Ezekiel 8:1-13

content/bible_journal/ezekiel_8:1-13.md

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+title = "Ezekiel 8:1-13"
+date = "2023-03-19"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel8.1-13)
+
+About thirteen months after the last prophecy, Ezekiel is again visited by the
+Lord. This one happens while he has visitors, the elders of Judah. Ezekiel
+again sees the shining glory of the Lord, who takes him by the hair and lifts
+him up into the sky to take him to Jerusalem. This is very likely not a
+physical transportation, as he says the Spirit is the One who lifted him up.
+
+At Jerusalem, Ezekiel is set down in the temple, at the entrance to the inner
+court. He is shown an "image of jealousy" (_vv. 3,5_), that is, an idol that
+provokes the Lord's jealousy. We aren't told exactly what it is, but it seems
+likely to be an Asherah like King Manessah set up. Asherah poles were symbols
+for a Caananite fertility goddess. The Lord says to Ezekiel that the house of
+Israel is doing abominations to drive Him out of His sanctuary. What I can't
+determine is whether the people intend for this, or if it is only what the Lord
+decided the consequences of their idolatry would be. But as bad as this is,
+there are worse things for Ezekiel to see.
+
+At the entrance to the court, there was a hole in the wall, and Ezekiel is
+commanded to dig into it. He finds an entrance into a room, and is told so see
+what is inside. There is a room filled with reliefs depicting all of the
+various idols that Israel worshipped at that time. Additionally he sees 70
+elders of Israel burning incense in there, including Jaazaniah the son of
+Shaphan leading them. This man is tragically significant because his father
+Shaphan helped King Josiah reform the worship of Judah to the true God. Shaphan
+was the one to read the Book of the Law to the king that Hilkiah the priest
+found.
+
+Apparently these men think their hidden room is unseen by God, or maybe that He
+is no longer paying attention to Israel. They don't realize that the very acts
+they are committing are what bring the Lord's wrath upon the land, the very
+disasters they fear are coming and are trying to prevent with their prayers to
+idols. They had forgotten the Lord's promises and commandments, and have
+twisted things around so much that they blame God for their own problems. As
+bad as this is, Ezekiel will see still worse things.
+
+* * *
+
+Help us see our sin for what it is, and give us the remedy that will heal us
+from it.