Thursday 09 February 2023

Background

This week we are studying the book of Ezekiel and today the narrative jumps ahead a few chapters. Today’s passage, along with those we will consider over the next two days are part of a section that began in chapter 8. It begins by telling us that it was about a year after Ezekiel’s earlier vision. The exiled elders of Israel are present with him. They are in authority, and other people would turn to the elders in order to help process the devastating events of exile. Maybe they have come to see Ezekiel hoping that God would provide some wisdom to help them.

In his latest vision, Ezekiel is whisked off to Jerusalem to witness God’s response to the abominations listed in chapter 8 that were carried out by a nation who thought God had deserted them. Seven fearsome figures appear at the Temple, six carrying terrifying weapons, summoned to bring God’s judgement. The seventh was tasked with travelling through the city marking any mourning the atrocities that God was witnessing.

The mark on their forehead was the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet which may, in ancient times, have closely resembled an X. If we carry on reading this troubling chapter we would read that all those lacking the X were to be killed by the other 6, regardless of age or gender. The seventh figure returns at the end of chapter 9 saying that he has completed his task, but there's no suggestion of how many, if any, had been found and marked.

This passage has parallels with the Passover account in Exodus. In that account, the Jewish people of God were commanded to mark their doorposts with lamb’s blood and the angel of death would pass over them when he travelled through killing the firstborn of all the Egyptians. Revelation 15 also tells of the people of God receiving God’s name on their forehead. More chillingly, we recall how the Jewish people in Nazi-controlled countries had to wear the Star of David, which rather than protecting them was the first step towards their attempted annihilation.

To Ponder:

• The details of the God-sanctioned massacre have been left out of today’s reading. Do these verses have any place in our Scripture? How should we talk about them?
• How do we feel about some people being marked and chosen, and others not?

Prayer

God of all time, there are parts of your holy Word that we find hard, and even disturbing. Give us wisdom to know how to use, and not use such texts. May we stand against all injustice and oppression. Amen.