Ezekiel

Ezekiel

Background of Ezekiel’s captivity

Jehoiakim (約雅敬), Jehoiachin’s father, was 25 years old when he began to reign. He reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandments of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and gold of the people, to give to Pharaoh.

In the days of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar (尼布甲尼撒) king of Babylon came up. Jehoiakim had become his servant for 3 years; then he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. The Lord sent the bands of the Chaldees (迦勒底軍), the Syrians (亞蘭軍), the Moabites and the children of Ammon against him. Jehoiakim died. Jehoiachin (約雅斤) his son reigned. The king of Egypt came not again anymore, for the king of Babylon had taken all that pertained to the king of Egypt from the river of Egypt unto the river of Euphrates. (II Kings 24:1-7)

Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he began to reign. He reigned 3 months in Jerusalem. At that time, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. Nebuchadnezzar came against the city. The king of Babylon took him (Jehoiachin) in the 8th year of the king of Babylon. He carried out all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king’s house. He cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said. He carried away all Jerusalem, all the princes, all the mighty men of valour, even 10,000 captives, all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained, except for the poorest of the land. He carried the king and his mother, his wives and officers and the mighty men into captivity to Babylon. It is believed that Ezekiel was among the captives. The king of Babylon made Mattaniah (瑪探雅) (Jehoiachin’s father’s brother) king in his stead. He changed his name to Zedekiah (西底家). (II Kings 23:35-24:17)

Zedekiah was 21 years old when he began to reign. He reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. (II Kings 24:18) In the 9th year of Zedekiah’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar came, he and all his host, pitched against Jerusalem. They built forts round about it. The city was besieged unto the 11th year of king Zedekiah. On the 9th day of the 4th month, the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people. The city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden. The king went the way toward the plain. The army of the Chaldees pursued after the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army were scattered from him. So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon in Riblah. They gave judgment upon him. They slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out his eyes and bound him with fetters of brass to Babylon. (II Kings 25:1-7)

It was in the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity that Ezekiel the priest saw the visions. (1:2)

[ Daniel was the first group of captives being taken to Babylon in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim’s reign as King Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem. (Daniel 1:1-2) It was around 605 B.C. Since Jehoiakim reigned for 11 years, Ezekiel was taken 8 years after Daniel went into captivity. Ezekiel was taken in the 8th year of King Nebuchadnezzar. Hence, Daniel was taken in the 1st year of King Nebuchadnezzar. ]

Ezekiel’s ministry as a watchman to Israel

The Lord has set Ezekiel a watchman (守望的人) to the house of Israel; the wicked who ignores his warning shall die; if Ezekiel does not give warning, the Lord shall require the wicked’s blood at his hand (「我卻要向你討他喪命的罪」). (3:16-21; 33:7-9)

Warning messages for Israel (i.e. Judah) and other nations

His prophesy includes warning for Israel and judgment for other nations.

Warning message for Israel:

2:3; 3:4-5,11,17; 5:13-17; 6:1-7; 7:1-22; 11:1-12; 12:8-16; 13:1-23; 14:1-11; 16:1-3,15,35-43,52; 17:11-21; 20:30-39,45-49; 21:1-27; 22:1-31; 23:32-39,43-49; 24:1-14,20-24; 33:23-29; 34:1-10.

Judgment for other nations:

  • Ammonites (21:28-32; 25:1-7,10)
  • Moab (25:8-9,11)
  • Edom (25:12-14)
  • Philistine (25:15-17)
  • Tyrus (26:1-28:19)
  • Zidon (28:20-23)
  • Egypt (29:1-32:32)
  • Seir (35:1-15)
  • Gog (38:1-39:20)

Symbolic actions of Ezekiel

  1. ate the roll of a book written with lamentations and woes, taste sweet as honey (3:1-3)

  2. draw Jerusalem on a tile and lay siege against the tile, as a sign to the house of Israel (4:1-3)

  3. lie on left side for 390 days and right side for 40 days, as a sign of bearing the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah respectively (4:4-8)

  4. make and eat bread by weight for 390 days and drink water by measure, thus will the people of Israel eat and drink in Jerusalem (4:9-17)

