Westminster Annotations, Ezekiel · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Vers. 1. IN the seventh yeer] In the seventh yeer of the captivitie of Jechoniah (or Zedekiahs reign) Ezekiel telleth that Israel brought from the wildernesse into a pleasant land, shall be brought again into the wildernesse of the Heathen.
certain of the elders] Chap. 8. 1.
V. 3. Are ye come to enquire of me] Chap. 14. 3. & 20. 31. In that true manner as I have appointed you to desire my favour by the way of faith and repentance: Or do ye come to tempt me; having no other aime, but to get something out of my Prophet as may be pleasing to you?
I will not be enquired of by you] Or, I will not answer you: Or, you shall not finde me.
V. 4. judge them] Or, plead for them. Chap. 22. 2. and 23. 36.
cause them to know] This declareth the great lenitie and patience of God, which calleth sinners to repentance before he condemne them.
the abominations of their fathers] Imitated and encreased by their children, who would not amend by the examples, nor the punishments of their fore-fathers: Vers. 30.
V. 5. In the day when I] When as my people being in Egypt I declared by effects that I had chosen them to be mine, according to my promises made to their fore-fathers.
lifted up mine hand] Or, sware; and so vers. 6, &c. Did shew my soveraign power for their deliverance, to the destruction of their enemies. See Exod. 14. 8.
known unto them] Exod. 3. 8. and 4. 31.
I lifted up mine hand unto them] That is, did sweare unto them.
V. 6. espied for them] That is, appointed it for them by my decree, as the most excellent above all other countries: And for the conquest of which I had prepared all things in my secret counsell, as into which I had marched before mine Ark, to give them a secure entrance into it. See Num. 10. 33.
glory of all lands] 2 Sam. 1. 19. Psal. 48. 2. Or, flower. A title of the land of Israel, or Canaan, both here and in the 15. vers. and Dan. 8. 9. a pleasant mountain, Dan. 11. 16. for Sion or Jerusalem, not onelyonly for its naturall qualities, but also for the singular blessing of God, and by reason that it was chosen to be the seat of his Church, and a figure of the Kingdome of heaven.
V. 7. said unto them] These things are not specified in so many words in Exodus, but are revealed by the Spirit to the Prophet, and do agree with what is written, Josh. 5. 9.
abominations of his eyes] That is, the idols, to the spirituall desiring of which, mans heart is induced by the eyes; delighted with the matter, or the forme of them: and generally by all the outward senses; seeing they could not apprehend any Deity in them by the spirit. See Num. 15. 39. And to which they lifted up their eyes, Chap. 18. 6.
defile not your selves] God had forbidden them to make mention of the idols, Exod. 23. 13. Psal. 16. 4.
V. 8. their eyes] Which thing declareth the wickednesse of mans heart, which judge Gods service by their eyes and outward senses.
V. 9. my names sake] God hath ever this respect to his glory, that he would not have his Name evill spoken of among the Gentiles for the punishment that his people deserved; in confidence whereof the godly ever prayed, as Exod. 32. 12. Num. 14. 13. 16. Deut. 9. 28.
V. 10. caused them to go forth] Exod. 13. 18.
V. 11. shewed them] Heb. made them to know.
which if a man do] Levit. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12.
live in them] Shall be preserved from all dangers, and shall at the last obtain everlasting life; the way to which, and the beginning and pledge of which is new obedience: though it be no way a cause of it.
V. 12. sabbaths] Exod. 20. 8. & 31. 13, &c. & 35. 2. Deut. 5. 12.
V. 13. polluted] Exod. 16. 27.
wildernesse to consume them] Num. 14. 29. & 26. 65.
V. 14. heathen] Who might thereby take an occasion to blaspheme my Name, and to accuse me of lack of abilitie; or else that I had sought a means to destroy them more commodiously.
V. 15. given them] That is, had promised and resolved to give them, if they had not made themselves utterly unworthy of it.
V. 16. sabbaths] That is, my true Religion, which I had commanded them, and gave themselves to serve me according to their own fantasies. See Isa. 56. 4.
V. 18. your fathers] Whereby the holy Ghost confuteth them that say they will follow the religion and example of their fathers, and not measure their doings by Gods word, whether they be approveable thereby or no. See Jer. 44. 17.
V. 20. a sign between me and you] A Sacrament of an enterchangeable agreement; namely, that I shall sanctifie you by my Spirit, causing you to cease from your evill works: and you likewise shall be conformable to the working of my grace.
V. 22. Neverthelesse I withdrew] Psal. 78. 38.
V. 23. I lifted up mine hand] Though I did forbear them for that time; yet I swore to them, That if they continued in their sinnes after I had performed my promises unto them, by bringing them into the promised Land, I would drive and scatter them out of it.
and disperse them] Levit. 26. 33. Jer. 15. 7.
V. 24. they had not executed] Namely, after I had put them into the Land of Canaan.
their fathers idols] Meaning, that they set their delight upon them.
V. 25. I gave them also statutes] Because they would not obey my Laws, by my just judgement I gave them up to themselves that they should obey their own lusts, as vers. 39. Psal. 81. 12. Rom. 1. 21. 24.
V. 26. I polluted them in] I suffered them to prostitute themselves to all manner of abominable idolatrie.
passe through the fire] Chap. 16. 21. 2 King. 17. 17. & 21. 6. 2 Chron. 28. 3. & 33. 6. Either to sacrifice them, or to purifie and consecreate them, which in this place is most probable.
that openeth the womb] That is, the first-born, which ought to be sanctified to the Lord, Exod. 13. 2.
V. 27. Therefore sonne of man] Seeing that I give thee commission to lay all their fathers sinnes open before them, vers. 4. adde this to all the rest.
committed a trespasse] Heb. trespassed a trespasse.
