Ezekiel chapter 8

vs 1

So, this sounds like a new start for Ezekiel. This is prophecy number two. This seems to be about a year later. Can that be right? Isn't he still lying on one side if it's only a year later? I don't know, I'll let you do the maths.

vs 2

This sounds familiar. The man with the lower half that is all burning fire has made appearances before. So we can safely assume this is God.

vs 3

So Ezekiel goes for a bit of a hair-raising adventure! Get it? It doesn't seem clear to me whether this is an actual trip, or a vision, but it definitely looks more like a vision.

That idol at the gate doesn't seem to be getting a good wrap. But then, it is a vision from God, so it's to be expected.

vs 4

Those creatures, the wheels, that throne - damn confusing vision gets around.

vs 5

Repetition - idol must be important. Oh, wait, I didn't realise till now that this idol is not in the gate to Jerusalem, it's in the gate of the TEMPLE! Bad idol!

vs 6

There is an idol at the gate of the temple. Can you imagine how God feels about that? And yet they have done worse. This is the sort of thing driving God away.

vs 7

There's a hole in the wall.

vs 8

There's a door in the hole in the wall... is this like the sneaky way of getting Ezekiel into the inner temple? Isn't this a vision? Isn't he a priest anyway?

vs 9

So God wants Ezekiel to see the even worse things that are happening inside the temple. Setting up idols in God's temple, just for reference - makes him angry.