Ezekiel Chapter 14
1 Then some of the elders of Israel came to me, and sat before me.
2 The LORD's word came to me, saying,
3 "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be enquired of at all by them?
4 Therefore speak to them, and tell them, 'The Lord GOD says: "Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;
5 that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols." '
6 "Therefore tell the house of Israel, 'The Lord GOD says: "Return, and turn yourselves from your idols! Turn away your faces from all your abominations.
7 " ' "For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me, and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to enquire for himself of me; I the LORD will answer him by myself.
8 I will set my face against that man, and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from amongst my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
9 " ' "If the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him, and will destroy him from amongst my people Israel.
10 They will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be even as the iniquity of him who seeks him;
11 that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God," says the Lord GOD.' "
12 The LORD's word came to me, saying,
13 "Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread, and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal;
14 though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness," says the Lord GOD.
15 "If I cause evil animals to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it is made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals;
16 though these three men were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
17 "Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, 'Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and animal;'
18 though these three men were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only would be delivered themselves.
19 "Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal;
20 though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness."
21 For the Lord GOD says: "How much more when I send my four severe judgements on Jerusalem, the sword, the famine, the evil animals, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and animal!
22 Yet, behold, there will be left a remnant in it that will be carried out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they will come out to you, and you will see their way and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it.
23 They will comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; then you will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without cause," says the Lord GOD.
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Ezekiel Chapter 14 Guide
Certain of the elders of Israel now came to Ezekiel, evidently to hear what message he had to deliver to them. The word of the Lord revealed to him that whatever their outward attitude might be, they were at heart idolaters, and he was charged to declare to them that while idolatry remained in their heart they were necessarily estranged from Jehovah. He was to appeal to them to return to Jehovah, and to make perfectly clear that so long as they retained idolatry in their heart the only answer of Jehovah to them must be punishment, warning them that if they listened to the messages of false prophets, they and the prophets would be destroyed together.
This determined attitude of judgment was then explained to Ezekiel, first by a statement of principle. That statement was that in days of willful and persistent corruption men as righteous as Noah, Daniel, and Job could not prevent the operation of vengeance, but only save their own souls by their righteousness. This statement of principle, while insisting on the inevitableness of judgment. did, nevertheless, also clearly reveal the justice and discrimination of the divine method. If Noah, Daniel, and Job were unable to prevent the judgment, they themselves would be saved by their righteousness. The twofold truth was then even more clearly brought forth in the direct application of the principle to Jerusalem. Four sore judgments were determined against the city, but a remnant would be delivered, and escaping to Ezekiel would comfort him, as they proved that all that the Lord had done had been not without cause.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 14 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Threatenings against hypocrites. -- (1-11)
- God's purpose to punish the guilty Jews, but a few should be saved. -- (12-23)
Verses 1-11
No outward form or reformation can be acceptable to God, so long as any idol possesses the heart; yet how many prefer their own devices and their own righteousness, to the way of salvation! Men's corruptions are idols in their hearts, and are of their own setting up; God will let them take their course. Sin renders the sinner odious in the eyes of the pure and holy God; and in his own eyes also, whenever conscience is awakened. Let us seek to be cleansed from the guilt and pollution of sins, in that fountain which the Lord has opened.
Verses 12-23
National sins bring national judgments. Though sinners escape one judgment, another is waiting for them. When God's professing people rebel against him, they may justly expect all his judgments. The faith, obedience, and prayers of Noah prevailed to the saving of his house, but not of the old world. Job's sacrifice and prayer in behalf of his friends were accepted, and Daniel had prevailed for the saving his companions and the wise men of Babylon. But a people that had filled the measure of their sins, was not to expect to escape for the sake of any righteous men living among them; not even of the most eminent saints, who could be accepted in their own case only through the sufferings and righteousness of Christ. Yet even when God makes the greatest desolations by his judgments, he saves some to be monuments of his mercy. In firm belief that we shall approve the whole of God's dealings with ourselves, and with all mankind, let us silence all rebellious murmurs and objections.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.