John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 7:18

"They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads." — Ezekiel 7:18 (ASV)

He continues the same sentiment. He says, such was the slaughter of the people that they would all gird themselves with sackcloth. But it hardly seems consistent with this that those who would be astonished would gird themselves with sackcloth, and yet not bewail the dead. But the prophets vary their discourse in this way because they cannot otherwise influence stubborn minds.

Therefore, although these things do not seem at first sight to agree—that they would bind themselves in sackcloth, and that baldness would be upon all their heads: and then that all would perish without grief or sorrow—yet these things suit well enough, because the Prophet does not express what they ought to do, but what the event will be.

Since, therefore, slaughter will occur on every side, and eventually God will consume some by pestilence and others by famine, he therefore adds that there would be cause for grief—although, as a consequence of the multitude of evils, they would be lifeless and torpid, and would omit all signs of sorrow. Therefore they shall gird themselves with sackcloth. We know that this was a notable symbol of penitence, but it is often applied to common sorrow, and even ungodly men clothe themselves in sackcloth, although they do not acknowledge God as the author of calamities.

Thus, when the Prophet says, all would take sackcloth with which to clothe themselves, he does not mean that they would feel divinely inflicted punishments so that they would repent; but he only expresses the common ceremony of grief in distress, which is also common to the wicked and to those who despise God. Now he adds, Fear shall cover them, and disgrace, or shame, shall be on all faces: then upon all heads shall be baldness. This was forbidden by the Law (Deuteronomy 14:1), since we know that God restrained excessive immoderation in sorrow when He forbids His people to fall upon their faces or to make themselves bald, for that was absurd affectation.

And we know that people are ostentatious in grief. Therefore, so that God might impose restraint upon sorrow, He forbids His people to cut their skin or to make themselves bald. Thus we see that the Prophet does not speak of the true sign of repentance, but only indicates, as I have said, that God’s vengeance would be so horrible, that dread shall cover them, and then that shame and confusion of face shall come upon them: then, that they would cut their skin like the Gentiles and put on sackcloth like men abandoned to destruction.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since You have recalled us to Yourself, that we may not grow torpid in our sins, nor yet become hardened by Your chastisements, but instead, that we may forestall Your final judgments in good time, and so humble ourselves under Your powerful hand, that we may seriously testify to and truly prove our repentance, and so diligently seek to obey You, that we may advance in newness of life more and more, until at last we put off all the defilements of the flesh, and arrive at the enjoyment of that eternal rest which Your only-begotten Son has acquired for us by His own blood. Amen.