Ezekiel
LESSON #1 HEED THE WATCHMEN (Ezekiel 33)
TRUTH:
Prophets are like watchmen on a tower. If we heed their warnings, we will be delivered from spiritual danger.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
Now I believe that one of the greatest blessings we have as members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ is living prophets. It’s really one of the things that sets us apart as a Church, the fact that we believe in continuing and modern revelation to guide and instruct us. Well, one of the blessings of having living prophets is that the Lord can warn us of latter-day dangers before we recognize them ourselves. But receiving a warning gives us a choice. What will we do with it? Ezekiel gives us a simple, powerful picture of that responsibility. And what I love about this passage is that the Lord tells us why He warns us. His motivation is that He wants us to live. So hopefully, by the end of this lesson, our students will one, feel grateful for prophetic warnings, and two, be more willing to do something with them.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
The book of Ezekiel is going to give us one of the greatest visuals or object lessons for the role of prophets in God’s Church. In Ezekiel 33:7, the Lord calls him “a watchman unto the house of Israel.” And that’s an image worth understanding before you teach this lesson. The responsibilities of the watchman, the choices of the people, and the reason for the warning all help us see what the Lord is trying to accomplish through His prophets.
So first, let’s take a look at this visual from the watchman’s perspective. Think about where you would put a watchman. You’d obviously want him somewhere with a clear view of what was approaching. High on the walls of the city or in a tower would give him a perspective that the people down in the streets wouldn’t have. And that’s why I feel that this is such a good analogy for prophets. Through revelation, the Lord can help them to recognize dangers that we, the members of his Church, may not yet recognize ourselves.
These verses also establish where the prophets get their perspective. What is the source of their wisdom and warnings? Verse 7 gives us the answer. The Lord says, “hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” Prophets don’t teach their own thought, words, and ideas. They receive their warnings from the Lord.
Now, the passage asks us to consider the burden of responsibility that this places on the prophets themselves. What if they’re asked to give a warning that is difficult, unpopular, or hard to understand? What if a prophet decided to keep the warning to themselves because they were worried about how the people might respond? That’s where the watchman metaphor really helps us. The responsibility of the watchman is to see the danger, blow the trumpet, and warn the people. Verses 6 and 8 explain that if the watchman fails to warn, if he doesn’t take his responsibility seriously, then he is accountable for that failure. If he saw the danger, had a responsibility to speak, but failed to do so, the people could say, “Why didn’t you tell us! You saw it coming and you stayed silent? This is your fault!” Prophets have to take this responsibility seriously.
But what about us? Let’s look at this metaphor from the people’s perspective. The people have a responsibility too. They’re supposed to not just hear the warning, but take warning, and turn from a dangerous course. A watchman could do everything he was supposed to do. He could see the enemy approaching and sound the trumpet clearly. But he couldn’t make the people respond. They would still have to decide what to do with what they’d heard.
That distinction is important for this lesson. We can be grateful for living prophets. We can listen to their messages and recognize the wisdom in their counsel. But eventually, that counsel needs to influence our choices.
There’s some strong language in this chapter. The Lord speaks of people being taken away or dying in their iniquity. I wouldn’t rush past that. The warning matters because the danger is real. In the watchman’s illustration, an approaching army doesn’t disappear because someone chooses to ignore the trumpet. And spiritually, refusing to take a warning seriously doesn’t make a harmful choice harmless.
Think about prophetic warnings concerning dishonesty, anger, prejudice, pride, materialism, or pornography. Those things can damage our relationships, our ability to recognize spiritual promptings, and our desire to come unto Christ. The Lord knows where those roads lead. Through His prophets, He invites us to change direction.
In verse 9, the warning has a specific purpose: to encourage a person to turn from a sinful way. That gives us a useful way to teach repentance. Picture someone moving in a direction that will take them toward danger. A warning reaches them. Now they have an opportunity to change course. Sometimes that turning means stopping something. Sometimes it means beginning something we’ve neglected. Sometimes it means admitting we were wrong and making things right. But if we do that, what’s the promised result? Verse 5, we shall deliver our souls! We’ll be delivered from the danger.
So that’s the flow of the lesson:
Hear. Take warning. Turn. Be Delivered.
We hear the warning. We take it seriously. We change direction. And we enjoy the protection that the prophet’s perspective provides.
