Ezechiele 20:1-49
1 Or avvenne, il settimo anno, il decimo giorno del quinto mese, che alcuni degli anziani d'Israele vennero a consultare l'Eterno, e si misero a sedere davanti a me.
2 E la parola dell'Eterno mi fu rivolta in questi termini:
3 "Figliuol d'uomo, parla agli anziani d'Israele, e di' loro: Così parla il Signore, l'Eterno: Siete venuti per consultarmi? Com'è vero ch'io vivo, io non mi lascerò consultare da voi! dice il Signore, l'Eterno.
4 Giudicali tu, figliuol d'uomo! giudicali tu! Fa' loro conoscere le abominazioni dei loro padri; e di' loro:
5 Così parla il Signore, l'Eterno: Il giorno ch'io scelsi Israele e alzai la mano per fare un giuramento alla progenie della casa di Giacobbe, e mi feci loro conoscere nel paese d'Egitto, e alzai la mano per loro, dicendo: Io son l'Eterno, il vostro Dio,
6 quel giorno alzai la mano, giurando che li trarrei fuori dal paese d'Egitto per introdurli in un paese che io avevo cercato per loro, paese ove scorre il latte e il miele, il più splendido di tutti i paesi.
7 E dissi loro: Gettate via, ognun di voi, le abominazioni che attirano i vostri sguardi, e non vi contaminate con gl'idoli d'Egitto; io sono l'Eterno, il vostro Dio!
8 Ma essi si ribellarono contro di me, e non mi vollero dare ascolto; nessun d'essi gettò via le abominazioni che attiravano il suo sguardo, e non abbandonò gl'idoli d'Egitto; allora parlai di voler riversare su loro il mio furore e sfogare su loro la mia ira in mezzo al paese d'Egitto.
9 Nondimeno, io agii per amor del mio nome, perché non fosse profanato agli occhi delle nazioni in mezzo alle quali essi si trovavano, in presenza delle quali io m'ero fatto loro conoscere, allo scopo di trarli fuori dal paese d'Egitto.
10 E li trassi fuori dal paese d'Egitto, e li condussi nel deserto.
11 Diedi loro le mie leggi e feci loro conoscere le mie prescrizioni, per le quali l'uomo che le metterà in pratica vivrà.
12 E diedi pur loro i miei Sabati perché servissero di segno fra me e loro, perché conoscessero che io sono l'Eterno che li santifico.
13 Ma la casa d'Israele si ribellò contro di me nel deserto; non camminarono secondo le mie leggi e rigettarono le mie prescrizioni, per le quali l'uomo che le metterà in pratica vivrà, e profanarono gravemente i miei Sabati; perciò io parlai di riversare su loro il mio furore nel deserto, per consumarli.
14 Nondimeno io agii per amor del mio nome, perché non fosse profanata agli occhi delle nazioni, in presenza delle quali io l'avevo tratti fuori dall'Egitto.
15 E alzai perfino la mano nel deserto, giurando loro che non li farei entrare nel paese che avevo loro dato, paese ove scorre latte e miele, il più splendido di tutti i paesi,
16 perché avevano rigettato le mie prescrizioni, non avean camminato secondo le mie leggi e avevano profanato i miei Sabati, poiché il loro cuore andava dietro ai loro idoli.
17 Ma l'occhio mio li risparmiò dalla distruzione, e io non li sterminai del tutto nel deserto.
18 E dissi ai loro figliuoli nel deserto: Non camminate secondo i precetti de' vostri padri, non osservate le loro prescrizioni, e non vi contaminate mediante i loro idoli!
19 Io sono l'Eterno, il vostro Dio; camminate secondo le mie leggi, osservate le mie prescrizioni, e ettetele in pratica;
20 santificate i miei sabati, e siano un segno fra me e voi, dal quale si conosca che io sono l'Eterno, il vostro Dio.
21 Ma i figliuoli si ribellarono contro di me; non camminarono secondo le mie leggi, e non osservarono le mie prescrizioni per metterle in pratica: le leggi per le quali l'uomo che le mette in pratica vivrà, profanarono i miei sabati, ond'io parlai di riversare su loro il mio furore e di sfogare su loro la mia ira nel deserto.
22 Nondimeno io ritirai la mia mano, ed agii per amor del mio nome, perché non fosse profanato agli occhi delle nazioni, in presenza delle quali li avevo tratti fuori dall'Egitto.
23 Ma alzai pure la mano nel deserto, giurando loro che li disperderei fra le nazioni e li spargerei per tutti i paesi,
24 perché non mettevano in pratica le mie prescrizioni, rigettavano le mie leggi, profanavano i miei sabati, e i loro occhi andavan dietro agli idoli dei loro padri.
25 E detti loro perfino delle leggi non buone e delle prescrizioni per le quali non potevano vivere;
26 e li contaminai coi loro propri doni, quando facevan passare per il fuoco ogni primogenito, per ridurli alla desolazione affinché conoscessero che io sono l'Eterno.
27 Perciò, figliuol d'uomo, parla alla casa d'Israele e di' loro: Così parla il Signore, l'Eterno: I vostri padri m'hanno ancora oltraggiato in questo, conducendosi perfidamente verso di me:
28 quando li ebbi introdotti nel paese che avevo giurato di dar loro, portarono i loro sguardi sopra ogni alto colle, e sopra ogni alberi fronzuto, e quivi offrirono i loro sacrifizi, quivi presentarono le loro offerte provocanti, quivi misero i loro profumi d'odor soave, e quivi sparsero le loro libazioni.
29 Ed io dissi loro: Che cos'è l'alto luogo dove andate? E nondimeno, s'è continuato a chiamarlo "alto luogo" fino al dì d'oggi.
30 Perciò, di' alla casa d'Israele: Così parla il Signore, l'Eterno: Quando vi contaminate seguendo le vie de' vostri padri e vi prostituite ai loro idoli esecrandi
31 e quando, offrendo i vostri doni e facendo passare per il fuoco i vostri figliuoli, vi contaminate fino al dì d'oggi con tutti i vostri idoli, mi lascerei io consultare da voi, o casa d'Israele? Com'è vero ch'io vivo, dice il Signore, l'Eterno, io non mi lascerò consultare da voi.
32 E non avverrà affatto quello che vi passa per la mente quando dite: Noi saremo come le nazioni, come le famiglie degli altri paesi, e renderemo un culto al legno ed alla pietra!
33 Com'è vero ch'io vivo, dice il Signore, l'Eterno, con mano forte, con braccio disteso, con scatenamento di furore, io regnerò su voi!
34 E vi trarrò fuori di fra i popoli, e vi raccoglierò dai paesi dove sarete stati dispersi, con mano forte, con braccio disteso e con scatenamento di furore,
35 e vi condurrò nel deserto dei popoli, e quivi verrò in giudizio con voi a faccia a faccia;
36 come venni in giudizio con i vostri padri nel deserto del paese d'Egitto, così verrò in giudizio con voi, dice il Signore, l'Eterno;
37 e vi farò passare sotto la verga, e vi rimetterò nei vincoli del patto;
38 e separerò da voi i ribelli e quelli che mi sono infedeli; io li trarrò fuori dal paese dove sono stranieri, ma non entreranno nel paese d'Israele, e voi conoscerete che io sono l'Eterno.
39 Voi dunque, casa d'Israele, così parla il Signore, l'Eterno: Andate, servite ognuno ai vostri idoli, giacché non mi volete ascoltare! Ma il mio santo nome non lo profanerete più con i vostri doni e coi vostri idoli!
40 Poiché sul mio monte santo, e sull'alto monte d'Israele, dice il Signore, l'Eterno, là tutti quelli della casa d'Israele, tutti quanti saranno nel paese, mi serviranno; là io mi compiacerò di loro, là io chiederò le vostre offerte e le primizie dei vostri doni in tutto quello che mi consacrerete.
41 Io mi compiacerò di voi come d'un profumo d'odore soave, quando vi avrò tratto fuori di fra i popoli, e vi avrò radunati dai paesi dove sarete stati dispersi; e io sarò santifico in voi nel cospetto delle nazioni;
42 e voi conoscerete che io sono l'Eterno, quando v'avrò condotti nella terra d'Israele, paese che giurai di dare ai vostri padri.
43 E là vi ricorderete della vostra condotta e di tutte le azioni con le quali vi siete contaminati, e sarete isgustati di voi stessi, per tutte le malvagità che avete commesse;
44 e conoscerete che io sono l'Eterno, quando avrò agito con voi per amor del mio nome, e non secondo la vostra condotta malvagia, né secondo le vostre azioni corrotte, o casa d'Israele! dice il Signore, l'Eterno".
45 (21:1) E la parola dell'Eterno mi fu rivolta in questi termini:
46 (21:2) "Figliuol d'uomo, vòlta la faccia dal lato di mezzogiorno, rivolgi la parola al mezzogiorno, e profetizza contro la foresta della campagna meridionale,
47 (21:3) e di' alla foresta del mezzodì: ascolta la parola dell'Eterno! Così parla il Signore, l'Eterno: Ecco, io accendo in te un fuoco che divorerà in te ogni albero verde e ogni albero secco; la fiamma dell'incendio non si estinguerà, e tutto ciò ch'è sulla faccia del suolo ne sarà divampato, dal mezzogiorno al settentrione;
48 (21:4) e ogni carne vedrà che io, l'Eterno, son quegli che ho acceso il fuoco, che non s'estinguerà".
49 (21:5) E io dissi: "Ahimè, Signore, Eterno! Costoro dicon di me: Egli non fa che parlare in parabole".
ESPOSIZIONE
Viene data una nuova data e include quanto segue a Ezechiele 23:49 . L'ultima nota di tempo era in Ezechiele 8:1 , ed erano trascorsi undici mesi e cinque giorni, durante i quali erano state scritte o pronunciate le profezie dei capitoli intermedi. Possiamo inoltre notare che sono trascorsi due anni un mese e cinque giorni dopo la chiamata del profeta alla sua opera ( Ezechiele 1:1 .
), e due anni e cinque mesi prima che i Caldei assediassero Gerusalemme ( Ezechiele 24:1 ). L'occasione immediata qui, come in Ezechiele 8:1 , fu che alcuni degli anziani d'Israele andarono dal profeta per chiedere quale messaggio del Signore avesse da dare loro nell'attuale crisi. È dubbio se si debba porre l'accento sul fatto che qui gli anziani sono detti "di Israele" e in Ezechiele 8:1 "di Giuda" (vedi nota su Ezechiele 14:1 ).
Ezechiele sembra usare le due parole come intercambiabili. Qui, però, si afferma più definitivamente che vennero a informarsi, probabilmente nella speranza che egli dicesse loro, come facevano altri profeti, che il tempo della loro liberazione, e di quello di Gerusalemme, era vicino. Passando allo stato profetico, Ezechiele pronuncia il discorso che segue.
Come io vivo, dice il Signore Dio, ecc. A coloro che mi chiedono è risposto, ma non come si aspettavano. Invece di ascoltare i "tempi e le stagioni" degli eventi che furono nel prossimo futuro, il profeta entra subito nella sua severa opera di predicatore. Il principio generale che determina il rifiuto di rispondere è stato dato in Ezechiele 14:3 .
Li giudicherai , ecc.? La doppia domanda ha la forza di un imperativo forte. Al profeta è ordinato, per così dire, di assumere l'ufficio di giudice, e come tale di incalzare sui suoi ascoltatori, e attraverso di loro sugli altri, i propri peccati e quelli dei loro padri. È condotto, così facendo, a un'altra indagine sulla storia della nazione; non ora, come in Ezechiele 16:1 ; in linguaggio figurato, ma direttamente.
Ezechiele 20:5 , Ezechiele 20:6
Nel giorno in cui ho alzato la mano. L'atteggiamento era quello di chi presta giuramento ( Esodo 6:8 ), e implica la conferma dell'alleanza fatta con Abramo. La terra dove scorre latte e miele appare per la prima volta in Esodo 3:8 e divenne proverbiale. La gloria di tutte le terre è peculiare di Ezechiele. Isaia ( Isaia 13:19 ) applica la parola a Babilonia.
Nessuna menzione speciale degli idoli d'Egitto si trova nel Pentateuco, ma sta, nella natura del caso, che questa era la forma di idolatria implicita nel secondo comandamento e nella storia del "vitello d'oro" ( Esodo 32:4 ) mostra che avevano contratto l'infezione del culto Mnevis o Apis mentre soggiornavano in Egitto. Qui pare che il profeta parli di quel soggiorno precedente alla missione di Mosè.
In un audace discorso antropomorfo rappresenta Geova come un mezzo intenzionato a porre fine alle persone lì e poi, e poi pentirsi. Ha operato per amore del suo Nome, affinché la liberazione dell'Esodo potesse manifestare la sua giustizia e potenza, gli attributi specialmente implicati in quel Nome, all'Egitto e alle nazioni circostanti. Non avrebbero avuto il potere di dire che aveva abbandonato le persone che aveva scelto.
Ho dato loro i miei statuti, ecc. Ezechiele riconosce, quasi nel linguaggio stesso di Deuteronomio 30:16-5 , così pienamente come gli scrittori di Salmi 19:1 e Salmi 119:1 . riconosciuta, l'eccellenza della Legge. Un uomo che avesse mantenuto quella Legge nella sua pienezza avrebbe avuto la vita nel suo senso più pieno e più alto.
Cominciava però a riconoscere, come aveva fatto Geremia (solo ( Geremia 31:31 ), l'incapacità della Legge di dare quella vita senza l'aiuto di qualcosa di più alto. La "nuova alleanza" stava già sorgendo nella mente del studioso come su quello del maestro.
Ho dato loro i miei sabati, ecc. Come in Esodo 31:12-2 , il sabato è trattato come il segno centrale (potremmo quasi dire sacramento) della Chiesa ebraica, non solo come un segno che li differenzia dalle altre nazioni, ma come tra Geova e loro , una testimonianza della loro relazione ideale reciproca, un mezzo per realizzare quella relazione ideale.
È appena il caso di contare i vari casi di ribellione, dal peccato del vitello d'oro in poi. Di diretta violazione del sabato abbiamo solo due casi registrati ( Esodo 16:27 ; Numeri 15:32 ); ma il profeta guardava sotto la superficie, e considerava una mera osservanza formale, che non santificava il sabato, come un inquinamento del giorno santo.
(Per l'insegnamento parallelo nei profeti, vedere Isaia 56:2 ; Isaia 58:13 ; Geremia 17:21 ; e più avanti nella storia, probabilmente come risultato del loro insegnamento, Nehemia 10:31-16 ; Nehemia 13:15 .) Allora dissi . La storia di Numeri 14:26 e Numeri 26:65 era probabilmente nei pensieri di Ezechiele.
Il loro cuore andava dietro ai loro idoli. Le parole possono indicare in generale il fatto che le tendenze idolatriche del popolo, sebbene represse, non furono realmente sradicate. La storia di Baal-peor ( Numeri 25:3 ) mostra quanto fossero pronti a passare all'azione, e Amos 5:25 , Amos 5:26 implica una tradizione di altri atti simili durante tutto il periodo delle peregrinazioni nel natura selvaggia.
Dissi ai loro figli, ecc. Le parole non possono riferirsi a nient'altro che alla grande espressione del Libro del Deuteronomio indirizzata ai figli di coloro che erano morti nel deserto. Anche questa affermazione, è implicito, come in effetti la storia di Baal-peor alla fine dei quarant'anni ha mostrato, cadde nel vuoto. Poi c'è stato anche, ancora una volta, nell'inevitabile linguaggio antropomorfo, un cambiamento di scopo, da quello di un giudizio rigoroso alla misericordia che ha prevalso su di esso.
che li avrei dispersi tra i pagani. Le parole sembrano riferirsi alla generazione cresciuta nel deserto e, così presa, non corrispondono alla storia della conquista di Canaan. Ciò che Ezechiele contempla, tuttavia, come determinazione di Geova, è la commutazione della sentenza di distruzione in quella della dispersione del popolo, lasciando che il tempo e il modo di tale dispersione siano determinati dalla sua volontà.
Forse anche al tempo dei giudici, con le sue numerose conquiste e lunghi periodi di oppressione, ci furono casi di tale dispersione, e questi, con altri che naturalmente avrebbero accompagnato un'invasione come quella di Sishak ( 2 Cronache 12:2 ), per non parlare dei frequenti attacchi di Moabiti, Ammoniti, Filistei, Edomiti e Siri, può essere sembrato al profeta l'elaborazione, passo dopo passo, della dispersione che culminò nella deportazione delle dieci tribù da parte di Salmaneser e di Giuda e Beniamino da Nabucodonosor.
