Text: Ezekiel 16<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. A vision to let Jerusalem understand the depth of her abomination<\/p>\n
A. A common theme – Isaiah 58:1; Hosea 8:1<\/p>\n
B. Jerusalem is a representation of all of Israel<\/p>\n
II. Her birth – Ezekiel 16:3-6<\/p>\n
A. Spiritual, Jerusalem is born of the Canaanites. – Isaiah 1:3-4<\/p>\n 1. To acknowledge their physical descent from Abraham would dishonor\nAbraham.\n 2. The nations picked as “parents” were the ones most idolatrous, powerful,\nand the ones God selected for destruction -Genesis 15:16; Joshua 1:4;\nAmos 2:9\n B. At birth, she was immediately rejected. Her mother did not even cut the umbilical\ncord, nor washed the child of the birth blood, nor tenderly clothed.\n 1. Description is that of common method of abortion in ancient days. A child\nleft to die at birth, usually because of some deformity – Hosea 2:3\n
2. God’s promise – Leviticus 18:24-28<\/p>\n
3. God did not select Israel because of their greatness – Deuteronomy 7:6-8<\/p>\n
4. Not because of their righteousness – Deuteronomy 9:4<\/p>\n
5. Similar to our own election – Romans 5:8<\/p>\n
C. God saw and was compassionate and cause Israel to live<\/p>\n
1. God brought Israel out of Egypt – Exodus 19:4-6<\/p>\n
2. God chooses whom he will have compassion – Romans 9:15<\/p>\n
3. What God has done for us – Ephesians 2:4-5<\/p>\n
III. Her growth – Ezekiel 16:7<\/p>\n
A. Israel thrived under God’s care – Exodus 1:7; 12:37; Deuteronomy 1:10<\/p>\n
B. Yet it started naked and bare, unable to protect itself – Hosea 2:3<\/p>\n
IV. God’s blessing upon her – Ezekiel 16:8-14<\/p>\n
A. When Israel was full grown, God took her under His protection – Exodus 19:5<\/p>\n
1. Spreading the skirt appears to be a courtship ritual – Ruth 3:9<\/p>\n
2. Hosea 11:1; Jeremiah 31:3; 2:2<\/p>\n
B. He entered a covenant with Israel – Exodus 24:6-8<\/p>\n
1. He became a husband to them – Jeremiah 31:32<\/p>\n
2. As Christ the church – Ephesians 5:23<\/p>\n
C. He cleansed her – Psalm 51:7<\/p>\n
1. Just as we are cleansed – Ephesians 5:25-27; Acts 22:16; I Corinthians 6:11<\/p>\n
D. Anointed or marked as selected – Psalm 45:7; 23:5<\/p>\n
1. Same for the Christian – II Corinthians 1:21<\/p>\n
E. Clothed in salvation – Isaiah 61:10<\/p>\n
1. Same for the Christian – Revelation 3:18; 19:8<\/p>\n
F. Jeweled as a bride – Proverbs 1:9<\/p>\n
1. Like the gifts given to Rachel – Genesis 24:22, 47<\/p>\n
G. Well fed, living in luxury – Deuteronomy 32:13-14; Psalm 81:16<\/p>\n
1. She was beautiful – Psalm 48:2; 50:2<\/p>\n
2. She was royalty, since God was her husband – I Samuel 12:12<\/p>\n
3. Famous – Deuteronomy 4:6-8<\/p>\n
V. Israel’s unfaithfulness – Ezekiel 16:15-22<\/p>\n A. Forgot past and felt is was their own doing – Deuteronomy 32:15-17; Isaiah 1:21;\nMicah 3:11\n
B. They took God’s blessings and used it for idolatry – Hosea 2:8-13<\/p>\n
C. She wasn’t choosy about whom she worshiped – Jeremiah 3:1-2, 6; Psalm 106:35<\/p>\n
D. The more she had, the worse she became – Hosea 10:1<\/p>\n
E. Committed spiritual adultery – Jeremiah 3:9<\/p>\n
F. She used things dedicated to God for idol worship – Ezekiel 16:18-19<\/p>\n
G. Israel even went so far as to give the children God blessed them with to idols<\/p>\n
1. Children are a blessing from God – Psalm 127:3<\/p>\n
2. Sacrificing children – II Kings 16:3; Psalm 106:37-38; Isaiah 57:5<\/p>\n
3. Something God never asked – Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5; 32:35; Leviticus 20:1-5<\/p>\n
H. Through it all Israel forgot her humble beginnings.<\/p>\n
VI. The extent of Israel’s unfaithfulness – Ezekiel 16:23-29<\/p>\n A. God sees disaster ahead for Israel, but Israel moved deeper into her sins – Jeremiah\n13:27\n
B. They have set up places of idol worship – II Kings 21:3-7<\/p>\n 1. Commentators note that the wording is the same as a brothel (house of\nprostitution). Their idols were often served by sexual acts.\n
2. Jeremiah 2:20; 3:2; Isaiah 57:3-9<\/p>\n C. God compares Israel to a worn out prostitute who will take anyone – Proverbs\n9:13-18\n
1. So steeped in sin that it is no longer hidden – Isaiah 3:9; Jeremiah 6:15<\/p>\n
D. It is not just idolatry. Israel has also been making treaties with foreign nations<\/p>\n
1. Isaiah 30:1-2; 31:1; Hosea 5:13; 7:11; Jeremiah 2:18<\/p>\n 2. Egypt looks attractive (large fleshly manhood), but also indicating depth of\nEgypt’s sins.\n
3. Tried to take the wining side – II Chronicles 28:23<\/p>\n E. God threatens to diminish their allotment, their privileges, like a husband\ndiminishing the rights of his wayward wife.\n 1. God said that even the Philistines were acting better than they – Jeremiah\n2:11\n 2. The Philistines despised Israel’s behavior and were used to punish Israel –\nII Chronicles 28:18-19; Isaiah 9:12\n
VII. Israel is worse than a harlot – Ezekiel 16:30-34<\/p>\n
A. They have long acted as a harlot – Judges 2:17-19<\/p>\n
