15 “But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby; your beauty became his. 16 You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be. 17 You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore. 18 And you took your embroidered garments to cover them, and set my oil and my incense before them. 19 Also my bread that I gave you—I fed you with fine flour and oil and honey—you set before them for a pleasing aroma; and so it was, declares the Lord God. 20 And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your whorings so small a matter 21 that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them? 22 And in all your abominations and your whorings you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your blood.
23 “And after all your wickedness (woe, woe to you! declares the Lord God), 24 you built yourself a vaulted chamber and made yourself a lofty place in every square. 25 At the head of every street you built your lofty place and made your beauty an abomination, offering yourself to any passerby and multiplying your whoring. 26 You also played the whore with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, multiplying your whoring, to provoke me to anger. 27 Behold, therefore, I stretched out my hand against you and diminished your allotted portion and delivered you to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior. 28 You played the whore also with the Assyrians, because you were not satisfied; yes, you played the whore with them, and still you were not satisfied. 29 You multiplied your whoring also with the trading land of Chaldea, and even with this you were not satisfied.
30 “How sick is your heart, declares the Lord God, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute, 31 building your vaulted chamber at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square. Yet you were not like a prostitute, because you scorned payment. 32 Adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband! 33 Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you gave your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from every side with your whorings. 34 So you were different from other women in your whorings. No one solicited you to play the whore, and you gave payment, while no payment was given to you; therefore you were different.
35 “Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the Lord: 36 Thus says the Lord God, Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your whorings with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children that you gave to them, 37 therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from every side and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. 38 And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. 39 And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber and break down your lofty places. They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and bare. 40 They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. 41 And they shall burn your houses and execute judgments upon you in the sight of many women. I will make you stop playing the whore, and you shall also give payment no more. 42 So will I satisfy my wrath on you, and my jealousy shall depart from you. I will be calm and will no more be angry. 43 Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have enraged me with all these things, therefore, behold, I have returned your deeds upon your head, declares the Lord God. Have you not committed lewdness in addition to all your abominations?
44 “Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. 47 Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways. 48 As I live, declares the Lord God, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. 51 Samaria has not committed half your sins. You have committed more abominations than they, and have made your sisters appear righteous by all the abominations that you have committed. 52 Bear your disgrace, you also, for you have intervened on behalf of your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. So be ashamed, you also, and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53 “I will restore their fortunes, both the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes in their midst, 54 that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all that you have done, becoming a consolation to them. 55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former state, and you and your daughters shall return to your former state. 56 Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered? Now you have become an object of reproach for the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and for the daughters of the Philistines, those all around who despise you. 58 You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the Lord.
The Lord's Everlasting Covenant
59 “For thus says the Lord God: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant, 60 yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you. 62 I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, 63 that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 16: 15-63 ESV
Ezekiel 16: 15-63
…11Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket. 12How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. 13You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north.… Isaiah 14: 11-13
15-29 But you trusted in your beauty - Pride is the antagonist of reality, the truth that all else other than God is created by God. Satan was made beautiful, the king of Tyre, the kings of Babylon saw the things they could do with the minds and materials God had made, and they lifted themselves up, declared themselves what they cannot be. How much freedom lies just on top of that knoll, to just get there, see the nail pierced feet, hear Him cry, "it is finished", and realizing that you can do nothing of yourself, you kneel there and believe. What has pride done for you? You trusted in your beauty, in the things that He gave you, and now none of it is sacred.
Of My gold and of My silver - What things He gives us to honor Him with, which would be our hearts purest and greatest joy, yet we keep that from ourselves by worshiping the gold and silver that is already His. You make the metal into images, and you worship men.
6Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another. 7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 8Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!… 1 Corinthians 4: 6-8
“It is an ill sign in any of us when God’s blessings are themselves made into idols. If thou beginnest to worship thy wealth, thy health, thy children, thy learning, or anything that God has given thee, this is exceedingly provoking to the Most High; it is a breach of the marriage covenant between thy soul and God.” (Spurgeon)
Set My oil and My incense - This seems to take a deeper, more spiritual context. I think this is not only the guilt of Israel back then, but also of the church today. We take the things of God, the sacraments, the name of God, the idea of church and worship, and we distort it into something blended and defiled by the world. It is no longer His bride set apart, but a whore dressed in finery, bathed in oil, and covered in perfume and paint to conceal the decay within. She is pointing you to herself, and that is death.