Tracce di tali dispersioni prima del tempo di Ezechiele ci incontrano in Salmi 78:59-19 ; Isaia 11:11 , Isaia 11:12 ; Sofonia 3:10 , Sofonia 3:20 .
Ho dato loro anche statuti che non erano buoni, ecc. Le parole sono state talvolta intese come se Ezechiele applicasse questi termini alla Legge stessa, sia come parlando di ciò che san Paolo chiama i suoi "elementi deboli e miseri" ( Galati 4:9 ), o come incapace di realizzare la giustizia che esso comandava ( Romani 3:20 ), e il linguaggio di Ebrei 7:19 e Ebrei 10:1 è stato sollecitato a sostegno di questa opinione.
Chi ha studiato Ezechiele con attenzione non avrà bisogno di molte parole per dimostrare che una tale conclusione non era affatto nei suoi pensieri. Per lui la Legge era "santa, giusta e buona", ei suoi statuti in modo tale che anche l'uomo che li osservava vi abitasse (versetti 13, 21). Sta parlando del tempo che seguì alla seconda pubblicazione di quella Legge, e ciò che dice è che le persone che si ribellarono furono lasciate, per così dire, a una legge di un altro tipo.
Le forme più basse e più oscure dell'idolatria sono descritte da lui, con grave ironia, come statuti e giudizi di altro genere, operanti, non la vita, ma la morte. Il peccato divenne, per disposizione di Dio, la punizione del peccato, affinché potesse manifestarsi come estremamente peccaminoso. Così Stefano dice di Israele che "Dio si è voltato e li ha abbandonati per adorare l'esercito del cielo" ( Atti degli Apostoli 7:42 ).
Così san Paolo dipinge le corruzioni del mondo pagano come il risultato dell'abbandono da parte di Dio ad "affetti vili" ( Romani 1:24 , Romani 1:25 ). Così nei futuri rapporti di Dio con una forma apostata di cristianesimo, lo stesso apostolo dichiara che "Dio manderà loro forti illusioni affinché credano alla menzogna" ( 2 Tessalonicesi 2:11 ). Salmi 81:12 potrebbe essere stato nei pensieri di Ezechiele come affermare la stessa legge generale.
Li ho inquinati attraverso i loro stessi doni . Il sostantivo include tutte le forme di benedizione conferite a Israele: il grano, il vino e l'olio (vedi Ezechiele 16:19 , Ezechiele 16:20 ), anche i suoi figli e le sue figlie, il frutto del grembo materno e la crescita della terra . (Per la prevalenza dell'adorazione di Moloch e per la frase "passare attraverso", vedere le note su Ezechiele 16:21 .) I peccati dovevano portare la desolazione come punizione, e allora gli uomini avrebbero imparato a conoscere Geova così com'è.
Era un'aggravamento speciale del peccato che era stato commesso nella stessa terra in cui erano stati portati dal giuramento (la "mano alzata") di Geova, che potesse essere una terra santa, una testimonianza della giustizia divina alle nazioni circostanti. Le forme di culto includono quella degli alti luoghi, e gli alberi fitti ( Isaia 57:5 ; Geremia 2:20 ; Geremia 3:6 ) di larghezza testimoniavano il culto di Asherah o di Ashtaroth.
Qual è il luogo alto , ecc.? Bamah, al plurale Bamoth, era l'ebraico per "alto luogo". All'inizio fu applicato alla collina su cui sorgeva un santuario locale ( 1 Samuele 9:12 ; 1 Re 3:4 ), ma fu gradualmente esteso, dopo la costruzione del tempio come santuario designato, ad altri luoghi che erano considerati come sacri, e che divennero scene di un culto idolatrico e proibito.
Ezechiele sottolinea il suo disprezzo con una derivazione congetturale della parola, come se derivasse dalle due parole ba ("vai") e mah ("dove"); o , forse, cosa viene? . Prendendo le parole nel loro senso ordinario, sembrano esprimere solo un leggero grado di disprezzo. "Qual è, allora, il luogo in cui vai?", qual è il "dove" a cui conduce? Ma io pendenza (con Ewald e Smend) per vedere nella parola "andare in" il significato che ha in Genesi 16:2 e Genesi 19:31 , e altrove, come un eufemismo per l'unione sessuale.
Così in seguito la parola "Bamah" diventa una testimonianza che coloro che adorano nell'alto luogo vi si recano (come in Genesi 19:30 ) per prostituirsi letteralmente e spiritualmente. Il suo nome indicava che era quella che ho chiamato "una cappella di prostituzione" (Gen 16,1-16,24.25).
Dite alla casa d'Israele, ecc. Le parole sono rivolte principalmente agli anziani che erano venuti a consultare il profeta ( Ezechiele 20:1 ), ma attraverso di loro a tutti i loro contemporanei e connazionali. Loro ancora nel cuore e anche nei fatti ( Isaia 57:11 . Isaia 57:4 , Isaia 57:11 e Isaia 65:3 , come mostrano le abitudini degli esuli) si aggrapparono alle antiche idolatrie.
La domanda per loro era se avrebbero continuato a camminare nelle vie dei loro padri. Se era così, era vero per loro, come per gli anziani, che la Quaresima a cui erano venuti non sarebbe stata interrogata da loro.
Quello che ti viene in mente, ecc. Il profeta legge i pensieri segreti di coloro che indagano. Se il tempio fosse stato distrutto, pensavano, allora l'unico freno alle idolatrie che amavano sarebbe stato rimosso. Non sarebbero più un popolo separato e sarebbero liberi di adottare il culto dei pagani tra i quali vivevano. Se quello non era il proposito di Geova per loro, allora non ci doveva essere distruzione del tempio, né dispersione fra le nazioni.
Vengono da Ezechiele per sapere quale delle due alternative lui, come profeta di Geova, ha in serbo, e la sua risposta è che è vincolato a nessuna delle due. Non potevano abdicare alla loro alta posizione e sarebbero rimasti sotto il peso delle sue responsabilità. Sebbene fossero sparsi tra i pagani, anche lì la "mano potente e il braccio teso" (notiamo le frasi come da Deuteronomio 4:34 ; Deuteronomio 5:15 ) li darebbe la caccia e li punirebbe per la loro iniquità.
Ezechiele 20:34 , Ezechiele 20:35
Le parole del profeta sembrano guardare oltre l'orizzonte di ogni compimento finora visto nella storia, di cui il ritorno degli esuli sotto Zorobabele non era che pegno e impegno. Non contempla un ritorno diretto da Babilonia a Gerusalemme, ma un raduno da tutti i paesi in cui erano stati dispersi ( Isaia 11:11 ). Una volta radunata, l'intera nazione sarà condotta nel deserto dei popoli, confinante con molte nazioni.
Questo potrebbe probabilmente indicare il grande deserto siro-arabo che giace tra Babilonia e la Palestina. Questo doveva essere per loro quello che era stato il deserto del Sinai al tempo dell'Esodo. Là Geova li supplicava faccia a faccia, in primo luogo come accusatore. (Per il faccia a faccia, come espressione della rivelazione diretta di Geova, vedi Esodo 33:11 ; Deuteronomio 5:4 ; Deuteronomio 34:10 e altrove).
I will cause you to pass under the rod. The "rod" (same word as in Salmi 23:4) is primarily that of chastisement, but it is also that of the shepherd who gathers in his flock (Ezechiele 34:11; Le Ezechiele 27:32; Michea 7:14). Into the bond of the covenant.
The word for "bond" (only found here in the Old Testament) is probably cognate with that for "fetter" or "bond" (Isaia 52:2; Geremia 5:5; Geremia 27:2). The chastisement was, for those who accepted it, to do its work by restoring the blessings of the covenant which apostasy had forfeited.
The thought of the shepherd suggests, as in Matteo 25:33, the separation of the sheep from the goats. The land of the restored Israel was to be a land of righteousness, and the rebels were not to enter into it. Was Ezekiel thinking of those who were thus to die in the "wilderness of the peoples" as a counterpart of those who perished in the forty years of the wandering, and did not enter Canaan? Verse 36 seems to imply that he was looking for a repetition of that history. The solemn fast kept by Ezra by the river of Ahava (Esdra 8:21-15) may be noted as corresponding, on a small scale, to Ezekiel's expectations.
Go ye, serve every man his idols, etc. The command comes as with a grave irony. "Be at least consistent. Sin on, if it is your will to sin; but do not make the sin worse by the hypocrisy of an unreal worship, and mix up the name of Jehovah with the ritual of Moloch" (comp. Giosuè 24:19, Giosuè 24:20). The margin of the Revised Version, with not a few critics (Keil), gives, "but hereafter surely ye shall hearken unto me" ("if not" equivalent to "ye shall," as in the familiar idiom of Salmi 95:11, where "if" is equivalent to "shall not"). So taken, the verse looks forward to what follows.
From the earlier stage of the restoration the prophet passes on to its completion. The people have come to the mountain of the height of Israel (Michea 4:1, Michea 4:2; Isaia 2:2, Isaia 2:3). Ezekiel sees an Israel that shall at last be worthy of its name, the worship of false gods rooted out forever.
The all of them points to the breaking down of the old division between Israel and Judah (Isaia 11:13). Jehovah would accept the "heave offering" (same word as in Exo 24:1-18 :27; Le Esodo 7:14, et al.) and other oblations. The fact that Israel itself is said to be the "sweet savour" (Revised Version) which Jehovah accepts suggests a like spiritual interpretation of the other offerings, though the literal meaning was probably dominant in the prophet's own thoughts.
The nearest approach to a parallelism in a later age is that presented by Romans 9-11.; but it is noticeable how there St. Paul avoids any words that imply the perpetuation of the temple and its ritual, and confines himself to the spiritual restoration of his brethren according to the flesh. It was given to him to see, what the prophets did not see, that that perpetuation would frustrate the purpose of the restoration; that the temple and its ritual took their places among the things that "were decaying and waxing old," and were ready to vanish away (Ebrei 8:13).
I will be sanctified in you, etc. God is sanctified when he is manifested and recognized as holy (Le Ezechiele 10:3; Numeri 20:13). That recognition would be the consequence of the restoration of Israel, for then it would be seen, even by the heathen, that the God of Israel had been holy and just and true in his judgments, and that he seeks to make men partakers of his holiness.
And there shall ye remember, etc. The words stretch far and wide, and throw light on many of the problems that connect themselves with the conversion of the sinner and the eschatology of the Divine government. The whole evil past is still remembered after repentance and forgiveness. There is no water of Lethe, such as the Greeks fabled, such as Dante dreamt of as the condition of entering Paradise ('Purg.
,' 31.94-105). The self-loathing and humility which grow out of that memory, the acceptance of all the punishment of the past as less than had been deserved,—these are the conditions and safeguards of the new blessedness. Ezekiel teaches us, i.e; that it is possible to conceive of an eternal punishment, the punishment of memory, shame, self-loathing, as compatible with eternal life. So (in verse 44) the prophet ends what is perhaps, the profoundest and the noblest of his discourses, his "vindication of the ways of God to man."
In the Hebrew the verses that follow form the opening of the next chapter. The Authorized Version follows the LXX; the Vulgate, and Luther. The section has clearly no connection with what has preceded, and, though fragmentary in its character, seems by the words, "set thy face," to connect itself with Ezechiele 21:2, and to lead up to it. The words of verse 45 imply, as always, an interval of silence and repose.
Drop thy word. The verb is used specially of prophetic utterances (Ezechiele 21:2; Amos 7:6; Michea 2:6, Michea 2:11), and stands, therefore, in the Hebrew without an object. Toward the south. Three distinct words are used in the Hebrew for the thrice-repeated "south" of the Authorized Version.
(1) One which primarily means "the region on the right hand," sc. as a man looks to the east. which Ezekiel also uses in Ezechiele 47:19; Ezechiele 48:28);
(2) la "terra splendente", usata ripetutamente in Ezechiele 40:1 ; Ezechiele 42:1 . ( Deuteronomio 33:23 ; Giobbe 37:17 ; Ecclesiaste 1:6 ; Ecclesiaste 11:3 ); e
(3) il Negheb, la terra "secca" o "arida", il Sud (sempre in versione riveduta con la lettera maiuscola), di Giosuè 15:21 , e i libri storici in generale, la regione situata a sud di Giuda. L'uso delle tre parole dove si potrebbe sacrificare è, forse, caratteristico dell'abbondanza di dizione di Ezechiele. La LXX .
tratta tutti e tre come nomi propri e li traslittera come Thaiman, Darom e N'ageb . Contro questa regione e i suoi abitanti (loro, ovviamente, sono gli "alberi") Ezechiele è diretto a pronunciare le sue parole di giudizio. La parentesi nell'ultima frase fornisce la chiave per la scrittura cifrata del profeta. Dal punto di vista di Ezechiele sul Chebar, l'intera Giuda è come la foresta del sud .
L'"albero verde", come in Salmi 1:1 , Salmi 1:2 , è l'uomo che è relativamente giusto; l'"albero secco" è il peccatore la cui vera vita è appassita; il "fuoco" la devastazione operata dagli invasori caldei, come esecuzione del giudizio divino. Nelle parole di nostro Signore in Luca 23:31 possiamo probabilmente trovare un'eco delle immagini di Ezechiele.
Tutte le facce da sud a nord, ecc. La frase sembra, in un primo momento, passare dalla figura alla realtà. È possibile, tuttavia, che faccia stia per "l'aspetto esteriore", le foglie ei rami, degli alberi. "Dal sud ( Negheb ) al nord" prende il posto del più antico "da Dan a Beersheba" ( Giudici 20:1 ; 1 Samuele 3:20 ).
Di quel "fuoco" del giudizio, si dice, come nell'uso di un'immagine simile da parte di nostro Signore, che non si estinguerà ( Marco 9:43 ). Farà il suo terribile lavoro finché quell'opera non sarà compiuta.
Non parla parabole? Non possiamo meravigliarci che le parole enigmatiche di Ezechiele qui, come in Ezechiele 15:1 , Ezechiele 16:1 ed Ezechiele 17:1 , avrebbero dovuto suscitare una tale espressione dai suoi ascoltatori; ma ovviamente registra il sussurro che così udì, con un tono di dolore e di indignazione.
Era per lui una prova, come una domanda simile era per Cristo la prova che quegli ascoltatori erano ancora senza capire. La domanda era, per chi la poneva, una scusa per indurire il cuore contro rimostranze che non avevano bisogno di spiegazioni. All'indignazione seguì un altro intervallo di silenzio, durante il quale rimuginava sulla loro testardaggine, e infine, in Ezechiele 21:1 , la parola del Signore gli viene incontro, e lui non parla "più in proverbi", ma interpreta il ultima parabola anche nei suoi dettagli.
OMILETICA
L'oracolo silenzioso.
Un'ambasciata di anziani viene inviata a Ezechiele per interrogare il Signore tramite il profeta su cosa ci si deve aspettare in una nuova congiuntura degli affari nazionali, ed Ezechiele viene incaricato di dire loro che Dio non si degnerà di alcuna risposta.
I. COLORO CHE RIFIUTI DI SENTIRE COSA DIO DESIDERI PER INSEGNARE LORO sono ansiosi PER LUCE SU MENO IMPORTANTI DOMANDE .
Questa era la posizione peculiare, anomala, di Israele. Dio non aveva taciuto. Al contrario, aveva inviato ripetuti messaggi al suo popolo, e il profeta Ezechiele era stato impegnato nell'insegnare ciò che Dio gli aveva rivelato. Questo non era un tempo, come quello di Samuele, in cui la parola del Signore era rara. Ma alla gente non era importato ricevere i messaggi divini. Ecco il guaio di Ezechiele.
Doveva predicare a orecchie sorde e mostrare i suoi segni profetici agli occhi ciechi ( Ezechiele 12:2 ). La perversità del suo pubblico lo aveva portato a nuove e sorprendenti rappresentazioni simboliche della verità in un ultimo, disperato tentativo di attirare l'attenzione. Eppure anche questi sforzi sembravano essere stati vani. Poi venne da lui un'ambasciata, ignorando innocentemente tutti questi oracoli trascurati e chiedendo blandamente una risposta divina a certe loro domande.
C'è mai stato un approccio più insolente a Dio? Ora, abbiamo una rivelazione divina piena e ricca nella Bibbia, e specialmente nel vangelo di Cristo. Qui possiamo vedere il messaggio di Dio all'uomo e la risposta di Dio alle domande più importanti dell'anima. Eppure ci sono uomini che mettono da parte queste voci di Dio e poi implorano pietosamente la luce. Senza dubbio questi anziani d'Israele non volevano essere turbati dai loro peccati; erano ansiosi di avere luce sul loro destino.
