Ezekiel 9

Ezekiel 9 IN The visions that are recorded in chs 9-10 follow logically the terrible indictment of the previous chapter. A four-fold development is evident in the visions at this point: Ezekiel first sees Jerusalem (1) destroyed by slaughter (Ezekiel 9:1-11), and then (2) by fire (Ezekiel 10:1-8). His attention is then drawn again (3) to the divine throne- chariot (Ezekiel 10:9-17), and finally (4) to the departure of the divine presence from the Jerusalem temple (Ezekiel 10:18­ 22). Whereas the vision in ch 8 was symbolically descriptive, the one in ch 9 is symbolically predictive. Here Ezekiel saw in dreadful symbolic detail what was to befall Jerusalem six years later in the catastrophe of 586 B.C. THE AGENTS Eze_9:1-2 The Summons (Ezekiel 9:1): A great voice called in my ears, saying, Bring nigh the overseers of the city, each one with his weapon of destruction in his hand. The prophet’ s attention was first attracted to a loud voice summoning the divinely appointed executioners to discharge their duty. The voice came from the human form (seen as a theophany) in the midst of the divine glory. Each of these agents of judgment was to come prepared for the dreadful deed with a weapon of destruction in his hand.The Response (Ezekiel 9:2) Six executioners (Ezekiel 9:2 a): Behold, six men were coming from the way of the upper gate that faced northward, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand. Six men answered the summons. Jewish tradition is probably correct in identifying these men as angels. These angels symbolized the armies of Babylon that will crush Jerusalem. Therefore, they came from the north, the usual attack route against Jerusalem. Each angelic agent carried a weapon of destruction in his hand (v 2). The Hebrew word implies an instrument used for crushing into fragments. Probably a battle-ax or mace is intended. The seventh agent (Ezekiel 9:2 b): One man was among them clothed in linen, with a scribe’ s writing case at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar. A seventh angelic agent was in the midst of the first six. He was clothed in linen, the material used for priestly garments and for the clothing of others in authority. Daniel once encountered an angel wearing linen (Daniel 10:5 f.). Hence white linen is the apparel of the hosts of heaven as well as priests on earth.

The material is probably intended to symbolize purity. This angel of mercy had a scribe’ s writing case (not an inkhorn as in KJV) at his side (Ezekiel 9:2). A scribe carried his pens and receptacle for mixing ink in a case. Sometimes these cases were made of silver. They were elaborately and beautifully engraved. Most writing at this time was done with a reed pen on papyrus or parchment.

All seven angelic agents of God entered the temple courtyard and stood beside the bronze altar (Ezekiel 9:2). Both judgment and salvation proceed from the altar of God. The angels are seven in number because that is the number of perfection or completeness throughout the Bible. AGENT OF MERCY Eze_9:3-4 The Commissioner (Ezekiel 9:3): The glory of the God of Israel was going up from upon the cherub that was over it unto the threshold of the house. He called unto the man clothed in linen who had the scribe’ s writing case at his side. Ezekiel next saw the glory of God move from over the cherubim in the holy of holies. In the Old Testament, God is said to be enthroned above the cherubim that were molded over the ark. The glory of God moved over the threshold of the house as if to direct the action of the seven angels. The Lord first dispatched the man clothed in linen who carried the scribe’ s writing case. The Commission (Ezekiel 9:4): The LORD said unto him, Pass over in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the brows of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst of her. The heavenly scribe was told to place a mark upon the brows of all the men of Jerusalem who sigh and cry over all the idolatrous practices done in the city (Ezekiel 9:4). How many concerned citizens there may have been cannot be determined. However, six angelic agents were needed to execute the act of judgment, while only one was needed to administer the mark of salvation. Conditions were so terrible in Jerusalem at this time that those who were faithful to the worship of Yahweh could only show their faithfulness by lamentation over the national apostasy.

