Ezekiel Chapter 8

Jun 5

Ezekiel 8, Abominations at the Temple

Ezekiel 8 begins a new visionary section in the book, covering Ezekiel 8 through 11. In this vision, Ezekiel is transported from Babylon to Jerusalem and shown the hidden and public abominations taking place at the temple. The uploaded notes rightly emphasize that this vision exposes the spiritual corruption of Judah from the royal sphere, to the elders, to the women, to the priests, showing that the sanctuary itself had become filled with idolatry, false worship, and contempt for the Lord.

Scripture Text, Ezekiel 8, KJV

Ezekiel 8:1, “And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.”

Ezekiel 8:2, “Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.”

Ezekiel 8:3, “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.”

Ezekiel 8:4, “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.”

Ezekiel 8:5, “Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.”

Ezekiel 8:6, “He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do?, even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary?, but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.”

Ezekiel 8:7, “And he brought me to the door of the court;, and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.”

Ezekiel 8:8, “Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall:, and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.”

Ezekiel 8:9, “And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.”

Ezekiel 8:10, “So I went in and saw;, and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel,, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.”

Ezekiel 8:11, “And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel,, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan,, with every man his censer in his hand;, and a thick cloud of incense went up.”

Ezekiel 8:12, “Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel 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.”

Ezekiel 8:13, “He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.”

Ezekiel 8:14, “Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north;, and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.”

Ezekiel 8:15, “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man?, turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”

Ezekiel 8:16, “And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house,, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD,, between the porch and the altar,, were about five and twenty men,, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD,, and their faces toward the east;, and they worshipped the sun toward the east.”

Ezekiel 8:17, “Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man?, Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?, for they have filled the land with violence,, and have returned to provoke me to anger:, and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.”

Ezekiel 8:18, “Therefore will I also deal in fury:, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity:, and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.”

Introduction, The Glory of God and the Defilement of the Temple

Ezekiel 8 is a devastating chapter because it shows the corruption of Jerusalem not merely in the streets, but in the temple precincts. The temple was the place associated with the presence, worship, sacrifice, priesthood, and covenant glory of the Lord. Yet Ezekiel is shown that this holy place had become polluted with idols, secret abominations, pagan mourning rites, and sun worship. The leaders of Judah had not merely sinned privately. They had allowed the worship of the living God to be displaced by the worship of detestable things.

The chapter must be read together with Ezekiel 9 through 11. Ezekiel 8 shows why judgment must come. Ezekiel 9 shows the execution of judgment in Jerusalem. Ezekiel 10 and 11 show the departure of the glory of the Lord from the temple. The vision begins with the glory of the God of Israel still present, but the abominations shown in chapter 8 explain why that glory will depart.

This is one of the most sobering truths in the Old Testament. Religious buildings, sacred history, priestly offices, and outward ceremonies do not guarantee the blessing of God when the people have corrupted worship and hardened their hearts. Judah still had the temple, but the temple had become defiled. They still had religious activity, but their hearts and practices were filled with idolatry.

The chapter also exposes the progression of corruption. Ezekiel first sees the image of jealousy near the north gate, then the secret idol worship of the elders, then the women weeping for Tammuz, then the men between the porch and the altar worshiping the sun. Each scene is worse than the last. The repeated phrase “greater abominations” shows that Judah’s corruption was deep, layered, and systemic.

A. Ezekiel Goes to Jerusalem in a Vision

1. Ezekiel 8:1, Ezekiel, the Elders, and the Hand of the LORD

The chapter begins with a precise date, “in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month.” Ezekiel 1:2 dated the beginning of Ezekiel’s earlier vision to the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. This new date places Ezekiel’s vision roughly a year and a half after his prophetic call. It introduces the long vision recorded in Ezekiel 8 through 11.

The precision of the date is important. Ezekiel’s prophecies are not vague mystical impressions detached from history. They are rooted in time, exile, Jerusalem, Babylon, Judah, and the coming destruction of the temple. The Lord’s dealings with Israel are historical, literal, and covenantal.

