Exposition of Ezekiel 6-13, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 11 · Verse 21 – Verse 22
VERS. 21.
But as for them whoſe heart walketh after the heart of their dteeſtable things, and their abominations, I will recompence their way upon their owne heads, ſaith the Lord GOD.
THis Verſe is a threatning to thoſe ſhould perſiſt in their evill wayes, yet a comfort to the godly, that the Lord would judge them and eaſe them of them.
Deteſtable things and abominations.
Theſe words have been opened in the 18. verſ. and Chap. 5.11.7.20.
Quorum cor ambulat ad cor.Heart of their deteſtable things.
Hebrew is, their heart going to the heart of their deteſtable things;Aprez le deſire de leur infametes, Idolls have an interpretative deſire to be worſhipped. Heart is ſometimes put for the midſt of a thing, Exod. 15.8. The heart of the Sea. Which is cald, Ezek. 27.4. The midſt of the Sea. So their heart was in the midſt of their Idols, or amongſt their Idols, what was delightfull in them, that was as the heart of the Idoll, and their hearts were carryed thereunto. Or thus you may take the words, they conceiv'd ſome deity to be in their Idols, and they labourd to pleaſe and doe thoſe things delighted the heart of that deity.
Thoſe rites, ceremonies, wayes, whereby they worſhipped their Idolls, may be cald the heart of their deteſtable things. It was a law among the Heathens, that every God ſhould be worſhipped as he thought good, and the way preſcribed by him, of worſhipping, was, as the heart and life of the Idoll and the Idolatry.
I will recompence their way upon thtir owne heads.
Of theſe words ſee what hath been ſaid, Chap. 9.10. Chap. 7.3.4.8.
That when the Lord makes gracious promiſes to a people,Obſer. 1. they doe not refer to, and fetch in all. This Obſervation riſes from the two former Verſes, & this, laid together, God promiſes to give them, oneneſſe, newneſſe, tenderneſſe of heart, he promiſeth that he will be their God, and they ſhall be his people. Theſe promiſes were abſolute, yet made good unto ſome of the Captives, not unto all, But as for them whoſe heart walketh after &c. They ſhould not come within the compaſſe of them. Many promiſes of the Lord are delivered indefinitely, without reſtriction, and abſolutely, without condition; and yet are made good onelyonly to ſome, even thoſe are given of the father unto Chriſt, many of theſe after the Captivity never had theſe promiſes made good unto them; yet God was faithfull in that ſome had the fruit and comfort of them.
2. Tares, Hypocrites, and naughty ones will be in the Church alwayes; ſome had new ſpirits, tender hearts, and walkt in Gods Statutes, others had old ſpirits, hard hearts, and walked after deteſtable things; ſome threw away all abominable things and others there hearts went after them: They comming out of Babilon, and laying the foundation of a new Church, it was probable that none but choice ones ſhould have been of it, or in it; but their were Uſurers, Sabbath-breakers, and ſuch had mingled themſelves with ſtrange Wives, Nehem. 5. & 13. Cham was in the A…ke, Judas among the Apoſtles, the Church abounded with Hypocrites in Chriſts dayes, Matth. 13.30. there will be Tares among the Wheat to the end of the World.
3. Afflictions, great, and long, doe not ſanctifie; they were to be in Captivity, and that ſeventy yeares; yet after their returne, the hearts of many would be carryed to their deteſtable things. Its granted, that after they came out of Babylon, they never fell to Idolatry; that is, the body of them did not, but doubtleſſe ſome particulars did, their hearts went to the heart of their deteſtable things; when they ſaw ſome of the old Idols▪ or relicks of them, they were affected with them: Affl ctions of themſelves purge not out corruption, nor take the heart off from evill things.
4. Mens hearts are in falſe wayes and worſhip, they take pleaſure in ſuperſtitious and idolatrous practices. Things invented by men, and brought into the worſhip of God, are pleaſing to humane ſenſes, to carnall reaſon, mens corruptions, and ſo take their hearts; when the Calfe was made, Exod. 32.19. they were greatly affected with it, and danced about it. 1 Pet. 4.3. Laſciviouſneſſe, luſt, Wine, revelling, banquetting, and Idolatries, are joyned together: Falſe worſhip and falſe wayes of worſhip, are ſet out by ſuch expreſſions as ſhew their hearts were taken therewith, Numb. 15.39. Iſa. 57.5. Chap. 66.3. Acts 17.16. 2 Kings 21.21. Pſal. 97.7. Ezek. 16.17, 18, 19, 20.
5. That is an object of hatred to the godly, is an object of delight unto the wicked; in the 18. Verſe, when the godly ſhould come to the Land againe, they would take away all the deteſtable things, but the wicked, their hearts would goe after them: The hearts, of the one ſort were for them, of the other were againſt them.
6. God takes notice which way the heart lookes, how it ſtands affected, As for them whoſe heart walketh after, &c. Ezek. 20.16. Chap. 33.31. in the 14 Chap. 3, 4, 7. thrice God obſerves, They had ſet up Idolls in their hearts. The heart is the principall thing in man, that God calls for, Prov. 23.26. and therefore he lookes after it, Revel. 2.23. All the Churches ſhall know that I am he which ſearcheth the reines and the heart.
7. Things men are much taken with, are deteſtable in the ſight of God; they affected deteſtable things, Luke 16.15. That is highly eſteemed amongſt men is abomination with God: When men bring into his worſhip things of their owne he accounts it iniquity, Exod. 20.5. and the Authors thereof haters of him.
8. Superſtitious and Idolatrous perſons ſhall not goe unpuniſhed, I will recompence their wayes upon their heads; when they had made a calfe, quickly after 3000 were ſlaine for it, and though Moſes mediated for them, yet God tells Moſes that in the day he viſits he will viſit their ſin upon them, Exod. 32.35. And verſe the laſt, The Lord plauged the people becauſe they made the calfe which Aaron made. God is jealous and cannot indure his glory ſhould be given to another.
9. When ever God puniſheth, or whom ever he puniſheth, he is juſt in his puniſhment, I will recompence their way upon their owne head: They ſhall have the fruit of their owne labours, and its certaine, thus ſaith the Lord, you thinke your ſelves ſafe, if vou can avoyd my ſtroke, that your falſe gods ſhall ſecure you, but it ſhall not be, I will recompence your wayes upon your heads: God may puniſh men ſometimes leſſe then they deſerve, but never more; he is juſt, and returnes their owne doing upon them, Pſal. 7.16.
VERS. 22.
Then did the Cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheeles beſides them: and the glory of the God of Iſrael was over them above.
HEre begins the fifth part of the Chapter, which is a further deſcription of the Lords leaving the City.
The Cherubims wheeles and glory were at the Eaſt gate of the Temple, Chap. 10.19. where you have the very words of this Verſe. Cherubims note out Angels, and ſuperiour cauſes; Wheeles, inferiour things, with the motions of them; and by the glory of the God of Iſrael, is meant either the glorious Lord himſelfe, or ſom… viſible ſigne of his glorious preſence.
Obſer.All things are under the God of Iſrael, he hath the eminence, he is above, wheeles and Angells are under him at his diſpoſe, if he give out the word, the Cherubims move, lift up their wings, and order the wheeles.