The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 208

Vers. 1-13,-The summary punishment of official guilt. As a rule, God is extremely patient towards human rebellion. He reproves and remonstrates and warns long before the executioner appears. Yet sometimes he departs from this course, by a sum- mary act of vengeance. The penalty that follows some crimes is swift and sudden. The Chaldean nobles who laid an impious snare for Daniel were soon overtaken with judgment. ,vhen Herod accepted the profane flattery of his courtiers, he was soon consumed with inward disease. Ananias and Sapphira had scarcely completed their falsehood when the sword of the executioner fell upon them. At times God starts out of his secret place, and suddenly vindicates his outraged majesty. L MARK THE FLAGRANCY OF sm m PRIESTS AND PEOPLE. In all probability these twenty-five men were the heads, or princes, over the twenty-four courses of the priests, while J aazaniah and Pelatiah may have held a yet higher rank in the temple. It may be that Pelatiah was high priest or ruler of the temple. Cert:,.in it is that they were "princes of the people." 1. Their position was one of vast influence. Their opinions would be accepted as the opinions of the people. Their example would be widely imi- tated. To a large extent, they would influence the life and conduct of the population. As they had the privilege of access to God, and possessed the means of knowing his will, the people would, as a matter of course, look to them for guidance. Profanity or infidelity among the chief priests would speedily infect the Hebrew flock. Hence, for others' sakes, it behoved them to be prudent, devout, and circumspect. 2. They had turned Divine warnin,q into ridicule. This seems the only satisfactory way of explaining their boast, "We dwell securely." "This city is the cauldron, and we are the flesh." Jeremiah, who still dwelt in Jerusalem, had seen, in a vision from God, "a seething pot, and its mouth was towards the north." The heads of the priestly order had parodied this, had treated it as an image of self-security, instead of as an omen of danger. As if they had said, "Be it so! This city, with its bastions and gates, impregnable as brass or iron, is a cauldron, and as the flesh is safe in the cauldrons, equally so are we I" They laughed at every intimation of danger. In the teeth of a. hundred warnings, in the teeth of a score of defeats and overthrows, they persisted in a conviction of safety. Like fools of other nations, they " made a mock at sin." 3. This senseless hardihood led to aggravated crime. One sin soon breeds a thousand others. They, who had tho administration of justice, abused their office, and ruled with a. sword of terror. Either by excessive lenity, in not repressing crime; or else by excessive tyranny, human lifo was held cheaply in the city. Death was a common occurrence, and excited no horror. Civic strifes abounded. The number of the slain increased, and these princes were responsible for the foul deed. TMy were the persons who "had filled the streets with the slain." The stains of human blood were upon their skirts. 4. The exact measure of tl,eir .sin was known. Not an item in their evil deeds was unknown nor unregistered. They had tried to conceal their misdeeds, had eudeavoured to minimize their offences, were attempting to persuade themselves that Jehovah did not trouble about such matters. But imagine iheir surprise and confusion when every iota. of offence, ay, and every secret evil thought, was fully laid out in the bill of attainder. The amount and degree of eacl, man's guilt is allotted with scrupulous exactness. IT. Oas,mn; THE rROPHET's COMMISSION. Ezekiel was employee! by God to convey the last remonstrance to these princes. 1. Elevation of mind is needed to fit men for on. x1. 1-25.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 203