Who is the Man Clothed in Linen?

[whirlwind]

• Ezekiel 9:2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
  
  9:4-6 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
  
  9:11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

When first reading [9:2] I thought that one of the six, the "one man among them was clothed with linen" was Christ like, perhaps one of His messengers. Then I realized it is Satan, the same "angel of death" that took the firstborn.

There are three things of interest here.

One, he is dressed as Christ - clothed in linen. This is as it will be in the end of days...just as this "shadow" shows us. He comes pretending to be Christ. He is the anti-christ, the instead of christ. Of course saying it will be that way isn't completely correct as he is already at work and has been since the beginning....pretending to be so Holy when he is an abomination, pretending to teach the Word of God when it is his twisted doctrine.


Does he carry a writer's inkhorn to list all those in his book, those not in the Book of Life? Or to mark those he can't touch?

• Psalm 105:15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
  
  Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Two, he begins "at My sanctuary." He begins with those in the house of God, those teaching false doctrine. That is as it should be.

Three, he is doing this under commandment from God - "I have done as Thou hast commanded me."


An interesting point about the "sealing" that is done. The "mark" placed on the forehead of those means "tav." In Hebrew a tav is a "t"......a cross. Interesting isn't it? Those that sealed by God are marked with a cross.

 

[westtexas]

WW, tell me what you think about this interpretation instead. God is fixin' to destroy the city of Jerusalem for it's sins. He has sent 6 angels with slaughter weapons in their hands. Among them is also a man clothed in linen. I think this man clothed with linen does represent Christ and not Satan as you state. He was sent ahead to put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous (much like the blood of the passover) and the 6 death angels followed him through Jerusalem and destroyed all of the unrighteous. Our Lord put a mark on the thresholds in Egypt, a mark on the righteous in Jerusalem, and will put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous in the tribulation of Revelation. I feel it is representative of the salvation of our Lord Jesus.
Tell me what you think, Westtexas

 

[follower of Christ]

Eze 9:2
Six men -
angels of wrath - figurative of destruction. They come from the north, the quarter from which invading armies entered the holy land. These “six†angels, with the “one among them,†a superior over the six, make up the number “seven,†a number symbolic of God’s covenant with His people.

The higher gate -
The north gate of the court of the priests. The temple rose by platforms; as there was a north gate to the outer and also to the inner court, the latter was probably distinguished as the “higher gate.†It was built by Jotham 2Ki_15:35.

Clothed with linen -
The priestly garment Exo_28:6, Exo_28:8; Lev_16:4. This “One Man†(Compare Dan_10:5; Rev_1:13) was the “angel of the covenant,†the great high priest, superior to those by whom He was surrounded, receiving direct communication from the Lord, taking the coals of vengeance from between the cherubim Eze_10:2, but coming with mercy to the contrite as well as with vengeance to the impenitent; these are attributes of Jesus Christ Joh_5:30; Luk_2:34; Mat_9:13; Joh_6:39.

A writer’s inkhorn -
Usually a flat case about nine inches long, by an inch and a quarter broad, and half an inch thick, the hollow of which serves to contain the reed pens and penknife. At one end is the ink-vessel which is twice as heavy as the shaft. The latter is passed through the girdle and prevented from slipping through by the projecting ink-vessel. The whole is usually of polished metal, brass, copper or silver. The man with the inkhorn has to write in the Book of Life the names of those who shall be marked. The metaphor is from the custom of registering the names of the Israelites in public rolls. Compare Exo_32:33; Psa_69:28; Isa_4:3; Phi_4:3; Rev_3:5.

Eze 9:4
mercy precedes judgment. So in the case of Sodom Gen. 19, and in the last day Luk_21:18, Luk_21:28; Rev_7:1. This accords with the eschatological character of the predictions in this chapter (see the introduction of Ezekiel).

A mark -
literally, “Tau,†the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The old form of the letter was that of a cross. The Jews have interpreted this sign variously, some considering that “Tau,†being the last of the Hebrew letters, and so closing the alphabet, denoted completeness, and thus the mark indicated the completeness of the sorrow for sin in those upon whom it was placed. Others again observed that “Tau†was the first letter of Torah (“the Lawâ€) and that the foreheads were marked as of men obedient to the Law. Christians, noting the resemblance of this letter in its most ancient form to a cross, have seen herein a reference to the cross with which Christians were signed. The custom for pagan gods and their votaries to bear certain marks furnishes instances, in which God was pleased to employ symbolism, generally in use, to express higher and more divine truth. The sign of the cross in baptism is an outward sign of the designation of God’s elect, who at the last day shall be exempted from the destruction of the ungodly Mat_24:22, Mat_24:31.

