John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 6

The Prophet now turns to the kingdom of Israel, since he had previously spoken about the Jews alone. He says that he was divinely sent to the mountains of Israel. The first question that may arise concerns the time, for the kingdom of Israel had been cut off, the ten tribes dragged into exile, and the kingdom had come to an end by Ezekiel’s time.

The time, therefore, does not seem to align with the Prophet's denunciation of what had happened many years previously. However, nothing will seem out of place if we say that it was partly prophecy and partly doctrine, so that the Israelites could understand why they were driven out of their country and dispersed among the nations.

I say that God’s plans were partly explained to the exiles, so that they could know why God had driven them to distant lands; for this punishment would not have been useful if God had not convinced them of its cause.

But although the kingdom had fallen, it is probable that some of the people remained. For the Assyrian did not carry off so many thousands of men, as his kingdom would have been burdened by such a multitude. Doubtless, he took the elite of the people and permitted the common people to remain there, for he sent inhabitants from his own kingdom for the deserted land.

However, the change was great and ruinous to the king himself, and distressing to all alike. Although, therefore, the kingdom no longer existed—indeed, even the name of Israel was almost extinct because there was no large population, and they lived in their country like foreigners and guests—yet some portion of them still remained.

Now, we gather from the Prophet's words that they were obstinate, because neither the exile of their brethren nor their own calamity induced them to abandon their superstitions and embrace the true and pure worship of God.

Since, therefore, this chastisement did not benefit them, the Prophet is ordered to preach against them. It is established from the first chapter that Ezekiel received this command after the destruction of the kingdom of Israel (Ezekiel 1:1–2), for he said that he was divinely moved in the thirtieth year after the jubilee, and in the fifth year of the captivity of Jeconiah or Jehoiachin.

It is evident, therefore, that the Prophet spoke against the land of Israel after the ten tribes had been dispersed. From this we may gather that many people still remained there, because it would have been difficult for the Assyrians to receive all the people. Those who remained alive in the country continued in their own abominations, so it became necessary for another judgment to be pronounced against them, which we will now address.

Now, therefore, this principle is established: the Prophet treats the slaughter of the kingdom of Israel in such a way that he predicts what was about to happen, which those left in the country did not fear at all, for they were convinced they were free from all dangers.

But the Prophet shows that God’s wrath was not yet complete; their former calamities were only a prelude, and heavier afflictions were at hand because they had so hardened themselves against the power of God.

The prophecy, too, has greater weight when the Prophet addressed the mountains than when his discourse was directed to people. Therefore, Ezekiel is not ordered to exhort the Israelites to repentance and to threaten them with the punishment that still remained, but he is ordered to turn his discourse to hills, and mountains, and valleys.

In this way, God indirectly signifies, first, that the Israelites were deaf, and second, that they were unworthy of the effort Ezekiel would expend in teaching them. Similarly, the prophet sent to Jeroboam did not intend to address him, but turning to the altar—

“O altar, altar,” he says, “thus says Jehovah, ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the family of David, Josiah by name; and he shall slay upon you the priests of the high places, and shall burn upon you the bones of the dead.’” (1 Kings 13:2).

The king was burning incense on the altar; the prophet disregards him, but as I have just said, directs his discourse to the altar. This was far more forceful than if he had sharply reproved the king.

For it was no ordinary rebuke to bypass the king as if he were merely the shadow of a man, and to admonish the inanimate altar about a future event. So also in this passage: “Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them.”

The Prophet might have objected that the mountains had no ears, and therefore that it was merely child’s play. But he understood God’s intention and so obeyed cheerfully, because he saw the people were despised and rejected by God, being deaf and incurable. Meanwhile, he knew his labor would not be lost, even though he addressed the mountains.

For we know that the earth was created for human use, and therefore God presents to us examples of His wrath in animals, trees, the atmosphere, and the heavens, so that we may know that warnings meant for us are engraved there, although in every other way God turns away His eyes and His face.

This, therefore, is a sign of His wrath: when God shows His judgments on all sides and yet is silent toward us, because we gather from this that we are unworthy of any effort for our improvement. And this was undoubtedly the Prophet’s conclusion.

Now a clearer expression follows in the third verse: “You shall say, ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.’” Here, the mountains are required to be an audience, which they could not provide, but this relates to humankind, as I have just said. God, therefore, requires the mountains to listen, so that people may understand that an inanimate thing can be endowed with sense, when their own stupidity is considered.

For eventually God enforced His judgments against the mountains of Israel. Therefore, although they could not hear the Prophet speaking, yet they received his instruction, because it was effective in them, and God eventually, in reality, proved that He had not spoken in vain. The event, therefore, clearly made the mountains attentive in a way.

