The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 64

developorl, meets us in Hab. ii. I. Its use in described in the same words as that of Cain Hos. ix. 8 is doubtful ns to meaning, and (Gen. ix. 5). Compare St. Paul's words in in Isa.. Iii. 8 and lvi. 10 it ma.y be, if we Acts xviii. 6 and xx. 26 as echoes of Eze- accept tho theory of a. Dcutero-Isaiab, a.n kiel's thought. echo from EzekiPl. It is reproduced with Ver. 19.-Thou hast delivered thy soul, special emphasis in eh. xxxiii. 2-7. More etc. This phrase is again an eminently than any word it describes the special characteristicone (comp. ch.xxxiii. 9). Here characteristic of Ezekiel's work. He is to o.lso, though the words do not necessarily watch personally over individual souls. imply more than deliverance from bodily So in a like sense, a corresponding word is death, thought of as a judgment for negli- used of the Christian ministry in Hob. xiii. 17 gence, it is, I think,scarcely possible to avoid ( compare e.lso for the thought, though the finding in them a" springing and germinant '' word is not the so.me, Isa. x.xi. 11, 12 ; !xii. sense, analogous to that which we have 6; Ps. cxxvii. l). A vivid picture of the work found in the preceding ~erse. The dread of such e. we.tchme.n is found, it ma.y be warning has for its complement a message noted, in the opening speech of the of comfort. The judgment passed on the •Agamemnon' of 1Eschylus. Give them prophet'does·not depend on the results of his warning, eto. It is, I think, a legitimate ministry. "Whether men will hear, or i a Ference that the prophet acted on the whether they will forbear," he has" deli rnred command while he was with the exiles and his soul," i.e. saved his life, when he has before the departure of ver. 22, not by done his duty as a watchman. The phrase harangues or sermons addressed to the whole is noticeable o.s having passed out of the borly of the exiles, but by direct warning to language of Scripture into familiar use. A individuals. man can say, "Libera.vi animam meam," Ver. 18.-Thou givest him not warning, when he has uttered his conviction on any etc. The word, as in the parallels already question of importance affecting the well- referred to, is characteristic of Ezekiel, almost Leing of others. indeed, peculiar to him. Ps. xix. 11 msy be Ver. 20.-J'rom his righteousness. The noted as a.notber instance of its use. When Hebrew gh-es the plural, "his righteous- the watchman saw danger coming, he wa~ to nesses"-all his single righteous acts that lie blow the trumpet (oh. x.xxiii. 3-6). The behiud. I lay a stumbling-block, etc. The prophet wos to speak bis warnings. Thou word is again characteristic (eh. vii. 19; shalt surely die; literally, dying thou ehalt xiv. 3, 4). It occurs in Jer. vi. 21, and die. Were the words of Gen. ii. 17 tu the Ezekiel may he.ve learnt the use of the word prophet's mind? To save his life; lit£,rally, from him. It is found also in Lev. xix. 14 for his life, or that he may li-ve. Shall oie in e.nd Isa. I vii. H; but the date of these, ac- hie iniquity. Do the words refer 01Jy to cording to the so-called higher criticism, physical death corning as the punisbment may be later than Ezekiel. In Is!\. viii. 14 of iniquity? or do they point onward the word is different. The English word further to the judgmeut that follows death, sufficiently expresses the sense. One of the the loss of the inheritnnce of eternal life acts of Eustern malignity was to put a stone which belongs to those whose names are in a man's wo.y, that he might fall and hurt writton in the book of life? Looking to the himself. Here the putting the stone is tremendous responsibility implied in the described e.s the act of J ehovuh, and is words, we can hardly, I think, in spite of applied to unything that tempts a man to tho questions which ha.ve been raised as to evil, and so to his owu destruction (Jer. vi. the belief of the Hebrews in the immor- 21). The thought is startling to us, l\nd tality of the soul, hesitate to o.ccept the seems at vuriauce with true conceptions of latter mco.ning. Ezekiel anticipates the the Divine will (Jas. i. 13). The explana- teaching of Pllil. iv. 3; Rev. iii. 5; xiii. 8, tion is to be found in the fa.et tha.t the if, inrleed, that meaning was uot o.lready prophet's mind did not draw the distinction familiar to him in Exod. xxxii. 32, 33. which we draw between evil permitted o.nd l!'or "in" his iniquity we may, perhaps, tl10 so.me evil decreed. All, from this point read" because of." The negligence of the of view, is as God wills, and even ihose who wa.tchruo.u does not o.vail to procure a full thwart that will are indeed fulfilling it. pardon for the evil-doer. The degree in Glimpses are given of the purpose which which it ma.y extenuate his guilt depends on leads to the permission or decree. In the couditions known to God, but not to us. In cnse now before us the man has turned from any cnse, as in our Lord's words (Luke xii. his righteousness before the stumbling-block 47, 48), a man's knowledge o.nd opportunities is lui<l in his way. The temptation is per- are the meusure of his responsibility. Dut mitted that the man may become conscious tl!~ unfaithful wutchrunn has his responsi- of his evil (so Rom, vii. 13). If the prophet- b_1hty. It is as though the blood of the preacher does his duty, the ma.n may conquer &Inner ha.d been ehecJ. liis gt1ilt 111ay be tqe temph,tion, nncl the stumbling-block IDay l!,ZEJUEL 1 £ 00 THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [011, 111. 1-27.