C. Paul Willis
Book of Ezekiel #7
The Man with an Inkhorn
Ezekiel 9:1 - 11 (NKJV) 1Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.” 2And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar. 3Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; 4and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” 5To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. 6Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. 7Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city. 8So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?” 9Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’ 10And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.” 11Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as You commanded me.”
Only those had the mark of the ink because they cried over the abominations will be spared.
Revelation 7:1-12 (NKJV) 1After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand £were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14And I said to him, £“Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Ezekiel 10:1 - 22 (NKJV) 1And I looked, and there in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared something like a sapphire stone, having the appearance of the likeness of a throne. 2Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, “Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” And he went in as I watched. 3Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and the cloud filled the inner court. 4Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’S glory. 5And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of Almighty God when He speaks. 6Then it happened, when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim,” that he went in and stood beside the wheels. 7And the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed with linen, who took it and went out. 8The cherubim appeared to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings. 9And when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared to have the color of a beryl stone. 10As for their appearance, all four looked alike—as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 11When they went, they went toward any of their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went, but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went. 12And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were full of eyes all around. 13As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, “Wheel.” 14Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 15And the cherubim were lifted up. This was the living creature I saw by the River Chebar. 16When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also did not turn from beside them. 17When the cherubim stood still, the wheels stood still, and when one was lifted up, the other lifted itself up, for the spirit of the living creature was in them. 18Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord’S house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 20This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim. 21Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22And the likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons. They each went straight forward.
Judged by fire
Here we have a continuation of the vision. The judgment throne is once more about the threshold of the temple and above the Cherubim but there is no mention of anyone on the throne. The Voice speaks to the Man clothed in linen – the same one who held the pre-eminence in 9:2-4. He is the angel of the Lord into whose hands judgment is entrusted.
Revelation 8:3-5 3Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
In Ezekiel chapter 9 his ministry is one of grace and mercy to the Godly
In Ezekiel chapter 10 his ministry is one of judgement
He is ordered to go between the 4 whirling wheels in order to ready himself for the work.
Hebrews 12:28 - 29 (NKJV) 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29For our God is a consuming fire.
We are preparing for the Glory of the Lord to lift. His presence is as glorious in departure as it was in entrance.
Fire is taken to be scattered over the city!
2 Kings 25:8 - 10 (NKJV) 8And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. 10And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.
The cherubim do not turn – singleness of purpose
They are filled with eyes – the omniscience of God
They mounted up in preparation for the tragic departure of the Glory
Ezekiel 10:18 - 22 (NKJV) 18Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord’S house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 20This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim. 21Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22And the likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons. They each went straight forward.
Deuteronomy 31:17 - 18 (NKJV) 17Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ 18And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.
Hosea 9:12 - 17 (NKJV) 12 Though they bring up their children, Yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them! 13 Just as I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place, So Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.” 14 Give them, O Lord— What will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb And dry breasts! 15 “All their wickedness is in Gilgal, For there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious. 16 Ephraim is stricken, Their root is dried up; They shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darlings of their womb.” 17 My God will cast them away, Because they did not obey Him; And they shall be wanderers among the nations.
The Glory of the Lord will return to a temple
Ezekiel 43:1 - 7 (NKJV) 1Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. 2And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 6Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. 7And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever.
Ezekiel chapter 11
Even when the Glory has gone they will still try to cling onto the house
Ezekiel 11:1 - 4 (NKJV) 1Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the East Gate of the Lord’S house, which faces eastward; and there at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2And He said to me: “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city, 3who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.’ 4Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!”
The leaders say “do not build houses in exile for Jerusalem is like a pot of protection for us and we are the people inside the place of God’s protection. But Ezekiel knows that the Glory has lifted off the temple and off Jerusalem and where God is not present nothing can give protection.
Ezekiel 11:5 - 12 (NKJV) 5Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said to me, “Speak! ‘Thus says the Lord: “Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind. 6You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.” 7Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the caldron; but I shall bring you out of the midst of it. 8You have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,” says the Lord GOD. 9“And I will bring you out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and execute judgments on you. 10You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. 11This city shall not be your caldron, nor shall you be the meat in its midst. I will judge you at the border of Israel. 12And you shall know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes nor executed My judgments, but have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you.”’”
The city will be like a pot alright, but it will hold dead people. The people feared the sword of war and would no protect themselves so that which they feared would be allowed in their midst. The sword of king Nebuchadnezzar is to come! They will not be protected in Jerusalem but taken captive and taken from Israel so that they may know that God is Lord!
Ezekiel 11:13 (NKJV) 13Now it happened, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?”
Even at the same time Ezekiel saw it in the vision, it was fulfilled. Pelatiah was the leader who made fun of God’s Word.
2 Kings 25:18 - 21 (NKJV) 18And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 19He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. 20So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.
Jeremiah 52:24 - 27 (NKJV) 24The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 25He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, seven men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the principal scribe of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city. 26And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.
Ezekiel 11:14 - 17 (NKJV) 14Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 15“Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get far away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’ 16Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.”’ 17Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’
The word for “little sanctuary” is synagogues. In place of the temple, God would giver them synagogues in all the countries where they are carried!
The Return and millennium
Ezekiel 11:17 - 21 (NKJV) 17Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ 18And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.
The Glory of the Lord settles on the mount of olives – then Ezekiel is transported back to his own time and physical location
Ezekiel 11:22 - 25 (NKJV) 22So the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them. 23And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city. 24Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25So I spoke to those in captivity of all the things the Lord had shown me.
