Ver. 10.-Base idolatry. Placed, as the children of Israel were, in a very central position among the nations, they were exposed to a great variety of temptations. Circ=tances must sometimes have favoured the influence of one nation, sometimes of another. Commercial intercourse, political leagues, matrimonial alliances, all had a share in determining which nation should predominate in influencing the Jewish people. And it is certain that by such influences the people were led into idolatries of different kinds. Egypt, as the neighbour of Israel upon the south, naturally came again and again into contact with the people who had been by Divine power delivered from her bands. Probably some relics of Egyptian superstition lingered for generations among the Jews, and it seems certain that efforts were made to introduce the deities and idolatrons worship of Egypt among the professed worshippers of Jehovah. Thie verse obviously refers to the practice of Egyptian idolatry in the capital, and in the very temple courts. L THE OIURACTEB OF THIS IDOLATRY. I. It was the worship of livin~ creatures. 2. And of the lowest fo= of life. This we know to have been especially cliaracteristie of the religion of ancient Egypt. II. THE 'VILE1'"EBB AND ABSURDITY OF THIS IDOLATRY. 1. It was the elevation of the creature above the Creator. 2. It was the glorification of animal in preference to spiritual life. 3. It manifested itself in the most irrational and indefensible forms which so-called religion could possibly assume. 4. It lowered the worshippers to a moral level of degradation below which it was scarcely possible to sink. III. THE GUILT OF THE JEWS IN PBAOTISING THIS IDOLATRY. 1. They forsook the pure and elevating worship of the living and true God, preferring the vile to the precious, the disgusting to the sublime. 2 'l'hey acte~ in a manner _con.trary to al~ _the lessons of their past history. 3. They rebelled agamst the authontat1ve admon1t10ns of the Lorcl's faithful prophets. In all these respects the Hebrew people were far more blamable than the surrounding nations who had been trained in idolatrous practices, and bad never declined from a purer and nobler faith and worship.-T.
Ver. 12.-Atheism. In the chambers of the temple courts the prophet in his vision ~ebeld seventy elders, representing the people of Judah and I~rac,l, engaged in 1dolatn,us wur,liip. The walls of the chambers were decorated with figures of the llllimals to \I Lieb Lomage was rendered. Those who by reason of character and 011, vm. 1-18.) 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 153
station should ·have been the leaders of the people in the offices of pure religion were engaged in waving the censers of the idolatrous worship, and the thick cloud of unholy incense filled the chambers. As the prophet gazed appalled at this awful spectacle, the voice of the Lord addressed him: "Hast thou seen what they do? They say, The Lord seeth ns not ; the Lord bath forsaken the earth." Here was the true explana.- tion of the defection of the Jews-leaders and common people alike. It was a.theism which led to idolatry. And e.tbeism is far more generally at the root of all evils in society than many superficial observerR a.re willing to allow. I. THE ELEMENTS OF ATHEISM. There a.re many who a.re not professedly and openly atheists, who are such in reality. They may not cast aside the Na.me of God, they may not openly repudiate the Law of God ; but in their hearts they believe not in him. There may be recognized on their pa.rt: 1. Disbe!ief in the Lord's omniscient observation of men. "They say, The Lord seeth us not." 2. Disbelief in. the Lord's presence and activity. "They say, The Lord bath forsaken the earth." Whoever they may be who make these assertions, and whatever their standing among their fellow-men, they are practically and really atheistic. II. THE OPERATION OF ATHEISM. It is impossible that such disbelief as that described should be without influence upon the moral nature and conduct. 1. A.theism removes the restraints from sin which belief in the Divine presence imposes_ This is not the highest view to take of the question, but it is a. just one; and many natures a.re largely influenced by the knowledge that an all-seeing God regards all their ways and thoughts. 2. A.theism removes the inspiration to goodness which belief in the Divine presence furnishes. The knowledge that a. holy and omnipotent Father is ever with us, is ever ready to encourage and assist us in all our endeavours to realize our highest idea.I, must needs be a factor of great importance in our spiritual life. Let this be withheld or contradicted, and how much that is best must be with- drawn along with it! III. THE FRUITS OF ATHEISM. 1. Among these Jews at Jerusalem disbelief in Jehovah led to euperetition and idolatry-no unusual conjunction. 2. Very generally, a.theism lea.de to self-indulgence and vice. 3. .And it is destructive of all higher ne.tiona.l life. Fidelity to God is fidelity to principle, fidelity to society, fidelity to the highest conception formed of human life. Infidelity to God involves the opposite of all these virtues, and abandonment to th!I life of interest, of ease, of pleasure ; it gives power to every temptation to sin, to every evil tendency of society. Under its influence man sinks to the merely animal life, and to euch mental a.cti vity as subserves that life. .APPLIOATION. We are sometimes told that in speculative atheism there is no great harm ; that without belief in God men may be good citizens, and may discharge honourably the several relationships of life. Without denying that, in certain instances, the influence of Christianity may for a. time abide after Christianity itself has been abandoned, we have yet to look at the proper and inevitable consequences of a. general abandonment of belief in God. We shall find these so terrible, that we may well watch and pray against the first loosenings of belief in the most fundamental and precious of all truths.-T.