SIX MEN: Cp the six generals in Babylonian army (Jer
39:3).
NORTH: Sig "hidden, secret" -- the direction from which
judgment comes (Eze 1:4).
LINEN: Ref High Priest (Lev 16:4). This man has a
priestly function: to separate between good and evil.
THE BRONZE ALTAR: Ref God's sacrifice of wicked on His
"altar": Isa 29:1; Zep 1:8; Eze 39:17.
Eze 9:3
GLORY... CHERUBIM: "The eternal beauty of the Divine
purpose".
Eze 9:4
Vv 4,5: Though addressed separately, the one and the six were
together ("with them": v 2). Cp Eze 10:2,7: the one cherub-man was commanded to
scatter the coals of fire.
PUT A MARK ON THE FOREHEADS OF THOSE...: All those who
had remained faithful in opposition to the detestable idolatries of their
countrymen were to be symbolically "marked out" in their foreheads; they would
be saved from the coming destructions. The similarity with the original
Passover, and the exodus from Egypt, is obvious. The mark was to be placed on
the forehead as a statement that their differentiation from the other Jews was
to be found, firstly and importantly, in their minds.
This procedure is echoed also in Rev 7:3, where the faithful
144,000 are sealed in their foreheads... because the Father's name was written
there (Rev 14:1; Mal 3:16).
Eze 9:6
DO NOT TOUCH ANYONE WHO HAS THE MARK: Care is to be
taken not to kill any of the righteous: 2Ki 10:23; Rev 7:3; Gen 19:22; Amo
9:9.
SO THEY BEGAN WITH THE ELDERS WHO WERE IN FRONT OF THE
TEMPLE: The 70 elders of Eze 8:11,12.? "For it is time for judgment to begin
with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for
those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1Pe 4:17).
Eze 9:7
DEFILE THE TEMPLE AND FILL THE COURTS WITH THE SLAIN:
The king of Babylon does this (2Ch 36:17).