34The LORD also said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—in equal measures, 35and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36Grind some of it into fine powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.…
…37You are never to use this formula to make incense for yourselves; you shall regard it as holy to the LORD. 38Anyone who makes something like it to enjoy its fragrance shall be cut off from his people.” Exodus 30: 34-38
That you slaughtered My children - We may call it a lot of things, but none of them steeped in reality when we refuse to admit that life belongs to God. They offered up their children to idols, and we do the same today.
You did not remember the day of your youth - When you were helpless and weak, He had compassion on you, but you see the advantage in their not being able to speak, not being able to defend themselves, and you sacrifice them on the altar of your lust and convenience. It is not that you don't worship anything, not that you don't believe in a god, but rather you think you are God. What a gloriously high calling, to pour your life into a child's, but the world has taught you to distain this. Your egotism has forgotten where you came from.
13Then the little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15And after He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.… Matthew 19: 13-15
A vaulted chamber...high places - Brothels, strip clubs, places of carved images, where people go to worship against true worship. Such is much of the so called church today; trying to fill seats like an amphitheater, finding what show will sell the best, what play, what style of music. No one is there so much to worship God as they are to be entertained. It is a sick place, a bastard of the world, trying so hard to imitate everything the world does, but looking nothing like Christ and not even a good reproduction of the world it wants to mimic.
Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior - You have caused them to blush, and for this I have to commend them that they were still able when you were not.
30-43 Yet you were not like a prostitute - They would do this for pay, men would bring them gifts. You sent out gifts, invited Assyria to be your daddy for pay, even when you knew God offered a better way. It is more the principal for you, that you must have your way, must stay in your delusion, and will not repent no matter what the cost. This is the height of foolishness, paying others to abuse you, to use you, all to attack the One Who loved you and caused you to live. No payment was given to you. You went back to Egypt, you served gods made with hands and imagination, but you turned your nose to the Creator.
Commit adultery and shed blood - The punishment under the Mosaic law is death. Herein is pride's problem with God, that though we commit such crimes, yet we do not want the consequences. This is a lofty place indeed, that we may look down upon all other life that we deem beneath ours.
…5And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man: 6Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind. 7But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out across the earth and multiply upon it.”… Genesis 9: 5-7
…6They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger. 7 When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” 8And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.… John 8: 6-8
27You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5: 27-28
I have returned your deeds upon your head - Though she forgot her roots and her vows, He did not.
“In order that she might remember him once again, God would bring this discipline on her. Though mankind may forget God, his love prevents him from forgetting his own. God takes his commitments in personal relationships seriously.” (Alexander)
44-58 Like mother, like daughter - You came from lost, pagan nations, but you were made alive unto knowledge, God revealed Himself to you, yet you returned to the sin of your mother. You went around saying, "Sodomite", and they were a byword to you, just like the Samaritans would be later, but I say Sodom is your mother and Samaria your sister. You have more in common with them than your husband. They put a premium on their pleasures, defying God's moral law, casting out the widow, destroying the fatherless, and you, who have so great a lamp, hid it under a bushel, so that you could join them in darkness.
10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.… Isaiah 1: 10-11
…43Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!… John 8: 43-45
59-63 - Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed - This is the richness of blessing, and those that are forgiven much do love much. Here is fruit of true repentance, when a soul comes to life and realizes that it was dead. It is a shame, I have read that this chapter is often left out in the public reading because of it's tug upon the heart, it's soreness to the soul, the hammer that it is upon the ego. Not many a listener can stand up under this, just like the Jews, even today, pass over the reading of Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12 in the daily reading of the synagogue. It is CONVICTION, and we hate it, but it is the gospel call, and who has the right to elevate man's fragile ego in deciding what God can say and what we will hear?
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.… Matthew 5: 3-5
1This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be? 2Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “ This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word. 3Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.… Isaiah 66: 1-3
When I atone for you - The blood of bulls and rams was never a permanent solution, but here they see a glimpse of God atoning for them. The ancients expected a Messiah, but they focused more on their ideal of a king, not a substitutionary atonement. It is when you accept the conviction, acknowledge the indictment of this chapter, rather than skip over it, you instead own it, that is when you find grace, mercy in time of need. Without light you will never know how beautiful salvation is.
…4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. 6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.… Hebrews 10: 4-6
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