timeline of eZEKIEL
“THE GLORY OF THE LORD”

A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH
TO THE INDUCTIVE STUDY OF EZEKIEL

FIRST YOU WILL WANT TO ESTABLISH THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT BY UNDERSTANDING THE TIMELINE
Some of the following notes are adapted from the INTERNATIONAL INDUCTIVE STUDY BIBLE, New American Standard Version from Precept Ministries International. If you don't already own one, I highly recommend you consider purchasing one (Click here) if you are interested in inductive Bible study.

NOTE: Refer to the Timeline above to help get an overview of the timing of the prophesies of Ezekiel. Most of the following questions can be answered from a careful study of the Timeline.  What are the events associated with the three key dates in red? What happened to the Northern 10 tribes? What are the 3 stages of the fall of Jerusalem and who went into exile with each stage? Where and when did Ezekiel begin his prophetic ministry? How long did he prophesy before the final fall of Jerusalem? When does the glory depart? Where is this tragic divine departure recorded? From those same passages, why does the glory depart? When was the departure of God's glory prophesied - before or after the fall of Jerusalem? When does the glory return (what is the the first fulfillment of the glory returning)? Where is the glory today (cf 1Cor3:16, 1Cor6:19 20 2Cor3:18, Mt5:16 1Cor10:31)?

Note that there are 5 segment divisions of Ezekiel are at the top table of the chart at the top of this page. These segments provide a good way to divide the book up for profitable study and suggestions for inductive study are given for each segment division below. Don’t get overwhelmed by the dating of events. I suggest that you record the dates of events in the margin next to the corresponding Scripture. I also suggest recording key cross references in the margin which will prove helpful in the future when you refer to these sections (unless you buy a new Bible and then you have to begin all over again).

931 B.C. The United Kingdom composed of 12 tribes was split (see 1Kings 11:1 11:4 11:7 11:11 and following chapters) into Israel (10 Northern tribes with capital in Samaria) and Judah (2 Southern tribes with capital in Jerusalem).

722 B.C. The Northern Kingdom was taken into captivity by the Assyrians. (see 2 Kings 17 especially 17:5 17:6). Although I alluded to the “10 Lost Tribes” as one of the astute Bereans reminded us they are not in fact lost and this idea can lead to some faulty theological conclusions. Bible Knowledge Commentary adds that “Paul’s reference to the 12 tribes of Israel shows the error of British-Israelism” (which simply stated holds that the Anglo-Saxon peoples, especially England and the US, are descended from the 10 Northern tribes and therefore inherit the promises addressed in Scripture specifically to Israel. This is not Scriptural and we will probably briefly touch on some of these points in class). (see Acts26:7, Js1:1, Rev21:12 as support that these 10 tribes are not “lost”).

622 B.C. (record next to 2Kings22:3) 2 Kings 22 describes the incredible events during the reign of Josiah, the godly king over the southern kingdom of Judah at the time that the book of the law was found in the house of the Lord where it had been lost! (2Ki22:8) King Josiah wept when he heard the Word of God for he saw the awfulness of Judah's sin and knew that God's wrath burned against them. Josiah sought to bring about national “revival” but it was not to last and the prophetess Huldah (2Ki22:14 15 16 17) told him that after his death God would bring judgment upon Judah, for they had forsaken God and burned incense to other gods

609 B.C In 2Kings 23:29 (2Chr 35:20-23, 24)God's judgment on Judah began when King Josiah was killed on the plain of Megiddo trying to stop Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, on his way to Carchemish on the Euphrates. Note that the events rapid cascade downward to doom for Judah in the following chapters as recorded in 2 Kings 24 & 2 Kings 25.

605 B.C In Jeremiah 46:2 Pharaoh Neco was defeated at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

605BC: 1^st SEIGE OF JERUSALEM & EXILE TO BABYLON: is described in 2 Kings 24:1-7. (Record this date in your Bible margin)  In 605 BC Ezekiel was 18 years old when 15 year‑old Daniel and his 3 friends were captured by Nebuchadnezzar and taken from to Babylon. Daniel’s prophetic ministry from Babylon began about 605BC. Ezekiel was left behind in Jerusalem. At age 30 he would be eligible for the priesthood but before he reached that age he was taken into exile in the next invasion described below. For the next several years things were relatively quiet in Jerusalem and Judah. The false prophets were bringing “good news” of peace (cf Jer6:14) and the people loved it (cf Jer5:31) and continued in their sin. Only one lonely voice disturbed their peace ‑ the voice of Jeremiah prophesying in Judah (cf Jer1:9, 1:10).

597BC: 2^ND  SEIGE OF JERUSALEM & EXILE TO BABYLON: is described in 2 Kings 24:10-16 (Record this date in your Bible margin)  When Jehoiakim died, Jehoiachin succeeded him as king of Judah and in 597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, who with his defeat of Neco had become the dominant world power, besieged Jerusalem for the second time taking King Jehoiachin into exile to Babylon (this event in 597BC helps understand “the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s exile” specifically given by in Ezekiel 1:2) along with 10,000 Jews, one of whom was the young man Ezekiel.
 

586BC: 3^RD SEIGE OF JERUSALEM described in 2 Kings 25:1-21 Record this date in your Bible margin The siege began in 588 B.C. (cross reference Ezekiel 24:2 – record 588 BC in margin there also) and in 586 B.C. Jerusalem were captured and the Temple and city walls were destroyed. Ezekiel would see visions of another temple and another Jerusalem‑ a city that would be known by the glorious name “Jehovah‑shammah”, the LORD is there! (Ezekiel 48:35)

NOW BEGIN TO READ THROUGH EZEKIEL BREAKING IT UP INTO “BITE SIZED” SEGMENTS AS OUTLINED BELOW.

SECTION 1: Chapters 1‑3: Ezekiel's Call

1. Read chapters 1 through 3 and mark distinctively (with a color &/or symbol) the key words or phrases. Below are some of the key words and phrases you will be looking for. When you find one don’t just mechanically mark it, but interrogate the word or phrase with a few questions (Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?). “What” do you learn for example about the “glory of the Lord” when you find that passage?, etc.