Ezekiel 8

Ezekiel 8:1-6

The prophet here is brought in a vision to Jerusalem, that he might behold the fine which provoked these threatened judgments, ver. 1—4, and there he sees. 1. The image of jealousy set up at the gate of the temple, ver. 5, 6. 2. The elders of Israel worshipping all manner of images in a secret chamber, ver. 7—12. 3. The women usurping for Tammons, ver. 13, 14. 4. The men worshipping the sun, ver. 15, 16. And then appeals to him whether such a provoking people should have any pity forward them, ver. 17, 18.

1. AND it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah: sat before me, that the hand of the LORD God fell there upon me. 2. Then I beheld, and lo, a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire: and from his loins even upwards, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. 3. And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head, and the spirit lift me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate, that looketh toward the north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. 4. And behold the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. 5. Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way towards the north: so I lift up mine eyes the way towards the north, and behold, northward at the gate of the altar, this image of jealousy in the entry. 6. He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seal thou what they do? from the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary; but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.

The days seem now to have been expired during which the prophet was to lie on his side, and a new vision is revealed to him, dated in the sixth year of Jehoaher’s captivity, about fourteen, or, if we suppose an intercalated month, about fifteen months after the former.

1. He sat in his house, and the elders of Judah before him. Probably it was a Sabbath, and they were now assembled for the worship of God, or to consist the prophet in their present distressed circumstances; for affliction will often drive those to God’s prophets who in their prosperity despaired their abominations.

2. Then suddenly a divine extacy seized him, in the presence of the elders, and a glorious perishage appeared, as far from the loins downwards, and upwards bright and glittering. The same probably as chap. i. 26, 27. even the Lord Jesus, clothed with majesty and glory, burning with love towards his people, and a continuing fire to his enemies.

3. The prophet is caught away in vision to Jerusalem. Swifts as thought he passes through the air, and at the inner gate of the temple is let down to observe what is there transacted. This seems to have been entirely visionary, and not any real or local removal of the prophet from Chaldea.

4. He records what he saw there. (1.) He beheld the same glorious vision which had appeared to him before in the plain, chap. ii. 22, 23. God had not yet deserted his temple; though he was now about to do it, provoked by their daring profanement, impiety, and hate ingratitude. (2.) He beheld the image of jealousy set up close by the northern gate of the inner court, where stood the altar of burnt-offering. What this image was we are not told; probably the idol, Saul, a King’s cat. 7. But nothing could be conceived more affronting to God, nor could they have conceived a more effectual method to provoke the eyes of his jealousy. Well therefore may he bid the prophet with wonder and desertion to behold these abominations! and urges the justice of his departure from a people so desperately wicked: and greater abominations yet remained. Note, (1.) When we

Ch n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n Before Chord 196.

set up the idols of pride, lust, and covetousness in our hearts, which should be the temple of the Holy Ghost, we become equally criminal with those who bowed to Baal. (2.) They who provide God by their sins to depart from them, have only themselves to blame for the ruin which ensues.

1 On deepall gods. Chap. vi. 4.

7. ¶ And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. 8. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. 9. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. 10. So I went in and saw, and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel pourrrayed upon the wall round about. 11. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jazanah the son of Shaphan, with every man his center in his hand, and a thick cloud of interior went up. 12. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery, for they lay. The LORD feels us not, the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

8. 7—12. The farther the prophet goes the more his indignation is moved.

9. He is led to the court of the gods, and behold a hole in the wall of one of these chambers, which he is commanded to enlarge, that he might see more distinctly what was done there; and when he had opened a passage he came to a door, at which he is led to enter, and observe what passed within. Now, (1.) They who would know the mystery of iniquity within must dig deep into the hidden corners of their hearts. (2.) Hypocrites think often to hide their iniquities; but some unguarded place betrays their wickedness, and exposes their shame. (3.) Many make a fair shew in God’s house in public, who, if followed to the secret chambers, would be found sunk to abominations.

10. A scene of shocking wickedness is here had open. Should every form of creeping things, and all monable beasts, so immersed were they in idolatry, that even to the vivid reptiles, and the most tedious and impure animals, they pass their adorations. On the walls around were pourrayed all the idols of Israel; and seventy others, the whole great fashierism, and in the midst of them Jazanah the son of Shaphan, each with his center, offered a cloud of incense to these hated deities; intimating how entirely the whole nation was infected with idolatry, when the great men, princes and priests together, were to descend thereunto, and to liberal in their obituaries. Now, When they who should be examples to refrain others are themselves singleaders in iniquity, the corruption of a nation must needs become general.

11. God bids him observe these abominations, done indeed in the dark; but what darkness or shadow of death can hide the workers of wickedness from his all-feeling eye? And they say, the Lord feels not, the Lord hath forsaken the earth; as if he had deferred them, would pay no regard to them in their distress, and therefore they had recourse to the gods of the nations for help. Now, (1.) The heart of man is like these chambers of imagery; abominations pass there the sun would blush to behold. (2.) The day will come when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed. What a day of terror and confusion to the unpenitent and unpardon! (3.) All sin is at bottom practical atheism. (4.) They who embellish themselves in iniquity by the flattering hope that the Lord hath forsaken the earth, shall find, by the judgments he will inflict, how near he is to vindicate his injured honour.

1 Tim. ii. vi.

13. ¶ He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than they do. 14. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house, which was towards the north, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. 15. ¶ Then said he unto me, Hail thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than thee. 16. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house, and behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, and they worshipped the sun toward the east. 17. ¶ Turn he said unto me, Hail thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to do house of Judah, that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger,

and lo, they put the branch to their nois. 18. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

9. 13—18. Farther abominations pass in review before the prophet.

10. At the north gate of the temple sat women weeping for Tammuz. Probably the Adonis of the Greatons, beloved of Venus, according to the heathen table, and Slain by a wild boar. In honour therefore of this goddess they observed the anniversary of his death with mourning and tears, and dared even in the gate of the Lord’s house to appear celebrating the shameful service.

11. In the inner court, the most sacred inclosure between the porch and the altar, where the priests mustered, there stood about five and twenty men, their backs turned to the temple, their faces to the east, adoring the rising sun.

12. God bids the prophet obliterate with wonder what he saw, and appeals to him concerning the aggravated guilt of this abandoned people. They made light of their dreadful provocations, and even there, in God’s own house, performed their idolatrous rites. They filled the land also with violence, and then returned to provoke God to anger; for, whilst such wickedness was committed, their very sacrifices must need be an abomination: and is they put the branch to their nois, some indulgent perhaps of flowers, at which they smelled in honour of their idols; or, as some read the words, they put the branch to their wrath, or his wrath, adding fresh fuel to the fierceness of the divine wrath which burns against them. Therefore will I also deal in fury, pouring on them the vengeance due to their iniquities, and judgment without mercy, which all their prayers and tears shall not be able to avert. When sinners have turned their backs on God, it is but just for him to turn his back on them, and he deaf to their cries in the day of their calamity.