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Commentary on Ezekiel 43 verses 7–12
God does here, in effect, renew his covenant with his people Israel, upon his retaking possession of the house, and Ezekiel negotiates the matter, as Moses formerly. This would be of great use to the captives at their return both for direction and encouragement; but it looks further, to those that are blessed with the privileges of the gospel-temple, that they may understand how they are before him on their good behaviour.
I. God, by the prophet, puts them in mind of their former provocations, for which they had long lain under the tokens of his displeasure. This conviction is spoken to them to make way for the comforts designed them. Though God gives and upbraids not, it becomes us, when he forgives, to upbraid ourselves with our unworthy conduct towards him. Let them now remember therefore, 1. That they had formerly defiled God's holy name, had profaned and abused all those sacred things by which he had made himself known among them, Eze 43:7. They and their kings had brought contempt on the religion they professed, and their relation to God, by their spiritual whoredom, their idolatry, and by worshipping images, which they called their kings (for so Moloch signifies) or lords (for so Baal signifies), but which were really the carcases of kings, not only lifeless and useless, but loathsome and abominable as dead carcases, in their high places, set up in honour of them. They had defiled God's name by their abominations. And what were they? It was in setting their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, that is, adding their own inventions to God's institutions, and urging all to a compliance with them, as if they had been of equal authority and efficacy, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (Isa 29:13); or, rather, setting up altars to their idols even in the courts of the temple, than which a more impudent affront could not be put upon the divine Majesty. Thus they set up a separation wall between him and them, which stopped the current of his favours to them and spoiled the acceptableness of their services to him. See what an indignity sinners do to God, setting up their walls in opposition to his, and thrusting him out from what is his right; and see what injury they do to themselves, for the nearer any come to God with their sins the further they set him at a distance from them. Some give this sense of it: Though their houses joined close to God's house, their posts and thresholds to hi, so that they were in a manner his next neighbours, there was but a wall between me and them (so it is in the margin), so that it might have been expected they would acquaint themselves with him and be in care to please him, yet they were not so much as neighbourly. Note, It often proves too true, The nearer the church the further from God. They were, by profession, in covenant with God, and yet they had defiled the place of his throne and of the soles of his feet, his temple, where he did both reside and reign. Jerusalem is called the city of the great king (Psa 48:2) and his footstool, Psa 99:5; Psa 132:7. Note, When God's ordinances are profaned his holy name is polluted. 2. That for this God had had a controversy with them in their late troubles. They could not condemn him, for he had but brought upon them the desert of their sins: Wherefore I have consumed them in my anger. Note, Those that pollute God's holy name fall under his just displeasure.
II. He calls upon them to repent and reform, and, in order to that, to be ashamed of their iniquities (Eze 43:9): "Now let them put away their whoredom; now that they have smarted so severely for it, and now that God is returning in mercy to them and setting up his sanctuary again in the midst of them, now let them cast away their idols and have no more to do with them, that they may not again forfeit the privileges which they have been taught to know the worth of by the want of them. Let them put away their idols, those loathsome carcases of their kings, far from me, from being a provocation to me." This was seasonable counsel now that the prophet had the model or pattern of the temple to set before them; for, 1. If they see that pattern, they will surely be ashamed of their sins (Eze 43:10): when they see what mercy God has in store for them, notwithstanding their utter unworthiness of it, they will be ashamed to think of their disingenuous conduct towards him. Note, The goodness of God to us should lead us to repentance, especially to a penitential shame. Let them measure the pattern themselves, and see how much it exceeds the former pattern, and guess by that what great things God has in store for them; and surely it will put them out of countenance to think what the desert of their sins was. And then, 2. If they be ashamed of their sins, they shall surely see more of the pattern, Eze 43:11. If they be ashamed of all that they have done, upon a general view of the goodness of God, let them have a more distinct particular account of the temple. Note, Those that improve what they see and know of the goodness of God shall see and know more of it. And then, and not till then, we are qualified for God's favours, when we are truly humbled for our own follies. "Show them the form of the house; let them see what a stately structure it will be; and withal show them the ordinances and laws of it." Note, With the foresights of our comforts it is fit that we should get the knowledge of our duty; with the privileges of God's house we must acquaint ourselves with the rules of it. Show them these ordinances, that they may keep them and do them. Note, Therefore we are made to know our duty, that we may do it, and be blessed in our deed.
