Study notes

Ezekiel 9

Introducing EzekielWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

8:1–11:25

This section describes how the people defiled (made unclean by sin) the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 8). Because of this sin, the Lord left the temple. After he left, the city and the temple were destroyed (9:1–11:13).

At first, this sounds like only bad news. But for those already living in exile, it was also good news. The Lord was not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. He would come to be with his people in exile.

By coming to dwell with them, the Lord showed that the exiles were not forgotten. They were the ones who carried hope for the future of God’s people.

8:1–11:25 Section

Ezekiel said that the power of the Lord came on him. God appeared to Ezekiel like a human figure of fire and glowing metal. Then the Spirit lifted Ezekiel up between earth and heaven. That is how Ezekiel described what having a vision was like. This vision included everything that Ezekiel recorded through chapter 11.

Ezekiel’s body remained sitting in his house in Babylon with the elders. The things he saw took place in the temple in the city of Jerusalem. Ezekiel saw men, women and the elders worshipping false gods. He saw the city’s leaders making evil plans and giving bad advice. Ezekiel spoke God’s words against them. The words had the power to put one of those leaders to death. Ezekiel cried out to God when he saw this. He also cried out when people in Jerusalem were being killed.

Ezekiel didn’t want God to destroy all the Israelites who were still left alive. But God made it clear that these people were choosing to do evil things. They weren’t sad or sorry at all about what they were doing. They weren’t going to stop. So God decided to stop them. These people had made the temple unclean by worshipping false gods there. God is holy and nothing evil or unclean can be near him.

God had said that his name would be in the temple and in Jerusalem for ever (2 Chronicles 33:7). But he also warned that he would turn his back on the temple (1 Kings 9:7). This meant that God would no longer make his presence known there. He would do this if his people weren’t faithful to him. Ezekiel saw this happen in the vision. The glory of God moved to the doorway of the temple. Then it left the temple and left Jerusalem. This was a sign that God’s covenant with his people was broken for a time.

Moses had warned the Israelites that this would happen (Deuteronomy 31:15–18). The glory of the Lord left the temple but Ezekiel had seen it in Babylon. This showed that God wasn’t the ruler only of the land of Israel. The Jews in Babylon were far from the temple. But God said that he had been their temple. This meant that they could be with God and worship him wherever they were. This was part of the message of hope that Ezekiel shared. God promised to bring his people back from exile. He promised that they would be faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant. Instead of being stubborn, they would obey God. They would be able to do this because God would change their hearts.

9:1–2

The prophet did not have to wait long for judgment to come.

The Lord called his angelic warriors (heavenly messengers who carry out God’s commands) to punish the city. In response, seven men appeared.

Six of the men carried deadly weapons. The seventh man was dressed in linen (the clothing often worn by priests). He carried a writer’s case, a small box used to hold writing tools.

They stood ready in the temple courtyard. They were beside the bronze altar, where sacrifices were usually offered.

9:3

The glory of the God of Israel, which is the visible sign of his presence, started to leave the defiled temple. It first rose from between the cherubim, above the ark in the Most Holy Place, where it usually rested. Then, it moved to the temple entrance, preparing to leave its former throne.

9:4–6

The man dressed in linen (Ezekiel 9:2–3) marked those to be kept safe, similar to the first Passover (Exodus 12:7–13). Meanwhile, the angels of destruction carried out a complete judgment (Exodus 12:28–30). This time, they targeted everyone without the protective mark, including old and young, girls, women, and children. Unlike in Egypt, where only the firstborn males were affected, all who did not mourn over the city's sins were destroyed (compare Revelation 7:1–8).

9:7

Defile the temple: In the past, Queen Athaliah was dragged out of the temple before she was executed. This was done so that her blood would not defile (make unclean) the holy place (2 Kings 11:15–16).

Now the situation was different. These idolaters were to be killed inside the temple. Their idolatry had already defiled it so deeply that nothing sacred remained there.

Without God’s holy presence, the building was no longer truly holy. Protecting its outer purity would have been an empty act

9:8

Ezekiel feared he might be the only person left after the Lord showed his anger.

9:11

I have done as You commanded: The remnant had been successfully marked to save them from the wrath to come (Ezekiel 9:3–4).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources