He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and carried me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes jealousy was seated. He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head.This phrase describes a supernatural experience where Ezekiel is physically moved by a divine presence. The imagery of a hand suggests God's direct intervention. In biblical symbolism, the hand often represents power and authority ( Exodus 15:6). The act of being taken by the hair indicates a forceful and urgent action, emphasizing the seriousness of the vision Ezekiel is about to receive. This method of transportation is unique and underscores the divine nature of the encounter. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven
The Spirit here refers to the Holy Spirit, who plays a crucial role in guiding and revealing God's will to the prophets. Being lifted between earth and heaven signifies a transition from the physical realm to the spiritual, allowing Ezekiel to see things from God's perspective. This elevation is symbolic of receiving divine insight, similar to other biblical figures who experienced visions, such as John in Revelation 4:1-2. and carried me in visions of God to Jerusalem
Ezekiel is transported in a vision to Jerusalem, the spiritual and political center of Israel. This city holds significant importance as the location of the Temple, the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. The vision indicates a revelation concerning the spiritual state of Jerusalem, highlighting the city's central role in God's covenant with Israel. This transportation in a vision parallels other prophetic experiences, such as Daniel's visions in Daniel 7. to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court
The north gate of the inner court of the Temple is significant because it was one of the main entrances used by worshippers. The inner court was a sacred area, reserved for priests and certain sacrificial rituals. The specific mention of the north gate may indicate the direction from which judgment or invasion would come, as historically, enemies often attacked Israel from the north (Jeremiah 1:14-15). where the idol that provokes jealousy was seated
This phrase refers to an idolatrous image set up within the Temple precincts, an abomination in the eyes of God. The idol provokes God's jealousy because it represents the people's unfaithfulness to Him, violating the first commandment (Exodus 20:3-5). This idolatry is a recurring theme in Israel's history, leading to divine judgment. The presence of such an idol in the Temple highlights the depth of Israel's spiritual corruption and foreshadows the coming destruction of Jerusalem as prophesied by Ezekiel. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the recipient of God's visions and messages, tasked with delivering them to the Israelites. 2. The SpiritRefers to the Spirit of God, who empowers and guides Ezekiel, lifting him up to receive divine visions. 3. JerusalemThe holy city, central to Jewish worship and identity, where the vision takes place, highlighting the spiritual corruption present there. 4. The Inner CourtPart of the temple complex in Jerusalem, representing the heart of Israel's worship and the place where God's presence was meant to dwell. 5. The Idol that Provokes to JealousyAn abomination in the temple, symbolizing Israel's idolatry and unfaithfulness to God, which provokes His righteous jealousy. Teaching Points The Reality of Spiritual VisionsEzekiel's experience reminds us that God can communicate through visions, emphasizing the importance of being spiritually attuned to His voice. The Seriousness of IdolatryThe presence of the idol in the temple serves as a stark warning against idolatry, urging believers to examine their own lives for anything that might take precedence over God. God's Jealous LoveGod's jealousy is not petty but reflects His deep love and desire for an exclusive relationship with His people. We are called to respond with wholehearted devotion. The Role of the Holy SpiritThe Spirit's role in lifting Ezekiel highlights the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit in guiding and revealing God's truth to us today. The Importance of the TempleThe temple's desecration underscores the need for purity in worship and the sacredness of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Ezekiel's vision challenge our understanding of spiritual realities and God's communication with His people today? 2. In what ways might modern believers be tempted to idolatry, and how can we guard against it in our lives? 3. How does understanding God's jealousy deepen our appreciation for His love and commitment to us? 4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in guiding us to truth, and how can we be more receptive to His leading? 5. How can we ensure that our worship remains pure and that our lives reflect the holiness of God's temple? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 20:4-5This passage outlines the prohibition against idolatry, emphasizing God's jealousy and the consequences of worshiping other gods. 2 Kings 21:7Describes King Manasseh's idolatrous practices, including placing an idol in the temple, which parallels the abomination seen in Ezekiel's vision. Revelation 4:2Similar to Ezekiel's experience, John is also taken up in the Spirit to receive visions, illustrating the continuity of prophetic revelation. People Ezekiel, Jaazaniah, ShaphanPlaces JerusalemTopics Bringeth, Caught, Court, Door, Entrance, Entry, Envy, Faces, Facing, Figure, Form, Forth, Gate, Gateway, Hair, Heaven, Heavens, Idol, Image, Inner, Jealous, Jealousy, Jerusalem, Lift, Lifted, Lifting, Located, Lock, Looks, Making, North, Opening, Provokes, Provoketh, Putteth, Seat, Sky, Spirit, Stood, Stretched, Taketh, Towards, Visions, WindDictionary of Bible Themes Ezekiel 8:3 1185 God, zeal of
1305 God, activity of
3272 Holy Spirit, in OT
8769 idolatry, in OT Ezekiel 8:1-3 1457 trance Ezekiel 8:3-4 1466 vision Library Chambers of Imagery
'Then said He unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery!'--EZEKIEL viii. 12. This is part of a vision which came to the prophet in his captivity. He is carried away in imagination from his home amongst the exiles in the East to the Temple of Jerusalem. There he sees in one dreadful series representations of all the forms of idolatry to which the handful that were left in the land were cleaving. There meets …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureA Message from the Crowned Christ
(Revelation, Chapters ii and iii) "The glory of love is brightest when the glory of self is dim, And they have the most compelled me who most have pointed to Him. They have held me, stirred me, swayed me,--I have hung on their every word, Till I fain would arise and follow, not them, not them,--but their Lord!"[64] Patmos Spells Patience. Patience is strength at its strongest, using all its strength in holding back from doing something. Patience is love at flood pleading with strength to hold steady …
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation The Synagogue at Nazareth - Synagogue-Worship and Arrangements.
The stay in Cana, though we have no means of determining its length, was probably of only short duration. Perhaps the Sabbath of the same week already found Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth. We will not seek irreverently to lift the veil of sacred silence, which here, as elsewhere, the Gospel-narratives have laid over the Sanctuary of His inner Life. That silence is itself theopneustic, of Divine breathing and inspiration; it is more eloquent than any eloquence, a guarantee of the truthfulness …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah What the Ruler's Discrimination Should be Between Correction and Connivance, Between Fervour and Gentleness.
It should be known too that the vices of subjects ought sometimes to be prudently connived at, but indicated in that they are connived at; that things, even though openly known, ought sometimes to be seasonably tolerated, but sometimes, though hidden, be closely investigated; that they ought sometimes to be gently reproved, but sometimes vehemently censured. For, indeed, some things, as we have said, ought to be prudently connived at, but indicated in that they are connived at, so that, when the …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in the Soul.
Titus iii. 5, 6. Titus iii. 5, 6. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. IF my business were to explain and illustrate this scripture at large, it would yield an ample field for accurate criticism and useful discourse, and more especially would lead us into a variety of practical remarks, on which it would be pleasant …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665 …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Seventh Commandment
Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Exod 20: 14. God is a pure, holy spirit, and has an infinite antipathy against all uncleanness. In this commandment he has entered his caution against it; non moechaberis, Thou shalt not commit adultery.' The sum of this commandment is, The preservations of corporal purity. We must take heed of running on the rock of uncleanness, and so making shipwreck of our chastity. In this commandment there is something tacitly implied, and something expressly forbidden. 1. The …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ezekiel 8:3 NIVEzekiel 8:3 NLTEzekiel 8:3 ESVEzekiel 8:3 NASBEzekiel 8:3 KJV
Ezekiel 8:3 Commentaries
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