atod in this passage. That was to ho the human, national sympathies led him, as sign of tho elect of God in the midst of a they led Moses (Numb. xi. 2: xiv. 19) and world lying in wickedness. Possibly in St. Paul (Rom. ix. 1-3) to undertake the older 11,s in later forms of idolatry (e.s e.g. work of intercession. With the words which in the cultus of Mithras, Vishnu, Schive.), had been the key-note of Isaiah's prophecies the votaries of this or that deity may have probably present to his thoughts (Isa'. been distinguished by some outward note of xxxvii. 32, et al.), he asks whether ,Jehovah thi,s kind; but of this, though suggested by will indeed destroy all that remnant oflsrael Currey, l do not find any evidence. It is (comp. eh. xi. 13) who might be as the germ clear, however, that there could be no an- of hope for the future. ticipation of the Christian symbolism in the Ver. 9.-Then said he unto me. The minds of Ezekiel or of his hearers. The answer holds out but little comfort. The "mark"we.s to be plo,ced on all who were still iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah faithful to the worship of their fathers, though (we note the coupling of the names, though they could show their faithfulness only by Judah only was the immediate subject of Jo,mente.tion of the national apostasy. Such, the vision, as if his prayer had gone up for of course, were Jeremiah, and Baruch, and the whole body of the twelve tribe8) was Ahikam, and Shaphan, and Gedaliah, and immeasurably great. Not idolatry only, but others, and such as these Ezekiel may have its natnr»l fruits, bloodshed and oppression, had present in his thoughts. Age.inst all had eaten into the life of the nation ( comp. others ( ver. 5) they were sent forth with eh. vii. 11, 12: viii. 17; xx.ii. 25). And unsparing severity. these evils had their root in the practical Ver. 6.-Begin at my sanctuary, etc. It a.theism of the denials which bad been was fitting that the spot in which guilt had already uttered in eh. viii. 12, e.nd which culminated should be the starting-point of are here reproduced. The unpitying aspect punishment. There seems something like of God's judgments is, for the present, a reference to this command in 1 Pet.iv. 17. dominant, and the work must be thorough. In each case judgment " begins at the house One notes how the despair of the prophet of God." So the dread work began with leads him to forget those who were to have the ancient men, or elders, of the same class, the mark upon their foreheads, who were i.e., if not the same persons, as those in indeed the true "remnant." Like Elijah, oh. viii. 11. he does not know of any snoh (1 Kings xix. Ver. 7.-Deflle the houe, eto. Whe.t 10); like Jeremiah, he searches through the Ezekiel saw in vision was, we may well streets of J eruse.lem, and cannot find one believe, fulfilled literally when the oity was righteous man (Jer. v. 1). taken by the Che.ldee.ns. The pollution of Ver. 11.-A.nd, behold, etc. The speo.ker the temple by the bleeding corpses of the in the previous verses had been none other idolatrous worshippers was e. fitting retribu- the.n the Presence which remained upon the tion for the worship with which they had cherubic form, while the seven ministers did polluted it ( comp. oh. vi. 13). their work. The co.ptain of the seven now Ver. 8.-I fell upon my fe.oe, eto. The returns to report, e.s an officer to his king, ministers of vengeance and the prophet were the.t the work he.s been o.ccomplished. left in the courts of the temple a.lone. His
HOMILETICS. Ver. 2.-A writers inlc-horn. Here was a singular contrast. When Jerusalem was about to be given over to slaughter, six armed men went forth for the work of destruc- tion, their accoutrements and military bearing quite in harmony with the dread circum- stances of the day; but accompanied by a most incongruous companion, a civilian, one of the city clerks, perhaps, with no better ammunition than an ink-horn. When, how- ever, the work of this man of ink is apparent, his function is seen to be of supreme importance in regard to the events of the day; for he it is who is to set a mark on the foreheads of the penitent, which is to save them from the otherwise indiscriminate slaughter. I. THE mFLUEN0E OF THE INK-HORN. Writing was but slenderly used in those early days; yet even then the pen was known and used. Since that distant age how greatly has its power extended! It is now par excellence the tool and weapon of civilized society. From the ink-horn go forth influences that encircle the globe and endure to many generations. The writer at his desk uses his magic fluid as an elixir vitlll for ideas which would otherwise be still-born and be speedily buried in oblivion. Dy means of this potent agency ho is able to give body and endurance to the fleeting fancies of the 164 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [en. ix. 1-11.