E
Z E K I E L
CHAP. XI.
This
chapter concludes the vision which Ezekiel saw, and this part of it furnished
him with two messages:-- I. A message of wrath against those who continued
still at Jerusalem, and were there in the height of presumption,
thinking they should never fall, ver. 1-13. II. A message of comfort to those
who were carried captives into
Babylon and were there in the depth of despondency,
thinking they should never rise. And, as the former are assured that God has
judgments in store for them notwithstanding their present security, so the
later are assured that God has mercy in store for them notwithstanding their
present distress, ver. 14-21. And so the glory of God removes further, ver.
22, 23. The vision disappears (ver. 24), and Ezekiel faithfully gives his
hearers an account of it, ver. 25.
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Message
of Wrath to Jerusalem; Presumption of the Princes;
Awakening Predictions.
B. C. 593.
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1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought
me unto the east gate of the LORD's
house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and
twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son
of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2 Then said he unto me, Son of
man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in
this city: 3 Which say, It is not near; let us build
houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man. 5 And
the Spirit of the LORD
fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD;
Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into
your mind, every one of them. 6 Ye have multiplied your
slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the
slain. 7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;
Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh,
and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the
midst of it. 8 Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword
upon you, saith the Lord GOD.
9 And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the
hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. 10 Ye
shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye
shall know that I am the LORD.
11 This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh
in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of
Israel: 12 And ye shall know that I am the LORD:
for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have
done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah
died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah
Lord GOD!
wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
We have here,
I. The great security of the prince's of Jerusalem, notwithstanding the
judgments of God that were upon them, The prophet was brought, in vision, to
the gate of the temple where these princes sat in council upon the present
arduous affairs of the city: The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the
east gate of the Lord's house, and behold twenty-five men were there. See
how obsequious the prophet was to the Spirit's orders and how observant of all
the discoveries that were made to him. It should seem, these twenty-five men
were not the same with those twenty-five whom we saw at the door of the
temple, worshipping towards the east (ch. viii. 16); those seen
to have been priests or Levites, for they were between the porch and the
altar, but these were princes sitting in the gate of the Lord's house,
to try causes (Jer. xxvi. 10), and they are here charged, not with corruptions
in worship, but with mal-administration in the government; two of them are
named, because they were the most active leading men, and perhaps because the
prophet knew them, though he had been some years absent--Pelatiah and Jaazaniah,
not that mentioned ch. viii. 11, for he was the son of Shaphan,
this is the son of Azur. Some tell us that Jerusalem was divided into
twenty-four wards, and that these were the governors or aldermen of those
wards, with their mayor or president. Now observe, 1. The general character
which God gives of these men to the prophet (v. 2): "These are
the men that devise mischief; under pretence of concerting measures for
the public safety they harden people in their sins, and take off their fear of
God's judgments which they are threatened with by the prophets; they gave
wicked counsel in this city, counselling them to restrain and silence the
prophets, to rebel against the king of Babylon, and to resolve upon holding the
city out to the last extremity." Note, It is bad with a people when
the things that belong to their peace are hidden from the eyes of those who
