◄ Ezekiel 8:8 ►
"Son of man," He told me, "dig through the wall." So I dug through the wall and discovered a doorway.
Study Bible
Then He said to me
This phrase indicates a direct communication from God to Ezekiel. The title "He" refers to the Lord, emphasizing His authority and the divine nature of the vision. The phrase underscores the personal relationship between God and His prophet, highlighting the intimacy and immediacy of divine revelation. In the Hebrew context, the word for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) often conveys not just speaking but commanding, indicating the seriousness and importance of the message being delivered.

Son of man
This title, used frequently in Ezekiel, emphasizes the humanity of the prophet in contrast to the divine nature of God. It serves as a reminder of Ezekiel's role as a representative of humanity, tasked with conveying God's messages. The Hebrew term "ben adam" (בֶּן אָדָם) literally means "son of Adam," linking Ezekiel to the broader human experience and the frailty of mankind, while also pointing to his role as a mediator between God and Israel.

dig through the wall
The act of digging through the wall is symbolic, representing the uncovering of hidden sins and idolatry within Israel. In the historical and archaeological context, walls were often seen as protective barriers, but here they conceal corruption. The Hebrew verb "chathar" (חָתַר) implies a deliberate and forceful action, suggesting the effort required to expose the truth. This action signifies the need for spiritual discernment and the uncovering of what is hidden in the hearts of the people.

So I dug through the wall
Ezekiel's obedience to God's command is immediate and without question, reflecting his role as a faithful servant. The repetition of the action emphasizes the importance of uncovering the truth. The act of digging can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual insight and the pursuit of understanding, encouraging believers to seek deeper truths in their own lives.

and discovered a doorway
The discovery of a doorway signifies the revelation of hidden realities and the entrance into deeper understanding. In the scriptural context, doorways often symbolize opportunities or transitions. Here, it represents the exposure of Israel's idolatry and the need for repentance. The Hebrew word "petach" (פֶּתַח) for "doorway" suggests an opening or entrance, inviting reflection on the choices and paths available to the people of God. This discovery challenges believers to confront and address the hidden sins in their own lives, urging a return to faithfulness and righteousness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the central figure in this passage, receiving visions from God.

2. Son of Man
A title used for Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and role as a representative of the people.

3. The Wall
Symbolic of barriers or hidden sins within the hearts of the Israelites, which God instructs Ezekiel to uncover.

4. The Doorway
Represents the entrance to hidden abominations and idolatry within the temple, which God reveals to Ezekiel.
Teaching Points
Revealing Hidden Sins
Just as Ezekiel was instructed to dig through the wall to uncover hidden abominations, we must allow God to reveal and address hidden sins in our lives.

Spiritual Insight
God provides spiritual insight to those who seek Him, enabling us to see beyond the surface and understand deeper spiritual truths.

Repentance and Cleansing
The uncovering of sin should lead to repentance and a desire for spiritual cleansing, aligning our hearts with God's holiness.

Vigilance Against Idolatry
We must remain vigilant against modern forms of idolatry, ensuring that nothing takes precedence over our relationship with God.

God's Omniscience
This passage reminds us that nothing is hidden from God; He sees all and desires truth in our innermost being.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the act of digging through the wall symbolize in your personal spiritual journey?

2. How can we apply the lesson of uncovering hidden sins to our daily walk with God?

3. In what ways might modern idolatry manifest in our lives, and how can we guard against it?

4. How does the concept of God revealing hidden things relate to other scriptures about His omniscience?

5. What steps can we take to ensure that our worship and devotion to God are genuine and not hypocritical?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ezekiel 8:7-12
This passage provides context for Ezekiel 8:8, where God shows Ezekiel the hidden idolatry within the temple, symbolizing the spiritual corruption of Israel.

Jeremiah 7:9-11
Jeremiah speaks against the same kind of idolatry and false security in the temple, highlighting the persistent sin of the people.

Matthew 23:27-28
Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, similar to the hidden sins revealed in Ezekiel's vision.
Sermons
Gradual Disclosure of Human SinJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 8:1-16
The Chambers of Imagery; Or, Secret SinsW. Jones Ezekiel 8:7-13
People
Ezekiel, Jaazaniah, Shaphan
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Behold, Dig, Digged, Door, Doorway, Dug, Entrance, Hole, Making, Opening, Wall
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 8:5-18

     6103   abomination

Library
Chambers of Imagery
'Then said He unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery!'--EZEKIEL viii. 12. This is part of a vision which came to the prophet in his captivity. He is carried away in imagination from his home amongst the exiles in the East to the Temple of Jerusalem. There he sees in one dreadful series representations of all the forms of idolatry to which the handful that were left in the land were cleaving. There meets …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Message from the Crowned Christ
(Revelation, Chapters ii and iii) "The glory of love is brightest when the glory of self is dim, And they have the most compelled me who most have pointed to Him. They have held me, stirred me, swayed me,--I have hung on their every word, Till I fain would arise and follow, not them, not them,--but their Lord!"[64] Patmos Spells Patience. Patience is strength at its strongest, using all its strength in holding back from doing something. Patience is love at flood pleading with strength to hold steady …
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation

The Synagogue at Nazareth - Synagogue-Worship and Arrangements.
The stay in Cana, though we have no means of determining its length, was probably of only short duration. Perhaps the Sabbath of the same week already found Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth. We will not seek irreverently to lift the veil of sacred silence, which here, as elsewhere, the Gospel-narratives have laid over the Sanctuary of His inner Life. That silence is itself theopneustic, of Divine breathing and inspiration; it is more eloquent than any eloquence, a guarantee of the truthfulness …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

What the Ruler's Discrimination Should be Between Correction and Connivance, Between Fervour and Gentleness.
It should be known too that the vices of subjects ought sometimes to be prudently connived at, but indicated in that they are connived at; that things, even though openly known, ought sometimes to be seasonably tolerated, but sometimes, though hidden, be closely investigated; that they ought sometimes to be gently reproved, but sometimes vehemently censured. For, indeed, some things, as we have said, ought to be prudently connived at, but indicated in that they are connived at, so that, when the …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in the Soul.
Titus iii. 5, 6. Titus iii. 5, 6. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. IF my business were to explain and illustrate this scripture at large, it would yield an ample field for accurate criticism and useful discourse, and more especially would lead us into a variety of practical remarks, on which it would be pleasant …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665 …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Seventh Commandment
Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Exod 20: 14. God is a pure, holy spirit, and has an infinite antipathy against all uncleanness. In this commandment he has entered his caution against it; non moechaberis, Thou shalt not commit adultery.' The sum of this commandment is, The preservations of corporal purity. We must take heed of running on the rock of uncleanness, and so making shipwreck of our chastity. In this commandment there is something tacitly implied, and something expressly forbidden. 1. The …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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