We continue reading the dark and gloomy picture of Israel’s spiritual adultery in Ezekiel chapter 16. It’s as if Ezekiel doesn’t have enough words to describe their total depravity.
“‘Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood, therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked. I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger’ (Ezekiel 16:35-38).
Again Ezekiel pleaded with his people, “hear the word of the Lord!”
God stated charges against Israel and the sentence for their punishment.
Charges:
- They freely gave their wealth to pagan nations.
- They exposed their land by inviting pagan religions in.
- They set up detestable idols, against God’s holy law that He is the Only One True God to worship.
- They sacrificed their children’s blood.
Punishment:
- God would gather the pagan nations Israel embraced as well as those they hated.
- The context supports the idea of a public assembly.
- The Lord would strip Israel of her wealth and finery from God in front of all the nations.
- He would expose their disgrace and shame.1
- All the pagan nations would see Israel’s devastation.
The sentence:
- The same as those caught in adultery:
- The same as those who shed blood of others:
- God’s fury and zeal as an instrument of wrath.2
- God’s jealous anger, as one whose bride caught in adultery.
How do people today “invite pagan religions” into their lives?
Why is God so jealous for His people?
“‘Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked. They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords. They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers’ (Ezekiel 16:39-41).
- God described additional details of Israel’s sentencing and punishment for committing spiritual adultery against Him.
- God would force a “separation” so to speak, by handing them over to the pagan nations.
- Israel’s “lovers”-turned-enemies would destroy the high places of worship.
- They would take Israel’s material possessions and earthly wealth.
- God would use the pagan nations to actively punish Israel.
- A mob would come against them, stone them, and cut them with swords.
- The mob would burn their dwellings.
- Many nations would witness Israel’s punishment and destruction.
Why do you think the pagan nations turned and destroyed Israel’s high places of worship?
Why did God allow the nations to witness and participate in Israel’s punishment?
‘Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry’ (Ezekiel 16:42).
- God would be still after He inflicted His wrath on Israel.
- He would lay His anger to rest.3
- God said after He completed His punishment, He would no longer be angry.4
What mental picture do you have from verse 42?
What is the significance of God’s Words in this verse?
“‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?’ (Ezekiel 16:43)
- Israel forgot the days of their youth. Often when young people enter into a relationship with God, they are zealous and on fire. As time passes, it’s easy to allow daily life to eclipse their dedication and joyful faith.
- Israel strayed away from God on a wayward path, chasing after pagan gods.
- God would surely heap punishment on them for all their detestable practices.
- Not only were their actions sinful, they were intentional.
- The word “lewdness” includes the concept of “plans and purposes of the mind which give rise to one’s actions.”5 In this case, idolatry was connected in God’s mind to adultery.
- Jesus said,
“What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person” (Mark 7:20-23).
- James explained the concept this way,
“but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15).
How does our sin nature—thoughts and heart attitudes—lead us into transgression against God?
How can we break the cycle of sinful thoughts and behavior and turn back to God’s straight path? 
‘Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done’ (Ezekiel 16:44-48).
- The nations spoke against Israel: “Like mother, like daughter.”
- God explained how this proverb applied to Israel.
- They loathed their husband, the Lord, and their children.
- They followed in the ways of their “sister,” Samaria, who did the same.
- God declared Israel behaved as if their mother was a Hittite and their father an Amorite.
- Israel copied their pagan practices and became even more corrupt than the surrounding nations.
What do we allow to corrupt us?
“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous’ (Ezekiel 16:49-52).
- God continued his judgment of Israel.
- Sodom’s sins: arrogance, gluttony, lack of mercy, pride, practicing abominations before the Lord.
- They lived a life of excessive ease and false security in their “righteousness.”6
- God destroyed Sodom.
- Samaria appeared righteous compared to Israel.
- God called Israel to bear their disgrace and endure shame for their depravity that made a neighboring pagan nation appear righteous by comparison.
How do people today have a false sense of security and righteousness?
Lest these readings become too disturbing and lengthy, we’ll take one more week to read to the end of chapter 16.
Let’s refocus on the One who endured shame for our unrighteousness, 
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).
- Warren Baker, D.R.E., General Editor. The Complete Word Study Old Testament (King James Version). (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1994) 870
- Ibid., 1000
- Ibid., Bible Hub. Interlinear Bible: Hebrew. 2004-2024. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ezekiel/16-42.htm
- Baker, 519
5 293
6 1145, 1193