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The Glory of the LordThe Study of Ezekiel

Lesson 4PROPHECIES OF ISRAEL’S DESTRUCTION

The Pollution of the TempleEzekiel 8:1-11:25

EZE 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in theeyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Four Babylonian MysteriesIn spite of the exile of Judah and Israel to Babylon, Jerusalem still persisted in their sins. Abominable

idolatrous worship was still practiced. Ezekiel’s purpose in this section is to show those in the Babylonian exilehoping for an early release that if the people of Jerusalem continued in their sins there would be a final andcomplete exile of those remaining in the city.1

EZE 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I satin mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there uponme.2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins evendownward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour ofamber.3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me upbetween the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door ofthe inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, whichprovoketh to jealousy.4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted upmine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image ofjealousy in the entry.

Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon in the second exile of 597BC. It was now August-September of the year592BC, a year and two months after the first vision of Ezekiel 1:1. Ezekiel was sitting in his house with theexiled elders of Judah when once more the hand of God took Ezekiel by the lock of his hair to Jerusalem in avision. In a scene dominated by fire, Ezekiel again saw the glory of the Lord.2

Ezekiel saw a vision of the abominations of the citizens of Jerusalem. He saw their spiritual condition.The first abdominal thing was called the “image of jealousy because it provoked God to jealousy. It was Godwho should have been the object of their worship, not this detestable idol.3 To understand the vision it isnecessary to realize the source of the cultic abominations they were practicing and how these practices wouldinfluence other religious practices in the immediate area of the Mediterranean Sea. Babylon was the source ofmystery religions that gradually crept into the religious practices of the great empires that we saw in Lesson 1,in particular, the Egyptian, Greek, and eventually Roman. Moving ahead in time, the great Babylonian Empire

1 Charles Lee Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1969, p. 49.2 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 11, 49. John F. Walvoord, DANIEL: The Key to PropheticInterpretation, Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1971, pp. 30-32. J. Vernon McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Ezekiel,Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982, Vol. III, p. 436.3 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 50.

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was later destroyed by the Medo-Persians in 539BC. At that time, the Babylonian cultic priests fled toPergamos, the location of one of the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 located in Turkey. It was there thatthey resumed their practice of the mystery religion, further spreading their false worship. These priests latermigrated to Rome and propagated the ancient cult under the name of the Etruscan Mysteries. Thesemysteries infected worship in the major cultural centers of the Mediterranean world. It was at Pergamos wherethe altar to Zeus was set up. This altar was later brought to Berlin by Hitler, where it remains on displaytoday.4

In these opening verses of chapter 8, Ezekiel saw the first of the fourfold abominations of the people ofJerusalem as follows:

First abomination – An image set up at the north gate of the temple, possibly of Astarte, thefoul Babylonian goddess, Eze 8:5.5

Semiramis is a Greek form of Sammur-amat, or "gift of the sea." "Sammur" in Hebrew becomes"Shinar," the name for lower Mesopotamia, "the land of Shinar," or Semiramis. To hide the fact that she wasan ex-harlot, the fiction that she was a virgin sprung from the sea at Nimrod's landing was concocted (gift ofthe sea). Thus, Semiramis' original name is lost.6

Semiramis originated the "mystery religion," which included astrology. Semiramis is also known asIshtar, the Babylonian goddess of love and fertility. She became Isis in Egypt; Venus in Rome; Aphrodite inGreece, Astarte in Phoenicia, Diana in Ephesus, and Ashtoreth in Israel.7

The mystery religion has as its premise that the Great Dragon is the rightful heir of the Universe whohas been overthrown and will one day be restored by a child born of a divine mother. The result is the worshipof the heavenly hosts (fallen angels) through astrology.8 Modern day dabbling into Eastern Religions and theenvironment through Gaia or mother earth worship is another example.

EZE 8:6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the greatabominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? butturn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold adoor.9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all theidols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about.11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst ofthem stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud ofincense went up.12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in thedark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hathforsaken the earth.