That helps us understand why prophets sometimes teach things that challenge us. Their responsibility includes warning us about choices and influences that can harm us spiritually. I think it’s tempting sometimes to look up from the bottom of the tower and say, “What are they so worried about? I don’t see anything. I don’t see why that’s a big deal. I don’t see why I need to make that change.”
But the fact that I don’t see the danger doesn’t mean there isn’t any. That’s part of the reason I need a watchman. His warning gives me an opportunity to respond before the danger becomes obvious from where I’m standing.
Sometimes I like to give my students some more recent examples of this dynamic.
Joseph Smith received Doctrine and Covenants 89 in 1833, which contains what we refer to as the Word of Wisdom or the Church’s law of health. In that revelation he warned of “evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days”. So to keep us healthy and free from addiction and poor health, the prophet warned us long before these industries really began to form, strengthen, and plot to capture as many people in their addictive web as possible. We were warned as a people long before nutritionists and doctors and surgeon generals banded together to also warn people of the dangers of these things. We’ve had that instruction since 1833. The prophet saw the coming danger and sounded the trumpet for us.
David O. McKay emphasized the importance of protecting the home and making family values a priority during the 1950’s when family values were generally supported and upheld in the media and popular culture of the day. But what could he see off in the distance? The 60’s where there would be a massive counter-culture rebellion against those family values. The nature of many movies, tv shows and music changed. General standards changed, and values that were once considered universal and obvious were questioned and defied. Things have never been the same. The prophet saw the coming danger though, and raised a warning voice.
Under Gordon B. Hinckley, The Proclamation on the Family cemented and reiterated the Church’s position on certain social issues in a day when those things were challenged but not necessarily generally opposed. What did he see? A much more concerted and broad attack on those issues that has only greatly intensified over the past 25 years. I believe he and other church leaders saw these things coming and prepared us a church to commit to those values and strengthen our resolve to stand up for them.
Russell M. Nelson significantly altered the teaching program and schedule of the Church in 2019 to encourage more at-home study and gospel instruction. How prophetic was that change when in 2020 all we could do was at-home gospel instruction. Therefore, we as a church were far better prepared for the circumstances we found ourselves in during the pandemic because of the prophet’s counsel.
And then, all prophets in any age teach commandments and standards that are designed to help us live happy and meaningful lives. When they warn us of the dangers of dishonesty, prejudice, anger, materialism, pride, immodesty, pornography, or any number of other vices, they are doing it from a raised perspective of what these things will bring to our futures. They protect us from these negative consequences and deliver our souls.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 2 Min
To begin, I’d say, “I’m going to name a few sounds, and I want you to tell me what each sound is asking you to do.”
First, a doorbell.
What’s that asking you to do? Answer the door. Somebody’s there.
How about an alarm clock?
Wake up and get going. You’ve got somewhere to be, and you need to get ready.
How about a railroad crossing bell?
Stay off the tracks, a train is coming.
And finally, a smoke alarm.
Now that one requires a more urgent response. You need to respond to the possibility of a fire and get to safety.
Then ask:
What might happen in each of those situations if we heard the sound and decided to do nothing?
If we ignored the doorbell, we may miss an important visitor or delivery. The alarm clock, we could be late for school, work, or an important appointment. The railroad crossing bell, you could get killed by ignoring that sound, and then if you ignore the smoke alarm, you may be putting your life in danger as well. The smoke alarm could be working perfectly, loud enough for everyone in the house to hear. But hearing it doesn’t get anyone out of the house. Somebody has to act.
Well, in Ezekiel, the Lord uses a warning sound to teach us something very important about prophets—and something about ourselves. Ezekiel 33:7 gives us one of the greatest visuals for the role of prophets in God’s church. In that verse, what does the Lord compare Ezekiel to?
Answer: A watchman.
And what is the sound a watchman would make if he saw danger approaching? Look in verse 4 for the answer. He would blow a trumpet. That was the warning sound. If you heard the trumpet blowing from the watchtower, you knew, trouble was coming.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time: 8 min
Give your class just a little context. Ezekiel was a prophet among the Israelites in exile in Babylon. These were people who understood that an approaching army was a very real danger. So the Lord uses a situation they could easily picture: a watchman who sees an enemy coming and sounds a trumpet.
Now, before you read, put two headings on the board:
THE WATCHMANTHE PEOPLE
Then give them this invitation: As we read Ezekiel 33:2–5, look for the action words. What does the watchman do, and what are the people supposed to do?”
