Chapter 1

1:4 - Ezekiel experiences what some say is the first recorded UFO sighting.

* Verse 1 clearly indicates that this was a vision.

1:5-10 - Ezekiel sees creatures that have four faces (human, lion, ox, and eagle), four wings, and straight feet with calf's soles. Well, maybe he'll feel better in the morning.

* This is correct.  However, these creatures' faces had symbolic meanings.

1:27 - Ezekiel sees God's loins.

* Ezekiel saw a vision of God on His throne.

Chapter 2

2:9 - 3:3 - God tells Ezekiel to eat a book and to "fill his bowels" with it. He does, and finds it to be as sweet as honey.

* God's words were sweet to Ezekiel.  Incidentally, this word for "bowels" is also translated "stomach."

Chapter 3

3:20 - If a good person does something wrong after God "lays a stumbling block before him," then God will kill him. "He shall die in his sin" and whatever good he has done will be forgotten.

* This part of the verse is only understood by reading the entire verse.  It reads, "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand."  God is indicating that after a person commits iniquity, God will judge Him with a "stumbling block."

3:24-26 - God tells Ezekiel to be bound by ropes and then he makes Ezekiel's tongue stick to the roof of his mouth. How this is supposed to help spread the word of God is anyone's guess.

* God is simply indicating that Ezekiel would be bound and tied by his countrymen.  At this time, God would close his mouth and he would not give them any prophesies.  After this happens, Ezekiel will be set free and he will prophesy, again.

Chapter 4

4:4-9 - God makes Ezekiel lay on his right side for 390 days, and then on his left side for another 40 days. "And thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days." I'll bet he had some killer bed sores after that!

* Ezekiel was bound by his oppressors and did as the Lord commanded.  He was probably able to move, at least a little, but he did lay on his right side for 390 days, then his left side for 40 days.  Incidentally, these actions had significant symbolism.

4:9 - My vegan son swears by "Ezekiel 4:9" bread. It's supposed to be made according to the recipe given in this verse and is said to be a complete meal that satisfies all nutritional requirements. I guess that's how Ezekiel managed to survive 390 days lying on his side and eating only this bread. It seems like pretty darned good bread to me, too, but I can't wait until they start making bread using the procedure described in Ezekiel 4:12.

* These cakes included wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt.  This passage doesn't indicate that this meal provided a perfectly balanced diet.  On the contrary, this meal symbolized how scare the necessities of life were at the time of the siege.

4:12 - God tells Ezekiel to eat barley cakes that are made with "the dung that cometh out of man." (Yum!)

* Ezekiel was told to prepare his meal over burning, human dung.  In many cultures, burning animal dung was (and still is) used for fuel (fire).

4:15 - God trades "cow's dung for man's dung" and then he tells Ezekiel to make bread out of the cow's dung.

* God never told Ezekiel to make food from cow dung.  However, by Ezekiel's request, God allowed him to use cow dung, instead of human dung, for fuel (fire).

4:16-17 - God punishes everyone in Israel -- including children -- by causing a drought and famine.

* This was God's judgment for their sins.  In verse 17, it specifically states this, too.

Chapter 5

5:1-3 - God tells Ezekiel to shave his head and beard, divide the cut hair into thirds, burn one portion, smite the second portion about with a knife, and scatter the third in the wind.

* This is correct.  There is a lot of symbolism in these actions.  In short, the three portions of hair represent the three punishments of the Israelites.

5:10 - God will cause the fathers to eat their sons and the sons to eat their fathers.

* During their judgment (the siege), this was what they resolved to do.  They sinned, God judged them, and some of them ate their young.

5:11-17 - God says that he will mercilessly slaughter everyone by killing one third with plagues, one third with famines, and one third with wars. If any somehow survive, he'll send "evil beasts" to devour them. Finally, after he's done killing, he "will be comforted."

* God never indicates that everyone would be slaughtered.  However, He does foretell His judgment on His wicked people.

Chapter 6

6:4-5 - God plans to decorate the land with human bones and dead bodies.

* Part of the Israelites' judgment was for their bones to be scattered.

6:4-9 - God is jealous of people's attention on idols, so he says these idols and altars will be destroyed and the people will pay for their "abominations."

