(1) Chapters 1 to 24, which recount his call and deal with the issues at
stake in the different Judean communities in the critical years between
the first and second captivities. They represent the prophet's work
between the years 592 and 586 B.C. (2) Chapters 25 to 32, include seven
oracles regarding Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Egypt, the
nations which had taken part in the destruction of Jerusalem or else, like
Egypt, had lured Judah to its ruin. The complete destruction of these foes
is predicted, and chapter 32 concludes with a weird picture of their fate,
condemned by Jehovah to dwell in Sheol, the abode of the shades.
(3) Chapters 33 to 39 contain messages of comfort and promise to Ezekiel's
fellow-exiles in Babylonia and in the distant lands of the dispersion.
They are dated between the years 586 and 570 B.C. (4) Chapters 40 to 48
present Ezekiel's plan for the restored temple and service and for the
redistribution of the territory of Canaan, and his belief that Judah's
fertility would be miraculously increased. This plan is definitely dated
in the year 572 B.C., two years before the prophet's death.

V. The Resurrection of the Dead Nation. Ezekiel dealt with the problems
of his fellow-exiles concretely and from a point of view which they could
readily understand. He fully realized that if the faith of the people was
to be saved in this crisis a definite hope, expressed in objective
imagery, must be set before them. With the same inspired insight that had
prompted Jeremiah to purchase his family estate in the hour of Jerusalem's
downfall, Ezekiel saw that Jehovah would yet restore his people, if they
would but respond to the demands of this crisis. His message was,
therefore, one of hope and promise. In the memorable chapter in which he
pictures a valley filled with dry bones, he aimed to inspire their faith
by declaring that Jehovah was not only able but would surely gather
together the dismembered parts of the nation and impart to it new life and
activity. The prophet was clearly speaking of national rather than of