Read those verses together, and give them a moment to identify the actions.
Under the watchman, you’ll have things like see, blow, and warn.
He watches for danger. When he sees it, he blows the trumpet and warns the people.
And what about the people?
They hear. But the Lord adds another phrase that matters a great deal. They’re supposed to take warning.
I would have them mark that phrase.
Then you might ask:
What’s the difference between hearing a warning and taking a warning?
Hearing means the message has reached me. Taking warning means I respond to it. I take it seriously enough to do something about it. I can hear a warning and keep doing exactly what I was doing before. To take it, I have to let it influence my choices.
Now look at the consequence in verses 4–5. What happens to the person who hears the trumpet but doesn’t take warning?
The enemy still comes. Ignoring the sound doesn’t remove the danger, his blood shall be upon his own head. That’s a sobering part of this image. The warning has given this person an opportunity to respond, but he hasn’t taken it. And the passage places responsibility for that decision on him.
Now I would summarize verses 6-8 and explain that the watchman also has a responsibility. If he sees the danger and fails to sound the warning, the Lord holds him accountable for that failure. So there are responsibilities on both sides. The watchman must warn, but the PEOPLE must respond.
Now have your class read verse 9 and look for another action word. When the warning reaches someone who is going the wrong way, what does the Lord want that person to do?
Answer: Turn. The warning is supposed to affect the direction we’re traveling.
Maybe there’s something we need to stop doing. Maybe there’s something we need to begin. Maybe we need to make something right. But taking warning means being willing to change our course.
DEEPEN THE INSIGHT: WHY DOES THE LORD WARN US?
Time: 4 Min
Now, up to this point, we’ve heard some serious language about danger, responsibility, and consequences. And we should let that language matter. The Lord is warning about something real. But I wouldn’t end our understanding of the passage there. What is the desired result of the Lord for sending these warnings? What is the motivation behind giving the warning? Search verse 5 for that answer. It’s so that our souls may be delivered! It protects us! It keeps us from danger. We live!
Now that realization should change the way we hear the trumpet.
Imagine that watchman up on the wall. He sees an army approaching. He understands the danger. So he sounds the warning while the people have an opportunity to respond. That warning is an act of care.
Here I would take a moment to display the TRUTH slide.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Time: 3 min
Can you think of any examples of how a latter-day prophet has warned us of coming dangers before they arrived?
And this is where I might share some of the examples we discussed above or allow your students to come up with some examples of their own.
TAKE IT TO HEART/HANDOUT:
Time: 2 min
To help my students take the truth of this lesson more to heart, I might invite them to ponder and evaluate their relationship to our modern watchmen. You could just have them ponder it from this slide, or you could give them this activity as a handout. It presents five different statements and invites them to consider: On a scale from 1-10, with 1 being the lowest, and 10 being the highest, where would you put yourself in relation to the following statements.
I am grateful to be led by living prophets and apostles.
I watch every session of General Conference.
I go back and revisit the talks of General Conference.
I seek to apply the lessons I learn from General Conference.
I have seen blessings in my life from heeding the counsels of the prophets.
Then a final question to help your students to action: What is one prophetic invitation you’ll act on this week, and what will your first step be?
TAKEAWAY:
Time: 2 min
To conclude, show your class the takeaway slide which illustrates the main visual of the lesson. A watchman blowing his trumpet from a watchtower. Then you could point your students to the visual and say: The watchman has seen the danger. He has sounded the trumpet. Now the people have a choice.
And we have a choice when the Lord sends us counsel through His prophets.
I’m grateful that the Lord cares enough to warn us. I’m grateful that He calls us to turn when our choices are taking us toward danger. And I love that He tells us what He wants for us: He wants us to be delivered.
So as you think about your relationship to the living watchmen of today, remember those four ideas.
Hear. Take warning. Turn. And Be Delivered.
Take the warning seriously. Be willing to change direction. Trust the loving purpose of the Lord who sent it. The invitation this week is to do something with what you’ve heard. Let what you hear change how you live.
