The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 179

I. MARK THE SUPREMACY OF GoD's JUDICIAL VOICE. The last chapter finished with the declaration, "Though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them;" this chapter begins with the statement, "Re cried in mine ears with a loud voice." 1. The season for prayer was fJ!Xhausted. Examination of Israel's case had terminated. The verdict bad passed, and nothing now remained but execution. Prayer on the part of the condemned, at this point, would be merely a selfish thin", It would bring no good. It would be out of harmony with God's plans and with righteous Jaw. 2. The voice of God subjugates and overpowers al,l otl~r voices. It is a voice of creation : "He spake, and it was done." It is a voice of life: "Awake thou that sleepest ! " It is a voice of judicial destruction : "Depart, ye cursed, into outer darkness ! " The voice that Ezekiel heard was a loud voice. 'l'he prophet could not question its reality nor mistake its utterance. It overcame the prophet's unwilling- ness to hear judgment pronounced. It drowned all dissentient voices. Nothing was heard save this. "The voice of the Lord shaketh the mountains." II. GoD's SERVANTS ARE FOUND AMONG ALL ORDERS OF CREATURES. This earth is not an isolated kingdom; it is a province of God's great realm. The persons here summoned to appear for the execution of Jehovah's will are, without doubt, angels, though to the prophet's vision they seemed in form like men. As we read of angels who are appointed the guardians of little children, so we learn that certain angels are ordained gnardians of cities and nations. To Daniel the angel spake of "Michael, your prince"-" the great prince that standeth for the children of thy people." The history of the Hebrew people is full of instances in which the angels of God were despatched either for the rescue or for the destruction of men. The Most High is unchangeable; and inasmuch as a destroying angel had executed God's vengeance on the idolaters of Egypt, so now angels are employed to slay the idolaters in Israel. Yet there is singular economy in all God's arrangements. The number of these officers of justice was six, so that one might issue from each of the six gates of the city. The ministers of vengeance shall neither be too many nor too few. Eventually the Chaldean armies should be God's agents in the punishment of the Hebrews; still, these would act under the generalship of the heavenly principalities and powers. III. THE WORK OF JUSTICE PROCEEDS SIDE BY SIDE WITH THAT OF MERCY. Along with the six officers appointed to destroy was one differently clad, whose work was to save. His clothing was the attire of peace-white linen---i.e. the dress of a true priest. Against six destroyers there was one protector, which denoted how few was the number of the faithful. They were to have a distinguishing mark in the most con- spicuous place-in their foreheads. The owner of the flock will take care to put his own sign-manual on his sheep. "The Lord knoweth them that are his." In every time of trouble "he has hidden them in bis pavilion-in the secret of his tabernacle will he hide them." Noah and his family in the ark; Lot and his daughters in Zoar; the early Christians safe in Pella when Jerusalem was destroyed ;-these are evidences of God's special care of his chosen. He accounts them bis jewels, and in times of danger holds them in the hollow of his hand. Not only bad they not connived at the idolatry, but their souls were distressed on account of it. They bad besought with tears their brethren to desist from the evil thing. Their holy zeal shall have a con- spicuous reward. IV. GoD's SERVANTS HAVE LIKE DISPOSITIONS WITH HIMSELF. God bad described the emotions and purposes of hie mind thus: "Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity." .And now he requires his officers to cherish the selfsame sentiments: "Let not you!' eye 6pare, neither have ye pity." To be a servant of God, and the executioner of his will, we must be like-minded with himself. Only such does God employ on work of high importance. Eye and heart must be as God's. 1'.'ollowing the tendencies of natural temperament, some servants of God would be too lement, some too harsh. Jn such matters we must be sure that we are doing God's will, not indulging our own. Private ~pleen, and merely natural bias, must be completely repressed. Our feeling and temper and will must be chastened by almighty grace, in order that "·e may be tl.ie servants of God. His will must find a full response in our will. err. 1x. 1-11.J THE IlOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 173