Second Abomination – Secret heathen worship in the hidden precincts of the temple, Eze 8:6-12.9

In the opinion of many commentators, these were the animal cults of Egypt. In the time of Mosesseventy men were assigned to guard against idols.10

4 H. A. Ironside, REVELATION, Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1920, 1996, p. 190. David M. Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the LastWord, Bellmawr, NJ: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministries, 1999, pp. 193, 194. John F. Walvoord, THE REVELATION OF JESUSCHRIST, Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1966, pp. 246-248. Earle E. Cairns, CHRISTIANITY THROUGH THE CENTURIES: A History of theChristian Church, Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, Zondervan Publishing House, 1954, 1981, pp. 124, 125, 129.5 Warren Wiersbe, WIERSBE'S EXPOSITORY OUTLINES ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, Victor Books/SP Publications,1993, Ezekiel 8.6 Bryce Self, SEMIRAMIS, QUEEN OF BABYLON, www.Ldolphin.org.7 S. A. Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Reno, NV: The Write House, Ltd., 1994, Vol. 1, p. 90. Self, SEMIRAMIS, QUEEN OFBABYLON. J. Garnier, THE WORSHIP OF THE DEAD OR THE ORIGIN AND NATURE OF PAGAN IDOLATRY AND ITS BEARINGUPON THE EARLY HISTORY OF EGYPT AND BABYLONIA, London, Eng., Chapman & Hall, Ltd, 1909, pp.70, 258, 314. Rev.Alexander Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1916, 1943, 1959, p. 62.8 Self, SEMIRAMIS, QUEEN OF BABYLON.9 Wiersbe, WIERSBE'S EXPOSITORY OUTLINES ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, Ezekiel 8.10 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 50, 51.

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Num 11:16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel,whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto thetabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

Shaphan may have been the one that read the newly found Book of the Law to Josiah the king, thusindicating how far they had fallen in a short time.11 Josiah succeeded his father in 641BC, and reigned 31years. His history is found in 2 Kings 22-24; 2 Chron 34:1; 35. The first twelve chapters of Jeremiah reveal thegeneral character of the Jews in his day. He sought the Lord in the eighth year of his reign. For six years,beginning in his twelfth year, throughout all the land of Judah and Israel he destroyed all the high places,groves, images and all outward signs and relics of idolatry. While the temple was being restored Hilkiah thepriest found the book of the law of the Lord and gave it to Shaphan to be read to the people. Even after all thishe was unable to abolish every trace of idolatry and superstition. Josiah’s life ended when he was mortallywounded in battle with Egyptian Pharaoh, Necho.12

2 Kings 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book ofthe law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

EZE 8:13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that theydo.14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and,behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

Third Abomination – The Jewish women weeping for the god Adonis [Tammuz], who wassupposed to die and be raised from the dead each spring, Eze 8:13, 14.13

This practice was part of the Babylonian Mystery Religion developed around tradition concerningNimrod, his wife Semiramis, and her child Tammuz. Babylonian Worship was carried on through symbols (amystery religion).14

What follows is a small part of the legend of Semiramis and the development of the mystery religionsthat had their roots in Babylonian worship. These mystery religions soon spread to infect the world’s religioussystems, including Christianity. For a better understanding of this see our CREATION REVELATIONpublication Semiramis, Queen of Babylon Part 1 and Part 2.15

A rift occurred between Semiramis and Nimrod when she was found to have been pregnant with anillegitimate son. To maintain power she overthrew Nimrod and had him torn into pieces by drug crazed priests.Semiramis installed the illegitimate son Tammuz as King. The name Tammuz is from "Damu" meaning blood,in Greek, Adonis. Or his name may be from "tam," meaning to "make perfect," and "muz," meaning fire.Putting both words together means "perfecting fire."16

Tammuz was born on 25 December.17 Tammuz was the son of the Sun-god, and the golden calf wasone of his symbols.18 This gives great insight into what Israel was doing with the golden calf that they made inthe wilderness during the Exodus.

