Biblical History

Daughters of the Same Mother (Part 1)

Dan

It was my observation while moving through Ezekiel that Chapter 23 provides a clear view of history from God’s perspective, inserting the moral dilemma of spiritual infidelity into the course of human actions. In this passage, we find both the corporate attitude of the people and the tragic outcomes of their choices fully explored. This is a very sad chapter, and it can be quite difficult to read if you have struggled personally with these things.

During the eras of Isaiah and Ezekiel, the Hebrews divided themselves into two separate kingdoms: Israel and Judah. The ten tribes of Israel had a population of approximately 450,000, while the two tribes of Judah had a population of roughly 100,000. Throughout the text, we see vivid metaphors of spiritual infidelity—likened to prostitution—as the root cause of their transgressions, using their respective capital cities as focal points for why the residents are ultimately brought to justice. This essay explores that narrative in four parts: first, by introducing the moral dilemma of both Israel and Judah; second, the story of Israel (Samaria); third, the story of Judah (Jerusalem); and fourth, the ultimate cause of their joint destruction. Let us begin at the beginning.

Ezekiel 23:2-4 says: “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land, their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed. The older [daughter] was named Oholah, and her [younger] sister was Oholibah. They were mine [my daughters] and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.” (NIV)

The elder sister, representing the ten tribes of Israel centered in Samaria, is called Oholah, which means “her own tent.” This name fits because they broke away and did not use the designated temple for worship. The younger sister, representing the two tribes of Judah centered in Jerusalem, is named Oholibah, meaning “my temple is in her,” because those tribes still had direct access to the temple of God.

This tragic image of a woman betraying her husband is not new to the prophetic books; we find it deeply explored in Hosea, written nearly two hundred years prior to the message of Ezekiel (see Hosea 1-3). We have also seen the historical flirting of Israel and Judah with their pagan neighbors—namely Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon. These compromising political and spiritual relationships were heavily chastised by earlier prophets (see Amos 5:18-27; Hosea 7:8-15; Isaiah 14; Jeremiah 19:7-15). The spiritual infidelity detailed in this chapter was central to each of those historical failures.

We also find this half-hearted behavior addressed later in Zechariah 7:5, which says: “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?’” (NIV).

The Hebrews have a long, documented history of offering mere lip service to the God of this universe. This specific cycle of spiritual infidelity dates all the way back to the wilderness, when the spies returned from Canaan with a faithless, negative report about the Promised Land. We read in Numbers 14:1 that the people cried out in dismay and wept aloud all night long. The Hebrews became intensely resistant and afraid.

Responding to their spiritual infidelity, Elohim replied: “How long is this going to go on, all this grumbling against me by this evil-infested community? I’ve had my fill of complaints from these grumbling Israelites. Tell them, As I live—God’s decree—here’s what I’m going to do: Your corpses are going to litter the wilderness—every one of you twenty years and older… this whole generation of grumblers and grousers. Not one of you will enter the land and make your home there, the firmly and solemnly promised land, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.” (Numbers 14:26-30, MSG)

As you may recall, after the death of King Solomon, the nation formally split into two kingdoms with two separate capitals: Samaria and Jerusalem. The stubborn obstinacy of the Hebrews had been in place for as long as they had been engaged in worshiping the one true living God. To help us understand the deep, cutting effect of sin, Elohim forces us to see the absolute worst of ourselves. It is a message that is incredibly hard to accept. Here, spiritual infidelity is presented in the basest, most shocking terms possible simply to capture our wandering attention. The focus of the message zeroes in on these two women, who are clearly identified by God as surrogates for Israel and Judah—the daughters of one mother.

When they were still united as one nation, their initial spiritual infidelity was committed with Egypt. Once they split into two separate kingdoms, they spread their affections to many surrounding pagan nations. Make no mistake, spiritual infidelity is the most grievous of all our human troubles. It actively wars against our soul, pulls us into thick darkness, infatuates our natural weaknesses, and twists our thoughts until we think good is harsh and bad is just right. It renders us odious in the sight of a holy God. This poison always starts in the hidden spiritual realm, and then inevitably migrates into our physical reality.

