(a) To solve this problem, Elder Orson Pratt claimed in 1850 that Ishmael, father
of the wives of Lehis sons, was from the tribe of Ephraim.
25

(i) Late reminiscences of Franklin D. Richards
26
and Erastus Snow
27

attributed this teaching to Joseph Smith and the lost 116 pages of the Book
of Mormon.
(ii) The problem with this specific claim is that, in ancient Hebrew culture,
tribal affiliation was based on the fathers ancestry, not the mothers.

23
The most forceful scholarly argument for the traditional LDS interpretation is Keith Meservy, Ezekiels Sticks and the
Gathering of Israel, Ensign (February 1987), 414 (https://www.lds.org/ensign/1987/02/ezekiels-sticks-and-the-gathering-
of-israel); Meservy argued that the ets were wooden writing tablets filled with wax. Brian E. Keck argued against this
interpretation in his a response to Meservy, Ezekiel 37, Sticks, and Babylonian Writing Boards: A Critical Reappraisal,
Dialogue 23/1 (Spring 1990), 12638 (http://bit.ly/Dialogue2301Keck). Kevin Barney straddled between Meservy and Kecks
interpretations in OT: Ezekiels Sticks (http://bycommonconsent.com/2006/01/26/ot-ezekiels-sticks). Most non-LDS
scholars interpret the sticks to be rods or scepters representing the authority to rule (see Ezekiel 37:2425; cf. Numbers
17:113).
24
Boyd K. Packer, Scriptures, General Conference, October 1982 (https://www.lds.org/ensign/1982/11/scriptures).
25
Orson Pratt, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, no. 1 (Liverpool, England, 15 October 1850); reprinted in A
Series of Pamphlets on the Doctrines of the Gospel by the Late Elder Orson Pratt (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office,
1884), 304 (https://archive.org/stream/prattgospel00pratrich#page/304).
26
F. D. Richards, Origin of American Aborigines, The Contributor 17/7 (May 1896), 425
(https://archive.org/stream/contributor1707eng#page/425).
27
Erastus Snow, 6 May 1882. Journal of Discourses 23:18485
(https://archive.org/stream/JoDV23/JoD_v23#page/n191).
(3) Joseph Fielding Smith argued that Joseph Smith was a descendent of Ephraim
and noted that this fits with the alternative phrasing found in Ezekiel 37:19 of
the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim.
28

(a) In this interpretation, the Ephraim in Ezekiel 37 would not be the nation of
Ephraim, but rather the person of Joseph Smith, or perhaps the Latter-day
Saints as a whole.
(4) In its original context, Ezekiel chapter 37 is about the restoration and
reunification of the divided house of Israel. Ezekiels vision of the valley of dry
bones promised that God would restore the people of Israel and give them rest in
their own land, and the sticks represent the reunification of the formerly
separated nations of Judah and Israel. They will live God's law, be purified from
unrighteousness, and be ruled over by the heir of house of David.
iv) Resolving the difficulties.
(1) It seems to me that this is another example of Latter-day Saints likening the
scriptures unto ourselves, (1 Nephi 19:23).
(a) The Book of Mormon is the restoration scripture for modern-day Ephraim
the people of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsand a message
that they take to the world so that Israel may be gathered a final time in
preparation for the second coming of the Lord.
(b) Although Ezekiel was speaking directly of the reunification of the kingdom of
Israel, Latter-day Saints have applied their own modern application of this
passage as it relates to the Book of Mormons role in the restoration of the
gospel and the gathering of Israel.
8) [SLIDE 18] Ezekiel 3839. A prophecy of a great, climatic battle between the forces of good
and evil, when the Lord will destroy his enemies by fire.
a) This is the first Old Testament prophecy to directly discuss a great battle at the end of
days. This passage inspired other prophecies, including Johns vision of the battle of
Armageddon in the book of Revelation (chapters 1619).
29

b) The prophecy is specifically against a ruler by the name of Gog from the land of Magog.
i) Magog is listed as one of the six sons of Japheth and a grandson of Noah (Genesis
10:2; 1 Chronicles 1:5). [18.1] Magogs brothers were associated with Asia Minor
(modern-day Turkey) which fits well with Ezekiels description of Gog coming from
the north (38:6, 15; 39:2).
ii) [18.2] According to Ezekiels prophecy, Magog would be allied with many other
nations, including Meshech, Tubal, and Gomer (all in Asia Minor), Persia (modern-
day Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, and Togarmah (in the South Caucasus; modern Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Georgia). (Ezekiel 38:26.)