* This is correct.  God deserved their full attention.  Anything less was unsatisfactory because it hurt them and displeased God.  Other idols and altars would not be tolerated.

6:7-14 - God makes his presence known by killing people with famine, disease, and war.

* God indicates that He will be made known because of His judgments on His wicked people.

Chapter 7

7:2 - To Ezekiel the earth is flat and has four corners.

* This verse never indicates that the Earth is flat and has four corners.

* This verse says, ". . . The end has come upon the four corners of this land."  God was indicating how this entire land would be judged (the Israelites' land).  This verse isn't referring to the entire Earth, but this entire land.

7:3-9 - God repeats his plan to pour out his fury on everyone, promising again to have pity on no one. By so doing he says that "ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth." Indeed, who would behave so viciously? Only the merciful God.

* God holds the right to judge His creation after they choose to sin.

7:13-28 - God says plague and famine will grip the city while war rages outside. And anyone who tries to escape will live a shameful life and be robbed blind by people sent from God. Then, a wicked nation will invade, taking their homes, desecrating the temples and humbling the leaders. No matter what, they're screwed.

* This foretells Israel's judgment.  It was time for them to pay for their sins.  The siege and captivity would be their judgment.

Chapter 8

8:2 - Ezekiel gets to see God's loins again. (See 1:27 for the first time.)

* Ezekiel has another vision of God.

8:18 - God promises again to slaughter everyone. He says that he will ignore them when they plead with him for mercy.

* God is clearly indicating that His judgment will be made despite any pleading to the contrary.  This indicates that God decided to punish them for their current lifestyle of rejecting God.  His mind was made up and He would not change it.

Chapter 9

9:4-10 - God sends a "man clothed with linen" to mark the foreheads of the men who will be saved. Apparently only men are considered good enough to keep, the others (unmarked men, "maids", little children, and women) are to be slaughtered. God says he'll "fill the courts with the slain" and will have pity on no one.

* The marks were surely given to all people that abstained from idol worship and loved God.  This Hebrew word for "man" can also be translated "person" or "mortal."

Chapter 10

10:12 - Ezekiel sees bodies, backs, hands, wings, and wheels that were "full of eyes round about."

* In Ezekiel's vision, he sees four, guardian angels.  Using the ancient Hebrew language and understanding, He tries to describe these angels as best as he could.

Chapter 11

11:10-12 - God says that when you fall by the sword, then you'll know that he is the Lord.

* These verses are referring to the judgments of God on these, wicked, ancient Israelites.

Chapter 12

12:15-16, 20 - When God kills everyone in the city, then you'll know that he is the Lord. (Who else would be so cruel?)

* God's people had been rejecting and ignoring Him for some time.  Therefore, He indicates that they would remember Him after He judges them with death, oppression, and captivity.  Verse 16 clearly indicates that some will be spared.

12:23-24 - God says, "The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision." So the days are near when all of the visions will come to pass? Hasn't happened yet. There's much left unfulfilled. Then, in the next verse, another falsehood: "For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel." As for "vain visions," the Bible is loaded with them, before and after Ezekiel's time.

* God mentions His judgments toward Israel.  However, He surely speaks within a context and framework.  We don't see Him indicating that Israel would never have any more sins or problems. 

* These things were fulfilled in the Babylonian captivity.

Chapter 13

13:14-15 - God gets mad at a wall and says, "Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall," and people will be destroyed with it.

* Verse 16 indicates how this "wall" is symbolizing the false prophets and those who follow them.  This wall was fragile and it would not stand up to weather (God's judgment).

13:18-21 - God likes neither woman nor pillows. He says, "Woe to the woman that sew pillows ... Behold, I am against your pillows."

* God is speaking against false prophetesses.  These women were lying to God's people and luring them into their snares.  They were possibly practicing magic, too.

Chapter 14

14:6-8 - God again promises to destroy those that dare worship something or someone other than him.

* God owns the right to judge His creation for rejecting Him and worshiping other gods and idols.

14:8-9 - God deceives some of his prophets and then kills them for believing his lies.

* God is indicating that His people need to heed His warnings to repent and turn to Him.

* God is also stating that people who believe false prophets will be held accountable for it.  Since God is so sovereign and completely in control, the scriptures sometimes state that He does things that He merely lets happen.  Likewise, in this case, the Hebrew scriptures are indicating that He lets these false prophets believe and tell lies.