are entrusted with their counsels. And, when mischief is done, God knows at
whose door to lay it, and, in the day of discovery and recompence, will be
sure to lay it at the right door, and will say, These are the men that
devised it, though they are great men, and pass for wise men, and must not
now be contradicted or controlled. 2. The particular charge exhibited against
them in proof of this character. They are indicted for words spoken at their
council-board, which he that stands in the congregation of the mighty
would take cognizance of (v. 3); they said to this effect, "It
is not near; the destruction of our city, that has been so often
threatened by the prophets, is not near, not so near as they talk
of." They are conscious to themselves of such an enmity to reformation
that they cannot but conclude it will come at last; but they have such an
opinion of God's patience (though they have long abused it) that they are
willing to hope it will not come this great while. Note, Where Satan cannot
persuade men to look upon the judgment to come as a thing doubtful and
uncertain, yet he gains his point by persuading them to look upon it as a
thing at a distance, so that it loses its force: if it be sure, yet it is
not near; whereas, in truth, the Judge stands before the door. Now,
if the destruction is not near, they conclude, Let us build houses; let
us count upon a continuance, for this city is the caldron and we are the
flesh. This seems to be a proverbial expression, signifying no more than
this, "We are as safe in this city as flesh in a boiling pot; the walls
of the city shall be to us as walls of brass, and shall receive no more
damage from the besiegers about it than the cauldron does from the
fire under it. Those that think to force us out of our city into captivity
shall find it to be as much at their peril as it would be to take the flesh
out of a boiling pot with their hands." This appears to be the meaning of
it, by the answer God gives to it (v. 9): "I will bring you out
of the midst of the city, where you think yourselves safe, and then it
will appear (v. 11) that this is not your caldron, neither are you
the flesh." Perhaps it has a particular reference to the flesh of
the peace-offerings, which it was so great an offence for the priests
themselves to take out of the caldron while it was in seething (as we
find 1 Sam. ii. 13, 14), and then it intimates that they were the more secure
because Jerusalem was the holy city, and they thought themselves a holy people
in it, not to be meddled with. Some think this was a banter upon Jeremiah, who
in one of his first visions saw Jerusalem represented by a seething pot,
Jer. i. 13. "Now," say they, in a way of jest and ridicule, "if
it be a seething pot, we are as the flesh in it, and who dares meddle with
us?" Thus they continued mocking the messengers of the Lord, even while
they suffered for so doing; but be you not mockers, lest your bands be made
strong. Those hearts are indeed which are made more secure by those words
of God which were designed for warning to them.
II. The method taken to awaken them out of their security. One would think
that the providences of God which related to them were enough to startle them;
but, to help them to understand and improve those, the word of God is sent to
them to give them warning (v. 4): Therefore prophesy against them,
and try to undeceive them; prophesy, O son of man! upon these dead and
dry bones. Note, The greatest kindness ministers can do to secure sinners is
to preach against them, and to show them their misery and danger, though they
are ever so unwilling to see them. We then act most for them when we appear
most against them. But the prophet, being at a loss what to say to men that
were hardened in sin, and that bade defiance to the judgments of God, the
Spirit of the Lord fell upon him, to make him full of power and courage,
and said unto him, Speak. Note, When sinners are flattering themselves
into their own ruin it is time to speak, and to tell them that they shall have
no peace if they go on. Ministers are sometimes so bashful and timorous, and
so much at a loss, that they must be put on to speak, and to speak boldly. But
he that commands the prophet to speak gives him instructions what to say; and
he must address himself to them as the house of Israel (v. 5),
for not the princes only, but all the people, were concerned to know the truth
of their cause, to know the worst of it. They are the house of Israel,
and therefore the God of Israel is concerned, in kindness to them, to
give them warning; and they are concerned in duty to him to take the warning.