B. Israel is degenerate – Jeremiah 4:22<\/p>\n C. In reality they were worse than a harlot. A harlot demands pay for her deeds. Israel\noffered payment to her lovers – Jeremiah 2:25; Hosea 8:9-10\n
1. Sending tribute to others – Isaiah 30:6<\/p>\n
2. A danger for Christians – II Corinthians 11:2-3<\/p>\n
VIII. God’s judgment – Ezekiel 16:35-43<\/p>\n
A. Because of your filthiness (literally copper or bronze) – Ezekiel 16:36<\/p>\n 1. Some commentators and translators believe it is a reference to the hire of a\nprostitute.\n 2. Others see it as a cheap metal and therefore a cheap behavior (brazen\nexcess)\n
3. Jeremiah 13:22-27<\/p>\n
B. Because of the innocent blood shed in idol worship – Jeremiah 2:34<\/p>\n C. God will use the very nations whom Israel sought alliances with and sought after\ntheir idols to punish them, along with her enemies. – Ezekiel 16:37; Hosea 2:10;\nNahum 3:5; Ezekiel 23:9-10, 27-30\n 1. Israel will be treated as an unfaithful wife – Genesis 38:24; Leviticus 20:10;\nJohn 8:3-5\n
2. Or as a murderer is treated – Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:12; Leviticus 20:1-5<\/p>\n
3. The nation will be stripped – Ezekiel 23:26; Isaiah 3:16-24<\/p>\n
a. Clothing (walls, protection)<\/p>\n
b. Jewels (wealth, items in temple)<\/p>\n
4. They will be attacked by armies – Jeremiah 25:9<\/p>\n 5. Their homes would be burnt – Jeremiah 39:8; 52:13; II Kings 25:9 (all same\nevent)\n
6. A public punishment – Job 34:26; I Timothy 5:20<\/p>\n 7. The purpose is to turn Israel away from idolatry and treating with other\nnations.\n
8. God’s wrath would not be permanent – Isaiah 54:9-10<\/p>\n
D. They forgot their origin – Psalm 78:42<\/p>\n
E. God returns what they deserved – Ezekiel 9:10; 11:21; 22:31; Isaiah 63:10<\/p>\n
1. Warning to Christians – Ephesians 4:30<\/p>\n
F. It will not be passed on – Leviticus 19:29<\/p>\n
IX. Family resemblance – Ezekiel 16:44-51<\/p>\n
A. Jerusalem is just like her mother, the Hittite – Ezekiel 16:3<\/p>\n 1. God warned them not to follow the customs of the previous people –\nLeviticus 18:24-30\n
2. They used the idols of Canaan – Psalm 106:38<\/p>\n
3. She hated her husband (God) and children – Romans 1:30 <\/p>\n
a. The Canaanites did at one time worship God – Genesis 14:18<\/p>\n
b. Hatred of children seen in child sacrifices<\/p>\n
B. She is like her sisters, Samaria and Sodom<\/p>\n
1. A repeated charge – Deuteronomy 32:28-33; Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 3:8-11<\/p>\n 2. Samaria is called “older” because she is most like Jerusalem and is more\nsignificant.\n
3. Their daughters are the other cities around them.<\/p>\n
4. Both were destroyed by God<\/p>\n 5. Jerusalem didn’t just commit the same abominations, she did worse – II\nKings 21:9; Matthew 11:20-24\n
C. Sodom fell because of wealth – Genesis 13:10; Isaiah 3:9; Amos 6:3-6<\/p>\n
1. I Timothy 6:6-10<\/p>\n
2. James 2:5-7; 5:1-6<\/p>\n
3. It creates a lack of concern for the poor<\/p>\n
D. God punished them – Genesis 19; II Peter 2:6; Jude 7<\/p>\n 1. Jerusalem has done worse than Samaria or Sodom – Lamentations 4:6;\nJeremiah 3:11\n
2. By comparison, Jerusalem is making Samaria and Sodom look good<\/p>\n
X. God will restore but humbled – Ezekiel 16:52-63<\/p>\n
A. Jerusalem looked down on Samaria and Sodom – Romans 2:1; Matthew 7:1-2<\/p>\n B. The same must happen to Jerusalem because her great evil “justified” Samaria and\nSodom. She must suffer her chosen fate. – Amos 4:11\n C. At the end of captivity, Jerusalem will return with the remnant of Samaria and\nSodom. She will not be treated any better.\n 1. Moab and Ammon, descendants of Lot, sole survivor of Sodom, would be\nrestored – Jeremiah 48:47; 49:6\n
2. Christ removed the distinction – Romans 10:12; 11:13-31<\/p>\n
3. It will bring humility – Ezekiel 14:22-23<\/p>\n
D. Israel will gain a reputation, just like Sodom’s – Jeremiah 22:8-9; II Peter 2:6<\/p>\n
E. They will be humbled as in the past – II Chronicles 28:5, 18-19; Isaiah 9:11-12<\/p>\n
1. They will have paid for their sins – Lamentations 5:7; Ezekiel 23:49<\/p>\n
F. They had broke the covenant – Deuteronomy 29:10-15; Exodus 24:7-8<\/p>\n
1. They received what they deserved – Isaiah 3:11; Jeremiah 2:19<\/p>\n G. But because of that same covenant, God will relent – Psalm 106:45; Leviticus\n26:40-45; Jeremiah 33:20-26\n 1. That very kindness will bring them shame because God will treat them\nequal to other past, great sinners – Romans 3:3\n 2. It will not be because of the broken covenant, but because of God’s mercy\nand the new covenant He will establish – Jeremiah 31:31-34\n
3. Daughters of all nations – Isaiah 2:2-3; Ephesians 3:6<\/p>\n
H. Others brought in to make them ashamed – Romans 11:11<\/p>\n