Ezekiel says, “as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me.” This tells us that Ezekiel had his own house in Babylon and that the elders of Judah recognized him enough to sit before him. They likely came seeking a word from the Lord, as later passages suggest.

Ezekiel 14:1 through 3, “Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart,, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face:, should I be enquired of at all by them?”

Ezekiel 20:1, “And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month,, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD,, and sat before me.”

These passages show that elders regularly came to Ezekiel, but their coming did not always mean their hearts were right. They could sit before a prophet while still harboring idols. That same tension appears in Ezekiel 8. The elders are physically seated before the prophet, but the vision will reveal the corruption of the elders in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel then says, “the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.” This expression indicates the powerful presence and control of the Lord upon the prophet. Ezekiel had already experienced this.

Ezekiel 1:3, “The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi,, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar;, and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.”

Ezekiel 3:14, “So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away,, and I went in bitterness,, in the heat of my spirit;, but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.”

Ezekiel 3:22, “And the hand of the LORD was there upon me;, and he said unto me, Arise,, go forth into the plain,, and I will there talk with thee.”

The hand of the Lord is not light sentiment. It is divine power upon the prophet, taking hold of him for revelation and ministry. Ezekiel is about to be shown what no man could know by ordinary observation, the true spiritual condition of Jerusalem’s temple.

2. Ezekiel 8:2 through 4, In a Vision, Ezekiel Is Transported to Jerusalem

Ezekiel 8:4, “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.”

Ezekiel now sees a divine likeness similar to what he saw in Ezekiel 1. The description is careful and reverent. He sees “a likeness as the appearance of fire.” From the loins downward there is fire, and from the loins upward there is brightness like amber. Ezekiel is not claiming to see God in His uncovered essence. He sees a visionary representation of divine glory, described with the language of likeness and appearance.

This connects directly to Ezekiel’s earlier vision.

Ezekiel 1:27, “And I saw as the colour of amber,, as the appearance of fire round about within it,, from the appearance of his loins even upward,, and from the appearance of his loins even downward,, I saw as it were the appearance of fire,, and it had brightness round about.”

The same glory that appeared by the river Chebar now appears again. This matters because Ezekiel’s God is not confined to the land of Israel. The glory of God appeared to Ezekiel in Babylon, yet the same glory is also associated with the temple in Jerusalem. Yahweh is sovereign in exile and in the land.

Verse 3 says, “he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head.” In the vision, Ezekiel is seized by divine initiative. The Spirit lifts him up “between the earth and the heaven” and brings him “in the visions of God to Jerusalem.”

This was a visionary transport, not a physical relocation from Babylon to Jerusalem. Ezekiel later says he was returned in vision to the captivity.

Ezekiel 11:24, “Afterwards the spirit took me up,, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea,, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.”

Ezekiel did not physically leave Babylon. The Spirit brought him in visions of God to Jerusalem so he could see the spiritual reality behind Jerusalem’s outward religious appearance.

The vision brings him “to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north.” This is the temple area. Ezekiel was a priest, so the temple mattered deeply to him. He would have understood the holy order of the temple, the seriousness of priestly service, and the horror of seeing it defiled.

At that northern gate was “the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.” This image was an idol. It is called the image of jealousy because it provoked the Lord to holy jealousy. God’s jealousy is not petty insecurity. It is His righteous zeal for His own glory and for the covenant faithfulness of His people.

Exodus 20:3 through 6, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above,, or that is in the earth beneath,, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,, nor serve them:, for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;, And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me,, and keep my commandments.”

The Lord had plainly forbidden graven images and declared Himself a jealous God. An idol in or near His temple was a direct insult to His covenant authority.

The uploaded notes connect this image with Manasseh’s earlier idol in the temple. Hezekiah had removed idolatry, but Manasseh restored and deepened it, even placing an idol in the house of the Lord. Josiah later cleansed the temple, but Ezekiel now sees that idolatry had returned.

