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The punishment which was to be rendered on Jerusalem was not limited to that city. Beginning with the Temple and spreading through the city, then reaching out to all of Israel (Samaria or the ten tribes) and Judah (two tribes) this sentence was to be fully implemented. It was to begin with those responsible for the spiritual welfare of the people, the elders of the sanctuary and was to be carried out against each and every family member who did not have the mark of the Lord on them. Two distinct groups emerge, marked and unmarked. There is no compromise, it is an either, or, situation. Eze. 9:5-7
Ezekiel was so shocked by what he saw in his vision that he attempted to intervene. He threw himself on the ground and cried out unto the Lord. It was too late for a prayer of intercession, that is something which must be done before the beginning of the action taken be the Lord. Eze. 9:8 It is well that we consider the cause of such a great penalty to be carried out against them. They had given themselves entirely over to false worship and every imaginable kind of iniquitous living. The Lord said that their iniquity was exceeding great. Eze. 9:9 The Lord was later to say to Ezekiel that; ìthe soul that sinneth, it shall die.î Eze. 18:20 The land was filled with blood, (murder). That has a familiar ring to it. Daily, the blood of the criminal and the innocent is being shed across our world. Society today seems to be more concerned about the treatment of pets than that of human beings. They had filled the whole country with perverseness, distortion or corruption. We are not strangers to that one in todayís corrupt world. It reaches into every segment of life and is grossly evident in every country of the world.
While they were a religious people, their worship was distorted. More realistically their beliefs were atheistic in context. Their words and attitude was that the Lord had forsaken the earth. That He no longer cared what they did. He had come to a permissive attitude and would no longer resist or punish those acts which were contrary to His Word. Oh, how wrong they were. The were also of the opinion that the Lord no longer looked upon them and saw or even gave thought to their sinful actions. Eze. 9:9 It is very apparent that humans of every age of history repeat the same wrong attitude toward the Lord and treat Him as if He did not exist. Please note, the Lord said that He ìwould recompense their way upon their head.î Eze. 9:10 Each and every individual is to bear the sole responsibility before the Lord for the life which they live in this world. That seed which one sowís is the crop which will be reaped. Gal. 6:7.