The mark to be placed on the brow of the faithful was a tav, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In ancient Hebrew script the letter tav was shaped like an X. As early as the church father Origen, the significance of this was noted. Those who were saved bore the sign of the cross. Is this a mere coincidence? Or was Ezekiel seeing something far more profound than he could ever have imagined? This passage is the background for the scene in Revelation 14:1 where the redeemed wear the name of Christ on their foreheads. OF THE AGENTSEze_9:5-7 The Commission (Ezekiel 9:5-6 a): To these others He said in my hearing, Pass over in the city after him and smite; do not let your eyes look with compassion, and do not have pity. (6) Slay utterly old, young man, maiden, child and women; but do not approach any man who has the mark upon him; The six executioners were to follow the angel of mercy through the city. They were to deal a deadly blow to all who did not bear the mark (tav) upon their foreheads. They were to exercise absolutely no compassion (v 5). All segments of the population were to experience the judgment— old and young, male and female. Only those with the seal of salvation were to be spared. The Commencement(Ezekiel 9:6 b-7a) At the sanctuary (9:6b): and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began with the elders who were before the house. (7) He said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with slain; The judgment was to begin at my sanctuary. The elders who had turned their backs upon the temple to perform the rites of Shamash the sun god (8:11) were to be the first to experience the wrath of God. It is fitting that the punishment should commence in the spot where the guilt had culminated. The temple was intended to be a place of refuge from violence. Now, however, the God of that temple ordered the courts to be defiled with the bleeding corpses of those who had polluted that place with idolatrous rites. In the city (Ezekiel 9:7 b): go forth, and they went forth and smote in the city. The final order was given: Go forth. The six executioners obediently began their dreadful mission.

A PRAYER OF Eze_9:8-10 The Prayer Presented (Ezekiel 9:8): It came to pass when they were smiting and I was left, that I fell upon my face and cried out, and said, Ah Lord GOD! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel when you pour out your wrath upon Jerusalem? Ezekiel was not a passive witness in this visionary experience. He saw the slain falling all about him in the temple courtyard. At last only the angels of judgment and the prophet were left in that spot. As the executioners turned about to carry the slaughter into the rest of the city, Ezekiel fell on his face in mighty intercessory prayer. Ah, Lord God! he cried in desperation. Anxiously he asked the Lord if he would completely destroy the remnant of Israel in this outpouring of divine wrath.

Northern Israel had fallen in 722 B.C. Her citizens had been dispersed throughout the length and breadth of the Assyrian empire. Several thousand of the inhabitants of Judah already had been carried away by Nebuchadnezzar in the deportations of 605 and 597 B.C. Now Ezekiel asks if the remaining people of God will also be wiped out. The question is in reality an oblique request that God spare what was left of the once proud nation of Israel.266The Prayer Answered (Ezekiel 9:9-10) Reaffirmation of corruption (Ezekiel 9:9): The sovereign God is not compelled to justify his actions to man. It is a pure act of grace when he chooses to do so. Here the Lord cites four reasons why the destruction of the state of Judah was an absolute necessity.

Great wickedness (Ezekiel 9:9 a): He said unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great… God declared that the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great (Ezekiel 9:9). The evil had gone too far. The coupling of the names Israel and Judah is significant. That which justified the yet future destruction of Judah also justified the past judgment against Israel.

Widespread bloodshed (Ezekiel 9:9 b): and the land is filled with blood. The land of Judah was full of blood, i.e., the violence that leads to bloodshed. No doubt the reference is to the mistreatment of the poor and helpless.

Perverted judgment (Ezekiel 9:9 c): The city is full of perversion… Jerusalem was full of perversion (mutteh), i.e., the wresting of judgment. The miscarriage of justice probably led to the bloodshed mentioned above. To Ezekiel, social evils were merely the by-product of a wrong relationship between God and man. Fading faith (Ezekiel 9:9 d): for they say, The LORD has forsaken the land! The LORD does not see!

