Judgement is now enacted. Six men represent those appointed and equipped to execute judgement, but before they can do so a seventh man with a writing kit has work to do. His task is to put a mark on the forehead of all those who still honoured the Lord, who mourned over the direction the city had gone in. When the slaughter came it would be merciless, but those who had the mark would be protected.
When the judgement started it would involve doing things that would seem to defile the temple, ie the piling up of dead bodies inside the temple. However, this was as nothing compared to the defilement caused by the actions of the people.
Ezekiel is horrified at what is about to happen, fearing that all the people would be destroyed. The Lord's answer is that the people have brought the judgement upon themselves by their actions.
There are a number of points that can be brought out from this. The first is that even in the severest of judgements those who are faithful to the Lord are not forgotten, they are marked out. It is always worth trusting God.
Secondly, the mark on the forehead makes us think of the mark of the beast in Revelation. In Ezekiel the mark is a sign of righteousness, in Revelation it is a sign of the exact opposite. This should perhaps make us wary of getting over excited about actual marks, or worrying about chips being implanted and so on. Much speculation sees these possibilities as being evidence of the mark of the beast. However, we see here that the mark on the forehead can be good (Ezekiel) or bad (Revelation). The mark was not the issue, the mark was the sign of what was in the hearts of the people. Should we be worried if at some point in the future governments start to implant chips in people (we already do it with pets!), and automatically refuse it? I do not know the answer for certain, but I do not think that some outward sign is the issue, it is what is in our hearts that counts, and it is this that we should be concerned with above all.
Thirdly, God's answer to Ezekiel's horror is to say that they have brought it upon themselves. When people hear of God's judgement they always respond by asking is God right or wrong to do such and such a thing. Instead, our response should always be to look at our own actions and ask if we need to change them.
When the judgement started it would involve doing things that would seem to defile the temple, ie the piling up of dead bodies inside the temple. However, this was as nothing compared to the defilement caused by the actions of the people.
Ezekiel is horrified at what is about to happen, fearing that all the people would be destroyed. The Lord's answer is that the people have brought the judgement upon themselves by their actions.
There are a number of points that can be brought out from this. The first is that even in the severest of judgements those who are faithful to the Lord are not forgotten, they are marked out. It is always worth trusting God.
Secondly, the mark on the forehead makes us think of the mark of the beast in Revelation. In Ezekiel the mark is a sign of righteousness, in Revelation it is a sign of the exact opposite. This should perhaps make us wary of getting over excited about actual marks, or worrying about chips being implanted and so on. Much speculation sees these possibilities as being evidence of the mark of the beast. However, we see here that the mark on the forehead can be good (Ezekiel) or bad (Revelation). The mark was not the issue, the mark was the sign of what was in the hearts of the people. Should we be worried if at some point in the future governments start to implant chips in people (we already do it with pets!), and automatically refuse it? I do not know the answer for certain, but I do not think that some outward sign is the issue, it is what is in our hearts that counts, and it is this that we should be concerned with above all.
Thirdly, God's answer to Ezekiel's horror is to say that they have brought it upon themselves. When people hear of God's judgement they always respond by asking is God right or wrong to do such and such a thing. Instead, our response should always be to look at our own actions and ask if we need to change them.
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