Ezekiel 9:1-6: a reflection

1Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.” 2Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar. 3The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side. 4The LORD said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” 5To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity. 6Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house.

In a solemn vision of judgment coming on the city, God sends a man to go through the city first and mark the foreheads of those who grieve over the abominations done in it, so that they may be preserved. Set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within the city, God says. Before the judgment falls, God distinguishes and marks out those who had not been indifferent to the sin around them, but had grieved over it, sighing and crying over the abominations; and these are set apart to be spared. God notices and preserves those who grieve over the evil around them. This shows that God notices and marks those who grieve over the evil around them. God marks and preserves those who grieve over sin. Those who grieve over the evil around them are not indifferent, and God notices. God distinguishes those who mourn over evil from those who condone it. God takes note of those grieved by the sin around them.

Notice whom God marks out to be preserved: those who sigh and cry over the abominations done in the city. In a time of widespread sin and evil, when many were indifferent or complicit, there were some who grieved over it, who were troubled and pained by the evil around them, who sighed and cried over the abominations rather than shrugging at them or joining in. And God takes special note of these; he marks them out, distinguishes them, sets them apart to be preserved. This reveals something about how God regards those who grieve over evil. In a world full of sin and evil, it is easy to become indifferent, to grow numb to the wrong around us, to shrug at abominations as normal, or even to be drawn into them. But God notices those who do not grow indifferent, who retain a heart that grieves over evil, that is pained by sin, that sighs and cries over what is wrong. Such grief over evil is not weakness or gloom; it is a sign of a heart still tender toward God and his ways, not hardened or indifferent. And God notices and honors it. We do well to keep such a heart, grieving over the evil around us rather than growing indifferent to it, mindful that God notices those who mourn over what grieves him. God notices those who grieve over evil rather than growing indifferent. Grief over evil marks a heart still tender toward God. Do not grow indifferent to the evil around you; let it grieve you. God honors the heart that mourns over what grieves him.

That is worth taking to heart, for God notices and honors those who grieve over the evil around them rather than growing indifferent, marking them out as those whose hearts remain tender toward him. We can grow indifferent to the evil around us, numb to wrong, shrugging at what is sinful or even drawn into it; but God marked out for preserving those who sighed and cried over the abominations, taking note of their grief. Grief over evil marks a tender heart. Do not grow indifferent to the evil around you; keep a heart that grieves over it, as God notices those who mourn over what grieves him. Keep a heart that grieves over the evil around you rather than growing indifferent to it, mindful that God notices and honors those who mourn over what grieves him, as in a vision of judgment coming on the city God sent a man to mark the foreheads of those who sigh and cry over the abominations done within it, so that they might be preserved; for before the judgment fell, God distinguished and marked out those who had not been indifferent to the sin around them but had grieved over it, sighing and crying over the abominations rather than shrugging at them or joining in, and set them apart to be spared, which reveals how God regards those who grieve over evil, since in a world full of sin it is easy to become indifferent, to grow numb to the wrong around us, to shrug at abominations as normal or be drawn into them, but God notices those who do not grow indifferent, who retain a heart that grieves over evil and is pained by sin, and such grief is not weakness or gloom but a sign of a heart still tender toward God and his ways, which God notices and honors, so that we do well to keep such a heart, grieving over the evil around us rather than growing indifferent to it.

Lord, in a solemn vision of judgment coming on the city, you send a man to go through the city first and mark the foreheads of those who grieve over the abominations done in it, so that they may be preserved. Set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within the city, you say. Before the judgment falls, you distinguish and mark out those who had not been indifferent to the sin around them, but had grieved over it, sighing and crying over the abominations; and these are set apart to be spared. You notice and preserve those who grieve over the evil around them. Show me whom you mark out to be preserved: those who sigh and cry over the abominations done in the city. In a time of widespread sin, when many were indifferent or complicit, there were some who grieved over it, who were troubled and pained by the evil around them, rather than shrugging at it or joining in. And you take special note of these. This reveals something about how you regard those who grieve over evil. In a world full of sin, it is easy to become indifferent, to grow numb to the wrong around me, to shrug at abominations as normal, or even to be drawn into them. But you notice those who do not grow indifferent, who retain a heart that grieves over evil, that is pained by sin. Such grief over evil is not weakness or gloom; it is a sign of a heart still tender toward you and your ways. And you notice and honor it. Take that to my heart, for you notice and honor those who grieve over the evil around them rather than growing indifferent. Keep me from growing indifferent to the evil around me, numb to wrong; help me keep a heart that grieves over it, Lord, still tender toward you and pained by sin, mindful that you notice those who mourn over what grieves you.