Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 33 · Verses 23-26
Verſes 23, 24, 25, 26.
Then the word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying,
Son of man, they that inhabit thoſe waſtes of the Land of Iſrael, ſpeak, ſaying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the Land: but we are many, the Land is given us for inheritance.
Wherefore ſay unto them, Thus ſaith the Lord God, Ye eat with the bloud, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and ſhed blood; and ſhall ye poſſeſſe the Land?
Ye ſtand upon your ſword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbours wife; and ſhall ye poſſeſſe the Land?
THeſe words contain the cauſes, that occaſioned and moved God to denounce judgement againſt the Jews; who eſcaped the Babyloniſh ſword when Jeruſalem was ſmitten. The cauſe occaſioning God to threaten them with deſtruction, was their vain confidence that they ſhould poſſeſs the Land ſtill, verſ. 24. The cauſes moving God to deſtroy them, were their ſins, which are mentioned, verſ. 25, 26.
Verſ. 23. Then the word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying.
When the hand of the Lord was upon him, when the Spirit of propheſie was upon him, then the word of the Lord came unto him: the Spirit brings the word of God unto men; Prophets ſpake as they were inſpired by the Spirit of God, not of their own heads; Ezekiel would rather be ſilent and dumb, then ſpeak from himſelf.
Verſ. 24. They that inhabit thoſe waſtes of the Land of Iſrael.
Nebuchadnezzar having been a year and half (as appears by 2 Kings 25.1, 2, 3. Jerem: 52.4, 5, 6.) before Jeruſalem with a great army of the worſt of men, Ezek: 7.24. the Land of Iſrael o… Judah, (for Iſrael here is put for Judah) could not but be greatly ſpoiled & laid waſte; when once the Temple & City were burnt and ruined, then was the Land as a wilderneſs: Zephany calls that day A day of waſtneſſe and deſolation, Chap. 1.15. And Jeremy ſaith, The Land was then a deſolate Wilderneſſe, Chap: 12.10. Some were left by Nebuzaradan to inhabit the waſte and deſolate places of the Land, Jer. 39, 10. He left ſome poor people, gave them Vineyards and Fields to labour in, and live upon; and Gedaliah being made Governour, many flocked unto him, who had hid themſelves in woods, holes, among the mountains, and fled to neighbouring Countries for ſecurity, Jer: 40. 2 Kings 25.22, 23.
Speak, ſaying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the Land.
The Land of Canaan was promiſed to Abraham and his ſeed, Gen: 12.7. Chap: 15.18. & 26.4. Abraham did not inherit it perſonally, he had not ſo much as one foot of ground in it, Acts 7.4, 5. He dwelt in it, Gen: 13.12. but had no inheritance in it; therefore they here were miſtaken to ſay, He was one, and he inherited the Land. Abraham was one, yea one that believed, one that feared, loved, and obeyed God, yet for his oneneſſe had he not the Land; God gave him the Land, having an eye to his faith and obedience, Gen. 15.6, 7. Chap. 22.16, 17, 18.
But we are many, the Land is given us for inheritance.
This was the argument with which they flattered themſelves, who were now remaining in Judaea, that they ſhould ſtill poſſeſs the Land, and recover themſelves again; The Land (ſaid they) was given us for inheritance, who are many, as well as Abraham who was one; if he enjoyed it being but one, ſhall not we much more being many, and being his Seed? what reaſon hath God to caſt us out of that inheritance he gave our father, and us his children? He will not do it, we ſhall dwell here, grow up quickly being many, and recover our former liberty and glory. But theſe men deceived themſelves by this fooliſh reaſoning; for God did not give Canaan to Abraham becauſe he was one, and ſo principium numeri, but propter foedus, becauſe of the Covenant which he made with him, Gen: 15.18. Chap: 17.7, 8. which Covenant Abraham kept, living by faith in God, and bringing forth fruits ſutable thereunto, which themſelves did not; For had they been the children of Abraham, they would have done the works of Abraham, as Chriſt ſaid, John 8.39. But you may ſee what their works were in the two verſes following this we are ſpeaking of. Beſides they had forgotten what God had threatned againſt thoſe he gave the Land unto, if they did forſake and diſobey him, Deut. 28.63. Chap: 30.18. God told them they ſhould not prolong their dayes, but periſh or be pluckt off the Land. Little reaſon had they alſo to argue that they ſhould be ſpared and poſſeſſe the Land, becauſe they were many, for that as Junius well obſerves, A greater number then they who had poſſeſſed the Land were cut off, or removed out of the Land.
Verſ. 25. Wherefore ſay unto them, thus ſaith the Lord God.
Their vain confidence provoked the Lord, and therefore here he commiſſions the Prophet to tell them what he judged of them and their ſayings. His thoughts were far differing from theirs; and Ezekiel muſt declare the Lords, not his own thoughts unto them. And
1. He charges them with their ſinfull practices.
2. Denyes them the poſſeſſion of the Land.
Ye eat with the bloud.