  5. cut his hair and beard, weigh and divide it into 3 parts; when the days of the siege are fulfilled, he will burn a 3rd part, smite a 3rd part and scatter a 3rd part in the wind, meaning 1/3 of Israelites shall die with pestilence and famine, 1/3 will fall by sword, 1/3 will be scattered into all winds and the Lord will draw a sword after them; the Lord also tells Ezekiel to take a few and bind them and cast in fire, meaning a fire shall come into all the house of Israel. (5:1-12)

  6. smite with hand and stamp with foot and prophesy that the house of Israel shall fall by sword, famine and pestilence (6:11-14)

  7. make a chain; the Lord will bring the worst of the heathen (列國中最惡的人) to the land of Israel and they shall possess their houses (7:23-24)

  8. prepare stuff by day and dig through the wall in the evening and go in their sight, as a sign of captivity (12:1-7)

  9. eat and drink with trembling, as a sign for the people (12:17)

  10. make a lamentation for the princes (王) of Israel (19:1)

  11. sigh before the people of Israel (21:1)

  12. cry and howl (呼喊哀號) for terrors upon the people (21:8-13)

  13. smite his hands; the Lord shall sharpen and furbish (擦亮) the sword and give to the slayer (21:11); the sword is to slain the great men (21:14-17)

  14. appoint two ways that the sword may come to Rabbath (拉巴) of the Ammonites and to Jerusalem; the king of Babylon will use divination (占卜) to attack Jerusalem (21:18-23) [he stood at the head of the two ways and consulted with images whether to invade Rabbath or Jerusalem]

  15. declare the abominations of Aholah and Aholibah (23:36) [they were two sisters who committed whoredoms in Egypt; the two refer to Samaria and Jerusalem respectively (23:2-4)]

  16. write the name of the day that the king of Babylon sets against Jerusalem (24:1)

  17. cook meat in a pot; the Lord shall burn the flesh in the pot with great fire, and then empty the pot and burn it until its filthiness is consumed; the bloody city’s lewdness (淫行) was not purged, till the Lord’s fury has rested upon her (24:2-14)

  18. take away the desire of his eyes suddenly but he should not mourn or weep; in that morning he spoke to the people and at evening his wife died; the Lord shall profane His sanctuary, the desire of the people’s eyes, and their children shall fall by the sword; Ezekiel's plight is a sign to them (24:15-24)

  19. take up a lamentation for Tyrus (27:1); Tyrus shall fall into the midst of the seas; all the people of the isles shall be astonished and lament for her (27:25-36); Nebuchadrezzar shall destroy Tyrus; she shall be built no more (26:7-14)

  20. speak to Pharaoh that the Assyrian king is exalted by the Lord (31:1-9); the Assyrian king shall be delivered into the hand of the mighty one because his heart is lifted up (31:10-14); the Assyrian king was cast to hell, and so shall Pharaoh be (31:15-18); lament for Pharoah (32:1)

  21. prophesy to the dry bones; the Lord will make them live again; the bones had breath and stood up as a great army; the bones are the house of Israel; the Lord will bring them out of graves and put His spirit in them (37:1-14)

  22. join two sticks together—Judah and Joseph; He shall gather the people of Israel into their own land and make them one nation under one king (37:15-23)

Comforting messages for Israel

The Lord will leave a remnant among the captives so that they shall remember the Lord. (6:8-10)

The Lord told the angel to go through Jerusalem and set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry for all the abominations in the city, and then slay those without mark. (9:4-6)

The Lord will assemble the people out of the countries and give them the land of Israel; he will take their stony heart and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in his statutes; they shall be his people and he will be their God. (11:16-20)

The Lord will leave a few men from the sword, famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen. Then they shall know that he is the Lord. (12:16)

The Lord will deliver his people out of the hands of the daughters of Israel who hunt the souls of his people. (13:20-23)

The Lord tells the house of Israel to repent from idols and abominations, that the house of Israel may go no more astray from him and no more be polluted with their transgressions, but that they may be his people and he may be their God. (14:6,11)

The Lord will remember his covenant with Israel in the days of her youth. He will establish an everlasting covenant with Israel, and they will know that he is the Lord. (16:59-63)

The Lord will crop off a tender branch and plant it on the height of Israel; it shall be a goodly cedar and all fowl shall dwell under it; all trees shall know that the Lord brings down high tree and exalts low tree (17:22-24)

If a man is just and does that which is lawful and right and walks in God’s statutes, he shall surely live. (18:5-9)