This is a profoundly difficult subject. The historical troubles of Israel and Judah were extreme, proving that spiritual infidelity is no small thing. Rejecting a God who is so fiercely willing to forgive and restore is difficult to comprehend. Yet, we still see that same rejection playing out all around us every single day. Elohim’s mercy is a wondrous thing. May we all choose to stay in His safe, holy place.

I choose Jesus.

The Dross of Silver

Dan

It was my observation in Ezekiel 22 that the message of Elohim becomes resolute. Bad stuff is at your doorstep. God tells His people that their defiance is soon to stop. Justice is the only remaining path. God tells us: I have offered you grace and mercy repeatedly. It is still on the table, but your defiance has hardened your heart. Only justice remains. You did this to yourself. I did not cause your troubles. You did!

These people were fully aware that Nebuchadnezzar was on the road. The Hebrews started moving from the hills toward the city for protection. They gathered together in the City of God—the city with walls that had never been defeated. They believed they were coming to a place of absolute safety. But then they find out they have gathered together for destruction. They were piling into a crucible, a forge, that was to hammer out all the dross from them. They are trapped by the very walls that were supposed to be their sanctuary.

Ezekiel 22:18-22 says: “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath on you.” (NIV)

If you meditate on the notion of the City of God and all that it was intended to be, this is indeed a sad message. The melancholy is intense. The various turns of rebellion are defined in metaphors, and the use of the concept of dross is incredibly powerful. They are to be consumed in fire. If you take some time and review the message presented in Psalm 119:113-120, you will see a very similar theme.

Notice the declination of the source of dross, moving from the finer metals down to the common base metals. This appears to represent the wide strata of sin and worldviews present among the Hebrew people. These people were clearly dull of mind. The dross tells us of the dirt, the rubbish, and the useless nature of their thinking and lifestyle. It shows the vile nature of their degenerate thought leaders, and the contemptible reach of their influence to drag others down into their pit. All of this is dross compared to the holiness of Elohim. Hence, they have become useless for any service to man, and they are only suitable as firewood. These are hard words for me to write. I shudder because we deserve this same fate. May the mercy of God truly be everlasting. Selah.

We see the full wrath of Elohim defined in terms they understand. His wrath is kindled in a furnace—the very city Elohim established for them to be a candle on a candle stand. Now they are contained within a raging fire, soon to be destroyed, never to be seen again at the level of culture and beauty that God intended for them. This honor is moved to a new group, the Church, through a new covenant of grace. Elohim plans to rebuild again. His point is clear: He is full of mercy, but He will not be dismissed.

His mercy is forever, yet He requires honesty, walking in mercy, walking in humility, and treating others in a just way while showing kindness and forbearance. He delivers blessings in return. Elohim will provide the tools you need to walk with Him. Elohim tells us: I fill you with my Spirit, I write my laws upon your heart with the blood of Jesus, and I provide the ransom necessary to purchase your life.

What do I require from you? Nothing. Please exercise your free will to follow me. That is it. Take my yoke upon yourself and I will give you rest. Lordship and resurrection equal salvation, as noted in Romans 10:9. That is the whole story.  Yield your hearts and Elohim will meet you with an amazing life…

I choose Jesus.

Mark out Two Roads for the King of Babylon

Dan

It was my observation in Ezekiel chapter 21 (also in Jeremiah 39) that the end of Jerusalem came to pass. The very idols pursued by Babylon and the rebellious Hebrews were consulted to decide what the King of Babylon should do next. When you read this passage, savor each sentence. Notice how Elohim can use anyone and anything to bring about His plan. He owns everything!

Ezekiel must have chuckled a bit when he first heard this message from Elohim. He was well aware that intense hardship was coming for his people, but the specific details caused him to think deeply. In Ezekiel’s mind, he could see the Babylonian army on the move, marching toward the walls of Jerusalem.

The Hebrews confidently believed their walls would hold, as noted in Lamentations 4:12. But Ezekiel knew better. He could see the decision point coming for the Babylonians. He could see the literal fork in the road. He could see the liver of a sacrificed animal being examined by pagan soothsayers. He could see the Babylonians scratching their beards, gradually deciding which city to attack first.

