From his body: From the context, it is clear that this is a polite reference to the penis, the male sexual organ. His grace, and blood, and cleansing, are always requisite, and ever ready.” (Meyer). ; Jonah 3:3, marg. As a priest, when sent into exile, his service was but transferred from the visible temple at Jerusalem to the spiritual temple in Chaldea. (7) Predictions against foreign nations during the interval of his silence towards his own people; if judgment begins at the house of God, much more will it visit the ungodly world (Eze 25:1-32:32). When Jesus – who was “clean” in every sense – touched an unclean person, He made them clean (Luke 5:12-14). This was beheld by Ezekiel in the thirtieth year, which, according to verse second, was in the fifth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin. She shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons: A small offering was brought to the priest at the tabernacle. Yet the Biblical idea if cherubim goes back much further. Tel-Abib there (now Thallaba) was his place of residence (Eze 3:15), whither the elders used to come to inquire as to God's messages through him. Hist. i. Tradition represents Sarera as the land of his nativity. i. That may not be true. In the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign (Jer 51:59), Jeremiah sent by Seraiah a message to the captives (Jer 29:1-32) to submit themselves to God and lay aside their flattering hopes of a speedy restoration. He prophesied these things in Chaldea, at the same time that Jeremiah prophesied in Judah, and there began in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity. “Thus it would be an abomination to engage in sexual activity in the tabernacle precinct.” (Rooker). a. i. Ezekiel 20. Matthew 3:16; Acts 7:56.). Bible Versions ... Ezekiel 15. The phenomenon consisted in this, that the heavens were opened, and Ezekiel saw visions of God. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Thus Ezekiel's sphere of labor was one happier and less impeded by his countrymen than that of Jeremiah at home. And whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. Rabbi Hananias is said to have satisfactorily solved the difficulties (Mischna) which were alleged against its canonicity. So the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD because of his discharge. The call of Ezekiel followed the very next year after the communication of Jeremiah's predictions to Babylon (Jer 51:59), and was divinely intended as a sequel to them. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. (c) That is, notable and excellent visions, so that it might be known, it was no natural dream but came from God. The person manifested is always the same, but the form of the vision is modified according to special circumstances of time and place. It is a remarkable proof of genuineness that in Ezekiel no prophecies against Babylon occur among those directed against the enemies of the covenant-people. The best portions of the people seem to have been among the first carried away (Eze 11:16; Jer 24:2-7, 8, 10). b. ii. The fact that even normal and permitted sexual activity made a man ceremonially unclean was not God’s condemnation of sex. He who carries any of those things shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. To suppose, with Hengstenberg, that the reference is to the year of the prophet's own life, is forbidden by the addition "in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month," which points to an era generally recognised. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. It was not thus, but a supernatural and extraordinary aperture or opening, wrought by the immediate power of God, who was now appearing to the prophet, and commissioning him. Inattention to this divine purpose has led the modern Jews so to magnify this obscurity as to ordain that no one shall read this book till he has passed his thirtieth year. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. They didn’t make Him unclean. It was not a dream of man's brain, it was a Divine vision, either corporeal or intellectual. iii. As I was among the captives; Heb. a. d. Whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water: People and things made unclean on the second or third level could be purified by a ceremonial washing of the object and the person involved. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. This was the same procedure followed after the cleansing of a man with an abnormal genital discharge (verses 13-15). 7. p. 41. This was done by the individual, supported by the expectation of the culture. cha equals bu equals r (Edrisi Clim. His great aim was to stimulate the dormant minds of the Jews. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. You can check these in your browser security settings. Havernick marks out nine sections:—(1) Ezekiel's call to prophesy (Eze 1:1-3:15). Ecclesiasticus 49:8 refers to it, and Josephus [Antiquities, 10.5.1]. On the other hand, Ezekiel was distinctively a prophet, and one who had to do with the inward concerns of the divine kingdom. The earlier portion, the first through the thirty-second chapters, which mainly treats of sin and judgment, is a key to interpret the latter portion, which is more hopeful and joyous, but remote in date. Nat. thirtieth year—that is, counting from the beginning of the reign of Nabopolassar, father of Nebuchadnezzar, the era of the Babylonian empire, 625 B.C., which epoch coincides with the eighteenth year of Josiah, that in which the book of the law was found, and the consequent reformation began [Scaliger]; or the thirtieth year of Ezekiel's life. They may, according to the Talmudists, have symbolized orders of Angels and not persons; according to others they were figures of the Four Gospels actuated by one spirit spread over the four quarters of the globe, upon which, as on pillars, the Church is borne up, and over whom the Word of God sits enthroned. That uncleanness would be spread to any person touching those objects made unclean. Thus man is capable of yielding a precious fruit, in living to God; this is the sole end of his existence; and if … These latter, as adhering to the theocratic principle, were among the earliest to be removed by the Chaldeans, who believed that, if they were out of the way, the nation would fall to pieces of itself. He delights to linger about the temple and to find in its symbolical forms the imagery for conveying his instructions. (4) Exposure of the particular sins prevalent in the several classes—priests, prophets, and princes (Eze 12:1-19:14). Ezekiel (/ ɪ ˈ z iː k i əl /; Hebrew: יְחֶזְקֵאל ‎ Yĕḥezqēʾl [jəħ.