Erano come quelle persone che discutono il problema della punizione futura, e con vivo interesse, ma che sono indifferenti alla voce della coscienza e alla chiamata divina al pentimento. Eppure c'è un lato patetico in questo argomento. Coloro che rifiutano Dio si sentono ancora spinti a rifugiarsi nei guai.
II. DIO SI DARE NO RISPOSTA PER LA NUOVE DOMANDE DI COLORO CHE RIFIUTANO DI DARE HEED ALLA SUA PAROLA GIÀ RICEVUTO . Non possiamo essere sorpresi che l'oracolo di Ezechiele sia stato messo a tacere. Un'insolenza come quella degli anziani d'Israele non poteva incontrare un'accoglienza più graziosa.
1 . Se ci rifiutiamo di ascoltare Dio ' s Parola, dobbiamo aspettarci di essere lasciato al buio . Prima di piangere per avere più luce, usiamo la luce che abbiamo. Possiamo davvero pregare che lo Spirito di Dio aiuti la nostra interpretazione della Bibbia, e dopo aver letto la Parola scritta possiamo desiderare ancora più luce. Ma prima rifiutare la rivelazione divina e poi cercare nuova luce non è il modo per ricevere più verità.
2 . Dio non darà luce a chi si indurisce nell'impenitenza . Gli ebrei erano stati accusati di peccato e chiamati al pentimento. Si erano rifiutati di ammettere l'accusa e si erano rifiutati di pentirsi. Così avevano chiuso la porta a ulteriori comunicazioni divine. La visione spirituale è meglio purificata dalle lacrime della penitenza. Un cuore duro è sordo alla Parola di Dio.
3 . È inutile essere informati sul futuro se non ascoltiamo gli insegnamenti spirituali di Dio . Gli uomini ricorrevano agli oracoli per soddisfare oziose curiosità o per cercare mera guida mondana. Dio non parla per tali fini relativamente privi di valore. Abbiamo più bisogno di istruzioni spirituali per guidare le nostre anime nel modo di vivere. Finché non abbiamo ricevuto e obbedito a tale istruzione, qualsiasi altra forma di rivelazione deve essere irrilevante, distraente e quindi positivamente dannosa.
L'eletto Israele.
L'Israele eletto è un tipo del popolo di Dio, l'Israele spirituale. Considerate le peculiarità dell'uno come indicazioni dei segni speciali dell'altro.
I. IL MODO IN CUI ISRAELE ERA FATTO UN'ELECT NAZIONE .
1 . Scelto da Dio . Questa è l'idea di base dell'elezione. Dio sceglie il suo popolo prima che loro scelgano lui, lo sceglie tra la moltitudine, e così lo costituisce una nazione separata. I motivi della scelta spettano a lui e non hanno bisogno di essere divulgati. Ma possiamo essere sicuri che ci sono dei motivi, e che questi non sono capricciosi. La storia ha rivelato una grande fine dell'elezione di Israele. La nazione è stata scelta in modo che potesse diventare il canale di benedizione per tutte le nazioni. Quindi la Chiesa è scelta per essere il mezzo di Dio per portare il Vangelo al mondo intero.
2. Chosen in a state of degradation. The Jews were chosen in Egypt. Though promises had been made to the patriarchs centuries earlier, the fulfilment of those promises commenced with God's deliverance from the bondage of Pharaoh. When the people seemed to be most lost they were found by God. When they appeared to be of least value he chose them for himself. The Lord married the castaway child (Ezechiele 16:8). Thus God now takes his people in their low estate.
3. Chosen by deeds of might. God proved his choice by bringing his people out of bondage. He "lifted up" his "hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob." With God to will is to do. The mighty deeds of God in the plagues and the passage of the Red Sea are outdone by his great work in Christ. In Christ God does not only choose us, he lifts up his hand to save.
4. Chosen through the revelation of God. God made known his Name to Israel through Moses (Esodo 3:15). We must know God to hear his voice. The revelation of Christ goes with the election of God. The chosen are called by means of the gospel.
II. THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH ISRAEL WAS ELECTED.
1. High privileges.
(1) Deliverance. The Jews were chosen to be delivered from Egypt. God chooses his people, in the first place, in order to save them from their evil condition. Salvation is the first result of election.
(2) The possession of Canaan. This "land flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands," was given to Israel by God, not inherited by right, nor won by the sword apart from God's interference. God gives his people the kingdom of heaven here, and the heavenly Canaan hereafter. It is a glorious privilege to be counted among the true people of God; for the fruits of the gospel are sweeter and more satisfying to the soul than the best crops of Palestine to the body.
2. Holy living. There was a condition of the Divine election, or rather, a condition on which the continuation of its privileges depended. The Jews were to cast away their idols, as God could endure no rivals. The people had been chosen in their idolatry; but they were required to renounce it. God chooses his people now while they are yet runners. But his choice means that they must give up their sins, and if they still cleave to them the election will be rendered null and void.
The great mercy of God in choosing souls before the souls have turned to. him should be sufficient ground to induce all who accept the privileges of the gospel to live up to the standard it sets forth. After God has chosen us to be his people the least we can do is to choose him to be our Portion (Salmi 73:26).
Law and life.
I. THE LAW WAS GIVEN AS A MINISTER OF LIFE. God vouchsafed his statutes in order that the Jews might live by means of them. Without those ordinances they were in danger of death, for they were sinners, and the fruit of sin is death. Thus we see that the Law was given in mercy.
It came as a blessing. It was in its aim a gospel. Nothing can be further from the truth than the notion that it was a rod of chastisement, or even, as some have regarded it, an evil thing, a sort of curse upon sinners. It was not so regarded by the Old Testament saints, who sang hymns in praise of it, and hailed it with language of affection and rapture (e.g. Salmi 40:1 and Salmi 119:1).
1. Truth leads to life. The Law was a revelation of God's eternal verities, without which the soul would perish in the night of its own ignorance.
2. Righteousness would make for life. The Law declared the nature of righteousness, and pointed out the path on which it could be pursued. Thus it was an aid to conscience. Further, by its sanctions of menace and promise it urged the careless to walk in that path.
3. Grace leads to life. The Law did not exclude all grace. On the contrary, it was given in mercy, and it contained saving provisions in various forms of condescension to human weakness and in the great institution of sacrifices for sin.
II. THE LAW PROVED TO BE A MESSENGER OF DEATH. (See Ezechiele 20:25). We have come to regard the Law with aversion under the influence of the arguments of St. Paul. Yet he distinctly teaches that the Law was good, but that the perversion of it led to ruin (Romani 7:12).
1. The Law condemns sin. Before we have sinned it is a friend to warn us against doing wrong, but by sinning we have turned it into an enemy. The warning beacon has thus become an ominous meteor, the sign post a gallows tree. That which by its guidance protects the innocent from death, by its judgments condemns the guilty to death (Romani 7:10).
2. The Law is powerless to save from sin.
(1) Its commandments cannot save. They are standards of measurement, not direct powers. Though they urge through conscience, fear, and hope, they only appeal to our nature in its present state. They do not create a new heart. They may drive us to flee from the wrath to come; but they do not provide any refuge.
(2) Its sacrifices cannot save. Ceremonial sacrifices could only save from ceremonial sins. In regard to moral guilt these sacrifices could only typify cleansing, not really accomplish it (Salmi 51:16; Ebrei 10:4).
III. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS THE ONLY EFFECTUAL WAY OF LIFE. The Law was "weak," though not on account of its own imperfection, but "through the flesh," i.e. on account of man's human degradation, so that man did not respond to it. Therefore God sent his Son to bring the salvation which the Law was powerless to produce (Romani 8:3).
1. In Christ we have the gift of life. (1 Giovanni 5:12). Nothing less than death is due under the Law; nothing less than life is given by Christ. This we receive by active regenerating grace, not by the erection of a new standard of morals—the Sermon on the Mount substituted for the Ten Commandments—but by the presence and work of a living Saviour.
2. This life in Christ does not destroy the glory of the Law.
(1) Christ satisfies the Law in his own Person.
(2) He destroys in us the sin which makes the Law our enemy and earns the death penalty.
(3) He gives us his new law of love, his eternal statutes, "which, if a man do, he shall even live in them" (Matteo 7:24; Giovanni 15:10).
The sanctity of the sabbath.
The sabbath was given to Israel as a day of rest for man and beast (Esodo 20:8-2). But it also had a deeper mystical significance which gave it a peculiar sanctity. It was the sign of Israel, the note by which the chosen people might be marked, the seal of the covenant of Sinai, as circumcision was the seal of the earlier covenant with Abraham. In this particular, of course, the sabbath belonged only to the Jews under the Law, and our neglect of the seventh day and observance of the "Lord's day" are signs that we have passed under a new covenant with a new sanction, seal, and token, viz.
that of the communion (Luca 22:20), which therefore takes a place with us corresponding to the sabbath in the Law and circumcision among the patriarchs. Nevertheless, the grounds on which the sabbath was selected as the symbol of the covenant of the Law are wider than the dominion of Israel, and deserve to be inquired into with a view to ascertaining their perpetual significance.
I. THE SANCTITY OF THE SABBATH WAS ASSOCIATED WITH NATURE. God rested from creation (Genesi 2:2). This fact is stated in primitive language. But the latest science shows that the course of nature is not a mechanical revolution, but a sort of vital pulsation.
Its movement is rhythmic. It goes by shock and pause. It has its work and its rest. Summer activity and winter sleep, day and night, storm and cairn, are nature's alternate week days and sabbaths. We are part of nature, and must observe its methods.
II. THE SANCTITY OF THE SABBATH WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEEDS OF MAN. "The sabbath was made for man." Therefore man needed the sabbath.
1. He needed the rest. Ceaseless toil wears and frets the very fibre of life. Masters and slaves, as well as the beast of burden, were benefited by the Jewish sabbath. We are not under the same formal regulations as those by which Israel was governed. But the conditions of business life in the modern world are so much more exacting than any that can be imagined to belong to the simple pastoral and agricultural life of the ancient Jews, that the requirement of some equivalent to their sabbath must be much stronger with us.
2. He needed the opportunity for remembering God. The sabbath was sacred to the covenant. Sunday is sacred to the resurrection of Christ. The congenial thoughts and holy occupations of such a day are helpful.
"The Sundaies of man's life,
Thredded together on time's string,
Make bracelets to adorn the wife
Of the eternal, glorious King.
On Sunday heaven's gates stand ope;
Blessings are plentiful and rife,
More plentiful than hope."
(Geo. Herbert.)
III. THE SANCTITY OF THE SABBATH WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GOD. God ordained the sabbath; it was typical of his resting; and it was the seal of his covenant with Israel. Thus it was in a threefold sense God's day. Christ has warned us against the formal abuse of its sanctity, and St.
Paul has dared to assert a large Christian liberty in regard to it. Anything that makes its use formal savours of the Law, is Judaistic, is anti-Christian. Anything that makes it a day of gloom and repression is even contrary to its old Jewish observance as a festival. But, on the other hand, God has claims of worship. If Sunday is given up to amusement or toil those claims are ignored. It is our duty to give them all possible range in this age of driving secular interests. Thus are we led on to
"The sabbaths of eternity,
One sabbatic, deep and wide."
(Tennyson, 'St. Agnes.')
A human wilderness.
I. WHAT IT IS. Israel is to be brought "into the wilderness of the peoples." The wanderings of their fathers was in "a waste howling wilderness" (Deuteronomio 32:10), among the wild beasts and far from the cities and homes of men; but the exile of the nation in Ezekiel's day was a transportation into the midst of the settled populous country of Babylon.
ChaLdea was no Siberia. Banishment from Canaan did not lead to a return to the freedom and the hardships of a nomadic life. The captive Jews were planted among other nations. Although a strange blight has since fallen upon the scene of the exile, and the ruins of the great cities of the Euphrates have now become a veritable wilderness, haunted by lions and hyenas, those cities were at the height of their prosperity and splendour when the prophet lived and wrote. How, then, could he speak of them as a wilderness?
1. A great city is a human wilderness. The greater the city, the more desolate is the wilderness. The social life of small cities like Jerusalem and Athens must have been strong and pleasant. But this life is swamped in the myriads of unknown faces that one sees in a vast city. Great Babylon, Rome, and London—the modern Babylon—have the character of a wilderness.
2. There is no banishment so terrible as that of being lost in a human wilderness. People who could be tracked over Dartmoor and among the fells of Yorkshire may be utterly lost in London. Every year there are many broken lives that go down in the awful misery that floods the lower parts of a great city, and no one misses them. Their individuality has been drowned in a sea of humanity. The most heart-rending loneliness is that of a friendless man in a crowd—so many fellow beings, and not a spark of fellow feeling!
II. HOW IT IS USED. The city wilderness is used for the punishment of the Jews; but not for that only.
1. God meets his people in the wilderness. Success blinds us to the presence of God. Society makes us deaf to his voice. Adversity and solitude prepare us to remember him and to hearken to his Word. We need not flee to the wilderness of a John the Baptist—to the seclusion of a hermitage among the silent rocks—in order to meet with God. He will visit us in the crowded city.
When the heart sinks, sad and faint at its own loneliness amid the din of a crowded life in which the lost wanderer has no share, God is ready to whisper words of comfort. He can find his poor suffering child in the crowd, and draw near to him there as well as in the field, the chamber, or the temple. God comes into most intimate relations with his people in their hour of desolation. He meets them "face to face.
" In the old wilderness of Sinai the Jews shrank from such near contact with God, so that it was reserved for Moses alone (Esodo 33:11). Now it is to be for all Israel. Thus deep distress has its privileges.
2. God pleads with his people. He desires to save; he urges repentance. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord" (Isaia 1:18). When men are most cold and repellant, perhaps our heart may be open to the sympathy of God. Then we can see that he seeks us in a great, undying love.
Note, it is a shame to Christendom that there should be a human wilderness among us. Heathen cities were cruel. But brotherhood is essential to Christianity. May we not say that, after pleading with us for our own sakes, God also pleads with us that we may save our lost brothers and sisters?
God's holy mountain.
I. THE SITE. God's holy mountain is the site of the temple at Jerusalem. God promises his people that the exile will cease, that they shall return and worship him once more at the old sacred spot. Note the characteristics of it.
1. It is exalted. A mountain. Jerusalem is two thousand feet above the level of the Mediterranean Sea. The rock where the altar of burnt offering stood—now covered by what is called the "Mosque of Omar"—is the highest part of Mount Morlah. We look up to heaven in worship.
2. It is conspicuous. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Private worship should be unostentatious and secret (Matteo 6:6); but public worship should be open to all, and well known, that others may be invited, and that God may be glorified. Churches should be built in conspicuous places.
3. It is consecrated by old memories. There the fathers worshipped, and there also God came down and blessed his people in the olden time. Faith is strengthened, and worship stimulated by such memories.
II. THE SERVICE.
1. The people are to serve. They will not be rescued only to be left to enjoy themselves in idleness. The restored exiles are redeemed for high service. Christians are not saved from ruin that they may slumber in listless indifference. Indeed, part of Christ's salvation is deliverance from idleness, and the redemption of our powers that they may be turned to higher uses, i.e. to the service of God.
2. God is to be the one Lord served. In the old days of sin the people had attempted a divided allegiance. But this must now cease. The redeemed must live to the Lord. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matteo 6:24).
III. THE ACCEPTANCE. This is the heart of the whole promise, from which the glow and joy of it spring. God had rejected his people and their sacrifices, casting the men into exile and permitting the sacrifices to cease. Before that disaster, he had refused to accept the offerings of those who practised wickedness (Isaia 1:13).
But now on their return to their old home as purged penitents, God will accept both the people and their gifts. All our labor is in vain unless it be accepted by him to whom it should be offered. God accepts his repentant and returning people
(1) on the ground of their repentance;
(2) in Christ, and on account of his merits;
(3) fundamentally, because of his own forgiving love.
IV. THE SACRIFICES. The people, while they render service, do this especially by means of the offerings that they bring.
1. They express gratitude. Sacrifices for sin are excluded from this passage. Doubtless they will be required, for unhappily the people will sin again. But so sad a prospect is not to be contemplated as yet. The offerings now thought of are those of thanksgiving. They suggest the thought that God will give bountiful harvests. Here is a picture of joy in worship.
2. They were required by God. One would have thought that gratitude would have made the commandment superfluous. But Malachi shows that, as a matter of fact, the people were backward with their gifts (Malachia 3:8). "Where are the nine?" (Luca 17:17). Christ is our one Sacrifice for sin. Yet God still requires us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices for thank-offerings and self-dedication (Romani 12:1).
For my Name's sake.
