God's Mark of Salvation

Ezekiel 9 introduces us to the Lord's manner of judgment upon Judah. The prophet is given a vision of executioners coming to the city. But strangely, these men of death are accompanied by a scribe. The pen is mightier than the sword. 

Ezekiel 9:1–2 (ESV) Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” 2 And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand, and with them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing case at his waist. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

The movement starts with the Lord instructing the scribe to mark the foreheads of certain people. Sound familiar?

Ezekiel 9:3–4 (ESV) Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. 4 And the LORD said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.”

What sort of person is marked out by the Lord? Those who see the sin of their country and groan over it. These are people touched by the Spirit of God who stand strong in righteousness as their nation deviates and apostatizes. The Lord always ALWAYS has several people reserved for himself in every dark season of the ages.

Ezekiel 9:5–6 (ESV) And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. 6 Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house.

It should be noted that judgment begins in the sanctuary. As Peter will declare centuries later...

1 Peter 4:17 (ESV) For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Jesus spoke of those to whom much is given. From them, much is required. He speaks of people being accountable to what they have heard from the Word. 

The judgment of God in this moment is too much for Ezekiel to behold and he cries out in prayer. 

Ezekiel 9:8 (ESV)And while they were striking, and I was left alone, I fell upon my face, and cried, “Ah, Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?”

God's response is simple: The people are beyond repair and judgment has come.

Ezekiel 9:9–10 (ESV) 9 Then he said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see.’ 10 As for me, my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; I will bring their deeds upon their heads.”

Now for the powerful part. That mark on the heads of those who groaned over the spiritual darkness of their land? The Hebrew word for "Mark" is the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet, "Taw". In the oldest Hebrew manuscripts, that letter was written as an "X", like a cross. In Greek, the letter 'X' is the Greek letter "Chi", which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós. Even here in Ezekiel, Christ is the one who marks those spared from judgment. 

Those in Christ face no condemnation (Romans 8:1) because He has taken our judgment and ransomed us from our evil ways. He not only spares us but fills us with despair toward sin. We loathe it. Even when we sin, there's no lasting enjoyment in it. 

God's work of the cross changes us INSIDE and marks us for the Father. Amen.