-Albert Barnes

 

[JudaicChristian]

The man in linen is Yahshua. Of the seven branch lampsticks one stick is removed leavings six. The messengers here on earth have four wings, but in heaven they will have six wings. Wings symbolizes status.

 

[westtexas]

The man in linen is Yahshua. Of the seven branch lampsticks one stick is removed leavings six. The messengers here on earth have four wings, but in heaven they will have six wings. Wings symbolizes status.

I'm not sure I understand. How do the above verses corrolate with the removing of a branch of the candlestick, or wings? I do agree though that the man in linen is a portrait of Christ.
Westtexas

 

[glorydaz]

WW, tell me what you think about this interpretation instead. God is fixin' to destroy the city of Jerusalem for it's sins. He has sent 6 angels with slaughter weapons in their hands. Among them is also a man clothed in linen. I think this man clothed with linen does represent Christ and not Satan as you state. He was sent ahead to put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous (much like the blood of the passover) and the 6 death angels followed him through Jerusalem and destroyed all of the unrighteous. Our Lord put a mark on the thresholds in Egypt, a mark on the righteous in Jerusalem, and will put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous in the tribulation of Revelation. I feel it is representative of the salvation of our Lord Jesus.
Tell me what you think, Westtexas

I agree, except I think it's more likely an angel...possibly even Michael or Gabriel.
We have the man clothed with linen in Dan. 10 and 12 (I believe) as well.
If it was Christ, he wouldn't need to report, as He is God....neither would He be commanded.

And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

 

[westtexas]

Glorydaz, I can agree with that! Good points.
Westtexas

 

[glorydaz]

Glorydaz, I can agree with that! Good points.
Westtexas

I was just going to say I thought you could be right.
I read chapter 11, and it sounded more like Christ...the judgment and all.
It's either the preincarnate Christ or an angel..

 

[whirlwind]

WW, tell me what you think about this interpretation instead. God is fixin' to destroy the city of Jerusalem for it's sins. He has sent 6 angels with slaughter weapons in their hands. Among them is also a man clothed in linen. I think this man clothed with linen does represent Christ and not Satan as you state. He was sent ahead to put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous (much like the blood of the passover) and the 6 death angels followed him through Jerusalem and destroyed all of the unrighteous. Our Lord put a mark on the thresholds in Egypt, a mark on the righteous in Jerusalem, and will put a mark on the foreheads of the righteous in the tribulation of Revelation. I feel it is representative of the salvation of our Lord Jesus.
Tell me what you think, Westtexas

I thought he was Christ, or a representative...angel, of Christ too but for various reasons I no longer do.

I agree that the "six men" are sent by our Father. It isn't that there are six and then another...the one placing the mark, but there are a total of six. Six is the number of the beast.

It is a mark of salvation as the six, those with the "number of his name" can't touch them. The slaying they do is spiritual in nature. It is deception. It is our time of being proven. Those marked that can't be touched are those with His truth.

The deception, what I see as Satan's slaughter weapon, is his being clothed in linen. All part of him pretending to be the Savior. He arrives at the sixth trump...which could be, "He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice." And then, the six men came forward. [9:1-2]Is that a sounding of the sixth trump? I don't know.

 

[whirlwind]

Eze 9:2
Six men -
angels of wrath - figurative of destruction. They come from the north, the quarter from which invading armies entered the holy land. These “six†angels, with the “one among them,†a superior over the six, make up the number “seven,†a number symbolic of God’s covenant with His people.

The higher gate -
The north gate of the court of the priests. The temple rose by platforms; as there was a north gate to the outer and also to the inner court, the latter was probably distinguished as the “higher gate.†It was built by Jotham 2Ki_15:35.

Clothed with linen -
The priestly garment Exo_28:6, Exo_28:8; Lev_16:4. This “One Man†(Compare Dan_10:5; Rev_1:13) was the “angel of the covenant,†the great high priest, superior to those by whom He was surrounded, receiving direct communication from the Lord, taking the coals of vengeance from between the cherubim Eze_10:2, but coming with mercy to the contrite as well as with vengeance to the impenitent; these are attributes of Jesus Christ Joh_5:30; Luk_2:34; Mat_9:13; Joh_6:39.