And what is it that the must say to them in God's name? 1. Let them know that
the God of heaven takes notice of the vain confidences with which they support
themselves (v. 5): "I know the things which come into your
minds every one of them, what secret reasons you have for these
resolutions, and what you aim at in putting so good a face upon a matter you
know to be bad." Note, God perfectly knows not only the things that come
out of our mouths, but the things that come into our minds, not only all we
say, but all we think; even those thoughts that are most suddenly darted into
our minds, and that as suddenly slip out of them again, so that we ourselves
are scarcely aware of them, yet God knows them. He knows us better than we
know ourselves; he understands our thoughts afar off. The consideration
of this should oblige us to keep our hearts with all diligence, that no vain
thoughts come into them or lodge within them. 2. Let them know that those who
advised the people to stand it out should be accounted before God the
murderers of all who had fallen, or should yet fall, in Jerusalem, by the
sword of the Chaldeans; and those slain were the only ones that should remain
in the city, as the flesh in the caldron. "You have multiplied
your slain in the city, not only those whom you have by the sword of
justice unjustly put to death under colour of law, but those whom you have by
your wilfulness and pride unwisely exposed to the sword of war, though you
were told by the prophets that you should certainly go by the worst. Thus you,
with your stubborn humour, have filled the streets of Jerusalem with the
slain," v. 6. Note, Those who are either unrighteous or
imprudent in beginning or carrying on a war bring upon themselves a great deal
of the guilt of blood; and those who are slain in the battles or sieges which
they, by such a reasonable peace as the war aimed at, might have prevented,
will be called their slain. Now these slain are the only flesh that
shall be left in this caldron, v. 7. There shall none remain to
keep possession of the city but those that are buried in it. There shall be no
inhabitants of Jerusalem but the inhabitants of the graves there, no freemen
of the city but the free among the dead. 3. Let them know that, how
impregnable soever they thought their city to be, they should be forced out of
it, either driven to flight or dragged into captivity: I will bring you
forth out of the midst of it, whether you will or no, v. 7, 9. They
had provoked God to forsake the city, and thought they should do well enough
by their own policy and strength when he was gone; but God will make them know
that there is no peace to those that have left their God. If they have by
their sins driven God from his house, he will soon by his judgments drive them
from theirs; and it will be found that those are least safe that are most
secure: "This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall you be the
flesh; you shall not soak away in it as you promise yourselves, and die in
your nest; you think yourself safe in the midst thereof, but you shall
not be long there." 4. Let them know that when God has got them out of
the midst of Jerusalem he will pursue them with his judgments wherever he
finds them, the judgments which they thought to shelter themselves from by
keeping close in Jerusalem. They feared the sword if they should go out to the
Chaldeans, and therefore would abide in their caldron, but, says God, I
will bring a sword upon you (v. 8) and you shall fall by the
sword, v. 10. Note, The fear of the wicked shall come upon him. And
there is no fence against the judgments of God when they come with commission,
no, not in walls of brass. They were afraid of trusting to the mercy of
strangers. "But," says God, "I will deliver you into the
hands of strangers, whose resentments you shall feel, since you were not
willing to lie at their mercy." See Jer. xxxviii. 17, 18. They thought to
escape the judgments of God, but God says that he will execute judgments
upon them; and whereas they resolved, if they must be judged, that it
should be in Jerusalem, God tells them (v. 10 and again v. 11)
that he will judge them in the borders of Israel, which was fulfilled
when Nebuchadnezzar slew all the nobles of Judah at Riblah in the land of
Hamath, on the utmost border of the land of Canaan. Note, Those who have taken
ever so deep root in the place where they live cannot be sure that in that
place they shall die. 5. Let them know that all this is the due punishment of
their sin, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God against
them: You shall know that I am the Lord, v. 10 and again v.
12. Those shall be made to know by the sword of the Lord who would not be
taught by his word what a hatred he has to sin, and what a fearful thing it is
for impenitent sinners to fall into his hands. I will execute judgments,
and then you shall know that I am the Lord, for the Lord is known by
the judgments which he executes upon those that have not walked in his
statutes. Hereby it is known that he made the law, because he punishes the
breach of it. I will execute judgments among you (says God) because you
have not executed my judgments, v. 12. Note, The executing of the
judgments of God's mouth by us, in a uniform steady course of obedience to his
law, is the only way to prevent the executing of the judgments of his hand
upon us in our ruin and confusion. One way or other. God's judgments will be
executed; the law will take place either in its precept or in its penalty. If
we do not give honour to God by executing his judgments as he has commanded,
he will get him honour upon us by executing his judgments as he has
threatened; and thus we shall know that he is the Lord, the sovereign Lord of
all, that will not be mocked. And observe, When they cast off God's statutes,
and walked not in them, they did after the manners of the heathen that were
round about them, and introduced into their worship all their impure,
ridiculous, and barbarous usages. When men leave the settled rule of divine
institutions, they wander endlessly. Justly therefore was this made the reason
why they should keep God's ordinances, that they might not commit
the abominable customs of the heathen, Lev. xviii. 30.