14:8, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 - When really bad things happen (like you get eaten by wild beasts, get killed in war, get sick and die, etc.), then you'll know that it was God that did it to you.

* These verses are referring to the judgments that fell on these Israelites.  Verse 13 indicates one reason for these judgments: their persistent unfaithfulness.

Chapter 15

15:6-7 - God plans to burn the inhabitants of Jerusalem. When he does so then everyone will know that he is the Lord. (Who else could be so cruel?)

* These verses aren't referring to literal fire.  They are referring to the judgments that were already mentioned.  If the Israelites survived the the sword, then they would perish by the famine.  If they survived the famine, then they would be led away as captives.  These prophecies came true as the Babylonians did these things to them.

Chapter 16

16:6-41 - God dresses up Jerusalem, cleans off the blood that she was wallowing in, and then watches her open her "feet to everyone that passeth by." She made "images of men" and committed "whoredom with them." God's really angry about it and says that she will be stoned "with stones and thrust through" with swords.

* God's people were committing spiritual fornication.  Since God was their first love and the one they should have been devoted to, worshiping other gods and rejecting God was akin to whoredom.

16:25 - She "opened [her] feet to every one that passed by," even to the Egyptians with the big penises (those who were "great of flesh).

* The phrase "great of flesh" is symbolizing the spiritual bankruptcy and the depth of the idolatry of these Egyptians.

16:32-37 - She poured out her filthiness, exposed her nakedness, and hired lovers to "come unto her on every side."

* This vivid imagery is illustrating spiritual whoredom and fornication.

16:37 - To punish her, God plans to strip her of her clothes in front of her lovers, take her "fair jewels," and leave her "naked and bare."

* Part of God's judgment was to expose His people's spiritual nakedness.

16:40-41 - Finally, God will have her former lovers stone her "with stones, and trust her through with their swords." That'll teach her, God figures, to quit "playing the harlot."

* The Creator holds the right to judge His creation; even with death.

16:45-58 - "Thou art thy mother's daughter, that loatheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters ..." And so begins a long, tiresome denunciation of Jerusalem.

* God illustrates how Israel has left their spiritual husband: God.

Chapter 18

18:4, 17-20 - According to this verse, sons are not punished for their fathers sins. But this is directly contradicted in many places in the Bible.

* In these verses, God is indicating that He would punish these sinners for their own sins and not the sins of their relatives.

* God commanded the Israelites to avoid punishing people for the sins of their relatives.

* Since every person sins, God has the right to punish every person.  At times, God mentions punishing some people and gives one of the reasons as their father's sins.  Although this was one reason, there were surely many more reasons for God's judgment.  At any rate, God wasn't bound by this law that He gave the Israelites.

18:5-6 - A good man never gets near a menstruating woman.

* God commanded the ancient Israelite men to stay away from women that were menstruating.  Since they didn't have modern medicine, antibiotics, disinfectants, and related things, this was a wise command to them.  Furthermore, there were surely multiple, spiritual reasons for this law.

18:5-6 - Has there ever been a just person?

* Yes. There have been some just people.  The apparent confusion lies only in Ecclesiastes 7:20.  However, the writer is stating that there are no perfect people.  In his new "circle of friends," there surely weren't any godly people (and definitely nobody perfect).

18:9 - Has there ever been a just person?

* Yes. There have been some just people.  The apparent confusion lies only in Ecclesiastes 7:20.  However, the writer is stating that there are no perfect people.  In his new "circle of friends," there surely weren't any godly people (and definitely nobody perfect).

18:9, 19 - These verses say that the just "shall surely live," but elsewhere the Bible says that God destroys both the just and the unjust.

* According to the scriptures, both good and bad happen to both the just and the unjust.  There aren't any scriptures that promise either group only good or bad.

18:24 - God will kill you for making a single mistake; all your good deeds he will ignore.

* God is indicating that committing sin makes a person guilty.  Even if this person has done some good things, if he or she commits a sin, they are still guilty of it.  This concept is widely understood and accepted in democratic societies (and even some non-democratic ones).  For example, a judge doesn't let a murderer go free because he did some good things.