28
Answers to Gospel Questions 3:19798. An 1838 revelation to Joseph Smith indicated that he was partly a descendant
of Jesse as well as of Ephraim (D&C 113:4); see lesson 19, pages 811 (http://bit.ly/ldsarcot19n).
29
John mentions Gog and Magog as two separate nations (Revelation 20:8), rather than the name of a ruler and the
name of his nation, as Ezekiel does. See also the climactic battle described in Zechariah 1214, to be covered in lesson 28.
c) The prophecy predicts that Gogs forces will be completely annihilated by the Lord, who
will rain down on them hailstones, fire, and brimstone (Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6). The
destruction will be so great that it will take seven months for the Israelites to bury all the
dead (39:1214), and their weapons will provide enough firewood for seven years (39:9).
d) There has been much speculation about how this prophecy will be fulfilled, and the
identity of Gog from Magog. Unfortunately, most of this speculation has been
irresponsible and driven by the geopolitical circumstances with which the writer was
familiar.
30

i) The most reasonable interpretation is that Ezekiels imagery is symbolic and
represents the enemies of Israel as a group, and not a specific person or nation.
31

9) [SLIDE 19] Ezekiel 4048. The book of Ezekiel concludes with a lengthy and detailed
vision of the future temple in Jerusalem, rebuilt and glorious.
a) This temple is known as the Third Temple,
32
which remains unbuilt to this day.
b) Ive prepared a handout that visualizes what this temple would look like if completed.
c) [19.1] I wanted to focus on one particular aspect of Ezekiels vision of the temple:
i) 47:113. Ezekiel described a river running out from beneath the foundation of the
temple that flows down to and heals the Dead Sea.
12
And by the river upon the bank thereof, on
this side and on that side, shall grow all
trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade,
neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed:
it shall bring forth new fruit according to his
months, because their waters they issued
out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof
shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for
medicine.
12
On both sides of the rivers banks, every
kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves
will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but
they will bear fruit every month, because
their water source flows from the sanctuary.
Their fruit will be for food and their leaves
for healing.
(a) This is the tree of life. This tree appears throughout the scriptures, but its
most notable at the beginning, in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9; 3:22, 24),
and also at the end, in the celestial city of New Jerusalem, come down from
heaven:

30
During the 1950s through the 1980s, many interpreters tried to connect Magog with the Soviet Union. The collapse of
the Soviet system in 1990 has led to a reappraisal of these theories.
31
Ezekiel has likely combined earlier traditions which spoke of an enemy from the north who would bring destruction to
the Israelites (cf. Jeremiah 1:1315; 4:6) with the prophecy of Isaiah that God would destroy the enemies of Israel upon the
mountains (Isaiah 14:24). These prophecies, which for Ezekiel are still unfulfilled, will take place in the latter days when Gods
salvations of Israel will become evident to all the nations. Ezekiel has borrowed the name of Gyges of Lydia to describe this
mysterious enemy of God, partly because Gyges had a reputation as a powerful king from the N[orth]. Mitchell G. Reddish,
Gog and Magog, The Anchor Bible Dictionary 2:1056.
32
Solomons being the first, and Herods the second.
1
And [the angel] shewed me a pure river of
water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
1
Then the angel showed me the river of the
water of lifewater as clear as crystal
pouring out from the throne of God and of
the Lamb,
2
In the midst of the street of it, and on
either side of the river, was there the tree
of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits,
and yielded her fruit every month: and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of
the nations.
(KJV Revelation 22:12.)
2
flowing down the middle of the citys main
street. On each side of the river is the tree
of life producing twelve kinds of fruit,
yielding its fruit every month of the year. Its
leaves are for the healing of the nations.
(NET Revelation 22:12.)
(b) As weve discussed previously,
33
the tree of life represents the presence and
love of God. In Lehis vision, it represents the love of God manifested in his
becoming mortal (1 Nephi 11:1623).
10) Ezekiels prophecies stand as a warning to us to stand to our duties as shepherds and
sheep, watchmen on the tower and citizens in the kingdom of God. His book reveals the
promises of God that he will restore and protect his people in the last days, and bring them
into his peaceful, eternal kingdom.
11) [SLIDE 20] Next week:
a) Daniel.

33
See lesson 4, page 4 (http://bit.ly/ldsarcot04n).

LDS Old Testament Notes 25: Ezekiel

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2014, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

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