that the sentence, "Thou shalt never be any no.anite races. Israel, he implies, hnd been more," seems to be reoeiving its fulfilment. wounded with those thorns and briers, ho.d There was for it no prospect of an earthly caught (as e.g. in the <'e.se of Jezebel) the restoration, still Jess that of a transfigured taint of evil life and evil worship from those races; but for her there is, as in ver. 25, the and glorified e:s:istenoe like that which, in future of restoration, and when that future the prophet's visions, was connected with comes, the Canaanite cities, with their idola- Jerusalem. tries and vices, should ho.ve po.ssed away for ever. Ver. 21.--Set thy face against Zidon. Ver. 25.-lly servant Jo.cob. The use of The relation of this city to Tyre wes one "Jacob" for "Israel" is not common in of auflicient independence to justify a sepa• Ezekiel, but oh. xx. 5; xxvii. 25; xxxiv. 25 rnte oracle for the completeness of the may be noted as parallels. prophet's arrangement of his messages (eh. Ver. 26.-Sho.ll build houses, etc. The xnii. 8 ; Joel iii. 4; J er. xxv. 22; Zech. ix. words sound almost like a direct quotation 2). It was sufficiently identified with it from J er. xxili. 6 and xxxvi. 28 ; nnd, at all not to call for any long description. It is events, present a suggestive parallel. The assumed that her sins were of the same restoration was to include also the blessing kind and required a like punishment. of confidence and hope; no longer a ground- Ver. 22.-I will be glorified in , , , thee, less and false confidence, like that of J er. ii. The thought and the phrase come from Exod. 37 and xlviii. 13, but one resting on the fact xiv. 4; Lev. L 3. Ezekiel reproduces it that God was in very deed the Judge of all in eh. xxxix. 13. God is glorified, or, as in the earth. the next clause, sanctified, when his power and holiness are manifested in righteous We may note, at the close of the chapter, judgment. (For" sanctified," see eh. xxxviii. how its juxtaposition of the two Phamioian 16; Numb. XL 13.) cities seems to have been present to the Ver. 23.-Pestilenoe we.s the natlll'8.l ac- mind of the Obrist in his references to the companiment of a siege. As in eh. xiv. 19, judgment that should come upon both of blood probably points to death from this cause, a.s distinct from the slaughter threat- them (Matt. xi. 21; Luke x. 13). He him- ened in the following clallSe. self, it will be remembered, passed through Ver. 24.-There shall be no more a priok- the coasts of Tyre and Zidon (Matt. xv. 21), ing brier. There is a epecial appropriateness and probably, according to the best text of in Ezekiel's imagery. The words had been Mark vii. 24, actually trod the streets of the used in N um.b. x.xxili. 55 of the Ce.na.anites at large (comp. Josh. xxii. 13). Ezekiel latter city. They supplied some of the great applies them to the cities which were the multitude of Mark iii. 8, who listened to his most conspicuous survivors of the old Ca- teaching.
HOMILETICS. Ver. 2.-A prince's sin. I. GREAT BESPONBIBILITY IS ATTAOHED TO IDGH OFFIOE. In the two previous chapters the prophet denounced judgment on the city of 'l'yre, and lamented its approaching accomplishment. Now he turns to the ruler of the city, selecting him for an ugly pre-eminence of guilt. This man is entrusted with the weal of the city. If Tyre is doomed, a heavy share of the blame must lie e.t his door. It is a fearful thing to be responsible for the fate of so great and splendid a co=unity. In the sight of God accountability is always measured by power. Heed- less men grasp hastily at the reins of government, little considering how severe musi be the judgment of Heaven if they abuse their great trust. It is no light thing to be in a position of influence over our fellow-men. We need, therefore, especially to pray for the souls of princes and governors. The ambition that craves their privileges might be restrained if people considered the terrible questions that they will have to answer when called upon to give an account of their stewardship. II. PnIDE IS THE BESETTING BIN OF HIGH OFFICE. 'l'he Prince of Tyre exclaims, "I am a God, I sit in the seat of God." There are many temptations to this sin of pride. 1. Power. Holding high office necessarily confers great influence. The man in power may really be a weak person, but he has great resources e.t his command. Thus he is inclined to think too much of himself, and to transfer to the score of his merits what really only belongs to his position. 2. F'tattery. The prince is not the only person llB, :x:K.'mt.1-26.] THE BOOK OF 'I'HE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 105