V. 28. For when I had] Not onelyonly in the wildernesse, when I brought them out of Egypt, but since I placed them in this land: which declareth how prompt mans heart is to idolatry; seeing that by no admonitions he can be drawn back.
then they saw] Isa. 57. 5, 6.
the provocation] That is, the offering which was the object and provocation of my wrath.
V. 29. I said unto them] Or, I told them what the high place was, or Bamah. I did often admonish them by my Prophets, and reproved them for their idolatry.
What is the high place] Do you not know sufficiently, by the very name of high place, which at all times hath been in famous, as a place of idolatrie, and unlawfull worship, that all that is done there is abominable? as the very name of a brothel is sufficient to make any honest woman to flie the conversation and neighbourhood of it.
Bamah] Which signifieth a high place: declaring that they vaunted themselves of their idolatrie, and were not ashamed thereof, though God had commanded them expresly that they should have no Altar lifted up on high by stairs, Exod. 20. 26.
V. 30. Wherefore say] Seeing that reproving of the fathers sinnes ought to serve for a correction to the children which follow them, tell them that I reject all their false shews of piety, which they make in seeking after my word, vers. 3.
V. 31. shall I be enquired of by you] Vers. 3.
I will not be enquired of by you] He sheweth that the ingratitude of the people deserved, that God should cut them off, and that they should not have the comfort of his word.
V. 32. as the heathen] Namely, idolatrous and heathen people, who do prosper for all that, Jer. 44. 17.
V. 33. rule over you] I will exercise my power over you in punishment, as over rebellions and disloyall subjects: seeing you have not accepted of my government in obedience; and I will not suffer in you that are bound unto me by dutie and obedience, the excuses which I winke at in other Nations, strangers to my Covenant. See Hos. 9. 1. Amos 32.
V. 34. I will bring you out] I will not let you live at ease in the idolatrous Countrey, where you had sheltred your selves. See Jer. 40. 11, 12. & 43. 7.
V. 35. I will bring you into] I will drive you into the most solitary and savage places of the world, for a fulnesse of misery, vers. 38.
there will I plead with you] Execute my revenge with all manner of rigour. Others, and there will visit you, and so call you to repentance, and then bring the godly home againe, Isa. 65. 9.
V. 37. I will cause you to passe] Even as a Shepheard maketh his sheep to passe one by one when they come out of the sheep-cott, and marketh them distinctly with his rod, to distinguish them from other, Levit. 27. 32. So I will sever those that are rebellious from among you, to punish them; and shew favour to the other, Ezek. 34. 17. Matt. 25. 32, 33.
I will bring you into] Will constrain you to acknowledge me for your God and King by those punishments, the threatnings whereof I have joyned to my Covenant: by which I will chain you up like wilde beasts, and tame your stubbornesse.
the bond of the Covenant] Or, a delivering.
V. 38. purge out from among] Signifying that he will not burn the corn with the chaffe, but choose out the wicked to punish them when he will spare his.
I will bring them forth] As vers. 35.
they shall not enter] Jer. 44. 14.
V. 39. Go ye] I do cast you off quite, and give you over to all manner of wickednesse: that my Name which you make profession of worshipping, may be no more profaned by your hypocrisie, nor be exposed to the scorn of mine enemies.
with your gifts] Offered indeed to the true God, but defiled by the idolatrie which is joyned to it. See Isa. 1. 13. & 61. 8. Or really presented to idols.
V. 40. For in mine holy mountain] Isa. 2. 2, 3. Ezek. 17. 23. Mic. 4. 1. I do cast all you apostates off, and will onelyonly hold the true Israel, which truely beleeveth, and is truely converted, for to be my people, and will gather them into my Church, to be by them served in spirit and truth; whereof the ancient service was but onelyonly a figure: An Evangelicall prophecie whereof the return from Babylon was an essay.
accept them] An ordinary terme for lawfull sacrifices which were duly performed.
require your offerings] Shunning them no more, as I had done the offerings of idolaters, and hypocrites, Isa. 1. 13.
first-fruits] Or, chief.
V. 41. sweet savour] Heb. savour of rest.
sanctified in you] I will cause my self to be reverenced, praised, and blessed for your sakes: and the sacred and inviolable truth of my promises shall be acknowledged by all men.
V. 43. And there shall ye remember] Chap. 16. 61.
lothe your selves] Chap. 6. 9. Your own consciences shall convict you after that you have felt my mercies.
V. 46. toward the south] Namely, toward Judea, which lay Southward from Chaldea where the Prophet was.
drop thy word] That is, speak and preach like a Prophet: a terme which seemes to be taken from Deut. 32. 2. See Amos 7. 16. Mic 2. 6. 11.
forest of the south-field] That is, Jerusalem, and the people which are therein: great Cities and multitudes of people being often times likened to forests, Isa. 9. 18. & 10. 18. & 32. 19. Jer. 21. 14. & 46. 23.
V. 47. kind…e a fire in thee] Namely, the Chaldean warre.
green tree in thee] All manner of people indifferently, both good and bad, vers. 8. many righteous men being also entangled in these temporall judgements. See Luk. 23. 31. Others say, that by th…se green trees, and just men, are meant those which are not so guiltie as others: Or young and old, weake and strong, poore and rich.
all faces] Those that are not consumed therewith, shall be brought into extreme miserie. See Lam. 4. 8. & 5. 10.
from the south to the north] From one end of the Countrey to the other.
V. 49. they say of me] These profane people do scoffe at my prophecies, which thou dost dictate to me in Allegoricall and Enigmaticall termes, as if they were dreames and imaginations.