Workers For Jesus Online Bible Study Table of Contents

About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard for modern English readers to understand.  In this study, you will find notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible. We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read the verses in their KJV form. 

Timeline of the Bible

God creates the world. --- God destroys the world with the flood, but saves  Noah and his family.---  God chooses Abraham and his descendants to His people. ---Abraham's grandson, Jacob, has 12 sons who lead the 12 tribes of Israel.--- The Israelites become slaves in Egypt.--- God helps the Israelites escape and leads them to Canaan. ---The Israelites fight in wars and take control of Canaan.---Judges lead the Israelites, but the Israelites want to have kings instead of judges. --- David is Israel's greatest king.--- Israel divides into 2 parts: Israel and Judah.---► The people of Israel and Judah continue to sin and worship false gods.--- God allows the Assyrians and the Babylonians to take the Israelites out of Israel and Judah.---  ◄This book of the Bible happens during this time The Israelites (Jews) live in Babylonia and then Persia. --- When Persia defeats the Babylonians, the Jews go back to Judah.--- The Jews build God's Temple in Jerusalem again.--- Greece defeats Persia, and the Greeks control Judah (also now called Israel).--- The Jews become independent for 100 years.-- The Romans take control of Israel.--- Jesus is born. At age 30, Jesus begins his ministry. ---Jesus is crucified and then is resurrected. --- A Roman named Saul is converted to Christianity and becomes Paul.--- Christianity spreads. --- Paul write letters to Christians in other places. In the year, 70 A.D., God's Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed again.

The Book of Ezekiel

Ezekiel was one of the Israelites who got sent away (exiled) to Babylon.  He had lived in Jerusalem before the exile. He was in the first group to be exiled to Babylon.  His book starts 5 years after the exile. He was 30 years old when he began to see visions and became a prophet. Ezekiel and some of the other Israelite exiles had a camp by the river named Chebar. God tells him to travel and warn the Israelites to change their behavior.


Ezekiel 1 - 3

Ezekiel sits on the bank of the Chebar River
Ezekiel sees a vision of God.
God speaks to Ezekiel and tells him to warn the Israelites to stop sinning against Him. 

 

 

Ezekiel 1


Ezekiel says he is 30 years old. It is the 5th day of the 4th month. He was one of the Jewish exiles who lived in a camp by the Chebar River. They had been living there for 5 years. Then, he had a vision.

[1] Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
[2] In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

Ezekiel was a priest, and his father's name was Buzi. God's word came to Ezekiel. He was sitting by the river, and he had a vision of God. God was there with Ezekiel.
[3] The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.
Picture from LaVista Church of Christ
This is what Ezekiel saw:  he saw a whirlwind and storm cloud coming toward him.  There was fire and brightness. 4 creatures came out of the cloud.The faces looked like men's faces. They had 4 faces and 4 wings.
[4] And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
[5] Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
[6] And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
Their feet looked like cow's feet.  They sparkled like brass. They had hands under their wings. They had four faces.
[7] And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
[8] And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Their wings were connected to each other. They walked together.
[9] Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Their faces were like men's faces, lions' faces, oxen's faces, and eagles' faces.
[10] As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
Their wings stretched up and connected. 2 of their wings covered their bodies.
[11] Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
They went wherever the spirit went.
[12] And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
They looked like burning coals of fire. The fire was bright.  Lightning came out of the creatures.
[13] As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
The creatures ran away and then came back like a flash of lightning.
[14] And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
The creatures had wheels under them. The wheels were like the shiny rock called beryl. Each wheel had another wheel inside it.
[15] Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
[16] The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
When they moved, they didn't have to turn because the wheels turned.
[17] When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
The rims of the wheels were scary. They had eyes all around them. The wheels moved with the creatures. When the creatures went up, the wheels also went up.
[18] As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
[19] And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
The wheels went wherever the creatures went.
[20] Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
 [21] When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

