Ezekiel chapter 9

An angel marks the forehead of all the righteous people in Jerusalem. And six angels act without mercy or pity. They slaughter everyone else. UPDATED.

 


 

AN ANGEL MARKS THE RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM

 

VERSE 1. Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.”

those who are in charge. They are probably angels.

 

VERSE 2. Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.

with his slaughter weapon in his hand. What are these deadly weapons?

clothed in linen. Linen suggests dignity, purity, divine origin. This angel is acting as a scribe.

a writer’s inkhorn by his side. Why does this angel have a writer’s case? What will it be used for?

 

VERSE 3. The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.

The glory of the God of Israel went up. The glory of the LORD God departs the cherub and goes to the threshold of the temple.

 

VERSE 4. The LORD said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

NKJV translation. and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

put a mark on the foreheads. This is a good thing.

The angel-scribe dressed in linen is using the writing tools to mark the foreheads of the people who are to be spared. This also happens in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 7:3-4. saying, “Don’t harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!” 4 I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:

sigh and cry over all the abominations. The mark on the forehead identifies the people who are fully devoted to the LORD God.

 

VERSE 5. To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity.

neither have pity. They were to be without mercy. There was to be no pity.

 

VERSE 6. Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house.

NKJV translation. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.

do not come near anyone on whom is the mark. This is like in Egypt, where the Israelites put a mark on their doorposts. The angel spared those who had the mark on their doorposts.

Begin at my sanctuary. Divine judgment begins with the religious leaders.

Evil usually begins with religious leaders and then spreads to the general population. And so divine judgment follows the same course.

 

VERSE 7. He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city.

 

VERSE 8. While they were killing, and I was left, I fell on my face, and cried, and said, “Ah Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

NAB translation. As they began to strike, I was left alone. I fell prone, crying out, Alas, Lord GOD! Will you destroy all that is left of Israel when you pour out your fury on Jerusalem?

Will you destroy all that is left. Ezekiel is like Moses. He has a heart of love for his people. And so should we. We need to have a heart of love for the people God calls us to minister to.

 

VERSE 9. Then he said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD doesn’t see.’

The iniquity … is exceedingly great. The nation’s sin had progressed much too far to avert this disaster.

 

VERSE 10. As for me also, my eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”

 

VERSE 11. Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”

I have done as you have commanded me. The righteous people had received the mark of protection. They would be spared.

 


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EZEKIEL

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 1516, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

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