Ezekiel 16 -- God's Description Of His People In Jerusalem As A Prostitute

The history of God’s people in Jerusalem from His perspective is not a pretty sight.  He portrays them as an unwanted newborn tossed out in a field.  He picked up the baby and gave it life and made it grow.  God betrothed the young woman to Himself and intended for her to have a beautiful life, richly clothing her.  “Your beauty was perfect because of the glory I gave you,” God said.

She trusted in her own beauty, though, rather than in God, and like a prostitute, she used the desire the other nations felt for her blessings from God to draw them in to sin sexually with them, committing spiritual adultery against God by worshiping their idols.  Unlike a prostitute, who gets paid, she paid others to have sex with her!

That speaks of an absolute lack of any self-esteem and seeking to fill the God-shaped hole in the heart with anything or anyone but God.

But God also promises to remember His agreement with His people and to continue it forever.  They will feel ashamed when they remember what they’ve done to Him, and He will forgive them for all the things they have done.  That’s an unconditional promise.  Only God could have that much love.  Only God could forgive than much sin against Him.  Only God could restore such a self-destroyed relationship.  And we are to love only God.

Father, I surely can’t say that I’m any better than Jerusalem in this chapter.  I’ve disappointed and disrespected You over the years, and I too have openly rebelled against You.  I too was totally unworthy of Your grace, and yet You showed it to me anyway.  You drew me to Yourself, cleaned me up, and made me useful to You again.  I cannot thank You enough for loving me when I was so unlovely.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford