Ezekiel 9

6. come not near any . . . upon whom . . . mark--( Revelation 9:4 ). It may be objected that Daniel, Jeremiah, and others were carried away, whereas many of the vilest were left in the land. But God does not promise believers exemption from all suffering, but only from what will prove really and lastingly hurtful to them. His sparing the ungodly turns to their destruction and leaves them without excuse [CALVIN]. However, the prophecy waits a fuller and final fulfilment, for Revelation 7:3-8 , in ages long after Babylon, foretells, as still future, the same sealing of a remnant (one hundred forty-four thousand) of Israel previous to the final outpouring of wrath on the rest of the nation; the correspondence is exact; the same pouring of fire from the altar follows the marking of the remnant in both (compare Revelation 8:5 , with Ezekiel 10:2 ). So Zechariah 13:9 , 14:2 , distinguish the remnant from the rest of Israel.
begin at . . . sanctuary--For in it the greatest abominations had been committed; it had lost the reality of consecration by the blood of victims sacrificed to idols; it must, therefore, lose its semblance by the dead bodies of the slain idolaters ( Ezekiel 9:7 ). God's heaviest wrath falls on those who have sinned against the highest privileges; these are made to feel it first ( 1 Peter 4:17 1 Peter 4:18 ). He hates sin most in those nearest to Him; for example, the priests, &c.
ancient men--the seventy elders.

8. I was left--literally "there was left I." So universal seemed the slaughter that Ezekiel thought himself the only one left [CALVIN]. He was the only one left of the priests "in the sanctuary."
fell upon my face--to intercede for his countrymen (so Numbers 16:22 ).
all the residue--a plea drawn from God's covenant promise to save the elect remnant.

9. exceeding--literally, "very, very"; doubled.
perverseness--"apostasy" [GROTIUS]; or, "wresting aside of justice."
Lord . . . forsaken . . . earth . . . seeth not--The order is reversed from Ezekiel 8:12 . There they speak of His neglect of His people in their misery; here they go farther and deny His providence ( Psalms 10:11 ), so that they may sin fearlessly. God, in answer to Ezekiel's question ( Ezekiel 9:8 ), leaves the difficulty unsolved; He merely vindicates His justice by showing it did not exceed their sin: He would have us humbly acquiesce in His judgments, and wait and trust.

10. mine eye--to show them their mistake in saying, "The Lord seeth not."
recompense their way upon their head--( Proverbs 1:31 ). Retribution in kind.

11. I have done as thou hast commanded--The characteristic of Messiah ( John 17:4 ). So the angels ( Psalms 103:21 ); and the apostles report their fulfilment of their orders ( Mark 6:30 ).