Ezekiel 22:24

Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.

Practical uses of the state of the land of Judah

We propose to speak concerning the special instruction which the prophet received to intimate her state. It was not communicated to him as a secret, or whispered in the ears of a few select friends. A commission is prefixed, by, which he was commanded to proclaim the state of the land in the public ear: “Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained on in the day of indignation.” On several considerations this solemn formality was necessary.

1. It was necessary on account of the stiffness and haughtiness of the people. In the temper of every backsliding church pride is a reigning corruption; but among the peculiar people, it appears at that time to have risen to the highest elevation of vanity and guilt. Blown up by lying divinations, and full of extravagant notions of their own importance, they persuaded themselves that peculiar privileges could not be forfeited, nor an everlasting possession alienated and transferred. But the Lord, having declared by the mouth of Jeremiah that He would mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem, sent fresh instructions unto Ezekiel in Babylon to carry on the approaches, and to invest and storm the stronghold of the national pride.

2. This solemn formality was necessary on account of the depravation of national manners, and the inefficacy of means which had been used to retrieve national honour. Kings, princes, and judges, priests, prophets, and people, despised exhortation and warning, and humbled not themselves under correction and chastisement. In this state of depravation and impurity the day of indignation found the land, and its filthiness increasing, and hardening under the heart, Ezekiel, a little after the delivery of the message sent him in the text, added Ezekiel 24:12.

3. This solemn formality was necessary to justify the violent measures that were to be adopted for removing the barrenness and filth of the land. Milder expedients to correct the depravity and recover the glory of the nation being used without effect, violent measures became necessary, and were actually pursued. Lamentations 2:6. Under church and state the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning kindled and devoured together the thorns and the briars in both. These measures of justice and violence were communicated to Ezekiel, in a message which stands recorded before the text (Ezekiel 22:18).

4. The solemn formality of a special message concerning the state of the land in the day of indignation was necessary, to contrast the singularity of her mercies with the singularity of her sins. Terms and expressions very uncommon are used concerning their sufferings. Proverb, by-word, derision, scorn, reproach, taunt, hissing, laugh stock, astonishment, curse are bitter expressions which frequently occur, and have a dreadful reality in their history. Now, from the justice and equity of the Lord their God we may infer that people, whom in His wrath He made a derision to the world, had made themselves a scandal and abhorrence to the world by their crimes.

5. This solemn formality was necessary to stop the mouths of that murmuring and gainsaying people, and to cut off occasion of complaining as if they had been surprised or taken unawares. The corrupt and filthy state of the land, which was become a nuisance to the world, had been set forth in the plainest language, and as it resisted ordinary means of cleansing, an example was necessary for the honour of the God of the land, the God of the whole earth; but before He made the example, this instruction is sent to Ezekiel, “Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed,” etc.

Application--

1. After hearing the state of the land of Judah described, are ye highly elevated? Believers, the glory of the Most High over all the earth, breaking forth in the execution of judgment upon the land of Judah in the day of His indignation, is the glory of our God. In His glory “our God is a consuming fire”; and in His glory our “God is love”!

2. After reading and hearing the state of the land of Judah in the day of indignation, are ye deeply humbled? Next to Gethsemane and Golgotha, where sin and wrath met upon the Son of God, stand the city of Jerusalem and the land of Judah, where iniquity set its throne, and wrath poured itself into the cup of fury full of mixture. About this humbling monument we will walk, and view it on every side, looking upon Him whom we have pierced, and whom “God hath made to be sin or us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

3. After reading and hearing the state of the land of Judah in the day of indignation, are ye rejoicing in hope? With Israelites, Gentiles are now fellow heirs, and of the same body, partakers of the promises of God in Christ by the Gospel, and drink the waters of the river whose streams made Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy. The river of consolation flowing out of the promises of Messiah, the heat of indignation could not dry up. Flowing through the blood and fire and ashes of Jerusalem, it deepened and widened, and filled its course, till at last it run over the mountains of Jerusalem, spread itself into the valleys of the Gentiles, and in deserts and wildernesses poured into families and churches the water of life.

4. After reading and hearing the state of the land of Judah in the day of indignation, are we trembling with fear? To infidels and atheists, to sinners in Zion and hypocrites in heart, wrath is an object of fearful and certain apprehension. Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness, it is revealed, and unless they hide themselves in the Saviour, even Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come, it will fall, either in this or the other world, or in both, in a destroying storm.

