Ezekiel 9
9
The Slaughter of Those with No Mark
1Then I heard the Lord shout loudly for me to hear, “Executioners, draw near! # 9:1 Or “The executioners have drawn near.” Each bring your weapon of destruction!” 2Immediately six men # 9:2 That is, angels. advanced from the upper north gate, # 9:2 This upper gate was built by Jotham (see 2 Kings 15:35), also called the Benjamin Gate (Benjamin means “Son of My Right Hand”; see Jer. 20:2) and was also known as the New Gate (the dawning of a new day; see Jer. 26:10; 36:10). each one holding a deadly weapon. Also, I saw with them a man clothed in white linen, # 9:2 This man in linen was an angel, or messenger, and was the seventh man that Ezekiel saw. White linen is a frequent biblical symbol of righteousness. with a scribe’s case # 9:2 This was a writing kit that contained an inkhorn and pen. tied to his belt. They came and stood in front of the bronze altar. # 9:2 The bronze altar is the place of sacrifice. For believers today, it represents the cross of Christ. 3Then the dazzling glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherubim where it had been resting and moved toward the threshold of the temple. # 9:3 The glory of the Lord had moved from its place over the cherubim-throne in the Holy of Holies to the threshold (or possibly outer gates) of the temple. God was reluctant to leave his throne in Jerusalem, waiting for the people to have a change of heart and repent. Then he called to the man dressed in white linen with a scribe’s case at his side, 4and Yahweh said to him, “Go throughout Jerusalem, and place a mark # 9:4 Or “tav,” the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet that in ancient Hebrew was shaped somewhat like “X,” the mark of a cross. Another possible meaning of tav is “desire.” on the foreheads of all who grieve and are greatly distressed over all the disgusting things done in the city.” # 9:4 Those with discernment, the intercessors who agonized over Israel’s demise, were spared. The righteous were left behind (see Ex. 12:22; Matt. 24:37–41). Their “foreheads” were marked, for their thoughts were turned toward God and his glory. Those with no “mark [cross]” on their foreheads (thoughts) were those walking in the mindset of man. See Rom. 8:7. 5-6And I heard him say to the other six, “Follow the man in white linen through the city and strike down everyone with no mark on their forehead—old men, young men, girls, children, women—kill them all. Show no mercy, not even one glance of pity. But do not touch anyone with a mark on his forehead. And begin at my sanctuary.” # 9:5–6 See 1 Peter 4:18 and first footnote. So, they began with those men in front of the temple and with the elders. 7He said to the executioners, “Go make my temple unfit for worship. Fill its courtyard with corpses. Now get to work.” They departed and began to strike the people throughout the city.
8While they were slaying, I was left alone in the temple. I threw myself facedown on the ground and cried out, “Oh, Lord Yahweh, are you really going to wipe out the remnant of Israel by venting your fury on Jerusalem?”
9He answered me, “The guilt of the people of Israel and Judah is enormous. The land is full of bloodshed, and Jerusalem full of perverted justice. They say, ‘Yahweh can’t see us! He has abandoned the nation.’ 10So, I no longer will show them any mercy nor give them one glance of pity. They hereby suffer the consequences of their own behavior.”
11Just then, the man dressed in white linen with the scribe’s case came back and made his report: “It is finished; I have carried out your orders.” # 9:11 God is using symbolic and metaphorical language in the book of Ezekiel. The man clothed in linen is a picture of our Savior. The only one worthy of this task is our Lord Jesus Christ, and he is the one who places this mark or seal upon the heads of believers. See Dan. 10:5; Rev. 1:12–20. He is the one who fulfills the will of his Father (see John 5:19). We are marked or sealed with the Holy Spirit (see 2 Cor. 1:21–22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Tim. 2:19; Rev. 7:3–4).
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Ezekiel 9: TPT
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