Ezekiel 9: The Lord's Judgment and Mercy
He 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.
And, 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.
And 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;
And 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.
And 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:
Slay 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.
And 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.
And 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?
Then 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.
And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
And, 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.
Ezekiel 9 unveils a sobering vision of God's righteous judgment upon Jerusalem, intertwined with a demonstration of his enduring mercy towards a faithful remnant. This chapter serves as a stark warning against spiritual complacency and a testament to God's unwavering commitment to those who remain true to Him.
The Summoning of Executioners (Ezekiel 9:1-2)
Ezekiel's vision is filled with vivid imagery of God's wrath, so much so that he feared the complete annihilation of the house of Israel. (See Ezekiel 9:8). With a loud, urgent call, God summons six executioners, each armed with a destructive weapon. They approach from the north, carrying war clubs, ready to carry out divine judgment. Alongside them appears a seventh man, a scribe, equipped with writing materials, hinting at a meticulous and deliberate process about to unfold.
The Departing Glory (Ezekiel 9:3)
Before the executioners receive their instructions, Ezekiel witnesses a deeply significant event: the glory of the God of Israel begins to depart from the temple. This is not a sudden departure, but a gradual withdrawal, starting from the holy of holies, the innermost sanctuary, and moving towards the threshold of the building. This symbolic act signifies God's abandonment of a sinful people, a heartbreaking consequence of their persistent rebellion. This departure of God's presence is perhaps the most devastating judgment of all. Just as believers today can forfeit the fellowship of God's active presence when they harbor unaddressed sin, so too did Israel lose God's manifest glory due to their iniquity. (See 1 John 1:5-9).
The Mark of Protection (Ezekiel 9:4)
As God's glory departs, He commands the scribe to traverse Jerusalem and mark the foreheads of those who grieve over the abominations committed within the city. This mark serves as a sign of divine protection, distinguishing the righteous remnant from the wicked majority. These are the individuals who share God's perspective on sin, those who are deeply burdened by the spiritual decay around them. Even in the darkest of times, God always preserves a faithful remnant. Just as in the days of Ahab and Jezebel, when Elijah felt alone, God revealed that there were seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal (1 Kings 19:18), so too in Jerusalem, there were those who remained true to God.
The Unsparing Judgment (Ezekiel 9:5-7)
The number of those marked for protection remains undisclosed, but the fate of the rest of Jerusalem is sealed. God commands the executioners to show no pity as they slaughter young and old, male and female. This lack of pity is a recurring theme in Ezekiel's prophecies, underscoring the severity of God's judgment. The slaughter is to begin with the elders, the priests who had turned their backs on God in the temple (Ezekiel 8:16). Their corpses would defile the house of God (Ezekiel 9:7), but the temple had already been defiled by idolatry and false worship.
Ezekiel's Intercession and God's Resolve (Ezekiel 9:8-11)
As the executioners carry out their grim task, Ezekiel is overwhelmed with horror and cries out, "Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel?" (Ezekiel 9:8). However, God's response clarifies that His primary concern is the overwhelming iniquity of the people. They had become so spiritually hardened that they believed God had abandoned the land (Ezekiel 9:9), leading them to believe they could act with impunity. While they were correct that God's presence was departing, it was not because He no longer cared, but because their sins had forced Him to withdraw. The chapter concludes with the reassurance that the righteous remnant has been marked for God's mercy amid his wrath (Ezekiel 9:11). This highlights the dual nature of God's response: judgment for the wicked and protection for the righteous.
He 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.
And, 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.
And 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;
And 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.
And 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:
Slay 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.
And 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.
And 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?
Then 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.
And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
And, 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.
Ezekiel 9 unveils a sobering vision of God's righteous judgment upon Jerusalem, intertwined with a demonstration of his enduring mercy towards a faithful remnant. This chapter serves as a stark warning against spiritual complacency and a testament to God's unwavering commitment to those who remain true to Him.
The Summoning of Executioners (Ezekiel 9:1-2)
Ezekiel's vision is filled with vivid imagery of God's wrath, so much so that he feared the complete annihilation of the house of Israel. (See Ezekiel 9:8). With a loud, urgent call, God summons six executioners, each armed with a destructive weapon. They approach from the north, carrying war clubs, ready to carry out divine judgment. Alongside them appears a seventh man, a scribe, equipped with writing materials, hinting at a meticulous and deliberate process about to unfold.
The Departing Glory (Ezekiel 9:3)
Before the executioners receive their instructions, Ezekiel witnesses a deeply significant event: the glory of the God of Israel begins to depart from the temple. This is not a sudden departure, but a gradual withdrawal, starting from the holy of holies, the innermost sanctuary, and moving towards the threshold of the building. This symbolic act signifies God's abandonment of a sinful people, a heartbreaking consequence of their persistent rebellion. This departure of God's presence is perhaps the most devastating judgment of all. Just as believers today can forfeit the fellowship of God's active presence when they harbor unaddressed sin, so too did Israel lose God's manifest glory due to their iniquity. (See 1 John 1:5-9).
The Mark of Protection (Ezekiel 9:4)
As God's glory departs, He commands the scribe to traverse Jerusalem and mark the foreheads of those who grieve over the abominations committed within the city. This mark serves as a sign of divine protection, distinguishing the righteous remnant from the wicked majority. These are the individuals who share God's perspective on sin, those who are deeply burdened by the spiritual decay around them. Even in the darkest of times, God always preserves a faithful remnant. Just as in the days of Ahab and Jezebel, when Elijah felt alone, God revealed that there were seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal (1 Kings 19:18), so too in Jerusalem, there were those who remained true to God.
The Unsparing Judgment (Ezekiel 9:5-7)
The number of those marked for protection remains undisclosed, but the fate of the rest of Jerusalem is sealed. God commands the executioners to show no pity as they slaughter young and old, male and female. This lack of pity is a recurring theme in Ezekiel's prophecies, underscoring the severity of God's judgment. The slaughter is to begin with the elders, the priests who had turned their backs on God in the temple (Ezekiel 8:16). Their corpses would defile the house of God (Ezekiel 9:7), but the temple had already been defiled by idolatry and false worship.
Ezekiel's Intercession and God's Resolve (Ezekiel 9:8-11)
As the executioners carry out their grim task, Ezekiel is overwhelmed with horror and cries out, "Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel?" (Ezekiel 9:8). However, God's response clarifies that His primary concern is the overwhelming iniquity of the people. They had become so spiritually hardened that they believed God had abandoned the land (Ezekiel 9:9), leading them to believe they could act with impunity. While they were correct that God's presence was departing, it was not because He no longer cared, but because their sins had forced Him to withdraw. The chapter concludes with the reassurance that the righteous remnant has been marked for God's mercy amid his wrath (Ezekiel 9:11). This highlights the dual nature of God's response: judgment for the wicked and protection for the righteous.