The grounds of the Divine action are not man's deserts, but considerations in regard to God himself. This is the secret of our hope. "He hath not dealt with us after our sins" (Salmi 103:10). He hath dealt with us alter his Name. God's Name stands for what is known of him—his revelation of himself; it also represents his fame, and then his honour—as we should say, his "good name.
" No doubt the latter is the meaning of God's Name in the present instance, although this rests upon the former meaning, and in a measure includes it. Our word "character" has this twofold meaning—what is known to be in a person and the reputation he bears—the subjective and the objective characters. We may say that God saves us for the sake of his own character in both senses.
I. HIS PUBLIC CHARACTER.
1. God is honoured by his fidelity. His name is pledged to his word. His promise involves his Name. When a man has put his name to a deed, he is bound to fulfil its conditions. If he fails, his name is dishonoured. Promoters make great efforts to secure for their enterprises names that will inspire confidence. God will keep his word for the sake of his credit—for this at least, though we know also for deeper reasons.
2. God is honoured by his success. The name of the artist goes with his work. If he sends out a bad piece of work, his name suffers. Now, Israel was God's rescued people. All the world gazed in wonder and admiration when the poor helpless slaves were wrested by Divine power from the iron grip of Pharaoh. They were seen to be a nation made by God, his workmanship. If they came to ruin after this, God would seem to have failed. Moses used this argument (Esodo 32:12).
3. God is honoured by his mercy. Cruel earthly monarchs of the old heathen type were proud to record on their tablets the number of kings they had slain, and the number of cities they had sacked. We have learnt to see a greater royal dignity in the saying of William Ill. concerning a certain nonjuror, "The man has determined to be a martyr, but I have determined to prevent him." God is more honoured by saving the world than he would be by damning it.
II. HIS PERSONAL CHARACTER.
1. God acts from regard to truth. After all, it is but as an accommodation to human views that God can be said to keep his promises for the sake of his reputation, that his Name may not be dishonoured. He is essentially true and eternally constant. Though men may provoke him to change, he is firm and holds on to his purpose. Thus Christ persisted in his saving work, even when those whom he came to bless rejected him. He had a great purpose, and no action of man would turn him from it.
2. God acts from regard to righteousness. He desires to establish righteousness, and to extend its domain. For this purpose it will not be well that sin should be left to run its own fatal course unchecked, nor will it be best simply to visit the sin with vengeance, and to cut down the evil tree root and branch, sweeping the sinner with his sin into utter destruction.
A silent desolation, in which every enemy lies low, smitten to death, is not the noblest victory. The conquest of the foe by his conversion to friendship is far higher. This is God's method. His righteousness is most honoured by the regeneration of sinners.
3. God acts from regard to love. His name is love. When we penetrate to the heart of God, love is what we see there. If, then, his Name expresses his inmost character, when God acts for his Name's sake he acts in love. Therefore, though he might smite, extirpate, and destroy them, he redeems. saves, and restores his unworthy children.
The obscurity of revelation.
I. THE TEACHING OF DIVINE REVELATION IS SOMETIMES OBSCURED. It was a fact that Ezekiel had been speaking in parables. No other prophet indulged so freely in symbolical language. His writings are a garden of luxuriant metaphors, which often blossom into elaborate allegories.
This style is characteristic of Oriental literature, and it is a feature of the Bible teaching generally, through in Ezekiel it is carried out more fully than elsewhere. There is an analogy between the seen and the unseen. Unattentive hearers may be arrested by what strikes them on the plain of their own earthly living. It is not enough that we receive a bold abstract statement of truth into our understandings, for this may never fructify. An imaginative grasp of truth, even when it is less clearly defined, may be more vital and fruitful.
II. WHEN TEACHING IS OBSCURE, THE TEACHER IS BLAMED. The unwilling hearers of Ezekiel laid the charge of failure to the account of the prophet. His language had been so enigmatical that they could not understand him. It is only reasonable that the Christian preacher should be open to criticism.
On some accounts he should welcome it, for it shows that the minds of his hearers are not entirely asleep. Anything is better than blank indifference. Moreover, no one can be so certain that in many things the preacher fails sadly as he is himself, if he truly understands his high vocation. Nevertheless, the most hard criticism comes from unsympathetic hearers, who care only to be taught, and seek only to be amused, or who are too indolent to think, and therefore complain of any appeal to their intellects, and blame the preacher for making difficulties which must stand in the way of unthinking minds. The earnest inquirer after truth may pick up some crumbs from the most obscure and dull sermon.
III. THE CAUSE OF THE OBSCURITY OF REVELATION MAY BE IN THE HEARER. Like Moses, Ezekiel complains to God of the unjust judgment of Israel. His contemporaries were like the men of our Lord's generation, whom Christ compared to children in the marketplace, unwilling to respond to any call from their companions (Matteo 11:17).
Ezekiel had tried plain speech; and his audience had turned deaf ears to his teaching. Then in a despairing effort to arrest attention, he had resorted to more novel and startling methods; but the only response he had received was an accusation of using enigmatical language. Neither method had proved successful. No method can succeed with unwilling hearers. The best seed fails when it falls by the wayside.
IV. THE REMEDY FOR THIS OBSCURITY MAY BE FOUND IN SOME ROUSING. EXPERIENCE. What is wanted is not to scatter fresh seed, but to "break up your fallow ground" (Geremia 4:3).
Therefore the rejection of the truth recorded in Ezechiele 20:1. is followed by the sword of judgment described in Ezechiele 21:1. After that, the people will hear, for then the soil will be prepared to receive the Word of God, whether it come in direct speech or in symbolical suggestions. Trouble breaks through the conventional crust of life, and leaves the bruised soul susceptible to spiritual influences. At least, this is the design of it. Unhappy indeed is the case of those who are hardened even against the last appeal.
HOMILIES BY J.R. THOMSON
A rejected application.
It is evident that Ezekiel held a position of honour and of some kind of moral authority among his fellow captives. Although he was not given to prophesying smooth things, his countrymen still resorted to him, evincing a certain confidence in his mission. On the occasion here described, an application made to the prophet was upon Divine authority rejected—with reason given. So unusual an incident leads to further consideration.
I. MAN'S NEED OF A DIVINE ORACLE. The elders of Israel may be taken as representatives of mankind generally. They approached the prophet in order to inquire of the Lord. And in this they were right.
1. For human ignorance needs Divine enlightenment and teaching.
2. Human uncertainty and perplexity need Divine guidance, wise and authoritative.
3. Human sinfulness, clouding, as it does, the spiritual vision, needs authoritative precept as to the path of duty.
4. Human fear and foreboding need the consolation of Divine kindness and the promise of Divine support.
II. GOD'S WILLINGNESS TO REPLY FULLY AND GRACIOUSLY TO THE APPLICATION OF EARNEST INQUIRERS. if there is one lesson more than another inculcated with frequency and constancy in the pages of Scripture, it is this—that the eternal Father is accessible to his children, that there is no need which they can bring unto him which he is not ready to supply from his infinite fulness and according to his infinite compassion.
Revelation itself is a proof of this. The commission given to prophets and apostles was with a view to a suitable and sufficient response to the inquiries of men. The supreme Gift of God, his own Son, is just a provision intended to meet the wants, the deep spiritual cravings, of the human heart; he is "God with us." To question God's willingness to receive those who inquire of him is to cast a doubt upon the genuine: hess of the economies alike of the Law and of the gospel.
III. THE MORAL CONDITIONS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO RECEIVING A RESPONSE FROM THE ORACLE OF GOD. Two such conditions may especially be mentioned.
1. Teachableness and humility; the disposition of the little child, without which none can enter the kingdom of heaven; the new birth, which is the entrance upon the new life.
2. Repentance. Whilst living in sin and loving sin men cannot receive the righteousness, the blessing, which the heavenly Father waits to bestow. "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God." Sin is as a cloud which hides the sunlight from shining upon the soul; it is like certain conditions of atmosphere, it hinders the sound of God's voice from reaching the spiritual ear. This is the action, not of arbitrary will, but of moral law.
IV. THE PRACTICAL LESSONS TO BE LEARNT BY APPLICANTS.
1. Here, many, in the same position as that occupied by the elders of Israel who came to Ezekiel, may learn the reason of their rejection. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you!"
2. Here all suppliants may learn a lesson of encouragement. It is not in God's ill will that the obstacle to our reception is to be sought; lot there is no ill wilt in him. "Wash you, make you clean!" Draw near with a sense of need, with confessions of unworthiness, with requests based upon the revealed loving kindness of the heavenly Father; draw near in the name of him who has himself shown the vastness of the obstacle of sin, and who has himself removed that obstacle; and be assured of a gracious reception and a free and sufficient response.
In Christ, the Eternal addresses the sons of men, saying, "Seek ye my face!" and in Christ the lowly and penitent may approach the throne of grace with the exclamation, "Thy face, Lord, will I seek!"—T.
The memory of the great deliverance.
The continuity of the national life seems to have been as constantly present to the mind of Ezekiel as was the fact of individual responsibility. He distinguished between national and personal character; but both were in his apprehension real. It is certainly remarkable that, in answering as he was directed to do, the application of the elders, he should proceed to epitomize the history of the nation.
His aim seems to have been to show that the irreligion and rebellion of which he complained in the epoch of the Captivity had existed throughout the several periods of Israelitish history. In a few brief paragraphs the prophet, in a most graphic way, exhibits the conduct of the chosen people in several successive eras. As was customary and natural, the first period dealt with was that of the momentous deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.
I. REVELATION. God made himself known unto Israel in the land of Egypt. In this revelation were included:
1. Choice.
2. Covenant, confirmed by oath.
3. Promise of deliverance from bondage; further promise of a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.
II. COMMAND. One great duty Jehovah laid upon his chosen and covenant people—the duty of abandoning the idolatry, whose evil effects they had witnessed among the Egyptians. They could not consistently receive the Divine revelation, and at the same time be guilty of idolatry, which in all its forms was a contradiction of the worship and service of the one living and true God. Idolatry was not only dishonouring to Jehovah; it was a defilement of all who took part in its practices.
III. REBELLION. Notwithstanding the grace displayed in the revelation, notwithstanding the authority accompanying the command, the chosen and favoured nation rebelled. The circumstances of the case, when considered, render this all the more marvellous. Although the superior power of the God of their fathers had been so conspicuously displayed, "they did not forsake the idols of Egypt." Such conduct was both treason and rebellion in one.
IV. THREATENING. The truly human manner in which the prophet, in this and similar places, speaks of the Eternal leads some readers to charge him with anthropomorphism. The language used of a man might imply vindictiveness; and, taken in connection with what follows, might even imply mutability and fickleness. The Divine "fury "and "anger" may not be free from emotion, but such language is mainly intended to convey the impression that the law of righteousness exists, and that it cannot be violated and defied with impunity, either by nations or by individuals.
V. RELENTING AND SALVATION. The ground upon which Jehovah bore with his sinful people is remarkable; it was "for his own Name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen." For this reason he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. Their emancipation was owing, not to any daring of their own, not to any heroism of their leaders, not to any fortunate conjunction of circumstances, but to the interposition of Almighty power.—T.
The memory of the wilderness of Sinai.
The circumstances employed by the Most High to make Israel a nation were of the most marvellous and romantic kinds. Psalmists and prophets, nay, even Christian apostles and deacons, looking back upon the events of early Israelitish history, felt the fascination of the ancient story, of the emancipation from Egypt, and of the lengthened discipline of the wilderness, by which the tribes were welded into a nation and fitted for the possession of the land of promise.
I. THE GIFT OF THE LAW. Men, especially in their corporate capacity, need something more than exhortation, dissuasion, sentiment. They need law. And this necessity was met, when Israel was led into the wilderness, by the giving of the Law at Sinai. in this gift must be included the ten commandments, the precepts for family and personal life, the institution of the ceremonial, sacerdotal, and sacrificial dispensation, the confirmation and sanctification of the sabbath, by their observance of which the Jews were so well known by their neighbours.
This last-named institution was, however, regarded by the God of Israel in a higher light—as "a sign between himself and them." The people were by these means placed under authority. Sanctions were attached to the Law, and life was assured to the obedient.
II. THE REBELLION OF THE SUBJECTS.
1. The season and scene of this rebellion should be noticed; it took place, as the prophet reminds the elders, and as the record itself informs us, in the wilderness, i.e. immediately after the great deliverance and the promulgation of the Law, and whilst the people were still dependent in an especial manner upon the bounty and the protection of the Most High.
2. The offensive form of this rebellion is noted: "They walked not according to my statutes, and despised my judgments"—a course which showed their failure to appreciate the privileges bestowed upon them, and the dishonour which they dared to offer to their Deliverer and King.
3. Their inexcusable neglect of the provision made in the weekly sabbath for their true well being.
4. Their treachery. "Their heart went after idols."
III. THE JUDGMENT AND THE MERCY OF THE KING AND LAWGIVER.
1. The immediate punishment inflicted upon the rebellious generation was the refusal to permit them to enter upon the land of promise.
2. The forbearance and mercy of God were displayed in that he did not make an end in the wilderness of those who had rebelled against him and defied him.—T.
The memory of the wilderness of the wanderings.
At this point the transition is made from the generation who received the Law at Sinai to the generation which followed, and to whom another probation was afforded.
I. THE DIVINE LAW WAS REPUBLISHED.
II. THE REBELLION AND IDOLATRY OF THE PEOPLE WERE RENEWED.
III. THE MOST FLAGRANT FORMS OF IDOLATROUS PRACTICE WERE ADDED TO WHAT HAD PRECEDED, In Ezechiele 20:26 mention is made of the causing the firstborn to pass through the fire in the service of Moloch.
IV. ADDITIONAL AND SEVERER THREATS WERE UTTERED. In Ezechiele 20:23 threats of scattering and dispersion among the heathen were added to the more general denunciations.
V. STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS WERE TURNED TO THE CONDEMNATION OF THE REBELLIOUS.
VI. SPARING MERCY WAS AGAIN EXERCISED TO PRESERVE THE NATION FROM DESTRUCTION.
APPLICATION. The lesson is very impressively taught in this passage that repentance and amendment by no means follow as a matter of course upon either punishment or forbearance. The discipline through which Israel passed partook of both characters; yet it left the people, as a people, still disposed to rebellion against God, and to contempt of his Law. It is the spirit in which God's dealings with us are received which determines whether or not they shall issue in our highest good.—T.
The memory of offences in the land of promise.
Notwithstanding the variety of incident and circumstance in the history of the chosen people, there was much sameness in their experience, in their discipline, in their errors and faults. This may account for the brevity with which the later epochs of national history are treated by the prophet in this passage. Yet there is a consciousness on his part of the aggravation of Israel's guilt which is apparent in the tone of this portion of this remarkable chapter.
I. ISRAEL'S REBELLION AND IDOLATRY WERE AGGRAVATED BY THE FACT THAT THEY WERE PERSISTED IN NOTWITHSTANDING PAST ADMONITION AND CORRECTION.
II. ISRAEL'S REBELLION AND IDOLATRY WERE AGGRAVATED WHEN THEY OCCURRED IN THE LAND OF PROMISE.
III. ISRAEL'S REBELLION AND IDOLATRY WERE AGGRAVATED BY THEIR COEXISTENCE WITH THE SANCTUARY OF JEHOVAH.
IV. ISRAEL'S REBELLION AND IDOLATRY WERE AGGRAVATED BY THEIR JUXTAPOSITION WITH THE PURE SERVICES AND FESTIVALS OF THE TRUE RELIGION.
V. ISRAEL'S REBELLION AND IDOLATRY WERE AGGRAVATED BY THE FACT THAT THE CHOSEN PEOPLE ADOPTED THE RELIGION AND THE PRACTICES OF MORALLY INFERIOR RACES.
VI. ISRAEL'S AGGRAVATED REBELLION AND IDOLATRY PREVENTED THEIR REPRESENTATIVES FROM ENJOYING THE FAVOUR AND RECEIVING THE RESPONSE OF THE LORD.—T.
The purpose of Israel's election.
The prophecy at this point turns from the story of the past to the prediction and prospect of the future.
I. GOD'S PURPOSES CANNOT BE FULFILLED BY THE ABSORPTION OF ISRAEL AMONG THE HEATHEN. Exile and dispersion were appointed as chastisement and discipline. And there were those among the Hebrews who thought that, as a nation, they might amalgamate with the heathen, and might "serve wood and stone.
" To human apprehension, this might seem the natural consequence of their experience. But the reverse was what happened—captivity and exile served to restore the chosen people to their fidelity to Jehovah.