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
VIDEO:
If you have some time, the Church produced a video a number of years ago that illustrates this very metaphor and many of the truths that we just discussed. It’s called, “Watchman on the Tower” and I’ll include a link to it in the video description below.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:Another option would be to invite your students to pull up the most recent General Conference on their phones and choose a talk from one of the prophets or apostles. Give them a few minutes to look for a specific warning or invitation—something we’re being encouraged to avoid, change, or do. Then invite a few students to share what they found and ask, “What would it look like to act on that counsel?” This can be a simple way of helping your students to recognize that the watchmen are still speaking and consider what they’ll do with what they’ve heard.
QUOTE:
From Elder David A. Bednar:“Constant vigilance is required to counteract complacency and casualness. To be vigilant is the state or action of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties. And keeping watch denotes the act of staying awake to guard and protect. Spiritually speaking, we need to stay awake and be alert to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the signals that come from the Lord’s watchmen on the towers.”
(Conference Report, Oct. 2019 “Watchful unto Prayer Continually”)
LESSON #2 CAN THESE BONES LIVE? (Ezekiel 37)
TRUTH:
God has the power to bring life and hope to the lifeless and hopeless.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
Something that gives me a fire in the bones for teaching this lesson is the thought that there may be somebody in our classes who has quietly given up on something. Perhaps they’ve given up on their ability to change, or their faith has grown weak, or they’re grieving someone they love. They look at some part of their life and all they see is a valley of dry bones. And then the Lord asks this remarkable question: “Can these bones live?” This vision gives us a chance to help our students see possibilities they may have stopped seeing. We want them to leave with greater confidence in Jesus Christ’s power to bring life, forgiveness, and hope into places that seem beyond recovery.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
Well, first, you should familiarize yourself with the vision itself. And this is one of those stories that just really has to be visualized to have the most impact. So picture this in your mind as we read.
37 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
So can you picture that. A large valley full of bones. An entire valley filled with human skeletons that have been bleaching in the sun for years.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.
But I imagine in Ezekiel’s mind he’s thinking, “I don’t think so”. Bones don’t come back to life. Especially not these bones. The people whose bones these belong to, are not just mostly dead, they are all dead and have been so for a very, very long time. But, he still gives God a really safe answer: God, thou knowest. You know, you are God, after all, and have been known to do some pretty amazing things.
4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
5 Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
Oh, isn’t that a fantastic description? Can you just hear the rattling of those bones echoing in your imagination there. An entire valley full of them, shaking and clattering together. And they start to move together, and attach themselves back into full skeletons bone by bone.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
So not only do the bones come together, but now what happens? Muscles, and organs, and skin covers the bones. Can you visualize that one? Or hear it? What does that look like, what does it sound like? It’s another vivid and evocative image. But they’re not alive. So now it’s just a valley full of bodies. But no breath in them.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
Now they wake up. Their eyes flicker open and their mouths draw in that first breath of life. And then these newly brought to life people stand up on their feet and begin to look around. And they’re clothed in armor, swords attached to their hip belts, helmets, breastplates, shields. What a sight that must have been for Ezekiel. Sounds like something out of a Lord of the Rings movie, right? For something to have been so dead and hopeless, and bleak, to then be transformed into living, breathing, powerful soldiers, must have been an unforgettable vision for Ezekiel to behold.
Now, before you teach this vision, it helps to understand what the Lord says it means. Fortunately, this is one of those visions where He gives us an explanation. In verse 11, He tells Ezekiel that the bones represent the whole house of Israel. And remember what the house of Israel has experienced at this time. They’ve been conquered and scattered. Jerusalem has fallen and they feel like their country, their kingdom, their nation is dead. Listen to their words: “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost.” That’s how they see themselves. So verses 11-14
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.
So here the Lord is promising that He can restore them. He can bring them back to their land and put His Spirit in them. He can, in a sense, bring the nation out of its grave. So the gathering and restoration of Israel give us the foundation for understanding this vision. God hasn’t forgotten His people, and their present condition doesn’t place them beyond His power.
But, that’s just ONE of many possible interpretations and truths that we can gain from pondering this vision. What else might this vision teach us?
One is the Resurrection. This vision gives us a vivid picture of bodies being restored and receiving life again. Through Jesus Christ, those who have physically died will live again. What a hopeful connection for anyone who has lost somebody that they love
Then there’s the personal application that I find especially meaningful. Dry bones are such a powerful image for lost hope. These bones aren’t just lifeless. They’re very dry. Everything about the scene suggests that life has been gone for a long time. And yet, the Lord can make them live. That can help us understand His power to revive faith, extend forgiveness, and renew hope. Someone may feel that they’re beyond redemption or that they’ve failed too many times to change. This vision gives us a reason to keep turning toward the Savior.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 3 min
For an icebreaker, I like to do a quick activity called “Can You Name the Bone?”
