Text: Ezekiel 8:1-9:11<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. This vision takes place on the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year – Ezekiel 8:1<\/p>\n
A. Probably marking the same as Ezekiel 1:2 from King Jehoiachin’s exile.<\/p>\n B. Hence,\n February 23, 592 B.C. or 14 months after the previous vision.\n C. The task from the previous vision would have been just completed, or nearly\ncompleted. Since there would have been setup time, some wonder if this occurred\nbetween the 390 days and the 40 days of lying on his side.\n
D. At the time, Ezekiel was sitting in his house with elders of Judah<\/p>\n
1. Likely a gathering to hear the word of God – Ezekiel 33:30-31<\/p>\n
2. Suddenly, Ezekiel is struck by a vision<\/p>\n
II. The being in the form of a man – Ezekiel 8:2-4<\/p>\n
A. From the waist down he appeared to be on fire<\/p>\n
B. From the waist up he glowed like heated metal<\/p>\n
C. Same description as of God in Ezekiel 2:26-27<\/p>\n
1. Fire associated with God – Daniel 7:9-10; Revelation 1:14-15<\/p>\n
D. Ezekiel is caught by his hair and lifted up in spirit and brought to Jerusalem<\/p>\n 1. He is brought to the north gate of the inner temple court (The altar gate –\nEzekiel 8:5).\n 2. At this entrance was an idol that provoked God to jealousy – Exodus 20:5;\n34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24\n
a. Jealousy – strong desire to retain what is yours.<\/p>\n b. But it is also called idol of jealousy. Later (Ezekiel 8:14) it is called\nTammuz.\n c. Some believe that this is one of the idols Manasseh placed in the\ntemple – II Kings 21:3, 7. However, these were destroyed by Josiah\n– II Kings 23:4-7. It is possible that succeeding kings restored these\nidols or introduced new ones – Jeremiah 7:30; 32:34\n
d. Warning to Christians – I Corinthians 10:21-22<\/p>\n
3. The glory of the Lord was with him as in the earlier vision – Ezekiel 3:22-23<\/p>\n
III. Ezekiel witnesses the corruption<\/p>\n
A. God asks him to see the idol of jealousy – Ezekiel 8:5-6<\/p>\n
1. Placed at the entrance to the temple<\/p>\n
2. Ahaz had moved the altar to the north side of the temple – II Kings 16:14<\/p>\n 3. Hence, this idol is between the temple where God’s presence is and the\naltar where worship is to take place. Even when worship is made to God,\nit would appear to be being done for the idol.\n 4. God declares that it is driving Him away. But notice also God’s\nforbearance to be still present at this time despite their idolatry.\n
B. The worship of beasts by the elders of Israel – Ezekiel 8:7-12<\/p>\n 1. The worship is hidden, but not to God and Ezekiel is directed to locate it.\nA wall had be erected before the rooms of the priests to create privacy –\nJohn 3:19-20; Isaiah 29:15; Jeremiah 23:24\n 2. On the walls were images of beasts and insects, likely in imitation of the\ngods of Egypt – Romans 1:23\n 3. This was bad, but more shocking is that the worshipers were members of\nthe Sanhedrin.\n a. The ringleader is Jaazaniah who was the descendant of Josiah’s\nscribe who had charge of the treasury – II Kings 22:10-14; II\nChronicles 34:20\n
b. What is ironic is that Jaazaniah means “Jehovah hears”<\/p>\n
c. Another descendant caused Jeremiah problems – Jeremiah 36:10-13<\/p>\n
4. They are generous with their incense to their idols<\/p>\n 5. They think that God doesn’t notice what they are doing and besides they\nbelieve God has forsaken Israel.\n
a. Psalm 10:4, 11; Psalm 94:7-10<\/p>\n
b. Mistaken silence for unknowing and uncaring – Psalm 50:21<\/p>\n
6. Ephesian 5:12 – disgraceful things done in secret<\/p>\n
C. The worship of Tammuz at the north gate of the temple – Ezekiel 8:13-14<\/p>\n 1. From Adam Clarke’s commentary: This was Adonis, as we have already\nseen; and so the Vulgate here translates. My old MS. Bible reads, There\nsaten women, mornynge a mawmete of lecherye that is cleped Adonydes.\nHe is fabled to have been a beautiful youth beloved by Venus, and killed by\na wild boar in Mount Lebanon, whence springs the river Adonis, which was\nfabled to run blood at his festival in August. The women of Phoenicia,\nAssyria, and Judea worshipped him as dead, with deep lamentation,\nwearing priapi and other obscene images all the while, and they prostituted\nthemselves in honour of this idol. Having for some time mourned him as\ndead, they then supposed him revivified and broke out into the most\nextravagant rejoicings. Of the appearance of the river at this season, Mr.\nMaundrell thus speaks: "We had the good fortune to see what is the\nfoundation of the opinion which Lucian relates, viz., that this stream at\ncertain seasons of the year, especially about the feast of Adonis, is of a\nbloody colour, proceeding from a kind of sympathy, as the heathens\nimagined, for the death of Adonis, who was killed by a wild boar in the\nmountain out of which this stream issues. Something like this we saw\nactually come to pass, for the water was stained to a surprising redness;\nand, as we observed in travelling, had stained the sea a great way into a\nreddish hue." This was no doubt occasioned by a red ochre, over which the\nriver ran with violence at this time of its increase. Milton works all this up\nin these fine lines:- \n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