III. This awakening word is here immediately followed by an awakening
providence, v. 13. Here we may observe, 1. With what power Ezekiel
prophesied, or, rather, what a divine power went along with it: It came to
pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died; he was
mentioned (v. 1) as a principal man among the twenty-five princes that
made all the mischief in Jerusalem. It should seem, this was done in vision
now, as the slaying of the ancient men (ch. ix. 6) upon occasion of
which Ezekiel prayed (v. 8) as he did here; but it was an assurance
that when this prophecy should be published it should be done in fact. The
death of Pelatiah was an earnest of the complete accomplishment of this
prophecy. Note, God is pleased often-times to single out some sinners, and to
make them monuments of his justice, for warning to others of what is coming;
and some that thought themselves very safe and snatched away suddenly, and
drop down dead in an instant, as Ananias and Sapphira at Peter's feet when he
prophesied. 2. With what pity Ezekiel prayed. Thought the sudden death of
Pelatiah was a confirmation of Ezekiel's prophecy, and really an honour to
him, yet he was in deep concern about it, and laid it to heart as if he had
been his relation or friend: He fell on his face and cried with a loud
voice, as one in earnest, "Ah! Lord God, wilt thou make a full end
of the remnant of Israel? Many are swept away by the judgments we have
been under; and shall the remnant which have escaped the sword die thus by the
immediate hand of heaven? Then thou wilt indeed make a full end." Perhaps
it was Ezekiel's infirmity to bewail the death of this wicked prince thus, as
it was Samuel's to mourn so long for Saul; but thus he showed how far he was
from desiring the woeful day he foretold. David lamented the sickness of those
that hated and persecuted him. And we ought to be much affected with the
sudden death of others, yea, though they are wicked.
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Judgments
Predicted; Sufferings and Hopes of Pious Captives.
B. C. 593.
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14 Again the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying, 15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy
brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are
they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD:
unto us is this land given in possession. 16 Therefore say, Thus
saith the Lord GOD;
Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have
scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little
sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. 17 Therefore
say, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries
where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable
things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. 19
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I
will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of
flesh: 20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine
ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their
God. 21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart
of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way
upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.
Prophecy was designed to exalt every valley as well as to bring low every
mountain and hill (Isa. xl. 4), and prophets were to speak not only
conviction to the presumptuous and secure, but comfort to the despised and
desponding that trembled at God's word. The prophet Ezekiel, having in the
former part of this chapter received instructions for the awakening of those
that were at ease in Zion, is in these verses furnished with
comfortable words for those that mourned in Babylon and by the rivers
there sat weeping when they remembered Zion. Observe,
I. How the pious captives were trampled upon and insulted over by those who
continued in Jerusalem, v. 15. God tells the prophet what the
inhabitants of Jerusalem said of him and the rest of them that were already
carried away to Babylon. God had owned them as good figs, and declared
it was for their good that he had sent them into Babylon; but the inhabitants
of Jerusalem abandoned them, supposing those that were really the best saints
to be the greatest sinners of all men that dwelt in Jerusalem. Observe, 1. How
they are described: They are thy brethren (says God to the prophet),
whom thou hast a concern and affection for; they are the men of thy kindred
(the men of thy redemption, so the word is), thy next of kin, to whom the
right of redeeming the alienated possession belongs, but who are so far from
being able to do it that they have themselves gone into captivity. They are the
whole house of Israel; God so accounts of them because they only have
retained their integrity, and are bettered by their captivity. They were not
only of the same family and nation with Ezekiel, but of the same spirit; they
were his hearers, and he had communion with them in holy ordinances; and
perhaps upon that account they are called his brethren and the men of his
kindred. 2. How they were disowned by the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
they said of them, Get you far from the Lord. Those that were at ease
and proud themselves scorned their brethren that were humbled and under
humbling providences. (1.) They cut them off from being members of their
church. Because they had separated themselves from their rulers and in
compliance with the will of God had surrendered themselves to the king of
Babylon, they excommunicated them, and said, "Get you far from the
Lord; we will have nothing to do with you." Those that were
superstitious were very willing to shake off those that were conscientious,
and were severe in their censures of them and sentences against them, as if
they were forsaken and forgotten of the Lord and were cut off from the
communion of the faithful. (2.) They cut them off from being members of the
commonwealth too, as if they had no longer any part or lot in the matter:
"Unto us is this land given in possession, and you have forfeited
your estates by surrendering to the king of Babylon, and we have thereby
become entitled to them." God takes notice of, and is much displeased
with, the contempt which those that are in prosperity put upon their brethren
that are in affliction.