If the wicked turns from all his sins and keeps all God’s statutes and does which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. (18:21-22)

The Lord has no pleasure that the wicked should die but has pleasure that he returns from his ways. (18:23,32)

The Lord exhorts Israel to repent from their transgressions and to make themselves a new heart and a new spirit. (18:30-31)

The house of Israel shall serve the Lord in the land; the Lord will gather them out of the countries into the land of Israel; He will be sanctified (顯為聖) in them before the heathen. (20:39-44)

The Lord shall overturn Israel, until ‘he’ comes and He will give it to him. (21:26-27)

The righteous men shall judge the women according to their adultery. (23:45)

The Lord will send a company of people to stone the women, slay their sons and daughters and burn up their houses, to cause lewdness (淫行) to cease out of the land. (23:46-49)

The Lord shall gather the house of Israel and he shall be sanctified in them. They shall dwell safely and build houses and plant vineyards. (28:24-26)

The Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live; the righteous shall not live for his righteousness in the day that he sins; on the other hand, the wicked shall not fall in the day that he turns from his wickedness. (33:10-16)

The Lord will search and deliver His sheep from the countries and feed them in good pasture. (34:10-16)

The Lord will judge between the rams (公綿羊) and the he goats (公山羊) (34:17-19)

The Lord will save his flock and set up one shepherd over His sheep, His servant David; the Lord will be their God and His servant David a prince among them. (34:20-24)

The Lord shall make a covenant of peace with His sheep. They shall dwell safely. There shall be showers of blessing. (34:25-31)

The mountains of Israel shall yield fruit to the people of Israel. (36:8-15)

The house of Israel profaned the Lord’s holy name by their doings, but the Lord had pity for His holy name. (36:20-21)

The Lord will sanctify His name by gathering the house of Israel and cleansing them; He will give them a new heart and a new spirit. He will take away their stony heart and give them a heart of flesh. They shall keep his judgments and do them. (36:22-32)

The Lord will make the desolate land become fenced and inhabited like the garden of Eden. (36:33-36)

The waste cities shall be filled with flocks of men. (36:37-38)

The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones; the Lord will make them live again. The bones had breath and stood up as a great army. The bones are the house of Israel; the Lord will bring them out of graves and put His spirit in them. (37:1-14)

The Lord tells Ezekiel to join two sticks together—Judah and Joseph; He shall gather the people of Israel into their own land and make them one nation under one king. (37:15-23)

David shall be king over Israel; they shall have one shepherd; the Lord will make an everlasting covenant of peace with them; He will set His sanctuary among them and sanctify them. (37:24-28)

The Lord’s fury shall come upon Gog and its followers when it comes against the land of Israel. (38:18-23)

Israel shall burn the weapons with fire for 7 years. (39:9-10)

The heathen shall be judged. (39:21-24)

The Lord shall bring again the captivity of Jacob into their own land. (39:25-29)

The measure of the land for the sanctuary and the most holy place, the Levites. (45:1-5)

The measure of the land for the whole house of Israel and the princes. (45:6-8)

Ezekiel shall divide the land by lot according to the tribes of Israel; strangers shall be given land as the children of Israel. (47:21-23)


Specific prophesies

1. The Lord foretold that the last king of Judah Zedekiah will be carried to Babylon with blind eyes.

In Ezekiel 12:8-15, the Lord said to Ezekiel, “Thus saith the Lord God, This burden concern the prince (君王) in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel that are among them. Say, ‘I am your sign (我作你們的預兆). Like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them. They shall remove and go into captivity.’ The prince among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight and shall go forth (必在天黑的時候將物件搭在肩頭上帶出去). They shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby. He shall cover his face that he see not the ground with his eyes. I will also spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans. Yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there. I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him (周圍一切幫助他的) and all his bands (軍隊). I will draw out the sword after them. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the countries."

In the last chapter of II Kings, II Kings 25:1-7 states that “In the 9th year of Zedekiah’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar came, he and all his host, pitched against Jerusalem. They built forts round about it. The city was besieged unto the 11th year of king Zedekiah. On the 9th day of the 4th month, the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people. The city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden. The king went the way toward the plain. The army of the Chaldees pursued after the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army were scattered from him. So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon in Riblah. They gave judgment upon him. They slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out his eyes and bound him with fetters of brass to Babylon.”

