The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 376

Vers. 30---32.-God, and Isi·ael in the then pi·esent. "Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Aro ye polluted after the manner of your fathers?" etc. The Lord Jehovah throu~h his prophet now addresses himself to tho Israel of that day, and especially to the elders who had come to the prophet to inquire of him. In these verses he declares their sins. Three chief points claim our attention. J. THE SINS OF 'WICKED ANCESTons PRACTISED DY THEIR tiUCCESSORS. 1. The idolat1·y o.f the fathers continued by their children. "Say unto the house of Israel, 'l'hus saith. the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye 'l\'horedom after their abominations?" The whoredom spoken of is spiritual-unfaith- fulness to God, in the worship of idols. Even the exile in Babylon did not for some time cure the people of this sin. As their fathers had done,:so did they. Parental example is very powerful for several reasons. (1) It is the example of those who are most looked up to and imitated by the young. (2) It influences the young in the most impressionable season of their life. "As the twig is bent the tree inclines." (3) It is most continuous in its influence upon the young. "The characters of living parents are constantly presented for the imitation of their children. Their example is continually sending forth a silent power to mould young hearts for good or ill; not for a single month or year, but through the whole impressionable period of childbood and youth, the influence of parental example is thus felt. If it be constituted of the highest and purest elements, the results will be unspeakably precious. Sons and daughters will" almost certainly become patterns of propriety and goodness, because their parents are such. If, on the other band, their example be evil, most injurious will be its effects upou their children. A solemn consideration is this for parents, and one that should be laid to heart by them. It is difficult, moreover, to break away from sins which have obtained a firm hold npon family life and practice. 2. Idolatry practised even in its most crvel rites. "For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day" (see our notes on eh. xvi. 20, 21). 3. The practice of idolatry defiling the idolater. "Ye pollute yourselves with all you:r idols.n ,vorship either elevates or degrades the worsbipper, according to the character of the object thereof. Genuine adoration is transforming in its irifluence upon him who offers it, We become like unto the object or objects of our supreme love and reverence. Hence the worship of the true God purifies, exalts, enriches, ennobles, sanctifies, the worshipper; while the worship of any idol or idols --1!-.g. riches, rank, popula.rity, power, pleasure-defiles, degrades, and impoverishes the worshipper. Moreover, sin of any kind pollutes the sinner; it stains and defiles his soul (see our notes on ver. 7). IL 'l'HE IKQUIRIB6 OF HYPOCRITES REJECTED BY THE LORD GoD. "Shall I be inquired of by you, 0 house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you." (We have already considered this topic in our homilies on vers. 1-4 and eh. xiv. 1-11.) IlI. THE DARK DESIGNS OF SIN1''ERS DEFEATED BY THE LORD GoD. 1. Here is a deliberate design formed by man to CO'Tljorm to idolatrous usages. "That which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone." Thus the house of Israel, the people of the only living and true God, inwardl_v resolved to conform to heathenish customs, hoping in some way to improve their condition by so doing. And in our <lay there are those who, while manifesting some respect for religion, yet conform to this world in its questionable and e\'en sinful usages. And some "regard an irreligious condition as preferable to the struggles or a religious life." 2. Here is ~nan's. design to co7:foi:m to idolatrous usages discovered by the Lord God. It was 1n varn for these IIlS!Ilcere inquirers of the Lord to think that they could conceal any design from him. And elders of Israel should have known this so well as to be in no danger of overlooking it. But the practice of sin misleads and deceives sinners, and liad probably deceived them. God is perfectly acquainted with every thought of the mind of man (eh, xi. 5; Ps. cnxix. 1-5; Matt. iL 4; John ii. 24, 25; Heb. iv. 13). 3. Here is man's design to cor,furrn to idolatrous usages defeated by the Lord God. "'l'bat which cometh into )·our mind shall not be at all." '!'heir inward purpose he would frustrate. 'l'hey might atten,i:,~ tc, carry it out, but it would not succeed. "'l'hat Israel should become liko . the 1,eatLen," bays Schroder, " would be repugnant to the nature of God, especially to ou. xx. 1-49.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 37!)