PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1
Edward Hayes Plumptre [1821-1891] · 364,205 words · 401 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 241
men. They prefaced their statements a.ud their advice with such la.ngua.ge as Ezekel here quotes: "Hear ye the word of the Lord;" "The Lord sa.ith." Doubtless there were those who were conciliated and attracted by such claims, but who would ha.ve resented any summons addressed to them in the name of a heathen deity. …
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when there ie no peace. Their visions a.re illusive, and their prophecies are false- hoods. II. STORM AND RAIN. The plausible appearance is bnt for a season. Time tries all. There is ever II day of reckoning at hand. The prophet of the Lord reminds pretenders and hypocrites that an overflowing shower, great hailstones…
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r Vers. 1-9.-71ie perils of falseness. The work of God's prophets is made more difficult by the competitioz. of pretenders. They cater for popularity by predicting only what is ple,i.sing to flesh and blood. Hence they bring discredit on all God's revelations. In Ezekiel's day the false teachers were specially busy …
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hedgo for the house of Ierael to stand in the battle." They need others, as the monkey did tho cat's paw. Whero arduous toil, and especially where serious danger, appeared they were conspicuous by their absence. Truth makes men at all times courageoL1s: but fo.laehood corrodes the metal of a man's bravery. These preten…
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Vers. Ii-'23.-Effeminate religion. Moral evil is sadly contagious. The boastful a1Togant temper of the false prophets spread to the women also. It was a time ot' great excitement-a national crisis, in which all political considerations were inter- mingled with religion. Amid the general panic of fear, women as well …
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they should have joy. This is their encouragement and, in part, their reward. He who seeks to prevent this is fighting against Goel. But it is a greater wrong still to encourage tbo wicked in their evil ways. The pains and disappointments which the wicket! experience aro the thorns with which God would hedge up their w…
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powers (cf. Jer. xiv.13; xxviii.1-4). And when tho peoplo ondoa.vourod to strcngthen themselves by the coalition with Egypt, they encouraged them in that course• for as we understa.nd it, that is the meaning of the prophetic figuro: "When ono bui\deth up a wall, behold, they daub it with untempered morta.r." The fig…
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22, 23). 2. The total overthrow and ruin of both themselves and their work. (Vern. 11-16.) Their work was to be swept away by overwhelming forces. The stormy wind, the overflowing shower, and the great hailstones represent the Chaldean army. 'l'hat army would make an utter end of the vain hopes which the false prophets…
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that shall he also ren.p." The forbearance and long-suffering of God with the wicked are very great; but if these be trifled with and presumed upon, he will ce1tse to exercise them, and will Appear for the execution of his judgment (cf. Rom. ii. 4--11). Ill. JT IS THE DU'I'l" OF THE FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF GoD TO ENDEAVO…
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good works and of fancied personal merit. A delusive confidence is theirs. Others build the wall of theological orthodoxy. They hold what they regard as a sound creed, and in some cases are zealous in maintaining it against everything and every on! that appears opposed to it, and because of this they consider that thei…
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suggests that they probably exceeded the false prophets in doing mischief; "for women, by reason of the tenderness of their nature, sweetness of their voices, respect amongst men, ha'l'e the advantage to insinuate their opinions, and persuade more powerfully, especially when they have a repute for holiness, and are …
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CHAPTER XIV. reacl, as in vcr. 7, "I will answer him by myself" (Hitzig). Ver. 1.-As the result, probably, of the Ver. 5.-That I may take the house of previous utterimces, certain elders of Israel, Israel, etc. The words are o. threat rather i.e. of the exiles in Tel-Abib, came to con- than e. promise. The "double-he…
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prophet, etc. The teaohing of modern nozzar to spare the people of Judah and tbought is to soften langunge like this into Jerusalem. The mention of this hist Dl\me "I have permitted him to be deceived." The is significant, as showing the rcputl\tion distinction was seldom, if ever, present to which even then Dl\niel…
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Ver. 6.-Repentance. I. THE FIBST STEP TOWARDS SALVATION IS REPENTANCE. It is true that God has moved towards us before we have thought of turning to him. It is bis goodness that leads us to repentance (Rom. ii. 4). "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. v. 8). But all this precedes our action. When we be…
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Ver. 10.-The prophet's punishment. The prophet is to be punished equally with the rest of the people, because his guilt is equal to theirs. The pleas and excuses which he might sugo-est are all swept away as so many refuges of lies. I. EccLESIABTicAi BANK. There was a recognized professional distinction between the pr…