2. The Lord also foretold that the king of Babylon shall take King Jehoiachin to Babylon and his successor King Zedekiah shall rebel against King of Babylon and shall die in the land of Babylon.

In Ezekiel 17:11-17, the Lord said “Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem and hath taken the king and the princes and led them with him to Babylon. And hath taken the king’s seed and made a covenant with him (從以色列的宗室中取一人與他立約) and hath taken an oath of him. He hath also taken the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be base (低微), that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? Shall he escape that do such things? Or shall he break the covenant and be delivered? As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwell that made him king, whose oath he despised (向王所起的誓) and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die (他定要死在立他作王、巴比倫王的京都). Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him (不能幫助他) in the war by casting up mounts and building forts to cut off many persons.”

II Kings 24:11-12 says “Nebuchadnezzar came against the city. Jehoiachin went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother, his servants, princes, and officers. The king of Babylon took him in the 8th year of the king of Babylon.” II Kings 24:20 says, “Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon, until the Lord had cast them out from his presence.”
 

3. The Lord also foretold the invasion of Egypt by King Nebuchadnezzar.

In Ezekiel 30:10-12, the Lord said, ‘I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon. He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations (就是列國中強暴的), shall be brought to destroy the land. They shall draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain. I will make the rivers dry and sell the land into the hand of the wicked. I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers. I the Lord have spoken it.’

II Kings 24:6-7 says, ‘So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers. Jehoiachin (約雅斤) his son reigned in his stead. The king of Egypt came not again anymore, for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river of Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.’

Features of the Book of Ezekiel

1. A major portion of the book contains the oral message of the Lord to the people of Israel and other nations
    through Ezekiel. It uses a pattern like this: “Son of man (x94)…Thus saith the Lord God (x121), ‘…’ ”.

2. There are 23 times that the Lord ends His message with “And ye shall know that I am the Lord”.

3. The book has some similarities when compared with the Book of Revelation:

(vision of the heaven)

At the beginning of the book, Ezekiel saw in the vision 4 creatures (活物), the firmament (穹蒼), a throne above the firmament, the appearance of a man above the throne. Each of the 4 creatures has 4 faces of man, lion, ox and eagle. Besides, each creature has 4 wings and 4 wheels with 4 rings that are full of eyes. The spirit of the living creature is in the wheels. The likeness of the firmament has the colour of the crystal. A voice comes from the firmament. (Ezekiel 1:15-28)

In the Book of Revelation, when the door was opened in heaven, John saw a throne and one sat on the throne. Before the throne, there was a sea of glass like crystal. In the midst and around the throne, there were 4 beasts full of eyes before and behind. The 1st beast was like a lion; the 2nd beast was like a calf; the 3rd beast had the face of a man; the 4th beast was like a flying eagle. The 4 beasts had 6 wings each and they were full of eyes within. (Rev 4:1-8) 

(eat a roll of book and prophesy)

Ezekiel was told to eat a roll of book. When the book was spread before him, it was written within and without lamentations, mourning and woe. He was asked to eat the roll and then speak to the house of Israel. As he ate the roll, it was in his mouth as sweet as honey. Afterward, the Lord said to him, ‘Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.’ (Ezekiel 2:8-3:4)

In Revelation, after 7 seals were opened, 6 trumpets were sounded. Afterward, 7 thunders uttered their voices. (Rev 10:3) Before the 7th trumpet was sounded (Rev 11:15), John was told to get a little book from the angel. The angel said to him, ‘Take it and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.’ John took and ate the little book. It was in his mouth sweet as honey. As soon as he had eaten it, his belly was bitter. Then he was told to prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. (Rev 10:8-11)

(a mark on the people)

The Lord told the angel to go through Jerusalem and set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry for all the abominations in the city, and then slay those without mark. (Ezekiel 9:4-6)

Revelation describes a beast to be worshipped by the whole world: “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Rev 13:8) “And he causeth all…to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” (Rev 13:16) An angel of the Lord then cries aloud, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God…and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone…for ever and ever.” (Rev 14:9-11)

(the fall of Tyrus vs the fall of Babylon)

A great portion of the coverage describes the fall of Tyrus (Ezekiel 26:1-28:19). She has become prosperous by trading with all the nations and isles around her. Tyrus shall fall into the midst of the seas; all the people of the isles shall be astonished and lament for her.

