Chapter 9 — The Man With the Inkhorn
BUT there was a remnant spared in Ezekiel’s day, even as there will be in the coming day of Israel’s tribulation; for though all this has had an accomplishment in the Chaldean destruction of the city and its people, it nevertheless is typical of sorrows yet to be realized by the Jewish nation, on account of the far greater sin of the rejection of Messiah. Since the return from Babylon, they have always kept themselves from the sin of idolatry. The unclean spirit of idolatry then left the nation, and never since has it found a resting-place there. Empty, swept, and garnished has been its condition of dead formalism ever since; but in the end, under Antichrist, a sevenfold worse idolatry will take possession of them. That this is the application of our Lord’s parable in Matthew 12:43-4643When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. 46While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. (Matthew 12:43‑46), is evident from the words which follow: “Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
“He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the altar” (vers. 1, 2). Judgment is now about to be executed, but a remnant is to be spared.
Whether the man clothed with linen was a seventh, and stands symbolically for the Lord Himself, we cannot say; but the service of this one is chiefly intercessory, whereas the others were the executors of judgment. The high priest on the day of atonement was clothed in holy linen garments. In that portion of the book of Revelation, before the public manifestation of the Lord in glory (Rev. 19:11And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: (Revelation 19:1)), we constantly read of “another” angel, which seems in like manner to be symbolical of the Lord Himself (see Rev. 8:2, 8:3-5). In these passages the action of the angel is similar to that of the man clothed in linen.
“And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” Helpless they were to alter the general state, but sorrow filled their hearts at the sight of all that was so dishonoring to the Lord, practiced even in His very sanctuary. Their lot was cast in days of evil, but they walked through the midst of the ruin with hearts in communion with God. How pleasing was this in the sight of Him that searcheth the heart and trieth the reins! In the midst of the ruins of the Church, in like manner, we read of “a few names” who “have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy” (Rev. 3:44Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)).
Jehovah’s mark having been set upon the foreheads of the sorrowing remnant, the solemn word of judgment now goes forth (vers. 5-7). None were to be spared except those upon whom the mark had been put. All alike were guilty: “Let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark.” But some were more responsible in their guilt, and so it is said, “Begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.”
Would any think that this judgment was too severe? Jehovah had long had patience, and indeed “the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness.” The very fact that God did not interfere in judgment on account of their sins only increased their iniquity, for the sinful people abandoned themselves the more to their wickedness, saying, “The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not” (ver. 9). Farther clemency would have been but complicity in the evil.
Chapter 10 — The Vision of the Cherubim
The judgment which began at the sanctuary is now to extend to the city. Jehovah Himself who sits on the throne of judgment superintends its execution; this is a most solemn feature of the case. The great abominations of the house of Israel were causing Him to go far away from His sanctuary, and the glory that at one time had suddenly filled His house on the bright day of its consecration is now about to take its departure, slowly it is true, but surely; and yet not forever, for at the close of the book it is seen to return for its millennial display (chap. 43:1-5).
The same vision of the living creatures that the prophet had seen by the river Chebar (chap. 1) is here in the main repeated. This chapter leaves no room to doubt that the living creatures were the cherubim (vers. 15, 20), and these all through Scripture signify the executors of God’s government on the earth. We need not further enlarge on what has already been before us, but it is solemn to see here the glory of Jehovah connected with the judgment of His people, as in Solomon’s day it had been linked up with their blessing. The change had come in the people, for He was as ready to bless as ever: slowly and reluctantly He takes His departure. The glory that once had filled the house “so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud” (2 Chron. 5:1414So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God. (2 Chronicles 5:14)), now roved and stood over the threshold (ver. 4). With solemn and measured step the man clothed with linen approaches the cherubim and takes some of the coals of fire which should have consumed the incense for the people’s acceptance; he took it, and went out to scatter it in judgment over the city. In Revelation 8:3-53And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:3‑5) we see a similar twofold effect of the fire, first to give efficacy to the prayers of the saints, and secondly to fill the earth, an apostate earth, with judgment. Next the glory leaves the threshold of the house, and is borne away by the cherubim lingering once again by the east gate: “Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight,” &c. (vers. 18-20).
Chapter 11 — Twenty-Five Evil Counselors
The prophet is now taken in vision to the east gate of the Lord’s house at Jerusalem, there where the cherubim with the departing glory had lingered. It was there amidst the princes of the people that the wicked counsels of unbelief took their origin which were about to culminate in the destruction of king, people, and city.
In direct opposition to the solemn and urgent appeals of the prophet Jeremiah ( Jer. 29:55Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; (Jeremiah 29:5), &c.), these scornful leaders say: “It is not near the time to build houses,” &c. (ver. 3). They were working in mischievous antagonism to the mind and expressed will of God. But their folly would end in disaster. They might threaten Jeremiah with death, they might cast him into the dungeon, but all would be in vain. Their evil conduct is denounced with striking emphasis by the prophet Ezekiel, “The Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak,” &c. (vers. 5-13).
These unbelieving rulers of the people had said: “This city (i.e. Jerusalem) is the caldron, and we be the flesh”; this was given as a reason on their part why they should not submit to the king of Babylon, but resist him to the uttermost. But no, the multitudes already slain in the streets of the city, they were the flesh; but on those that were left of them should the judgment fall, for they had not repented of all their evil ways: “I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. Ye shall fall by the sword: I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you” (vers. 9-13).
A startling incident accompanied this solemn prophetic denunciation, which brought to light Ezekiel’s love for the erring remnant of his people at the very moment of his uttering such unsparing judgments from the Lord: “And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died,” &c. (ver. 13).
But what a contrast is now drawn between the self-righteous inhabitants of Jerusalem who would not bow under God’s chastening hand, and those who, owning the discipline of Jehovah, had gone forth in obedience to His word, and accepted as from Him the place of humiliation and weakness that their own sin had brought upon them! The former in their pride of heart claimed the place of honor and despised their brethren: “Get you far from the Lord,” they said; “unto us is this land given in possession” (ver. 15). This was mere boasting, and the sorrowful evidence that there was no conscience at work. What was the land, if God were not there? What was the temple, if the glory were departed? And so it was; but they knew it not. Is there nothing like this in Christendom today?
But what consolation for the despised children of the captivity! “Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come” (ver. 16). This is beautiful!
Jerusalem might be given into the hands of her enemies, the temple might be in ruins, the Shechinah glory might be departed, and all because of the sin and failure of the guilty people; and yet would Jehovah vouchsafe His presence in blessing to the scattered and repentant exiles. They owned the ruin; would He leave them without remedy?
Not only this, but to them were given precious promises of future glory, to be realized in measure at the return from Babylon after the seventy years of captivity spoken of by Jeremiah the prophet (chap. 25), in all its fullness, at a yet future day when the Lord Himself shall be there, and the earth shall shine with His glory. “Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God” (vers. 17-21).
But if this were the vision of future blessing, for the present the glory must depart: “Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city” (vers. 22, 23). This is the sorrowful end in that dispensation of man’s responsibility: the glory takes its slow but final leave of the guilty city, and is no more seen in connection with Israel until its return in millennial display (chap. 43.).
Here closes this vision, and Ezekiel finds himself in bodily presence in his own house which he had never left, and where we have seen him at the beginning of the vision (chap. 8:1). For the encouragement of his fellow captives he communicates to them “all things that the Lord had showed” him. How cheering for faith, feeling the weakness and low condition of things, to have the heart and mind carried forward to what God will carry out in unfailing faithfulness for His own glory and His people’s blessing.