III. He promises that they shall be such as they should be, and then he will be to them such as they would have him to be, Eze 43:7. 1. The house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name. This is pure gospel. The precept of the law says, You must not defile my name: the grace of the gospel says, You shall not. Thus what is required in the covenant is promised in the covenant, Jer 32:40. 2. Then I will dwell in the midst of them for ever; and the same again Eze 43:9. God secures to us his good-will be confirming in us his good work. If we do not defile his name, we may be sure that he will not depart from us.
IV. The general law of God's house is laid down (Eze 43:12), That, whereas formerly only the chancel, or sanctuary, was most holy, now the whole mountain of the house shall be so; the whole limit thereof, including all the courts and all the chambers, shall be as the most holy place, signifying that in gospel-times, 1. The whole church shall have the privilege of the holy of holies, that of a near access to God. All believers have now, under the gospel, boldness to enter into the holiest (Heb 10:19), with this advantage, that whereas the high priest entered in the virtue of the blood of bulls and goats, we enter in the virtue of the blood of Jesus, and, wherever we are, we have through him access to the Father. 2. The whole church shall be under a mighty obligation to press towards the perfection of holiness, as he who has called us is holy. All must now be most holy. Holiness becomes God's house for ever, and in gospel-times more than ever. Behold this is the law of the house; let none expect the protection of it that will not submit to this law.
(Chapter 43, verses 1 onwards) \"And he brought me to the gate that faced east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty. And I saw a vision like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city. And the vision that I saw was like the vision that I had seen by the river Chebar. And I fell on my face.\ And the majesty of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. And the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard someone speaking to me from the house. And the man standing beside me said to me, 'Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, they and their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at their high places, by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger.' So now they shall put far from themselves their fornication and the ruins of their kings from me, and I will dwell in their midst forever. LXX: And he brought me to the gate, which looked toward the East, and he led me out; and behold the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the East, and the voice of the camp was like the voice of many waters, and the earth shone with the brightness of the glory on every side. And the vision that I saw was like the vision that I saw when I entered to anoint the city. And the vision of the chariot that I saw was like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face. And the glory of the Lord entered the house through the way of the gate that faced east. And the spirit took hold of me and brought me into the inner court, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I stood, and behold, a voice from the house speaking to me, and a man stood beside me and said to me: Have you seen, son of man, the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where my name shall dwell in the midst of the house of Israel forever. And they shall no longer defile the house of Israel with their idols and with their detestable things and with all their transgressions, but I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. » First, about the variety of translation, it must be said that what the Septuagint put: 'And he led me out' is not found in the Hebrew. For if he had been led to the gate facing East, why was it necessary for him to be led out, since he was brought in to see what was being done at the Eastern gate? Then, where it is said: 'The voice was to him,' no doubt it is a voice of God, like the sound of many waters, which John also confirms in his Apocalypse, the Septuagint put: 'And the voice of the camp, like the voice of many geminators' (Apoc. XIV). In the third place, it is written in Hebrew: I saw a vision according to the appearance that I had seen when he came to destroy the city. But that one came, who at the beginning of this prophet was clothed in linen, and had an ink horn at his waist, along with six others, to destroy the city, not to anoint, which the Seventy translated as: And the vision of the chariot that I had seen, which is not found in Hebrew. Let us speak separately about each one, to the extent that the difficulty of explanation allows: lest while we strive for brevity, the veil remain not only on Moses, but also on Ezekiel the prophet in us, who desire to contemplate the revealed truth of the Lord (Exod. 34; 2 Cor. 3). Therefore the glory of the God of Israel enters by the eastern way, by which it had also departed when the city of the Lord was struck by fury. It enters, or rather returns to it, because it had shown the temple of the