John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 13:5

"Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Jehovah." — Ezekiel 13:5 (ASV)

Therefore, he pursues the same thought, but presses the false prophets harder. He has said generally that they were sacrilegious, making a false use of God’s name when speaking entirely from themselves. He now separates them by another mark from the approved and faithful servants of God, namely, they had not gone up into the breach, nor built up a hedge to protect the house of Israel, that they might stand in the battle in the day of Jehovah.

This verse is explained in various ways: some refer what is said here to prayer; others twist it according to their own imaginations, but I restrict it to their teaching. Ezekiel not only blames their inner and hidden treachery, and not only assails their minds to show that they had no desire for piety and no zeal for God’s glory, but he also shows that their teaching must be completely rejected because they did not aim for the right objective.

But what is the goal at which all God’s servants should aim? Surely it is to safeguard the public safety; and when they see signs of God’s wrath, to confront those signs and prevent the impending calamity. These impostors saw the people not only as impious but also as rebellious, so that there was no hope of their repentance.

On the other hand, they saw God threatening; and although they were blind, they could still perceive the signs of God’s reproving vengeance. Therefore, it was their duty to go up to the breaches.

From this, we also understand what the Prophet means by “breaches”: just as an opening allows an enemy to storm a city when a breach is made in the wall, so also, when the iniquity of the people overflows like a deluge, a rupture is already made through which God’s wrath can penetrate immediately and lay everything waste until it is reduced to nothing.

Therefore, whenever we see God offended by the people’s wickedness, we should understand that a breach has been made, as if we were destined for destruction. Therefore, those who desire to faithfully carry out their teaching ministry should hasten to the breach, to call the people back from their impiety, and to exhort them to repentance.

Thus the wall is restored, because God is appeased, and we are able to rest in quietness and security. What follows has the same point—they have not restored the hedge. For when a people breaks through all that is right and violates God’s law, it is just as if they left themselves completely vulnerable, without God’s protection, as Moses reproves them when speaking of the molten calf: Behold, he says, this day you are naked; that is, because they had hurled themselves into destruction (Exodus 32:25).

So the Prophet says that these traitors did not hasten to restore the hedge when the house of Israel was exposed to robbers, thieves, and wild beasts, because it was no longer protected by the hand of God. What follows has the same point: that they should stand in the battle in the day of the Lord; that is, to set themselves against God’s vengeance.

This relates to prayers, as when Phinehas is mentioned in Psalm 106:30, and also in the same psalm, Psalms 106:23, where it is said of Moses, Unless Moses had stood in the breach to turn away God’s wrath. Here also, as I have said, the Prophet is focusing more on doctrine.

For here he sharply rebukes the folly of false prophets who had promised wonderful things. Now, when God truly drew near, all their prophecies vanished. Therefore, he says, they stood not in the battle in the day of Jehovah.

For if they had diligently exhorted the people to repentance, those sinners would have reconciled God to themselves. For we turn aside His judgment beforehand when we turn to Him in time, as Paul teaches (1 Corinthians 11:31). If, therefore, the people had been so diligently advised, they would have stood in the battle; that is, their teaching would have been a bulwark against God’s wrath breaking out to destroy them utterly.

Now, therefore, we see Ezekiel’s meaning: namely, that he shows how the deceptions of the false prophets could be perceived, since by their smooth words and flatteries they destroyed the people.