Idolaters are Killed

Ezekiel 9:1–11
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This chapter presents a picture of coming judgment. After Eusocial had seen how corrupt Jerusalem had become, God called one man to spare the small minority who had been faithful (v. 1). Then He called six men to slaughter the wicked people in the city and a scribe  (v. 2). The Lord instructed the scribe to place a mark on the forehead of every faithful person in the city (vv. 3-4). The scribes inkhorn was a long narrow board with a groove to hold the reed brush that was used to write on parchment or dried clay. The board had hollowed out areas for holding cakes of black and red ink that had to be moistened before used.

God told the man with the writer’s inkhorn to put a mark on those who were faithful to God. Their faithfulness was determined by their sensitivity of and sorrow over their nations’s sin. Those with the mark were spared when the six men began to destroy the wicked people. This was a picture of what happened during the Exodus when the Israelites put a mark of blood on their doorposts to save them from death. This will also happen again when God marks the foreheads of those destined for salvation (Rev. 7:3) and Satan will mark his followers (Rev. 13:16-17) who are destined for destruction. When God punishes sin, He won’t forget His promise to His people who can be counted faithful.

He then commissioned the six executioners to mercilessly slaughter everyone who was not so marked, beginning in the temple precincts (vv. 5-7). The spiritual leaders (elders) of Israel promoted their idolatrous beliefs, and the people abandoned God and followed them. It is not surprising, that He  started judgment at the temple and worked outward (I Peter 4:17). This judgment was ordered by God Himself.  When Ezekiel expressed his concern that the whole nation would be wiped out, the Lord reminded him that judgment was well-deserved (vv. 8-10). “The man clothed in linen, with the writing case at his waist, brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded me” (v. 11).

Application

“Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful“ (I Cor. 4:2). It is the desire of my heart that when my life is over this is what the Lord will be able to say about me.