Ezekiel 8
8
Ezekiel’s Fourth Vision of the Glory of God
1 # 8:1 Ezekiel 8–11 is the second panel (B) in the chiastic parallel structure in Ezekiel. This section contains a series of visions relating to idolatry in the temple (see chs. 8–9) and the departure of the glory cloud from the temple (see chs. 10–11)—a sign representing God’s abandonment of his people as a punishment for their idolatrous rebellion against him over many years. Note, however, that 11:16 and following record the promise that God will return his people from captivity in due course and renew them spiritually as well. This section—panel B—constitutes the contrasting parallel with panel B1 in chs. 43–44, where Ezekiel is given a vision of the glory cloud returning to the temple (see ch. 43) and the renewal of the priestly service in the temple, reserved exclusively for the ministry of the faithful Zadokite priests (see ch. 44). See 44:15 and following in particular. In the sixth year of our exile, on the fifth day of the sixth month, # 8:1 This date is probably September 17, 592 BC, fourteen months after Ezekiel’s first vision. Chapter 8 introduces a new series of Ezekiel’s visions, which refer to Jerusalem and the remnant of Judah during King Zedekiah’s reign. Ezekiel is transported by the Spirit (see 1 Kings 18:12; 2 Kings 2:16; Acts 8:39–40) from Babylon to Jerusalem to see the vile activities of the people of Israel in the temple of Yahweh. the elders of Judah and I were sitting in my home. Suddenly, I felt the mighty power # 8:1 Or “hand,” a symbol of the power of God. of the Lord Yahweh come over me.
2Behold, I saw a fiery human figure. # 8:2 Most translations follow the Greek Septuagint that reads “the appearance of a man”; however, the Hebrew is “the appearance of fire,” and The Passion Translation team has chosen to merge both concepts. His body looked like fire! Below the waist were flames of fire; above the waist he glistened as bright as glowing bronze. # 8:2 See Ezek. 1:26–28. 3He reached out with what seemed like a hand and grabbed me by my hair. Then, in a great and wonderful vision # 8:3 Although the Hebrew is plural (literally “visions”), it is used here as a Hebrew plural intensive. from God, the Spirit lifted me up high in the air # 8:3 Or “between heaven and earth,” which can be emblematic of the mid-heaven realm of the soul or mind of man. and transported me to Jerusalem. He took me to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court where the disgusting idol # 8:3 Or “the idol of idolatry” or “the statue that outrages,” which was likely the Canaanite goddess Asherah (see 2 Kings 21:7), the Syrian precursor to Venus. that provokes Yahweh’s jealousy was standing. # 8:3 See 2 Thess. 2:3–4; Rev. 2:13. 4And all at once, the dazzling glory of the God of Israel appeared! It looked like what I had seen in the Euphrates Valley.
Idolatry in the Temple
5Then God said, “Son of man, look now to the north.” So, I raised my eyes to the north, and standing there, north of the pathway entrance of the altar gate was this vile statue that infuriates God. # 8:5 All who entered the inner courtyard of the temple by the north gate had to pass close to this idol. 6And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing? Look at all the repulsive, loathsome things that the people of Israel are practicing here! Their disgusting deeds drive me farther and farther from my sanctuary. And you will see even more shocking things than these.”
The Leaders of Israel Practicing Secret Idolatry
7He next transported me to the entrance to the outer courtyard. I looked carefully and noticed there was a hole in the wall. 8He said, “Son of man, dig through the wall.” When I dug into the wall, I discovered a doorway. 9He said, “Now, go in and look at the shocking, despicable things they are doing inside.” 10So I went through the door, and I noticed the walls were covered with drawings # 8:10 Or “carvings.” of every kind of snake, bugs, creeping things, # 8:10 These creeping things pertain to the dust realm, with humanistic wisdom twisting the Scriptures to violate truth. repulsive animals, and all the disgusting idols of the people of Israel. 11Worshiping these animals were seventy leaders of Israel, # 8:11 That is, the Sanhedrin, seventy leaders who were chosen to instruct the people of God. Ezekiel discovered they were in fact leading the people into idolatry. and standing among them was Jaazaniah # 8:11 Although difficult to identify with absolute certainty, this may have been the Jaazaniah who was one of those responsible for the reforms of King Josiah (see 2 Kings 25:23). son of Shaphan. Each one had an incense burner in his hand, from which rose a fragrant cloud of incense. 12God said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what these leaders of Israel are doing in secret, each one worshiping in his own personal shrine? They say, ‘Oh, Yahweh cannot see us; he has left the land.’ ” 13Then God said, “This is not even the worst of the practices. You will see things more terrible than this.”
The Women of Judah Worshiping Tammuz
14Next he took me to the entrance of the north gate of the temple of Yahweh where women were weeping over the death of the god Tammuz. # 8:14 This is the only place in the Bible where the worship of Tammuz is mentioned. It dates back as far as 3000 BC. The passage here refers to a religious ceremony of an annual feast of mourning for Tammuz (precursor of Adonis) every year in the month of Tammuz (June–July) to commemorate the period of his stay in the underworld. 15He said, “Son of man, do you see their worship of Tammuz? You will see even more terrible things than that.”
16Next he transported me to the north gate to the inner court of his temple. And there, at the entrance to Yahweh’s sanctuary, between the porch and the altar, # 8:16 See Joel 2:17. were about twenty-five men standing with their faces to the east worshiping the sun with their backs to Yahweh’s sanctuary. They bowed down to the east, before the rising sun. 17God said to me, “Son of man, do you see this? It is bad enough that the people of Judah are doing these despicable things, but they also spread violence throughout the land and provoke my anger further! Look at how they insult me in every possible way they can. # 8:17 Or “they put the branch to their nose.” This was something done in Assyrian religious practices (see Martin Haug, Essays on the Sacred Language, Writings and Religion of the Parsis [United Kingdom: Houghton, Osgood, 1878], 4). Some scholars see this act as a vile attempt to insult God with crude gestures. Whatever their actual action was, it was a provocative attempt to insult and scorn the living God, the God of Israel. 18Therefore, with wrath I will deal with them. I will show neither pity nor mercy. They can cry to me as loudly as they want, but I will not listen to them.”
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Ezekiel 8: TPT
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