Ezekiel 9:3

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; THE GLORY OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL WAS GONE UP FROM THE CHERUB, WHEREUPON HE WAS, TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE - the manifestation of God's glory, which had heretofore, as a bright cloud, rested on the mercy-seat between the cherubim in the holy of holies (; , "Thou that dwellest between the cherubim") now departed. Its departure was the presage of the temple being given up to ruin; its going from the inner sanctuary "to the threshold" without, toward the officers standing at the altar outside, was in order to give them the commission of vengeance. The cherub here is that over the mercy-sea...

Now the Prophet shows why the angel was added to the Chaldeans, namely, to put a bridle on them, lest they should rage promiscuously and without selection against the elect and the reprobate. This is a remarkable passage, because from it we learn, first, that God effectually threatens the impious, so that he may have attendants always at hand to obey him; then, that even unbelievers make war under the direction of God, and are governed by his rod, and do nothing except at his will. Nor are the Chaldeans said to have come to the temple in vain, and to have placed themselves before the altar of God. This is not related to their praise, as if they obeyed God spontaneously, or as if they had purposed to themselves to carry out his commands, but the secret providence of God is here treated. Although, therefore, the Chaldeans gave the rein to their self-will, and did not think themselves divin...

1-4 It is a great comfort to believers, that in the midst of destroyers and destructions, there is a Mediator, a great High Priest, who has an interest in heaven, and in whom saints on earth have an interest. The representation of the Divine glory from above the ark, removed to the threshold, denoted that the Lord was about to leave his mercy-seat, and to pronounce judgment on the people. The distinguishing character of this remnant that is to be saved, is such as sigh and cry to God in prayer, because of the abominations in Jerusalem. Those who keep pure in times of general wickedness, God will keep safe in times of general trouble and distress....

Verse Ezekiel 9:3. _AND HE CALLED TO THE MAN_] The person here who called was that who sat on the chariot of the Divine glory. See Ezekiel 1:26....

CHERUB - The singular is put collectively for the “cherubim,” which were upon the mercy-seat of the ark in the holy of holies, the proper seat of the glory of the Lord in the midst of Israel. God is represented as “arising” from between the cherubim to scatter His enemies Numbers 10:35....

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 9:1 HE CRIED, etc. The voice comes, as before, from the human form, seen as a theophany, in the midst of the Divine glory. CAUSE THEM THAT HAVE CHARGE OVER THE CITY. The noun is an abstract plural, commonly rendered "visitation" (Isaiah 10:3; Jeremiah 11:23, and elsewhere). Here, however, it clearly stands for persons (just as we use "the watch" for "the watchmen"), and is so used in Isaiah 60:17; 2 Kings 11:18 (comp....

AND THE GLORY OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL WAS GONE UP FROM THE CHERUB, WHEREUPON HE WAS,.... That is, the glorious God of Israel; or the glorious Shechinah, and divine Majesty, which dwelt between the cherubim over the mercy seat in the most holy place, removed from thence, as a token of his being about to depart from the temple, which in a short time would be destroyed. The Targum is, "the glory of the God of Israel departed in the cherub on which he dwelt, in the house of the holy of holies;'' the cherubim removed with him, and were his chariot in which he rode; see Ezekiel 10:18; TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE; of the holy of holies, as Jarchi interprets it; and so was nearer to the brasen altar, where the seven men stood, to give them their orders; of which an account follows: and he called to the man clothed wit

WAS GONE It is noteworthy that to Ezekiel the priest was given the vision of the glory of the Lord (1) departing from the Cherubim to the threshold of the temple (Ezekiel 9:3); (Ezekiel 10:4). (2) from the threshold (Ezekiel 10:18). (3) from temple and city to the mountain on the East of Jerusalem (Olivet, (Ezekiel 11:23) and (4) returning to the millennial temple to abide. (Ezekiel 43:2)....

Ezekiel 9:1. The six men mentioned are angels, into whose hands the city is given. Angels are used in judgments past and future. (See Matthew 13:41; Matthew 16:27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7 .) Angels are likewise prominently mentioned in the book of Revelation. There is a striking correspondency between this chapter and Revelation 7:1. Those who sigh and weep constitute the remnant which have no sympathy with the abominations. They are marked for preservation. Thus a remnant was then kept. Well may we remember that now, in the professing church,

EZEKIEL 9. THE PITILESS SLAUGHTER OF THE SINNERS. The doom has been abundantly justified; now it comes, and in bloody form. In obedience to a ringing summons, seven angels come forth to execute it six armed with deadly weapons, the seventh arrayed in priestly linen and with an inkhorn hanging at his side, ready to put the sign of the cross (the mark in Ezekiel 9:4 is the letter _taw,_ which in the old alphabet was a cross) upon the brows of the few who were to be spared in the coming destruction, because they sighed and cried over the sin of Jerusalem. At this point comes the ominous reminder that Yahweh is gradually departing from the guilty city: already His glory has left the holy place where the cherubim were and moved to the threshold of the Temple. Then there rings out the awful command to the destroying angels, uttered by Yahweh Himself, to slay without mercy all old and young, ma...