2 Kings 21:1 through 7, “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign,, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD,, after the abominations of the heathen,, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed;, and he reared up altars for Baal,, and made a grove,, as did Ahab king of Israel;, and worshipped all the host of heaven,, and served them. And he built altars in the house of the LORD,, of which the LORD said,, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he made his son pass through the fire,, and observed times,, and used enchantments,, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards:, he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD,, to provoke him to anger. And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house,, of which the LORD said to David,, and to Solomon his son,, In this house,, and in Jerusalem,, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel,, will I put my name for ever:”

2 Kings 23:4 through 6, “And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest,, and the priests of the second order,, and the keepers of the door,, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal,, and for the grove,, and for all the host of heaven:, and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron,, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel. And he put down the idolatrous priests,, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah,, and in the places round about Jerusalem;, them also that burned incense unto Baal,, to the sun,, and to the moon,, and to the planets,, and to all the host of heaven. And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD,, without Jerusalem,, unto the brook Kidron,, and burned it at the brook Kidron,, and stamped it small to powder,, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.”

Josiah had cleansed the temple, but the reform did not last in the hearts of the people. Ezekiel’s vision shows that Judah’s idolatry was not cured at the root.

Verse 4 creates a stunning contrast, “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there.” The glory of God was present at the temple, just as Ezekiel had seen it in the plain. The true glory of God stands in contrast to the filthy image of jealousy. The holy presence of the Lord is set against the debased worship of idols.

The glory of God had filled the tabernacle and later the temple.

Exodus 40:34 through 35, “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation,, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation,, because the cloud abode thereon,, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”

1 Kings 8:10 through 11, “And it came to pass,, when the priests were come out of the holy place,, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud:, for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.”

But by the end of this visionary section, that glory will depart from the temple because of Judah’s abominations. Ezekiel 8 explains the reason for that departure.

3. Ezekiel 8:5, Ezekiel Looks to the North

The Lord directs Ezekiel’s attention, “lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north.” Ezekiel obeys and sees again “this image of jealousy in the entry.” The repeated sight confirms the offensiveness of the idol’s placement. It is not hidden far away in a pagan shrine. It stands in the temple area, in the entry, near the altar gate.

The north gate was significant because of its connection with royal access. The uploaded notes point out that the king likely used this honored gateway because the royal palace was on the north side of the temple. If so, this image of jealousy was connected with the royal sphere and state-sponsored idolatry. It represented idolatry backed by power and normalized by leadership.

This is spiritually devastating. When rulers corrupt worship, the people are led into abomination. When leadership tolerates idols at the gate of worship, the whole nation is endangered.

2 Chronicles 33:7, “And he set a carved image,, the idol which he had made,, in the house of God,, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son,, In this house,, and in Jerusalem,, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel,, will I put my name for ever:”

The placement of an idol where God had put His name was a direct provocation. Ezekiel’s vision shows that Judah had returned to the sins that earlier reforms had sought to remove.

4. Ezekiel 8:6 through 8, Great and Greater Abominations

Ezekiel 8:7, “And he brought me to the door of the court;, and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.”

Ezekiel 8:8, “Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall:, and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.”

The Lord asks Ezekiel, “seest thou what they do?” This question forces Ezekiel to observe carefully. The issue is not what Judah claimed about itself. The issue is what God saw them doing. They may have maintained outward religious language, but the Lord saw their abominations.

The Lord calls these sins “the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here.” The word “here” is important. These abominations are being committed in the place associated with God’s sanctuary. Sin is always evil, but sin committed in holy places by people with greater light carries heavier guilt.

The result is stated plainly, “that I should go far off from my sanctuary.” The abominations were driving the Lord away from His own sanctuary. The temple belonged to Him. Yet He would depart because the people had polluted it. God will not indefinitely dwell among defiant idolatry.

This anticipates the departure of the glory in Ezekiel 10 and 11.

Ezekiel 10:18 through 19, “Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house,, and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up their wings,, and mounted up from the earth in my sight:, when they went out,, the wheels also were beside them,, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’S house;, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.”

