Ezekiel 9

1He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
This is a continuation of chapter 8. The vision is still ongoing with God (preincarnate Christ) showing Ezekiel these things, just as he showed John in Revelation and Daniel in the latter chapters of the book of Daniel.
Those who have charge over the city of Jerusalem here are the spirits or angels, much like the spirits of the seven churches in Revelation 1-3. These have charge over Jerusalem. They have “destroying weapons” and are spirits of vengeance representing God’s willingness to bring war to Jerusalem in judgment against the Jews, to destroy.
2And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
These “men” from the north Babylon with weapons of slaughter to destroy are prepared to kill the people of Jerusalem. These represent the Babylonian army (come from the north). One of the six, clothed in linen in this vision, has a writing tool.
3And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; 4And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
The cherub here is part of the temple (again 1 Kings 6-7). This image then is of God leaving Solomon’s temple dwelling no more among the Jews for their abominations. In chapter 8 God was seen there with the image of jealousy. Now He departs, leaving the Jews to their idol worship alone. It represents God having no mercy on the nation as a whole.
Jehovah calls to the man with the writing tool and says mark every person who hates the abominations that have come into the city. This mark is similar to the seal we see in Revelation 7. It represents those who are obedient to God and keep Him in their hearts and minds, which is the greatest command. The man with the inkhorn is looking for any faithful left in Jerusalem.
5And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 6Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. 7And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
So the spirit goes about seeking the faithful and the other five go behind him killing any who do not have the mark. They begin with the old men in the temple, the ones who of all people should have known better. Instead, they have led the people astray.
The corruption was so thorough that even the children were taught to worship the false gods. These men were to slay even them, though we know they were with regard to sin, incapable. It represents the totality of the attack by Nebuchadnezzar, that Jerusalem was not to be spared as a viable city. This is not a literal slaying because we know from the books of history and other books of prophecy (even other places in Ezekiel) that Nebuchadnezzar took prisoners. This vision shows how completely God wipes out the idolatry and the corruption of those who sought to be like the surrounding nations.
8And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?
In this vision, the men have already slain all that Ezekiel saw within the temple: the 70 elders, the 25 sun worshippers, and the woman weeping for Tammuz. Upon seeing these dead in the vision, Ezekiel asks if God is literally going to wipe out all of those left in Judea from the previous attacks because of His great fury.
9Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. 10And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
God answers Ezekiel that Judah, the remnant of Israel, is full of evil. They have said that Jehovah has forsaken their land and He does not see nor care what they do. They have lowered Him, the omniscient, omnipresent Jehovah God, to the level of other deities who are said to reside in finite places and have finite knowledge (though supposedly far superior to humans). God is going to show them how wrong they are.
11And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
The man with the writing tool returns from his job and reports that the job is done. He has marked all in the city who are faithful.
In Truth and Love,
Category:Apocalyptic