EXO 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of yourwives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3 And all the people brake offthe golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4 And he receivedthem at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and theysaid, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

11 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 50, 51.12 Sir William Smith, SMITH'S BIBLE DICTIONARY, Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour and Company, Inc., 1987, Josiah, p. 324.13 Wiersbe, WIERSBE'S EXPOSITORY OUTLINES ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, Ezekiel 8.14 Ralph Woodrow, BABYLON MYSTERY RELIGION, Riverside, CA: Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association, 1966, pp. 9, 10.15 CREATION REVELATION, Semiramis, Queen of Babylon Part 1, 2007, Vol. 11, Issue 01 and Semiramis, Queen of Babylon Part 2,2007, Vol. 11, Issue 02.16 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, p. 90. Self, SEMIRAMIS, QUEEN OF BABYLON. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, p. 56.17 Edgar C. Carlisle, A WORLD "CHURCH" IS PLANNED FOR 2000 A. D, privately printed, 1994, p. 27. See also Hislip, THE TWOBABYLONS, p. 93.18 Woodrow, BABYLON MYSTERY RELIGION, p. 10.

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Tammuz eventually killed his own mother in a power struggle.19 The Jewish philosopher Maimonides(1135-1204) calls Tammuz a false prophet who advocated worship of the Zodiac and the seven stars of thePleiades.20 Tradition states that Shem had Tammuz executed, and on that night supposedly all the images(demons) around the world wept all night.21 Thus the practice of weeping for Tammuz on the first day of themonth of Tammuz, mid (June/July), was begun.22 This tradition of the death of Tammuz might very well referto the death of Nimrod. The story is similar to that of the Egyptian story of Osiris. Osiris is considered to beNimrod as well as Tammuz. The women of Egypt wept for Osiris as the Phoenician and Assyrian women weptfor Tammuz. Women in Greece and Rome wept for Bacchus. Both Osiris and Bacchus (as represented by aspotted fawn) were torn apart.23

EZE 8:15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shaltsee greater abominations than these.16 And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the templeof the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs towardthe temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

Fourth Abomination – The high priest and the twenty-four courses of priests worshiping thesun, 8:16.24

Now notice that in a version of the Death of Nimrod (Osiris), Shem (Sem, Hercules) petitioned theEgyptian courts for the trial and execution of Nimrod for his great apostasy.25 Nimrod was then cut intofourteen pieces that were distributed to each city in the empire.26 Semiramis (Isis) searched for every part ofNimrod's body and had it buried wherever it was found. This was the origin of relic worship.27 This Babylonianand Egyptian relic worship became integral with Buddhism and Greek paganism.28

Nimrod became a false messiah after his death.29 Semiramis now claimed that Nimrod was the Sun-god Baal, and when she gave birth to her son Tammuz, she claimed that he was the reincarnation of Nimrod.30

The doctrine of reincarnation began. Satan clumsily counterfeits the resurrection of Christ.31

Semiramis also claimed that Tammuz was supernaturally conceived. Semiramis was claiming forTammuz, that he was the "promised Seed."32

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; itshall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

In the Egyptian version of this story, Osiris, whose wife/sister/daughter is Isis and their child is Horus,was murdered by his brother Set. Set cut Osiris' body into fourteen pieces. Isis recovered all pieces excepthis private parts, which had been cast into the sea. Horus defeated Set, and Osiris was proclaimed aresurrected god, and his body parts were encased in fourteen different statues.33 You can begin to see howthese stories were used and expanded upon by the various cultures, including development of the Greek andRoman gods, and that they had their roots in Nimrod, Semiramis, and the Babylonian Mystery Religion.

