Vers. 4-6.-Sin-bearing. Ezekiel is to bear the sin of his people, doing it inileed syrubolically every night, by lying first on one side, with the idea that the siu of Israel is upon him so that he cannot move; and then for a shorter period on· the other side, with the idea of the sin of Judah resting on him and holding him down. This shows that a prophet is more than a messenger from God to men. He is one of the people, and his function involves his bearing somewhat of their sin. This must be the case with all servants of God who would be helpful to their brethren. Thus Christ's sin- bearing, while it stands alone in its tremendous endurance and its glorious efficacy, is anticipated and followed in a minor degree. I. SIN-BEARING IS VICARIOUS. 1. It is bearing sin for others. Ezekiel took on him the burden of the sin of the guilty nation. Vicarious endurance of sin runs through all life. No man keeps his sin to himself. All who love the sinner bear some of the weight of his sin. Christ the Sinless bears our sin. 2. It is bearing sin fOT brethren. The prophet was to identify himself with his people, and thus to come to bear their sin. Christ became one of us that he might bear our sin for us. Pharisaical scorn for the sin of others betrays the spirit of Cain. 3. It is bearing sin in true proportion. The guilt of Israel is greater than that of Judah, and its punishment is accordingly of longer duration. These facts are recognized in Ezekiel's symbolical periods of endur- ance. As all sin is not equal, all sin does not produce the same distress on the sin-bearer. The aggravation of the world's sin leads to the aggravation of Christ's sufferings. How much has each added to that awful load? II. SIN-BEARING IS A BEAL ENDURANCE. Ezekiel's action was symbolical, but it suggested a true spiritual experience. 1. Sin is borne vicariously in the thought of it. We may refuse to note our brother's ill conduct, and if so we may pass it by with indifference. But the prophet must study the signs of the times; the Christ must take the real state of the world into his thought and heart; the man of Christian sympathy must consider deeply and sadly the great sin of mankind. 2. This is borne in the sl,ame of it. Each man is only guilty of his own misconduct. Yet we are all conscious of the shame of the sin of those who are closely related to us. A child's sin is his father's shame. The Christian spirit makes the shame of the sin of others felt by those who have escaped it. 3. This is borne in the suffering of it. We cannot but suffer for the wickedness of those who are near to us. One who would help and save his brethren must bear the suffering of their sins. Ezekiel in a lower degree anticipated that type of vicarious suffering set forth in Isa. !iii., which Christ alone fully realized. The Saviour of men must ever be one who sacrifices himself for men by ~uffering the hurt of the sin of men. III. SIN-BEARING IS !"011 THE PURPOSE OF DELIVERANCE FROM BIN. We cannot see all the deep mystery of this; but we can discern its glorious issue. 1. The sin-bearer is a propitwtion to God. The Lamb of God who bears away the sin of the world is God's belo\'ed Son, in whom he is well pleased. God cannot be pleased with mere suffering; lmt he may well be delighted with the spirit of obedience, holiness, and love that is manifested in vicarious suffering, and may take this as an ample compensation and a glorious intercession. 2. The sin-bearing should move the guilty to repentance. 'fhe Jews were to learn a lesson from EzekieL Christ's cross preaches repentance. og, iv.1-17.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 77
Ver. 13.-" Defiled bread." Among the many inconveniences of the exile this was to be included, that the Jews would not be able to secure that their food should be cooked in their own manner, e.nd so kept free from ceremonial defilement. But is there not a. latent irony in the suggestion of such a thing as a serious calamity? Does it not show that the spirit uf the Pharisees, who would strain out a gnat and swallO\v a camel, had already appeared? These Jews, who would be so alarmed at the prospect of external defilement, had already corrupted and befouled their souls with the vilest sin. Never- theless, if they did feel the shame of the external defilement, it would come to them as a fitting retribution. Outward shame is the just penalty of inward sin. I. BREAD IS DEFILED WHEN IT IS TAKEN BY A ~INNER, All that a bad man touches turns to corruption. The sweetest food becomes foul in the mouth of the wicked. A morally bad musician desecrates the good music which he tries to interpret by breathing into it a corrupt feeling. The best book will be degraded by an evil-minded reader. Such a person will contrive to extract sinful suggestions from the Bi hie ; and then perhaps he will even denounce the sacred volume as immoral in its tendency. II. BREAD IS DEFILED WHEN IT IS GOT BY EVIL MEANS. The finest wheaten loaf is a corrupt thing when it has been stolen. A dishonest style of business degrades all its proceeds. When a man grows fat on the gains which he has extorted from the helpless by cunning or force, he has brought moral degradation into bis home and corruption to his table. The very bread with which he feeds his innocent children is a vile thing, and the hungry poor whom his wicked practices are starving may have the consolation of knowing that the crusts they gnaw in reeking cellars are cleaner in the sight of God than the dainties of his sumptuous banquets. III. BREAD IS DEFILED WHEN IT IS EATEN IN AN UNWORTHY SPIRIT. If the hand of the Giver is ignored, the bread is at once degraded. It becomes but a dead mass of earth. The heavenly hand that gave it makes its highest value. Taken in faith and gratitude, the common bread of a daily meal has something of a sacra.mental nature in it. But ingratitude spoils all. The Israelites, loathing the manna in the wilderness and murmuring against their God, did their worst to corrupt the heavenly gift. IV. BREAD IS DEFILED WHEN IT IS EATEN FOR AN UNWORTHY PURPOSE. 1. It may be devoured in low animal greed and lust of food. Then the Divine sanctity of it vanishes, and it becomes a degraded thing. 'l'he glutton who lives to eat defiles the best bread. So, too, the man who accepts the other gifts of Providence which a.re bestowed upon him, solely for self-indulgence, lowers and vitiates all he consumes. 2. It may be converted into enf!1'gy for sin. The bad man goes forth and does wickedly in the strength of the bread which the holy God has given to fit him for the service of goodness. Can any act of defilement be worse than that? To preserve our bread from corruption let us recollect the apostolic direction, " Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."