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EZEKIEL,

CHAPTER IV.

THE PROPHET EZEKIEL.

WE now proceed to notice another prophet among the captives. Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, was of the order of the priests; he was carried away from Judea B.C. 597. He was not left at Babylon, but was removed with others to some place in Mesopotamia, situated on the river Chebar or Khaibour, which joins the Euphrates, about two hundred miles to the north-west of Babylon. No particulars are recorded as to the treatment of this division of the captives; they seem to have enjoyed a degree of liberty similar to that of their brethren in Chaldea. Here Ezekiel was favoured with Divine visions and prophetic revelations, which began in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity, when the prophet was about thirty years of age. The last date recorded is the twenty-seventh year, consequently Ezekiel prophesied during twenty-two years; thus, even in that remote district, the Lord cared for the captives of Israel, sending to them the messages of his word.

The opening vision is recorded in Ezek. i. It was a magnificent display of the Divine majesty, attributes, and perfections. A glimpse of the Divine glory was given, and of the mysterious dealings of Providence ; also of the cherubim, whose appearance denoted the manner in which the angels are sent forth as ministering spirits. It is shown that the Lord doeth all things in wisdom, truth, and justice; but the depths of his counsels, and the mystery of his operations, are far beyond human power to discern. The intricacy of the movements of Divine Providence, with the regularity and certainty of these motions, are beautifully

pointed out by the emblematic representation of wheels in the middle of wheels, full of eyes, and so lofty that they were dreadful;" their vast size and irresistible force filling the beholder with awe.

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The prophet was commissioned to declare the Divine words to the rebellious house of Israel. He was to impress them with a deep and full sense of their guilt, but to show the way of peace to which they might yet have recourse. The message was one of lamentations, mourning, and woe. And though unwilling to hear the counsels which were for their peace, the prophet was to go to them and tell them,

Thus

saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear." He was to be as a watchman to the house of Israel, to warn both the righteous and the wicked.

The prophet Ezekiel was directed to attract the attention of those about him by symbolical actions. In Ezek. iv. is recorded how the approach of the siege of Jerusalem was set forth by a mimic attack upon a city, portrayed on one of the large flat bricks of Chaldea. The prophet himself was to lie upon his side in a horizontal position, representing the besiegers, while by his food and privations he represented the sufferings of the inhabitants. By shaving off his hair, and scattering it to the winds, ch. v., was denoted the judgments about to be executed, with the general dispersion of the Jews. The desolations were expressly detailed, stating both the cause and the suffering. See particularly ch. vi. 11-14; also the lot of the survivors, vii. 16-19.

In the following year, while the prophet sat in the house, with the elders of the captives around him, probably listening to the preached word, he again felt the influence of Divine prophetic power. In a remarkable vision, the idolatries then practised at Jerusalem were presented to his mental view. These combined the abominations of the Egyptians, Phenicians, and Persians, and all seem to have been secretly practised

within the sacred precincts, though on a smaller scale than in the heathen temples. The denunciation of wrath follows at ch. viii. 17, 18. And has not the professed Christian cause to look within and tremble?

What if within his world, his church, our Lord
Have entered thee, as in some temple gate,
Where, looking round, each glance might thee afford
Some glorious earnest of thy high estate,
And thou, false heart and frail, hast turn'd from all,
To worship pleasure's shadow on the wall?

If, when the Lord of glory was in sight,

Thou turn thy back upon that fountain clear,

To bow before the little drop of light,

Which dim-eyed men call praise and glory here;

What dost thou, but adore the sun, and scorn

Him at whose only word both sun and stars were born?

If, while around thee gales from Eden breathe,
Thou hide thine eyes, to make thy peevish moan
Over some broken reed of earth beneath,

Some darling of blind fancy dead and gone,

As wisely might thou in Jehovah's fane
Offer thy love and tears to Thammuz slain.

Thou who hast deign'd the Christian's heart to call
Thy church and shrine; whene'er our rebel will
Would in that chosen home of thine instal

Belial or Mammon, grant us not the ill
We blindly ask; in very love refuse

Whate'er thou know'st our weakness would abuse.

Or rather teach us, Lord, to choose the good,
To pray for nought, to seek to none but Thee,
Nor by our daily bread," mean common food,"
And say, "From this world's evil set us free;"
Teach us to love, in Christ, our sole true bliss,
Else, though in Christ's own words, we surely pray amiss.

In ch. ix. we find a further representation in vision, showing the preservation of those who yet feared the Lord, while the idolaters would be utterly destroyed. A mark was set upon the forehead of the few who cried and sighed for the abominations of the land.

Then followed a representation of the Shechinah, or Divine glory, departing first from the temple, afterwards from the city. So vivid and minute was the representation of this vision, that the prophet was enabled to discern and recognize the very persons then giving wicked counsel at Jerusalem; he saw the sudden and awful death of Pelatiah, one of the number. He was also made acquainted with the counsels given by those adversaries of the truth.

The visions were continued, and the prophet was told to make other emblematical representations. He was commanded to prepare for removing his goods, a small possession, even as one going forth to captivity. He was to dig through the clay wall of his house, to represent the attempt of the Jewish king and his attendants to escape by night, which ended in his being led into captivity; while the mysterious declaration was given, that though Zedekiah should be brought to the land of the Chaldeans, he should not see it, pointing out the loss of his eyesight, 2 Kings xxv. 7. The people would turn away from these denunciations, therefore a special declaration was sent, ch. xii. 27, 28.

Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, And he prophesieth of the times that are afar off. Therefore say unto them,

Thus saith the Lord God;

There shall none of my words be prolonged any more,
But the word which I have spoken shall be done,
Saith the Lord God.

This was followed by a solemn warning against the false prophets, see Ezek. xiii. It was confirmed by another message, to be delivered to the children of Israel while sitting before the prophet, which extends through ch. xiv. Here is an awful declaration concerning all those who draw near to the Lord, with their hearts occupied by their idols. To what multitudes in our worshipping congregations are these words applicable! Ch. xiv. 4, 5.