Abominations in the Temple

Ezekiel 8

1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with a the elders of Judah sitting before me, that b the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there. 2 c Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire - from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, d like the color of amber. 3 He e stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and f the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and g brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, h where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which i provokes 1 to jealousy. 4 And behold, the j glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I k saw in the plain.

5 Then He said to me, "Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north." So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance. 6 Furthermore He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great l abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations."

7 So He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, there was a hole in the wall. 8 Then He said to me, "Son of man, dig into the wall"; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door. 9 And He said to me, "Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there." 10 So I went in and saw, and there - every m sort of n creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, 2 portrayed all around on the walls. 11 And there stood before them o seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up. 12 Then He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, p 'The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.' " 13 And He said to me, "Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that they are doing."

14 So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD's house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for 3 Tammuz. 15 Then He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these."

16 So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, q between the porch and the altar, r were about twenty-five men s with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping t the sun toward the east. 17 And He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have u filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose. 18 v "Therefore I also will act in fury. My w eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they x cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them."

  1. Cross References
    Ezekiel 14:1
    Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.
    Ezekiel 20:1
    It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me.
    Ezekiel 33:31
    So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
  2. Cross References
    Ezekiel 1:3
    The word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
    Ezekiel 3:22
    Then the hand of the LORD was upon me there, and He said to me, "Arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you.
  3. Cross References
    Ezekiel 1:26
    And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.
    Ezekiel 1:27
    Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.
  4. Cross References
    Ezekiel 1:4
    Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
    Ezekiel 1:27
    Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.
  5. Cross References
    Daniel 5:5
    In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
  6. Cross References
    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.
    Acts 8:39
    Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
  7. Cross References
    Ezekiel 11:1
    Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the East Gate of the LORD's house, which faces eastward; and there at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
    Ezekiel 11:24
    Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me.
    Ezekiel 40:2
    In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city.
  8. Cross References
    Jeremiah 7:30
    For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight," says the LORD. "They have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it.
    Jeremiah 32:34
    But they set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.
    Ezekiel 5:11
    Therefore, as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity.
  9. Cross References
    Exodus 20:4
    You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
    Deuteronomy 32:16
    They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
    Deuteronomy 32:21
    They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.
  10. Cross References
    Ezekiel 3:12
    Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: "Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!
    Ezekiel 9:3
    Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer's inkhorn at his side.
  11. Cross References
    Ezekiel 1:28
    Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
    Ezekiel 3:22
    Then the hand of the LORD was upon me there, and He said to me, "Arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you.
    Ezekiel 3:23
    So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face.
  12. Cross References
    2 Kings 23:4
    And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the articles that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.
    2 Kings 23:5
    Then he removed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem, and those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.
    Ezekiel 5:11
    Therefore, as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity.
    Ezekiel 8:9
    And He said to me, "Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there.
    Ezekiel 8:17
    And He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 20:4
    You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
    Deuteronomy 4:16 - 18
    Lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female.
  14. Cross References
    Romans 1:23
    And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man - and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
  15. Cross References
    Numbers 11:16
    So the LORD said to Moses: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.
    Numbers 11:25
    Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.
    Luke 10:1
    After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 14:1
    The fool has said in his heart, " There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
    Isaiah 29:15
    Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD, And their works are in the dark; They say, "Who sees us?" and, "Who knows us?
    Ezekiel 9:9
    Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!
  17. Cross References
    Joel 2:17
    Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'
  18. Cross References
    Ezekiel 11:1
    Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the East Gate of the LORD's house, which faces eastward; and there at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
  19. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:6
    For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the LORD our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him.
    Jeremiah 2:27
    Saying to a tree, 'You are my father,' And to a stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble They will say, 'Arise and save us.
    Jeremiah 32:33
    And they have turned to Me the back, and not the face; though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.
    Ezekiel 23:39
    For after they had slain their children for their idols, on the same day they came into My sanctuary to profane it; and indeed thus they have done in the midst of My house.
  20. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:19
    And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.
    2 Kings 23:5
    Then he removed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem, and those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.
    2 Kings 23:11
    Then he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of the LORD, by the chamber of NathanMe'lech, the officer who was in the court; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
    Job 31:26
    If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness.
    Jeremiah 44:17
    But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.
  21. Cross References
    Ezekiel 9:9
    Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!
    Amos 3:10
    For they do not know to do right,' Says the LORD, 'Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.'
    Micah 2:2
    They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.
  22. Cross References
    Ezekiel 5:13
    Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them.
    Ezekiel 16:42
    So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more.
    Ezekiel 24:13
    In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed, You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore, Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.
  23. Cross References
    Ezekiel 5:11
    Therefore, as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity.
    Ezekiel 7:4
    My eye will not spare you, Nor will I have pity; But I will repay your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst; Then you shall know that I am the LORD!
    Ezekiel 7:9
    My eye will not spare, Nor will I have pity; I will repay you according to your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst. Then you shall know that I am the LORD who strikes.
    Ezekiel 9:5
    To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.
    Ezekiel 9:10
    "And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head."
  24. Cross References
    Proverbs 1:28
    Then they will call on me, but I will not answe...
    Isaiah 1:15
    When you spread out your hands, I will hide My ...
    Jeremiah 11:11
    Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will s...
    Jeremiah 14:12
    "When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and...
    Micah 3:4
    Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not...
    Zechariah 7:13
    Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaim...
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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