Ezekiel 11:23, “And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city,, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.”

The glory departs because the abominations have made the sanctuary intolerable. This is a warning that religious structures cannot imprison God’s presence. The Lord is not obligated to remain where He is despised.

The Lord then says, “but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.” The first sight was terrible, but it was not the worst. Ezekiel is about to be shown deeper corruption.

He is brought to the door of the court and sees “a hole in the wall.” The Lord commands him, “dig now in the wall.” When he digs, he finds a door. In the vision, Ezekiel must go beneath the surface to see the hidden reality. The public temple still had outward form, but behind the wall there were secret chambers of idolatry.

This has a permanent spiritual application. Surface religion may conceal inward corruption. What looks acceptable outwardly may hide abominations in the heart. The Lord sees behind the wall.

1 Samuel 16:7, “But the LORD said unto Samuel,, Look not on his countenance,, or on the height of his stature;, because I have refused him:, for the LORD seeth not as man seeth;, for man looketh on the outward appearance,, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Ezekiel digs through the wall because God is exposing what man cannot see.

B. What Ezekiel Saw Behind the Wall

1. Ezekiel 8:9 through 12, Wicked Things and Blind Men

Ezekiel 8:9, “And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.”

Ezekiel 8:10, “So I went in and saw;, and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel,, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.”

The Lord commands Ezekiel, “Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.” The prophet enters and sees the inner pollution. The walls are covered with “every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel.” The temple walls should have reflected heavenly realities and the holiness of God, but they were filled with images of unclean creatures and idols.

This may point to Egyptian-style animal cults, as the uploaded notes explain. Egypt was known for worship involving animals and images of creatures. Israel, delivered from Egypt by the Lord, had repeatedly been tempted to return spiritually to Egypt’s idols.

Paul describes the downward exchange of true worship for creature worship.

Romans 1:21 through 25, “Because that,, when they knew God,, they glorified him not as God,, neither were thankful;, but became vain in their imaginations,, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,, and to birds,, and fourfooted beasts,, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts,, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie,, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Ezekiel 8 is a living illustration of Romans 1. Judah had changed the glory of God into images of creatures and idols. Their foolish heart was darkened.

Verse 11 shows who was involved, “seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel.” These were not ignorant outsiders. They were leaders. The number seventy may recall the representative leadership of Israel. Here, representative leaders stand before idols instead of before the Lord.

Exodus 24:1, “And he said unto Moses,, Come up unto the LORD,, thou,, and Aaron,, Nadab,, and Abihu,, and seventy of the elders of Israel;, and worship ye afar off.”

In Exodus, seventy elders were associated with covenant worship before the Lord. In Ezekiel 8, seventy elders are associated with secret idolatry. The contrast is deliberate and shameful.

Among them stands “Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan.” Shaphan was likely connected with the faithful family known from Josiah’s reforms. Shaphan the scribe was involved when the book of the law was found in the temple.

2 Kings 22:8 through 10, “And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe,, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan,, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king,, and brought the king word again,, and said,, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house,, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work,, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king,, saying,, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.”

Another son of Shaphan, Ahikam, protected Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 26:24, “Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah,, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.”

Jaazaniah appears as the black sheep of a worthy family. This is a sober warning that godly heritage does not guarantee personal faithfulness. A man may come from a family associated with reform and still become an idolater.

Each elder has “his censer in his hand,” and “a thick cloud of incense went up.” Incense was associated with priestly service and prayer. These leaders took religious forms and directed them toward idols. This is religious corruption at a high level. The outward act looked sacred, but the object of worship was detestable.

The Lord then exposes the heart of the matter, “hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark,, every man in the chambers of his imagery?” The elders believed their idolatry was hidden. God calls it darkness. Each man had his chamber of imagery, his private shrine, his inner idol room.

This reaches beyond literal secret rooms. It exposes the inward life. Men can maintain public religion while hiding idolatry in the dark chambers of the heart. The Lord sees both.