II. GOD'S RULE OVER HIS PEOPLE WILL BE MANIFESTLY AND EFFECTIVELY MAINTAINED EVEN IN DISTANT AND HEATHEN LANDS.
Lest it should be imagined that, when the children of Israel are scattered among the nations, the God of Israel will cease to exercise over them his vigilant sway and righteous retribution, the strongest language is used to express the unceasing control which, wherever his people are found, will be maintained over them. "With a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm will I rule over you … I will be King over you."
III. GOD WILL PLEAD WITH THE SCATTERED ISRAELITES WITH A VIEW TO SECURE THEIR SUBMISSION AND ALLEGIANCE. The expression implies personal interest and personal intercourse.
It implies the free agency of the human beings with whom the Lord deigns to plead. It implies earnest desire for the welfare of individual Israelites—welfare which can only be secured through the conviction, the faith, the voluntary subjection, the loyalty, of these who have been in rebellion.
IV. GOD WILL PURGE OUT REBELS AND TRANSGRESSORS, AND SO PURIFY THE TRUE ISRAEL FROM THOSE WHO ARE ISRAELITES IN NAME ONLY AND NOT IN SPIRIT AND REALITY. Forbearance may and will be exercised, but discrimination must take pace. The dross must be consumed in order that the pure, fine gold may be brought out.
V. GOD WILL GATHER THE TRUE SHEEP INTO THE FOLD, AND RE-ESTABLISH HIS COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE.
This is the real aim of the Divine government. Other steps are the means; this is the end. Sooner or later this glorious and blessed result shall be brought to pass. "There shall be one flock, and one Shepherd." The bond of the covenant shall be again cemented. The purposes of Divine compassion shall be completely fulfilled. The scattered wanderers shall be led home, for he that scattered shall gather them.
He shall make a way whereby his banished ones shall return. In the land of promise, the better country, the true citizens shall assemble, and shall offer sacrifices of perpetual obedience, and songs of endless praise, to their Deliverer and their Lord.—T.
The glorious restoration.
It is difficult to believe that this language can refer to a local and temporal restoration and union. In this, as in other passages of his prophecy, Ezekiel seems to point on to the new, the Christian dispensation, into whose spiritual glory he seems to gain some glimpses neither dim nor uncertain.
I. THE SCENE OF THE RESTORATION. God's holy mountain, the mountain of the height of Israel, is the symbol of the Church of the Son of God.
II. THE PARTICIPATORS IN THE RESTORATION. Those concerning whom the promise is spoken are those who have been scattered abroad, but are now brought home, and who constitute "the house of Israel," i.e. the true Israel, the Israel of God.
III. THE SERVICES OF THE RESTORATION. By the services, the offerings, the firstfruits, the oblations, must be understood the spiritual sacrifices, especially of obedience and of praise, which the accepted of God delight to lay upon his altar.
IV. THE MEMORIES OF THE RESTORATION. These are of two kinds. The restored have to recollect, and to recollect with loathing, their wanderings, their evil doings, their defilements. But they have also to remember the work which God has wrought for them, the way by which God has led them, and the mercy and loving kindness which God has shown to them.—T.
HOMILIES BY J.D. DAVIES
Unacceptable prayer.
The exact date is given as a voucher for truthfulness. The prophet committed to writing at once what had occurred. The people are yet divided by distance—part dwell in Judaea and tart in Chaldea. In a spirit of vain curiosity the eiders of the exiled part approach the prophet to inquire after the destined fortunes and fate of their nation. Had they sought for guidance or help to amend their lives, their prayer had been successful. God does not pander to a spirit of curiosity.
I. DISTRESS USUALLY DRIVES MEN TO SEEK GOD. The bulk of men are self-confident. They will not seek God until they discover their insufficiency to meet misfortune or death. As the sailor does not seek harbour until driven by tempest, so men avoid God. Yet, in the hour of peril or pain, an inborn instinct leads them to rest on an arm mightier than theirs. Sorrow is God's home call.
II. PRAYER LEADS TO THE RESURRECTION OF OUR SINS. It is impossible to do good to a man so long as he stifles the voice of conscience; and the first duty of a true prophet is to bring sin to our remembrance. Unrepented sin is man's chief foe, and to dislodge this foe from the heart's citadel is God's prime endeavour.
The barrier that shuts out the light of heaven is the shutter of our own impenitence. The obdurate man destroys his own hope. He bars heaven's door against himself; he writes his own failure. It is kindness on God's part to show us our sins, for his hops is that we may loathe them and abandon them.
III. THE HISTORY OF OUR FATHERS' SINS OFTEN BECOMES THE HISTORY OF OUR OWN SINS. He who hears of his father's sin and does not hate it soon adopts it as his own child.
The history of the past is compressed into our own experience. The Fall in Eden is repeated in our own history. All the history and development of a tree is condensed into each fruit kernel; so the moral history is incorporated in us. We may use it for our profit or for our injury. If we continue the same line of conduct as our guilty forefathers, we re-enact their sins, we endorse their guilty deeds. The entailment of moral qualities is a pregnant truth. On this ground it was that all the martyrs' blood, from Abel downward, accumulated upon the men in our Lord's age.
IV. NEGLECT OF DIVINE ADMONITION IS FRESH SIN. The knowledge of past admonition adds to our responsibility. Warnings addressed to our ancestors are warnings addressed to us. Every item in the revelation of God's will is intended for our profit; for revelations of the eternal God have an abiding force.
If we are not moved or awed by judgments passed upon our ancestors, ours is the greater sin. As our light is greater than was our forefathers', so is our sin, unless we repudiate it by repentance.
V. GOD'S PERMISSIONS ARE OFTEN CHASTISEMENTS. "Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live." The self-blindness and obduracy of men is such that oftentimes God cannot give them the best laws: such would be above their comprehension—above their appreciation.
Good law can never be much in advance of a people's moral condition. God allowed Lot to retire to Zoar, but the permission became a curse. God yielded to the Jews' demand for a king, but their kings led them to civic strife and idolatry. Jesus Christ yielded to the demand of the Gadarenes to leave their province, but their loss was great. How much need have we to merge our wills in God's will!
VI. GOD'S MEMORY OF OUR MISDEEDS NEVER FAILS. We may forget, or regard as trivial, some deed of the past; yet it lives, in complete reality, in the memory of God. Likely enough these elders were astounded with this long recital of their evil deeds. This, however, is a sample of God's treatment of all men.
The reappearance of our old sins—the reappearance before the public gaze—will be one element in our punishment. The future publicity of our follies will form a great ingredient in our shame. The world already knows the aggravated sins of the Hebrews.
VII. GOD'S WILL OVERREACHES AND OVERMASTERS MAN'S WILL. "And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen!" Man resolves; God overrules. Mighty as man's will is, it is feeble in comparison with God's will. It may be as iron, but even iron is treated as a plaything by the electric force.
Even wickedness shall be restrained of God. Satan shall be bound with chains. Many men are guiltier than the measure of their deeds. There are murderers that never slew a man, felons that never stole. The intention is as guilty as the act. Man's intended wickedness shall be held in check.
VIII. GOD'S REGARD FOR HIS NAME IS COINCIDENT WITH MAN'S BEST WELFARE. "I wrought for my Name's sake." One great purpose our God has in view, in all his government among men, is to reveal himself—to unfold the qualities of his character.
This is essential to the highest good of his creature man. He will be patient and tender, or judicial and severe, in order to bring into view all the excellences of his majestic character. The more his saints see of his personal characteristics, the more they admire him, the more they become like him. No one will conclude that the human family has yet seen all the aspects of God's character or all the perfections of his nature. Without doubt, eternity will be spent in spelling out the meaning of that great Name.—D.
Judicial discrimination.
As among men, when matters of serious importance have to be determined, there is the employment of a religious oath, in other words, a solemn appeal that God should witness the truthfulness of the parties; so, when God discloses his intentions respecting the destiny of men, he speaks with a view to produce the deepest impression. He stakes his own existence upon the certainty of the event.
I. GOD'S RULE IS DIRECTED SOLELY FOR MAN'S PURITY. Such is his own holiness of nature, that he cannot tolerate impurity of any kind in his kingdom. Or, if he does tolerate it for a season, it is only for the purpose of more effectually purifying his saints.
To distribute his own happiness, he created men; but that happiness can only reach perfection when it is rooted in purity. Purity or perdition is the only alternative under the sceptre of Jehovah.
II. THE PLACE APPOINTED FOR THE TEST. "I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I plead with you face to face." Already this had been done in the wilderness of Sinai, and now it shall be done again. This wilderness is not Babylon, nor the desert between Babylon and Judaea.
It denotes the isolated condition of the people, when they should be scattered among all the nations. A desert is the outward emblem of man's desolation through sin. Iniquity has made a desert in his heart, in his home, in the nation—a desert in all his surroundings. There, under a sense of his folly and misfortune, God condescends to plead with men.
III. A WINNOWING PROCESS IS TO BE PURSUED. "I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me." If the nation, following its lower passions and following foolish kings, refuse God's salvation, God will deal with them individually. As a nation they shall be destroyed; but an election shall be saved.
God will appear as a Thresher, and will purge his floor, and separate the chaff from the wheat. Would that the entire nation had yielded to his righteous rule! Yet, if the majority reject his grace, a minority will accept it. Not a single penitent shall be swept away with the rebellious. Divine wisdom can and will discriminate.
IV. THE OBDURATE SHALL BE ABANDONED. "Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me." Lightly as men may esteem the severity of such a sentence, it is the most crushing doom that can befall them—to be given over to the indulgence of their vices. For God to withdraw the restraints of his grace, and allow them the liberty they crave, would be the heaviest scourge, the beginning of perdition. Said God of Ephraim, "He is joined to his idols: let him alone!" Of some it is declared by Jesus the Christ, "He is guilty of eternal sin."
V. THE PENITENT SHALL RISE TO EMINENT PIETY. (See Ezechiele 20:40 and Ezechiele 20:41.) They shall worship again in the consecrated mount. Their offerings shall be spontaneous and abundant. Their gifts and sacrifices shall send a sweet savour Godward.
Best of all, they shall find acceptance with God. The Most High will be honoured in their midst. His presence will be felt as a purifying power. "I will be sanctified in you." The remembrance of their past ways and past experiences shall open their eyes to the foulness and loathsomeness of sin. Their inmost tastes and affections shall be refined. Self-condemnation is an essential element in repentance.
VI. THE RESULT WILL BE LARGER ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD. "Ye shall know that I am the Lord." The manifestation of God's patience, condescension, and tender love will enlarge their conception of God. He will gain a larger place in their esteem and confidence.
His true glory will come forth. In this way even human sin will contribute to human elevation; man's guilt will promote God's glory. In the widest sense, "all things shall work together for good." The darkest disaster will serve as a setting for the jewels of God's goodness.—D.
The forest in flame.
In a nation, men's minds are in every stage of development; a hundred phases of feeling prevail. Hence God, in his kindness, sent his instructions in every possible form, and adapted his reproofs to every state of mind—to children as well as to men of riper years.
I. THE PARABLE IMPLIES A RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN MEN AND FOREST TREES. Amid many differences, there are some resemblances, and it is on one of these resemblances that this admonition fastens. In the earlier stages of their life, trees grow better in clusters.
They serve as a support to each other, and also as a protection against storms. But soon the roots rob nourishment, each from the other. The boughs shut out the light and air. They prevent the growth and hardening of the wood. They become mutually injurious. Sap diminishes. The branches dry and decay. So it is with men in society. Casting off the fear of God, they corrupt each other. They become one another's tempters. Healthy growth ceases. Shutting out, each from the other, the light and sunshine from heaven, their proper life shrivels, epics up, and decays. They become combustible—lit for burning.
II. RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN GOD'S RIGHTEOUS ANGER AND MATERIAL FIRE. On these two resemblances the parable depends. As fire naturally lays hold of and destroys forest trees, be does God's anger naturally lay hold of and destroy wicked men. There is a fixed and unalterable correspondence.
"Be sure your sin will find you out!" You may as well swallow poison, and hope to live; you may as well set fire to gunpowder, and expect it not to explode; you may as well touch a galvanic current, and think to avoid any nervous sensation,—as to sin, and not suffer penalty. Each is alike an eternal decree of the living God. As each plant has in it the potency to produce another plant, so every sin has in it the germ of destruction.
III. PROXIMITY TO EVIL MEN CONSTITUTES A DANGER. All the trees in a forest are not equally dessicated. Yet such becomes the fierceness of the flame, fed by the drier trees, that those less dessicated are reduced to ashes. Men may be less guilty than their neighbours; they may flatter themselves that they are not so corrupt as others; nevertheless, it they do not separate themselves, or labour to improve their neighbours, they may be consumed in the general conflagration. The green trees were threatened with destruction along with the dry. Evil company is perilous. Each one has sin enough to draw down Divine anger.
IV. MENTAL BLINDNESS IS A DISASTROUS EFFECT OF SIN. "Doth he not speak in parables?" The bulk of men say, "It is a pretty story. It has much literary beauty. The preacher was eloquent, imaginative, interesting." Yet they see not the moral significance, do not feel the points of application.
Il sermone ben si addiceva a qualche persona assente; non li ha toccati. Gli occhi della coscienza sono spenti. Come fu nel giorno in cui Gesù pronunciò le sue parabole, così è sempre. "Gli uomini vedono, ma non percepiscono; ascoltano, ma non capiscono". Oggi un migliaio di uomini accecati da se stessi dicono: "Il destino degli empi non è così terribile come sembra, perché il linguaggio allarmante di Gesù Cristo era solo una parabola". Eppure una parabola contiene verità nascoste, a volte le più eccitanti. —D.
OMELIA DI W. JONES
Alla domanda del Signore.
"E avvenne che nel settimo anno, nel quinto mese, il decimo giorno del mese, alcuni degli anziani d'Israele vennero a interrogare il Signore", ecc. Entriamo qui in una nuova divisione di questo libro , che si estende fino alla fine di Ezechiele 23:1 . Le profezie di questa sezione furono causate da una visita degli anziani d'Israele al profeta, per interrogare il Signore attraverso di lui. Il paragrafo ora davanti a noi, che può essere paragonato a Ezechiele 14:1 , suggerisce:
I. CHE ESSO SIA DIRITTO E lodevole ALLA RICHIESTA DI DEL SIGNORE . Questi anziani d'Israele che vennero a interrogare il Signore e si sedettero davanti al profeta, erano degli esuli. Come Ezechiele, erano stati portati via dalla loro terra a Babilonia.
Né l'occasione che ha dato origine alla loro inchiesta, né l'inchiesta stessa, è indicata. Hengstenberg ipotizza che "l'ambasciata ha avuto probabilmente un'occasione speciale nelle circostanze del tempo, in una piega favorevole che avevano preso gli affari della coalizione. Desiderano ottenere conferma delle loro gioiose speranze dalla bocca del profeta". Oppure volevano accertare da lui se c'era una prospettiva di liberazione di Sedechia dal potere caldeo (cfr.
Geremia 21:1 , Geremia 21:2 ). Sembra chiaro dalla risposta che hanno ricevuto che la loro indagine era politica, non morale; che si riferiva allo stato del loro paese in relazione ad altre nazioni, non alle loro relazioni personali con Dio. Ma il nostro punto attuale è che è giusto e lodevole interrogare il Signore. Possiamo interrogarlo scrutando le Scritture con spirito sincero e devoto, pregando per l'illuminazione e la direzione dello Spirito Santo, e impegnandosi nel culto pubblico e prestando attenzione al ministero della sua Parola.
Così Davide desiderava "interrogare nel suo tempio". Questo è spesso vantaggioso per coloro che lo aspettano con vero spirito. Asaf lo trovò così ( Salmi 73:16 , Salmi 73:17 ). E così fece Ezechia re di Giuda ( 2 Re 19:14-12 ). E così anche milioni.
II. CHE UOMINI A VOLTE domandare DI DEL SIGNORE IN UNO SBAGLIATO SPIRITO . Così fecero questi anziani (cfr Ezechiele 14:1 ). Il loro atto esteriore era giusto; il loro motivo interiore era sbagliato. Inoltre, mentre era giusto interrogare il Signore, quello che volevano sapere non era lodevole.
Volevano la soddisfazione della loro curiosità politica, non la direzione del dovere. Tanto erano lungi dal desiderare di conformarsi alla volontà di Dio, che si proponevano in cuor loro una condotta contraria (cfr v. 32). "Hanno fatto qui", dice Greenhill, "come molti che sono decisi al matrimonio, che andranno a due o tre persone per chiedere informazioni e avere consigli, ma sono decisi a seguire qualsiasi cosa venga loro detta; quindi qualunque consiglio avrebbero dovuto avere dati loro dal Signore, volevano continuare nelle loro vie malvagie; e questa era una profonda ipocrisia, la cui abitudine è velare le cose più turpi con le più belle pretese.
