Ezekiel Chapter 6
1 The LORD's word came to me, saying,
2 "Son of man, set your face towards the mountains of Israel, and prophesy to them,
3 and say, 'You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys: "Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places.
4 Your altars will become desolate, and your incense altars will be broken. I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
5 I will lay the dead bodies of the children of Israel before their idols. I will scatter your bones around your altars.
6 In all your dwelling places, the cities will be laid waste and the high places will be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.
7 The slain will fall amongst you, and you will know that I am the LORD.
8 " ' "Yet I will leave a remnant, in that you will have some that escape the sword amongst the nations, when you are scattered through the countries.
9 Those of you that escape will remember me amongst the nations where they are carried captive, how I have been broken with their lewd heart, which has departed from me, and with their eyes, which play the prostitute after their idols. Then they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.
10 They will know that I am the LORD. I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them." '
11 "The Lord GOD says: 'Strike with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and say, "Alas!" Because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they will fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.
12 He who is far off will die of the pestilence. He who is near will fall by the sword. He who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. Thus I will accomplish my wrath on them.
13 You will know that I am the LORD, when their slain men are amongst their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the places where they offered pleasant aroma to all their idols.
14 I will stretch out my hand on them, and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness towards Diblah, throughout all their habitations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.' "
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Ezekiel Chapter 6 Guide
These signs were followed by denunciations growing naturally out of what they had taught. In general terms, the prophet first foretold the coming judgment of the sword against the whole land, and the consequent scattering of the people. It was distinctly declared that in this process of judgment Jehovah would preserve a remnant of those who would escape from the destruction of Jerusalem, and in whose mind the judgment would remain, producing repentance, and the conviction that the word of God was not in vain.
The prophet was then charged to deliver this message of the sword with all the outward signs of vehemence and passion, and to make perfectly clear that vengeance moved toward the purpose of restoring a knowledge of Jehovah to those who had forgotten Him. The reference to the remnant in the course of this first denunciation explains the final action in the fourth sign, that is, the gathering of a few scattered hairs and binding them in the skirts of the prophet's garment.
Ezekiel's consciousness of the underlying cause of the reprobation of the chosen people is evident through all this section, in which he describes its results. Israel had fallen out of fellowship with God, and had ceased to know Him. Presently this is dealt with in greater detail, but it is interesting to notice the prophet's recognition of it throughout the whole of these messages.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 6 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The Divine judgments for idolatry. -- (1-7)
- A remnant shall be saved. -- (8-10)
- The calamities are to be lamented. -- (11-14)
Verses 1-7
War desolates persons, places, and things esteemed most sacred. God ruins idolatries even by the hands of idolaters. It is just with God to make that a desolation, which we make an idol. The superstitions to which many trust for safety, often cause their ruin. And the day is at hand, when idols and idolatry will be as thoroughly destroyed from the professedly Christian church as they were from among the Jews.
Verses 8-10
A remnant of Israel should be left; at length they should remember the Lord, their obligations to him, and rebellion against him. True penitents see sin to be that abominable thing which the Lord hates. Those who truly loathe sin, loathe themselves because of sin. They give glory to God by their repentance. Whatever brings men to remember Him, and their sins against him, should be regarded as a blessing.
Verses 11-14
It is our duty to be affected, not only with our own sins and sufferings, but to look with compassion upon the miseries wicked people bring upon themselves. Sin is a desolating thing; therefore, stand in awe, and sin not. If we know the worth of souls, and the danger to which unbelievers are exposed, we shall deem every sinner who takes refuge in Jesus from the wrath to come, an abundant recompence for all contempt or opposition we may meet with.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.