* It is obvious that this passage of scripture isn't only referring to a person who "makes a single mistake."  Verse 24 reads, ". . . But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does . . ."

18:27 - What must you do to be saved? Do the right things.

* If we begin reading at verse 25, we see that this passage is about repentance.  We find that a person can be saved if they repent and this repentance results in quitting sinful behaviors and being godly.  Even though this scripture is in the Old Testament and was representative of the Old Covenant (pre-Christ), we still see a gospel-type message.

18:32 - God says, "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth." That's funny, because as much killing as he does in this book and in the whole Bible, you'd think he must be getting some kicks out killing people.

* God loves His people.  He much rather have them obey and live than disobey and suffer the consequences.  God's punishments and judgments are for the good of His people.  He wants them to realize how awful their sins are and how they effect so many people, so they will repent and love Him.

Chapter 20

20:7-10 - God planned to "pour out [his] fury" on the Hebrews in Egypt for worshipping idols or other gods.

* God indicated that He could have judged the Israelites for their idolatry during their captivity in Egypt.  However, He rescued them instead.

20:25-26 - God gave the Israelites "statutes that were not good and judgments whereby they should not live." He "polluted" them so that later he'd have an excuse to destroy them. That way, he figures, they'll know that he is God.

* God didn't "give them statutes that weren't good."  He "gave them up to statutes that weren't good."  There is no evidence that God ever gave His people evil statutes that would hurt them.  Furthermore, the context of this text indicates the Israelites' decision to choose other gods and God's decision to let them go; for a time.

20:30-31 - God continues to rant about other religious beliefs, calling it "whoredom."

* Since God was the only one they were supposed to be serving, when they chased after other gods, this was spiritual adultery.

20:47-48 - God will set a fire in the southern kingdom that will devour everything and burn "all faces from the south to the north."

* This fire was referring to war and Nebuchadnezzar's army.

Chapter 21

21:3-5 - Here we are told that God will kill everyone -- both the just and the unjust. But elsewhere in Ezekiel the Bible tells us that the just "shall surely live."

* According to the scriptures, both good and bad happen to both the just and the unjust.  There aren't any scriptures that promise either group only good or bad.

21:8-17 - God waxes rhapsodic about swords and slaying again.

* These are prophetic warnings that were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar's army and oppression of the Jews.

21:28-32 - Ezekiel Prophesies (in the 6th century BCE) that Ammonites will not be remembered any more. They continued to exist until the 2nd century CE. (And they are still remembered in the Bible.)

* This Hebrew word for "remembered" is also translated "recognized" and "mindful."

* Ezekiel never gives a timeframe for the fulfillment of this prophecy.  However, Ammon and the Ammonites were wiped out.  The archaeological ruins of Ammon are barely recognizable.  Nobody living today could call themselves an Ammonite because they were wiped out, too (just as God said they would be).

21:31-32 - God continues to dream about how he will kill people, but he just can't seem to come up with any new ways.

* God never indicates that He wants to find new ways to judge people.  However, He does foretell of His judgment on these people (and fulfills it, later).

Chapter 22

22:1-16 - God, through the mouth of Ezekiel, delivers another disgusting tirade about discovering the nakedness of fathers, committing adultery with neighbor's wives, sex with menstruating women, daughters-in-law, and sisters. But don't worry because God "will consume thy filthiness out of thee."

* Ezekiel recalls Israel's sins and God's plans to judge them for their wickedness.

22:20-22 - God will gather all of Israel and consume them in the fires of his anger.

* This fire is the Babylonian army.

22:30-31 - God couldn't find anyone to stand up to him, so he's going to destroy everyone.

* God indicates that He cannot find holiness among His people.  All He sees is their extreme wickedness.

Chapter 23

23:1-46 - Two sisters were guilty of "committing whoredoms" by pressing their breasts and bruising "the teats of their virginity." As a punishment, one sister's nakedness was discovered, her children were taken from her, and she was killed by the sword. And the fate of the surviving sister was even worse: Her nose and ears were cut off, she was made to "pluck off" her own breasts, and then after being raped and mutilated, she is stoned to death. Praise God.

* This chapter has a large amount of symbolism.  In short, these, two sisters committing whoredoms are the two kingdoms: Judah and Israel.

