Ezekiel 9:7-11: a reflection

7He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city. 8While they were killing, and I was left, I fell on my face, and cried, and said, “Ah Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem?” 9Then he said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD doesn’t see.’ 10As for me also, my eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.” 11Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”

In a terrible vision of judgment on Jerusalem, as the destruction is carried out, the prophet Ezekiel does not stand by unmoved; he falls on his face and cries out, pleading with God for mercy on the people. Ah Lord GOD! he cries; will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem? Even in a vision of judgment, Ezekiel's heart is moved to intercede, to plead for the people, to cry out for mercy on the remnant. He does not coldly observe the judgment or approve it with detachment; he falls on his face and pleads. This is the heart of an intercessor: one who, even in a time of judgment, cries out to God for mercy on others, who pleads for the people rather than standing aloof. To intercede for others, to plead with God for mercy on them even when judgment seems deserved, is the mark of a heart that loves and cries out for its people. Ezekiel fell on his face and pleaded; the intercessor's heart pleads for mercy. To plead for others before God, even in a time of judgment, is the work of an interceding heart.

Notice what Ezekiel did in the midst of the vision of judgment: he fell on his face and pleaded for the people. He did not watch the judgment with cold detachment, or approve it without feeling; his heart was moved, and he cried out to God for mercy on the remnant, pleading, will you destroy all? This is the heart of an intercessor: one who pleads with God for others, who cries out for mercy even when judgment seems deserved, who cannot watch others' peril unmoved but must plead for them. To intercede is to stand before God on behalf of others, to plead their case, to cry out for mercy on them. Ezekiel's falling on his face and crying out shows a heart that loved the people and could not help but plead for them. There is a call here to intercede for others, to plead with God for mercy on those in peril or under judgment, rather than standing aloof or approving their ruin. The interceding heart pleads for mercy; it cannot watch others' peril unmoved. To fall on our faces and plead for others is the work of an intercessor.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to intercede for others, to plead with God for mercy on them, as Ezekiel pleaded even in a time of judgment. We can watch others' peril or wrongdoing with cold detachment, even approving their ruin; but Ezekiel, in a vision of judgment, fell on his face and pleaded for the people, crying out for mercy on the remnant. The interceding heart pleads for others, cries out to God for mercy on them, cannot watch their peril unmoved. To intercede for others, pleading with God for mercy on them, is the mark of a loving heart. Do not watch others' peril with cold detachment; intercede for them, pleading with God for mercy, as Ezekiel fell on his face and pleaded. Intercede for others, pleading with God for mercy on them even in a time of judgment, rather than watching their peril with cold detachment, as Ezekiel fell on his face and cried out, will you destroy all the remnant of Israel; for the interceding heart cannot watch others' peril unmoved but pleads with God for mercy on them, standing before him on their behalf, and to fall on our faces and plead for others, crying out for mercy even when judgment seems deserved, is the work and mark of a heart that loves its people and intercedes for them.

Lord, in a terrible vision of judgment on Jerusalem, as the destruction is carried out, the prophet Ezekiel does not stand by unmoved; he falls on his face and cries out, pleading with you for mercy on the people. Ah Lord GOD! he cries; will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem? Even in a vision of judgment, Ezekiel's heart is moved to intercede, to plead for the people, to cry out for mercy on the remnant. He does not coldly observe the judgment; he falls on his face and pleads. This is the heart of an intercessor: one who, even in a time of judgment, cries out to you for mercy on others. Show me what Ezekiel did in the midst of the vision of judgment: he fell on his face and pleaded for the people. He did not watch the judgment with cold detachment; his heart was moved, and he cried out to you for mercy on the remnant. This is the heart of an intercessor: one who pleads with you for others, who cries out for mercy even when judgment seems deserved, who cannot watch others' peril unmoved. To intercede is to stand before you on behalf of others, to plead their case, to cry out for mercy on them. Ezekiel's falling on his face shows a heart that loved the people and could not help but plead for them. Take that to my heart, for I am called to intercede for others, to plead with you for mercy on them, as Ezekiel pleaded even in a time of judgment. I can watch others' peril or wrongdoing with cold detachment, even approving their ruin; but Ezekiel fell on his face and pleaded for the people. Keep me from watching others' peril with cold detachment; help me intercede for them, Lord, pleading with you for mercy, as Ezekiel fell on his face and cried out, will you destroy all the remnant of Israel.