Exposition of Ezekiel 6-13, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 11 · Verse 13
VERS. 13.
And it came to paſſe that when I prophecyed that Pelatiah the ſonne of Benaiah dyed, then fell I downe upon my face, and cryed with a loud voyce, & ſaid, Ah Lord God, wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Iſrael.
THis verſe preſents unto us,
1. The death of Pelatiah.
2. The time of it, when I propheſied.
3. The conſequents of this judgement upon Pelatiah, which are,
1. The Prophet's falling upon his face.
2. His exclamation; he cryed with a loud, &c.
3. What he cryed out, Ah Lord God, &c.
Some doubts lye wrapt up in this verſe, and muſt be cleared: our Prophet was in body amongſt the Captives in Babylon; in ſpirit he was in the Temple at the Eaſt-gate of the Lords houſe, verſ. 1. of this Chap.
1. Q. How Ezek. ſaith here, when I propheſied, Pelatiah dyed? when as he had yet propheſied nothing, he was now in a viſion, and v. 24, 25. after this he was return'd by the ſpirit into Chaldea, and then hee ſpake all the things the Lord had ſhewed him.
Anſ. 1. Some think that by prophecying here is not meant actuall prophecying, as if our Prophet did propheſie, and give out what the Lord ſaid; but the hearing of propheſie, and that place is brought to juſtifie it, 1 Cor. 11.5. Every woman that prayeth or prophecyeth; that is ſay they which heareth propheſie, and ſo they will have our Prophet only to heare propheticall truths which the Lord gave out, and that Pelatiah ſhould dye; but this ſenſe of the words ſeems harſh, and the Text ſaith he prophecyed, he did not heare propheſie, hear Pelatiah ſhould dye; why at the hearing of theſe things ſhould he fall down upon his face, and cry out as he did?
2. The Lord had great indignation againſt theſe men gave ill counſell, and bids Ez…kiel propheſie, verſ. 4. and doubles the command, propheſie, propheſie againſt them, and then the ſpirit fell upon him, v. 5. & bade him ſpeak, thus ſaith the Lord, &c. therefore it might well be, that he propheſied (while he was in the viſion) viſionally, and ſo had a viſionall ſight of Pelatiah's death: and then after when he came to them in the captivity, he ſpake to the captivity all the things that the Lord had ſhewed him, and there the reall death of Pelatiah was.
3. The Prophet wrote this ſtory after hee had propheſied in Babylon, and ſo might inſert theſe words here being upon the ſtory of theſe 25. men; for it is uſual in Scripture to ſet that before which was done after.
Q. 2. But then a ſecond doubt ariſes; if Ezekiel were in Babylon, and propheſied there, how could this prophecie reach the men that were at Jeruſalem to them it belong'd, and the Prophets voyce could not extend to their eares?
Anſ. 1. Be it granted that the Prophet was at a diſtance from them at Jeruſalem, yet the vertue of the propheſie, though not the words, might, and did extend to Jeruſalem. When Ezekiel fell really to propheſie againſt theſe men, then Pelatiah dyed: When Iſaiah propheſied againſt Babylon, Moab, Damaſcus, Aethiopia, and Aegypt, Iſa. 13.15.17, 18, 19, 20. Chapters, hee was at a great diſtance from them, yet the propheſies were fulfilled upon them.
2. There was intercourſe betweene thoſe at Jeruſalem, and thoſe in Babylon, Jer. 29.1.3. Zedekiah ſent Elazah and Gemariah to Babylon, and Jeremiah ſent letters to them, to acquaint them with his propheſie concerning them, and by thoſe men or others, might Ezekiels propheſie be made known to them at Jeruſalem.
Q. 3. How knew Ezekiel that Pelatiah dyed at that time when he propheſied?
Anſw. 1. This he might know by comparing the tidings of his death, by meſſengers brought unto him, and certifying the time, day, and hour thereof, comparing the ſame with the time of his prophecying; for Pelatiah being a Prince of the people, great notice would be taken of his death, and the houre of it flye abroad ſwiftly, and that to Babylon. Ezek. 33.21. When the City was beſieged, one got away, and brought tidings thereof to Ezek. much more eaſily might they doe it before.