The people of Judah had lost confidence in the Lord. They had begun to utter blasphemous charges against him. The Lord has forsaken the land! The Lord does not see! A similar proverb is cited in Ezekiel 8:12. The faith of the people had been shaken by recent calamities because their faith was built upon a faulty theological foundation: They believed that prosperity was the reward for faithful religious ritual.

Misfortune could only be interpreted in the light of the proposition that God was either powerless or pitiless. He either could not prevent what was happening, or else he simply did not care. Such is the logic of doubt.

Reaffirmation of destruction (Ezekiel 9:10): As for me also, my eye will not have compassion, nor will I show pity. Their way I will bring upon their head. Because of all their sin, God will be forced to deal with his people in wrath. He could show no compassion or pity in dealing with these sinners lest his absolute holiness be called into question. He had no choice but to bring down their way upon their head, i.e., recompense them for their conduct. AN OMINOUS Eze_9:11 Behold the man clothed in linen who had the writer’ s case at his side, reported, saying, I have done as You commanded me. The vision concludes with the report of the agent of mercy. The blessed scribe had done his work. Those who truly had remained faithful to God in the midst of national corruption had been sealed with the sign of promise. In his despair, the prophet had forgotten about those who were to receive the mark upon their foreheads. They were the true remnant. In effect, God answered the intercessory prayer of Ezekiel by allowing him to overhear the report of the angel of mercy. The true Israel of God will in fact survive the calamity that was about to befall Jerusalem.

Ezekiel Chapter NineVerse 1 THE WICKED SLAIN; THE SPAREDThis chapter continues the great theme of these four chapters by recording the first stage of the removal of God’s presence (Ezekiel 9:3). Keil’s divisions of the chapter are: (1) the supernatural executioners of Jerusalem are summoned (Ezekiel 9:1-3; (2) mercy is extended to the faithful (Ezekiel 9:4-7); and (3) Ezekiel’s intercession cannot avail (Ezekiel 9:8-11).[1]THE Eze_9:1-3"Then he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause ye them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came by way of the upper gate, which lieth toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them, clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. And they went in and stood beside the brazen altar. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.““This chapter is closely connected with the preceding, and carries expressly the threatening of Eze 8:18 into immediate action."[2]“Cause ye them that have charge over the city …” (Ezekiel 9:1). These words need to carry a more ominous import; and Cooke translated this sentence, “Approach, ye executioners of the city."[3]“Six men … and one man …” (Ezekiel 9:2).

It is ridiculous for men to suppose that there is any reference here to the pagan gods of the seven planets, or to the so-called Seven Arch-angels (there being only one archangel). “Seven is a perfect number, associated in Hebrew thought with ‘completeness.’"[4] Clearly, the six men were supernatural beings, probably angels; because, in the New Testament, angels are always represented as aiding Christ in the execution of judgment. Also, the appearance of the seventh `man’ with an inkhorn, his evident superiority over the six, and his having charge of marking the faithful, all suggest his identity as the pre-incarnated Christ. Feinberg noted that, “From his clothing and the nature of his work, it is to be inferred that the Chief of these six angels was the Angel of the Lord."[5] Keil disputed this, but he offered no better explanation. Furthermore, Keil admitted the superior rank of the seventh man; and that fact alone identifies him as a member of the godhead, there being no one else, as far as we know, who is any higher than the angels. “These seven are an overwhelming embodiment of the Divine will, in the face of which humanity is helpless."[6]No details of the actual destruction of Jerusalem are included here. None are needed. God decreed it, and it happened! Just exactly how it happened doesn’t really matter. The supernatural nature of these six made them more powerful and formidable than all of the greatest armies on earth combined into a single force. “And stood beside the brazen altar …” (Ezekiel 9:2). “This was the Solomonic altar (1 Kings 8:64), which Ahab had removed and placed north of his new-style Damascus altar (2 Kings 16:14)."[7] Significantly, these heavenly beings, by their actions, snubbed Ahab’s copy of the pagan altar by choosing to stand by the true altar. “And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house …” (Ezekiel 9:3) The departure of the glory of the Lord from Israel is part of the theme of these four chapters; and, “Ezekiel traces it in stages, this being the first."[8] The normal place for God’s glory in the temple was above the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies; and in this first stage of the glory’s leaving, it removed from the Holy of Holies and went to the entrance of the temple. Verse 4 “And Jehovah said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof, And to the others he said in my hearing, Go ye through the city after him, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; slay utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began with the old men that were before the house. And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and smote in the city.“MERCY TO THE “A mark upon the foreheads of men …” (Ezekiel 9:4). This of course was an act of Divine mercy. Although God would indeed destroy the apostate idolaters, he would by no means destroy his faithful worshippers.