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Ver. 14.-Noah, Daniel, and Job. I. TlIE SPLENDID PRE·EMINENOl!I OF NoAH, DA1'-.:EL, AND JoB. These three men are selected from ages far apart, and from the greatest diversity of circumstances. In temperament and external history there is little resemblance between them. Noah the patriarch looms on the horizon of histor…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-5.-Idolatry. It certainly seems strange that, at this period of their national history, the Israelites should be chargeable with the folly and sin of idolatry. The admonitions against this offence had been so numerou11, and the chastisements following its commission had been so sev…
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and inward change is effected, for the most part, only with effort and difficulty. 1t needs o. supernatural motive and a ~upernatural power to cause old things to pass away and all things to become new, to exchange darkness for light, anu. the 8ervice ot' Satan for God, Snch a supernatural motive we have in the gospel;…
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Yer. 14.-lllustrious piety. Ezekiel was especially commissioned to set forth and to impress upon the people the individual, the personal, aspect of religion. In many places, as here, he lays stress upon the accountabilit.y of each several man to God. One ca:inot deliver another from deserved punishment. Each must answe…
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Vers. 22, 23.-The reasonableness of Goa!s action. There is that in human nature to which religion appeals, and by which religion asks to be judged. Religion does indeed speak with authority, but the authority is that of wisdom and righteousness. Man's judgment and conscience approve the order of Divine providence, and …
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not acquiesce in their notion's ruin. Hopeful that some message more fa.voura.ble might come from God, they sought (it may be on the sabbath day) the prophet's pre- sence. We must not place these elders in the same category with those in Jerusalem who preferred the flattering speeches of the false prophets. Neverthe…
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VI. ANSWERED PRAYER MAY BE HEAVIEST DISASTER. The Ga.darenes prayed that Jesus would depart out of their coasts, and he departed. The man who has practised deneit shall be himself deceived. Pharaoh hardened his heart against God until at length God joined in the process : "'l'he Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart." He who w…
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penalties, these were the men. It was useless for him to mnke mention of men of inferior piety. .Any righteous man would not suffice. To have any hope of success he must be a man of transcendent purity. This conviction was universal in the mind~ of the people. It was founded on reason, ou experience, on the records …
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says Hengstenberg, the "representatives of those who only outwardly fear God, but inwardly serve the spirit of the world and the age." How many meet in Go(l's house, unite in his worship, and listen to the ministry of his holy Word, as though they were genuine inquirers of his will, who yet have idols in their hearts! …
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false prophets rather than the true ones; and if they persisted in their choice they must take the consequences thereof. This was God's answer to their inquiries. He had shown them that by true repentance they would put themselves into right relations with him. But if they would not repent, he would no more speak to…
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I. TnE PRIVILEGES OF GOOD MEN. Our text announces the safety of good men even in the extremest dangers and the most irresistible judgments. '' They shall ... deliver their own souls by their righteousness." History affords remarkable examples of the deliverance of the good in times of sore peril (cf. Gen. vii. 23; x…
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" work out your own salvation." 'l'here is no working by proxy here, "Each man sho.11 bear his own burden." "Each one of us shall give account of himself to God." Therefore "strive to enter in by the narrow door," eto, "Give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure. "-W. J. Vers. 22, 23. -TM ,-igh teo…
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II. TnE OONVIOTION OF THE GOOD OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF Gon IN ms JUDGME~:Ts. The Lord, by the prophet, assures the troubled exiles that they should know that he had not done without cause all that he had done in Jerusalem. 1. 171is conviction would be wrougltt by the manifestation of the wickedness of the people. "Ther…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-8.-The wortl,Zess vine. The vine represents Israel, and in its degenerato state it stands for the falkn, corrupt nation. Our Lord has taken up the image alreadv familiar to us from Ps. lxxx. and Isa. v., as well as from this passage in Ezekiel s·o that bis Church, now regarded as the spiritual I…
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MERIT OF HER OWN, So far as its wood is concerned, the vine has no advanta.,.e above other trees; in fact, it "is meet for no work," and compares unfavourably with other ond serviceable timber. Similarly, although in the progenitors of the Hebrew race there were remarkable gifts and remarkable moral qualities, and alt…