Hebrews 4:13, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

The elders’ theology was corrupt. They said, “The LORD seeth us not;, the LORD hath forsaken the earth.” They justified their sin by denying God’s sight and presence. They believed either that Yahweh did not see their actions or that He had abandoned the land and therefore no longer mattered.

This is practical atheism. They may not have denied God formally, but they lived as if He did not see. That same attitude appears whenever men sin in secret because they think hidden sin is safe.

Psalm 94:7 through 11, “Yet they say,, The LORD shall not see,, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand,, ye brutish among the people:, and ye fools,, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear,, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye,, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen,, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge,, shall not he know? The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man,, that they are vanity.”

The Lord sees. The false claim “The LORD seeth us not” is itself proof of spiritual blindness.

Their second claim, “the LORD hath forsaken the earth,” reverses reality. The Lord had not forsaken them first. They had forsaken Him. Their sin was causing His glory to depart, yet they blamed God for absence while they cherished idols.

2. Ezekiel 8:13 through 14, Women Weeping for Tammuz

Ezekiel 8:13, “He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.”

Ezekiel 8:14, “Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north;, and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.”

Again the Lord says, “thou shalt see greater abominations.” Ezekiel has already seen the image of jealousy and the secret idolatry of the elders, but the corruption continues deeper.

He is brought to the north gate of the Lord’s house and sees women “weeping for Tammuz.” This is the only mention of Tammuz in the Old Testament. Tammuz was connected with Babylonian fertility religion, associated with the dying and rising vegetation cycle, and later connected with similar pagan myths in surrounding cultures. The uploaded notes explain that such worship was often tied to immoral fertility rites.

The horror is not merely that women are grieving. The horror is that they are participating in pagan religious mourning at the Lord’s house. Their tears are not repentance before Yahweh. They are ritual mourning for a false god.

This shows how deeply pagan religion had entered Judah. It had reached the temple gate. It had captured women in idolatrous devotion. The covenant people were importing foreign religious myths into the worship space of the Lord.

The law had warned Israel against following the religious practices of the nations.

Deuteronomy 12:30 through 31, “Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them,, after that they be destroyed from before thee;, and that thou enquire not after their gods,, saying,, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God:, for every abomination to the LORD,, which he hateth,, have they done unto their gods;, for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.”

Judah ignored this command. Instead of rejecting pagan worship, they absorbed it.

This also shows that emotional religion is not necessarily true religion. The women were weeping, but their weeping was idolatrous. Tears do not sanctify false worship. Sincerity does not make an abomination acceptable. Worship must be according to the truth of God.

John 4:23 through 24, “But the hour cometh,, and now is,, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit:, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

The Lord seeks worship in spirit and truth, not emotional devotion to idols.

3. Ezekiel 8:15 through 16, Priests Worshipping the Sun

Ezekiel 8:15, “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man?, turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”

For the third time, the Lord announces “greater abominations.” Ezekiel is now brought into the inner court of the Lord’s house. This is an even more sacred space. There, “at the door of the temple of the LORD,, between the porch and the altar,” he sees about twenty-five men.

The location is significant. Between the porch and the altar was a place associated with priestly ministry and intercession. Joel later refers to priests weeping there in repentance.

Joel 2:17, “Let the priests,, the ministers of the LORD,, weep between the porch and the altar,, and let them say,, Spare thy people,, O LORD,, and give not thine heritage to reproach,, that the heathen should rule over them:, wherefore should they say among the people,, Where is their God?”

In Joel, priests should weep between the porch and the altar for mercy. In Ezekiel, men stand there with their backs to the temple and worship the sun. The contrast is appalling.

The number “about five and twenty men” may indicate priests, possibly representatives of the twenty-four priestly courses plus the high priest, as the uploaded notes mention. Whether the exact identification is certain or not, their location strongly suggests priestly corruption.