19 Self, SEMIRAMIS, QUEEN OF BABYLON.20 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, p. 90. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, p. 62.21 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, p. 90. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, pp. 62, 63.22 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, pp. 90, 91. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, p. 62.23 Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, p. 56.24 Wiersbe, WIERSBE'S EXPOSITORY OUTLINES ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, Ezekiel 8.25 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, pp. 87-89. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, pp. 63-66.26 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, pp. 87, 89. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, pp. 63, 64, 179. Woodrow, BABYLONMYSTERY RELIGION, p. 9.27 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, p. 89. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, p. 179. Loraine Boettner, ROMAN CATHOLICISM,Phillipsburg, NJ: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1962, pp. 13, 150, 288-292.28Boettner, ROMAN CATHOLICISM, pp. 13. Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, p. 87.29 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, p. 88. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, pp. 72, 181.30 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, pp. 89, 90, 93. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, pp. 58, 59, 151. Woodrow, BABYLONMYSTERY RELIGION, p. 9.31 Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1, p. 93. Hislip, THE TWO BABYLONS, pp. 58, 59, 69, 70.32 Walvoord, THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, p. 247. Ironside, REVELATION, p. 188. Cranfill, THEY CAME FROM BABEL, Vol. 1,p. 83.33 Robert Keith Spenser, THE CULT OF THE ALL-SEEING EYE, Palmdale, CA: Omni Publications, Monte Cristo Press, 1964, p. 34.

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EZE 8:17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house ofJudah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land withviolence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though theycry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

Judah committed filthy abominations, provoking God to anger, as God withheld His protection and theland was filled with the violence of man. “They put a branch to their nose” is an obscure expression that someJewish commentators have taken to refer to some revolting and wicked rite. Others believe that it was agesture of contempt (mocking) against God. It is also possible that it referred to sacred trees as symbols ofidol worship. Still others suggest that it represented phallic worship. Another possibility suggests that it washolding up a bundle of tamarisk branches to the nose at daybreak while singing hymns to the rising sun.Whatever it meant, it was an insult to God.34

Angelic Destroyers and a Man With an InkhornEZE 9:1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the cityto draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and everyman a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer'sinkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

The Crier is the Lord preparing for the judgment about to begin. The ones that have charge over thecity are the angels that watch over the welfare of Jerusalem. This time they have their destroying weapons(maces or battle axes) as heavenly executioners. Another six angels came by the upper Benjamin gate (thehigher gate), the northern gate in the direction of the Babylonian invaders. This gate was also in the vicinity ofwhere the idolatries took place.35

Jer 20:2 Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the highgate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord.

There was one other among them. It was a Man with an inkhorn, as a scribe. He was different fromthe others, clearly superior. Linen signifies high rank and special service. Although there is scant evidence, itcould be that this Man, a heavenly being, is the pre-incarnate Christ. Kiel and Delitzsch point out that thedescription is similar to Jehovah in Daniel 10:5-6, and that of the risen Christ in Revelation 1:13-15. Theinkhorn usually would contain a storage place for the writing instruments. The inkhorn may well remind us ofthe Book of Life (see Phil 4:3; Rev 3:5).36 We may have here a “christophany… mean[ing] an appearance ofChrist… through a vision or a pre-incarnate appearance.”37

The six angels with weapons, and One with an inkhorn stood by the altar that had been desecratedwaiting for the command for the judgment to begin. The angels of wrath came from the North, the samedirection from which the invading armies entered the Holy Land. The six angels together with “the one Manamong them” make a total of seven, “a number symbolic of God’s Covenant with His people.”38

EZE 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to thethreshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn byhis side;

34 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 52, 53.35 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 54.36 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 54, 55. C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, COMMENTARY ON THE OLDTESTAMENT, 10 Volumes, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1866-91, reprinted December 1996, Vol. 9, pp. 74, 75.37 Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, Manfred T. Brauch, HARD SAYINGS OF THE BIBLE, InterVarsity Press, 1996. C. F.Keil and F. Delitzsch, COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, 10 Volumes, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1866-91,reprinted December 1996, pp. 74, 75. Robert Jamison, A. R. Fausset, David Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL,AND PRACTICAL ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, (3 Volumes),Reprinted April 1993, Vol. II, pp. 228, 229.38 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 55. F. C. Cook, BARNES' NOTES: Proverbs to Ezekiel, GrandRapids, MI: Baker Books, (John Murray, London, The Student’s Commentary on the Holy Bible,1879), reprinted 1996,. pp. 324, 325.Jamison, Fausset, Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS,Vol. II, p. 229.