Nor could they escape the judgment that had been openly pronounced. Now he adds, “Thus says Jehovah to the mountains and the hills.” Ezekiel now addresses not only mountains, as he had been commanded; therefore, he seems to exceed the prescribed command, for he had been sent to mountains and hills only, but now he says, “hear, you mountains, hear, you hills, hear, you valleys.” But we said yesterday that prophets sometimes speak briefly, and sometimes explain more fully what they had previously stated concisely.

God, therefore, at the beginning spoke only of mountains, but He undoubtedly included valleys and the courses of rivers, because the Prophet only explains what God had said in one word. Therefore, he speaks to mountains and hills, and then to the ravines or torrents. Jerome translates it as rocks, and the Hebrews call whatever is violent אפיק (aphik); therefore, when there is any violent course, they use this word. And so, in this place, we may understand it as either rocks, watercourses, or torrents—it does not matter which.

But since he later adds valleys, this explanation seems probable to me: that the Prophet indeed means either torrents or rushing waters. Here we must also note that those parts are specified where the Israelites had erected perverse and adulterous worship. For we know that mountains were filled with superstitions, and so also valleys, though the reason was different: when they erected their altars on the mountains, they thought themselves near God; but when they descended into the valleys, their rites were performed in shade and obscurity, and thus they thought themselves hidden, as it were, in a sanctuary.

It is well known that they practiced their idolatries in the mountains as well as in the valleys. This, therefore, is the reason why the Prophet here shows that the whole land of Israel was polluted with defilement. “Behold,” he says, “I bring a sword against you.” Therefore, we infer that when the Prophet addresses the mountains, he is nevertheless speaking for the sake of humankind.

For the sword could not injure the mountains; one stone could break a hundred, indeed a thousand swords, and yet remain intact. God, therefore, would have threatened the mountains with slaughter in vain. Indeed, when the sword is mentioned, we know that death is understood, for the cause is put for the effect.

Therefore, God addresses people indirectly; but when He directs His discourse to the mountains, He shows that people themselves are deaf, and therefore He turns away His face from them and addresses mute elements and inanimate things. “And I will destroy,” He says, “your lofty things.” He now explains what I have taught before: that mountains, hills, valleys, and watercourses are named because perverse and impure worship flourished there.

For by “lofty things,” the Spirit undoubtedly intends whatever the Israelites had mixed of their own imaginations to corrupt the worship of God. They properly call altars lofty, because they were erected in high and conspicuous places. But the species is here put for the genus. Meanwhile, God signifies that He so abominates all false worship that He cannot bear the sight of the places. Indeed, the stones of which the altars were built, we know, are harmless, for places are not polluted by idolatry of their own will. For as far as the world was created by God, it always retains its own nature; but as far as humanity is concerned, the places themselves were polluted, and the contagion makes them hateful to God. Therefore, this expresses the detestation of idolatry. He continues the same sentiment and first declares that altars should be laid waste.

Therefore, it appears how greatly obedience pleases God, and how true it is that obedience is better than sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22; 1 Kings 12). For it is certain that the Israelites extravagantly praised their own inventions, as if they were worshipping God correctly. Indeed, in the beginning, Jeroboam cunningly devised those new rites so that he might alienate the ten tribes from the family of David. Eventually, the error spread, so that they thought God approved that impious worship.

But we see that God abominates them. We should always hold to this principle: although people may think they are obeying God when they introduce their own inventions, they achieve nothing other than provoking God's wrath against themselves. Therefore, this vengeance would not have been taken against the altars unless God had been greatly offended by the impious mixture.

Your altars, therefore, shall come to ruin and destruction, and then your idols shall be destroyed. Here, some understand these as idols of the sun, as the noun is derived from 'heat' (which is repeated later). However, this interpretation seems too narrow. Therefore, I do not doubt that the idols are so called because of the mad love with which the worshippers were seized. For throughout the Prophets, idolaters are said to be like adulterers, and our Prophet also uses the same language.

Therefore, idols may very properly derive their name from 'heat,' because their superstitious worshippers inflame themselves with this love and, like adulterers, run after harlots, as we shall see again. He later uses another word when he says, I will lay your slain prostrate before your idols. For they call idols גלולים (gelolim), on account of their foulness, indeed, even their filth.

We see, then, in the first place, that the Prophet condemns the fury with which the Israelites were inflamed, since they perverted the pure and lawful worship of God. Then, he reproves their enormity because they willingly remained in filth and defilement.

But here we are also taught how intensely God is angered by all superstitions. He not only summons humanity to His tribunal because they profane true piety, but He is also angry with the external instruments—such as stones and wood—and, as it were, implicates these instruments of idolatry along with their authors.

By these words, the Prophet indicates that God’s wrath would be made clear, because he imprints certain marks by which it could be judged that the Israelites had provoked his anger, since they had departed from the pure and genuine order of the law. He says, therefore, I will place the carcases of the sons of Israel before their idols, when the carcasses were so mixed with the idols, from this it became apparent that God was deeply offended.

