Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"Great abominations"
Text: Ezekiel 8:6
A STARTLING REVELATION
Ezekiel was a priest and thus he would be deeply concerned about the Temple ministry. This revelation was startling, to say the least!
“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north.’
So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate,
was this image of jealousy in the entrance.
Furthermore He said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what they are doing,
the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here,
to make Me go far away from My sanctuary?
Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.'”
Ezekiel 8:5-6
1. North of the altar gate.
a) The altar area was forbidden to those not in the priestly family.
b) Worshippers were not allowed into the Holy Place.
2. The image of jealousy.
a) This was an idol.
b) It was situated in the Holy Place.
b) Ezekiel had to see this with his own eyes to believe what the LORD told him.
3. Great abominations.
a) The image of jealousy was itself an abomination.
b) But there were other “great abominations”.
4. The house of Israel.
a) This was not just confined to the priests.
b) The whole house of Israel was guilty of great abominations.
5. Consequences
a) The LORD was thus compelled to go “far away from His sanctuary”.
b) It was the LORD who had instructed Moses to build a sanctuary (Exodus 25:8) that He might dwell among His people.
c) It was the LORD who had sanctified the Temple (2 Chronicles 7).
6. Greater abominations
The LORD would reveal “greater abominations” that Israel had committed!