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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 14:7

Verse 7 Ezekiel again returns to threats, because exhortations was not sufficiently effectual with such hardened ones; for we have seen that they were obdurate in their vices and almost like untamed beasts. For unless God’s judgment had been often set before them, there had been but small fruit of teaching and exhortation. This then is the reason why God here sets before them his vengeance: a man, a man, says he, or a stranger who sojourns among Israel. When he adds strangers, he doubtless... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 14:8

Verse 8 Here God adds, that the execution of his wrath would be ready when the prophet had denounced it. For profane men always fabricate for themselves empty treaties, and when God threatens they say that it is only thunder without lightning. Since the prophetic threats moved the reprobate either nothing or but little, so God now shows that he would not only answer what they did not wish to hear, but they should perceive by its effect how truly he had spoken. And this ought to be understood... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 14:9

Verse 9 Here God meets that foolish thought in which many minds are rapt up. When they had their own impostors at hand, they thought that all God’s threats could be repelled as it were by a shield. Jeremiah and Ezekiel threaten us, say they, but we have others to cheer us with good hope: they promise that all things shall be joyful and prosperous to us: since, therefore, only two or three deprive us of the hope of safety, and others, and those, too, far more numerous, promise us security, we... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 14:10

Verse 10 Here what Ezekiel had partially touched upon is more clearly taught. For he had said, that at length false prophets should meet with punishment, but he now joins the whole people with them, and at the same time repels the empty pretenses by which men are always willing to conceal their fault. For when he mentions their iniquity by name, it is the same as forbidding them to turn their back any more. In this way, then, God removes all the cavils to which men usually resort, since they... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

Disastrous answers to prayer. Ezekiel's predictions had been so gloomy and adverse, that the ciders of Israel in Babylon were staggered. They could not acquiesce in their nation's ruin. Hopeful that some message more favourable might come from God, they sought the prophet's presence. We must not place these elders in the same category with those in Jerusalem who preferred the flattering speeches of the false prophets. Nevertheless, they were not right at heart. The taint of idolatry was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

Hypocritical inquirers of God. "Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me," etc. In the former chapter false prophets and prophetesses were severely rebuked by the Lord God through his true prophet. In this one certain elders who came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord through him, while their hearts were given up to idols, are reproved, exhorted, and warned. The paragraph before us presents the following connected topics for consideration, which we will notice in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:6

Turn yourselves , etc.; literally, turn them . But there is no sufficient ground for the margin, "Turn others ," the objective suffix being the "faces" of the following clause. In Ezekiel 18:30 , Ezekiel 18:32 the verb is used by itself. The prophet's call is to a direct personal repentance, not to the work of preaching that repentance to others. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:6

Repentance. I. THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS SALVATION IS REPENTANCE . It is true that God has moved towards us before we have thought of turning to him. It is his goodness that leads us to repentance ( Romans 2:4 ). "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" ( Romans 5:8 ). But all this precedes our action. When we begin to see salvation, the first step must lead us to the wicket gate of repentance, and until that has been passed through there is no hope fur us. John the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:6

Repent! This was the admonition of every herald of God, whether under the old covenant or the new. It was the burden of Isaiah and Ezekiel, and it was also the burden of John the forerunner and of Jesus the Messiah. From this it may be inferred that human nature and life, on the one hand, and the character and government of God on the other hand, are such that repentance is an indispensable condition of the establishment of right relations between God and man. I. THE NEED OF ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:7

The stranger that sojourneth among you. It is noticeable that Ezekiel uses here and elsewhere ( Ezekiel 47:22 , Ezekiel 47:23 ) the familiar phrase of the books which most influenced his teaching (Leviticus 16-25.; Numbers 9:1-23 ; Numbers 15:1-41 ; Deuteronomy passim ). It is probable that some such proselytes were found among the exiles of Tel Abib. I the Lord will answer him by myself, etc. This, as has been seen, was probably the right reading in verse 4. What it means is... read more

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