23:20 - One of the sister (Aholibah) had lovers "whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses."

* This verse simply indicates great wickedness.

Chapter 24

24:3-14 - God gets all excited about cooking with "scum" and human flesh, saying "kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned ... Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it." And finally, "her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire."

* God is describing the siege by Nebuchadnezzar's army.  This was Israel's judgment.  It wasn't a pretty sight.

24:14 - Does God repent?

* This Hebrew word for "repenting" is also translated "relenting."  God was simply tired of doing nothing and watching people reject Him.  He was tired of delaying His judgment.  He was not literally tired.

24:15-18 - God kills Ezekiel's wife and then tells him not to mourn her.

* During the siege, Ezekiel's wife died.  By reading verses 15 and 16, we see that she was a type of Israel.  At any rate, God tells him to be strong and Ezekiel responds by doing God's will.  The city was under siege and God didn't want Ezekiel to spend any time in mourning.  He was to do what God told him.

Chapter 25

25:4-16 - God kills pretty much everyone in sight. He does this to let everyone know that he is the Lord. Among those slaughtered mercilessly are the Edomites, contrary to Deuteronomy 23:7, where God says they are not to be "abhorred, for he is thy brother."

* These are prophetic statements about the people that lived near Jerusalem.  About five years after the siege of Jerusalem, these things were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar.

* In Deuteronomy 23:7, God told the Israelites not to abhor the Edomites.  This didn't stop the Babylonians from attacking them, though.

Chapter 26

26:6, 8 - God explains that he will have the "daughters which are in the field be slain by the sword" so that "they shall know that I am the Lord."

* This Hebrew word for "daughters" is likely referring to villages, again.  These verses don't indicate that God was having them destroyed by the Babylonians only "so" they would know He was Lord.  He was judging them for their sins.  This was the number one reason for their death.  However, God does say that after they are destroyed, "then they will know that I am the Lord."

26:14, 21 - Ezekiel prophesies that Tyrus will be completely destroyed by Nebuchadrezzar and will never be built again. But it wasn't destroyed, as evidenced by the visits to Tyre by Jesus and Paul (Mt.15:21, Mk.7:24, 31, Acts 21:3).

* The first part of this prophecy was fulfilled by Alexander and his army in 332 B.C.  They demolished the city and scraped the debris to the rock surface and threw it in the sea.  However, in 1291 A.D., Tyre was completely destroyed by the Mamluks and that city was never rebuilt by the people that lived in it.

* These verses in Ezekiel never give a timetable for the destruction of Tyre.  The scriptures never indicate that Nebuchadnezzar would fulfill this prophecy.

Chapter 27

27:36 - Ezekiel repeats the false prophecy of the destruction and perpetual desolation of Tyrus. (See Mt.15:21, Mk.7:24, 31, Acts 21:3).

* In 1291 A.D., Tyre was completely destroyed by the Mamluks and was never rebuilt by the people that lived in it.

* These verses in Ezekiel never give a timetable for the destruction of Tyre.  The scriptures never indicate that Nebuchadnezzar would fulfill this prophecy.

Chapter 28

28:10 - Watch out or God will make you "die the deaths of the uncircumcised," which is, no doubt, a most unpleasant death.

* God was indicating His judgment.  Incidentally, the "death of the uncircumcised" was likely referring to the Second Death.  See Revelation 20:6 and 14 and 21:8.

28:19 - Once more Ezekiel repeats the false prophecy of the complete destruction of Tyrus and its perpetual desolation.

* In 1291 A.D., Tyre was completely destroyed by the Mamluks and was never rebuilt by the people living in it.

* These verses in Ezekiel never give a timetable for the destruction of Tyre.  The scriptures never indicate that Nebuchadnezzar would fulfill this prophecy.

28:22-23 - God says that Zidon will know that he is the Lord when he sends "pestilence and blood into her streets."

* This is a prophetic statement about God's judgment.  This town faced judgment from God that was issued (at least partly) by the Babylonians.