We should be clear in our thinking; this was not an “either-or” decision for the King of Babylon. It was a “who is first” decision. The King’s army was on the road to crush a widespread rebellion. Both target groups were part of that rebellion. From a tactical view, the King made the correct military decision: cut off the head of the leadership first, and the rest of the rebellion will collapse in time.

Consider how the Israeli military handled its strategy in 2024. Did they not do the exact same thing, minus the liver analysis? Did they get the tactical idea from this ancient passage? Perhaps. The strategy remains highly effective: neutralize one major threat, then systematically move to the next.

Ezekiel 21:19-24 outlines the scene perfectly: “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost where the road branches off to the city. Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: he will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works. It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.” (NIV)

This is what I think, never doubt the awesome power or the deliberate will of Elohim to achieve His objectives. Never assume you know the only way He will work to solve a problem or cause an event to happen. Never underestimate His creative methods to execute His will and demonstrate His absolute control over history. Do we have free will? Yes, we do. Can our actions and our surroundings be influenced by the Almighty? Absolutely. Selah!

It is notable that King Nebuchadnezzar faced the exact same decision-making issues we face today: incomplete data to render a sound judgment. So, what did he do? He leveraged his soothsayers. Even though he was a ruler with great foresight and sharp political acumen, he had very little knowledge of what was actually in his own best interest. We are reminded by this history to avoid relying on powerful men who stand with their heads held high, wallowing in self-perceived strength. Even the world’s greatest leaders seldom know what truly needs to be done.

I suspect Nebuchadnezzar might have been a bit embarrassed to resort to animal innards to make a military choice. Consider the implication: he was deciding the fate of entire empires based on the ancient equivalent of a modern-day coin toss or the roll of a few dice. His grand decision tools were reduced to a couple of arrows and the random markings on animal organs. What a sad reality.

I say to you, is that the way you want to live your life—making random decisions based on happenstance, or resting secure in Elohim’s plan? Look closely at this situation. The Hebrews experienced a devastating day because they misused their right to exercise free will. Goodness!

As for me, I choose Jesus.

Like a Fragrant Incense

Dan

It was my observation that Ezekiel 20 provides an interesting view into God’s thoughts concerning rebellion and restoration. He takes a rather pragmatic view towards the practice of sin and the fragile nature of the human mind. He makes it clear the Hebrews have no more power to protect themselves than the Babylonians do (consider the things Cyrus will soon implement in Babylon).

I was reminded of 1 Kings 18:18-21; where we find a conversation between Ahab and Elijah. Ahab calls Elijah a troubler, Elijah replies I am no such thing. You abandoned God and took up Baal. Then speaking to a large group of Hebrews, Elijah was clear – he asked them how long they would waffle between two viewpoints. If Elohim is the Lord of their life, follow him; if Baal is their God, follow Baal, but get on with it, make a decision! It is very unwise to fake a relationship with God and act out the part – we must avoid contaminating his name with fake offerings and gifts (also see Amos 5:21-27).

The listeners of Ezekiel were standing naked, swimming in foolishness, for the most part unaware of the troubles coming. Soon God will separate the sheep in their midst from the imposters. He will cause them to pass through a threshold, where he determines who is part of the Remnant (Leviticus 27:32). He will isolate the rebels from the sheep, those who have brought grief, scandal, and calamity to the flock. They will be isolated and dispersed into the wilderness. They have no place in the promised land nor will they access the safe haven God has provided during their time in Babylon. The judgement of God will find them and vanquish them.

Ezekiel 20:38-44 says – I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. … Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols, for on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. … Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors. There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done. You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord [NIV].

And now we see his Grace in action. He will help them find the path to repentance and restoration. They come to understand the full depth of their rebellion. They learn how gracious God really is as they begin to walk with him. They find truth and deep joy in their walk. Their happiness points to a prevailing disposition for God’s service. Now, their offerings and fruit are found to be acceptable at the altar.