There was crystal over the heads of the creature.
[22] And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above./
There were 4 wings.  Two of the wings stretched toward each other. The other 2 wings were down by its side.
[23] And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
When they left, I heard their wings. They sounded like great waters or the voice of God. When they stood, they held down their wings.
[24] And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
There was a voice from the sky over their heads. There was a throne with a sapphire stone. There was a man sitting on the throne.
[25] And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
[26] And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
I saw yellow fire around the throne. It was all around it.  It was bright and shining.  It was like the glory of the Lord.  When I saw it, I fell down on my face.  I heard a voice.
[27] And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
[28] As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Ezekiel 2


The Lord said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet, and I will talk to you."
[1] And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

 The spirit came into me when He talked. It set me up on my feet. He said, "Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel. They are a rebellious people who don't listen to me and follow my rules.  They have sinned against Me and continue to sin against Me..  Their ancestors sinnned against Me, too.
[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.
[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.
They are stubborn children who don't behave well.  I am sending you to them to tell them what I said. Whether they listen or not, they will know that one of God's prophets has been there with them.
[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.
[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.
And you, son of man, don't be afraid of them. Don't be afraid of what they say. Don't be discouraged because they are rebellious people.
[6] And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
You will tell them what I said whether they listen or not. But you, son of man, listen to Me. Don't be rebellious like them.  Open your mouth and eat what I give you.
[7] And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
[8] But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
When I looked up, there was a hand giving me a scroll. He spread it in front of me.  On the scroll, there were sad and mourning words.
[9] And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;
[10] And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Ezekiel 3



He also said to me, "Son of man, eat this roll. Go speak to the people of Israel." I opened my mouth. God gave me the roll to eat.
[1] Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
[2] So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
God said to me, "Son of man, eat and digest this roll." I ate it, and it tasted like honey.
 [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.

 He said to me, "Son of man, go to the Israelites and tell them what I say. I'm not sending you to people with a different language. I am sending you to Israel. If I had sent you before, they would have listened to you.
[4] And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto 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;
[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.
But Israel will not listen to you because they don't listen to Me.  All of the Israelites are stubborn and disrespectful.
[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.
I have made you strong to face them.  I have made you harder than flint rock. You will not be afraid of them. Don't worry what they look like. They are a rebellious people."
[8] Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
[9] As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
He also said to me, "Son of man, listen to everything I am telling you. Go to them now. Tell them what I said. See if they will listen or not listen."
[10] Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
[11] And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
Then the spirit lifted me up.  Behind me, I heard the wings and wheels moving. I heard voices. They said, "The Lord's glory is blessed here."
[12] Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place.
[13] I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
The spirit lifted me up and took me away. I was very sad and bitter. I didn't want to go.  But God's hand held me tight.
[14] So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.

 I arrived at the place named Tel-abib. It was by the Chebar River. I sat with the people for 7 days. They were very surprised.
[15] Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
At the end of 7 days, God said to me, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for Me.
[16] And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[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.
I may say to the sinners, 'You are going to die.'  You might not warn him or try to get him to change.  When the man dies as a sinner, you will be punished, too.  But if you warn him and he doesn't change, he will die a sinner but you have saved your soul.
[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.
[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.
I say again, if a good man starts to sin, I will put a roadblock in front of him. You haven't warned him, so he will die. He will die, and I will not remember the good things he did while he was alive.  I will hold you responsible.
[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.
But if you warned  him and he stopped sinning, he will live. You will live, too."
[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.
The Lord's hand was on me, and He said, "Get up and go into the land. I will talk to you there."
 [22] And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.


I got up and went forward into the land. The Lord was there. I saw His shining glory. It was the same as when I was by the Chebar River.  I fell down on my face. God's spirit entered me and stood me up on my feet. He told me to go to my house.
[23] Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
[24] Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
But you will be tied up so you can't warn the people. You won't be able to talk. But later, I will make your mouth open. Then, you will tell them what I said. It is up to them to listen or not. They are stubborn and rebellious people.
[25] But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
[26] And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
[27] But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.