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I. l\fosT TREES SERVE MANY USES, From root to topmost twig, every part of some trees is ser,iceable to man. The bark is used for cordage or for tanning. The root is often a valuable medicine. The juice which exudes is a precious gum. The fruit is wholesome food. And ·when cut down, the wood is devoted to house-build…
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fruits of holiness and usefulness. If we do eo, we honour him, occupy an cxalte<l morn.I position, and bendit society. If we fail to do so, we dishonour God, sink in moral character and condition, and are worthless or injurious to society. What i,i the fruit which God designs that we should bear? Personal holiness and …
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pleasure generally develops only his sensuous tastes and appetites, to the grave neglect or injury of bis mental and moral powers. He who lives for riches develops hie acquisitive faculties, to the detriment of his communicative powers; he grows in co:nmercial sagacity and keenness, to the great risk of his tenderne…
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remember, BB we reo.d it, that hie standard J ernealem with acting as if they w~re de- was not ours, that those for whom ho wrote scended, nnt from Abraham, Isaac,and .Jacob, bad done or witnessed the things which he but from the earlier heathen inhabitants of describes, that there was in them no nerve what was afterwa…
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with the Rcnsecl. Version, &o c1eam,e. The of the plural we he.ve the du11l. Hitzig ia prnctice still met with in tJ10 ERSt of rub- perhnps, right in taking the phrnse to refe: bing the new-bom chilcl. with snlt mitv have to the beauty of the cheeks, which are rest.eel. partly on se.nitan· grounds (Jerome, th~mselvo…
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not occur elsewhere. The wortl so trnnslated the phrase," perfection of beauty," in Ps. I. in Prov. xxxi. 22 is that which we find here 2; Lam. ii. 15, as applied to ,Jernsalem). and elsewhere for "fine linen." Silk, in the 'fhe prophet, in the words, my comelinees- strict sense of the term, hatl its birthplace in maje…
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we have the familiar phrase of eh. "<"i. 13. -it _seems probable thnt the praotico wns A The scene brought before us is thnt of o. survn•al of the custom to which Ezeldel eaC'ri.ficial feast, in which cakos or flour, refers. As in tho llfylilt1L•Worship nt B,1by- honey, and oil were eaton whilst inC'ense was !011 (H…
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(Jor. xliv. 17), i.e. of the ABs}'l'ian lslitar, points tl,nt were most open to atb,ck (Gen. may have he.cl this origin, Yet couldest not xiii. 9). Ey the blood of thy children. Tbe bo satisfied. One is reminded once moro of words mny refer specially to the l\folooh- Juvenal (' Sat.,' vi. 130). sucrifices of ver. 21, b…
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The women stand for the "cities" which (Rom. iii. 29). The Hittites and Sodom and looked on, with awe or exultation, e.t the Samarfo,, to whom she is compared, had all destruction of the guilty. Possibly, how- alike been guilty of unfaithfulness to their ever, the words may include a, literal sense, husbands. '!'hei…
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eented, os she had done, e. confluence of all Syria o.nrl Philistia-the Assyrian and Clial- the worst idolatries. The words find some- dean invasions. (For the grouping of the thing like nn echo in our Lord's teaching in two nations e.s enemies of Judah, see Isa. ix. Mott. x. 15; xi. 24. And, as is common in 12; o.nd f…
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HOMILETICS. Ver. 3.-Evil parentage. The Jews boasted of their descent from Abral1am, but Ezekiel told them that they were children of the Canaanite aborigines of their land, because it was from those people that they drew their present character. I. ORIGINAL PARENTAGE MAY BE LOST. A man may inherit the throne of a …
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Ver. 14.-The renown of Israel. I. THE NATURE OF Tms RENOWN. 1. The renown of great deliverance. The fame of the escape from Egypt and of the overthrow or Pharaoh's host in the Red Sea spread over the neighbouring lands, so that when the wandering tribes reached the borders of Canaan, they were known as a people mar- ve…
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the dull embers of a listless devotion. 2. Lack of ener,gy. The weak heart beats feebly, and the person who is affiicted with it does not feel equal to any great exer- tions. '!'here are souls in this condition or torpor, 3. Readiness to give way. The weak heart may be overstrained; its action may be depressed; or it m…
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Ver. 42.-How Gorl's anger ceases. I. IT CANNOT CEASE WHil,E THE CAUSE FOB IT hEMAlNS. An irascible per~on is provoked to wrath by slight causes ; but inasmuch as his anger springG chiefly from his own fiery disposition, the cooling of passion allays the rage of wrath, even though circumstances remain unchanged. But …
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Ver. 53.-771e sal·uation of Sodom. That the notoriously wicked cities of the plain should come under the saving grace of God would seem to be one of the greatest paradoxes of redemption, and the more so as those cities had been utterly destroyed and the very sites of them obliterated. A reference to such an event opens…