For we know that it was detestable in all sacrifices for either human bones or carcasses to be joined with the victims. Consequently, the religion of the Israelites was openly condemned by this sign, so that unless they had been utterly blind, they would have to acknowledge all their worship to have been abominable.

We understand, therefore, God’s purpose when he says, that he would cast the carcases of the sons of Israel before their idols: it is as if he had said, I will defile all your rites that seem sacred to you, and I will make them stink even before the unbelievers.

But how? For the altar is polluted by contact with a carcass; yet the carcasses shall be cast there, so that the contagion may spread to the altars.

And I will sprinkle, he says, your bones around your altars. Lastly, he indicates that he would profane with their own carcasses those sacred rites which the Israelites had fabricated for themselves. By this, it is understood that they would be doubly disgraced, as they defiled by these pollutants what they had thought beautiful.

The Prophets constantly proclaimed that these rites were folly and an abomination, yet those who were attached to these superstitions still pleased themselves. Therefore, when God’s servants achieved nothing with their sacred admonitions, at last tangible proof was given: their altars were polluted, and that by their own defilement.

For in this, God’s remarkable vengeance was revealed, as I have said previously.

In other words, the Prophet signifies that God would take vengeance on the superstitions of the ten tribes in all places; from which it is clear, that no corner was free from corruption. For, while he names all habitations, he means that they had defiled every habitable place. Wherever they lived, they had erected their altars and strange worship, as another Prophet reproves them: according to the number of your cities were your Gods (Jeremiah 2:28; Jeremiah 11:13).

He addresses the Jews there, but the meaning is the same. Hence, the Prophet signifies that it was not only a single part that was polluted with their idolatries, but their filth was spread throughout the whole land wherever there were any inhabitants. In all your habitations, therefore, the cities shall be deserted. When he threatens destruction and desolation to the cities, he means what I have just said: that those places were corrupted by impious superstitions.

He adds, and thy high places shall be destroyed or made desolate. Here he explains himself more clearly: that the cities should be reduced to solitude because their religion was corrupt, and the inhabitants were given up to their own fictions and idolatries. He therefore adds high places to cities, so that he may point out the reason for the cities perishing.

He adds, that they may be desolate or reduced to a desert: it is again the word חרב, chereb, and your altars may perish. He confirms the same doctrine, namely, that he was so hostile to the cities of Israel because they were all polluted with profane and strange altars.

For, as we have said, God had chosen that land for himself, and so all its cities were dedicated to his glory. This, then, might cause us to wonder why he threatened them with destruction, for we might readily answer this by asserting that his counsel had changed. But the Prophet shows that, although the cities themselves were pleasing to God, they were nevertheless hated by him because of the corruptions by which they were polluted.

Hence, he joins high places to altars. Hence, a probable conjecture is elicited: that the Israelites did not sacrifice wherever they had erected high places. They had then their own high places when they worshipped false gods, and also their own altars. And since the worship of God was vitiated in both ways, the Prophet, as I have said, here joins them both.

Finally, he adds, and your idols shall be broken up and cease, or be abolished. Again he uses that reproachful word which, as I have said, is taken from the stench of dung (Luke 16:15). But it signifies that what is highly esteemed among men is abominated by God, especially when it is worshipped.

And your idols, he says, shall be cut off. I have said that this word is derived from heat. It means that the idols were the cause of their madness, since the Israelites were so corrupted with impure love that they deserted God and looked only at the idols. He compares the zeal with which idolaters are maddened to impure and brutal lust.

Lastly, he adds, your works shall be destroyed. Here he uses a general name and significantly points out the difference between the pure worship of God and all corruptions. There is no need for a long discussion if we desire to know how God is to be worshipped, for he rejects and excludes our works.

If, therefore, we do not obtrude our works but only follow what God demands, our worship will be pure; but if we add anything of our own, it is an abomination. We see, therefore, that useful instruction can be gathered from one word: namely, that all worship is perverse and disapproved by God when men bring forward anything of themselves.

For by "works" he does not mean here only idols made of wood, stone, brass, gold, or silver; rather, it also includes whatever men have fashioned and whatever can be ascribed to them, because they have not taken these things from the mouth of God and the commands of his law.

Here the Prophet adds a small clause to his former threats, namely, that God would so consume the whole people with slaughter that they would be compelled to acknowledge him as Jehovah. The slain, therefore, shall fall in the midst of thee, that is, the enemy shall arise who shall cause slaughter everywhere through the midst of the land. As to the phrase, I am Jehovah, it refers to the prophecy; for the Israelites did not openly deny God, but because they had no faith in the words of the Prophet, therefore God appears and confirms and establishes the authority of the prophetic teaching, when he shows that an avenger was at hand if it was despised (as we know it was despised); and this he will soon explain a little more clearly. It follows now—