E in questi giorni gli uomini possono interrogare perversamente il Signore. Possono consultarlo per mezzo della sua Parola con uno spirito sbagliato. Possono esaminare quella Parola con forti pregiudizi; o non per imparare la sua mente e volontà, ma per ottenere sanzioni e sostegno per le proprie opinioni, o per curiosità piuttosto che per pietà.Gli uomini possono frequentare la chiesa, non "per indagare nel suo tempio", ma per motivi molto diversi e molto inferiori.
Potrebbero persino cercarlo in preghiera con uno spirito sbagliato, con uno spirito incredulo, non sottomesso, egoista e mondano. Se vogliamo avvicinarci a lui in modo accettabile e proficuo, dobbiamo "credere che egli è, e che è un Ricompensatore di coloro che lo cercano"; dobbiamo essere umili e riverenti; dobbiamo inchinarci lealmente alla sua suprema autorità e dobbiamo sinceramente desiderare di fare la sua volontà. "Se uno vuole fare la sua volontà, conoscerà l'insegnamento", ecc.
( Giovanni 7:17 ). Desiderando ardentemente e sforzandosi di fare la volontà di Dio, per quanto ti è noto, ti stai qualificando per ricevere ulteriori rivelazioni da lui.
III. CHE IL SIGNORE OSSERVA LO SPIRITO IN CUI GLI UOMINI RICHIESTA DI LUI . Conosceva i veri sentimenti e le motivazioni di questi anziani d'Israele e parlò loro di conseguenza tramite il suo servitore Ezechiele.
Ed era pienamente consapevole degli idoli nel cuore degli anziani che hanno servito il profeta in un'occasione precedente ( Ezechiele 14:3 ). Le parole più plausibili e le forme più capziose non possono imporglielo. "L'uomo guarda all'apparenza, ma Dio guarda al cuore"; "Il Signore scruta tutti i cuori;" "So anche, mio Dio, che metti alla prova il cuore;" "Il giusto Dio mette alla prova i cuori e le redini;" "O Signore, tu mi scruti e mi conosci.
Tu conosci il mio crollo e la mia ascesa; tu comprendi il mio pensiero lontano", ecc. ( Salmi 139:1 ). "Egli sa", dice Greenhill, "su quali basi, con quale scopo, intenzioni, risoluzioni, gli uomini vengono per ascoltare la sua Parola, per chiedere consiglio dei suoi servi. Guardate voi stessi, spiriti, e tutte le vostre vie; Dio vede e conosce tutto, e se non sarai sincero, senza malizia e ipocrisia, ti scoprirà e ti scoprirà» (cfr Giovanni 4:23 ; Giovanni 4:24 ).
IV. CHE IL SIGNORE SI NON RISPONDERE ALLE RICHIESTE DI COLORO CHE APPROCCIO LUI IN UNO SBAGLIATO SPIRITO . «Così dice il Signore Dio: Siete venuti a interrogarlo? Poiché io vivo, dice il Signore Dio, non sarò interrogato da voi.
Il vescovo Lowth afferma chiaramente e con forza la verità: "Non riceverai una risposta come ti aspetti, ma come merita la tua ipocrisia". Il Signore non rispondeva alle loro domande. Non erano in condizione di ricevere illuminazioni o comunicazioni da Dio. Per quanto profondamente insincero com'erano, non potevano ricevere rivelazioni della verità divina.L'unico messaggio adatto a loro era un rimprovero o un avvertimento a causa del loro peccato, o un invito al pentimento.
Questo principio è universalmente e perennemente vero. "Se considero l'iniquità nel mio cuore, il Signore non mi ascolterà;" "Quando stenderai le tue mani, io ti nasconderò i miei occhi", ecc. ( Isaia 1:15 ); «Allora grideranno al Signore, ma egli non risponderà loro», ecc. ( Michea 3:4 ); "Sappiamo che Dio non ascolta i peccatori; ma se uno è adoratore di Dio e fa la sua volontà, lo ascolta".
V. SE IL SIGNORE SI NON RISPONDERE ALLE RICHIESTE DI COLORO CHE APPROCCIO LUI IN UNO SBAGLIATO SPIRITO , ANCORA LUI VOLONTÀ INDIRIZZO PER LORO PAROLE ADATTA PER IL LORO MORALE CONDIZIONI . Lo ha fatto in una precedente occasione ( Ezechiele 14:1 .). Lo fa qui.
1 . Ecco la loro personale condanna . "Li giudicherai, figlio dell'uomo, li giudicherai?" Il profeta è così chiamato a «pronunciare su di loro una sentenza. La ripetizione della frase esprime un forte desiderio che l'atto sia iniziato, e dà così la forza di un imperativo». Dio non risponderebbe loro per la gratificazione della loro curiosità, ma parla loro per la salvezza delle loro anime. Questa condanna potrebbe risvegliarli alla riflessione e al pentimento.
2. Here is the exhibition of their national sins. "Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers." By the declaration of these the Lord would vindicate the righteousness of his dealings with them as a people. He would also show them "that the evil is deep-seated, and a radical cure is to be desired, which can only be effected by a judgment of inflexible rigour" (Hengstenberg).
CONCLUSION. Our subject forcibly impresses the necessity of true heartedness as a condition of approaching God, so as to meet with his acceptance and to obtain his blessing.—W.J.
God, and Israel in Egypt.
"And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel," etc. This paragraph sets forth the dealings of God with his people in the land of Egypt.
I. THE CHOICE OF THE PEOPLE BY GOD. "Thus saith the Lord; In the day when chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God.
" The day when God chose Israel and made himself known unto them as their God was the time when he interposed on their behalf by his servant Moses. He chose them; they did not choose him. They did not seek to serve or worship him; but he sent Moses to demand their emancipation in order that they might worship and serve him. And he thus chose them neither for their greatness nor their goodness, but because of his own love for them and his fidelity to his promises made unto their fathers (cf.
Deuteronomio 7:7, Deuteronomio 7:8). He chose them to receive special revelations of religious and redemptive truth, to be "a people for his own possession," his visible Church in the world, and his witnesses amongst men, testifying to his unity and supremacy, and observing and maintaining his worship (cf. Deuteronomio 10:15; Deuteronomio 14:2).
And still God of his grace calls men to himself. He begins with us, and not we with him. "God commendeth his own love toward us," etc. (Romani 5:8); "Herein is love, not that we loved God," etc. (1 Giovanni 4:10). If we have sought God, it was because he first sought us. "By the grace of God I am what I am." And the Lord made himself known to them as their God, both by declarations and by mighty deeds wrought on their behalf (Esodo 3:14; Esodo 6:1).
He chose them to be his people; he gave himself to them to be their God. "I am the Lord your God." "'Your God.' This is a great word, and hath great mercy in it; an engaging word, tying God and all his attributes to them: your God to counsel you, your God to protect you, your God to deliver you, your God to comfort you, your God to plead for you, your God to teach you, your God to set up my Name and worship among you, your God to bless you with the dews of heaven and fulness of the earth, your God to hear your prayers and make you happy" (Greenhill). And he asserts this relationship in the most solemn manner. "I lifted up mine hand unto them," i.e. I sware unto them.
II. THE GRACIOUS PURPOSE OF GOD IN RELATION TO HIS PEOPLE. (Ezechiele 20:6.) This purpose has two branches.
1. To deliver them from a miserable condition. "In that day I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt." He broke the power of their cruel oppressors, and by a mighty hand he set them free from their burdens, and led them out of the land of their captivity. And when men believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and respond to his call, he delivers them from the bondage of sin. He came into our world to "proclaim liberty to the captives," to save men from the power and pollution and punishment of sin.
2. To establish them in a desirable condition. "Into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands."
(1) This land was selected for them by God. He summoned Abram to go forth unto the land that he would show him (Genesi 12:1; and cf. Esodo 3:8, Esodo 3:17). "He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved."
(2) This land was excellently situated and richly fertile. (We have noticed these points in treating of Ezechiele 19:10.) In its natural fortifications, its remarkable fertility, and its religious privileges, it was glorious as compared with other lands. And this land God gave unto them. And our Saviour Jesus Christ not only delivers from sin those who believe on him, but he introduces them into a condition of spiritual privilege and progress.
"Ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear," etc. (Romani 8:15); "Beloved, now are we children of God," etc. (1 Giovanni 3:2).
III. THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE PEOPLE TO GOD. "And I said unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." This obligation arises out of the relationship stated in ver.
5. Because they are his people and he is their God, they must be true to him as their God, having no connection with idols. The great basis of their obligation to him is contained in the words, "I am Jehovah your God" (cf. Esodo 20:1, Esodo 20:2). In this prohibition of idolatry there are two points which call for brief notice.
1. Sin entering by the eyes. "The abominations of his eyes"—an expression which denotes idols. The eyes look upon the idols, become familiar with them, and come to behold them with respect and reverence. The eyes are both inlets and outlets to the heart. They convey to the heart the impression of the idol, and if the heart come to reverence the idol, they express that reverence in their gaze. The eyes are often an avenue through which temptation to sin enters the soul.
2. Sin defiling the heart. "Defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt." Sin pollutes our moral life at its very springs. It proceeds from an impure heart, and it makes the heart still more impure. David was conscious of its defilement when he prayed, "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity," etc. (Salmi 51:2, Salmi 51:7, Salmi 51:10). The people of God are under the most binding obligations to shun everything that would lead to their moral contamination, and to be true to him both in heart and in life.
IV. THE REBELLION OF THE PEOPLE AGAINST GOD. (Ezechiele 20:8.)
1. The nature of this rebellion. "But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me; they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt." They rebelled against Jehovah by persisting in their idolatrous practices. The Mosaic history does not explicitly mention the idolatry of the Israelites in Egypt; but it points to it by implication.
The making and worship of the golden calf was probably an imitation of the Egyptian worship of the various sacred cows or of the sacred bulls. It appears from Le Ezechiele 17:7 (Revised Version), that in the desert the Israelites offered sacrifices to he-goats, and "the worship of a deity under the form of a he-goat was peculiar to Egypt" (Hengstenberg). That they worshipped idols in Egypt is evident also from Giosuè 24:14, "Put away The gods which your fathers served beyond the river, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord." And from Ezechiele 23:3 of our prophet, "They committed whoredoms in Egypt." This idolatry they did not abandon when summoned so to do.
2. The punishment of this rebellion. "Then I said I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt." Greenhill explains this clause, "He thought in his heart to destroy them in the midst of Egypt." Scott, "He justly might, and certainly would, have destroyed them with the Egyptians, if he had dealt with them according to their deserts.
" Schroder suggests that the increased oppression, and the persecution of the Israelites by the Egyptians (Esodo 5:5-2), were signs of the anger of the Lord against them. The Egyptians acted wickedly and cruelly in thus ill treating them; for they had not wronged them. Yet they might have been the unconscious agents of punishing the Israelites for their unfaithfulness to the Lord their God. This is certain, that persistent sin invariably meets with deserved punishment.
V. THE FULFILMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF GOD NOTWITHSTANDING THE REBELLION OF THE PEOPLE. "But I wrought for my Name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt" (cf.
Numeri 14:13-4). Had he not accomplished his purpose in delivering them out of Egypt, his Name or honour might have been contemned by the Egyptians and others. They might have questioned or even denied:
1. His ability to execute his purposes and fulfil his promises, asserting that he did not do so because he could not (cf. Numeri 14:15, Numeri 14:16).
2. His fidelity to his purposes and promises, asserting that he does not abide by his determinations, but is changeable and therefore unreliable.
3. His kindness towards his people, asserting that he is not so deeply interested in them as to always fulfil his engagements with them. Therefore, for his Name's sake, he brought Israel in triumph out of Egypt. The sins of man cannot frustrate the purposes of God. By his sins man may exclude himself from any participation in their fulfilment, or any enjoyment thereof; but he cannot defeat their fulfilment (cf.
Esodo 32:9, Esodo 32:10; Numeri 14:11, Numeri 14:12; Numeri 23:19; 2 Timoteo 2:13).
CONCLUSION. Our subject presents:
1. Warnings against rebellion against God.
2. Encouragements to trust and obey him.—W.J.
God, and Israel in the wilderness.
"Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt," etc. The chief teachings of this section of the chapter may be developed under the following heads.
I. THE KINDNESS OF GOD IN HIS DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE. This is brought into our notice in four respects.
1. In the deeds which be wrought for them. "l caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness." Their emancipation from their oppressors was effected by the mighty hand of God, and of his unmerited grace to them. Our Lord Jesus is the great Deliverer from the serfdom of sin and Satan (cf. Isaia 61:1; Giovanni 8:36).
2. In the gifts which he bestowed upon them.
(1) His Law. "And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them." Statutes and judgments express the general idea of law. This God gave to them at Sinai, soon after their deliverance from Egypt. And this Law was given for life unto them (cf. Esodo 20:12; Matteo 19:17; Romani 7:10, Romani 7:12).
"The precepts which God gave his people," says Hengstenberg, "bring life and salvation with them to him who does them. What grace in God, who gives such precepts! what a summons to true obedience! These precepts also imply before all things that they shall confess their sins and seek forgiveness in the blood of atonement. This is required by the laws concerning the sin offerings, which in the Mosaic Law form the root of all other offerings; the Passover, which so strictly requires us to strive after the forgiveness of sins, and connects all salvation with it and the great Day of Atonement."
(2) His sabbaths. "Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.' The sabbath was instituted by God, and was peculiar to Israel. It was a mutual sign between him and them. By establishing it amongst them the Lord sanctified them, separated them from the nations as a people chosen for himself; and by keeping it they manifested their allegiance to him and honoured him.
By its institution he owned them as his people; by its observance they owned him as their God. By so doing they also promoted their best interests. How rich and manifold are God's gifts to us! Laws, ordinances, sabbaths, sanctuaries, religions ministries, his sacred Word; his beloved Son, his Holy Spirit!
3. In the forbearance which he exercised towards them. "Then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I wrought for my Name's sake," etc. (Ezechiele 20:13, Ezechiele 20:14, Ezechiele 20:17). Many and extreme were the provocations of the Israelites in the wilderness.
"How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!" More than once it seemed as though he would have destroyed them utterly, as they certainly deserved. Yet in wrath he remembered mercy. "He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not," etc. (Salmi 78:38, Salmi 78:39).
How frequently and grievously have we stoned against him! We too have tried his patience, have provoked him by our unfaithfulness, our rebelliousness, our perversity. Great has been his long suffering toward us (cf. Salmi 103:8; 2 Pietro 3:9).
4. In the appeals which he addressed to them. God did not stand by (as it were), patiently bearing with them in their sin, yet making no effort to save them therefrom; but he appealed to them earnestly and repeatedly to keep his commands. "I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers," etc. (Ezechiele 20:18). The reference in these verses is to the regiving of the Law in the plains of Moab, as recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy. That book is one great appeal, in many tones and by many arguments, to the younger generation to be true to the Lord their God. How graciously and powerfully God appeals to us in this Christian age! to our sense of duty and our sense of interest; by authoritative command and gracious persuasion; by strong fears and thrilling hopes; by his Divine Son and by his Holy Spirit.
II. THE PERSISTENT WICKEDNESS OF THE PEOPLE IN THEIR RELATION TO GOD, Three features of their wickedness are here exhibited.
1. Apostasy of heart. "Their heart went after their idols" (verse 16); "Their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant" (Salmi 78:37). Their sin was not merely on the surface of their lives, but deeply rooted in their moral nature. "Out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders," etc. (Matteo 15:19); "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
2. Rebellion of life. "'The house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness," etc. (verse 13); "They despised my judgments," etc. (verse 16). It is quite unnecessary to specify their rebellions, because they were so numerous. And the profanations of the sabbath must not be restricted to the attempt to gather manna on that day (Esodo 16:27-2), or to the case of the man who gathered sticks thereon (Numeri 15:32-4).
God required them to sanctify the sabbath (Deuteronomio 5:12); to "hallow" it (verse 20); "to consecrate it in every respect to him, and withdraw it wholly from the region of self-interest, of personal sinful inclination;" and as they failed to keep it thus, they profaned it. Failing to sanctity it by reverent worship and hearty service, they are charged with desecrating it.
And it behoves us earnestly to endeavour to preserve the Lord's day for the promotion of the bent interests of man and the supreme honour of God. Its secularization would be an irreparable loss and injury to man.