II. The gracious promises which God made to them in consideration of the
insolent conduct of their brethren towards them. Those that hated them and
cast them out said, Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear
to their joy, Isa. lxvi. 5. God owns that his hand had gone out against
them, which had given occasion to their brethren to triumph over them (v.
16): "It is true I have cast them far off among the heathen and scattered
them among the countries; they look as if they were an abandoned people,
and so mingled with the nations that they will be lost among them; but I have
mercy in store for them." Note, God takes occasion from the contempts
which are put upon his people to speak comfort to them, as David hoped God
would reward him good for Shimei's cursing. His time to support his people's
hopes is when their enemies are endeavouring to drive them to despair. Now God
promises,
1. That he will make up to them the want of the temple and the privileges of
it (v. 16): I will be to them as a little sanctuary, in the
countries where they shall come. Those at Jerusalem have the temple, but
without God; those in Babylon have God, though without the temple. (1.) God will
be a sanctuary to them; that is, a place of refuge; to him they shall
flee, and in him they shall be safe, as he was that took hold on the horns
of the altar. Or, rather, they shall have such communion with God in the
land of their captivity as it was thought could be had nowhere but in the
temple. They shall there see God's power and his glory, as they used to
see them in the sanctuary; they shall have the tokens of God's presence
with them, and his grace in their hearts shall sanctify their prayers and
praises, as well as ever the altar sanctified the gift, so that they shall please
the Lord better than an ox or bullock. (2.) He will be a little
sanctuary, not seen or observed by their enemies, who looked with an evil
and an envious eye upon that house at Jerusalem which was high and
great, 1 Kings ix. 8. They were but few and mean, and a little sanctuary was
fittest for them. God regards the low estate of his people, and suits his
favours to their circumstances. Observe the condescensions of divine grace.
The great God will be to his people a little sanctuary. Note, Those that are
deprived of the benefit of public ordinances, if it be not their own fault,
may have the want of them abundantly made up in the immediate communications
of divine grace and comforts.
2. That God would in due time put an end to their afflictions, bring them out
of the land of their captivity, and settle them again, them or their children,
in their own land (v. 17): "I will gather even you
that are thus dispersed, thus despised, and given over for lost by your own
countrymen; I will gather you from the people, distinguish you from
those with whom you are mingled, deliver you from those by whom you are held
captives, and assemble you in a body out of the countries where you
have been scattered; you shall not come back one by one, but all together,
which will make your return more honourable, safe, and comfortable; and then I
will give you the land of Israel, which now your brethren look upon you as
for ever shut out from." Note, It is well for us that men's severe
censures cannot cut us off from God's gracious promises. There are many that
will be found to have a place in the holy land whom uncharitable men, by their
monopolies of it to themselves, had secluded from it. I will give you the
land of Israel, give it to you again by a new grant, and they shall
come thither. If there be any thing in the change of the person from you
to them, it may signify the posterity of those to whom the promise is
made. "You shall have the title as the patriarchs had, and those
that come after shall have the possession."