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4 And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, andset a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be donein the midst thereof.5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not youreye spare, neither have ye pity:6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any manupon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which werebefore the house.7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they wentforth, and slew in the city.8 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 uponJerusalem?

In verse 8, Ezekiel was worried that God was going to destroy even the remnant of Israel, so that nonewould remain to receive all the promises of God.

Beginning in verse 3, the glory of the Lord moved from the cherubim on the mercy seat to thethreshold of the temple. The altar was rejected, so there was no blood on the mercy seat. God departed fromthe temple.39

Sprinkling of blood on the altar and the mercy seat was for the purpose of cleansing for sin. Blood wascommanded to be used for purification or for ceremonial cleansing, provided that it be taken from a cleananimal.40

Lev 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon themercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his fingerseven times. 15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bringhis blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, andsprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 16 And he shall make anatonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, andbecause of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of thecongregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Because of what Christ has done in our behalf, this practice is no longer required.

Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and moreperfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood ofgoats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtainedeternal redemption for us.

Hebrews makes it clear that there is no longer a perpetual sacrifice as practiced in the Temple, but only onesacrifice by a sinless Priest was sufficient for all. All that remains is for each of us is to accept what He hasdone in our behalf.

Not everyone in Jerusalem participated in the abominable practices. There was always a remnantbecause God keeps His word to establish the Jewish Kingdom of the Messiah, the Millennium. This remnantcan be seen even in the Great Tribulation yet to come as shown in Revelation 7:2-4. Some today say that thechurch has replaced Israel, but, God is never finished with Israel. (See also Rev 12:14 and Romans chapter11).

Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: andhe cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants ofour God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and therewere sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

39 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 55.40 INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA, revised edition, Copyright 1979 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, Blood.

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In the Tribulation soon to come, Israel is sealed with a mark in Revelation 7. Today, if you are a truebeliever in Christ, you too are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The church is thus sealed with the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16 And I [Jesus] will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that hemay abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, andshall be in you.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day ofredemption.

2 Cor 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Whohath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Now notice the following:

2 Thess 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth [holds back Antichrist] that he [Antichrist]might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who nowletteth [holds back] will let [continue to hold back], until he [the Holy Spirit now abiding inbelievers] be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked [Antichrist] be revealed,whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of hiscoming:

It is the Holy Spirit in believers that restrains the coming of the Antichrist. This is another reason thatthe church will not go through any part of the Tribulation because nowhere in Revelation does it say that thosewho come to believe in Christ will be so marked. Rather, those who come to Christ during the Revelation mustresist the mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18; 14:9-11).

2 Tim 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweththem that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The Man with the inkhorn was issued orders by the Lord to mark the foreheads of the righteous amongthose remaining in Jerusalem. This He did, and then the slaughter began. Notice that little children were notinnocent either.41

The temple was to be defiled with dead bodies as they already had defiled it by their idols.42

EZE 9:9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, andthe land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken theearth, and the Lord seeth not.10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their wayupon their head.11 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.

Because of the hardness of their hearts, they blamed God for forsaking them, thus they believed theyowed God no more loyalty. Many today have this attitude when they don’t get what they want. With thisattitude prevailing, God would have no pity and would not spare, except for the Godly remnant.43 This is whythat the true Church of Christ will not go through the wrath of God during the Tribulation, but instead will beremoved by Christ in the rapture (I Th 4:13-18; Rev 3:10).

41 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 55.42 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 56.43 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 57.

