Ezekiel 40–48 — A Fantastic Vision1

Abstract Christians reading Ezekiel 40–48 may well struggle to understand the City/Temple described in this vision. Is it literal? If so, when will it be built? How does it relate to the church, which is God’s Temple according to the New Testament? How does it relate to Revelation 21–22? How does Ezekiel’s Temple fit into the Bible’s plot structure and narrative storyline? This research employs a literary approach and typology to answer those questions. The rationale of these methodologies is they combine the realistic features of the vision, rooting the vision in history, while the “symbolic” aspects point forward to a heightened, eschatological fulfillment.