3. Successiveness in sin. "The children rebelled against me," etc. (verse 21). The younger generation were tar from being so wicked as their fathers (Giosuè 24:31); they were also far from being true and faithful in their relation to the Lord their God. Scott says truly "that the generation that entered Canaan was the best which there ever was of that favored nation.
" Yet they frequently rebelled against the Lord. What a lamentable successiveness in sin there has been in the generations of our race! Real advance certainly has been made; but still sin, dark and prevalent, has characterized every generation of mankind.
III. THE DIVINE RETRIBUTION ON ACCOUNT OF THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.
1. The nature of this retribution. The elder generation was excluded from the promised land because of their unbelief and rebellion against God and against the leaders whom he had chosen. "I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them." etc. (verses 15, 16; and cf. Numeri 14:26-4; Salmi 106:24-19). They disbelieved God's word of promise, and they should not share in its fulfilment; "they despised the pleasant land," and they were not allowed to enter therein; they wished that they had died in the wilderness, and in the wilderness they died. And as to the younger generation, their retribution is thus described: "I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live," etc.
(verses 25, 26). "The 'judgments whereby they should not live' are those spoken of in verse 18, and are contrasted with the judgments in verses 13, 21, laws other than Divine, to which God gives up those whom he afflicts with judicial blindness, because they have wilfully closed their eyes (Salmi 81:12; Romani 1:24)" ('Speaker's Commentary').
Hengstenberg says, "We may compare here Romani 1:24, according to which God, in just retribution for their revolt, gave over the heathen to vile affections; Atti degli Apostoli 7:42, where it is traced back to God that the heathen served the h, st of heaven; and 2 Tessalonicesi 2:11, where God sends the apostates strong delusions.
God has so constituted human nature that revolt from him must be followed by total darkness and disorder; that no moderation in error and sin, no standing still at the middle point, is possible; that the man, however willing he might be to stand still, must, against his will, sink from step to step. Revolt from God is the crime, excess in error and moral degradation the merited doom, from which all would willingly escape if this were in their power.
By way of example, the custom of sacrificing children is mentioned in verse 26. 'To cause to pass through' the fire (verse 31; cf. ch. 16:21; 23:37) is the current phrase for sacrificing children which were offered to Moloch. Into such a detestable custom did God in his righteous judgment permit them to fall, that the merited punishment might come upon them ('that I might lay them desolate'), by which they learn that their paternal God, whom they set at nought, is God in the full sense, whom to forsake is at once to fall into misery."
2. The design of this retribution. "To the end that they might know that I am the Lord." (See our notes on these words in Ezechiele 6:7, Ezechiele 6:10; Ezechiele 7:4.) We must every one be brought to know him, either by the way of his grace or by the way of his judgments.—W.J.
God, and Israel in Canaan.
"Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God," etc. We have here—
I. GREAT KINDNESS GRACIOUSLY CONFERRED. "I had brought them into the land which I lifted up mine hand to give unto them."
1. The Lord gave Canaan unto them, and brought them into it. "He gave them the lands of the nations; and they took the labour of the peoples in possession" (Salmi 105:44); "And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance" (Atti degli Apostoli 13:19).
Look at the taking of Jericho as an illustration of this. It was not by human strategy or strength that they obtained the city, but by Divine interposition. And this land was a desirable possession (cf. Numeri 13:27; Deuteronomio 8:7-5; Deuteronomio 11:10-5; and see our notes on Ezechiele 19:10).
2. The Lord brought them into Canaan in fulfilment of his promise. "The land which I lifted up mine hand to give unto them." The lilting up of the hand is the gesture of the oath, or solemn promise. Notwithstanding the rebellions of those to whom the promise was given, and the difficulties in the way of its fulfilment, he made his promise good. His faithfulness and his power guarantee the performance of his word.
Here we have ground for confidence in him (cf. Numeri 10:13 :19; Matteo 24:35; 1 Pietro 1:25).
3. The Lord brought them into Canaan of his own unmerited favour. Though not expressed, this is clearly implied here (cf. Deuteronomio 7:6-5; Deuteronomio 9:4). God's kindness to us has been great and undeserved. Who can count the multitude of his mercies, or estimate their preciousness? "The Lord hath dealt bountifully with us."
II. GREAT KINDNESS BASELY REQUITED.
1. By worshipping in prohibited places. "Then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices," etc. (Ezechiele 20:28). The margin of the Revised Version presents a more striking signification and a darker guilt. "They looked out for every high hill," etc. Their conduct in this respect was a perversion of a Divine law.
"When the Israelites first entered Canaan, they were to set up the tabernacle on a high place, and upon this and. upon no other they were to worship Jehovah. This was the high place (1 Samuele 9:12, etc.; 1 Re 3:4). But the Israelites followed the custom of the country, and set up idol worship on every high hill, and the word 'high place' (bamah), or in the plural 'high places' (bamoth), became a byword (comp.
bamoth Baal, Giosuè 13:17)" ('Speaker's Commentary'). This was distinctly forbidden to the Israelites (Deuteronomio 12:1).
2. By worshipping prohibited objects. They offered sacrifices to idols. This fact is not explicitly stated in our text; but it is implied in the charge of blasphemy preferred against them, and in the expression," the provocation of their offering."
(1) As to their blasphemy. The attempt "to combine God and idols in one's religion is blasphemy." It involves a fearful disparagement, if not the despising, of the Lord Jehovah.
(2) The expression, "the provocation of their offering," indicates the offerings made to idols whereby they provoked God to anger (cf. Deuteronomio 32:16, Deuteronomio 32:17; 1 Re 14:22). "It was an aggravation of their guilt that they not only were idolaters, but defiled with their idolatry the land which was given them for their glory.
" It was perverting the gracious gift of God to his deep dishonour (cf. Geremia 2:7). How often have the good gifts of God been thus perverted! Genius and power, rank and riches, have frequently been used for selfish and sinful purposes. And in this and other ways the kindness of God to man is often basely requited still.
III. A SINFUL PEOPLE DIVINELY INTERROGATED. "Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go?" Revised Version, "What meaneth the high place?" etc. This inquiry seems to be designed:
1. To awaken their serious reflection. It was fitted for this. Perhaps it would lead the idolatrous people to ask themselves, "What meaneth the high place whereunto we go?" Earnest interrogation might lead to profitable consideration.
2. To lead to their recognition of their folly. Serious reflection could hardly fail to reveal to them the foolishness of idolatry. What benefit, could they derive from it? What could their idols do for them? How unreasonable that reasonable beings should pay homage to things of wood and stone!
3. To lead to their recognition of their sin. Their idolatry involved the breach of the most sacred and solemn obligations. It was a transgression of an oft-repeated command of God. Great was both the folly and the sin of the Israelites in this (cf. Geremia 2:11). This inquiry might lead them to perceive and to feel these things.
The Most High frequently interrogates sinful men in order to lead them to reflection and reformation (cf. Ezechiele 18:31; Geremia 2:5; Geremia 4:14). "Not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
IV. A SINFUL PEOPLE PERSISTING IN SIN NOTWITHSTANDING DIVINE INTERROGATION. "And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day." The name was continued, and. the people persisted in the practice of idolatry despite the remonstrances of the Lord. Even under the most faithful and godly kings the high places were not taken away until Josiah entered upon his great reformation (2 Cronache 34:3).
It is difficult to eradicate sins in the case of individuals, when the sins have had time to strike their roots deeply in the heart and life. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." It is even more difficult to eradicate the widespread, long continued, deep-rooted sins of a community or a nation.
"Facilis descensus Averni.
Sed revocare gradum, superasque wadire ad auras
Hic labor, hoc opus est."
(Virgil.)
W.J.
God, and Israel in the then present.
"Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers?" etc. The Lord Jehovah through his prophet now addresses himself to the Israel of that day, and especially to the elders who had come to the prophet to inquire of him. In these verses he declares their sins. Three chief points claim our attention.
I. THE SINS OF WICKED ANCESTORS PRACTISED BY THEIR SUCCESSORS.
1. The idolatry of the fathers continued by their children. "Say unto the house of Israel, Thus salts the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?" The whoredom spoken of is spiritual—unfaithfulness to God, in the worship of idols. Even the exile in Babylon did not for some time cure the people of this sin. As their fathers had done, so did they. Parental example is very powerful for several reasons.
(1) It is the example of those who are most looked up to and imitated by the young.
(2) It influences the young in the most impressionable season of their life. "As the twig is bent the tree inclines."
(3) It is most continuous in its influence upon the young. "The characters of living parents are constantly presented for the imitation of their children. Their example is continually sending forth a silent power to mould young hearts for good or ill; not for a single mouth or year, but through the whole impressionable period of childhood and youth, the influence of parental example is thus felt.
If it be constituted of the highest and purest elements, the results will be unspeakably precious. Sons and daughters will" almost certainly become patterns of propriety and goodness, because their parents are such. If, on the other hand, their example be evil, most injurious will be its effects upon their children. A solemn consideration is this for parents, and one that should be laid to heart by them. It is difficult, moreover, to break away from sins which have obtained a firm hold upon family life and practice.
2. Idolatry practised even in its most cruel rites. "For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day" (see our notes on Ezechiele 16:20, Ezechiele 16:21).
3. The practice of idolatry defiling the idolater. "Ye pollute yourselves with all your idols" Worship either elevates or degrades the worshipper, according to the character of the object thereof. Genuine adoration is transforming in its influence upon him who offers it, We become like unto the object or objects of our supreme love and reverence. Hence the worship of the true God purifies, exalts, enriches, ennobles, sanctifies, the worshipper; while the worship of any idol or idols—e.
g. riches, rank, popularity, power, pleasure—defiles, degrades, and impoverishes the worshipper. Moreover, sin of any kind pollutes the sinner; it stains and defiles his soul (see our notes on Ezechiele 20:7).
II. THE INQUIRIES OF HYPOCRITES REJECTED BY THE LOUD GOD. "Shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you." (We have already considered this topic in our homilies on Ezechiele 20:1 and Ezechiele 14:1.)
III. THE DARK DESIGNS OF SINNERS DEFEATED BY THE LORD GOD.
1. Here is a deliberate design formed by man to conform to idolatrous usages. "That which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone." Thus the house of Israel, the people of the only living and true God, inwardly resolved to conform to heathenish customs, hoping in some way to improve their condition by so doing.
And in our day there are those who, while manifesting some respect for religion, yet conform to this world in its questionable and even sinful usages. And some "regard an irreligious condition as preferable to the struggles of a religious life."
2. Here is man's design to conform to idolatrous usages discovered by the Lord God. It was in vain for these insincere inquirers of the Lord to think that they could conceal any design from him. And elders of Israel should have known this so well as to be in no danger of overlooking it. But the practice of sin misleads and deceives sinners, and had probably deceived them.
God is perfectly acquainted with every thought of the mind of man (Ezechiele 11:5; Salmi 139:1; Matteo 9:4; Giovanni 2:24, Giovanni 2:25; Ebrei 4:13).
3. Here is man's design to conform to idolatrous usages defeated by the Lord God. "That which cometh into your mind shall not be at all." Their inward purpose he would frustrate. They might attempt to carry it out, but it would not succeed. "That Israel should become like the heathen," says Schroder," would be repugnant to the nature of God, especially to his name Jehovah.
The very reverse would be much more in harmony with it, namely, that the heathen should become like Israel." The Church of God is not to be conformed to and lost in the world; but the world is to be conformed to the Church and to be included therein. The kingdoms of the world are to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ (Apocalisse 11:15). And so the Lord declares that the evil designs of his sinful people should fail.
He can utterly foil the deepest, subtlest schemes of man; and he will do so when those schemes are exposed to his holy will (cf. Giobbe 5:12; Salmi 33:10, Salmi 33:11; Proverbi 21:30; Isaia 8:10; Atti degli Apostoli 5:38, Atti degli Apostoli 5:39).—W.J.
The sovereignty of God in the punishment of sin.
"As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm," etc. The connection of this paragraph with what has gone before, and especially with Ezechiele 20:32, is of the closest character; it is, in fact, essential. Three leading points require attention.
I. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER MEN, NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR SINS, ASSERTED. (Ezechiele 20:33.) The Israelites had resolved to be as the heathen, to conform to their usages, and to mingle themselves with them.
But the Lord does not readily loose them from their allegiance to him. The sins of men do not invalidate the sovereignty of God over them. Men cannot by any means annul his right to rule over them. Moral obligations are eternal. The Lord here asserts:
1. His solemn determination to maintain his sovereignty over Israel. "As I live, saith the Lord God, surely … will I rule over you." The oath indicates the settled and unchangeable purpose of the Lord Jehovah. He will not forego his kingly authority over his creatures.
2. His sufficient power to maintain his sovereignity over Israel. "Surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you." There is a reference here to his great and terrible acts in the land of Egypt for the deliverance of his people therefrom (cf. Esodo 6:6; Deuteronomio 4:34).
The Almighty is at no loss for means and instruments to maintain his authority. "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder," etc. (Salmi 2:2). If men will not bow to the sceptre of his mercy, they wilt be made to feel the rod of his anger.
"There is no shaking off God's dominion," says M. Henry; "rule he will, either with the golden sceptre or with the iron rod; and those that will not yield to the power of his grace shall be made to sink under the power of his wrath."
II. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER MEN MANIFESTED IN THE PUNISHMENT OF THEIR SINS. (Ezechiele 20:34-26.) These verses, we think, should be regarded as figurative.
The people of the house of Israel had said within themselves, "We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone." The Lord by his prophet declares that they shall not be as the nations; they shall not be lost amongst them; for he will find them out with his judgments. "1 will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered," etc.
There is here a reference to their captivity in Babylon. The objection that they were in one land only, and amongst one people only, whereas the prophet speaks of "peoples" and "countries," is not of much weight, seeing that the Babylonian empire was so great as to be spoken of in the terms applied to it in Geremia 27:1 "To those who fancied that with the removal into exile the judicial activity of God was already closed, and the dawn of the day of grace was immediately approaching, he announces a new phase of this judicial activity, similar to that which first came over Israel in the wilderness.
If they are really led out of the former state into the new one, in which they underlie a second judgment, formally they are led into the wilderness, which here designates a state similar to that in which Israel was formerly in the wilderness. The wilderness is designated as 'the wilderness of the peoples,' in contradistinction to the former wilderness, where was only the howling of wild beasts (Deuteronomio 32:10), lions, serpents, and the like (Deuteronomio 8:15; Isaia 30:6).
The new wilderness is one in which Israel is in the midst of the peoples, and can therefore be no ordinary wilderness, for wilderness and peoples exclude one another. It must rather be a symbolic or typical designation of the state of punishment and purification" (Hengstenberg). We have a somewhat similar use of the word "wilderness" in Ezechiele 19:13 and Osea 2:14.
What the punishments thus indicated precisely were and when they were inflicted we know not, because of "the defect of historical notices concerning the state of the exiles." Some idea of them may, perhaps, be gathered from the words, "Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God" (cf. Esodo 32:25-2; Numeri 14:21-4; Numeri 16:31-4, Numeri 16:41-4; Numeri 21:4).
It is well observed by Greenhill, "That God's punishments are his pleadings; when he visits men for their sins he pleads with them. Every rod of his hath a voice, and pleads for God. Isaia 66:16, 'By fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh.' His punishments are arguments he uses to convince or confound sinners." If men violate God's righteous laws, and set at nought his supreme authority, they must bear the inevitable penalties of their transgressions, and thus realize their subjection to his sovereignty.
III. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER MEN MANIFESTED IN THE PUNISHMENT OF THEIR SINS IN ORDER TO LEAD THEM LOYALLY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOVEREIGNTY.
(Verses 37, 38.) "The Divine chastisement was designed to exercise a purifying influence upon the people of Israel, and to lead them back to hearty allegiance to the Lord their God. Two results are here represented as effected by means of it.
1. Divine discrimination of human characters. "And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." The metaphor of passing under the rod is drawn from pastoral lift, and the custom of the sheep passing under the staff of the shepherd to be numbered and examined (cf. Levitico 27:32; Geremia 33:12, Geremia 33:13; Michea 7:14).
They who thus pass under the rod are the people of God purified by chastisements, known of him, restored to covenant relationship with him, enjoying the privileges and acknowledging the obligations of that covenant. "The Lord knoweth them that are his;" and distinguisheth them from those who are not his.
2. Divine separation of human persons. "And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those that transgress against me," etc. (verse 38). A separation of persons according to their respective characters is here set forth. The sheep will be divided from the goats, the loyal subjects from the hardened rebels. This verse perhaps points, as Scott suggests, "to the whole of the Lord's dealings with Israel, from the time when this prophecy was delivered, to the establishment of a small remnant of them in their own land, after the Captivity; from among whom the idolaters and idolatry itself were completely destroyed, by their manifold desolations, and the terrible havoc made among them.