Show your students pictures of 6 bones and see if they can name them, or at least tell you where they’re found in the body. You could also approach this activity as a handout if you prefer.
But you start easy:
A skull.
A femur—the thighbone.
A rib
A patella—the kneecap.
A vertebra
And this is called the stapes. It’s the smallest bone in the human body and it’s found in the ear.
Just take a quick answer for each one and then transition to the scriptures by saying:
Well, the prophet Ezekiel had a really interesting vision where bones played a big part in helping him understand a truth about God’s power. We find that vision in Ezekiel 37.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time: 10 min
For the search activity, I would just read Ezekiel 37:1-10 to my students while encouraging them to visualize what it is being described in their minds. But read it with voice, with emphasis, and enthusiasm. Help them to picture what Ezekiel is seeing.
And as they listen, they should simply ponder one question:
What do you think the Lord wanted Ezekiel—and us—to understand through this vision?
And then just read it and afterwards open the discussion up to their interpretations
But after a few minutes of their thoughts, if the conversation hasn’t naturally turned in the direction of our overall truth, then perhaps you can stop and ask:
More generally speaking, what does that transformation help you to understand about God’s power?
And that’s where I would be sure to display our overall truth: God has the power to bring life and hope to the lifeless and hopeless.
TAKE IT TO HEART:
Time: 7 min
Now, to help your students see how Ezekiel’s vision could apply to many different circumstances, give them a few situations to consider. You could say something like:
“We’ve seen what the Lord can do with a valley of dry bones. Now let’s consider how that vision might help someone who’s having a hard time seeing a reason to hope.”
1. Imagine you’re an Israelite living in Babylon in Ezekiel’s day. Jerusalem has been destroyed, and you’re far from home. Someone in your family says, “Our nation is finished. We’ve lost everything. I don’t see how we’ll ever be a people again.”
How could Ezekiel’s vision help you respond?
And with that one, you could take them to verses 11-14 to show them that that was the original application the Lord intended for the people who first heard Ezekiel’s vision. They could be restored to their promised land.
But prophecies can have multiple fulfillments. Now let’s consider how this same vision can give US hope in other circumstances.
2. A friend has recently lost a family member they love. They say, “I know we talk about life after death at church. But right now, all I can think about is that they’re gone. I miss them so much.”
What could you share from this vision that might bring them some comfort?
Here you could talk about the hope the vision gives for resurrection.
3. Someone says, “I used to feel close to God. I used to enjoy reading my scriptures and going to church. Lately, I just feel spiritually empty. I wonder if I’ll ever feel that way again.”
Well, God can bring life back into dying faith.
4. A person has been struggling with a sinful habit. They’ve made efforts to repent, but after another setback, they say, “Maybe this is just who I am. I’ve tried to change so many times. I’m starting to think there’s no point in trying again.”
How could this vision give them a reason to keep turning to the Savior?
As they share, you can briefly clarify or reinforce their discoveries. We don’t need to give a separate explanation after every answer. Let their observations carry the application.
Then bring it home personally:
“Now, you may not be in any of those exact situations. But is there something in your own life where you need the hope this vision offers?”
Give them a quiet moment to think. And then . . .
“What do you want to remember from this vision when that situation feels hopeless?”
They don’t need to share that answer. We want them to leave with something from the scriptures they can hold on to.
TAKEAWAY:
Time: 2 min
Then display the takeaway slide and say something like this:
Look at that valley for a moment. Everything Ezekiel could see suggested that life was gone. The bones were very dry. The people themselves said that their hope was lost.
But the Lord could do something with those bones that they could never do for themselves.
He could make them live.
That’s what I hope we remember from this vision. Jesus Christ has power to bring life where we see death. He can resurrect those we love. He can forgive us when we repent. He can breathe life into faith and hope that have grown weak.
So if you’re looking at something in your life and thinking, “I don’t see how this could ever change,” remember Ezekiel’s answer: “O Lord God, thou knowest.”
You can bring that concern to Him. You can take the step you’ve felt prompted to take. You can leave room for what He knows and what He can do.