ɛzˈqeːl]; in the Septuagint written in Koinē Greek: Ἰεζεκιήλ Iezekiḗl [i.ɛ.zɛ.kiˈel]) is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible.. God did not want this association in His worship. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. They were eager to return to Jerusalem, but he taught them that they must first return to their God. in Ezek. iv. (c) Travels, par. Lest the godly despair in these great troubles, he assures them that God will deliver his church at his appointed time and also destroy their enemies, who either afflicted them, or rejoiced in their miseries. Or, of God, wherein I saw God, who appeared to the prophet; or else, of God, i.e. The particularity of details as to the temple and its offerings rather discountenances the view of this vision being only symbolical, and not at all literal. Ezekiel 23. Then their uncleanness ended when the day ended (until evening). The heaven opens not merely when to our eye a glimpse is disclosed of the heavenly glory of God (Calvin), but also when God manifests His glory in a manner perceptible to human sight. (a) Geograph. Other accounts omitted, you are left to your own thoughts which of these two latter are more probable; both have very weighty authority for them; and indeed they both concur and meet in the fifth year of the captivity, and so either computation may without mistake be followed. Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity. This does not mean that God regards sex itself as inherently sinful or impure; but it does mean that the sexual ethic of “if it feels good, do it” is an ungodly and destructive approach. It was a powerful way to prevent an aspect of sexual and spiritual corruption common in the ancient world: ritual prostitution, often practiced at a sacred place. And this shall be his uncleanness: In contrast to the previous chapters regarding the broad definition of leprosy, there is no mention made of priestly inspection or monitoring. The ungodly were willing to do anything to remain in their native land; whereas the godly believed the prophets and obeyed the first summons to surrender, as the only path of safety. The avoidance of intercourse during menstruation was later mentioned in Ezekiel 18:6 as an evidence of a righteous man. In pagan religion sexual activity among worshipers was believed to activate the gods into fertilizing the soil with rain.” (Rooker). You can also change some of your preferences. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Zeke Emanuel is a force of nature. He abounds in repetitions, not for ornament, but for force and weight. Of God; excellent and wonderful. 21. p. 61. Nothing, however, is know of any such era. "and it was in the thirtieth year after Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law, in the house of the sanctuary, in the court under the porch, in the middle of the night, after the moon was down, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah;''. b. Also, when a woman lies with a man, and there is an emission of semen, they shall bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. which God did make me to see. Vid. The river כּבר, to be distinguished from חבור, the river of Gosan, which flows into the Tigris, see on 2 Kings 17:6, is the Mesopotamian Chabioras, ̓Αβορρας (Strabo, xvi. Whether the exercise of such faculties be natural or unnatural, in the sight of a God of absolute holiness they are tainted with sin.” (Morgan). If any man has an emission of semen: When a man discharged semen (either accidentally or in sex), he had to cleanse himself and respect a brief time of ceremonial impurity. i. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. c. It is his uncleanness: The status of “unclean” did not completely take the unclean one out of the community. And this shall be his uncleanness in regard to his discharge—whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body is stopped up by his discharge, it is his uncleanness. ), but Divine visions, visions sent from God, as in Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 40:2. The third level was someone who came in contact with an object made unclean. It might probably be somewhat like that which appeared to the proto-martyr Stephen, Act 7:56. p. And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. ; the first month corresponding nearly with our "April." a. Nothing is outside His jurisdiction. b. It also said that there is a significant aspect of our brokenness and impurity that is, in some way, connected to our sexuality. There is no coarse or inappropriate reference here. b. Ezekiel 1 a In the thirtieth year , in the fourth month , on the fifth day of the month , as I was among the exiles by b the Chebar canal , c the heavens were opened , and I saw d visions of God . Ezekiel later identified these remarkable creatures as cherubim (Ezekiel 10:8-15), angels of unique power and glory surrounding God. After a period of seven days (presumably without the discharge), there was a ceremonial cleansing. Any saddle on which he who has the discharge rides shall be unclean. 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