The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 465

on the love of Christ in his most tremendous self-sacrifice. If he has died to make the inheritance ours, the least we can do is to prize it above all things. 2. It is still ,·ightly owned by God. The priests enjoyed God's portion of the produce, It was still God's while they had it. Christ has called us into his kingdom to be his stewards, All we enjoy really belongs to him, and we shall have to give an account of our stewardship, If we destroy or alienate the vineyard with which we are now entrusted, we shall have no answer to give in the great day o_f reckoning, Ver. 15.-" A profane place." We are not to suppose that this place was devoted to evil uses. It was simply distinguished from the holy place of the temple. There were degrees of holiness-all the land holy when compared with heathen countries; Jerusalem especially the ho!}'. city; the temple the holy site in Jerusalem; and the holy place and the holy of holies the most sacred centre of the whole circle of sanctity. By comparison with the temple area the rest of the city of Jerusalem was called " profane." I. GoD PROVIDES FOB THE EVERYDA y LIFE OF HIS PEOPLE, The so-called " profane place" was carefully mapped out, and ample provision was made for the life of the people in it. The laity was not ignored when the priesthood was provided for. It was never expected that the people would spend all their days in the temple, nor that they would need no comfort for their life in the world. God is not now only concerned with our attending to religious services at church. The greater part of life must be occupied with secular pursuits. These pursuits can be followed according to the call of God, and in occupyiug ourselves with them we may well expect that he will give the neces- sary supplies, guiding our energies, and ultimately blessing our toil if it is in accordance with his mind and wilL II. IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE AMIDST THlNGS CALLED PROFANE. The priests might be guilty of spiritual profanity while busily engaged in temple service; the laity might be truly occupied with a holy ministry, though on ground that was named profane. It is not necessary to be consecrated to the priesthood nor to enter a monastery in order to live "the religious life." The work of the busy world must be carried on, and it would be simply disastrous if all who were inspired with pure and lofty aims were to withdraw from its many necessary occupations. Not only would the service of life be neglected for want of men and women to employ themselves in it, but what work was accomplished by others would bo degraded in character. This would just amount to handing the world and all its concerns over to the powers of wickedness. Christians are called npon to take the exactly opposite course, and so to be "the salt of the earth " (Matt. v. 13). Ill. A.DVERSE EXTERNAL 0I!lOUMSTANCEB DO NOT PREVENT SPmITUALITY OF LIFE. The secularity of a man's occupations does not prevent him from being a Christian of the very highest type. The supposed profaneness of his circumstances cannot be accepted as an excuse for godless, sinfnl living. Nothing would be really profane if the heart were true and spiritual; for "to the pure all things are pure." It is sometimes supposed that it would be more easy for a man to live a religious life if he were a minister of religion. But then the temptation of professionalism would come in, and the business spirit endanger the sacredness of the most spiritual things, whereas when religion is wholly sought after for its spiritual use it is less in danger of sinking into a mere form. But the whole question turns on the spirituality of the character and conduct-rather than on the form of the occupations of daily duty. Ver. 19.-Serving the city. A militia, selected from all the tribes of Israel, is to be marshalled as the garriRon of Jerusalem. Thus representatives of the whole nntion are to have a share in the service of the city. I. MEN SERVE GoD BY SERVING MAN. They who serve the roynl city serve the king. If we love not our brethren whom we have seen, we cannot love God whom we have not seen (1 John iv. 20). But a true-hearted love for God must inspire practical love for man. Obedience to the two great commandments is one common experience 1n the heart of the servant of God. It is a mistake that any should urge " the service of man" as a new religion for the age ; this is the true ritunl of the old religion of Christ (J~s. i. 27). There is no Christianity without it. Christianity is most vigorou11 on. XLVIII. 1-35.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 481