V ers. 20-22.-The perversion of desirable possessions p'II/T/,ished 'by the deprivation of them. "As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty," etc. In these words we discover- L DESfflABLE POSSESSIONS SINFULLY PERVERTED. (Yer. 22.) This verse has been differently translated and interpreted. Hengstenberg renders it, " And his glorious ornament he has set for pride; and they made the images of their abominations and detestable idols of it: therefore have I laid it on them for uncleanness." Some refer this to the temple, which "by way of eminence was the glory and ornament of the nation." Others, connecting it with the preceding verse, refer it to the riches, or to the elegant ornaments made of gold and silver, which the Israelites possessed. With- out presuming to speak dogmatically on the point, we incline to the latter view. The Israelites were an opulent people. '.l.'he Prophet Isaiah said, "Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures." God had enabled them to accumulate riches (cf. Deut. viii 18). And now they misused their wealth against him. 1. Their desirable possessions they turned into an occasion of pride. "His glorious ornament he has set for pride." The "he" signifies the people, who are called either he or they. They perverted their riches into a parade of their own self-sufficient power; they misused them for their self-glorification. 'fhe prosperity, which should have enkiadled their gratitude to the Lord their God, led to their presumption and self-exaltation (cf. Isa. ii. 11, 17). This is not a solitary case, but a representative on", of tb.e way in which the gifts of God are perverted by the sin of man. Wheu 1,piritual prirrileges lead to supercilious pharisaism (cf. Luke xviii, 11); when the 011. vn. 1-27.J THE \JOOK OF THE PROPIIET EZEKIEL. 141
possession of personal gifts 11nd abilities generate self-conceit; or when the possession of riches is made the occasion of self-Jaudation (cf. Deut. vii, 17; Dan. iv. 30) ·-when these things occur, we have a similar abuse of the gifts of God, "Thus s~ith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom," etc. (Jer. ix. 23, 24), 2. Their desirable possessions they tu:rned into detestable idols. "They made the images of their abominations and detestable idols of it." In Isa. ii, 7, 8 the abundance of riches and the prevalence of idolatry stand in close connection. To a great extent the idolatry proceeded from the self-exaltation, Pride would choose even its own god, rather than accept and serve the true God as he has revealed himself and his will. "All idolatry," says Hengstenberg, "is at bottom egoism, the apotheosis of self, that sets np its god out of itself-first makes and then adores," The gold and silver, which the Lord had enabled them to acquire, they abused against his express commands, and to his dishonour. Nor is this sin of perverting God's gifts to sinful and base uses without its modern illustrations. When the poet employs his glorious gift of song for the pollution of the imagination; or the philosopher his powers for the propagation of scepticism and the destruction of faith ; when riches are expended for the gratification of pride, the love of vain show, or for any sinful object; when a nation uses its power oppressively, tyrannically, or to the injury of others ;-when these things are done, the principle of the sin dealt with in our text receives fresh illustration. II. PERVERTED POSSESSIONS TAKEN FROM TBEm PERVERTORS AND GIVEN TO THEm ENEMIES, "A.nd I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it." Notice: 1. The true Proprietor of man's possessions. "I will give it into the hands of the strangers." In these words, by implication, the Most High asserts his claim to dispose of the riches of the Israelites according to his own pleasure. The richest man is but the steward or trustee of the riches. God alone is absolute Proprietor. The ablest man is indebted to God for his abilities, and is solemnly accountable to him for the use of them. "For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?' etc. (1 Cor. iv. 7). God has the right to do with our gifts and goods how and what he will. 2. Man deprived of the possessions which he has abused by the true Proprietor of them. God was about to give the riches of the Israelites to the Chaldeans, who are here spoken of as "strangers, and the wicked of the earth." They could not have conquered and spoiled the Israelites but for the permission of the Lord Jehovah. The victory of the Chaldeans was his penal victory over his sinful people. Is it not reasonable and righteous that the gifts which have been perverted should be withdrawn from their pervert~rs? that the possessions which have been abused should be taken away from their alrusers? (cf. Matt. x.xi. 33-43). III. THE PERVERSION OF DESIRABLE POSSESSIONS LEADING TO THE AVERSION OF THE DIVINE FAVOUR. "My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it." 1. Persistence in sin leads to the withdrawal of the favour of God. Turning the Divine face to any one is an expression denoting the favourable regards of God (cf. Numb. vi. 25, 26; Ps. xxv. 16; lxvii. 1 ; lxix. 16 ; lxxx. 3, 7, 19; lxxxvi. 16). "The face of God," says Schroder suggestively, "is the consecration of our life: our free upward look to it, its gracious look on us." In his favour there is life and peace, prosperity and joy. The turning of his face from any one is a token of his displeasure. He was about to tum it away thus from Israel. 2. The withdrawal of the favour of God leaves man without adequate defence. "They shall pollute my secret: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it." Very different meanings are given to the words, "my secret." Some would translate it, "my treasure," and apply it to Jerusalem; others to the holy land in general, Ewald interprets it, "the treasure of my guardianship, i.e. of my country or my people." It seems to us probable that Jerusalem is meant. When God turns "away his face from any, the face of calamity and destruction is towards them, nay, destruction is upon them. No sooner doth God turn away from a nation, but destruc- tion steps into tbat nation." He is both the Sun and the Shield of his people; and if he turn his face away from them, they are in darkness, and defenceless before their enemies and dangers. And this was the punishment of idolatry most solemnly announced by Jehovah through his servant Moses: "I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles she.II befall them; so that they will sa.y 142 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [oR, vu. 1-27,