Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Ezekiel · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
CAuse them that have the charge over the City to draw neer every one with his destroying V. 1.weapon in his hand. Here the Lord cals the Caldees together to the destruction of Jerusalem which he had before threatned and yielded the reason why. The words in Hebrew, are the visitations of the City draw neer. Calvin reads it in the Imperative, but it is Indicative, the pretertense, and the words following v. 2. make for it, because that having said, that the visitations draw neer, immediately six men armed to destruction appear coming from the North, and entring go to the Temple and stand by the brazen Altar. By these six men Jerom understaneth six divels, but Theodoret better, six angels, for one amongst V. 2.them was cloathed with linnen, and had a charge to mark the servants of God Hieron. Theod.in their foreheads, and thus divels never appear nor do. But one of them only is said to be cloathed with linnen, who was not one of these six, but another singularly appointed to the office of marking, as the chief amongst them, and one who best knew, who were to be marked, as mourning for sin out of an hatred thereof, and not to seem pious and zealous to men. And therefore it is most commonly held, that this was Christ the Son of God, who is called an Angel, Mal. 3. and appeared like a man siting upon a throne chap. 1. and he appeareth in white linnen, as also other Angels sometimes have done, to shew his purity, linnen that is fine and white is also, or was then accounted Act. 1. 10.the best sort of cloathing and fittest to be used about the service of God, for which the Priests had their linnen ephods and linnen breeches. Now one of the company being thus cloathed to demonstrate his purity, it is not probable, but that the rest who came with him, were holy Angels of God also and no divels; Such as he that slew of Sennacheribs hoast in one night 185000. But why came there forth six now, when as one was sufficient to do the execution now as well as then? Ans. To shew, that of the Caldees army there should be six principal Captaines, who should first enter the City, as Jeremy saith they did, Nergal Sharezar, Samgar Nebo, Rabsaris, Sarsekim, Rabmag, and another Nergal Sharezar, who came accompanied with the power of the Angels Jer. 39. 3.making their force irresistible; for that this was not an apparition of these six men, may hence be gathered, that they knew not the mark of God to spare any, when they were destroying Jerusalem, but these did, for their standing by the brazen altar, when they had entred by the high or North gate of the Temple, which looked toward Caldea, it was so done to shew their readiness at the command of the Lord to do the execution before threatned. And here it is to be noted, that this North gate was the gate, nigh unto which the image of jealousie stood Ch. 8. 3. here was abominable sin committed, and here destruction entreth, and the most provocative sins were committed about the Temple, therefore destruction must now begin at the Temple, v. 6. intimating Note. sins about the worship of God do first and chiefly of all others bring down his judgements, the Sanctuary defiled by sin is so far from being a Sanctuary, that it is a slaughter-house.
And the glory of the God of Israel, which stood upon the Cherub, went and stood upon the threshold, That is, whereas before it appeared upon the head of the living creatures V. 3.Ch. 1. 27. called Cherubims, Ch. 10. now this Amberlike glory removeth to the threshold in the inner Court, which was the Priests Court, where the aforesaid great brazen Altar stood, that he might be neer to these wariors to give them commission to kil and slay young and old. And it is to be noted, that he was seen removing from off the Cherub, which stood over the Mercy-seat Note. with wings extended to cover it, to shew, that now he was so greatly provoked that he would not do the acts of mercy any more to the Jews, which were to him most natural, but acts of judgement, which were strange to his nature, for which it is called his work, his strange work. There is then no mercy Esa. 28.with God for incorrigible sinners, but altogether wrath, fire and destruction, if he be once removed from his Mercy-seat. Hereby also we may take to be figured out before his forsaking of the Jewish Nation, casting them off and their legal hypocritical service, and turning to the Gentiles, who should worship him in spirit and in truth.
