Ezekiel 8-10

Ezekiel 8

The next vision is told over chapters 8-11

Sixth year of exile. Elders sitting before Ezekiel.

• The “hand of the Lord GOD” falls upon him.
• A figure “like the appearance of fire” grabs him by the hair 
• He is lifted by the Spirit to Jerusalem.

He sees the glory of the God of Israel there (same glory as chapter 1). God shows him 4 abominations. 

1. The idol 

At the north gate of the temple he sees an idol provoking God to jealousy.

2. Secret Idolatry of the Elders

• Hole in the wall leads to a hidden chamber.
• 70 elders worship creeping things and beasts.
• “The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land”

3. Women Weeping for Tammuz

• North gate again 
• Tammuz was a Mesopotamian fertility god.
• Perhaps performing a fertility ritual outside the gates (mourning his death ‘encourages his return’ to heal the land)

4. Sun Worship in the Temple

• 25 men bowing toward the east.
• Their backs to the temple.
• Worshiping the sun.

God is furious

Ezekiel 9

The Mark on the Forehead

• God calls for six men to come out
  • Each carrying a deadly weapon 
  • Possibly angels 
  • From the north gate
    • Same place idol worship was shown
    • Where Babylon will come from 
• One man clothed in linen with a writing case.
  • Possibly scribe’s kit 
  • Linen: priestly 
  • Unknown if addition to 6 or part of 6 (“among them vs with them”), but would make sense there were 7 altogether
  • Told to mark those who are righteous

Men called to slay without pity.

• Begin at the temple.
• Elders judged first.

Ezekiel cries “Will you destroy all the remnant?”

God responds: the guilt is exceedingly great.

• The marked ones are spared.

Ezekiel 10

Coals of Fire

The throne vision returns (like chapter 1).

God tells the man in linen to go to the wheels under the cherubim. Grab coals taken from between cherubim.

• They are to be scattered over the city.

God’s glory fills the inner court

From https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/ezekiel-10/

b. The cloud filled the inner court: This was the cloud of glory, seen often in the Old and New Testaments, sometimes called the cloud of Shekinah glory. It is hard to define the glory of God; we could call it the radiant outshining of His character and presence. Here it was given some visible representation in the cloud.

· This is the cloud that stood by Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22).

· This is the cloud of glory that God spoke to Israel from (Exodus 16:10).

· This is the cloud from which God met with Moses and others (Exodus 19:9, 24:15-18, Numbers 11:25, 12:5, 16:42).

· This is the cloud that stood by the door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:9-10).

· This is the cloud from which God appeared to the High Priest in the Holy Place inside the veil (Leviticus 16:2).

· This is the cloud that so filled the temple when Solomon dedicated it that the priests could not continue to serve (1 Kings 8:1-11).

· This is the cloud of Ezekiel’s vision, filling the temple of God with the brightness of His glory (Ezekiel 10:4).

· This is the cloud of glory that overshadowed Mary when she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).

· This is the cloud present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:34-35).

· This is the cloud of glory that received Jesus into heaven at His ascension (Acts 1:9).

· This is the cloud that will display the glory of Jesus Christ when He returns in triumph to this earth (Luke 21:27, Revelation 1:7).

God tells the man in linen to then take fire from the wheels. 

Wheels and Cherubim

• Wheels within wheels.
  • Sparkling like beryl 
• Eyes all around.
• Wheels don’t spin when moving
• Four faces: man, lion, eagle, cherub

Called “whirling wheels”. הַגַּלְגַּל (ha-galgal) “To the wheels, to them was called ‘the galgal’ in my hearing.”

God’s Glory moves from:

• Inner sanctuary
• To threshold
• To east gate

God is leaving the temple.

Question:

In chapter 10, the word “cherub” replaces “ox” from chapter 1. Why?

Why is there so much repetition about the cherubs and the River in chapter 10?

Application

Sin is never truly secret. We cannot claim God’s loyalty but then give our attention elsewhere. We must take sin seriously, as it truly angers and saddens our God. There is nothing more terrifying than the departure of God’s glory.