John Calvin on Ezekiel 20:44-49

Here at length God pronounces that his glory would be chiefly conspicuous in the pity which he bestowed upon those who were desperate and abandoned, gratuitously and solely with respect to his own name. Hence Paul so specially celebrates; the grace of God in the first chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians, as that mercy by which God deigns to call his own elect in a peculiar sense — his glory; for his glory extends farther than his pity. (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14.)

As thy name, so thy praise is extended through all lands, (Psalm 48:10)

for God deserves no less glory when he destroys the wicked than when he pities his own people. But Paul calls that gratuitous favor glory par excellence, by which God embraced his own elect when he adopted them. So also it is said in this passage, then you shall know that I am Jehovah, since I shall deal with you on behalf of my name, and not according to your sins. But when God wishes his glory to shine conspicuously in gratuitous pity, hence we gather that the enemies of his glory were too gross and open, who obscure his mercy, or extenuate it, or as far as they can, endeavor to reduce it to nothing. But we know the teaching of the papacy to be that God’s gratuitous goodness either is buried or enfolded in dark obscurity, or utterly vanish away: for they have invented a system of general merits which they oppose to God’s gratuitous favor. For they distinguish merits into preparations, good works acquiring God’s favor, and satisfactions, by which they buy off the penalties to which they were subjected. Afterwards they add what they call the suffrages of the saints; for they fabricate for themselves numberless patrons, and various reasonings are concocted for the purpose of obscuring God’s glory, or at least of allowing only a few sparks to be visible. Since therefore the whole papacy tends that way, we see that they professedly oppose God’s glory, and those who defend such abominations are sworn enemies of God’s glory.

For ourselves, then, let. us learn that we cannot otherwise worship God with acceptance unless we adopt whatever pleases him as pertaining to our salvation. For if we wish to come to a debtor and creditor account, or to consider that he is in the slightest degree indebted to us, we in this way diminish his glory, and as far as is in our power we despoil ourselves of that inestimable privilege which the Prophet now commends. Hence let us desire to acknowledge God in this way, since he treats us with amazing clemency and pity out of regard for his own name, and not according to our sins. And since that was said to his ancient people because they returned to the land of Canaan, how much more ought God’s gratuitous goodness to be extolled by us, when his heavenly kingdom is at this day open to us, and when he openly calls us to himself in heaven, and to the hope of that happy immortality which has been obtained for us through Christ?

PRAYER.

Grant, Almighty God, since we have already entered in hope upon the threshold of our eternal inheritance, and know that there is a certain mansion for us in heaven after Christ has been received there, who is our head, and the first-fruits of our salvation: Grant, I say, that we may proceed more and more in the course of thy holy calling until at length we reach the goal, and so enjoy that eternal glory of which you afford us a taste in this world, by the same Christ our Lord. — Amen.

PRAISE TO GOD.

After finishing this last Lecture, that most illustrious man, John Calvin, the Divine, who had previously been sick, then began to be so much weaker that he was compelled to recline on a couch, and could no longer proceed with the explanation of Ezekiel. This accounts for his stopping at the close of the Twentieth Chapter, and not finishing the work so auspiciously begun. Nothing remains, kind Reader, but that you receive most favorably and graciously what is now sent forth to the world.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

BY THE EDITOR.

THE PROMISED CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A COMPLETE APPARATUS CRITICUS HAS BEEN ARRANGED AS FOLLOWS

— (See Translator’s Preface, Volume 1) —

SECTIONS 1, 2, AND 3, — Being Indexes, Are Placed At The End Of The Volume

SECTIONS 4, 5, 6, AND 7, — Now Follow One Another

SECTION 8 — Is Preceded By Its Own “List Of Contents.”

A COMPLETE SYNOPSIS

OF THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE OF EZEKIEL’S PROPHECIES.

1. THE PROPHET’S COMMISSION.

2. THE PROPHET’S UTTERANCES.

3. THE PROPHET’S CONSOLATIONS.

1. The Prophet’s Commission.

Ezekiel 1-3.

Section 1. Its Allegoric Character — the Whirlwinds — the Four Living Creatures — the Wheels — the Firmaments — the Throne and the Human Appearance seated thereon, Ezekiel 1.

Section 2. The Address — the Roll — the Abounding Lamentation, Ezekiel 2.

Section 3. The Rebellion of the People, the Motion of the Living Creatures — the Charge as a Watchman — the Hand of Jehovah by the river Chebar, Ezekiel 3.

2. The Prophet’s Utterances.

a. AGAINST THE JEWS,...Ezekiel 4-24.

The Utterances Against The Jews are divisible into those against Jerusalem — the Mountain and Land of Israel — the King — the False Prophets — the Elders of the People, with various repetitions, under different images.

Section 1. The Emblem of the Siege upon the Tile, Ezekiel 4:1-3 — that of Lying on the right and left side, Ezekiel 4:4-8 — that of Taking Food by Measure, Ezekiel 4:9-12 The Explanation, Ezekiel 4:13-17

Section 2. The Emblem of the Razor, Ezekiel 4:1-4 The Explanation, Ezekiel 5:5-17

Section 3. Against the Mountains of Israel, Ezekiel 6:1-15

Section 4. Against the Land of Israel, Ezekiel 7:1-27

Section 5. The Vision of the Image of Jealousy, Ezekiel 8:1-11 The Chamber of Imagery, Ezekiel 8:12-16 The Explanation, Ezekiel 8:17, 18

Section 6. The Vision of the man with the slaughter weapon, Ezekiel 9:1-11

Section 7. The Vision of the Cherubim — their description and their motions, Ezekiel 10:1-22

Section 8. The Emblems of the Caldron and the Flesh, and its application to Jerusalem, Ezekiel 11:1-25

Section 9. The Emblem of the Prophet’s removing his Goods, and its Interpretation, Ezekiel 12:1-16

Section 10. The flattering Proverb of Israel rebuked, Ezekiel 12:1 7-28

Section 11. The Utterance against the False Prophets, boot male and female, Ezekiel 13:1-23

Section 12. Against the Elders of the People, Ezekiel 14:1-23

Section 13. Tim Emblem of the Vine used for Fuel, Ezekiel 15:1-8

Section 14. The Emblem of Israel as an Outcast infant nurtured by the Almighty, Ezekiel 16:1-14 Married, and yet committing Adultery, Ezekiel 16:15-34 This Wickedness denounced and punished, Ezekiel 16:35-59 The Almighty’s merciful relenting, Ezekiel 16:60-63

Section 15. The Emblem of the Eagle and the Cedar, Ezekiel 17:1-10 The Explanation, referring to Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar, and Pharaoh, Ezekiel 17:11-24

Section 16. A Vindication of the Divine Justice, and Confutation of Israel’s Proverb, Ezekiel 18:1-32

Section 17. The Emblem of the Lioness and her Whelps, Ezekiel 19:1-9

Section 18. The Emblem of the Vine plucked up and consumed, Ezekiel 19:10-14

Section 19. The Elders of Israel rebuked for their sins, Ezekiel 20:1-32

Section 20. The Divine Promises of Restoration, Ezekiel 20:33-44

Section 21. The Word dropped toward the South, Ezekiel 20:45-49

Section 22. The Prophet’s face set toward Jerusalem, Ezekiel 21:1-7

Section 23. The Sharp Sword and the Great Slaughter, Ezekiel 21:8-27

Section 24. The Sword drawn against the Ammonites, Ezekiel 21:9­8-32

Section 25. The Sins of Jerusalem and God’s Vengeance, Ezekiel 22:1-22

Section 26. The Woes uttered against False Prophets, Ezekiel 22:23-31

Section 27. The Adulteries of the People, Ezekiel 23:1-49

Section 28. The Parable of the Boiling Pot, Ezekiel 24:1-14 The Prophet’s severe Affliction, Ezekiel 24:15-27

b. The Utterances against Gentiles.