"Thammuz came next behind, <\/p>\n
Whose annual wound in Lebanon allured <\/p>\n
The Syrian damsels to lament his fate, <\/p>\n
In amorous ditties all a summer’s day; <\/p>\n
While smooth Adonis, from his native rock, <\/p>\n
Ran purple to the sea, suffused with blood <\/p>\n
Of Thammuz, yearly wounded. The love tale <\/p>\n
Infected Sion’s daughters with like heat: <\/p>\n
Whose wanton passions in the sacred porch <\/p>\n
Ezekiel saw, when by the vision led, <\/p>\n
His eye surveyed the dark idolatries <\/p>\n
Of alienated Judah." <\/p>\n
Par. Lost, b. i. 446.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n 2. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary: Tammuz–from a Hebrew root, "to\nmelt down." Instead of weeping for the national sins, they wept for the\nidol. Tammuz (the Syrian for Adonis), the paramour of Venus, and of the\nsame name as the river flowing from Lebanon; killed by a wild boar, and,\naccording to the fable, permitted to spend half the year on earth, and\nobliged to spend the other half in the lower world. An annual feast was\ncelebrated to him in June (hence called Tammuz in the Jewish calendar) at\nByblos, when the Syrian women, in wild grief, tore off their hair and\nyielded their persons to prostitution, consecrating the hire of their infamy\nto Venus; next followed days of rejoicing for his return to the earth; the\nformer feast being called "the disappearance of Adonis," the latter, "the\nfinding of Adonis." This Phoenician feast answered to the similar Egyptian\none in honor of Osiris. The idea thus fabled was that of the waters of the\nriver and the beauties of spring destroyed by the summer during the half\nyear when the sun is in the upper heat. Or else, the earth being clothed with\nbeauty, hemisphere, and losing it when he departs to the lower.\n
D. Worship of the sun in the inner court at the door of the temple – Ezekiel 8:15-16<\/p>\n
1. Josiah had fought against this form of idolatry – II Kings 23:5, 11<\/p>\n
2. Direct warning against this – Deuteronomy 4:19<\/p>\n
3. People named specifically in Ezekiel 11:1<\/p>\n 4. The turning of their backs to the temple is significant – II Chronicles 29:6;\nJeremiah 2:27; 32:33\n
5. Why 25? <\/p>\n a. There were 24 divisions of priests with the High Priest being the\n25th<\/sup>. Hence, symbolizing a spread throughout the priesthood.\n E. God’s charge – Ezekiel 8:17-18<\/p>\n 1. God’s anger is not lightly directed. The corruption is severe and\nwidespread.\n 2. What was happening in the temple was spreading throughout the land,\nsowing seeds of violence in its wake.\n 3. Branch to the nose <\/p>\n a. A common idolatrous practice in sun worship to hold a bunch of\ntwigs in the left hand.\n 4. God will punish and not listen to their cries for mercy<\/p>\n a. Wisdom’s promise – Proverbs 1:28<\/p>\n b. Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 14:12; Micah 3:4<\/p>\n c. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown mentions that in the Septuagint, the\nphrase is translated as “turned up their noses”, i.e. showing scorn.\n IV. Execution of punishment<\/p>\n A. Six men enter by the north gate – Ezekiel 9:1-2<\/p>\n 1. Direction destruction will come – by the hands of the Chaldeans – Jeremiah\n1:14\n 2. Officers of the city, those who have charge and the right to execute\njudgment\n 3. Some link these to the angelic watchers mentioned in Daniel – Daniel 4:13,\n17, 23; 10:20-21\n B. A seventh, doesn’t carry a weapon, but carries the garb and equipment of a clerk<\/p>\n C. They stood beside the altar, signifying where their commission is coming from.<\/p>\n D. God’s presence is leaving the temple. It moves to the threshold – Ezekiel 9:3<\/p>\n E. God’s orders – Ezekiel 9:3-6<\/p>\n 1. Mark those who were uncomfortable with the idolatry<\/p>\n a. Mourning over the sins of men – Psalm 119:136; II Corinthians\n12:21\n b. Sealing the righteous – Revelation 7:2-3; 9:4; 14:1<\/p>\n 2. Destroy without mercy those without the mark <\/p>\n a. Age, gender will make no difference<\/p>\n 3. Notice where the judgment began – I Peter 4:17-18<\/p>\n a. Because they should have known better – Amos 3:2<\/p>\n b. Because they led and taught others – James 3:1<\/p>\n 4. The temple was to be defiled – Psalm 79:1-3<\/p>\n a. Actual events – II Chronicles 36:17<\/p>\n F. Ezekiel pleads for a remnant – Ezekiel 9:8-10<\/p>\n 1. Such has often happened – Numbers 14:5; 16:22, 45; Amos 7:2-5<\/p>\n 2. God points out the sins of the people were too great to show mercy. They\nthought that God would not notice their sins. – Psalm 10:11; Isaiah 29:15\n 3. They would receive what they justly deserved – Proverbs 1:31; II\nChronicles 6:23\n a. We should never forget – Hebrews 10:26-31<\/p>\n G. The scribe returns to report that God’s will was done – Ezekiel 9:11<\/p>\n 1. Those to be saved have been marked<\/p>\n 2. Isaiah 46:10-11<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrior Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEzekiel\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNext Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Second Vision of Jehovah Text: Ezekiel 8:1-9:11 I. This vision takes place on the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year – Ezekiel 8:1 A. Probably marking the same as Ezekiel 1:2 from King Jehoiachin’s exile. B. Hence, February 23, 592 B.C. or 14 months after the previous vision. C. The task from the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-64727","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14352,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/","url_meta":{"origin":64727,"position":0},"title":"A Study of Ezekiel","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 27, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"A Study of Ezekiel by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The following are my class notes for teaching Ezekiel here in La Vista. They are presented here in hopes of helping you with your own study of Ezekiel. Contents Background to Ezekiel The Vision of Jehovah (Ezekiel 1) Ezekiel's Call to Preach\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/EzekielPreaching-239x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":64669,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/the-vision-of-jehovah\/","url_meta":{"origin":64727,"position":1},"title":"The Vision of Jehovah","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Vision of Jehovah I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This vision takes place on the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin\u2019s exile (Ezekiel 1:2) - December, 7, 594 BC \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The overall meaning of the vision is a vision of God (Ezekiel 1:1) II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Storm cloud from the north \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22561,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/survey-of-the-bible\/survey-of-the-bible-ezekiel\/","url_meta":{"origin":64727,"position":2},"title":"Survey of the Bible: Ezekiel","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Survey of the Bible: Ezekiel Text: Ezekiel 18:20-32 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel were all prophets during the same period of time. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jeremiah stayed Judah and witnessed the collapse. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ezekiel was taken into captivity and lived among the captive Israelites \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Daniel was taken as a boy to Babylon and became\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20475,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/the-valley-of-dry-bones\/","url_meta":{"origin":64727,"position":3},"title":"The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones Text: Ezekiel 37 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ezekiel has a vision where he is again moved in the spirit to a new location - Ezekiel 37:1-10 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHand of the Lord came upon me\u201d - Inspired - Ezekiel 1:3; 3:22; 8:1 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Moved as happened in Ezekiel\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":64937,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/vision-of-the-new-temple\/","url_meta":{"origin":64727,"position":4},"title":"Vision of the New Temple","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Vision of the New Temple Text: Ezekiel 40-44 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Once again we have a dated prophecy \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Day 10, Month 1, Year 25 or October 2, 574 BC \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It was on this day that Ezekiel was inspired to speak again \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ezekiel is taken is spirit to Israel where he saw to\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3375,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-revelation-given-to-john\/the-deity-of-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":64727,"position":5},"title":"The Deity of Jesus (Revelation)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 16, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"The Deity of Jesus Third Introduction (Revelation 1:9-20) The first introduction established the purpose of the book of Revelation. 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