Their posture is the heart of the sin, “with their backs toward the temple of the LORD,, and their faces toward the east;, and they worshipped the sun toward the east.” They turn their backs on the temple of Yahweh and face the rising sun. This is not accidental. Their bodies preach their apostasy. They reject the Lord and worship the creation.

This kind of worship had been practiced under Manasseh and later opposed by Josiah.

2 Kings 21:5, “And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.”

2 Kings 23:5, “And he put down the idolatrous priests,, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah,, and in the places round about Jerusalem;, them also that burned incense unto Baal,, to the sun,, and to the moon,, and to the planets,, and to all the host of heaven.”

2 Kings 23:11 through 12, “And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun,, at the entering in of the house of the LORD,, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain,, which was in the suburbs,, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire. And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz,, which the kings of Judah had made,, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD,, did the king beat down,, and brake them down from thence,, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.”

Josiah had destroyed sun worship connected to the temple, but Ezekiel’s vision shows the corruption had returned. The priests or priestly representatives were worshiping the sun in the Lord’s own house.

This is creature worship, condemned by Scripture.

Romans 1:25, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie,, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

They worshiped the creature instead of the Creator. The sun is a glorious creation of God, but it is not God. To worship the sun is to reject the One who made it.

The Lord had warned Israel specifically against worshiping the heavenly bodies.

Deuteronomy 4:19, “And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven,, and when thou seest the sun,, and the moon,, and the stars,, even all the host of heaven,, shouldest be driven to worship them,, and serve them,, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.”

Judah did exactly what God warned against. Their priests turned their backs on the temple and their faces toward the sun. This is why judgment could not be avoided.

4. Ezekiel 8:17 through 18, A Promise of Judgment Upon All These Abominations

Ezekiel 8:18, “Therefore will I also deal in fury:, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity:, and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.”

The Lord asks, “Hast thou seen this, O son of man?” Ezekiel has been made a witness. He has seen the evidence. The coming judgment is not unjust. The Lord has shown him why the sanctuary will be abandoned and the city judged.

The Lord then asks, “Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?” Judah treated these sins as light things. God did not. This is one of the great dangers of spiritual decay, what God calls abomination, man begins to treat as minor, normal, traditional, personal, or harmless.

The question exposes Judah’s moral dullness. They had lost the ability to tremble at sin. They could place idols near the temple, hide idolatry in secret chambers, weep for Tammuz, worship the sun, and still think themselves safe.

The Lord then connects religious corruption with social violence, “for they have filled the land with violence.” Idolatry does not remain private. False worship produces moral collapse. When people reject the true God, they also lose the foundation for justice, righteousness, and the protection of human life.

Hosea 4:1 through 2, “Hear the word of the LORD,, ye children of Israel:, for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land,, because there is no truth,, nor mercy,, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing,, and lying,, and killing,, and stealing,, and committing adultery,, they break out,, and blood toucheth blood.”

Where there is no knowledge of God, social order breaks down. Ezekiel 8 says Judah had filled the land with violence because their worship had become corrupt.

The Lord says they “have returned to provoke me to anger.” Judah repeatedly returned to idolatry after reforms and warnings. Their sin was stubborn, persistent, and provocative.

The phrase “they put the branch to their nose” is obscure. The uploaded notes give several possibilities. It may refer to an insulting gesture toward God, a revolting idolatrous rite, an Egyptian symbol of life, a plant connected with pagan worship, or a textual issue expressing that their worship had become a stench to God instead of a pleasing aroma. Whatever the precise meaning, the point is clear, Judah’s actions were an offense before the Lord.

The contrast with acceptable sacrifice is striking.

Leviticus 1:9, “But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water:, and the priest shall burn all on the altar,, to be a burnt sacrifice,, an offering made by fire,, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.”

True sacrifice was to be a sweet savour unto the Lord. Judah’s idolatry was the opposite. It was offensive, contemptuous, and provoking.

Verse 18 gives the sentence, “Therefore will I also deal in fury.” Because Judah dealt in abominations, God will deal in fury. Because they treated sin lightly, He will show them its true weight.

