Ezekiel 9:1-11
Q.1. What would God do to protect His own from the impending doom? – (Ezk.9:1-6)
This is a brief but powerful vision from God to Ezekiel, that he saw when he was in Babylon (Ezk.1:1-3). It described the dispatching of six executing angels led by – a certain man clothed in linen with a writing stylus at his loins … who were to execute God’s judgement on the nation (Ezk.9:2). Previously, God had promised to dwell amongst His people in the Tabernacle (Exo.25:22; 40:34-35). This was promised again after the dedication of the Temple under King Solomon (1 Kgs.8:10-11). Now, in Ezekiel’s time, the treachery and idolatry of God’s people forced the gradual withdrawal of His presence – Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple (Ezk.9:3 c.f. Ezk.10:4, 18; Ezk.11:23). However, even as God’s judgment was about to be executed, He acted with grace toward the faithful remnant of His people – The Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even … Jerusalem, and PUT A MARK ON THE FOREHEADS OF THE MEN WHO SIGH AND GROAN OVER ALL THE ABOMINATIONS WHICH ARE BEING COMMITTED IN ITS MIDST … Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, BUT DO NOT TOUCH ANY MAN ON WHOM IS THE MARK; AND YOU SHALL START FROM MY SANCTUARY (Ezk.9:4 & 6). Just as with the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand during the tribulation, God spared a remnant of Israel from the severity of the coming judgment (Rev.7:3-4 c.f. 2 Thes.1:5-10).
Q.2. Why would God withdraw His pity from the destruction of His people? How did this affect the Prophet? – (Ezk.9:7-11)
Ezekiel wondered if God would spare the rest of the people remaining in Jerusalem. God gave a swift and comprehensive reply – 9 Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, `The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’ 10 But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads (Ezk.9:9-10 c.f. Ezk.11-14-21). The Lord is incredibly patient, but their time had run out … just as our time is rapidly running out.