EZEKIEL’S first vision occurred in the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, as we learned from chapter 1; the second, of which chapters 8 to 11 tell, was in the sixth year—midway in the eleven year reign of the last king of Judah, and five years before Jerusalem’s destruction at the hands of the Babylonians.
The elders of Judah had gathered in Ezekiel’s house, perhaps to inquire after any word of hope for them that he might have received from God; it was then that the second vision was given him. In spirit, and by the Spirit of God, he was taken to Jerusalem to behold the wickedness going on there, on account of which the chastisement of God was about to fall on the city and people. First, however, Jehovah as judge is again revealed to him; there is a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of His loins and downward, fire; and from His loins and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the look of glowing “brass” (all unknown substance some think to be gold and silver).
How different are these revelations of God in Chapters 1 and 8 from what we know of Him as manifested in grace to those who trust in His Son and seek to walk in ways pleasing to Him! In the vision granted to Ezekiel, however, as in the vision of John at Patmos (Revelation it), it is the holiness of a God who cannot bear evil, and not His love, that is prominent, and Christendom will, in its own time, be judged as unsparingly as Israel.
In succession, five scenes at Jerusalem pass before the eyes of Ezekiel. First is the entry of the inner gate that looked toward the north (verse 8); there was the seat of the image of Jealousy, which provoked God to jealousy. The glory of the God of Israel was there, for He had not then actually forsaken Jerusalem. The image was, perhaps, of Baal, perhaps Ashtoreth; its identity does not matter; it was enough that an idol was set up, and God was therefore disowned.
We may suppose that the reigning king Zedekiah was responsible for the placing of this image. Josiah, his father, had made a clean sweep of idols and places of idol-worship in the land of Israel (2 Kings 23), but of his sons and grandson not one seems to have walked in his steps.
Ezekiel was now directed to look afresh toward the north, and he saw, northward of the gate of the altar, this image of jealousy in the entry. Thus had idolatry raised its brazen face near to the place where sacrifices were wont to be offered for the sins of the people. Was it not an invitation to Jehovah to go far off from His sanctuary?
The prophet was next brought, in the vision, to the entry of the court of the temple, where a more shameful sight greeted him when a concealed resort was exposed to view. Around the room were drawn or painted upon the walls, every form or pattern of creeping thing and of abominable beast, and, besides, all the idols of the house of Israel.
How degrading is idolatry! This was no heathen land, where God was unknown; nor were the worshipers ignorant of Him, for we are expressly told that the seventy were the elders of the house of Israel, and their leader was a son of Shaphan. If this be that Shaphan who served the godly Josiah (2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 31), how great was the decline from father to son! In their wicked hearts these men were saying, Jehovah seeth us not; Jehovah hath forsaken the land! “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-31<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 2The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalm 14:1‑3)
1<<To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. 2God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. 3Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalm 53:1‑3)).
Then at the entry of the gate of the temple that was toward the north, Ezekiel sees women sitting, weeping for the Phoenician god Tammuz—apparently the same as the later Greek Adonis. Lastly, in the inner court of the temple, at the entry, between the porch and the altar, about 25 men worshiping the sun are seen by Ezekiel. Were they the high priest and the heads of the twenty-four courses of priests of the Lord?
Along with the devotion of the people to the false gods of the heathen, there was the accompaniment of violence, the twin of corruption, as it has ever been. Contempt for God, of course, came with these (verse 17). Can we wonder that, Israel’s cup being now full of their iniquities, unsparing judgment would shortly be the portion of this people?
ML-08/04/1935