The Lord says, “mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity.” This repeats the judgment language of Ezekiel 7. The time for sparing has passed. This does not mean God is without mercy in His character. It means that Judah’s persistent rebellion has reached the point where judgment will no longer be delayed.

Finally, the Lord says, “and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.” This is terrifying. The people who ignored God’s word will one day cry for relief, but God will not hear. Their cries will not be cries of true repentance in the appointed time, but desperate cries under judgment after despising mercy.

Scripture repeatedly warns that there is a time when ignored wisdom becomes unavailable.

Proverbs 1:24 through 31, “Because I have called,, and ye refused;, I have stretched out my hand,, and no man regarded;, But ye have set at nought all my counsel,, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity;, I will mock when your fear cometh;, When your fear cometh as desolation,, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;, when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me,, but I will not answer;, they shall seek me early,, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge,, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel:, they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,, and be filled with their own devices.”

Ezekiel 8:18 stands in that same category. Those who despise God’s word while mercy is offered may find that judgment closes the door they once refused to enter.

Doctrinal and Practical Summary

Ezekiel 8 teaches that the Lord sees the true condition of worship, leadership, and the heart. Judah still had the temple, elders, priests, rituals, incense, and religious history, but the Lord exposed the abominations hidden behind the walls. The people could fool themselves and perhaps fool others, but they could not fool God.

The chapter also teaches that idolatry provokes the holy jealousy of the Lord. The image of jealousy at the temple entrance was not a harmless symbol. It was an insult to the God who had chosen Jerusalem, filled the temple with His glory, and commanded exclusive worship. The Lord is jealous because He alone is God, and His people belong to Him by covenant.

Ezekiel 8 also shows that corruption often begins or is protected by leadership. The image of jealousy appears at the honored north gate. The seventy elders worship secretly in darkness. The women participate in pagan rites. The twenty-five men, likely priests or priestly representatives, turn their backs on the temple and worship the sun. The corruption is widespread, from rulers to elders to women to priests. When leadership collapses spiritually, the people are endangered.

The chapter warns that outward religion can conceal inward abomination. The elders had censers and incense, but their hearts and chambers were full of idols. Religious activity does not sanctify idolatry. A man may appear devout outwardly while cherishing secret idols inwardly. God sees the chambers of imagery.

Ezekiel 8 also connects false worship with social violence. Judah’s abominations were not merely private spiritual errors. They filled the land with violence. When a people rejects the true God, justice eventually collapses. Wrong worship produces wrong living.

The chapter explains why the glory of the Lord would depart from the temple in Ezekiel 10 and 11. God did not leave without cause. His sanctuary had been polluted. His people had provoked Him. They treated abominations as light things. Therefore, the Lord would deal in fury, would not spare, and would not hear their loud cries when judgment came.

For believers today, Ezekiel 8 is a severe warning against treating sin lightly, hiding idols in the heart, and assuming that outward religion guarantees God’s favor. The Lord sees what is behind the wall. He sees the public idol and the private chamber. He sees the priestly garment and the turned back. He sees whether worship is truly directed to Him or to some creaturely substitute.

The only right response is repentance, cleansing, and renewed worship in spirit and truth. The true temple presence of God is ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who is the perfect meeting place between God and man. He alone cleanses sinners, exposes idols, and restores true worship.

John 2:19 through 21, “Jesus answered and said unto them,, Destroy this temple,, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews,, Forty and six years was this temple in building,, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.”

Christ is greater than the temple. The defiled temple of Ezekiel’s day pointed to the need for a greater and final cleansing through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 9:11 through 14, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come,, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle,, not made with hands,, that is to say,, not of this building;, Neither by the blood of goats and calves,, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place,, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats,, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean,, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ,, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Ezekiel 8 exposes defilement. Christ provides cleansing. Ezekiel 8 shows the horror of false worship. Christ restores sinners to serve the living God.

Clayton Taylor https://taylorbiblestudy.com