It was commanded before the Law was given, That they ſhould not eat bloud, Gen: 9.4. Levit: 19.26. That is, neither bloud let out from the fleſh, nor bloud with the fleſh; one reaſon is given, Levit. 17.14. Ye ſhall eat the bloud of no manner of fleſh, for the life of all fleſh is the bloud thereof; The Hebrew is Nepheſh, the ſoul of all fleſh is the bloud thereof. Nepheſh is put ſometime for the whole man, as Gen: 46.26. All the ſouls of the houſe of Jacob, that is, all the perſons; ſometimes for the more noble part of man, viz: the reaſonable ſoul, Mat. 10.28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the ſoul; Sometimes for the affections, as Deut: 6.5. Thou ſhalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul; Sometimes for the life, as Iſa: 53.12. He hath poured out his ſoul unto death, that was his life, John 10.15. and ſo its rendred and to be taken in the place cited; the life of all fleſh is the bloud thereof; bloud properly is not the life or ſoul of fleſh, but the life or ſoul is ſaid to be in the bloud, or bloud, Propter ſpiritus vitales & animales, qui animae organa, & virtutis ejus vehicula ſunt, & ſanguine evaporant. Another reaſon why they might not eat bloud,Duet. in Gen: cap. 9.4. is in the 11. verſ. of that Chap. I have given it to you upon the Altar, to make an atonement for your ſouls; for it is the bloud that maketh an atonement for the ſoul. The bloud being to be offered upon the Altar repreſented the bloud of Chriſt, which was to be ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins, Matth. 26.28. and therefore not to be eaten. A third reaſon was, that they might not be cruell and bloudy minded, but might in a ſpecial manner take heed of ſhedding mans bloud, which is the ground of the prohibition, Gen: 9.4, 5. But they minded neither the prohibition it ſelf, nor the reaſons of it, they did eat with the bloud, that is, they did eat the fleſh with the bloud in it, or they did eat the bloud drawn out from the fleſh.
Some make queſtion in theſe dayes, whether they may eat bloud, and the ground of it is from Acts 15.29. where its ordered that Chriſtians ſhould abſtain from bloud and things ſtrangled; But thoſe that ſcruple eating of bloud, do not ſcruple the eating of things ſtrangled, as Fowls and Rabbits; and there is as much reaſon for that as the other; as for the thing it ſelf, I ſhall only ſay what Chriſt ſaith (Matth. 15.11.) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. And Paul Titus 1.15. Ʋnto the pure, all things are pure. And 1 Tim. 4.4. Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refuſed, if it be received with thankſgiving.
And lift up your eyes towards your idols.
Idolatry was forbidden in the Law with great ſeverity, Deut: 17.2, 3, 4, 5. Exod: 22.20. Chap: 20.4, 5. yet theſe Jews minded idols and affected them. Of lifting up the eyes to Idols, ſee Chap. 18.6. it notes adoration of them, and expectation of help from them.
And ſhed bloud.
Shedding of bloud was a grievous ſin; and here it may be underſtood either of their oppreſſing innocent ones, taking away their lives illegally, or elſe of their children which they offered to Molech, which was forbidden unto them, Levit. 18.21. of which bloudy ſacrifices was ſpoken, Ezek: 16.20, 21.
And ſhall ye poſſeſſe the Land?
This is a ſtinging interrogation, intimating that whoever poſſeſſed it, they ſhould not. What do you look to poſſeſſe the Land that do ſuch things, that are ſo impious and prophane? Did I n…t caſt Heathens for their wickedneſs out of the Land you are in? and do you think to continue in it that have exceeded them in wickedneſſe? Ezek: 5.6. No, no, the Land is not for you; Abraham did not ſuch things, you are not his ſeed, therefore you ſhall not inherit the Land.
Verſ. 26. Ye ſtand upon your ſword.
Not you are in arms to defend your ſelves againſt Babylonians, but you truſt in your ſtrength, are ready for ſpoil, violence, and ſhedding of innocent bloud. When any offended them in word or deed, they meditated revenge, and laboured by the ſword to right themſelves, there was no place for juſtice, but the Land was full of bloody crimes, Ezek: 7.23.
Ye work abomination.
Of Abominations, and what ſins are ſo call'd, was ſpoken, Chap: 5. verſ. 9. Chap: 18. verſ. 12, 13. In the 3. Obſervation: Ye do that is deteſtable and loathſome to the very ſenſes.
And ye defile every one his neighbours wife.
Adultery was a grievous ſin, and puniſhable with death, Levit. 20.10. Deut. 22.22. yet this ſin was frequent amongſt them, Jer: 5.7, 8. Cap. 7.9. & 9.2. That honourable ſtate of marriage was abuſed, and the bed defiled, and it was a common and univerſal practice amongſt them, every one defiled his neighbours wife.
And ſhall ye poſſeſſe the Land?
