Matthew Henry Commentary Ezekiel 8
Matthew Henry Commentary
Ezekiel 8
Matthew Henry Commentary
Ezekiel 8
"And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord Jehovah fell there upon me. Then I beheld, and, lo, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his loins and downward, fire; and from his loins and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal. And he put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner [court] that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain. 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. And he said unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel do commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but thou shalt again see yet other great abominations." — Ezekiel 8:1-6 (ASV)
The glorious personage Ezekiel witnessed in a vision seemed to take hold of him, and he was transported in spirit to Jerusalem. There, in the inner court of the temple, a place was prepared for some base idol. The whole scene was presented in a vision to the prophet. If God were to grant anyone a clear view of His glory and majesty, and of all the abominations being committed in any one city, that person would then acknowledge the justice of the severest punishments God would inflict upon it.
"And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold, a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel; and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, every man with his censer in his hand; and the odor of the cloud of incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chambers of imagery? for they say, Jehovah seeth us not; Jehovah hath forsaken the land." — Ezekiel 8:7-12 (ASV)
A secret place was, so to speak, opened, where the prophet saw creatures painted on the walls, and a number of the elders of Israel worshipped before them.
No superiority in worldly matters will preserve people from lust or idolatries when they are left to their own deceitful hearts; and those who are soon weary in the service of God often spare no effort or expense when following their superstitions.
When hypocrites screen themselves behind the wall of an outward profession, there is some hole or another left in the wall, something that betrays them to those who look diligently.
There is a great deal of secret wickedness in the world. They think themselves out of God's sight. But those are ripe indeed for ruin who lay the blame of their sins upon the Lord.
"He said also unto me, Thou shalt again see yet other great abominations which they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Jehovah`s house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? thou shalt again see yet greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of Jehovah`s house; and behold, at the door of the temple of Jehovah, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of Jehovah, and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in wrath; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them." — Ezekiel 8:13-18 (ASV)
The yearly lamenting for Tammuz was accompanied by infamous practices; and the sun worshippers described here are thought to have been priests. The Lord appeals to the prophet concerning the heinousness of the crime; and lo, they put the branch to their nose, denoting some custom used by idolaters in honor of the idols they served.
The more we examine human nature and our own hearts, the more abominations we will discover; and the longer the believer searches himself, the more he will humble himself before God, and the more he will value the fountain open for sin, and seek to wash in it.
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