28:24-26 - Ezekiel conveys God's promise that Israel will reside in their homeland safely, never again to be tormented by neighboring nations. One need only look to the newspaper for evidence that this has not been fulfilled. Israelites continued to be scattered from the area and tormented by other powers, including the Romans and Turks. In the 20th century, they were given a large portion of their homeland back, only to have the recent residents (Palestinians) revolt. After that, the surrounding Arab nations invaded Israel, though they were turned back. Israel has had nothing near a peaceful existence, nor does it appear they'll enjoy one anytime soon.

* This prophecy will be fulfilled in the Millennium reign of Christ.

Chapter 29

29:2-5 - God tells Ezekiel to prophesy against the pharaoh and against all Egypt. God says he will feed the Egyptians to the birds and beasts.

* God is warning the Egyptians that He was going to judge them, too.

29:7-8 - God makes "all their loins to be at a stand." When this is achieved, God will get out his sword and "cut off man and beast out of thee." Ouch!

* The phrase "their loins to be at a stand" is also translated "their backs quiver (or shake)."

29:10-13 - Ezekiel makes another false prophecy: that Egypt would be uninhabited by humans or animals for forty years after being destroyed by Nebuchadrezzar. But there was never a time when Egypt was uninhabited. Humans and animals have lived there continuously since Ezekiel's prophecy.

* When Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt, he took captives to Babylon.  Some of the Egyptians simply fled in fear.  About 40 years later, the Persians defeated the Babylonians and the Egyptians returned to their land.

29:14-15 - Egypt "shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations." But Egypt remained an important and often powerful nation. During the Tulunid dynasty (868-905 CE), for example, Egypt was the center of a small empire and conquered Syria.

* God already indicated that He would bring the Egyptians back into their land after 40 years.  He never said they would never win another military battle.  However, He did say they wouldn't regain their former glory and rule over the nations.  Incidentally, since that prophecy, here are the nations and people that have ruled over Egypt: Babylon, Persia, Macedonia, Rome, the Saracens, the Mamluks, the Ottomans, France, the Anglo-French debt commission, the British, etc.

Chapter 30

30:3 - "The day ... of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen." God plans to wipe out the heathen. When? Soon. Really soon.

* This passage indicates how Egypt and a few other countries would be judged. In 663 B.C., the Assyrians fulfilled this prophecy. Later, the Babylonians invaded Egypt and revealed a double fulfillment.

30:4-26 - God will punish Egypt and her allies by sending Nebuchadrezzar to "fill the land with the slain." God will top it off by making "the rivers dry," selling the land to "the wicked," making "the land waste," lighting fires, destroying their idols and altars, and having the young men "fall by the sword."

* This was a prophecy regarding God's judgment on the Egyptians.  It was fulfilled.

30:12 - The rivers of Egypt (identified as the Nile in NIV, NASB, and RSV) shall dry up. This has never occurred.

* This Hebrew word for "rivers," in the phrase, "I will make the rivers dry," is also translated "canals" or "channels."  When the Nile doesn't rise and overflow its banks, these channels that bring water to different parts of Egypt become very dry.  This was the prophecy and it was fulfilled as part of Egypt's judgment.

Chapter 32

32:3-6 - God says he will treat Pharaoh like a whale fished out of the sea. Every bird and beast in the world will feed upon him.

* God is using symbolism to reveal Pharaoh's judgment.  Incidentally, the phrase "fill the beasts" can also be translated "satisfy the living (people)."  This same word for "beasts" is the word used for "living" in Genesis 3:20.  It reads, "Eve . . . the mother of all living."  After this time, numerous people possessed Egypt, fulfilling this prophecy.

* Here are the nations and people that have ruled over Egypt: Babylon, Persia, Macedonia, Rome, the Saracens, the Mamluks, the Ottomans, France, the Anglo-French debt commission, the British, etc.

32:7 - God "will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light." To Ezekiel, the sun is just a little light that can be covered with a cloud, and the moon produces its own light.

* Although this verse could be explained literally, it is actually symbolizing the destruction of the Egyptians.  The Sun represented Pharaoh.  The Moon likely represented the Queen.

32:13 - God takes a break from killing people while he kills all the animals in Egypt.

* Part of God's judgment includes killing animals.  The Creator holds this right.

32:9-20 - God wants people to get to know him better. That's why he kills so many people. He just wants them to know that he is the Lord.

* God is about to judge the Egyptians for their wickedness and idolatry.  He isn't simply judging them to let them know He is Lord.