Section 1. Against the Ammonites, Ezekiel 25:1-7

Section 2. Against the Moabites, Ezekiel 25:8-11

Section 3. Against the Edomites, Ezekiel 25:12-14,

Section 4. Against the Philistines, Ezekiel 25:15-17

Section 5. Against Tyre, through Ezekiel 26, Ezekiel 27, and Ezekiel 28:1-19.

Section 6. Against Zidon, Ezekiel 28:20-26

Section 7. Against Pharaoh, Ezekiel 29:1-7

Section 8. Against Egypt, Ezekiel 29:8-21

Section 9. Against Etillopia, Ezekiel 30:1-5

Section 10. Against the Upholders of Egypt, Ezekiel 30:6-19

Section 11. Against Pharaoh, Ezekiel 30:20-26

Section 12. Assyria as a Cedar of Lebanon, Ezekiel 31:1-9

Section 13. Its Fall and Destruction, Ezekiel 31:10-18

Section 14. A Bitter Lamentation over Egypt, Ezekiel 32:1-21

Section 15. A Bitter Lamentation over Assyria., Ezekiel 32:22, 23

Section 16. A Bitter Lamentation over Elam, Ezekiel 32:24, 25

Section 17. A Bitter Lamentation over Meshech and Tubal, Ezekiel 32:26-28

Section 18. A Bitter Lamentation over Edom, Ezekiel 32:29-32

These Utterances are all most vividly and graphically portrayed. Allegories, Metaphors, and Parables are most appropriately interspersed with fiery Denunciations and awful Threatenings in consequence of gross iniquities.

3. The Prophet’s Consolations.

A Series of Exhortations and Promises of Deliverance under Cyrus, a Description of the Temple, and a View of the Future Divisions of the Land under the Prosperous Reign of Messiah.

Section 1. The Prophet’s duty as a Watchman, Ezekiel 33:1-16

Section 2. A Vindication of God’s equity, Ezekiel 33:17-33

Section 3. A Reproof to the Shepherds of the People, Ezekiel 34:1-10

Section 4. The Almighty the Good Shepherd, Ezekiel 34:11-31

Section 5. The Desolation of Mount Seir, Ezekiel 35:1-15

Section 6. The Destruction of the Heathen, Ezekiel 36:1-7

Section 7. The Blessings on Israel, Ezekiel 36:8-38

Section 8. The Vision of the Dry Bones, Ezekiel 37:1-14

Section 9. The Rods of Judea and Ephraim, Ezekiel 37:15-20

Section 10. The Future Reign of David the King, Ezekiel 37:21-28

Section 11. Prophecies against Gog and Magog, Ezekiel 38:1-23

Section 12. Judgments upon Gog, Ezekiel 39:1-16

Section 13. The Great Sacrifice on the Mountains, Ezekiel 39:17-20

Section 14. Israel Restored from Captivity, Ezekiel 39:21-29

Section 15. The Vision of Measuring the Temple, Ezekiel 40:1-49

Section 16. The Measures and Ornaments, Ezekiel 41:1-26

Section 17. The Priests’ Chambers and the Outer Court, Ezekiel 42:1-20

Section 18. The Returning Glory of Jehovah, Ezekiel 43:1-9

Section 19. The Whole Fashion of The House, Ezekiel 43:10-12

Section 20. The Measurement of The Altar, Ezekiel 43:13-1 7

Section 21. The Sacrifices on The Altar, Ezekiel 43:8-27

Section 22. Various Ordinances for the Priests, Ezekiel 44:1-31

Section 23. The Apportionment of the Land, Ezekiel 45:1-8

Section 24. The Duties of the Priests, Ezekiel 45:9-25

Section 25. The Duties of the Prince and of the People, Ezekiel 46:1-25

Section 26. The Vision of the Rising Waters, Ezekiel 47:1-12

Section 27. The Divisions and Limits of the Land, Ezekiel 47:13-23

Section 28. The Portions for the Tribes and the Priests, Ezekiel 48:1-29

Section 29. The various Gates of the City, Ezekiel 48:30-35<div eID="gen74