The Lord tells Ezekiel to say to the prince of Tyrus, ‘Because thine heart is lifted up and thou has said, I am a God. I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas. Yet thou art a man and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.’ (Ezekiel 28:2) The Lord concludes the fall of Tyrus with such saying, ‘Thou seal up the sum (無所不備), full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Thou has been in Eden the garden of God…Thou art the anointed cherub that cover, and I have set thee so. Thou was upon the holy mountain of God. Thou has walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise, they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou has sinned. Therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God. I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou has corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness. I will cast thee to the ground; I will lay thee before kings that they may behold thee. Thou has defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic. Therefore I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee. I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee. Thou shall be a terror and thou shall never be any more.’ (Ezekiel 28:12-19)

In Revelation, after the 7th angel poured out his vial (碗) into the air, there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’ There was a great earthquake, and the great city was divided into 3 parts and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. (Rev 16:17-19)

John was then carried by an angel with one of the vials in the spirit into the wilderness. He saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having 7 heads and 10 horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. Upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. John saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus. (Rev 17:1-6)

In Chapter 18, John saw another angel coming down from heaven and crying mightily with a strong voice, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.’ Another voice from heaven said, ‘How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her, for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judge her. The kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come. The merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, for no man buy their merchandise any more…Every shipmaster and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!...Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.’ (Rev 18:1-20)

(Gog)

In Chapter 38 of Ezekiel, the Lord prophesied against Gog (歌革), the land of Magog (瑪各), the chief prince (王) of Meshech (米設) and Tubal (土巴). (38:2-3; 39:1) In the day when the people of Israel dwells safely, Gog shall come from the north parts, a great army all riding upon horses. She shall come against the people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land. (38:14-16; 39:2) ‘It shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?’ (Ezekiel 38:16-17) ‘Surely there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.’ ‘I will call for a sword against him (Gog) throughout all my mountains.’ ‘I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood. I will rain upon him and his bands and the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain and great hailstones, fire and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself. I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.’ (Ezekiel 38:19,21-23)

In Chapter 20 of Revelation, Satan is cast into the bottomless pit. The saints who have neither worshipped the beast nor his image shall live and reign with Christ 1000 years. When the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed and go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle. Their number is as the sand of the sea. They go up and compass the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. The devil is then cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented forever. (Rev 20:1-10)

(the new place of God’s dwelling with his people)

In Chapter 40 of Ezekiel, Ezekiel in his vision saw a man like the appearance of brass has a line of flax (麻繩) in his hand and a measuring reed (量度的竿). He begins to measure the house (殿), the gates, the chambers, the inner and outer courts, the altar, etc. In Chapter 47, Ezekiel was brought to the door of the house again. Water issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward. Water level rises to a river. At the bank of the river were many trees on both sides. The waters issue out toward the east country and go down into the desert and into the sea. The waters shall be healed. Everything that lives, wherever the rivers shall come, shall live. There shall be a very great multitude of fish. By the river upon the bank on both sides, all trees shall grow for meat, whose leaf shall not fade and the fruit shall not be consumed. It shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters issued out of the sanctuary. The fruit shall be for meat and the leaf for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:1-12) Ezekiel was then shown the border of the land for inheritance according to the 12 tribes of Israel. (47:13-14) Ezekiel shall divide the land by lot according to the tribes of Israel. (47:21) In Chapter 48, the city in the midst of the land is measured. Each of the 4 sides has 4,500 [cubits]. Each side (north, east, south, west) has 3 gates. The 12 gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel. The name of the city shall be: the Lord is there. (48:30-35)

In Chapter 21 of Revelation, a new heaven and a new earth is shown to John. The great city, the holy Jerusalem, has a wall great and high and has 12 gates. At the gates are 12 angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel. There are 3 gates on the east, 3 on the north, 3 on the south and 3 on the west. The wall of the city has 12 foundations, in them are the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. (21:10-14) An angel measures the city and the gates and the wall with a golden reed. The city lies foursquare, 12000 furlongs (共有四千里); the length and the breadth and the height are equal. The wall has 144 cubits. (21:15-17) There is no temple in the city. (21:22) A pure river of water of life flows out of the throne of God and the Lamb. In the midst of the street and on either side of the river, there is the tree of life. It bears 12 manner of fruits and yield her fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (22:1-2)

 
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