Lord built on the mountain. And yet there is much more that is said in what follows: The spirit lifted me up and brought me into the outer court, and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house. For here is where only the glory of the God of Israel enters; but there it is said that the fullness of the glory of the Lord was in the temple, as Isaiah also writes: I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne, and the house was full of his glory (Isaiah 6:1); when we contemplate the revealed face of the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the image of the Creator. There was also the voice of God, like the voice of many waters, that is, of all the peoples in the whole world, as John the Evangelist explains (Apoc. XIV): or like the voice of armies, and like the voice of many praising God, that the army of God might know the sacraments. Jacob, understanding this, called the name of that place Camp (Genes. XXXII). And elsewhere it is written: The chariots of God are multiplied by ten thousand, thousands of rejoicers (Ps. LXVII, 18). But one voice is said to be of the camp and the multitude, because of the unanimous praise of God. And the voice of those singing is doubled for the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, the earth is full of his glory (Isa. VI, 3). It follows: And the earth shone with his majesty (Psalm XVIII). Which properly happened at the coming of Christ; when the sound of the apostles went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Rom. XVIII): and it is fulfilled daily in believers, and will be fulfilled completely, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality (I Cor. XV). But the following is added: 'And I saw a vision in the likeness of the vision which I had seen when he came to destroy the city.' For which the Seventy have rendered: 'When I went in to anoint the city,' since it is clear contrary to the Hebrew; but according to the LXX it is very dark. How Ezekiel went in to anoint the city, and what was the purport of his prophecy, we have stated, unless we say, of course, that the prophet’s representation means the anointing of the city, and that the anointing with oil of joy is sacerdotal and regal, and that they become anointed of the Lord who willingly receive and hear Him to whom it is written: 'Do not touch My Christs;' and to those who touch them: 'My prophets, do not harm.' (Ps. 104:15). But he can anoint the city according to the anagoge, of which it is written: Glorious things are said of you, O city of God (Psalm 86:2); he who saw the vision of the chariot and the mysteries of God, which Ezekiel witnessed by the river Chebar, which signifies the burden and weight. For what is heavier than the Babylonian rivers, over which David sat and wept when he remembered Zion? Of which it is written: For the form of this world is passing away (Psalm 136). And I think that there is nothing perpetual in the confusion of this world, but everything passes and flows (1 Corinthians 7:31). Whoever considers this will fall on their face, understanding how far they are from the majesty of God, and will bow their knees to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. And when, he says, I had fallen, the majesty of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east, and immediately the spirit lifted me up (for I could not go on lying down), and he led me into the court of annihilation, for I had fallen outside; and behold, I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east, and I saw the glory of the Lord filling his house, and I heard a voice speaking to me from inside the house. What this is spoken about, the Scripture does not narrate, unless perhaps that of the Apostle: And I heard unspeakable words, that it is not lawful for a man to utter (2 Corinthians 12:4). But the man, he says, who stood beside the prophet, said to him: whom we clearly understand to be the Lord. For who else could it befit what follows: Son of man, the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever, except those who dwell in the Church in the midst of the children of Israel who behold God, and dwell forever, not according to the temple of Solomon for a time? And his place is the one about which it is written: And his place became peaceful (Psalm 75:2), which surpasses all understanding. And the place of his footsteps, as the Apostles say: Let us worship in the place where his feet stood (Psalm 31:7). And beautifully it is said, they stood: for the feet of the Lord stand in the Church, they walk in the synagogue and pass by. But in order that we may know that this is said about the Church, it is joined: And they will no longer defile my holy name, the house of Israel: which properly belongs to those who dwell in holy conversation in the Church. However, those who have defiled the holy name of God are more clearly specified: both their kings and their people, as well as their priests, in their own acts of fornication, through which they have fornicated with God; and in the ruins of their kings, who in vain, through pride, assume the royal name. Finally, it follows: And in high places. For an arrogant mind offends God; a humble one