God Is Precise and Protective

Ezekiel 9:1-11 (NIV) 
¹  Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring the guards of the city here, each with a weapon in his hand.”
²  And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.
³  Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side
⁴  and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.”
⁵  As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion.
⁶  Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.
⁷  Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city.
⁸  While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown, crying out, “Ah, SovereignLORD! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?”
⁹  He answered me, “The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’
¹⁰  So I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done.”
¹¹  Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his side brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded.”

On verses 1-11:  In chapter 8, as part of Ezekiel’s vision, God promised not to spare the Israelites who were engaging in idolatry. Here in chapter 9, Ezekiel’s vision continues with God fulfilling this promise. At God’s summoning, six men appear, each with a deadly weapon in his hand, as they have been appointed to execute judgment on the city (v1-2).

Before these six men go throughout the city to kill every idolater, two things happen. First, verse 3 says that the glory of the Lord moves from above the cherubim (most likely a reference to the cherubim statues that sit on top of the ark in the Most Holy Place) to the temple entrance. This signifies that God’s presence has left the temple as a result of the people’s idolatry (see Ezekiel 8:6).

Second, God calls for a man dressed in linen (linen representing purity and righteousness) and with a writing kit to go and place a mark on the foreheads of all those in the city who grieve and lament over the Israelites’ idolatrous practices (v3b-4). This signifies that despite God’s wrath against all the idolaters in the city, God still wanted to protect those in the city who did not bow down to any idol.

Then the Lord instructs the six men to follow behind the man with the writing kit and kill the idolaters. As the killing takes place, Ezekiel questions whether God is going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel with His wrath (v8). The Lord does not directly answer Ezekiel’s question, replying that the city is full of injustice (v9) and that He will “bring down on their heads what they have done” (v10).  Clearly, however, God has made it a point to spare those who have not engaged in idolatry.  After this, the man with the writing kit returns with a report that he has finished his marking assignment (v11).

What can we learn from all this?  This scene reminds us of the Passover in Exodus 12:1-30, when God spared from His wrath all those who had the mark of the lamb’s blood on their doorframes.  This scene also points us to the mercy God shows us in Jesus Christ: how those who have placed their faith in Jesus are marked with a seal, His Holy Spirit, and are saved from God’s wrath (Ephesians 1:13-14).

God is precise and protective even when He carries out His promise to judge. He makes sure that only those who are guilty of idolatry receive His wrath, while those who are not guilty are spared.  Praise God that through faith in Jesus Christ, we are marked by God’s seal, His Holy Spirit, and are saved from His wrath.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are precise and protective when You administer Your justice and when You show Your mercy. Thank You that by faith in You we have been marked with a seal, Your Holy Spirit, so that Your wrath can pass over us and Your mercy can cover us. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!