This placing of a mark upon the ones to be redeemed appears again in Revelation 7:3 andRevelation 14:1, indicating that all of the saved in our own generation indeed bear the “mark of God” in their forehead. As this appears to be the very same thing as the “sealing of God’s servants” in Revelation 7:3, which is clearly a reference to the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are entitled to conclude that it is no literal mark of any kind, but a certain characteristic of the human spirit, that would be recognized instantly by supernatural beings. We do not believe that either in this vision or in the current dispensation can it be shown that God brands his people with any kind of a literal mark, such as a rancher would use to brand his cattle. As Cook noted, “There are eschatological predictions in this chapter."[9] And one of the clearest of these is that the Great Judgment of the last day will be individually and not by races, nations, or groups of any kind. Note too that there are only two classes, the saved and the lost. Another startling fact is that absolutely none shall be spared except those who have received the mark of redemption. This was the way it was in the days of the flood; and that is the way it will be in the final judgment. “That sigh and cry over all the abominations …” (Ezekiel 9:4). The truly righteous are always those who grieve over the sins and wickedness of their contemporaries. We are not impressed at all with some who try to find some reference to the Cross, or the “sign of the Cross” in this passage. This notion is based upon the fact that the word here translated “mark” is in Hebrew the name of tau, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet; and it is claimed that the early way of making that letter was with a cross; but as Plumptre noted, “There could have been no anticipation of Christian symbols, either in the mind of Ezekiel, or in the minds of his hearers."[10]“And begin at my sanctuary …” (Ezekiel 9:6). The very place where one should have been able to find a few faithful believers in God was the holy temple; but here God commanded that the slaughter should begin there. There is indeed a great responsibility upon those persons who know God’s word and are responsible for teaching others. An apostle indicated that this principle shall be operative in all of the judgments of God. “For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17). “They began at the old men that were before the house …” (Ezekiel 9:6) Dummelow identified these as “the sun worshipping priests."[11] “Apparently the directive to begin at the sanctuary was intended to imply that there was the seat of the worst sins."[12] This should certainly be a warning to religious leaders of all generations. “And he said unto them, Defile the house …” (Ezekiel 9:7). This was accomplished by their filling the courts with dead bodies. “If to touch a corpse and then to worship without being sprinkled with the water of separation was to defile the tabernacle of the Lord (Numbers 19:13), how much more would the blood of corpses do so."[13]Speaking of the defilement of the temple, Eichrodt noted that, “Such a stupendous act of judgment left no room for any doubt that the complete liquidation of the inhabitants of Jerusalem would be carried out in full."[14]Verse 8 “And it came to pass while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord Jehovah, wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy wrath upon Jerusalem? Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of wresting of judgment: for they say, Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their ways upon their head. And, behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.“EZEKIEL’S OF NO AVAIL"This passage shows how wrong are those evaluations of Ezekiel that see him only as a merciless religious zealot. The prophets of God had a heart for the people to whom they had to preach condemnation and judgment."[15] Ezekiel loved his people and their sacred city Jerusalem; and it is possible that he still might have been thinking that the “righteous remnant” so often mentioned by Isaiah, and which also vividly appears now and then in his own writings, would undoubtedly be found “in Jerusalem.” However, the events which Ezekiel saw in this vision appeared to the prophet as the end of any such possibility as that of a “righteous remnant” remaining in Jerusalem. No! The “righteous remnant” would be found among the captives in Babylon, not in Jerusalem; and the complete end of Jerusalem, as it began to unfold before the eyes of Ezekiel, broke his heart, because he probably thought there might not be left any remnant at all; and that appears to be the reason for his passionate, tearful and heartbroken intercession. “I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord, wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel …”(Ezekiel 9:8)? The background of this plea is most certainly that of Ezekiel’s knowledge of God’s promise that a “righteous remnant” would remain, There is a similarity here to Abraham’s intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah. Both intercessions were offered in the form of a question. Both were based upon previous promises of God. Here, the promise was that God would spare a remnant. With Abraham, the promise that God would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