2. The ſpirit of propheſie might certifie our Prophet hereof, that when he did propheſie, Pelatiah ſhould dye at that time. Elijah could tell Ahaziah, that he ſhould never come off the bedde he lay ſick upon, 2 Kings 1.4. And Abijah could tell Jeroboams wife that when her feet entred into the City, the child ſhould dye, 1 K. 14.12. and v. 17. when ſhe came to the threſhold of the door, the child dyed.
Qu. 4. How comes it to paſſe that theſe 25. men, not being of the number of mark'd ones, Chap. 9. eſcaped the ſword of the ſixe ſlaughter-men, when they ſlew all unmark'd ones in the Sanctuary, & in the City?
Anſw. They were viſionally ſlain, not really, till the ſiege and taking of Jeruſalem by Nebuchadnezzar, when alſo the other 24 periſhed, being carryed thence to the borders of Iſrael. And whereas ſome think Pelatiah here dyed only viſionally, they detract much from the words of the Prophet, who ſaith he dyed; you know he prophecyed againſt them all, the 25. and they were all cut off afterward: and if Pelatiah's death were viſional, why ſaw he not viſionally the death of all the reſt.
The truth is, Pelatiah was made an example, to ſhew the reality and efficacy of this propheſie; for when the Captives underſtood that the thing was ſo at Jeruſalem, as Ezekiel prophecyed in Babylon, that Pelatiah a Prince was ſtrucken dead by the hand of the Lord, they began to change their thoughts of them at Jeruſalem, that they had done wiſely to ſtay it out there, and that themſelves were improvident in comming into Babylon: but now they ſaw God was going on with his judgements againſt them, and that ſafety was on their own ſide.
Of falling upon the face, and crying out, ah Lord God, ſee Ch. 9.8. where thoſe expreſſions have been opened.
Wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Iſrael.
Q. 5. What mov'd the Prophet to uſe theſe words; here was only the death of one man, and that a wicked man; had he ſeen thouſands cut off, ſmitten dead by the hand of God, he might have feared all the remnant of Iſrael, he knew there were many mark'd ones, commiſſion given to ſpare them, & therefore why doth he conceive the Lord would make a full end of the remnant of Iſrael?
Anſw. 1. Some think Pelatiah being the chief of the Princes, and bearing great ſway (for Zedekiah ſtood in awe of them, Jer. 38.5.) among the people, that our Prophet ſpeaks in their perſon, rather then his owne, and thus it's carryed. Pelatiah hath been our Councellor, hath great intereſt in us, we confide more in him then others, and now thou haſt cut him off who was our ſupport: Ah Lord, wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Iſrael. That the Prophet ſhould ſpeak in their perſon, I ſee nothing to induce it, it's not like ſo wicked a people would make ſo gracious an uſe of this judgment, but rather incourage themſelves in Jaazaniah and the reſt.
2. I conceive the words referre only to the Prophet, who ſeeing this ſtroake of God upon Pelatiah, cryed out ſo,
1. From his love to that people in generall, they were Iſraelites, and love is full of fears.
2. He remembred Chap. 9.5, 6. the commiſſion given to the ſlaughtering Angels to be without pitty, to ſlay old and young, maids, women, children: and now ſeeing the judgement begun upon Pelatiah, he knew not but that it might proceed to the deſtruction of all, and he therefore ſaith, ah Lord God, &c.
Hee had received in this viſion much matter for propheſie, which was not yet given out, and hereupon ſeeing Pelatiah ſmitten, he cryed out ſo.
Q. 6. ſhould not Ezek. have rejoyced in the death of Pelatiah? Pſ. 58.10. The righteous ſhall rejoyce when he ſeeth the vengeance: Did not he neglect a duty, and ſo offend, ſeeing he wept and mourned?
A. We are to rejoyce at the ruine of the wicked. Exod. 15. when Pharoah and his hoaſt were drowned in the red Sea, and Aegypt howling for their loſſe, then Moſes and the Iſraelites ſang unto the Lord; when Siſera was ſlain, Baruch and Deborah ſang to the Lord, Judg. 5. and Solomon layeth it down for a maxime, Prov. 11.10. When the wicked periſh, foreign Cantus exultatio ovatio.there is ſhouting & great joy. The Saints may rejoyce at the deaths of wicked ones, be they naturall or violent.
1. As it ſets out the glory of his juſtice: hee hath threatned ſinners in his word, & when he executes his threats upon them, gives them according to the nature of their ſin, then his juſtice is glorious.