1. Removing all excuse – Job 40:4-5; Lamentations 3:39; Romans 3:19<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrior Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEzekiel\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNext Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jerusalem as an Unfaithful Woman Text: Ezekiel 16 I. A vision to let Jerusalem understand the depth of her abomination A. A common theme – Isaiah 58:1; Hosea 8:1 B. Jerusalem is a representation of all of Israel II. Her birth – Ezekiel 16:3-6 A. Spiritual, Jerusalem is born of the Canaanites. – Isaiah 1:3-4 1. To acknowledge their physical…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":14352,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-38354","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14352,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/","url_meta":{"origin":38354,"position":0},"title":"A Study of Ezekiel","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 27, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"A Study of Ezekiel by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The following are my class notes for teaching Ezekiel here in La Vista. They are presented here in hopes of helping you with your own study of Ezekiel. Contents Background to Ezekiel The Vision of Jehovah (Ezekiel 1) Ezekiel's Call to Preach\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/EzekielPreaching-239x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":35899,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/the-siege-of-jerusalem-begins\/","url_meta":{"origin":38354,"position":1},"title":"The Siege of Jerusalem Begins","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The Seige of Jerusalem Begins Text: Ezekiel 24 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We now begin the fourth set of prophecies (Ezekiel 1:2; 8:1; 20:1) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is now the ninth year, tenth month, and tenth day of the month \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02 years and 5 months since the beginning of the last set. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a04 years and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":64738,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/judgment-on-elders-and-jerusalem\/","url_meta":{"origin":38354,"position":2},"title":"Judgment on Elders and Jerusalem","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Judgment on Elders and Jerusalem Text: Ezekiel 14:1-15:8 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The elders - Ezekiel 14:1-11 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The elders gathered around Ezekiel to seek advice from God - Ezekiel 20:1, Jeremiah 42:20-21 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God, however, is insulted that idolatrous men come asking the true God - Jeremiah 7:8-11 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They were worshiping idols in their\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":64684,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/judgment-on-jerusalem\/","url_meta":{"origin":38354,"position":3},"title":"Judgment on Jerusalem","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Judgment on Jerusalem Text: Ezekiel 4:1-5:17 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The siege of Jerusalem \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ezekiel was to get a brick (or clay tile) and etch a city on it. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0One ancient source mentioned bricks being two feet long, one foot wide and four inches thick. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Around it he was to create a model\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69600,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-isaiah\/woe-to-jerusalem\/","url_meta":{"origin":38354,"position":4},"title":"Woe to Jerusalem","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Woe to Jerusalem Text: Isaiah 29 Jerusalem Will Be Brought Low - Isaiah 29:1-4 Jerusalem is called Ariel, \"The Lion of God.\" It took comfort in being the city of David and the place where God's worship was centered. But despite that, it will undergo distress as a foreign army\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":64732,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/gods-response-to-evil\/","url_meta":{"origin":38354,"position":5},"title":"God’s Response to Evil","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"God's Response to Evil Text: Ezekiel 10:1-11:25 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Scattering coals over the city - Ezekiel 10:1-7 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ezekiel\u2019s attention is now returned to the throne of God \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The description is similar to that found in chapter 1 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ezekiel later states it is the same - Ezekiel 10:15 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The description is to\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38354\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}