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to mind of previous happy relations. God is not ready to forsake his people with ~hom he made a covenant in the olden times. It may be the sa.me with the indi- vidual souls. There are mon who followed God in their childhood, perhaps learnin" to love him from a mother's teaching, and entering into solemn promises to liv…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-4.-,U~~rved and lavish_kind1:ess. The Prophet Ez_ek)el was a prophet of reproach. His m1D1stry largely consisted m rebuke and denunc1at1on. His lot fell upon the time of his country's calamity. Defection and apostasy were punished by national disaster; for whilst the exiles endu…
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Vers.15-59.-Inexcusable infidelity. Universal consent accounts that woman vile who, married to a kind and honourable husband, in order to gratify her own unchastened desires, commits adultery with her neighbours and acquaintances, and expends her husband's substance in rewarding her numerous and profligate admirers. 'l…
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Vers. 60-63.-Reconciliation. It is not possible to conceive a more sudden and extraordinary change than that which occurs in passing from the fifty-ninth to the sixtieth verse of this chapter. From an exposure of the vilest treachery and threats of condign and awful punishment, the Lord, speaking by the mouth of his pr…
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of l'ighteousness and of mercy. When he declares, in the language of the text, " I am pncified toward thee," then it is well. When he giveth peace, who can give trouble? The transgressions of other days are forgotten ; the estrangement of other days has given place to concord and harmony. Reverence and love are offered…
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brand plucked from tbe burning?" 5. Multiplication of life. He made tbe one into many. "I have caused thee to multiply as tbe bud of the field." He who in the beginning of creation ordained that every plant should produce seed after its own kind, ordained that Israel should be fruitful above the ordinary measure of man…
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received?" Every endowment of mind, every organ of body, every item of materiai substance, belongs to God by right inalienable. 'l'hey are bis by right of creation, by right of sustentation, by right of purchase. They are "redeemed by precious blood." Every coin of silver or of gold bas God's image impressed on it. To …
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Vers. 44-59.-Sin seen in the light of comparison. If men are so encased in worldliness that they cannot see their sin in the light of God's perfect righteousness they may yet discover some features of their sin in the light of others' conduct, in th~ light of others' doom. God ha.s employed manifold methods for conv…
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rain of his grace migM penetrate the soil. It is pure love that originated the covenant and pure love that maintains it. ' II. THE NATURE OF TRUE REPENTANCE. "Thou shaH be ashamed." Repentance comes from reflection. Sin is the effect of slumber of mind, callousness of conscience. When the real man awakens and reflects…
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human nature indicates sinful parentage. The doctrine of original sin has often been st.ated in a very objectionable manner. But there is a basis of fact underlying tho.t doctrine. It is certain that human beings manifest in early life a proclivity to sin. The modern scientific teaching as to inherited tendencies co…
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is represented as having now arrived at womanhood. The easting of the skirt over her is an action indicative of ta.king her under one'B protection with a. view to betrothal (cf. Ruth iii. 9), And keeping up the figure, the espousals are indicated by the words, "Yea., I aware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with …
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Vers. 15-34.-.A pict11,re of flagrant apostasy from God. "' But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the ha.riot because of thy renown," etc. The prophet now passes from what God had done for his people Israel to set forth how they had requited him. He had shown how, under his fostering ea.re, the outcast…
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which God had enabled them to acqnlre---position, prosperity, power-they ba.rl abused by making them occasions of sin. '.Chey reposed in them the trust which they should havo reposed in God alone. How oft.en ba.ve men abused their prosperity in a similar manner I A man by the blessing of God succeeds in his business…
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ITT. TRE BORE AGGRAVATIONS OF TITTS APOSTASY, 1. Their ea;treme 1·eadiness to d-epartfrom God. (Vers. 25-34.) The nations did not seek after them, but they after the nations. They were eager to adopt their idols, and to enter into political alliances with them. "The treacherous and wanton dealing we.s all on Israel'…
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thrm once; a brief considerntion of them will therefore be sufficient in this place. The eins of which the people are here co11victed are these. 1. Sinful for,qetfulness of th-,ir early history. "Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth" (ver. 43; cf. ver. 22). They forgot the low estate in which the Lord foun…
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.