Ezekiel 16

“For this is what the Lord God says: I will deal with you according to what you have done, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant. But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am Yahweh, so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth again because of your disgrace.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.” Ezekiel 16:59-63 (HCSB)

Today’s chapter makes use of blunt words to convey Israel’s spiritual prostitution. Charles Spurgeon, who preached in Victorian England, felt that Ezekiel 16 was so graphic that “A minister could scarcely read it in public.”

Though the chapter comprises a single unit, Ezekiel is actually speaking of Israel – referred to by its capital city, Jerusalem – in three dimensions: Past, present, and future. It is the future that I wanted to focus on in today’s passage.

The secret to a good marriage is good communication and the willingness to extend an unlimited amount of grace! But some kinds of behavior in a marriage cannot be overlooked. And such behavior goes against the very essence of a marriage relationship. Of course, I am speaking of infidelity, and that was precisely the case with the “marriage” of God and His people. Divorce courts are full of such relationships; one party chooses to be unfaithful, and the other simply cannot live in such conditions.  

But the rare couple is one where infidelity has taken place, some level of separation or divorce takes place, true repentance occurs on the part of the unfaithful spouse, and in response, the offended spouse agrees to re-enter the marriage covenant. Instead of focusing on the “true Hollywood stories” aspect of today’s chapter, I chose to spotlight the hope that unfaithful followers of God have once they repent.

The Church-at-large may become so corrupt that it no longer deserves to be called “Christian”; nevertheless, there will always be a group of believers to worship God as He prescribes. That is something to bear in mind as we read this chapter. Also, we can’t think of ourselves above the level of judgment that God levied on Jerusalem. Jesus said:

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21 (NKJV)

Jesus did not say we are “saved” by keeping His commands. Instead, He was saying that those who are truly “saved” desire to obey Him.  What if believers disobey?

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)