A writer’s inkhorn -
Usually a flat case about nine inches long, by an inch and a quarter broad, and half an inch thick, the hollow of which serves to contain the reed pens and penknife. At one end is the ink-vessel which is twice as heavy as the shaft. The latter is passed through the girdle and prevented from slipping through by the projecting ink-vessel. The whole is usually of polished metal, brass, copper or silver. The man with the inkhorn has to write in the Book of Life the names of those who shall be marked. The metaphor is from the custom of registering the names of the Israelites in public rolls. Compare Exo_32:33; Psa_69:28; Isa_4:3; Phi_4:3; Rev_3:5.

Eze 9:4
mercy precedes judgment. So in the case of Sodom Gen. 19, and in the last day Luk_21:18, Luk_21:28; Rev_7:1. This accords with the eschatological character of the predictions in this chapter (see the introduction of Ezekiel).

A mark -
literally, “Tau,†the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The old form of the letter was that of a cross. The Jews have interpreted this sign variously, some considering that “Tau,†being the last of the Hebrew letters, and so closing the alphabet, denoted completeness, and thus the mark indicated the completeness of the sorrow for sin in those upon whom it was placed. Others again observed that “Tau†was the first letter of Torah (“the Lawâ€) and that the foreheads were marked as of men obedient to the Law. Christians, noting the resemblance of this letter in its most ancient form to a cross, have seen herein a reference to the cross with which Christians were signed. The custom for pagan gods and their votaries to bear certain marks furnishes instances, in which God was pleased to employ symbolism, generally in use, to express higher and more divine truth. The sign of the cross in baptism is an outward sign of the designation of God’s elect, who at the last day shall be exempted from the destruction of the ungodly Mat_24:22, Mat_24:31.

-Albert Barnes

I must disagree with your quote from Albert Barnes.

1. It isn't six men plus one...it is six men. It is "one man among them." Six total and not seven. Seven is the number of Christ...six isn't.

2. They do come from the north, to be specific from the north gate (the court of the priests). Why? They slaughter with deception, false doctrine, traditions of men...pretending to be Christian teachers, preachers, prophets and they are not. They are the many antichrists [1 John 2:18] parading in long robes [Luke 20:46].

Consider those "coming from the north" and why we should "take heed."

• Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
  
  Isaiah 14:31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.
  
  Jeremiah 1:14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
  
  Jeremiah 4:6 Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
  
  Jeremiah 10:22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
  
  Jeremiah 46:20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

3. The linen garment this man wears is part of the deception. Part of his pretending to be Christ. It is probably the same event as written in....

• Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

He wears linen, is given a crown and rides a white horse...as the true Savior, but he is the fake.

 

[Ret]

• Jeremiah 46:20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

3. The linen garment this man wears is part of the deception. Part of his pretending to be Christ. It is probably the same event as written in....

• Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

He wears linen, is given a crown and rides a white horse...as the true Savior, but he is the fake.

Joseph, who is one of the 12 sons of Jacob, is sold by his brothers to traders who were going to Egypt. Though sold as slave to the house of Potifer, Joseph is dilligent in all he does and God blesses Joseph. Over a period of several years, being in prison and eventually appointed guard of the prison house, Pharaoh has a couple dreams he does not understand. Joseph is called to interpret the dreams...and goes from being in prison to being 'next to the king' of/in Egypt.

Interesting is the relationship of the King of Egypt to Joseph.....

• Genesis 41:42-43
  42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand,
  and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
  
  43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him [Joseph] ruler over all the land of Egypt. KJV

Here, Joseph is wearing 'fine linen', provided by the KING of EGYPT. With this 'fine linen' he rides around in the king's chariot and all the nation is 'bowing the knee'.... :shades
...

 

[JudaicChristian]

The man in linen is Yahshua. Of the seven branch lampsticks one stick is removed leavings six. The messengers here on earth have four wings, but in heaven they will have six wings. Wings symbolizes status.

I'm not sure I understand. How do the above verses corrolate with the removing of a branch of the candlestick, or wings? I do agree though that the man in linen is a portrait of Christ.
Westtexas

Revelation 2:5
Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstick from its place.

 

[glorydaz]

I thought he was Christ, or a representative...angel, of Christ too but for various reasons I no longer do.

I agree that the "six men" are sent by our Father. It isn't that there are six and then another...the one placing the mark, but there are a total of six. Six is the number of the beast.

