The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 217

ing One who was just, holy, kind, true, faithrul; one who was worthy the deepest 1"everence, the fullest trust, the strongest affection that the human soul could offer; 'One whose service constituted the most lofty enjoyment and exerted the roost elevat- ing influence on the minds and lives of his worshippers. 2. Its morality. There are many passages in Scripture condemning immoralities among the Jews, and there were periods when Hebrew morality declined. In the time or our Lord it had sunk with the sinking of religion into formality and routine. Yet an historical comparison between the morale of the Jewish nation and that of all contemporary peoples would show that the children of Israel, in any period of their history, towered high and far ,above their neighbours. Comparatively speaking, they were true, and pure, and temperate, and just. To be taught and trained as was the Hebrew child in his home ,and in his school and in the sanctuary of God, was to ascend and to move along the "' mountain-height of Israel." The very best and the saintliest men of Israel, whose names are held in highest honour by the good and pure of every land, were the mountain-peaks that did not rise straight and lonely from the deep valleys; they rose from the high elevation, the mountain-ranges of general national piety and purity. The idea is far more perfectly realized, and the prophecy finds its complete fulfil- ment in- n. TeE HIGHER EXCELLENCY OF THE CHUBCH OF CHntST. Here we stand on loftier ground. We have: 1. A still loftier conception of the character and the will of God. Learning of Jesus Christ, knowing God as revealed to us in him, we recognize a. Divine Father, grieved with his children's sin and departure from himself; yearning over them in their distance and their misery; seeking at his own infinite cost to save them; engaged through the centuries in the gracious and glorious work of redeeming the human race to holiness and happiness, to the kingdom of heaven. 2. A still higher morality. Sitting at the feet of the great Teacher, following in the steps of the Divine Exemplar, restrained and constrained by the influences of the Holy Spirit of God, we rise to and walk along the lofty mountain-range of Christian morals, breathing a Christian atmosphere, engaged with our Lord and Leader in his great work of grace and ,truth. With Christ's own truth in our mind, with his example before our eyes, with bis Spirit willing to dwell within and to inspire all that seek his presence and his power, (1) how utterly unworthy of us is everything small and mean in feeling and in aotion I (2) how it becomes 118 to take a high and noble course, to speak in an elevated -&train, to breath a pure and bracing air, to do lofty and magnanimous deeds, as we move up the mountain-path to the heavenly places 1-C. Vere. 17-22.-The sinfulness of selfishness. It was not only the shepherds, but some of the sheep, of" the rams and tho he-goats," that were injuring and robbina the sheep. It was not only the kings and the princes, but the strong and wealthy ~ong the people of Israel, that were disturbing and distressing the land. It is not only those •• who have the rule over" the Churches of Christ, but some of the fellow-members, who have to be corrected, and whose conduct needs to be transformed. Ezekiel's vision was that of a flock of sheep seeking nourishment "in the green pastures and by the still waters" of Israel; but instead of each one taking its turn and making room for its fellow, he saw the strong ones eating and drinking themselves, and befouling the grass and the water for those who came after, or else pushina violently at the weaker ones .and driving them ~way, '.' scattering them abroad" to pine and to perish, for anything they cared. A pamful picture of a selfish society, each man strugglincr0 for himself and "the weaker going to the wall." How utterly unlike should this scene be to' any -00mmunit;r ~hat claims to be Christian I And yet shall wo ventnro to say that there ,are no soc1et1es that bear that name, and that write themselves amona the number of the good, to whose condition this prophet's picture bears a sad resemblance? Do we not see in countries and communities where nothing like this should be seen, a. selfish ,scramble, a. disregard for the claims and the necessities of others, a cruel indifference to the wants of the weaker, a willingness and an eo.gerness, and indeed a determinccl struggle, to be well pastured and well watered, however many there may be that aro perishing for lack of food and shelter? We may well dwell upon- I. he UNLOVELINEBB. Even to the eye of the loving and tender-hearted man such .unrelieved selfishness is offensive; it is unsightly and repellent in a high degree. How 224 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [en. :x.x.x1v. 1-3L.