John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 8:5

"Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry." — Ezekiel 8:5 (ASV)

Here one profanation of the temple is shown to the Prophet, namely, the idol erected at the entrance of the area near the altar. It may happen that the worship of God is only slightly corrupted, so that the corruption is scarcely apparent. But while the Prophet repeats that the idol was that of jealousy, he points out the gross and shameful disgrace of that spectacle, so that they could not gloss over their impiety with any pretense, after they had so openly and admittedly revolted from the law of God.

But when he is ordered to raise his eyes to the way of the north, this also serves for the confirmation of his teaching. For if the Prophet had turned his eyes that way of his own accord, his looking that way would have been of less significance; but when God directs his eyes by express command, the reproach which afterwards follows has more weight.

This, therefore, is the reason why the Prophet did not cast his eyes of his own accord towards the idol, as he might have done, but was admonished by God to do so. Meanwhile, it appears with what docility he obeyed God’s commands. He puts these two things together: that he was ordered to raise his eyes, and that he immediately did so. We see here that he was so obedient to God’s command, that he did not delay but instantly obeyed it.

He says, the idol was near the gate of the altar, which circumstance exaggerates the crime. If the idol had been erected in any remote corner, it would have been an intolerable sacrilege, though the modesty of the Jews had been greater. But when they erected the idol before the altar, they flew, as it were, in the very face of God. If an immodest woman runs after an adulterer, her husband is justly enraged; but if she brings him before her husband, wantons with him before his eyes, and prostitutes herself to all crimes, then certainly such wanton lust cannot be endured. But such was the audacity of the people that when the idol was erected before the gate of the altar, it seemed as if they wished to dethrone the Almighty and to contaminate his altar by the sight of the idol.