Now as they learn about the gracious attitude of God towards them, they are overcome with his kindness, the blush as the recall their poor attitudes and rebellion towards the one true living God. In his mercy he tells them of the wonderful things that will be found on the holy mountain of God. He will reveal himself to them, they shall know firsthand of his power and majesty. They shall know firsthand of his kindness and faithful ness to his covenant – he will keep his oath. They will grow as the days pass into a much deeper walk with him. They learn that he nurtures his people that they may glorify him through their service, that he may be known as the God who pardons sin and keeps his promises (see Psalms 126:3). That the people around those he blesses, take notice, and know that God is on the move.  I choose Jesus.

Boasting Leads to Trouble

Dan

It was my observation that the informal lamenting by Ezekiel is now being authored by God. In the case of chapter 19, the lamentation is about the leaders of Jerusalem. When we read in this lamentation about princes of Israel, I think we are talking about a king. I think God calls the king ‘a prince’ as a ‘dig’. He has no respect for them. Some interpreters seem to think we are reading about Jehoahaz the lion and Jehoiachin the cub that became a strong lion.

Ezekiel begins the message and listens as much as he speaks. I suspect he takes the message to heart. Ezekiel grieves as he observes the Hebrew kings mistreat their people. He grieves that the kings do not place a value on the covenant of God.

Ezekiel 19:1-9 says — Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel and say: What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay down among them and reared her cubs. She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a man-eater. The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt. When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, he took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion. He prowled among the lions, for he was now a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a man-eater. [NIV]

The story behind the lamentation begins in the early days of Israel’s transition from Judges to Kings. The Hebrews had problems when Eli (a judge), getting older, appointed his two sons as judges. They turned out to be unacceptable (1 Samuel 2:22-25). I suspect that Eli the Judge knew his sons were problematic, perhaps he hoped the role would raise their behavior to an acceptable level. But, alas, it did not. His sons did not walk with God, rather they pursued personal gain. They took bribes and thwarted justice. The boys had real problems so God removed them (1 Samuel 2:12-36).

Samuel was next in line. Fast forward to 1 Samuel 8, we see more problems with the Judges and we get to the point of this line of reasoning. Israel rejects Samuel as a Judge. Samuel had similar issues with his sons as Eli did. By now the Hebrews were done with the system of Judges. They wanted something different. At this point things get messy. The Hebrew elders visited Samuel’s home and mentioned that Samuel was getting older and his sons were troublesome. They had lost confidence in the system of Judges. They wanted Samuel to appoint a king (1 Samuel 8:4-5). This caused Samuel much displeasure, he complained to God.

The reply to Samuel was simple — Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim his rights. (see 1 Samuel 8:7-9).

And claim his rights the king did. Look again at the passage from Ezekiel. We see a leader who is abusing his power and abusing his people. The King has claimed his rights.  A horrid mess was created when the Hebrews started the gradual separation from the path God set for them. The nation died from a gradual decline and a thousand cuts. The Hebrew line of kings turned out to be a trail of tears that lead to the exile. There were bright spots of hope, but we know that many of the kings were near vipers. It is remarkable that God offered grace and mercy all through this period to his people. It is equally remarkable they often resisted the offer of mercy. I choose Jesus.

Figuring out the Unknown Unknowns

Dan

It has been my observation while reading The Book of Job, Chapter 28 is a subtle but remarkable chapter about God’s wisdom. When I first reviewed the chapter, I was able to barely discern the message. It took several passes and a look at other writers who had already passed through the chapter to form an opinion. Before I start on chapter 28, we need to amass a few basic ideas on operations from God’s viewpoint.  John Piper said, — “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” The 9,997 are unknown unknowns. God works many unknown operations all around us.

Please indulge me to provide additional insight from my military heritage. Donald Rumsfeld was well known for teaching leaders the three basic categories of battlefield awareness: (A) Stuff we know for sure in detail (known knowns), (B) Stuff we need to learn about (Known unknowns), and (C) Stuff we do not know about and are not trying to discover. (unknown unknowns). With these two tidbits of intel from Piper and Rumsfeld, let us take a brief look at Job 28.

