Ezekiel 9 - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Ezekiel 9** > [[Ezekiel 8|<Prev]]   [[Ezekiel 10|Next>]] [🕮 Bible Navigator](Bible%20Books%20Navigation.md) *Intro* > The context of this passage is seen in [Ezekiel 8:17](Ezekiel%208.md#^17) - [18](Ezekiel%208.md#^18), the abominations of and judgment upon the churches and congregations. So here in chapter 9 God gives a dramatic picture of His judgment. It's a portrait God is painting that we cannot miss. 1 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. ^1 > This is *God* giving the command here, He is bringing judgment. In [Ezekiel 38:4](Ezekiel%2038.md#^4) God put hooks into the jaws of the enemy to *draw* them, to make them come against His rebellious land. It was *God*'s action. See [Revelation 17:17](Revelation%2017.md#^17) (w/[Rev 20:7](Revelation%2020.md#^7), [8](Revelation%2020.md#^8) and [9](Revelation%2020.md#^9)) for a spiritual parallel to this, where Satan has been loosed to come against the camp of the saints with the entire power and strength of the nations. 2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lies 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 brasen altar. ^2 > 6 men, 6 being the number of work -- they have terrible work to do. It's the work of bringing judgment. And in [verse 6](Ezekiel%209.md#^6) of this passage God tells them to *begin at my sanctuary* (see the note there). This is the setting for this terrible judgment that is happening. > > Then there was a man among them with a writer's inkhorn who stood beside the brasen (brass) altar. And the alter was the place where God would occasionally speak ([2 Chr 1:5](2%20Chronicles%201.md#^5); [2 Ki 16:15](2%20Kings%2016.md#^15)). In that day they didn't have the whole Bible, so they sought to the altar to find the will of God. And actually the altar (both the brazen altar and the main altar) represents Christ, and it is through Him that we approach until God through His Word. Christ is the Word, and this brasen altar represented the Word during the Old Testament as they sought God's will there. And the man with the inkhorn is standing beside this brasen altar, that is, he has a message from God. 3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which _had_ the writer's inkhorn by his side; ^3 > The cherubim have to do with God as the judge. Remember in the holy of holies there were 2 cherubs (cherubim) with wings that filled the holy of holies and they looked down on the ark of the covenant, the law of God, representing the fact that anyone who violates the Law of God is under the wrath of God. But also in the holy of holies was the covering of the ark, which was the mercy-seat that represented Christ Who stands between the Law of God and the wrath of God on behalf of all those He came to save. He is the One who took the punishment from the Cherubs in place of His people. But here in Ezekiel 9 it is the time of judgment. So this verse represents God as the judge (the cherubs) calling (the brasen altar, the Word of God revealing His will to us) to the man clothed with linen who had the writer's inkhorn by his side. And we'll see this in the next few verses. 4 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. ^4 > This is curious language. If we look at Revelation 13, it is Satan who puts a mark on the hand or forehead (spiritual-speaking) to indicate ownership, they had the mark of the beast in order to buy and sell, which represents those who will bring false gospels. Buying and selling sometimes has to do with bringing the true Gospel [Isaiah 55:1](Isaiah%2055.md#^1) - [2](Isaiah%2055.md#^2), although there it is for free -- without money and without price. But when it comes to the mark of the beast buying and selling or making merchandise has to do with following an altogether false gospel ([Mt 21:12](Matthew%2021.md#^12); [Mk 11:15](Mark%2011.md#^15); [2 Pe 2:3](2%20Peter%202.md#^3)). > > On the other hand, God puts His Name on the foreheads of the true believers ([Rev 14:1](Revelation%2014.md#^1)). And here God uses the mark in similar fashion. Those who sigh and cry for all the abominations, those who understand there are terrible things happening in the churches and congregations and are sad and uncomfortable with all of the sin, God puts a mark of ownership upon them, "These belong to me, they are mine, they are safe." 5 ¶ And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: ^5 > See note under verse 6. 6 Slay utterly old _and_ young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom _is_ the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which _were_ before the house. ^6 > The Hebrew for *sanctuary* is *holy place*, the judgment begins at God's holy place. Compare with [Matthew 24:15](Matthew%2024.md#^15), it is where the believers normally are, it's where the Gospel should be holding forth. It's centered on the churches and congregations. And these 6 men are coming with slaughter weapons, they are coming to kill and to destroy, they are coming with the finality -- God's judgment is falling. See again [Ezekiel 8:18](Ezekiel%208.md#^18). It is the end, there is no pity, it's too late. Remember the rich man in hell in Luke 16 -- if only he could have a tiny drop of cool water for his tongue, only a tiny sense of God's mercy. > > You can't think of any more ugly language than this verse: Maids, little children and women, as well as the men, are under the judgment of God, anyone who does not have the mark on their foreheads in this case. And this starts in the sanctuary and goes out into the city of Jerusalem. And we know this is the churches and congregations, not the physical city of Jerusalem, because the physical city of Jerusalem is no longer the holy city. It was just a type or a figure of the churches and congregations where Christ should be in the midst, but He has left them, just as God left the temple in the Old Testament (again in type and figure) because of their rebellion and God's subsequent judgment. In fact, in the place where the Old Testament temple stood, today is a Moslem mosque. It is in no way related to the Gospel of Christ. > > So God's judgment begins at His sanctuary and goes out into the city, that is, it encompasses all of the churches and congregations. And they began at the ancient men which were before the house, before the temple or sanctuary. The ancient men are the elders. They had the first accountability to God for the conduct of the churches and congregations. They had the spiritual oversight of those churches. They are the ones who should have been warning everyone that they are in trouble, that God's judgment is upon them, like Josiah realized about Judah when the Law of God was found in the temple and read in his ears, so much that he tore his clothes in mourning ([2 Ki 22:8](2%20Kings%2022.md#^8), [10](2%20Kings%2022.md#^10), [11](2%20Kings%2022.md#^11), [13](2%20Kings%2022.md#^13)). > > But God's true believers, those who have the mark of God's ownership on their foreheads, remain safe. 7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. ^7 > Bear in mind, God is talking about *His temple*, that which was very precious to Him. Remember when Jesus zealously drove out the money changers from the temple, saying it's God's house of prayer ([John 2:13](John%202.md#^13), [14](John%202.md#^14), [15](John%202.md#^15), [16](John%202.md#^16), [17](John%202.md#^17); [Mt 21:13](Matthew%2021.md#^13))? But now, the house itself is to be defiled, not by wicked money changers coming in with their false gospels, but by God Himself defiling it with the blood of those He has brought under judgment. 8 ¶ And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? ^8 > The picture is so vivid that Ezekiel cries out. "Is there anyone in here who can still be spared?" True, those that had been marked by the ink-horn were spared, but what about all these others -- these little children, these maids, these women, these elders? Is there no mercy for them? And we see in the last few verses that the answer is No. It is final. 9 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 perverseness: for they say, The LORD has forsaken the earth, and the LORD sees not. ^9 10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, _but_ I will recompense their way upon their head. ^10 11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which _had_ the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me. ^11