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In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD came upon me there,
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and I saw a vision: behold, there was a likeness like the appearance of a man. From what seemed to be his waist downward there was the appearance of fire, and from his waist upward there was the appearance of brightness, like glowing metal.
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He stretched out something like a hand and took hold of my hair. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in divine visions to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the inner court that faces north, where the idol of jealousy was, which provokes jealousy.
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And behold, there was the glory of the God of Israel, like the vision that I saw in the plain.
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He said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes toward the north.” So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, at the entrance, was this idol of jealousy.
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He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel is committing here, so that I must go far away from my sanctuary? Yet you will see still greater abominations.”
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Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and I looked, and behold, there was a hole in the wall.
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He said to me, “Son of man, enlarge the hole in the wall.” So I enlarged the hole, and behold, there was a door.
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He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are doing here.”
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So I went in and looked, and behold, every kind of creeping thing and detestable beast, and all the idols of the house of Israel, were engraved on the wall all around.
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And standing before them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand, and the fragrance of the incense cloud rose up.
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He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each in his room of carved images? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.'”
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Again He said, “You will still see greater abominations that they are doing.”
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Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the house of the LORD on the north, and behold, there were women sitting there weeping for Tammuz.
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He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing? You will yet see even greater abominations than these.”
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Then He brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD; and behold, near the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, bowing down to the sun in the east.
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Then He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it a light thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are committing here, that they fill the land with violence and keep provoking Me? Indeed, they are behaving shamefully before Me.
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Therefore I will deal with them in My wrath. I will not spare, and I will have no pity. Though they cry out to Me with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”
👁️🗨️💔🔥 Summary of Ezekiel 8 – The Vision of Abominations in the House of God
Ezekiel 8 marks the beginning of an extraordinary series of visions, when the Lord brought Ezekiel in the spirit into the Temple in Jerusalem to show the various idols hidden within it. The Lord revealed how deep the spiritual corruption of the people had become, even the leaders and women being involved. This chapter prepares the divine reason for great judgment upon Jerusalem: not because of an outside enemy, but because of betrayal from within.
📌 1. Taken to Jerusalem in the Spirit (verses 1–4)
➡️ In the sixth year, in the sixth month, Ezekiel was sitting with the elders of Israel in Babylon.
➡️ Suddenly, the hand of the Lord touched him, and he saw a creature like fire, which carried him in a vision to the Temple in Jerusalem.
➡️ There he saw the glory of the Lord, but he would also soon see great evil.
🎯 The Lord showed His prophet the spiritual reality behind the physical condition.
📌 2. The Jealous Image at the Gate (verses 5–6)
➡️ At the north gate stood “the image that provokes jealousy” — most likely Asherah or Baal.
➡️ The Lord said, “You will see even greater abominations.”
🎯 Even at the gate of the Lord’s house, the people had already defiled it.
📌 3. Secret Worship by the Elders (verses 7–13)
➡️ In the hidden room, 70 elders of Israel worshiped images of idols on the wall.
➡️ They said, “The Lord does not see us.”
🎯 Hidden sin = a great form of contempt, because it treats the Lord as if He does not know.
📌 4. Women Weeping for the God Tammuz (verses 14–15)
➡️ In the court of the house of the Lord, the women were weeping for Tammuz—the Babylonian fertility god said to die each year.
🎯 This is religious syncretism: mixing the worship of the Lord with pagan rites.
📌 5. Sun Worship by 25 Priests (verses 16–18)
➡️ In the inner court, 25 men turned their backs on the house and worshiped the sun in the east.
➡️ This is a form of open contempt toward the Lord — by turning their backs on His presence.
➡️ The Lord said, “I will not have pity, even though they cry out.”
🎯 When contempt reaches its height, judgment becomes unavoidable.
📖 Main Teaching
- Idolatry can be hidden, but it is real in the eyes of the Lord
- Even spiritual leaders can fall into hypocrisy and false worship
- Sin in the house of the Lord is more serious because it is a violation of the covenant relationship
- Worldly customs and other religions that enter true worship will bring the Lord’s wrath
- Judgment begins with the house of the Lord itself
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 1 Corinthians 10:14
“Therefore… flee from idolatry.”
➡️ Idolatry is not only statues—but also love of the world, money, ego, and power.
📖 Matthew 6:24
“You cannot serve God and Mammon.”
➡️ Worshiping the Lord while loving the world is spiritual hypocrisy.
📖 2 Timothy 3:5
“They have the outward form of godliness, but deny its power.”
➡️ Just like the elders of Israel who worshiped in secret while pretending to be holy.
📖 1 Peter 4:17
“Judgment must begin at the house of God.”
➡️ The Lord does not allow His own house to become a den of abominations.
🕊️ “You will see even greater abominations.” – Ezekiel 8:6
🕊️ “The Lord does not see us… The Lord has forsaken the land.” – Ezekiel 8:12
🕊️ “25 men… worshiping the sun toward the east.” – Ezekiel 8:16
🕊️ “I also will act in fury; my eye will not spare.” – Ezekiel 8:18