Set a mark upon the foreheads of all that sigh and cry, &c. The Lord being come V. 4.to the place where the warriours were, before he giveth them commission to destroy, first takes order about the preservation of his servants, shewing who they were, and causing them to be marked. They were mourners and cryers for the abominations done there, not such as any way countenanced or applauded Note. men of power doing evil, or their neighbors or friends, or by any shew of liking their courses incouraged them therein, but contrarywise mourned, as Lot is said to have done at the wickedness of the Sodomites, and not only so, but also cryed out against it, and not refraining for fear of their fury, as Esa. 58. 1. he is bidden to do, and every one, Levit. 19. 17. of such … Pet. 2. 8.God taketh so great care, that although they be mixed with the wicked, when destruction rageth most, they shal be preserved and not fall promiscously amongst the multitude. And to the end, that we may know this his care, he causeth a mark to be set upon them, which is here called foreign, the two first letters of foreign the commandement, to shew, that they had the Law of God written in their hearts, and this made them mourn to see it so commonly broaken. Or because foreign signifieth a marke, we may hereby understand one indefinitely, as the Apostle saith, The Election of God is sure, and hath this seale, 2 Tim. 2. 19.The Lord knoweth who are his. Their conjecture then is vaine, who conceive that hereby was meant the signe of the cross, as Jerom, who saith, that Thau according Hieron.to the Samaritan writing was in the form of a cross, whereupon the Papists since think that when they have crossed themselves in the forehead, they Of sealing the servants of God in their foreheads, see Rev. 7.are sarti tecti against all dangers. But then do we signe our selves against dangers indeed when we have the commandments writen in our hearts, and our hearts are exercised in meditating hereupon. For this is such a mark in the forehead, as none but mourners have, and where this is, there is undoubted safety, Psal. 91.Psal. 34.
And to the others he said, Go yee after him and smite, &c. That is, to the Angels, under whose conduct the Caldees were to come and fight, and destroy, and he V. 5.giveth a charge to smite all sparing none either young or old, but those with the mark in their forehead, and they did so, beginning with the ancients before the house, that is, the seventy before spoken of ch. 8. 10. Now this charge giving that the Caldees should do thus, implyeth nothing else, but the Lords internally moving them by an instinct, they not knowing it, so to rage against the Jewes, that thus they might suffer, as he had threatned, and they deserved by their many and most abominable sins. For they intended nothing less, then the fulfilling of Gods will, as being altogether intent to get the spoiles and to inlarge their Empire out of covetousness and ambition. But when wicked enemies work for these, God secretly worketh by them for the glory of his justice against incorrigible sinners. And this we must look at in Note. all executions done by wicked enemies, that we may learn to fear before him who only hath all power. And it is also to be noted, that these destroyers went out after him, that marked his servants, whereby they were secured in respect of the common danger, for hereby was shewed, that such are before Note. God separated from others in times of deadly danger, so that destruction shall not come neer them. If it be demanded, how this was verified, when as some godly ones suffer bodily, as well as the wicked, and some wicked ones escaped at the time of this destruction, as the history sheweth, Jer. 42. and 43. Calvin answereth well, although they suffer bodily, yet destruction hereby cometh not neer them, but these sufferings work for their good, and the escaping Calvin.of the wicked is so far from being a benefit unto them, that their judgement Rom. 8. 28. 2 Cor. 4. 17.is hereby aggravated, they being nothing moved hereby to repent, but animated the more to go on in sin, and so to heap up wrath against the day of wrath. Rom. 2. 4.For their beginning with the ancients before the house of God, and so defiling the Sanctuary with their blood, this was so appointed, because in the ancient governors about the Temple was the beginning of their sinfulness: The Note. examples of Priests and other governors are of a most infectious quality, and therefore they shall first and above others be punished.
For the rest of the chap. the warriours having done destroying in the V. 8, 9.Temple and being gone and Ezekiel alone remaining, but they, he saw, went to destroy in the City, he made a great moan therefore, and moved to some lenity, but prevailing not, he concludeth with the mans returning, who was cloathed with linnen, and saying, I have done as thou commandedst V. 12.me.