In the chapters that precede Job 28, Job and his friends are engaged in a debate, his friends don’t think anything is unknown. To them Job’s situation is all known knowns. They think they have it all figured out. They think it is a simple case of a personal sin causing his suffering. But from Job’s vantage point, he does not embrace the barrage from his friends, and he knows some righteous people suffer, and some unrighteous people do not seem to suffer. For Job, his situation is a known unknown. More importantly, we know from reading chapter 1 and 2 the actual problem is an unknown unknown; Job and his friends about the conversation were unaware of the conversation between God and Lucifer. But we know. That conversation is documented to help us gain insight into the operations of God, from God’s viewpoint.

Job 1:8 and 2:3 The Lord said to Lucifer, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” The truth was the opposite of what they were saying: Job was suffering because he was so righteous. He’s like the tree that rose above all the others and ended up being struck by lightning as a result. By the time we finish reading chapter 27, Job was weary of the friendly platitudes presented as wisdom. He wanted real wisdom. Look at Job 28:12 “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?  Job 28:20 “From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is this place of understanding?

I believe that God desires us to have knowledge (known knowns) of Elohim and what is expected of us. To be obedient, we first should know the author of the directives and know the directives. Without knowledge, what hope do we have to become willing servants? But there is trouble when we equate knowledge with wisdom. Knowing facts and platitudes is not the same as having wisdom. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.” God blesses us with wisdom so we can glorify Him and deploy the knowledge we have of Him.

We gather Knowledge over time from Scriptures. Wisdom is knowing how to properly use knowledge to serve God. Proverbs 1:7 speaks of both knowledge and wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge … fools despise wisdom and instruction.” To fear (to respect) the Lord is to say — “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Knowledge identifies a snare in our path, wisdom determines how to disarm and avoid the snare.  In my next post we explore how to look for true wisdom.

I choose Jesus.

Are my Ways Unjust?

Dan

It was my observation that at some point there is a three-way conversation going in between God and Ezekiel and the Hebrews. In some cases, God is talking to Ezekiel about feelings concerning the mutterings of the Hebrews. God is not surprised; he knew how this would play out before creation. But still, he converses with Ezekiel to make his point.

In this passage we are about to read, something interesting happens. God turns the tables. He is clear, he knows the ordinances the Hebrews have put into place to represent their idols. He knows they have failed to follow their own rules. They are guilty in accordance with both sets of ordinances, not just the ordinances put into place by God. God tells them to pay attention to their own ordinances and repent, for they are failing by the numbers on all fronts. Goodness, what a mess. One thing is for sure, God’s action is justified, they will fall from their own words. In their arrogance they have buried themselves.

Ezekiel 18: 29-32 says — Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! [NIV]

The Hebrews have decided God’s way is unjust. The Hebrews say God is not being fair. Goodness, this is nothing but blasphemy. How can they not see the issue. Rather than owning their rebellion, they say they are walking the straight and narrow (as defined by them). They are the righteous ones. God is at fault not them. Oh my! If God is the definition of moral truth, then how can God be wrong. There is no court higher in this universe or any other universe they can take their case to. He is the Court!

We are not without precedent for this type of thinking today. How many times have you listen to somebody rail against the unfairness of God’s plan, how his ancient wisdom is no longer valid for homosexuality, open marriages, war, free will, absolute truth, honoring parents, lust, and self-control to name a few.  Is this not the same thing the Hebrews were doing?

Consider God turning the tables on us and judging us by our new and improved morality. Does not the current ‘anti morality crowd’ have the same problem? They have no court to bring their case to. There is nothing in this universe that will cause God to bend his knee. Selah.

I think that God’s reasoning is gracious. He takes the time to explain his position and then offers an wide range of rules to abide by. Rules they created on their own. And still, they are guilty of not following their own ‘homemade’ rules.

And so, we have the conclusion of this matter. We can hear God saying — ‘I have done you no wrong. Rather, you have wronged yourself by your own behavior and your own rules’. A fair trial has been accomplished. The verdict has landed on God’s side. The judgement shall be rendered. One would think that God would launch a thunderbolt and send them to the pits of Hell. But instead, one last time, he offers mercy. He shows the hand of graciousness, of kindness, and a full pardon to the Hebrews if only they would repent. It is hard to not feel the sadness of the moment as the Hebrews raise their fist in defiance one last time. They wallow in pride and choose death. I choose Jesus.