5. After reading and hearing the state of the land of Judah in the day of indignation, are ye established in the faith of the providence of God? By the judgment which He executeth the Lord is known, and known not only to live but to reign.

6. After reading and hearing the state of the land of Judah in the day of indignation, are we prepared unto every good work? Exhortations to good works were disregarded by that gainsaying and perverse race of evil-doers. Show yourselves to be men of spirit and business, men full of faith and of good works. If a day of indignation be coming, where should we be found? Under the righteousness of Christ, and at our business. Do ye look for it? what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness? (A. Shanks.)

Applications from the state of the land of Judah to the present times

Water is a natural mirror, and when men look into it face answereth to face. Scripture is a spiritual mirror, and when we look into it, church answereth to church, and one generation of evil-doers to another.

1. Errors and heresies of the most pernicious quality are appearing amongst us, and perverting and corrupting multitudes from the simplicity that is in Christ. Fools who adore no Creator, believe no providence, and fear no Judge, walk on every side; and against God, in whom they live and move and have their being, utter many blasphemous words. By some who profess to know God, the revelation of His will in the holy Scriptures is rejected; and by others who acknowledge the inspiration of these holy writings, truths revealed in them are denied and misrepresented.

2. Truth, where it is believed and preached, appears to have purifying influence on very few. Where converting and healing doctrine is preached, few appear to be converted and healed; and Holy Scripture itself, which shows unto men the way of salvation, is either neglected by the greatest part who acknowledge its inspiration, or read without faith and love and profit to their souls.

3. Under the dispensations of providence, our principles and manners are not amended. In smiling and frowning dispensations the voice of the Lord is disregarded, and our conduct is becoming worse and worse every day. The goodness of Providence, the calling of the elect out of the world, and the charter of the Son of God to the uttermost parts of the earth, are not evidences that the Lord will not enter into judgment with us for our iniquities, and the iniquities of our fathers together. Britain, like Judah, may be wiped as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. His jealousy for His glory is not extinguished. His indignation against sin is not cooled. The threatenings in His Word are not blotted out, nor is His power to execute these abated. When He shall ride out for bringing forth judgment unto truth, if degenerated churches and sinful kingdoms will not give way by repentance and reformation, they must be crushed under the wheels of His chariot. (A. Shanks.)

Like priests, like people

Manton says: “O ye ministers of the Word, consider well that you are the first sheets from the King’s press; others are printed after your copy. If the first sheet be well set, a thousand more are stamped with ease. See, then, that the power of religion prevail over your own hearts, lest you not only lose your own souls, but cause the ruin of others.” Correcting for the press is work which has to be done with great care, since thousands of copies will be faulty if the proof sheet be not as it should be. So should the minister of a congregation be seriously earnest to be right, because his people will imitate him. Like priest, like people; the sheep will follow the shepherd. What need there is that the pastor should order his steps aright, lest he lead a whole flock astray! If the town clock be wrong, half the watches in the place will be out of time. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Degeneration of the priests

Someone asked Boniface the martyr whether it was lawful to give sacramental wine in a wooden cup. “Time was,” said he, “when there were wooden chalices and golden priests; but now there are golden chalice: and wooden priests.”

No distinction made

Joseph Cook tells that when he was in Halle, Professor Tholuck said to him, with the emphasis of tears in his deep, spiritual eyes, that he regretted nothing so much in the arrangements of the German State churches as that the distinction between the converted and unconverted, which Jonathan Edwards and Whitfield drew so deeply on the mind of New England, was almost unknown to the Church practice of Germany. “We are all mixed pell-mell,” said he; “there is no distinct on made between one who has made a solemn public profession to lead a religious life and one who has not.” (H. O. Mackay.)

Dishonest gain

Most men are sickened of the gaming table by their losses. He (Wilberforce) left it because on one particular night he won £600. The thought that men of straitened means or portionless younger sons might be crippled by his gains preyed upon his sensitive spirit, and he resolved to play no more, that he might be free from the blood-guiltiness of adding to the list of victims whom gambling had hurled from wealth to beggary, and from happiness to suicide. (W. M. Punshon, D. D.).