The most striking thing here is that these men aren't just worshipping the sun; they're doing it inside the Temple, the very place God's presence dwells, and with their backs turned to it. This isn't a hidden sin but a profound, public act of defiance, showing utter contempt for God and His holy house.
And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, worshiping the sun toward the east.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God shows Ezekiel further, even deeper, profanations within the temple itself. While earlier visions showed idolatry at the temple gates, this one reveals priests, or those representing them, actively worshipping the sun in the inner court, the most sacred space. This act of turning their backs on the Lord's presence while facing the rising sun is a shocking display of contempt for God and His covenant.
Imagine standing in the holiest place, facing away from the very presence of God. What does that posture say about your heart?
Ezekiel sees a group of men, likely priests or leaders ('about twenty-five men'), in the inner court of the Temple. This wasn't just any space; it was the domain of worship, directly before the sanctuary where God's presence dwelled. Yet, their physical orientation screams rebellion.
A Deliberate Rejection
Instead of facing the Holy of Holies, their backs are turned to the Temple of the Lord. This isn't accidental; it's a profound act of contempt. They are literally turning their backs on God, His dwelling place, and His covenant people. The Hebrew word for 'worship' used here carries a sense of corruption, highlighting the impurity of their devotion. They are not merely misguided; they are actively corrupting worship and turning away from the Divine.
This deliberate rejection is a stark warning: true worship requires facing God, not turning away from Him, even when doing so might seem outwardly acceptable or align with popular trends.
In the very heart of God's house, people are bowing to the sun. What does this imitation reveal about their spiritual state?
These twenty-five men aren't just facing east; they are actively 'worshiping the sun toward the east.' This was a known idolatrous practice in the ancient Near East, particularly associated with Persian and other Eastern cultures. The sun, a powerful and visible creation, was elevated to the status of a deity.
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Rejecting the Creator for the Creation
God explicitly forbade this kind of worship in His Law. He declared that the sun, moon, and stars were created for humanity's service, not to be worshiped themselves (Deuteronomy 4:19). To worship the sun was to reject the Creator for the sake of the created, a fundamental error that grieves God.
Furthermore, this act was performed in the most sacred space – between the porch and the altar. This wasn't a private, hidden sin; it was happening in the Temple, the very place where God's name resided. It represented a gross defilement and a direct insult to Yahweh, showing a willingness to adopt pagan practices within His own holy ground.
When the shepherds turn against the sheep, the flock is in grave danger. What does Ezekiel's vision reveal about corrupted leadership?
The men Ezekiel sees are not ordinary citizens. The number 'twenty-five' likely represents the high priest and the heads of the twenty-four priestly courses. These were the spiritual leaders, responsible for maintaining true worship within the Temple.
The Weight of Leadership Sin
Their participation in sun worship is particularly heinous because it occurs in the 'inner court' – a restricted area meant only for priests. This wasn't just a personal failing; it was an institutional betrayal. By turning their backs on the Lord and facing the east, these leaders set a devastating example, corrupting the very sanctuary entrusted to their care.
This act signifies a complete abandonment of their God-given responsibility. Instead of guarding the purity of worship, they actively introduced idolatry into the holiest of places. It’s a stark reminder that the spiritual health of a community often hinges on the integrity of its leaders.
Understand the original words
bayith Yahweh · Hebrew Noun
The localized or metaphorical space representing the presence of God; in the Old Testament, it refers to the temple in Jerusalem as the place where Yahweh dwelt among His people.
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
A raised structure used for offering sacrifices and burnt offerings to God; it was the focal point of cultic worship and atonement under the Mosaic law.
This vision exposes a shocking return to pre-exilic idolatry, specifically sun worship by the very priests meant to guard true worship, highlighting how deeply entrenched corruption had become, leading directly to the nation's ultimate judgment.
c. 700 BC
Assyrian Influence and Idolatry
During the late Assyrian period, foreign cults and practices, including sun worship, began to infiltrate Judah, challenging traditional Yahwistic worship.
622 BC
Josiah's Reforms
King Josiah discovers and institutes reforms based on the Book of the Law, purging the temple of idolatrous objects and practices, including those related to sun worship.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Judah's elite, including Ezekiel, to Babylon, marking the beginning of the exile.
c. 593 BC
Ezekiel's Call and Early Visions
Ezekiel receives his prophetic call in Babylon and begins to deliver messages of judgment to the exiles, preparing him for further visions of Jerusalem's corruption.
c. 592 BC— this verse
Visions of Jerusalem's Abominations
Ezekiel receives a series of visions from God, which transport him spiritually to Jerusalem to witness the deep-seated idolatry and corruption within the temple and city.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, completing the devastation of Judah and scattering its people, a consequence of the continued unfaithfulness revealed in Ezekiel's visions.
This passage explicitly forbids the worship of the sun and stars, making the actions of the men in Ezekiel's vision a direct violation of God's established law.
2 Kings 23:5This historical account details King Josiah removing the instruments dedicated to the sun, showing that sun worship had infiltrated Judah's religious practices even before Ezekiel's time.
Jeremiah 19:13This verse describes altars built to the host of heaven in the courtyards of the Lord's house, illustrating the widespread desecration of sacred spaces with idolatry.
Romans 1:25Paul speaks of those who exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the created things rather than the Creator, mirroring the sin of the men turning from God's temple to worship the sun.
calvinEzekiel 8:15-16: "Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these."
And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Et deduxit me in Atrium doritos Iehova…
barnesEzekiel 8:16: "And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east."
The inner court - The court of the priests. About five and twenty men - Rather, as it were five etc. This was the number of the heads of the 24 courses (shifts) with the high pries…
The most striking thing here is that these men aren't just worshipping the sun; they're doing it inside the Temple, the very place God's presence dwells, and with their backs turned to it. This isn't a hidden sin but a profound, public act of defiance, showing utter contempt for God and His holy house.
God shows Ezekiel further, even deeper, profanations within the temple itself. While earlier visions showed idolatry at the temple gates, this one reveals priests, or those representing them, actively worshipping the sun in the inner court, the most sacred space. This act of turning their backs on the Lord's presence while facing the rising sun is a shocking display of contempt for God and His covenant.
God shows Ezekiel further, even deeper, profanations within the temple itself. While earlier visions showed idolatry at the temple gates, this one reveals priests, or those representing them, actively worshipping the sun in the inner court, the most sacred space. This act of turning their backs on the Lord's presence while facing the rising sun is a shocking display of contempt for God and His covenant.
"And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their face…" — The most striking thing here is that these men aren't just worshipping the sun; they're doing it inside the Temple, the very place God's presence dwells, and with their backs turned to it. This isn…
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Last reviewed October 2026
