The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 239

The best song of heavenly praise is the hymn of redemption (Rev. v. 9), There is. glory in creaL!on; ~md the _gre:i:t~ess, the order, the beauty, the l~fe of the universe praise God. 'I here 1s glory m D1vme government; and the manner m which God rules all things and establishes righteousness displays his glory. But we know of no glory like that of God's grace revealed at Calvary. This fact should help us to understand how God can ask for his own glory without being selfish. When men seek their own glory they usually do so at the expense of, or to the neglect of, others. But God's glory shines out of his supreme self-sacrifice. This is the secret of the highest glory. II. ITs PRAC'rICAL CONSEQUENCES. 1. We can never hope to earn salvation. It is a gift of God, never a work or reward of man. (l) This is a rebuke for pride. (2) It also warns us a;ainst the folly of seeking to establish some claim with God by penance ~~m~~ , "Nothing in my hands I bring; Simply to thy cross I cling." 2. We need never despair of salvation. IC it were given for our own sakes in any way, we might well torture ourselves with doubts as to whether we should merit it, nay, we had better gi¥e up all hope at once, for we could not earn it. But now the ground is shifted from ourselves to God. The question is not as to what is in us, but as to what is in him. The most unworthy, those who have made the worst failures in life, the weakest or the most sinful, may yet dare to hope for full and perfect salvation through the great grace of God, for his Name's sake. 3. We have the highest reasons/or joy and adoration. The redemption is offered to the worst sinners-to all men, on their repenting and seeking the grace of God. Here is a glad fa.et and one to inspire eternal praise. Translating it into Christian language, we see that we are to rejoice and glory in salvation given to us through Christ; for Christ is "the Word" (John i. 1), i.e. th& Name of God. God saves for the sake of his Name when he saves for Christ's sake. Ver. 25.-" Clean water." I. SouLs NEED CLEANSING FBOM SIN. Here we come to the deeper part of man's need. The Jews perceived their external disasters only too clearly. War, captivity, poverty, sickness, death, were visible evils. But they did not so readily discern the un6een spiritual evils which were behind those troubles, as their causes. The greatest calamity is not so bad as sin. While we are eager to elude the consequences of wrong-doing, God sees that the wrong-doing itself is our chief evil. The principal pa.rt of the redemption required by Israel was not deliverance from the power of Babylon, but deliverance from the tyranny of sin; their most needed recovery was not restoration to Palestine, but restoration to God. To be cleansed from their idolatry and brought into a condition of spiritual worshif' was their greatest salvation. I6raei ls restored if that is done, even though she be sti far from possessing her land ; sbe is not restored without it, though she have the fee simple of every acre of Palestine. II. THE CLEANSING OF SOULS WILL REMOVE BOTH THE GUILT AND THE POWER OF BIN. 1. The guilt. Sin leaves a stain behind. Blame justly attaches itself to all wrong- doing, and, though the deed of evil may be swiftly accomplished, the blame lingers long. The stain of sin is not merely an ugly fact; it produces dreadful consequences. (1) It excludes the soul from the presence of God. No stained souls can be permitted to tread the courts of heaven. (2) It draws down the wrath of God. (3) It carries -vrith it continuous shame. 2. The power. The evil is more than a stain upon the conscience. It is a poison within the soul. It works harm by its corrupting as well as its defiling influence. We need some antidote to this poison, or some wonderful cleansing that shall completely purge it out of our being-a real internal washing, not merely a clearing of a darkened reputation. III. GoD BAB PROVIDED CLEANSING WATER. What is needed is clean water. Now, this is just what is not to be got in places of defilement. The foul soil stains and poisons the streams that flow through it. No human thing is clean from the con- tamination of man's great sin. 'l'herefore there can be no human fountain for uncleanness. But God has opened a fountain, and the gospel of Christ introduces us to it. He is pure, and he can give perfect purification. The water that flows from this rock is not defiled with earth's contamination. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleauseth us from all sin" (1 John i. 7). Here we have the double cleansing. Clll. x:tXVI. 1-38.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. N7