Here the tearful question is “Wilt thou destroy the residue of Israel?” With Abraham, the question was, “Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked?” There is also a third similarity, namely, in the fact that both intercessions failed. Both Jerusalem and Sodom were destroyed, exactly as God promised. God did not violate his promise in either case. There were not ten righteous persons in Sodom; and God preserved a “righteous remnant,” as he promised, only it was not in Jerusalem, but in Babylon! “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great …” (Ezekiel 9:9). God here gave the grounds for the utter necessity of Jerusalem’s destruction. At first, we are surprised that God did not here enumerate such things as Israel’s worshipping other gods, or their defiling the temple, or of their neglect of sacrifices, despite the fact of such sins being the source of all their wickedness. The wickedness mentioned here was, (1) the land was filled with blood; (2) the city is full of injustice, and (3) they do not believe in an omniscient, personal God to whom every man must give an account. “These terrible conditions were the end result of the peoples’ false religion."[16]Nothing is any more important in the life of any man or any nation than his religion. The relationship to God is the governor and determiner of everything else. If that relationship is correct, so will be his life; if it is wrong, no other obligation or duty will be honored for one minute longer than the personal wishes of the sinner may dictate. Illustration: This writer once visited a young woman just married who was severely prejudiced against her husband’s religion; and she vowed that, “I am going to take him away from that church.” She did so. Seven years later, she called, pleading for aid to save her marriage. He had developed an affair with another woman; and the answer to her was, “What did you expect? When any person forsakes his duty to God, why should he honor any other duty?” “Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity …” (Ezekiel 9:10). This was God’s answer to Ezekiel. Jerusalem would be subjected to the destruction which they so richly deserved. “God would have his servants humbly acquiesce in his judgments and trust God to do exactly what is right."[17]Ezekiel’s passionate intercession evidently caused him to forget the sparing of those who received the mark upon their foreheads; and, to soften the dreadful news of Jerusalem’s fall, God permitted him to hear the report of the Angel of Jehovah in Ezekiel 9:11. Those who received that mark were the true “righteous remnant”; and they were in no danger whatever of being forsaken. “I have done as thou hast commanded me …” (Ezekiel 9:11). Yes indeed, some of the righteous remnant were in Jerusalem right up to the fall and through the dreadful events that followed, among whom, we feel sure the great prophet Jeremiah was numbered. “The execution of God’s command in Ezekiel 9:4 to mark the faithful was passed over as being self-evident until this verse (v. 11), where the accomplishment of it was reported."[18] It might have been mentioned indirectly here in order to encourage Ezekiel and to let him know that, after all, that “righteous remnant” was still and would continue to be intact.

