The Father's Mark of Mercy
9 1 Then he called out in my hearing with a loud voice: "Approach, overseers of the city, each with his weapon of destruction in hand."
2 Six men came from the upper gate facing north, each with a deadly weapon in hand; among them a man dressed in linen, a writing case at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 The glory of our Father rose from above the cherub where it had rested, to the threshold of the house. He called to the man dressed in linen with the writing case at his side.
4 And our Father said to him, "Go through the city of Jerusalem and mark the foreheads of those who sigh and groan over all the abominations committed there." a a v4 Those marked for safety are the ones whose hearts break over the sin around them — our Father spares and seals the children who grieve what grieves him.
5 To the others he said in my hearing: Go through the city after him and strike. Do not let your eye spare, do not show pity. 6 Old men, young men, young women, children, women — kill them all. But don't touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders in front of the house.
7 Then he told them, "Make the house unclean, fill the courts with the dead. Go!" So they went out and struck down people in the city.
8 While they struck, I was left alone. I fell facedown and cried out, "Ah, Sovereign Father! Will you destroy all the remnant of Israel as you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem?"
9 Then he told me: "The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is enormous. The land is full of bloodshed, the city full of injustice, for they say, 'God has abandoned the land; God does not see.'" 10 As for me, I won't spare or pity them. I'll bring their conduct down on their own heads."
11 Then the man dressed in linen with the writing case at his side reported back: "I have done as you commanded me."
