In this chapter, the Lord compares Jerusalem to an unwanted child who was groomed into this beautiful jewel, and then turned into this ungrateful adulterous wife. Here’s how the chapter begins: “Then another message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her loathsome sins. Give her this message from the Sovereign Lord: You are nothing but a Canaanite! Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite! When you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was left uncut, and you were never washed, rubbed with salt, and dressed in warm clothing. No one had the slightest interest in you; no one pitied you or cared for you. On the day you were born, you were dumped in a field and left to die, unwanted.
“But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’ And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel. Your breasts became full, and your hair grew, though you were still naked. And when I passed by and saw you again, you were old enough to be married. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.” (Yes, Lord!!! Thank you for your influence; thank you for the life you have given us; thank you for growing and grooming each of us!)
“Then I bathed you and washed off your blood, and I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin. I gave you expensive clothing of linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and sandals made of fine leather. I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, and beautiful necklaces, a ring for your nose and earrings for your ears, and a lovely crown for your head. And so you were made beautiful with gold and silver. Your clothes were made of fine linen and were beautifully embroidered. You ate the finest foods – fine flour, honey, and olive oil – and became more beautiful than ever. You looked like a queen, and so you were! Your fame soon spread throughout the world on account of your beauty, because the splendor I bestowed on you perfected your beauty, says the Sovereign Lord.” (Lord, thank you for prospering and blessing us!)
“But you thought you could get along without me, so you trusted instead in your fame and beauty. You gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking! You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you carried out your acts of prostitution. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them, which is adultery against me. You used the beautifully embroidered clothes I gave you to cover your idols. Then you used my oil and incense to worship them. Imagine it! You set before them as a lovely sacrifice the fine flour and oil and honey I had given you, says the Sovereign Lord.” (Wow! Lord, help us recognize our sins against you and turn away from them.)
“Then you took your sons and daughters – the children you had borne to me – and sacrificed them to your gods. Was it not enough that you should be a prostitute? Must you also slaughter my children by sacrificing them to idols? In all your years of adultery and loathsome sin, you have not once thought of the days long ago when you lay naked in a field, kicking about in your own blood.” (Ezekiel 16:1-22) (Wow…how true that is!)
Read the rest of the chapter for yourself to see how the Lord promises punishment for Jerusalem, and then promises to forgive them and reestablish His covenant with His people.
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Help us, Lord, never forget what you have done for us and where you have brought us from. Without you in our life, we are nothing; therefore, help us remain completely committed and faithful to you. Lord, thank you for your all encompassing blessings! We love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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