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NOVEMBER 8

8:3 in visions of God. Ezekiel 8–11 deals with 8:14 weeping for Tammuz. Yet a greater
details conveyed only to Ezekiel in visions. abomination than the secret cult was Israel’s
Ezekiel’s trip to Jerusalem was in spirit only, engaging in the Babylonian worship of
while his body physically remained in his Tammuz or Dumuzi (Duzu), beloved of Ishtar,
house. In visions he went to Jerusalem and in the god of spring vegetation. Vegetation
visions he returned to Babylon (11:24). After burned in the summer, died in the winter, and
God finished the visions,Ezekiel told his home came to life in the spring. The women
audience what he had seen. The visions are mourned over the god’s demise in July and
not a description of deeds done in the past in longed for his revival.The fourth month of the
Israel,but a survey of Israel’s current condition, Hebrew calendar still bears the name
as they existed at that very time. the Tammuz. With the worship of this idol were
seat…image of jealousy. God represents to connected the basest immoralities.
Ezekiel the image of an idol (Deut. 4:16) in the
entrance to the inner court of the temple. It is
called “the image of jealousy” because it pro- east, and they were worshiping the sun
voked the Lord to jealousy (5:13; 16:38; 36:6; toward the east.
38:19; Ex. 20:5). 17 And He said to me, “Have you seen this, O
son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of
Judah to commit the abominations which they
abominations that the house of Israel commits commit here? For they have filled the land
here, to make Me go far away from My sanc- with violence; then they have returned to pro-
tuary? Now turn again, you will see greater voke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch
abominations.” So He brought me to the door to their nose. Therefore I also will act in fury.
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of the court; and when I looked, there was a My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and
hole in the wall. Then He said to me, “Son of though they cry in My ears with a loud voice,
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man, dig into the wall”; and when I dug into I will not hear them.”
the wall, there was a door.
9 And He said to me, “Go in, and see the Psalm 120:1–7
wicked abominations which they are doing A Song of Ascents.
there.” So I went in and saw, and there—
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beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, I n my distress I cried to the LORD,
every sort of creeping thing, abominable
And He heard me.
portrayed all around on the walls. And there 2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips
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stood before them seventy men of the elders of And from a deceitful tongue.
the house of Israel, and in their midst stood 3 What shall be given to you,
Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a Or what shall be done to you,
censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense You false tongue?
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went up. Then He said to me, “Son of man, 4 Sharp arrows of the warrior,
have you seen what the elders of the house of With coals of the broom tree!
Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of
his idols? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see 5 Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
us, the LORD has forsaken the land.’ ” That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
13 And He said to me, “Turn again, and you 6 My soul has dwelt too long
will see greater abominations that they are With one who hates peace.
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doing.” So He brought me to the door of the
north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dis-
may, women were sitting there weeping for
Tammuz.
15 Then He said to me, “Have you seen this, O 120:4 Sharp arrows…coals. Lies and false
son of man? Turn again, you will see greater accusations are likened to 1) the pain/injury
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abominations than these.” So He brought me inflicted in battle by arrows and 2) the pain of
into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and being burned with charcoal made from the
there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, wood of a broom tree (a desert bush that
between the porch and the altar, were about grows 10 to 15 feet high).
twenty-five men with their backs toward the
temple of the LORD and their faces toward the

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