Do ye truſt in your ſwords, violate all juſtice, ſhed innocent blood, do abominable things, defile your neighbours wives, and yet preſume you ſhall poſſeſſe the Land? O impudent creatures, brazen-faced ſinners, what vain perſwaſions have you taken up? its madneſs for you to dream of poſſeſſing the Land; rather then ſuch as ye ſhall inherit it, it ſhall lye deſolate without inhabitant. The word here for to poſſeſſe is Jaraſh, which is a word contrariae ſignificationis, that ſignifies contrary things, as to poſſeſs and diſpoſſeſs. Joſh: 23.5. The Lord ſhall drive them from out of your ſight, and ye ſhall poſſeſſe their Land: Here Jaraſh ſignifies to drive out and to poſſeſs: when the Lord ſaith, Shall ye poſſeſſe the Land? his meaning is, they ſhall be diſpoſſeſſed of it, and driven out of it.
Firſt, Obſerve;
Men in great miſery, under grievous afflictions, are apt to flatter and deceive themſelves with one vain confidence or other.
Theſe Jews were conquered by the Babylonians, had their City, Temple, Strong holds, and pleaſant places, all laid waſte; they were a company of poor people that inhabited the waſtes of the Land, yet they flattered themſelves with this conceit, that they ſhould inherit and poſſeſſe the Land; and why? there was a number, a multitude of them; Abraham was one, and he inherited the Land; we are many, and its given to us? Their afflicted condition might have wrought other apprehenſions in them, and made them ſee and ſay, All the chief Ones of the Land are cut off, or carryed away captives, the Land is fallen into Nebuchadnezzars hands, we are his ſervants and ſlaves left to Till the Land and dreſſe the Vineyards, that ſo a revenue may be raiſed for him; but as for our ſelves, we are like to be miſerable all our dayes, yea, and our poſterity after us; but their thoughts were otherwiſe, they looked to inherit the Land, and be great Ones in it becauſe of their number. Men in ſtraits, and out of ſtraits, make lyes their refuge, which prove their ruine, Iſa: 28.15, 17, 18. Jer: 7.4. & 14.15. Chap: 27.14, 15, 16, 17.
Secondly, Obſerve;
Expectation of Promiſes to be perform'd unto us, not performing the conditions required, is fooliſh and vain.
The Land is given us for inheritance, the Lord hath promiſed us that we ſhall inherit the Land; they minded the promiſe, but forgat the condition, which was, That they ſhould keep his judgements, Levit: 25.18. Walk in his ſtatutes, Levit: 26.3, 4, 5, 6. then they ſhould be bleſſed in the Land, and dwell ſafely in it. Yea, they were to obſerve all the ſtatutes and judgements of the Lord, Deut: 11.31, 32. and if they did not, the Lord threatned to caſt them out of his ſight, Jer: 17.15. and out of the Land, Jer: 16.13. Theſe things they forgot, catching hold of the promiſe, ſaying, The land is given us for inheritance. Its madneſſe and folly to look that God ſhould perform what he hath promiſed, when we perform not the condition of the promiſe. When God promiſes a thing conditionally, the condition muſt be performed, elſe the Lord is not obliged; 2 Chro: 7.14. If my people which are called by my name, ſhall humble themſelves and pray, and ſeek my face, and turn from their wicked wayes; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their ſin, and will heal their land: Had they performed the conditions here required, their Land had been healed, and not laid waſte.
Thirdly, Obſerve;
The way multitudes go, is no argument for the rightneſſe and warrantableneſs of that way.
Theſe Jews were abſolutely miſtaken, yet they were many, the moſt judged the ſame thing, and went the ſame way. The greateſt part of people every where miſtake, cry peace, peace, when war and death are at the dores. The old world could not juſtifie its way, becauſe all walkt in it, except Noah and two or three more: its not ſafe to be of the multitudes mind, and to tread in their ſteps; For broad is the way that leads unto deſtruction, and many there be go in thereat. Argumentum turpiſſimum eſt turba.The Prophet counſel'd the Jews, Ezek: 20.18. not to walk in the ſtatutes of their Fathers, nor to obſerve their judgements, but to walk in the Lords ſtatutes and judgements, and to do them; better be alone in Gods way, then be with multitudes in a falſe way.
Fourthly, Obſerve;
The true children of Abraham may be known by their works.
Theſe Jews ſtuck upon this much, that they were Abrahams ſeed: Abraham was one, and we are many; We come from his loyns, and the Land was given to his ſeed for an inheritance, and who ſhould inherit it, but we who are his ſeed, and ſo the right heirs unto it? If it be true which you aſſert, you ſhall inherit the Land, if you be the ſeed & heirs of Abraham it ſhall be ſo; but come let us try that by your works, (ſaith God) Ye eat with the bloud, and lift up your eyes towards your idols, and ſhed bloud; ye ſtand upon your ſword, work abomination, and defile every one his neighbours wife; And are theſe the works of Abraham? he did no ſuch things; were you the children of Abraham, ye would do the works of Abraham, keep the Covenant as he did, ye would fear, honour, love and obey me, deal juſtly, live chaſtly, and do good in your Generation: Theſe things you do not, therefore you are not his children, his heirs, have no right to the Land.