Can these bones live?
Through the power of God, yes. They can.
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
ADDITIONAL PRINCIPLE:
A possible additional idea that you could add if you have more class time would be to suggest another way to liken this vision. The army that Ezekiel sees is also an army of hope ready to go out and redeem Israel. Well, we have an army of young people out there in the world doing just that. Missionaries! The Lord has breathed life into them, and now, strengthened by the Spirit, they go out to bring hope to the world and help gather Israel. And since they are an army, that would consequently have to have weapons. But what kind of weapon would an army of hope carry?
Then you could connect that thought with Ezekiel 37:15–17 where Ezekiel prophesies that in the last days, the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph would become one in our hand. “Sticks” in this sense mean scrolls or scriptures. In our Latter-day Saint understanding, the sticks of Judah and Joseph represent the Bible and the Book of Mormon coming together. And what can these united records accomplish? Have your students search 2 Nephi 3:12. They confound false doctrines, lay down contentions, establish peace, and help people understand the Lord’s covenants. A powerful weapon indeed.
QUOTE:
A quote from a recent General Conference talk by President Oaks that combines the ideas of both the Lord’s power to overcome death through the resurrection and to help us overcome mortal trials might be fitting to share here. He said:“I wonder if we fully appreciate the enormous significance of this belief in a literal, universal resurrection. The conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity changes the whole perspective of our mortal life. It affects how we look on the physical challenges of mortality. It gives us the strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and by those we love. It signifies that mortal deficiencies are only temporary!”
(Conference Report, Apr. 2026 “Alive in Christ”)
LESSON #3 WATERS TO SWIM IN (Ezekiel 47)
TRUTH:
A river of truth, peace, healing, and life flows from the Lord’s house. As we continue to worship there and live our covenants, our experience of those blessings can deepen.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
Something that gives me a fire in the bones for teaching this lesson is the possibility of helping somebody see the temple and temple worship differently. Perhaps they’ve never been, and they wonder what could be waiting for them there. Perhaps they’ve been, but they found the experience unfamiliar or difficult to understand. Or perhaps they attend regularly, but their worship has become a little routine. Ezekiel’s vision here can give us a new perspective on what the temple is all about. It’s just fantastic. It’s my favorite idea and chapter in all of the book of Ezekiel. It gives us a memorable and beautiful picture of what the Lord offers through His house: a river of life and healing with waters deep enough to swim in. Our goal here is to help our students to leave with a greater desire to seek those blessings and spend time in the Lord’s house.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
You should know that Ezekiel is brought in vision by an angel to witness a kind of aerial view overlooking Jerusalem and the temple. And what does he see? He sees water flowing from the temple. Waters issue out from under the threshold and it becomes a river. Now we’re going to skip verses 3-5 for a minute and come back to them later. But let’s just focus on what that river does. Verses 6-12 give us some very important details about that river.
As the river flows, plants and trees begin growing on both sides. Very many trees in fact. We also learn that the river flows down into the East country, into the desert, and out into the sea. And then when the rivers enter the sea, the sea is healed. What sea are we talking about here? We’ll come back to that question. There are some more hints to that later on.
We learn in verse 9 that “whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live.” So the river is a river of healing. “For they shall be healed and everything shall live wither the river cometh.
