Iniquity of the City of Jerusalem
The first chapter of Ezekiel gives us a pictorial representation of the saints as the chariot, or vehicle of the Spirit of God in His usage of them as His instruments of vengeance during the pre-millennial period of His judgments. In the second and several ensuing chapters Ezekiel is taken back to his own days and is shown the depravity and enormity of the leaders of the children of Israel and their followers. Much is revealed to Ezekiel of the rebellious character of apostate Israel. He is sent to Israel with a message, and is told to deliver it whether they will hear or not.
Destruction of the City
from the second chapter of Ezekiel onwards, there is a series of events to occur that will eventually lead to the building of the Temple and the establishment of the millennial age. One of these things to happen was the destruction of the city of Jerusalem for its gross wickedness. Ezek. 5:5-11. God would execute His judgments upon Israel. The invasion of the land by Nebuchadnezzar initiated the judgments, but much more was to take place through the centuries to come.
In the eighth chapter, Ezekiel is taken in Spirit to the city of Jerusalem to witness the abominable practices of the ancients of the house of Israel. Verse 12. In chapter nine Ezekiel hears a voice, saying, “Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.” Ezek. 9:1. He then sees six men with their slaughter weapons come into the city. The seventh one was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn by his side. At this time, the glory of the God of Israel that Ezekiel saw in chapter one, had left its place above the cherub where it had been, and was now at the threshold of the temple.
In chapter one we saw a representation of the execution of God’s judgments through the redeemed saints. There is here the execution of His judgments, but not by the redeemed. It is by the angels who are given charge by God to do so. Dan. 4:13-17. Certain things had to be accomplished before the redeemed could be formed into the chariot of the cherubim. The destruction of the city of Jerusalem was one of these. And all things have been working toward the formation of the saints into the cherubim.
The voice from the glory of God, that now rested on the threshold of the house, gives instruction to the man clothed in linen, with the writer’s inkhorn. It is the voice of the Lord. He tells the man to go through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of those that opposed all the abominations that were being done. The others were told to go after him through the city, and slay all except those upon whom was the mark. They were to begin at the sanctuary with the ancient men. This was accomplished. Ezekiel was spared and represents the remnant who are saved, or redeemed.
Two principles emerge from this transaction in the vision. One is that God in His judgments upon the wicked always considers those sealed in their foreheads with His Truth; and arranges things with their welfare in mind. The other is that He rules in the kingdoms of men. Many things that have the appearance of a natural happening, are providentially caused. The destruction of the city of Jerusalem might have been looked upon as a natural occurrence but in reality it was divinely ordered. Nebuchadnezzar performed the work of destruction. But he was only a tool, or instrument in the hands of God. He was providentially guided by the angels though he little realized it. So it is with many happenings.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One