incites mercy. These people, after pride, or rather through pride, have fashioned their threshold next to the threshold of God, and their doorposts next to His doorposts. Let these women burdened with sins, carried about by every wind of doctrine, always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; having a form of godliness but denying its power, turn away from such people. For among them are those who creep into households and captivate weak-willed women weighed down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. And the Apostle also says: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup (I Cor. XI, 28). And to make what he said more serious, he follows it with the verse: And there was a wall between me and them; so that a very short wall would separate the priestly sacrifices and the places of the sacraments of the body and blood of Christ. And they have polluted, he says, my holy name, in the abominations which they have committed. What is the advantage of dwelling near, and a wall, the wall of the Lord's altar, between our cell and the altar of the Lord, when in those things which we do in secret, and which it is even shameful to speak of, the name of the Lord is defiled and polluted? I think this, that the name of the Lord is not polluted, except by the one who has seen his name and believed, and is considered in his name. And just as he who previously believed in Christ pollutes the name of God, so also the one who previously accepted his name in faith pollutes it. Otherwise, the Gentile and the Jew, although they are defiled and contaminated, indeed contamination itself and pollution, cannot pollute and defile the name of God: what they pollute is attributed to them, to whom it is said, 'My name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you' (Rom. 2:24). Therefore, because of these reasons, I consumed them in my anger, because they did the things we have mentioned. And yet the merciful Lord again commands the prophets to tell them to remove their former fornications from themselves and to abandon the ruins of their kings and rulers, and to not only reject them from themselves, but also from God. And he immediately promises rewards for good deeds, saying: \"And I will dwell among them,\" as it is written in the Gospel: \"There stands among you one whom you do not know\" (John 1:26). And he will dwell not for a short time, like in the Synagogue, but forever, as is confirmed in the Church of Christ.
He did not dwell for a short time as in the synagogue, but forever, as is shown in the church of Christ.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 43:9 serves as a pivotal declaration of divine conditions for God's enduring presence among His people. Following the majestic return of the Lord's glory to the visionary temple, this verse articulates the non-negotiable prerequisites for His permanent indwelling: the complete eradication of spiritual infidelity, metaphorically termed "whoredom," and the thorough removal of all defiling idolatrous practices and symbols associated with human authority, represented by "the carcases of their kings." It profoundly underscores that God's holy presence is inextricably linked to the purity and exclusive devotion of His covenant people, promising an eternal dwelling only upon their radical repentance and comprehensive cleansing.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 43:9 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message of divine holiness and human responsibility. Metaphor is central, with "whoredom" serving as a vivid and visceral representation of Israel's idolatry and spiritual infidelity, likening their covenant breaking to marital betrayal. This personification of the nation as an unfaithful spouse underscores the depth of God's hurt and the profound seriousness of their sin. The phrase "carcases of their kings" utilizes metonymy or synecdoche, where "carcases" stands not merely for dead bodies but for the defiling practices, idolatrous objects, and corrupting influence associated with ungodly kings, symbolizing the pervasive impact of human authority when it deviates from divine commands. The stark contrast between the defiling "carcases" and God's holy presence creates a powerful juxtaposition, emphasizing the absolute incompatibility of sin and defilement with divine holiness. The verse also functions as a conditional promise, where the implicit "if" (implied by "let them put away") leads directly to the "then" ("I will dwell... for ever"), highlighting the reciprocal nature of the covenant relationship. Finally, the repetition of the theme of God's dwelling (implied from the surrounding temple vision) provides emphasis on His ultimate desire for intimate fellowship with His people, provided they meet His holy standards.