Now unless you’ve been to the Holy Land and Jerusalem before, this imagery may not have its intended impact on you. So let me help you visualize this. We need to take a look at a map. Sometimes the Bible maps section can teach us powerful principles. I want you to go to Map 10 at the back of your Bibles which depicts a map of ancient Israel. Where was the temple first of all? Jerusalem. Then which direction did Ezekiel say the river was flowing? To the East, so this direction. He said that river flowed out into the desert. Now this is where I need to give you some help. The area just East of Jerusalem is known as the Judean wilderness. I’ve been there. And let me tell you, it is a dead, dead land. I mean, I live in Utah and spend a lot of time hiking in the desert, and yes, it is barren. But not even that is comparable to the Judean wilderness. At least there’s sage brush, and weeds, and cactus and a little bit of green. But the Judean wilderness. Nothing. Very, very little. Here’s a picture of what it looks like. This is the area that Ezekiel wants you to visualize. Now picture a river flowing through it. And what effect does the river have? It heals whatever it touches. And even in this dead, dead land, trees start springing up on both sides of it. It’s kind of sending a similar message to the vision of the valley of dry bones. If you were an Israelite, you would immediately understand the significance of that miracle. This is no ordinary river. For trees to grow up out of THAT kind of land is miraculous. And then that river flows down into the sea. What sea would we be talking about then? It’s not the Mediterranean. That would be west of Jerusalem. This river flows east. Verse 10 gives us some more clues. It gives us some place names. It says the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim. So can you find En-gedi on our map? Here it is down here. It’s on the banks of a sea. What sea lies east of Jerusalem? The Dead Sea. And that body of water is aptly named. IT IS DEAD. It’s actually quite a bit saltier than the Great Salt Lake. Nothing lives in the Dead Sea. At least little, tiny brine shrimp can live in the Great Salt Lake. The Dead Sea has so much mineral content, that you can actually float in it without even treading water. It’s my kind of swimming. No sea creatures to worry about, and basically impossible to drown in. But this incredible river flowing from the temple heals it! THAT’S really saying something! He says he sees fisherman standing on the banks, casting out their nets and bringing in all kinds of fish. As the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. Great fishing out of the Dead Sea? Incredible. You can imagine the impact that imagery would have on the people of Ezekiel’s day.
Then look at verse 12
12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat,
(meaning food, these are fruit trees)
whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
Ohhh. That’s so good. The trees generated by the river feed and heal.
So what is the river? It’s a beautiful symbol of the blessings that flow from the temple. From the doors of every temple on earth flows a healing, life-giving river. It’s not a river that you see with your eyes, but that you feel with your heart. And what does that river bring us? Remember the leaves of the trees are for medicine and that the waters, heal the desert and the Dead Sea. That’s the power of the temple. It can bring life and healing to all spiritually dry and dead places. The temple can give life to and heal dying faith, dying marriages, dying hopes, dying relationships. And one day, the combined rivers of life and healing that flow from all of God’s temples will combine into one and finally bring peace and healing to the entire world.
What else does that river bring? It’s a river of knowledge and truth that flows to all that enter therein. Remember the temple is referred to as a house of learning.
It’s a river of love.
It’s a river of joy
It’s a river of peace.
It’s a river of people that go out from its doors and provide life and healing to all those they encounter. Missionaries, before they serve, always go to the temple first. There they are given life and healing, and they in turn, go out and give those same things to the world.
It’s a river of salvation that brings forgiveness, and sanctification to those who serve within it, and brings salvation and sanctification to those whose work is done within it. It flows straight into the Spirit World, where those who have waited for so long are finally able to drink deeply from its banks.
Now how deep is that river? Hmmm. Ezekiel has something to say about that as well. Now back to Ezekiel 47:3-5.
3 And when the man (or the angel) that had the line in his hand went forth eastward,
(the line here would mean an instrument of measuring. So kind of like a measuring tape, the angel is counting out a distance along the bank of the river)
he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
So what principle might that be teaching us? My thoughts. I think it’s saying something about the experience I have in the temple each time that I go. The more I go to the temple, the deeper the waters get each time. Every time I worship there, the blessings deepen. Now I don’t know about you, but I still remember the very first time I ever went through the temple to receive my endowment. It was a bit of an overwhelming experience. There was so much I didn’t understand. I was, in a sense, just getting my feet wet. The water was only to the ankles. But even then, on a hot day, can wading into a cool ankle-deep stream be refreshing? Yes. And that experience was good and uplifting, but I realized I had much to learn. Now I’ve been back to the temple many times since, and every time I’ve gone, that river has gotten progressively deeper and deeper for me. Now when I go, I go to swim, not just to wade.
Now the meaning of that deepening can change depending on what aspect of the river I choose to focus on.
If the river represents truth and knowledge, every time I go to the temple, I learn more. My understanding of God’s plan and my part in it, deepens as I go to ponder the symbolism, the words, and the meaning of the ordinances performed there. .
If the river is a river of the salvation of souls, of God’s children, the more temples that are built, the longer those temples operate, the more these saving ordinances are offered to more of God’s children. The river deepens with each ordinance performed.
If the river is a river of love, or peace, or joy. The more I go to the temple, the more deeply I will feel those things in my life.
In all these things, it comes to the point where I’m not just wading in that river, but I’m swimming. It becomes a river that cannot be passed over.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 2 min
To introduce this lesson, I like to show my students a bunch of pictures of temples and
ask: Besides being temples, what do you notice these pictures have in common?
