Wesley Corpus

Chapter XLIII In this chapter and the next, the temple - service is described, but under the type of the Old Testament service. The glory of God first fills the temple, ver. 1 - 6. A promise of God's continuing with his people, if they obey him, ver. 7 - 12. A description of the altar of burnt offerings, ver. 13 - 17. Directions for the consecration of that altar, ver. 18 - 27. Came - When the glory departed, it went eastward, and now it returns, it comes from the east. And his voice - Though by the voice of God, thunder is sometimes meant, yet here it was an articulate voice. And it - This glory of the God of Israel. To destroy - To declare, that their sins would ruin their city, chap.9:3,4. I fell - Overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up. Came - The sins of Israel caused the glory of the Lord to go out of his house, now the repentance of Israel is blest with the return of this glory. The man - Christ. Stood - To encourage, and strengthen him. He - The glorious God of Israel. My throne - The throne of his grace is in his temple; in the dispensations of grace, God manifests himself a king. My feet - Speaking after the manner of men, and expressing his abode and rest, in his temple, as the type, in his church, as the antitype. In their high places - Perhaps some kings were buried in the temples of their idols, near the idols they worshipped. Their threshold - The kings of Judah and Israel, built temples and altars for their idols, and these are called their thresholds. They erected these in the courts, or near the courts of the temple. Abominations - Idolatries, and wickednesses not to be named. Far from me - From my temple. Son of man - Ezekiel, who is called thus above eighty times in this book. Shew - Describe it to them in all the parts. To the house - To the rulers, prophets, and priests especially, not excluding others. Their iniquities - When they shall blush to see what glory their iniquities had ruined. The law - This is the first comprehensive rule: holiness becomes God's house; and this relative holiness referred to personal and real holiness.