2. As way hereby is made for the ſpreading of truth, inlargment of the Goſpell, and Kingdome of Chriſt.
3. As their death tends to the clearing of the godly: David was ſuſpected, yea accuſed by Nabal to be ſome run-agate, 1 Sam. 25.10. God ſmites Nabal with death, v. 38. when David heard it he bleſſeth God for it that he had pleaded the cauſe of his reproach from the hand of Nabal, and returned his wickedneſſe upon his head, v. 39.
4. As by their de…th the godly gain liberty: ſo when Haman was hanged, and his 10. ſonnes, and other enemies of the Jewes put to death, they feaſted and rejoyced, Eſt. 9.19. They were freed from their vexations, oppreſſions, cruelties, plots.
5. As there is a ſtop made to wickedneſſe, Prov. 21.11. When the ſcorner is puniſhed, the ſimple is made wiſe. Sinne ceaſeth in the ſcorner, being cut off, and others ceaſe their wickedneſſe, and grow wiſe by their ſtroak. Now Pelatiah's ill counſell, example, power, and what ever he had to promote iniquity withall, ceaſed. So then we may rejoyce upon thoſe grounds, but not out of any private reſpect or revengefull apprehenſion.
But there is alſo matter of griefe and mourning: God delights not in the death of a ſinner, neither ſhould any godly man. As therefore Pelatiah was a wicked man, dyed in his ſinnes, was ſuddenly cut off, ran a hazard of his eternal condition, ſo it was matter of mourning: Our Prophet therefore might rej…yce upon the grounds firſt mentioned, and mourn upon theſe laſt named; but as I hinted in the former q…eſtion, he looked beyond this one man to the ſtate of Iſrael.
Obſer. 1 How dreadfull Gods judgements are upon evill Counſellors, and ſcoffers, though never ſo great. Pelatiah a Prince of the people gave ill counſell in the Citie, ſcoffed at the Propheſie of Jeremie, this Citie the cauldron, and we are the fleſh, and here God ſmites him. The dreadfulneſſe of the judgement is ſeene in four things.
1. In that hee ſmites his life, not his eſtate, not his liberty, not his near friends, not any limb, but his life; he ſmote him in that was deareſt of all, his life; with that was moſt feared of all, death, the King of fears.
2. It was ſudden: When judgements are ſudden, they note ſeverity, Deut. 7.4. when Gods wrath is kindled, and kindled very hot againſt idolatry, who expreſſes the heat and ſeverity of it this way, he will deſtroy thee ſuddenly. And Pro 6.14, 15. A wicked man deviſeth miſchife, ſoweth diſcord, therefore ſhall his calamity come ſuddenly: foreignſuddenly ſhall he be broken without remedie. Sudden judgements are unthought of, ſuch men are unprepar'd for; here are two words to expreſſ ſuddenly, pithom & pethah quae rem maxime improviſam & ſubitam denotant: and therefore Iſa. 29.5. God tels Jeruſalem that her judgement ſhould be at an inſtant, ſuddenly, yea as ſudden as thunder and lightning, v. 6. And Chap. 30.12,Scoffers, deſpiſers of Gods word, ſhal have momentanous judgements. 13. Becauſe they deſpiſed the word of God, hee tels them their judgement ſhould be as a ſwelling in a high wall, whoſe breaking commeth ſuddenly, at an inſtant. Magnum eſt ſubito opprimi, when judgements are graduall, they are admonitorious, and there is hope; but when they are ſo ſudden, all hope is cut off, and r…medie prevented.
3. Immediate from Gods hand, it was the immediate hand of God upon him. What ever is immediate from God, merciemercy or judgement, hath the more comfort or terrour in it. In hell is immediate wrath from God, and therefore it's more dreadfull: ſo when fire and brimſtone came upon Sodom & Gomorrah, this made it ſo terrible, that it was immediately from the Lord, Gen. 19.24. When judgements come immediately from God, they come with a greater weight of wrath upon them then others.
4. It's exemplary, a great man, a Prince of the people. Great men have great ſinnes, and great judgements: ſome men are not only hanged or beheaded, but they are alſo quartered, their heads and quarters are ſet up on the gates of Cities, and made ſpectacles to all that paſſe by, ſo here Pelatiah is made a ſpectacle of divine vengeance.