3. That God by his grace would part between them and their sins, v. 18.
Their captivity shall effectually cure them of their idolatry: When they
come thither to their own land again they shall take away all the
detestable things thereof. Their idols, that had been their delectable
things, should now be looked upon with detestation, not only the idols of
Babylon, where they were captives, but the idols of Canaan, where they were
natives; they should not only not worship them as they had done, but they
should not suffer any monuments of them to remain: They shall take all the
abominations thereof thence. Note, Then it is in mercy that we
return to a prosperous estate, when we return not to the sins and follies of
that state. What have I to do any more with idols?
4. That God would powerfully dispose them to their duty; they shall not only cease
to do evil, but they shall learn to do well, because there shall be
not only an end of their troubles, but a return to their peace.
(1.) God will plant good principles in them; he will make the tree good, v.
19. This is a gospel promise, and is made good to all those whom God designs
for the heavenly Canaan; for God prepares all for heaven whom he has prepared
heaven for. It is promised, [1.] That God will give them one heart, a
heart entire for the true God and not divided as it had been among many gods,
a heart firmly fixed and resolved for God and not wavering, steady and
uniform, and not inconstant with itself. One heart is a sincere and
upright heart, its intentions of a piece with its professions. [2.] That he will
put a new spirit within them, a temper of mind agreeable to the new
circumstances into which God in his providence would bring them. All that are
sanctified have a new spirit, quite different from what it was; they
act from new principles, walk by new rules, and aim at new ends. A new name,
or a new face, will not serve without a new spirit. If any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature. [3.] That he will take away the
stony heart out of their flesh, out of their corrupt nature. Their hearts
shall no longer be, as they have been, dead and dry, and hard and heavy, as a
stone, no longer incapable of bearing good fruit, so that the good seed is
lost upon it, as it was on the stony ground. [4.] That he will give
them a heart of flesh, not dead or proud flesh, but living flesh; he will
make their hearts sensible of spiritual pains and spiritual pleasures, will
make them tender, and apt to receive impressions. This is God's work, it is
his gift, his gift by promise; and a wonderful and happy change it is that is
wrought by it, from death to life. This is promised to those whom God would
bring back to their own land; for then such a change of the condition
is for the better indeed when it is accompanied with such a change of the
heart; and such a change must be wrought in all those that shall be brought to
the better country, that is, the heavenly.
(2.) Their practices shall be consonant to those principles: I will give
them a new spirit, not that they may be able to discourse well of religion
and to dispute for it, but that they may walk in my statues in their
whole conversation and keep my ordinances in all acts of religious
worship, v. 20. These two must go together; and those to whom God has
given a new heart and a new spirit will make conscience of both; and
then they shall be my people and I will be their God. The ancient
covenant, which seemed to be broken and forgotten, shall be renewed. By their
idolatry, it should seem, they had cast God off; by their captivity, it should
seem, God had cast them off. But when they were cured of their idolatry, and
delivered out of their captivity, God and his Israel own one another again.
God, by his good work in them, will make them his people; and then, by
the tokens of his good-will towards them, he will show that he is their
God.
III. Here is a threatening of wrath against those who hated to be reformed.
As, when judgments are threatened, the righteous are distinguished so as not
to share in the evil of those judgments, so, when favours are promised, the
wicked are distinguished so as not to share in the comfort of those favours;
they have no part nor lot in the matter, v. 21. But, as for those
that have no grace, what have they to do with peace? Observe, 1. Their
description. Their heart walks after the heart of their detestable things;
they have as great a minds to worship devils as devils have to be worshipped.
Or, in opposition to the new heart which God gives his people, which is
a heart after his own heart, they have a heart after the heart of their
idols; in their temper and practice they conformed to the characters and
accounts given them of their idols, and the ideas they had of them, and of
them they learned lewdness and cruelty. Here lies the root of all their
wickedness, the corruption of the heart; as the root of their reformation is
laid in the renovation of the heart. The heart has its walks, and according as
those are the man is. 2. Their doom. It carries both justice and terror in it:
I will recompense their way upon their own heads; I will deal with them
as they deserve. There needs no more than this to speak God righteous, that he
does but render to men according to their deserts: and yet such are the
deserts of sin that there needs no more than this to speak the sinner
miserable.
