The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 46

Hnnt writes, "Tears enable sorrow to vent itself patie-ntly. Tears hinder sorrow from becoming dospe.ir and madness." But in this painful bereavement Ezekiel must neither weep nor shed tears, in order that he may be a more impressive sign unto bis fellow-exiles. Exceedingly severe were his trials. But for us in our sorrow there is no such prohibition. Christianity does not forbid tears. "Jesus wept." In the days of his flesh he "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto :him that was able to save him from death." And the solace of tears is allowed unto us. We may relieve the over-laden heart by sighs, and cool the burning brain by our flowing tears. And in the sorrows of bereavement we have richer, diviner consolations than these. We know that to those who are in Christ death is unspeakable gain ; that the separations which it causes are more in appearance than in reality; and that in the great hereafter there will be bles8ed reunions with those who have passed beyond the veil.-W. J. Vere. 20-23.-An awful catastrophe and a prohibition of mourning. "The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Speak unto the houRe of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God," etc. The death of Ezekiel's wife, and his abstinence from mourning by reason thereof, were symbolical, and their signification is brought before us in our text. Two scenes are presented for our contemplation. I. A PEOPLE DEPRIVED OF TREIB MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS. 1. The possessions of which they were to be deprived. (1) The temple itself. "Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth." The last clause is literally, "the pity of your soul;" that which "your soul would spare-pledging life itself for it." See also in what exalted terms the temple is spoken of in ver. 25: "I take from them their strength," or stronghold, "the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart." The wife of Ezekiel, who was the desire of his eyes, symbolized the temple. In some respects the Jews made too much of their temple. They gloried in its out- ward beauty and splendour, even while they dishonoured God by their idolatries; they trusted in it as their stronghold, instead of making him their Refuge and Strength ; they set their heart upon it, when they should have loved him with all their heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. And they were now about to lose that temple. Heathen intruders would first desecrate it and then destroy it (cf. Ps. lxxix. 1; Ix.xiv. 3-8). (2) The temple as a symbol. "The temple," says Schroder, "symbolizes all the possessions ant! power of Israel. To its existence in their midst they appealed against their brethren (eh. xi. 15); and to this they trusted amid all their wickedness and apostasy (eh. viii. 6; Jer. viii. 4)." And Hengstenberg remarks that in the pro- fanation of the sanctuary "is included the dissolving of the whole cover:;ant relation, the removal of everything sublime and glorious, that had flown from that covenant relation, of all that was valuable and dear to the people. The general conception is demanded by the fundamental passage, Lev. xxvi. 19, where by 'the pride of power' is meant all the glory of Israel. '!'hen also by ver. 25, where in place of the sanctuary here all that is glorious appears." (3) Their sons and daughters. "Your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind shall fall by the sword." Hitzig suggests that, "on the occasion of the expatriation, many parents may have been obliged to leave their children with relatives, from their being of too tender age to accompany them;" and these would be slain by the sword. But it seems to us better to interpret, with Hengstenberg, "The sons and the daughters are not those of individuals, but of the people as a whole. The house of Israel, not the exiles in particular, are addressed. In point of fact, it is as much as to say, 'your countrymen.'" 'l'hey were soon to be stripped of their temple and its ordinances, their independence and liberty, their homes and country, and many of their fellow-countrymen would perish by famine, pestilence, and sword. 2. The Person by whom they were to be thus deprived. "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary," etc. (ver. 21); "I take from them their strength," etc. (ver. 26). In this destruction and slaughter the Chaldeans were ns instruments and weapons in the hand of God, who was himself the great .A.gent. il. The reason why they were to be thus deprived. A.II this loss and misery was coming upon them because of their sins. They had forsaken God, and he was about to leave them without h~ defence. Th1,1y hq.d profaned his temple by their idolatries, and he 48 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [on. xnv. 1-27.