Solomon told us long ſince, that judgements are prepared for ſcorners, Prov. 19.29. and ſtripes for the backe of fools. foreignThe word for ſtripes imports graves percuſſiones quibus res quaſſatur, contunditur, ſuch ſtripes as ſhiver and break a thing. Ahitophel cauſed Abſolom to goe in to his Fathers Concubines, he gave him ill counſel againſt David, 1 Sam. 16.17. Chap. and you know what a ſad and dreadfull judgement befell him. The Captain…s with their fifties ſcoffed at Elijah, when they ſaid, thou man of God; 2 Kings 1.thou ſayeſt thou art a man of God, and the fooliſh people thinke ſo of thee; but we know thou art a deceiver, and the King hath ſent for thee, come down or we will fetch thee down: but before they could fetch him down, he fetches down fire from heaven which conſum'd theſe ſcoff…rs to aſhes. The children that mock'd the Prophet, 42.2 Kings 2. of them were torn in pieces by two ſhee bears. Lucian falling off from Chriſtianity, grew a ſcoffer, and ſaid, ſe nihil habere ex chriſtianiſmo quam cum antea Lucius vocatus eſt nunc Lucianus vocaretur, but Suidas tels us he was eaten up of dogs. Julian would take away the Chriſtians wealth, and ſay that he took this, ut centuplum juxta ſervatoris ſui doctrinam reciperent, but the Lord ſtruck him from heaven, and he dyed blaſpheming. The ſtory of Nightinghale is known, which Mr. Fox relates, how abuſing that Scripture, he that ſaith he hath no ſin is a lyar, and the truth is not in him, he fel out of the Pulpit & brake his necke. Another making mouths at a godly Miniſter preaching, had his mouth drawn greatly awry, and ſo dyed. One preſent in this congregation was an eye-witneſſe of a woman ſcoffing at another for purity, and walking holily, had her tongue ſtrucken immediately with the palſie, and dyed thereof within two days. Take heed of jeering and ſcoffing, the penitent Thiefe was admitted into Paradiſe, when the ſcoffing one was ſent to hell.
2. Princely and high conditions are quickly laid in the duſt: Pelatiah a Prince of the people, in great honour, all things about him as heart could wiſh, likely to have continu'd long here, is brought in, a dead corps; there is no certainty in any condition,Acts 12. Dan. 5. Exod. 14. how ſuddenly was Herod eaten of worms, Nebuchadnezzar driven from his Palace, and Pharoah drowned in the bottom of the ſea.
1 Theſ. 5.3. When they ſhall ſay peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction, &c. And Chriſt ſaid, yee know not what houre the Lord will come, watch: So we know not what hour death will come, therefore let us watch.
The Papiſts call upon St. Chriſtopher to keep them from ſudden death; let us call upon Chriſt to prepare us for, and preſerve us in death.
3. God ſometimes meetes with wicked men when his Ordinances are diſpenſing. When I prophecyed, then Pelatiah dyed; it was at the time of propheſie; when the word is preached, other Ordinances adminiſtred, then doth God ſmite ſinners, ſometimes preſent at the Ordinance, and ſometimes abſent, as Pelatiah was. Ezek. 37.7. As I prophecyed there was a noiſe, and behold a ſhaking, and the bones came together. This was done as he prophecyed, there was great vertue and efficacy in his words: ſo here, when he prophecyed, a noyſe was heard, and behold, a ſhaking: Pelatiah ſhakes, and ſhakes to pieces, the power of Ezekiels propheſie in Babylon, ſlayes Pelatiah at Jeruſalem. There is a converting power in the Word which converts when men are preſent; but there is a wounding and confounding power in it alſo when men are abſent and preſent. When the Apoſtles preached, ſometimes the holy Ghoſt fell upon men, Acts 10.44. and ſometimes heavy judgements. Elimas the ſorcerer is ſmitten blind; Ananias and Saphira are ſtrucken dead, if not in the time of the Ordinance, yet immediately thereupon. Jeroboam thruſts out his hand to take hold of the Prophet which prophecyed againſt the Altar at Bethel, and his hand was dryed up, 1 K. 13. When Paul was preaching, Eurichus ſleeps, falls downe and is taken up dead, Acts 20.9. at that time he fell down when the ordinance was diſpenſing: and certainly when the ſervants of God doe preach and prophecy againſt ſinners preſent or abſent, ſometimes God ſmites them. Hoſ. 6.5. I have hewed them by the Prophets; the word was an axe in their mouths, and every time they prophecyed judgement, they hewed the ſtate and particular perſons. 1 Kings 19.17. They eſcape the ſword of Haz…el and Jehu, ſhall Eliſha ſlay; how? by his prophecying and preaching. This God doth to put honour upon his word, that ſo men may feare, reſpect his Ordinances, and take heed how they heare.
