THE PARABLE OF THE CHAMBERS OF IMAGERY (12 OF 15)
The Parable of the Chambers of Imagery (12 of 15)
Series: The Parables of the Old Testament
Clarence Macartney
Ezekiel 8
In this vision Ezekiel saw the glory of God. He beheld a likeness as of the appearance of fire. The Scriptures never attempt to describe God or His glory. Whenever God appears, He is as the ''likeness'' of the cloud, or the fire, or the wind. Out of this appearance of fire came forth a hand which transported the prophet in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the doors of the inner gate that looks toward the north. Near the door of the inner court of the temple he saw a hole, or opening, in the wall.
At the direction of his angelic guide, Ezekiel dug in the wall until the opening was large enough for him to pass through. When he had passed the first wall he came to a second, and by a door in that wall he entered a hidden chamber. In this chamber he saw every form of creeping things and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel portrayed, painted or carved, upon the walls of the room. Before these filthy pictures, loathsome objects, the inventions of depraved minds, stood the seventy elders, representatives of the people, mumbling their heathen incantations and waving the censers filled with incense. Then said the angel to the prophet, ''Son of man, hast thou seen what they do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, 'The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.'''
The vision of Ezekiel was true of the spiritual condition of Israel at the time of the exile. There was a formal adherence to the religion of Jehovah, outward temple and altars, but in their hearts they served other gods. In their secret chambers of idolatry and imagery they bowed down before the grinning images of Baal and Moloch.
This portrait of Israel during the Babylonian captivity is a miniature of the life of man. We all live in two worlds. There is an upper or outer world with material objects, scenes o ...
Series: The Parables of the Old Testament
Clarence Macartney
Ezekiel 8
In this vision Ezekiel saw the glory of God. He beheld a likeness as of the appearance of fire. The Scriptures never attempt to describe God or His glory. Whenever God appears, He is as the ''likeness'' of the cloud, or the fire, or the wind. Out of this appearance of fire came forth a hand which transported the prophet in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the doors of the inner gate that looks toward the north. Near the door of the inner court of the temple he saw a hole, or opening, in the wall.
At the direction of his angelic guide, Ezekiel dug in the wall until the opening was large enough for him to pass through. When he had passed the first wall he came to a second, and by a door in that wall he entered a hidden chamber. In this chamber he saw every form of creeping things and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel portrayed, painted or carved, upon the walls of the room. Before these filthy pictures, loathsome objects, the inventions of depraved minds, stood the seventy elders, representatives of the people, mumbling their heathen incantations and waving the censers filled with incense. Then said the angel to the prophet, ''Son of man, hast thou seen what they do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, 'The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.'''
The vision of Ezekiel was true of the spiritual condition of Israel at the time of the exile. There was a formal adherence to the religion of Jehovah, outward temple and altars, but in their hearts they served other gods. In their secret chambers of idolatry and imagery they bowed down before the grinning images of Baal and Moloch.
This portrait of Israel during the Babylonian captivity is a miniature of the life of man. We all live in two worlds. There is an upper or outer world with material objects, scenes o ...
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