The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 43

have no fuel; the ox thus boils himself." The parable and its interpretation as given by Ezekiel suggest the following observations. I. THE TIME Fon TRE EXECUTION OF TlIE DIVINE JUDGMENTS MAY BEEi,[ TO MEN TO DE LONG DELAYED, DUT ITS ARRIVAL IS 0ERTAIN, (Vers. 1, 2.) This judgment against Jerusalem had been spoken of by the prophets for a long time. 'l'he people of that city had refused to believe in its approach; but now it has actually commenced. "'l'he King of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day." But notice: 1. The minuteness of the Divine knowledge of the beginning of the judgment. "In the ninth year, in the tenth mouth, in the tenth day of the month," etc. (vers. 1, 2; and cf. 2 Kings xxv. 1). The very day, yea, the hour and the moment, when Nebuchadnezzar began the siege were known unto God. Nothing is hidden from him (cf. 2 Kings xix. 27; Ps. cxxxix. 1-4; Matt. ix. 4; John ii. 24-, 25; Heb. iv. 13), 2. The communi- cation of this knowledge to Ezekiel. Here on a particular day, which is clearly specified and set down in writing, the prophet announced to his fellow-exiles that N ebucba.dnezzar had begun to besiege Jerusalem. "The place on the Che bar where the prophet lived," says J. D. Michaelis, "was distant from Jerusalem more than a hundred German miles; it was therefore impossible for Ezekiel to know by human means that the siege of Jerusalem had commenced on that day; and when it was afterwards ascertained that the prediction ha.d exactly corresponded with fact, it would be regarded as an invincible proof of his Divine mission." 3. The minute record of the fact. "Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this selfsame day." When this prophecy was found to be exactly true, the record of it WDuld rebuke the people for their unbelief of the prophet, and witness to the Divine inspiration and authority with which he spake. But to revert to our main point, the apparent delay of a Divine judgment does not affect its certainty. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them t-0 do evil." God's visitation because of persistent sin is certain, and it will take place at the precise time appointed by God. With what remarkable iteration and emphasis is this awful certainty expressed in the fourteenth verse I "I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent" (cf. Numb. x:xiii. 19; 1 Sam. xv. 29). God's threaten• ings of punishment will as surely be fulfilled as his promises of blessing. II. 1N THE EXECUTION OF ms JUDGMENTS Goo IS NO RESPEOTER OF PERSONS. " Set on the cauldron, set it on, and also pour water into it; gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones. Take the choice of the flock." Thus the psophet teaches that the great ones of Judah and Jerusalem-the king, the princes, the nobles-would suffer in this judgment. 'l'bere is another expression which points to the same conclusion: "No lot is fallen upon it" (ver. 6). In former visitations some bad been taken captive and others left. So it was when Jehoiakim and when Jehoiachin were taken away (2 Kings xxiv.; 2 Chron. x:.xxvi. 1-10). But in this case the judgment was to fall upon all without distinction. •• There is no respect of persons with God." He is a Respecter of character, hut not of persons. No out~ard rank or riches,~? distinctions of ~lace or power, nor anythin,g in man's secular circumstances or cond1t1on, can exempt him from the stroke of Gods anger in the day when he viijits a people for their sins. II!. WHEN WICKEDNESS HAS BECOME FLAGRANT, THE DIVINE JUDGMENT WILL BE NOT LESS coNSPICUous. "For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the bare rock• she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust; that it might cause fury 'to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood upon the bare rock, that it should not be covered." Blood upon the bare rock is here mentioned in contradistinc-- tion to blood shed upon the earth, which is absorbed by it, or which is covered and concealed with dust. There is, perhaps, as Heugstenberg suggests, a reference to the judicial murders which were p_erpetrated in Jerusalem, of_ whi~b that of the Pro~het Urijah is an example (Jer. xxv1. 10-23). But there certamly 1s set_fo~th t_he notonous wickedness of the people of Jerusalem and Judah. They were "d1stingu1ebcd by the openness and audacity with which they sinned." The conspicuousness of their wickednese would manifest the righteousness of the judgment of God; and it would lead to an equal conspicuousness in the infliction of that judgment. She bad poured out blood "upon the bare rock," and God would "set her blood upon the bare rock," on. XXIV. 1-27.J THE DOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHE'r EZEKIEL. 45