Ezekiel 9
Ezekiel 9 presents a vision where God commands judgment upon Jerusalem for its sins. The chapter portrays God's deep grief over the city's corruption and His directive to mark the righteous for protection while punishing those who persist in sin. This chapter emphasizes divine justice, where God’s mercy toward the repentant is contrasted with judgment upon those committed to wrongdoing. It serves as a sobering reminder of God’s holiness and His intolerance for sin, especially among His chosen people.
Ezekiel 9:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.”
2 And suddenly, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side;
4 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.”
5 To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.
6 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.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.
7 Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.
8 So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?”
9 Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’
10 And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.”
In this powerful vision, six executioners are summoned by God, symbolizing the severity of judgment to come upon Jerusalem due to its persistent sin and disregard for divine commands. The man clothed in linen, often considered a symbol of priestly purity, is instructed to mark those who mourn for the city’s sins. These individuals will be spared, emphasizing God's mercy toward those who remain faithful amidst widespread corruption. The rest of the people, however, face severe judgment, beginning with the elders in the temple, indicating that even leaders are not exempt from accountability. Ezekiel’s despair is palpable as he pleads for mercy, yet God reaffirms that the city’s pervasive iniquity has brought about inevitable recompense.
Ezekiel 9:11 (NKJV)
11 Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as You commanded me.”
The man in linen returns, confirming that he has completed the task of marking the faithful, showing obedience to God’s directive. This final verse emphasizes that God’s instructions are fulfilled precisely, underscoring the certainty of divine plans. While those who grieve over the city's abominations are safeguarded, the city’s judgment is assured for the unrepentant, reinforcing the message of accountability to God's holiness.