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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 14
The Lord will not answer those who worship false gods and work
iniquity—Ezekiel cries repentance—The people would not be saved
though Noah, Daniel, and Job ministered among them.
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1 THEN came certain of
the aelders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
2 And the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying,
3 Son of man, these men have set up their
idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their
ainiquity before their
facea: should I be
benquired of at all by cthem?
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2a these men have set up their idols in
their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their
face It is important to understand just who it was that these
'elders of Israel' were. They were the 'ruling' class according to the
church or the Law of Moses was to be judged among the people. These were they
who had been about seting up God to be what they wanted him to be. These were
they who were the 'false prophets' of the people and the cause as to whay
and how the people had been so led astray. They had taken it upon themselves
to so make God in that image which they would have him be to suit not only
thier own hearts and minds, but also according to a God which would allow
them to remain in their iniquity before him. They had therefore made unto
themself a 'false image of God' which was but an 'idol' made up in their
minds as to who God was: God according to them and not in reality who God
was according to the truth of God. Perhaps an extreme example of such a
'God idol' so set up of and by the hearts and iniquities of men, would be
such a God that would allow 'gay marriage' to be acceptable because certain
of the people desire it. Such a God would be but a false God image and not
based upon the truth of who God really is. Many have so remade God over into
that which they would have him be to suit their own convinence. And such were
these 'elders of Israel'. They would have sought of Ezekiel a God which they
would have God be according to their own carnal minds. But this is never who
God is. He is not a changable God who changes to suit the minds and hearts
of men. Stir clear of such Gods and God images which false religions of
convinence build up unto the people in order to be popular in the sight of
men.
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4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up
his idols in his heart, and putteth the astumblingblock of
his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will
answer him that cometh 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.
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6 ¶ Therefore say unto the house of Israel,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your
idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the
stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and
setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his
iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him
concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
8 And I will set my aface
against that man, and will make him a bsign and a proverb,
and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I
am the LORD.
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9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath
spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch
out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people
Israel.
10 And they shall bear the
apunishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the
prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh
unto him;
11 That the house of Israel may go no more
astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their
transgressions; but that they may be my apeople, and I may
be their God, saith the Lord GOD.
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12 ¶ The word of the LORD came again to
me, saying,
13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against
me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it,
and will abreak the staff of the bread thereof, and will
send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
14 Though these three men,
aNoah, bDaniel, and
cJob, were in it, they should deliver but their own
souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
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15 ¶ If I cause anoisome
beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate,
that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
16 Though these three men were in
it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor
daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
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17 ¶ Or if I bring a
asword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land;
so that I cut off man and beast from it:
18 Though these three men were in it,
as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor
daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
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19 ¶ Or if I send a pestilence into
that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and
beast:
20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in
it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor
daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their
righteousness.
21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more
when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the
asword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the
pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
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22 ¶ Yet, behold, therein shall be left a
aremnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and
daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way
and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have
brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought
upon it.
23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see
their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without
cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.
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