Ezekiel 9 is a continuation of Ezekiel’s vision. Here he sees executioners as issuing from God to do their work of judgment. Possibly there may be an allusive reference to the Chaldeans as the actual human instruments of judgment.
The Biblical explanation of the end of societies uses the concept of judgment. Either a society is collectively submitted to the Will and Authority of God or it is in rebellion against Him. The book of Ezekiel portrays Israel as having become an evil nation fully deserving the judgment about to be meted out by God.
Israels rebellion against God was accompanied by a turning to ‘self’ and idols. Idolatry in its larger meaning is properly understood as any substitution of what is ‘created’ for the Creator. In this sense, idols can be anything from ‘self’ to wealth, power, status, ambition, intellect (pride of mind), the state, and political systems to unseen forces, things of the imagination and elitist occult sciences such as Hermeticism and esoteric Kabbalah.
In John 5, Jesus Christ addresses those who have elevated ‘self’ and idols (other teachings?)above the writings of Moses, thus are unable to believe him:
“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” John 5:45-47
Whatever a man places at the top of his pyramid of values is ultimately what he serves. The ultimacy of that service profoundly affects how he thinks, speaks and acts. When the society around him also turns away from God to ‘self’ and idols, it is an idolatrous society heading for judgment and destruction, hence the six men of Ezekiel’s vision.
Thank you so much for your insights, dear spirited irish!