Take a couple of quick responses and help them notice that each have significant water features in front of them. Fountains, reflecting pools, or features where it appears that water is flowing from the temple itself.
Then say:
Almost all temples have some kind of water feature associated with them. Did you know that that’s not by accident? There is actually a scriptural reason for those water features. It’s not just good landscaping. It’s symbolic. And it has everything to do with a vision the prophet Ezekiel had in Ezekiel chapter 47.
Let’s take a look at what he saw.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time: 8 Min
First, have someone read Ezekiel 47:1.
Ask: What does Ezekiel first see?
He sees a river flowing East from beneath the threshold of the temple .
Now explain that you’re going to skip the next couple of verses for a moment and jump to verses 6–12.
Then invite them to read those verses looking for and marking all the things we learn about the river in those verses.
Give them time to read, then take a few discoveries.
They may point out:
Trees along the banks.
Go into the sea and the waters are healed.
Whatever the river touches, lives
Living things and an abundance of fish.
Fruit for food.
Leaves for medicine.
Now take your students to map 10 in the appendix section of their Bibles and explain that sometimes even maps can help us feel the power of a scripture. Help them to locate Jerusalem and then explain that Ezekiel says the water flows eastward, through the desert, and into the sea. You could speak about the miracle of that prophecy in light of what kind of land lies East of Jerusalem, the Judean wilderness. Then trace on the map to find which body of water, or sea, he’s talking about. The Dead Sea. And then you explain the nature of the Dead Sea why that miracle is such a big deal.
DISCUSSION QUESTION
Time: 3 minutes
Now we want to spend some time helping them to interpret the symbol. So ask:
What do you feel that river could represent? What flows from the temple that brings life and healing?
And be sure to tell them that there’s more than one interpretation. And then just start listing their answers on the board, and feel free to add some of your own as well. It’s a river of blessings, peace, hope, knowledge, answers to prayer, guidance, people, salvation, happiness. Many different ways that symbol could be interpreted. But the overall message is that the temple can bring life and healing to areas of our lives that seem dead or dying.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time: 5 Min
Now take your students to verses 3-5. Read it to them as a teacher with this simple question in mind:
What do you feel the angel was trying to teach Ezekiel and all of us about the river of the temple?
Allow your students to share or feel free to share the interpretations that we talked about earlier if you like.
TAKE IT TO HEART:
Time: 2 min
For a take it to heart, you could just ask the following:
Have you ever had an experience with temple worship that helped you feel one of the blessings we’ve discussed today? If you feel comfortable, would you share it?
You as the teacher could also be prepared to share an experience of your own.
TAKEAWAY:
Time: 2 min
Then display the takeaway slide and say something like this:
Well, I love to see the temple. And I love the way Ezekiel helps us to see it here.
A river flows from the Lord’s house. It reaches into dry places and brings life and healing to all it touches. And that river only gets deeper and deeper each time you step into it. Maybe you feel that you’re only beginning to get your feet wet. That’s all right. There is goodness in the beginning, and there is more to discover. Maybe you’ve worshipped in the temple for years. There is still more to learn, more to ponder, and more of the Lord’s goodness to receive. There are waters to swim in. I pray that each of us will come to know more deeply that refreshing, healing, life-giving influence in our lives.
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
VIDEO:
If you have extra time in this lesson, you could show the Church’s video “And the River Will Grow,” where Elder Renlund and his family discuss this very vision from Ezekiel. Before you play it, invite your students to watch for the blessings that flow from temple worship and consider which of those blessings they would especially welcome in their own lives.
QUOTE:
From Russell M. Nelson
“If you don’t yet love to attend the temple, go more often — not less. Let the Lord, through His Spirit, teach and inspire you there. I promise you that over time, the temple will become a place of safety, solace and revelation.”
(Conference Report, Oct. 2022 “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation”)
HANDOUT:
Another option would be to give your students a small copy of our takeaway image to bring home. I’ve included four on a page so you can print them and cut them apart. Invite your students to place their picture somewhere they’ll see it during the week—on a mirror, beside their bed, or in their scriptures. Each time they see that river, encourage them to remember the blessings the Lord offers through His house and consider their next step toward those blessings. We want this picture to help them remember that there are waters to swim in—and invite them to come.
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