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Judgment by FireEZE 10:1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims thereappeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under thecherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over thecity. And he went in in my sight.3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filledthe inner court.4 Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; andthe house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory.5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of theAlmighty God when he speaketh.6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire frombetween the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was betweenthe cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who tookit, and went out.8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.

This is the appearance of God’s throne at the mercy seat. The Cherubim await God’s departure fromthe city on His chariot throne. God had descended from His throne and went to the threshold of the temple.He now takes His seat again on the throne. The Cherubim were standing on the right nearest the city. TheLord on the throne spoke to the Man clothed in linen and told Him to take fire from between the wheels andcast it on the wicked of the city.44 God was preparing to leave from His place in the temple in His throne-chariot of fire.

The Lord’s DepartureEZE 10:9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, andanother wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of awheel.11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the placewhither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full ofeyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was theface of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up theirwings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for thespirit of the living creature was in them.

The Cherubim have taken their positions for the departure of the chariot of fire.45

EZE 10:18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over thecherubims.19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when theywent out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of theLord's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew thatthey were the cherubims.

44 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 59, 60.45 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, pp. 60, 61.

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21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a manwas under their wings.22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, theirappearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

The Lord departed the temple. Earlier, during the time of the Philistines, a child was named Ichabod –the glory has departed.46

1 Sam 4:21 And she [Phinehas' wife] named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departedfrom Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and herhusband [Phinehas].

God had first removed the Cherub to the threshold of the temple. He lifted His throne over thetemple’s threshold. He then mounted and sat on His throne. Lastly, He and the Cherubim left the temple. TheCherubim went “straight forward” indicates that they all moved together, in unison.47

Wicked CounselorsEZE 11:1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord's house,which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I sawJaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, the princes of the people.2 Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counselin this city:3 Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.5 And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thus have yesaid, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.6 Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.7 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh,and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.8 Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord God.9 And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and willexecute judgments among you.10 Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am theLord.11 This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judgeyou in the border of Israel:12 And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed myjudgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I downupon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of theremnant of Israel?

God judges the secular leaders of the people. They did not listen to Jeremiah, but instead built theirhouses in the city. In their pride they relished in false security, not heeding the warnings of the prophets. Theybelieved that just as the cauldron protects the flesh from the fire, so shall Jerusalem be their refuge andprotection from doom. Instead the slain lay in the city as the city was a cauldron surrounded by the judgmentof fire. The wicked counselors would instead be driven from the city to the borders where their judgment wouldtake place. Notice the literal fulfillment (See Appendix, Figure 1; see also Jer 52:24-27).48

2 Kings 25:18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah thesecond priest, and the three keepers of the door: 19 And out of the city he took an officer that

46 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 61.47 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 61. Keil and F. Delitzsch, COMMENTARY ON THE OLDTESTAMENT, 10 Volumes, pp. 81. Jamison, Fausset, Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL ONTHE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, Vol. II, p. 233.48 Feinberg, THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL, The Glory of the Lord, p. 61.

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was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, whichwere found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of theland, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city: 20 AndNebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon toRiblah: 21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath.So Judah was carried away out of their land.

EZE 11:14 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israelwholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the Lord: unto usis this land given in possession.16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, andalthough I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in thecountries where they shall come.17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble youout of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all theabominations thereof from thence.19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heartout of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be mypeople, and I will be their God.21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and theirabominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God.

Even so, God will keep His promise and will re-gather them back to their land. A small remnantreturned after the seventy years captivity. Today we see that Israel is back in her land in unbelief. Latter theywill occupy their land in belief.

Zech 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations thatcome against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants ofJerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they havepierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be inbitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

EZE 11:22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of theGod of Israel was over them above.23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which ison the east side of the city.24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, tothem of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me.

Ezekiel returns to the captives in Babylon and speaks to them of all that he had seen.

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APPENDIXFIGURE 1 – RIBLAH (RABLAH) ON THE BORDER OF THE PROMISED LAND49

49 THE MOODY ATLAS OF THE BIBLE.