32:21-32 - God's got a hardcore grudge against the "uncircumcised."

* In these verses, the term "uncircumcised" represented unrepentant unbelievers.

Chapter 33

33:19 - Here we are told that God will not destroy those who repent of their sins, but elsewhere the Bible says that God destroys both the wicked and the just.

* God is the giver and taker of life.  This includes the righteous and the wicked.

33:27-29 - God plans some more killing by the sword, beasts, and the pestilence.

* These verses refer to more of God's judgments for sin.

Chapter 35

35:3-15 - God "will fill his mountains with his slain men." Among these slain are the inhabitants of Idumea, the Edomites. Again, this contradicts with God's own decree in Deuteronomy 23:7.

* God is judging people for their sins.  He holds this right.

* In Deuteronomy 23:7, God tells the Israelites not to abhor the Edomites.  This doesn't make them immune to God's judgments for their sins.

Chapter 36

36:5-6 - God is furious and is out of control with the fire of his jealousy.

* These verses never indicate that God is out of control.  However, they do indicate that He is angry because of their sins.

36:16-17 - In condemning Israel, God says, "their way was before me as the uncleanliness of a removed woman."

* God compared Israel's sin to a woman who is bleeding because of menstruation.  God is making a comparison between Israel's unclean behavior and a woman who is unclean because of menstruation.

Chapter 37

37:7-10 - The leg bone is connected to the thigh bone ....

* There is no problem or alleged contradiction here.

37:15-17 - God shows Ezekiel how to join two sticks together.

* These sticks symbolized the divided Israelites and how God would unite them.

37:23 - Worshipping idols and other gods is "detestable."

* God deserved their wholehearted worship and devotion.  Worshiping other gods was detestable.

Chapter 38

38:18-20 - God says that he will get so darned angry that his fury will come up in his face and that even the fish, birds, beasts, and bugs will shake when they see him. God will throw a tantrum, toppling every wall and mountain.

* God will punish this army that will try and invade Israel.  This will be a Russian-led coalition and it will happen in the future.

38:21-23 - God will cause each man's sword to be against his brother; he will send disease and make it rain fire and brimstone. He says that by doing this he'll magnify and sanctify himself and let everyone know that he is the Lord.

* There will be some incredible things happening to this army that tries to invade Israel.  They will be severely judged.  Incidentally, these verses sound like they may be a weapons malfunction and even nuclear explosions.

Chapter 39

39:4, 17-20 - God will have "ravenous birds" and "beasts" eat human flesh and drink human blood until they are full and drunken of "my sacrifice, which I have sacrificed for you."

* Since there will be a lot of contamination, the birds will eat the bodies that people won't go near.

39:10 - God tells the Israelites to "rob those that robbed them." This, of course, would break the seventh commandment, but maybe God figures that in this case two wrongs would make a right.

* This verse simply indicates that after Israel's oppressors are dead, they will take and use their things.  Since this will be Israel's army taking the things that the invading army leaves on their land, this won't be considered stealing.  Should they just leave everything there?

39:17-20 - God is preparing a feast for the animals. He's going to have them eat human flesh until they are full and drink human blood until they are drunk. What a guy!

* Verses 13-16 indicate something terrible happening where people couldn't even walk in the area of the dead soldiers for many months.  During this time, the animals feasted on the bodies.

Chapter 44

44:9-13 - God will not allow any uncircumcised foreigners into the sanctuary and, for any priests who worshipped idols, God will lift his "hand against them, ... and they shall bear their iniquity."

* God gave the Jews some ordinances for the conduct of priests.

44:19 - Apparently, if a priest has been in the temple chatting with God, some of God's "holiness" can rub off onto the priest and get stuck to his clothes. And, since God doesn't want just anyone getting hold to this "holiness," the priest has to change clothes.

* God is exceedingly holy.  Therefore, He gave specific laws regarding the priests and how they approached Him.

Chapter 44

46:6 - What is the correct recipe for the new moon sacrifice?

* In Numbers 28:11, we see God initiating a certain amount and type of animals for this sacrifice. In Ezekiel 46:6, we find God changing this number. Since God ordained this sacrifice, it is within His power to change it. It was a new system to go with a new temple; representing a new era in Israel's history.