Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 9

Verses 1-11

Ezekiel 9:1-2

'That which has made me publish this book,' says Bunyan in his preface to The Life and Death of Mr. Badman, 'is for that wickedness like a flood is like to drown our English world; it begins already to be above the tops of the mountains.... Oh that I could mourn for England, and for the sins that are committed therein, even while I see that, without repentance, the men of God's wrath are about to deal with us, each having his slaughtering weapon in his hand.'

Ezekiel 9:4

I think there is not in any one duty more spiritual wisdom required of believers than how to deport themselves with a suitable frame of heart, in reference to the sins of other men. Some are ready to be contented that they should sin, sometimes ready to make sport at their sins; and for the most part it is indifferent to us at what rate men sin in the world, so it go well with us or the Church of Christ.... There are times when this is our especial and eminent duty, which God doth highly approve of. Such are they wherein the visible Church is greatly corrupted, and open abominations are found amongst men of all sorts; even as it is at this day. Then doth the Lord declare how much He values the performance of this duty as He testifies they alone shall be under His especial care in a day of public distress and calamity a duty wherein it is to be feared that we are most of us very defective.

John Owen.

In every sphere, a unified life, a faultless honesty, compel, even from the worst of people, some degree of respect. In Paris, an unimpeachable virtue has the success of a large diamond. It is so rare.

Balzac.

References. IX. 4. J. H. Jowett, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxviii. 1908, p. 353. IX. 8. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xlviii. No. 2807. IX. 9. Ibid. vol. iv. No. 223.