" This separation foreshadows that great separation which will be effected at the close of the present economy (cf. Matteo 25:31; Apocalisse 21:27). Blessed unspeakably will be the lot of those who shall then be found amongst the loyal subjects of the Lord Jehovah. And as for the rebels, they shall know by dread experience that he is the sovereign Lord of all.—W.J.
The gracious restoration of the people.
"As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols," etc. It is here distinctly recognized that not at once would this reformation and restoration be accomplished. The house of Israel is told to "go, serve ye every one his idols." These words are spoken of as an "ironical conversion" (cf. 1 Re 22:15; Amos 4:4; Matteo 23:32).
They are also described as" the holy irony of him who knows that mercy is laid up for the future." It is important to bear in mind that the words were addressed to the dissimulating elders of Israel. They had come to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord through him, while in their heart they were resolved to "be as the heathen … to serve wood and stone" They received such an answer as they were fitted for: "Go ye, serve ye every one his idols.
" Not quickly are men of such character separated from their sins. Not quickly are the stern lessons of chastisement truly and thoroughly learned by them. Moreover, this ironical concession of their idolatry would perhaps impress them more deeply with the evil thereof than a renewed prohibition or denunciation of it might have done. Then follows the assured declaration of their restoration through the mercy of the Lord God. Of this restoration the more prominent features ate these.
I. THEIR RENUNCIATION OF IDOLATRY AND CONSECRATION TO THE LORD JEHOVAH,
1. The renunciation of their idolatry. (Verse 39.) The rendering of the margin of the Revised Version seems to us preferable: "Go ye, serve every one his idols, hut hereafter surely ye shall hearken unto me, and my holy Name shall ye no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols." Hengstenberg and the 'Speaker's Commentary' take this view of the verse. "You have pretended," says Greenhill, "that by your idols set up in my stead, and the gifts you have offered to them, or by them to me, that you have honoured my Name, but by joining them and me together, you have polluted my Name.
" And he declares that this pollution shall cease; that they will abandon their idols. And since their release from the Babylonian captivity, the Jews have never been guilty of idolatry like that mentioned in verse 32—the service of wood and stone; they have never since then forsaken the Lord God for the idols of heathenism.
2. Their consecration to the Lord Jehovah. '" For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me." Notice:
(1) The scene of this service. "In mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel." After the return from the exile the temple at Jerusalem was rebuilt by the Jews, and there they worshipped God. But in the largest and grandest fulfilment of this prophecy the holy mountain is to be understood spiritually (cf. Giovanni 4:20).
"The spiritual worship of the New Testament," as Schroder observes, "can be well described in the phraseology of the Old Testament worship, by which it was symbolized and prefigured. We still speak of the heavenly Jerusalem" (cf. Isaia 2:2, Isaia 2:3; Galati 4:24; Ebrei 12:22).
(2) The universality of this service. This is very emphatically expressed here. "There shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me." Partially this was fulfilled on the return from the exile. "When the Jews had returned from Babylon under Zerubbabel and Ezra, along with those who adhered to then, from all the tribes, they formed a unity, possessed a temple at Jerusalem, and became a single people under the same presidency "(Cocceius).
But the prophecy yet awaits its complete fulfilment. "All the seperation between Israel and Judah shall cease. This points to times yet future, when in Messiah's kingdom Jews and Gentiles alike shall be gathered into one kingdom—the kingdom of Christ (comp. Geremia 31:1.; Malachia 3:1, etc.; also Romani 11:25, Romani 11:26; Apocalisse 11:15).
Jerusalem is the Church of Christ (Galati 4:26), into which the children of Israel shall at last be gathered, and so the prophecy shall be fulfilled (Apocalisse 21:2)" ('Speaker's Commentary').
(3) And as for the nature of this service; they shall worship the living and true God as the only worthy Object of adoration, and they shall obey him as their sovereign Lord.
II. THE ACCEPTATION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR WORSHIP BY THE LORD JEHOVAH.
1. The acceptation of themselves. "There will I accept them … As a sweet savour will I accept you." This acceptation includes:
(1) The full forgiveness of all their offences. That he receives the sinner is an evidence that he will remember his sins against him no more.
(2) The gracious reception of themselves: that God would regard them with complacency, and enrich them with his favour. When God accepts man he does it heartily and with a glad welcome, even as the father received his prodigal son (Luca 15:20). When we pray," Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously." he speedily answers, "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him."
2. The acceptation of their worship. "There will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things." When the worshippers are themselves accepted, their worship will be accepted also. But when the worshippers are insincere and wicked, the Lord demands of them, "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me?" etc.
(Isaia 1:11). It is the contrite and believing heart of the offerer that commends the offerings unto God. Where this state of heart is we may say, with David, "Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness," etc. (Salmi 51:19).
III. GATHERING THEM FROM THEIR EXILE, AND THEIR RESTORATION TO THEIR OWN LAND.
1. Gathering them from their exile. "When I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries, wherein ye have been scattered." The Lord does not lose sight of his people when they are scattered abroad. He does not cease to care for them or to protect them. Not one of them shall be lost through any failure on his part (cf. ch. 34:11-16; Giovanni 10:28).
2. Restoring them to their own land. "When I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I hired up mine hand to give unto your fathers." The Jews were restored to their own land after the exile in Babylon. That restoration was a remarkable fulfilment of many prophecies, There is perhaps in the text a reference to another and yet future restoration thither.
God by the gospel restores man to his forfeited inheritance. By sin man was exiled from Eden; by the grace of God in Christ Jesus he is introduced into a holier and more beautiful Paradise. "When Divine grace renews the heart of the fallen sinner, Paradise is regained, and much of its beauty restored to the soul."
IV. THEIR GRACIOUS RECOGNITION OF GOD, AND SINCERE REPENTANCE OF THEIR SINS. (The points which arise under this head we have already noticed in our homily on Ezechiele 6:8.)
1. Their gracious recognition of the Lord God. "And ye shall know that I am the Lord," etc. (verses 42, 44). This knowledge does not spring from his judgments, but from the experience of his gracious dealings. It is a sympathetic and saving acquaintance with him.
2. Sincere repentance of their sirs.
(1) Here is a prerequisite to true repentance. "There shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled."
(2) Here is an essential characteristic of true repentance. "And ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed." in genuine penitence the sinner reproaches himself because of his sins.
V. AND IN ALL THESE FEATURES OF THIS RESTORATION WE HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE AND BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATION OF THE UNMERITED GRACE OF GOD.
"Ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my Name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God." All our blessings flow to us from the inexhaustible fountain of the grace of God. Mankind has merited no good from him. Our "evil ways and corrupt doings" have deserved his unmixed wrath. But in his infinite mercy he has pared our guilty race, enriched us with many physical and mental blessings, and provided for us an eternal and glorious salvation through the gift of his beloved Son.
And as this restoration of his people originated in his grace, it shall redound to his glory. "I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations" (verse 41); "I have wrought with you for my Name's sake" (verse 44); "In them as a holy people, anew consecrated to God, shall be exhibited to the heathen the holiness of Jehovah." And the redemption of man by Jesus Christ shall issue in the eternal glory of the God or all grace (Gal 1:5; 2 Timoteo 4:18; Ebrei 13:20, Ebrei 13:21; 1Pe 5:10, 1 Pietro 5:11; Apocalisse 7:9).
"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But unto thy Name give glory,
For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."
W.J.
and Ezechiele 21:1
A parable of judgment.
"Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy lace towards the south," etc. Another chapter should certainly have been commenced at the forty-fifth verse of the twentieth chapter, as indeed it is in the Hebrew, LXX; and Vulgate. The first seven verses of the twenty-first chapter in the Authorized Version are an explanation of the parable of the preceding five verses.
I. THE AUTHOR OF THIS JUDGMENT.
1. Divinely declared, "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee" (verse 47); "Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked" (Ezechiele 21:3). The Divine authorship of the judgments coming upon Jerusalem has been asserted already by the prophet many times in Ezechiele 5:1; Ezechiele 6:1; Ezechiele 7:1; etc; in which places we have noticed the fact. The Chaldeans were the unconscious instruments in the hand of God tot accomplishing this judgment. He was himself the Author of it.
2. Generally recognized. "And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not be quenched" (verse 48); "That all flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath: it shall not return any more" (Ezechiele 21:5). The irresistibleness of the judgment would lead men to conclude that the Author of it was the Almighty.
"If we see that all human plans and devices, even the most promising, come to nothing, we are led to the confession that we have to do with personal omnipotence and righteousness, against which the battle is unavailing." There are some disasters and distresses in which the thoughtful observer is almost compelled to recognize the presence and the power of the Supreme.
II. THE SUBJECTS OF THIS JUDGMENT. "Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field; and say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold I will kindle a fire in thee …. Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel; and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I am against thee," etc.
Ezekiel was now in Chaldea, of which the prophets generally spoke as the north country; not because it was strictly north of Palestine, but because its armies entered Palestine from the north by way of Syria, and in returning they travelled by the same northern way. Hence the south denotes Jerusalem and the land of Israel. And the people are spoken of as "the forest of the south." It has been suggested that the figure of a forest is employed in order to denote the density of the population.
Others have suggested that it is used to indicate the fact that the people had degenerated from a noble vine or a fruitful field to an unproductive forest. But this at least is certain, that the judgment was about to be inflicted upon the Holy Land, the royal and sacred city, and the people chosen of God. Their former favours will not screen them from the righteous retribution of their sins. Their privileges will rather aggravate their punishment.
They had presumed upon those privileges; they had abused God's great goodness to them; and because they had done these things his judgment upon them will be all the more terrible. Here is solemn admonition to those who occupy eminent positions or possess exceptional privileges (cf. Matteo 11:20).
III. THE NATURE OF THIS JUDGMENT.
1. It is destructive in its character. "Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree …. Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked." Fire and sword are employed to denote all the miseries and terrors which came upon the people in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem.
Famine and pestilence, slaughter and captivity, then fell fiercely upon the people (cf. Ezechiele 5:1; Ezechiele 6:1; Ezechiele 7:1).
2 . È generale nella sua inflizione . Il fuoco "divorerà ogni albero verde in te, e ogni albero secco, e tutte le facce da sud a nord saranno bruciate lì. Io sterminerò da te il giusto e l'empio, perciò la mia spada uscirà dalla sua guaina contro ogni carne dal mezzogiorno al settentrione». Nei giudizi nazionali i giusti soffrono con i malvagi, e gli innocenti con i colpevoli, per quanto riguarda le calamità esteriori.
Ma sebbene l'evento esteriore sia lo stesso per tutti, il suo carattere interiore non lo è. Il giusto non sarà come l'empio. "Le grazie e le comodità di Dio fanno una grande differenza quando la sua provvidenza sembra non farne nessuna". Sicché questo carattere generale del giudizio «non è in contraddizione con Ezechiele 9:4 , secondo il quale i giusti nell'imminente catastrofe sono l'oggetto dell'attività protettrice e sostenitrice di Dio. Se infatti due soffrono allo stesso modo, tuttavia è non è la stessa cosa. Per coloro che amano Dio tutto deve essere per il meglio ( Romani 8:28 )» (Hengstenberg).
3 . È irresistibile nella sua potenza . "La fiamma ardente non si spegnerà... Io, il Signore, ho estratto la mia spada dal fodero: non tornerà più". Gli ebrei di Gerusalemme immaginavano che, con l'aiuto dell'Egitto, avrebbero potuto sfidare in sicurezza le forze caldee; ma quelle forze li sopraffarono completamente. Quando Dio è contro un uomo o una nazione, non sono in grado di stare davanti ai loro nemici.
"Hai un braccio come Dio? e puoi tuonare con una voce come lui?" "Egli è saggio nel cuore e potente nella forza: chi si è indurito contro di lui e ha prosperato? "Tu, anche tu, sei da temere: e chi può stare davanti a te quando sei arrabbiato?" "Bacia il Figlio, perché non si arrabbi e voi periate per via» ecc. ( Salmi 2:12 ).
IV. IL disinclination DI UOMINI DI CREDITO LE ANNUNCI DI QUESTA SENTENZA . "Tu hai detto, io, ah Signore Dio! Dicono di me, non parla parabole?" Avviso:
1 . Il meschino tentativo di gettare sul profeta la colpa che era loro dovuta . Dissero del profeta: "Non è egli un oratore di parabole?" Non volevano capire i suoi annunci a loro. Avrebbero potuto capirli senza difficoltà se fossero stati disposti a farlo. Le verità che proclamava erano loro dispiaciute e non le riconoscevano.
Poi si sono lamentati maliziosamente della forma in cui ha espresso il suo messaggio. "Non è un oratore di parabole?" La loro condotta in questo senso trova il suo analogo in alcuni ascoltatori del ministero cristiano dei nostri giorni. Se lo stile del predicatore è figurativo, è troppo oscuro: "un oratore di parabole"; se è semplice e disadorno, è troppo semplice e familiare; se è logico, è troppo secco; se è fervido, è troppo entusiasta. Incolpano il predicatore quando la colpa è in se stessi: non simpatizzano con il suo messaggio.
2 . La risorsa adeguata di un fedele servitore di Dio quando è soggetto allo scoraggiamento . Può fare come fece Ezechiele, esporre le sue difficoltà e prove al suo Divin Maestro, e ottenere da lui consolazione e ispirazione. Ci sono esperienze nella vita dei ministri cristiani in cui non resta loro altro che cercare l'aiuto di colui dal quale hanno ricevuto il loro incarico. Non cercheranno mai il suo aiuto invano, né lo troveranno insufficiente.
V. LA GRAZIA DI DIO NEL DARE RIPETUTI ED IMPRESSIONANTI ANNUNCI DI QUESTA SENTENZA . Quando il profeta si lamentò con il Signore che la gente parlava di lui come "un oratore di parabole", non gli fu comandato di abbandonarli al loro destino, ma di consegnare il suo messaggio di nuovo e in un'altra forma. Il Dio misericordioso era paziente con le persone perverse.
1 . Ecco i ripetuti annunci di questa sentenza . Due sono dati nel nostro testo. Diversi sono già stati dati dal profeta. E successivamente ha consegnato non pochi. E in aggiunta a questi, Geremia stava proclamando a Gerusalemme il destino imminente. Dio non lascia i malvagi senza molti avvertimenti sulle conseguenze della loro condotta.
2 . Ecco annunci impressionanti di questa sentenza .
(1) La parabola parlata (versetti 47, 48). Questo era atto a risvegliare l'attenzione, stimolare l'indagine e quindi produrre un'impressione più profonda e più duratura della verità trasmessa.
(2) Il segno agito. "Sospira dunque, figlio dell'uomo, con la rottura dei tuoi lombi", ecc. ( Ezechiele 21:6 , Ezechiele 21:7 ). Anche questo era allo scopo di interessare la gente e di indurli a chiedere: "Perché sei in alto?" Come osserva Hengstenberg, "Lo sforzo è ovunque visibile, per ottenere con la chiarezza della descrizione una rappresentazione della realtà non ancora esistente, ma già germinante, e in questo modo per ritirare le persone dalle loro delusioni, e fare in modo che la penitenza prenda il posto della politica».
VI. LA SGOMENTO DI LE PERSONE SU LA REALE ARRIVO DI QUESTA SENTENZA . "Ogni cuore si scioglierà, e tutte le mani saranno fiacche, e ogni spirito si fiaccherà, e tutte le ginocchia saranno deboli come l'acqua: ecco, viene e si avvererà, dice il Signore Dio.
"Saranno costretti a sperimentare in se stessi ciò che percepiscono nel profeta. In tutto, il coraggio lascia il posto al terrore, l'attività alla prostrazione, il consiglio alla perplessità. Nessuno resiste più (cfr Ezechiele 7:17 )» (Schroder). Gli empi che sono stati più sicuri di sé e orgogliosamente sicuri in tempo di pace e prosperità, saranno più prostrati e terrorizzati di fronte a una grave calamità e angoscia.
"Il suono di una foglia spinta li inseguirà." Avendo abbandonato Dio, e privati della forza e del coraggio di una coscienza calma e pulita, "i terrori li sorprendono come acque" e li travolgono completamente. se i peccatori respingono con insistenza la misericordia di Dio in Cristo Gesù, verrà il tempo in cui con abietto sgomento cercheranno invano di nascondersi «dal volto di colui che siede sul trono e dall'ira dell'Agnello» ( Apocalisse 6:15 ).
Perciò "cercate il Signore mentre può essere trovato, invocatelo mentre è vicino", ecc. ( Isaia 55:6 , Isaia 55:7 ).