Wednesday, February 19 – Ezekiel 8, 9

1. Whom did Ezekiel see first in the vision of chapter 8? (Ezekiel 8:2)

2. Where was Ezekiel taken in the vision? (Ezekiel 8:3)

3. What did Ezekiel see in the temple? (Ezekiel 8:3-17)

A year had passed since Ezekiel was called to be a prophet, but his calling was already recognized despite his youth. On this occasion, the exile leaders had come to consult him when he was taken up in a vision. The Spirit of God carried him in a vision to Jerusalem. The leaders’ concern was obviously the calamity of their time and their hope of returning. They were anxious to hear a word from God that would give them hope.

Immediately, Ezekiel realized that the vision was from God because he saw His glory as he had seen it before.

First, he was taken to one of the temple gates. Near the inner court, a chamber was dedicated to “the image of jealousy”—right in the temple of the Lord!

“Various conjectures have been made as to the identity of this image, such as, that it represents Baal, Molech, or Astarte. But perhaps “image of jealousy” was not designed as a proper name designating a particular heathen deity, but rather as a descriptive name of an image that provoked the Lord to jealousy.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Ezekiel 8:3)

The Lord showed Ezekiel so that he could communicate it to the elders in exile, greater abominations occurring in the temple. Through a secret door he was led into a chamber where 70 priests and leaders were practicing idolatry.

“‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land,’” was a common saying among the idolaters. They treated God like the other gods, believing that He had abandoned the land and could now be replaced.

Showing an even greater abomination, He took him to another part of the temple where women were engaging in an idolatrous practice—mourning for Tammuz, a Babylonian deity, the god of vegetation, whom they believed died every summer. This mourning was part of a pagan ritual.

He was then taken to the inner court, where 25 priests, with their backs to the temple, were bowing toward the east in worship of the sun. Sun worship is an ancient abomination, and Sunday is the day of the sun.
The vision of Chapter 9 continues from Chapter 8.

The judgment was illustrated in a vision where God sent messengers to carry out the work of judgment. But first, He sent a special servant to place a seal on those who did not participate in idolatry and wickedness. These would be spared from judgment.

“The vision had primary reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. It will have another fulfillment during the closing scenes of this world’s history.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Ezekiel 9:4)

God’s judgments begin at the temple. Those who profess to worship Him are more responsible than those who openly serve the enemy.

“In its primary application this decree marks the close of Jerusalem’s probation. God had exhausted His resources in appealing to rebellious Israel. His restraining power would be removed from the invading Chaldeans. Mercilessly their armies would execute the sentence to “slay utterly old and young.” They would begin at the sanctuary, where the gross sins of the people had been concentrated.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Ezekiel 9:6)

Here is the primary fulfillment of this prophecy:

“Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.” (2 Chronicles 36:17)

“These scenes will be re-enacted in the last days. Judgment, then, too, begins at the “house of God” (1 Peter 4:17), with those to whom God has given great light and who have stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, but who have betrayed their trust (see 5T 211). These unfaithful shepherds receive first the abuse that will be heaped upon them by those who have been deceived by their guile (EW 282). Later, they perish in the general destruction that precedes and accompanies the second coming of Christ (see Rev. 15–19).” (SDA Bible Commentary, Ezekiel 9:6)

The Lord’s message to the elders in exile is clear—the causes of captivity are still alive. There is much idolatry in the land and even in the temple. Judgment will not stop; it will go forth.

May the Lord allow you and me to be among those who receive His seal on their foreheads before His judgments are poured out upon the earth, beginning with His temple.

May God grant you a very blessed day.