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The
Visions of the Divine Glory.
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B.
C. 593.
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22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings,
and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over
them above. 23 And the glory of the LORD
went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is
on the east side of the city. 24 Afterwards the spirit took me up,
and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the
captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 Then
I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD
had shewed me.
Here is, 1. The departure of God's presence from the city and temple. When the
message was committed to the prophet, and he was fully apprized of it, fully
instructed how to separate between the precious and the vile, then the
cherubim lifted up their wings and the wheels beside them (v. 22)
as before, ch. x. 19. Angels, when they have done their errands in this
lower world, are upon the wing to be gone, for they lose no time. We left the
glory of the Lord last at the east gate of the temple (ch.
x. 19), which is here said to be in the midst of the city. Now here we
are told that, finding and wondering that there was none to intercede, none to
uphold, none to invite its return, it removed next to the mountain which is
on the east side of the city (v. 23); that was the mount of
Olives. On this mountain they had set up their idols, to confront God in
his temple, when he dwelt there (1 Kings xi. 7), and thence it was called the
mount of corruption (2 Kings xxiii. 13); therefore there God does as it
were set up his standard, his tribunal, as it were to confront those who
thought to keep possession of the temple for themselves now that God had left
it. From that mountain there was a full prospect of the city; thither God
removed, to make good what he had said (Deut. xxxii. 20), I will hide my
face from them, I will see what their end shall be. It was from this
mountain that Christ beheld the city and wept over it, in the foresight
of its last destruction by the Romans. The glory of the Lord removed
thither, to be as it were yet within call, and ready to return if now at
length, in this their day, they would have understood the things
that belonged to their peace. Loth to depart bids oft farewell. God, by
going away thus slowly, thus gradually, intimated that he left them with
reluctance, and would not have gone if they had not perfectly forced him from
them. He did now, in effect, say, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How
shall I deliver thee, Israel? But, though he bear long, he will not bear
always, but will at length forsake those, and cast them off for ever, who have
forsaken him and cast him off. 2. The departure of this vision from the
prophet. At length it went up from him (v. 24); he saw it mount
upwards, till it went out of sight, which would be a confirmation to his faith
that it was a heavenly vision, that it descended from above, for thitherward
it returned. Note, The visions which the saints have of the glory of God will
not be constant will they come to heaven. They have glimpses of that glory,
which they soon lose again, visions which go up from them, tastes of divine
pleasures, but not a continual feast. It was from the mount of Olives that the
vision went up, typifying the ascension of Christ to heaven from that very
mountain, when those that had seen him manifested in the flesh saw him
no more. It was foretold (Zech. xiv. 4) that his feet should stand upon the
mount of Olives, stand last there. 3. The prophet's return to those of the
captivity. The same spirit that had carried him in a trance or ecstasy to
Jerusalem brought him back to Chaldea; for there the bounds of his habitation
are at present appointed, and that is the place of his service. The Spirit
came to him, not to deliver him out of captivity, but (which was equivalent)
to support and comfort him in his captivity. 4. The account which he gave to
his hearers of all he had seen and heard, v. 25. He received that he
might give, and he was faithful to him that appointed him; he delivered
his message very honestly: he spoke all that, and that only, which God had
shown him. He told them of the great wickedness he had seen at Jerusalem,
and the ruin that was hastening towards that city, that they might not repent
of their surrendering themselves to the king of Babylon as Jeremiah advised
them, and blame themselves for it, nor envy those that staid behind, and
laughed at them for going when they did, nor wish themselves there again, but
be content in their captivity. Who would covet to be in a city so full of sin
and so near to ruin? It is better to be in Babylon under the favour of God
than in Jerusalem under his wrath and curse. But, though this was delivered
immediately to those of the captivity, yet we may suppose that they sent the
contents of it to those at Jerusalem, with whom they kept up a correspondence;
and well would it have been for Jerusalem if she had taken the warning hereby
given.
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