Ezekiel: For His GlorySample

This chapter continues Ezekiel’s vision which began in the last chapter. God had been provoked to anger, and here He acts in widespread judgment. But His judgment is not indiscriminate. 

The loud cry of God summoning the executioners (v. 1) parallels the shouts of the people that God had turned a deaf ear to (8:18). Six of these heavenly beings appear, with weapons for slaughter in their hands. The seventh functions as a scribe, one who marks out the repentant among the people (vv. 1–4). The executioners are then commanded to carry out God’s judgment (5–7). 

The executioners show no pity, slaughtering men and women, young and old. They begin at the temple, where the elders were worshipping the sun (8:11). The temple had been defiled by idolatrous worship and is now further defiled by dead bodies. 

Seeing this horrific scene, the usually stoical prophet is compelled to intercede on behalf of the remnant of Israel (vv. 8–10). God’s reply doesn’t sound hopeful: He simply reiterates the people’s guilt, and His determination to repay them for their sins. Yet hope is found in the next verse, as the man clothed in linen reports that he has marked out those who would be saved (v. 11). 

We rightly think of God as merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Exod. 34:6). Yet He is also a God of justice, moved in this chapter to such determined, terrifying judgment because of Israel’s severe, pervasive and ongoing disobedience. In their life and worship practices, Israel had become just like the Canaanites, so their punishment would be similar (e.g. Gen. 15:16; Deut. 9:4–5). 

Reflection

Judgment will begin with the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17). We need to take God’s judgment seriously for it is not only for nonChristians. But thank God that we will be spared the ultimate judgment since we too have been marked out (e.g. Rev. 7:3; 9:4; 14:1).