Expositor's Dictionary of Texts He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. Ezekiel 9:1-2'That which has made me publish this book,' says Bunyan in his preface to The Life and Death of Mr. Badman, 'is for that wickedness like a flood is like to drown our English world; it begins already to be above the tops of the mountains.... Oh that I could mourn for England, and for the sins that are committed therein, even while I see that, without repentance, the men of God's wrath are about to deal with us, each having his slaughtering weapon in his hand.' Ezekiel 9:4 I think there is not in any one duty more spiritual wisdom required of believers than how to deport themselves with a suitable frame of heart, in reference to the sins of other men. Some are ready to be contented that they should sin, sometimes ready to make sport at their sins; and for the most part it is indifferent to us at what rate men sin in the world, so it go well with us or the Church of Christ.... There are times when this is our especial and eminent duty, which God doth highly approve of. Such are they wherein the visible Church is greatly corrupted, and open abominations are found amongst men of all sorts; even as it is at this day. Then doth the Lord declare how much He values the performance of this duty—as He testifies they alone shall be under His especial care in a day of public distress and calamity—a duty wherein it is to be feared that we are most of us very defective. —John Owen. In every sphere, a unified life, a faultless honesty, compel, even from the worst of people, some degree of respect. In Paris, an unimpeachable virtue has the success of a large diamond. It is so rare. —Balzac. References.—IX. 4.—J. H. Jowett, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxviii. 1908, p. 353. IX. 8.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xlviii. No. 2807. IX. 9.—Ibid. vol. iv. No. 223. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;
And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.
And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me. Nicoll - Expositor's Dictionary of Texts Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub |
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