too often acting, as Israel of old acted, in neglect of the obligations which such relation imposes. The history of the Christian Church viewed in this light presents a spectacle scarcely less melancholy than the history of the children of Israel. The prophetical warnings have therefore their applications here. How far the calamities of Christendom may be viewed as divine judgments for the violation of the divine law, it may not be wise too nicely to inquire. But many of these calamities have been the direct consequence of departure from the principles of the law of Christ. War, for instance, bringing with it the special visitations of famine, pestilence, and the sword, is the result as well as the punishment of such departure (comp. James iv. 1). We are therefore to interpret these predictions of Ezekiel not simply as illustrative of, but as directly predictive of, the future of the Church, Jewish and Christian, until the end of time. This view is confirmed by the introduction (so remarkable in Ezekiel) of passages setting forth in the strongest terms individual responsibility (especially ch. xviii.). These passages contain, it is manifest, universal truth, but their peculiar appropriateness to such a book as that of Ezekiel is best seen when we perceive that he is addressing, not simply the historical Israel of his own day, but the whole body who have been, like Israel of old, called forth to be God's people, and who will be called to strict account for the neglect of their consequent privileges (see note on xi. 19). XII. It has been already seen that the book forms a complete and harmonious whole. It is evident that the parts have been studiously arranged, and there can be no doubt that this was done by the prophet himself, who, at the same time, prefixed the dates to the several propheThe precision of these dates affords a clear proof that the prophecies were in the first instance orally delivered'. 1 Ewald's inference that the dates were not precise, because the days of the month mentioned are always either the 1st or the 5th or the 7th or the roth or the 12th or the 15th, will scarcely recommend itself to the reader. Considering that the day is only mentioned in fourteen in Ezekiel very generally speaks of himself in the first person, and uses the historic past to describe the occurrence of each particular vision, or communication from God. The prophecies were, no doubt, written down at the time of their delivery, and afterwards, under the directions of the Holy Spirit, put together into one volume, to form a part of those Scriptures which God has bequeathed as a perpetual inheritance to His Church. Some have thought that the frequent insertion of passages from older writers is characteristic rather of an author than of a prophet. (Ewald's Introd.' and Schrader in Schenkel's 'Bibel Lexicon.') They see herein a declension from the true prophetical character of the older prophets, such as Isaiah, Hosea, and Jeremiah, who went forth to seek the people, and addressed to them fresh words of rebuke or exhortation. It is thought to be in accordance with this view of Ezekiel's position, that the elders of Israel come to his house, and there receive their answer (viii. 1, xx. 1), but this is in fact the exception, and not the rule. Other prophecies were manifestly delivered publicly, like those of Jeremiah, and Ezekiel is constantly bidden to go forth to shew signs, and to instruct the people. His subsequent arrangement of his own prophecies in no way affects their prophetical character at the time of their delivery. Each writer in the Holy Scripture, though speaking under the inspiration of God, was yet permitted to preserve his own characteristic style, and if Ezekiel, the priest, imbued not only with the spirit, but with the letter of the Law, engrafted it upon his predictions, this can in no degree lessen the authority of his commission as prophet. The greater part of this book is written in prose, although the images Some employed are highly poetical. portions, however, may be regarded as poetry; as, for instance, the dirge of the kings (xix.), the lay of the sword (xxi. 8 foll.), the dirges of Tyre (xxvii., xxviii.), and of Egypt (xxxi., xxxii.). The language bears marks of the later style, which was introduced at the time of the Babylonish captivity. stances, there is surely sufficient variety. (Ewald, 'Introd.' p. 207.) Ezek. ii. 9. Rev. x. 2, 8-10. Ezek. iii. I. Rev. x. 9. Ezek. iii. 12, viii. 3, xi. 1, 24, Xxxvii. 1, xliii. 5. Rev. i. 10. Ezek. ix. 3, 11, xliv. 17. Dan. x. 5, xii. 6, 7. Zech. iii. 3-5. Rev. xv. 6, xix. 8, 14. Ezek. ix. 4. Rev. vii. 3. Ezek. ix. 6. Rev. ix. 4. Ezek. x. 2. Rev. viii. 5. Ezek. x. 12. Rev. iv. 8. Ezek. x. 15, 20. Ezek. i. 5. Dan. vii. 3. Rev. iv. 6. Ezek. xi. 23. Ezek. xiii. 5, xxx. 3. Rev. vi. 17, xvi. 14. Ezek. xiii. 9. Rev. xx. 12. Ezek. xv. 2, 6, xvii. 6—9, xix. 10-14. Rev. xiv. 18, 19. Ezek. xvi. 15-34, xxiii. I-21. Zech. v. 7, 8. Rev. xvii. 1-6. Ezek. xvi. 35-43, xxiii. 22-49. Rev. xvii. 16. Ezek. xvii. 3, 22-24, Ezek. xx. 46-48. Ezek. xx. 35. Ezek. xx. 40. Ezek. xxi. 3-5, 9-20, 28, XXX. 4, 24, xxxii. IO. Zech. xiii. 7. Rev. i. 16; xix. 15. Ezek. xxxviii. 4, 9, 16. Rev. xvi. 14, xx. 8. Ezek. xxxviii. 19. Zech. xiv. 4. Rev. xvi. 18. Ezek. xxxviii. 22. Rev. xvi. 21. Ezek. xxxviii. 22. Ezek. xxxix. 4, 17—22. Ezek. xl. 2. Rev. xxi. 10. Ezek. xl. 3, i. 7. Dan. x. 6. Rev. i. 15. Ezek. xl. 3. Rev. xi. 1, xxi. 15. Ezek. xl. 17. Ezek. xl. 49. Ezek. xliv. 17. Rev. vii. 13, 14, xix. 8. Ezek. xlii. 20. Rev. xxi. 16. Ezek. xliii. 2, X. 4. Rev. xviii, 1. Ezek. xliii. 7, 9. Ezek. xliii. 12, xlviii. 14. Zech. viii. 3, xiv. 20, 21. Rev. xxi. 2, 27, xxii. 3, 14, 15. Ezek. xliv. 16. Rev. xxi. 22, 24, xxii. 3, 4. Ezek. xlvi. 2. Rev. xxi. 25. Ezek. xlvi. 1, 9. Ezek. xlvi. 21-23, xlviii. 16, 17. Rev. xxi. 16. Ezek. xlvii. 1—5. Zech, xiii. 1, xiv. 8. Rev. xxii. 1, 17. |