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 43:9 profoundly articulates the enduring theological truth that God's absolute holiness necessitates the separation of His people from all forms of defilement, particularly idolatry. The divine desire to "dwell in the midst of them for ever" is a powerful testament to God's covenant faithfulness and His deep longing for intimate fellowship with humanity. Yet, this fellowship is consistently predicated on the purity and exclusive devotion of His people. This verse foreshadows the ultimate reality of God's dwelling among humanity, not confined to a physical temple made with human hands, but through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers and, ultimately, in the glorious new heavens and new earth. It serves as a timeless reminder that true worship demands the ruthless removal of all rival affections and idols, whether overt or subtle, that compete for God's rightful, supreme place in our lives, ensuring that His presence is not merely a transient visitation but a permanent, transformative indwelling.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 43:9 stands as a timeless summons to radical purity and exclusive devotion to God, a call that resonates deeply with contemporary believers. For us today, the "whoredom" and "carcases of their kings" may not manifest as literal pagan idols or physical human remains, but rather as anything that subtly or overtly usurps God's supreme authority and affection in our lives. This could encompass the idolatry of self, the relentless pursuit of wealth, power, or pleasure above all else, the worship of human ideologies, or even the insidious ways we allow worldly values and cultural norms to defile our spiritual walk and communal life. The verse challenges us to diligently identify and ruthlessly "put away" these spiritual impurities, recognizing that God's profound desire is not merely for occasional visits but for a permanent, intimate dwelling within us individually and among us corporately as His church. Our willingness to cleanse our inner temples and communal spaces of these defiling influences directly impacts the extent to which God's glory can be manifested through us and His transformative presence experienced in our midst.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "whoredom" specifically refer to in this context?
Answer: In Ezekiel 43:9, "whoredom" (Hebrew: zᵉnûwth) is a powerful metaphor for Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry. It vividly likens their pursuit of and worship of false gods to a wife's profound betrayal of her marriage vows. God had entered into a sacred covenant relationship with Israel, much like a husband with his wife, and their turning to other deities was considered an act of spiritual adultery, deeply offensive to His holiness and exclusive claim on their devotion. This concept is found throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the prophetic books, to describe the severity of Israel's sin (e.g., Hosea 1:2).
What are "the carcases of their kings"?
Answer: "The carcases of their kings" (Hebrew: peger melek) is a strong and vivid phrase that refers to the defiling elements associated with idolatrous kings and their practices. This could literally mean the tombs or remains of ungodly kings who were buried too close to the sacred temple precincts, thus desecrating the holy ground. More broadly and symbolically, it represents the pagan altars, cultic objects, and idolatrous practices that these kings introduced or endorsed, often placing them within or in close proximity to God's holy temple. Such actions were an abomination to God, as they brought death, corruption, and defilement into His holy presence. The demand to remove them signifies a complete and decisive rejection of all human authority and practices that elevate anything above the pure worship of Yahweh, emphasizing the absolute necessity of purity in God's dwelling place.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 43:9, with its conditional promise of God's dwelling contingent upon the removal of whoredom and the carcases of kings, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Humanity, deeply mired in its spiritual "whoredom" and pervasive idolatry, was utterly incapable of removing its own defilement to merit God's eternal presence. However, Christ, the perfect and spotless Lamb of God, became the ultimate atoning sacrifice, taking away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Through His atoning work on the cross, He "put away" our spiritual whoredom and cleansed us from the "carcases" of our idolatrous nature and dead works, which are an offense to God. By His glorious resurrection, He inaugurated a new covenant where God's dwelling is no longer restricted to a physical temple made with hands but resides powerfully in the hearts of believers through the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The profound promise "I will dwell in the midst of them for ever" is realized in the Church, which is the spiritual temple built on Christ, the foundational cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22). Ultimately, this promise culminates in the glorious New Heavens and New Earth, where God's tabernacle will be with humanity, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God, with no more sin, defilement, or sorrow (Revelation 21:3-4). Thus, what was conditional for Israel under the Old Covenant is unconditionally secured for believers in Christ, who is our purity, our access, and our eternal dwelling with God.