Ezekiel 9:1-4 – God values faithfulnes.

In the previous chapter, God had already made known that he would have no pity on the people of Jerusalem and their cry for mercy would not be entertained.  So here in Ezekiel 9, the prophet saw the execution of the judgment in his vision. He heard a loud voice in his sear that said, “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” He then saw six brutal executioners enter through the northern gate of the city. These six men represent the ruthless Babylonian army coming from the north. Among the six executioners was a scribe dressed in linen and with a writing case at his waist. These seven people came to stand at the bronze altar.

Verse 3 tells us that Ezekiel saw the glory of God left the cherub in the Holy of holies and stood at “the threshold of the temple.” Verse 4 says that from where He was, He first instructed the man in the linen with his writing material to go around and mark some of those people in the city. Those who were to be marked were people who opposed the abominations and wickedness that were being committed in the city. These would be preserved from the bloodshed that was coming upon the city.

God always has people who are committed to His cause. He knows that these would respond to His call to remain faithful. What separated these people from the rest would be the mark God would place upon them. In redemption history, we have seen how God marked out those to be preserved. In the Passover in Egypt, those homes that were marked by the blood of an unblemished lamb were preserved. In Joshua, Rahab’s household was marked by the red ribbon and preserved. We Christians are marked by the blood of Jesus, the precious lamb of God, and are destined for preservation in the judgment.

We are reminded that this judgment of Ezekiel’s vision was on His covenant people. But only those God had marked were preserved. Why? It was because these remained faithful to the Lord. Here we can see that God treasures faithfulness. Many may be called but few are chosen. And in Revelation 17:14 we are told that those who are with “the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are the called and chosen and faithful.” All of us are called, and many of us are chosen. The crux is: will we remain faithful to the end?