The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 163

Vers. 17, 18.-Men co-assessors in judgment witli God. In saving men from sin, God qualifies them for the highest offices in his kingdom. "They shall sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' I. GoD GIVES us, IN STAGES, HIS VIEW OF HUMAN GUILT. Without question, we should take very low and imperfect conceptions of sin, unless God revealed to us the facts in the moral department of existence. By such means, God condescends to train us for companionship with himself, and for high office in his realm. "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" II. GOD SHOWS us FURTHER THE MANIFOLD EFFECTS OF HUMAN. SIN. 1. Its inex- cusableness. It is not committed from want of knowledge. Those in Judrea who had the clearest access to knowledge respecting God yielded to idolatry. 2. Its effect upon others. All sin is contagious; and when exhibited in the lives of learned and official personages, it has peculiar fascination, The mystic force of influence diffuses it far and wide. 3. Its penetrative power. It touches and taints every part of man's nature- body, soul, and spirit. It defiles every department of human life and interest-agri- culture, commerce, literature, legislation, the household. 4. Its cwmulative energy. It grows worse and worse, until every restraint is broken down, and all sense of shame is destroyed. Open defiance of God is the last phase of iniquity. III. GoD SUMMONS OUR JUDGMENT TO ASSESS THE GUILT. God appeals to his prophet for his estimate of the case. "Hast thou seen this, 0 son of man? Is this a light thing?" Our judgment, onr reason, our moral sensibility, our conscience, have been conferred upon us for this selfsame purpose, viz. that we should condemn what is evil and approve what is good. Under certain circumstances it is our duty not to judge ; as, for instance, when all the facts of the case are not within our possession, or when ~ympathetic help is better than critical examination, or when our judging faculty is better exercised about ourselves than about others. Our good, and the world's advan- tage, must be our guide when to judge and when not to pass a judgment. IV. GoD DESIRES TO HAVE OUR ACQUIESCENCE IN HIS DECISIONS.. He puts great honour npon men in making them partners with him in the highest offices of the heavenly state. God is no lover of monopoly. As his creatures become fitted for eminent office and honour, he promotes them. To give them pleasure is to give himself pleasure. If any of his creatures become as wise and pure and good as he is, he will not repine. He calls us his sons and daughters; and inasmuch as the relation- ship is real, he loves to have our companionship, ay, and our hearty approval of all that he does. When Christ shall sit as Judge, in glorious state, we are told that all the holy angels shall sit with him. And if he will come to "be admir_ed by his saints," he will desire to have admiration for his deeds as well as for his Person. "He shall be justified" by his people" as often as he judges."-D. Vers. 1-6.-17.e vision of the image of jealousy. "And it came to pass in the !ixth year, in the sixth month," etc. This and the following three chapters are one discourse, or the record of one vision. In this chapter we see how the prophet was transported in spirit to the temple at Jerusalem, and caused to behold the_ open and the secret idolatrous abominations of which the people of Israel were guilty. Several portions of these verses have already engaged our attention in other connections. Moreover, vers. 1-4 are merely introductory to the vision; but the following points may perhaps be considered by us with advantage. I. THE ELDERS SEEKI?s"G COUNSEL OF THE PROPHET OF THE LORD. "I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me." It has been Sllf!'gested that this was on the sabbath day, and that the elders were accustomed to meet thus on that day to hear on. vm. 1-18.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 157