Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"Put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh"
Text: Ezekiel 9:4
THE GLORY OF THE LORD
The glory of the LORD represents the presence of God. Ezekiel saw this glory at the River Chebar in Babylon. The glory of the LORD was seen in the Temple at Jerusalem.
“Now 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;
and 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.”
Ezekiel 9:3-4
1. The presence of God.
a) The manifestation of the Lord’s presence is His glory.
b) The Temple itself does not reflect the fulness of God’s glory.
2. The movement of the glory of God
a) It was over the cherub.
b) It moved away from the ark of the covenant.
c) It was now at the threshold of the temple.
d) This was disturbing for the Presence of God was no longer at the ark.
3. A word from the LORD to the angelic scribe.
a) The angelic scribe was ready to do the LORD’s bidding.
b) He waited to hear what the LORD had to say to him.
4. His task was different from the six warrior angels.
a) He was to go to Jerusalem.
b) Those at the Temple offering worship to the sun would be bypassed.
c) The angelic scribe must take note of those who were:
i) Not idolatrous.
ii) Sighing in protest to the idolatrous practices held at the temple.
iii) Crying in grief that terrible abominations were being practised at the Temple.
d) His task was to mark all who had remained faithful to the LORD.
i) These would be protected.
ii) They were identified among the faithful.