4. Not only judgements themſelves are to be obſerved, but the circumſtances of them alſo: When I prophecyed, then Pelatia dyed; he notes the time in a ſpeciall manner. Circumſtances of time, place, & perſon do adde much weight to the judgments of God, and truth of a ſtory: here you have all, the time when Ezekiel prophecyed; the place, the doore of the Eaſtern gate of the Temple at Jeruſalem, v. 1. the name, Pelatiah. Theſe adde ſtrength to the judgements and propheſie. Circumſtances commend mercies, and aggravate judgements; to be ſmitten when the Prophet was prophecying againſt him, ſets out the judgement with life and terrour. Circumſtances help to ſerue the thing into the heart, and to faſten it upon the memory; the time of things is much mentioned in the word, be it of ſins, Jer. 11.15. When thou doſt evill, then thou rejoyceſt; or of mercies, when Manaſſeh was brought back to Jeruſalem, then Manaſſeh knew that the Lord was God, 2 Chron. 33.13. or of judgements, Judg. 5.8. They choſe new gods, then was warre in the gates. Numb. 11.33. While the fleſh was between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt the people, and he ſmote them with a great plague. So Dan. 4.30. While the word was in the Kings mouth, the voyce was heard, thy Kingdome is departed from thee: And Dan. 2.5. Whiles Belſhazzar taſted wine in the bowles of the Temple, in the ſame houre came forth fingers that writ letters of death upon the wall. And of Ʋzziah it's ſaid, then he was wroth, and whiles hee was ſo, the leproſie even roſe up in his forehead, 2 Chron. 26.19. The Prophets obſerved the times of Gods giving out the threatnings, and the times of execution.
5. Holy and good men feare when the judgements of God fall heavily and ſuddenly upon wicked men. Pſal. 52.6. When Gods hand ſhould fall upon Doeg, ſaith David, the righteous ſhall ſee and feare; what ſhall they ſee to make them feare? the glory and power of God in executing juſtice, in cutting off delinquents Pſalm. 9.16. The Lord is knowne by the judgements hee executeth, known to be moſt powerfull, glorious, dreadfull; he is preſent in them, and the godly have eyes to ſee much of him. When Angels appeared, Gideon a man of valour and others feared; much more when God appears in thunder & lightning, in ſudden and grievous judgements there is cauſe of feare. When Ʋzzah was ſmitten with a ſudden ſtroak, David was affraid of the Lord, 2 Sam. 6.9. this might occaſion that in the 119. Pſ. 120. My fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am affraid of thy judgements. Gods judgements are now abroad, and not only wicked men but good alſo are cut down ſuddenly: Let us fear, and not only that, but doe as the Prophet and other holy men did at ſuch a time, Iſa. 26.8, 9. Let us wait for God, let the deſire of our ſoules be to his name, let us deſire him in the night, ſeeke him early with our ſpirits, for now is the time that the inhabitants of the world ſhould learn righteouſneſſe.
6. Suddain or great judgements doe put the Saints and ſervants of God upon humble, earneſt, and argumentative prayer; humble, Then fell I down upon my face, earneſt, and cryed with a loud voyce, argumentative, Ah Lord God, wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Iſrael. Judgements look'd upon by the Saints, are of an humbling nature, prompt them with arguments to wreſtle with God, and that earneſtly, Joſh. 7.5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
7. When God begins judgements with ſome are wicked among them, the godly look upon it as an inlet to publique miſery; wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Iſrael? Joſhuah when the men fell before A…, and Iſrael fled, look'd not onelyonly at the loſſe of thoſe men fell, but as the hazard of all, Joſh. 7.7. Haſt thou brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to deſtroy us? So when Gods wrath brake in a little upon the people in Moſes dayes, hee feared leſt the ſea of Gods wrath ſhould come in at once upon them, therefore he ſtood in the bryars, Pſal. 106.23. to turn away his wrath leſt he ſhould deſtroy them. When a cloud riſeth, droppeth a little, they fear a great ſtorm, a deluge, and therefore looke at the publique, they know what God hath ſaid, when I begin I will make an end.