It is a mark of salvation as the six, those with the "number of his name" can't touch them. The slaying they do is spiritual in nature. It is deception. It is our time of being proven. Those marked that can't be touched are those with His truth.

The deception, what I see as Satan's slaughter weapon, is his being clothed in linen. All part of him pretending to be the Savior. He arrives at the sixth trump...which could be, "He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice." And then, the six men came forward. [9:1-2]Is that a sounding of the sixth trump? I don't know.

I don't see that it can be a deception.
This portrays the man in linen being sent by God...in mercy to mark His own.
And he is "among" the other six...not one of them. IMO.

3And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; 4And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 5And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Ez 10 goes on...which speaks of the wrath of God poured out.

2And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.

 

[Sinthesis]

I must disagree with your quote from Albert Barnes.

1. It isn't six men plus one...it is six men. It is "one man among them." Six total and not seven. Seven is the number of Christ...six isn't.

2. They do come from the north, to be specific from the north gate (the court of the priests). Why? They slaughter with deception, false doctrine, traditions of men...pretending to be Christian teachers, preachers, prophets and they are not. They are the many antichrists [1 John 2:18] parading in long robes [Luke 20:46].

...

3. The linen garment this man wears is part of the deception. Part of his pretending to be Christ. It is probably the same event as written in....

• Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

He wears linen, is given a crown and rides a white horse...as the true Savior, but he is the fake.

It's no wonder that you have so much trouble interpreting scripture. You are constantly trying to interpret bits and pieces of it within the context of your own mistaken doctrine and worldview rather than just letting the true meaning emerge out the context that scripture itself provides.

Thus you ignore the help of westtexas, glorydaz, and follower of Christ in favor of your own flawed interpretation which is contrary to the actual message. Deception indeed!!!

 

[JudaicChristian]

• Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

He wears linen, is given a crown and rides a white horse...as the true Savior, but he is the fake.

Revelation 6:2 is about Michael. A white horse symbolizes victory, and the single crown is a crown of life.You should also note the bow with no arrows. Yahshua has many crowns and a white horse. Yahshua has a bow and calls for many arrows.

 

[glorydaz]

When first reading [9:2] I thought that one of the six, the "one man among them was clothed with linen" was Christ like, perhaps one of His messengers. Then I realized it is Satan, the same "angel of death" that took the firstborn.

I meant to point this out before...perhaps this is why you think it's a deception of satan.

The angel of death that took the firstborn was from God...a destroying angel.

For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

 

[Ret]

When first reading [9:2] I thought that one of the six, the "one man among them was clothed with linen" was Christ like, perhaps one of His messengers. Then I realized it is Satan, the same "angel of death" that took the firstborn.

I meant to point this out before...perhaps this is why you think it's a deception of satan.

The angel of death that took the firstborn was from God...a destroying angel.

For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

[quote="Exodus 12:23":251zenkt] For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

[/quote:251zenkt]

glorydaz...wonderful and powerful all in the same thought...the part that God has to do with the mystery of iniquity, is hardly understood in today's christian community!

• Isaiah 63:9-10
  
  9 In all their affliction he was afflicted,
  and the angel of his presence saved them:
  in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
  and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
  
  10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit:
  therefore he was turned to be their enemy,
  and he fought against them. KJV

 

[westtexas]

I agree that the "six men" are sent by our Father. It isn't that there are six and then another...the one placing the mark, but there are a total of six. Six is the number of the beast.

It is a mark of salvation as the six, those with the "number of his name" can't touch them. The slaying they do is spiritual in nature. It is deception. It is our time of being proven. Those marked that can't be touched are those with His truth.

WW, can you please explain this statement to me please. You feel that these 6 men were sent by God but that somehow they were sent to decieve? And that God's messengers somehow represent the number of the beast?

Westtexas

 

[westtexas]

2. They do come from the north, to be specific from the north gate (the court of the priests). Why? They slaughter with deception,

And again here, You feel these are men sent by God? Is deception an attribute of our Lord?

Westtexas

 

[westtexas]

I agree they are sent by God but there is no deception involved. In ch 8 God told Ezekiel of the sins of Jerusalem. In ch9 God told Ezekiel of the destruction of Jeresulam for these sins.

8:18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. (KJV)

God showed his infinite mercy and sent the man in linen ahead and put his mark on them. Ezek 9:4 and then the 6 men followed him through the city and destroyed the unrighteous. Ezek 9:5-6

And I agree with everyone else there are 6 men wielding weapons of slaughter and 1 more among them for a total of 7
Westtexas