Ezekiel 9:1

Ezekiel 9:1. The reader should be cautioned against confusion over what is going on in these chapters. Beginning with chapter 8 and continuing through 11, Ezekiel was seeing things performed in a vision, as if he had been taken to Jerusalem where the events were supposed to be happening. In reality, the prophet has been in the land of Chaldea or Babylon all the time. (See Ezekiel 11:24.) So bear in mind as we are considering the various performances along in these passages that they are what Ezekiel was seeing in the vision. It is true, however, that many of the events and conditions that were shown the prophet in a vision in the land of Babylon, were actually existing in the land of Judea. With these explanatory remarks for the clarification of the matter, I shall proceed to comment on the verses.

Have, charge over the city means those whose duty it was to execute any decrees that may have been made concerning it. These men were ordered to come forward, armed for the task placed upon them.

Ezekiel 9:2

Ezekiel 9:2. Upon the order mentioned in the preceding verse, six armed men came forward. All of this indicated that they would be used to execute the decrees of God. Another man was in the company of these six and he was clothed, with linen which indicated that he represented the priestly or ritualistic class of men. The brazen altar was used for the offering of bloody sacrifices, therefore it was appropriate that this group of seven men should take their position by the altar. The priests would make an account of the creatures to be considered with reference to the altar service, hence the inkhorn hanging at his side for convenient use.

Ezekiel 9:3

Ezekiel 9:3. Glory of God, . . . from the cherub refers to the glory that was bestowed upon the ark in the begining of the Jewish Dispensation. (See Exodus 25:22; 2 Samuel 6:2.) This glory moved to a position of communication with the man clothed with linen (representing the priesthood). Such a move indicated that the Lord was about to inspire the man with the Inkhorn so that he could do some writing or marking.

Ezekiel 9:4

Ezekiel 9:4. Before any general destruction or calamity is brought upon mankind by the Lord, he always makes provision to spare those who are worthy. We may recall the cases of Noah and the flood, Lot in Sodom, the Israelites in Egypt, and the plan of salvation as an escape from the perdition in the next world, In keeping with that principle, the Lord was making provisions to spare certain ones from a general slaughter which these six men would soon be told to execute. The ones to be spared were described as those that sigh and cry for all the abominations that were being done in Jerusalem, These men were not responsible fov the corruptions that had crept into the religious and public life of the city, hence they were to be spared from the severe punishment about to be inflicted upon the majority. The reader should consult the long note offered In connection with 2 Kings 22:17, This exception was to be Indicated by being marked upon their foreheads by the man with the inkhorn.

Ezekiel 9:5

Ezekiel 9:5. The others are the six men mentioned in verse 2. They were to follow the man with the inkhorn who was to be marking the ones exempted from the slaughter. The executioners were charged to smite the others without pity.

Ezekiel 9:6

Ezekiel 9:6. No age or sex was to be spared in the slaying by these six men. The only exception they were allowed to make was those who had the mark upon them. Begin at my sanctuary. This was because I he greatest blame was laid upon the leaders and officials of the Lord’ s service. They were to be held most guilty because of their position. The thought is similar to that in 1 Peter 4:17-18.

Ezekiel 9:7

Ezekiel 9:7. The house of the Lord had been, defiled doctrinally by the abominable idolatry of these evil men, now it will be fitting to defile it physically by filling it with their dead bodies. So the men were again told to go forth and slay in the city.

Ezekiel 9:8

Ezekiel 9:8. As the men were performing their duty of slaying the inhabitants of the city, the prophet was left alone and he became prostrated by the scenes. Palling upon the ground he prayed earnestly and expressed anxiety over the terrible situation.

Ezekiel 9:9

Ezekiel 9:9. The Lord explained his great fury for the information of the prophet. Just at that time Israel (the 10 tribes) was in exile and had been for more than a century, yet her stns came up for remembrance now in connection with those of Judah, some of whose men were still in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 9:10

Ezekiel 9:10. The people of Israel and Judah had shed blood in tbelr evil practices of idolatry, but God was determined to shed their blood in the righteousness of His indignation over the false worship that was going on.

Ezekiel 9:11

Ezekiel 9:11, The men sent forth to execute the decree of God did their duty, and the man with the Inkhorn came back with his report of the same