Ezekiel

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.

Those who Escape will Remember Me

Dan

It was my observation that Israel had been the Jewel in God’s eye, but Ezekiel (chapter 6) declares they were polluted in their thinking and their actions. Their worship of the most high had become wallowing in the mud of idolatry. For reasons that seemed foolish they had rejected the realness and beauty of the one true living God for wooden and stone models of a god ‘made up’ by humans.

You might think the Hebrew nation is going to crash and burn. A sad ending indeed. But this is not the ending. God’s grace will prevail. There will be a remnant. A few will remain faithful, they will suffer along with the rest of the Hebrews, but they will not perish. Their hearts will not be extinguished. God will shelter them from the deepest troubles. They will pass through the fire unblemished.

Ezekiel 6:8-10 says — But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations. Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices. And they will know that I am the Lord; I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them [NIV].

If you take a look at Isaiah 1:9 we see the same theme. The entire group deserves to be cut off, but by grace, God maintains a remnant. Some will die by the sword but some will escape. None of the people marked to fall by the sword escaped, they put their trust in the walls of the city rather than the God of the city. Their shame of trusting wood, mud and stone was their fall.  Those who trusted God, were spared and their seed became the new inhabitants of the City of God.

God’s patience left them room for repentance and for receiving forgiveness. Those who repented, escaped death, he gave them life for their repentance. This story is an encouragement to us that repentance matters. We mess up, we repent, we find forgiveness and restoration. We find a path to weather the storm and find the eye of the hurricane. It is clear this remnant was marked for salvation. God, in his foreknowledge knew who was trusting the walls of the city and who was trusting God. They were made safe by God’s mercy through their repentance.

Please understand, they did suffer, they were carried off as captives, but this was better than death. They were driven out of the promised land but not out of God’s hand. We need to learn from this small patch of history. True repentance shall be accepted by the one true living God. In this light, our troubles are permitted by God who uses the troubles to bring us back to him. Our troubles reinforce the need to repent and demonstrate the depth of his grace and mercy. We make a mess, he cleans it up, but we are wise to never think that repenting is a ‘get out of jail’ card. Sometimes we are simply placed in the eye of the hurricane while the storm rages on. We walk through the valley of death, our God is with us, even there in our deepest troubles. We rest in his peace.

Sin starts when we lose sight of God (implied Jeremiah 3:21). Repentance starts when we restore our gaze upon him. His mercy brings himself to our mind. We respond. Grace finds us in our deepest mess, he brings us hope, he brings us mercy, he brings us out. We resist, he persists. We take the role of the prodigal, we head home, and he runs out to meet us. My friends, make no mistake. God will cause us to know we are in deep trouble, that he is Lord of all, and then provide the opportunity (our choice) for repentance (and a safe haven) or complete chaos. What do you pray for? A safe haven. Let God manage the problems. Find his peace. Move towards his peace. This leads to life. 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.

The Day You were Born as a Nation

Dan

It was my observation in Ezekiel 16 that God was feeling sorrow for the impending destruction of Jerusalem. A parent knows what must be done to help a child even if the punishment is painful, so does Adonai. Previously (in chapter 15) Ezekiel compared Jerusalem to a vine that bears no fruit. Now we look back when God first spoke to Abraham about becoming a father of many nations. God compares the Hebrews to a loose woman who needs to be held accountable for her actions. Part of the accountability is to be sure they understood why the judgements were happening and to remove any and all mitigation they might offer to repel the judgements as unfair. Let us begin.

Ezekiel 16: 1-14 says — Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in clothes. No one looked at you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. … You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord. [NIV]

I think Ezekiel was already in Babylon when this message came to him. It feels more like a conversation over coffee between two friends rather than a message. By this time, Jeremiah was also present in Babylon. The two of them were both working for God, getting the message out. They told the Hebrews to stay calm in the exile, they often focused on the remnant, bringing hope for the future. On the other hand, their message for the rebel Hebrews still in Jerusalem and struggling in captivity was simple. They spoke to bring conviction and humiliation that led the rebels to repentance. This message seems to be a message of morning from God for the failures of his poster child nation.

In this scene, we see Abraham as an outcast child born in obscurity. Abraham was the beginning of the Hebrews, he was the beginning of Jerusalem. The mother of Abraham is not clear, the Talmud suggests her name is Amathlai, she is not named in scripture (see Genesis 20:12). His father was Terah (the ninth descendant from Noah), they were strangers and sojourners drifting across the desert with no possessions, strength, power, not even a place to call their own. As I understand things, in the early days, Terah, Abraham, Sarah and Lot headed together from Ur (a city near the Persian Gulf) to Canaan (modern day Israel), but stopped in Haran (a city in Turkey, close to the modern-day border of Syria). Terah remained in Haran but the others continued to a land that God would show them. God promised to make Abraham a great nation and bless his family (see Genesis 12-25).

In the early years Abraham wanders about as a tenant in Canaan. He could have asserted himself but did not at first. Yet God blessed them and nurtured their life as the gradually abandoned their old heritage and started earnestly worshiping the one true living God. This rag tag band of followers was the beginning of the proud nation. And now, as Ezekiel finishes his coffee shop reminiscent with God, he gets back to his work and starts hammering the Hebrews for their persistent idolatry and rebellion.

We are wise to note the mercy of God documented by Ezekiel. He is quick to forgive our transgressions. He longs for success in our life. When we accept his yoke, he builds protection around us. But if we stray, we are held accountable. He is no pushover. The buck stops with him, it stops at his throne. There is no appeal to his judgements. We know he is fair. We are wise to yield. He declares there is only one way, one truth and one life to choose if we want to see the Father (see John 14:6). I choose Jesus.

I have set my Face Against Them (Part 2)

Dan

It has been my observation that God’s tears flow in the book of Ezekiel. In the 15th chapter, we find a woeful message for those who teach and lead others. When we fail to abide by the guidelines, we lose track of our role, or we drift from the truth to what is expedient, then we are setting the stage for trouble (see Mark 9:42-50, I am a poster child for this issue, yet God’s mercy prevailed after I repented).

The Hebrews were famous in the middle east for treating others justly, exuding mercy, and walking humbly. And then, they didn’t. They lost their way, they lost their collective walk with God, they lost interest in serving the one true living God. They turned to the habits of their neighbors trying to fit in and look relevant amongst the progressive leaders of the surrounding nations (see Mark 9:38-41).

Ezekiel 15: 6-8 says — This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord. I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign Lord [NIV].

When proper worship of the one true living God was in vogue, God blessed the Hebrews for their attentiveness. God had built a fence around the community; he kept predators out. But now we see a transition, the Hebrews were abandoning their faith. Thus, we see the hedge removed (see Isaiah 5:5-7). At this point, we are given a front row seat to view the Hebrew problem through God’s eyes.

The Hebrews were presented in this segment of scripture as a vine branch, one that was defective, thus it was proper for God to set his face against them as the Hebrews had set their face against God. The first conquest of Judah occurred about 605BC; Daniel was transported to Babylon. In 597BC Nebuchadnezzar II invaded and captured Jerusalem. He deposed Jehoiachin and transported much of the population (including Ezekiel) to Babylon. Then there were multiple encounters between the Egyptians and the Babylonians in the general proximity of Jerusalem for the next 18 years.

In 587BC Zedekiah started to resist Babylon, Jerusalem was attacked, this time the temple was destroyed. More people were taken to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar II was in full control of Jerusalem by 572BC. Control of Babylon passed through several Babylonian rulers and then in 539BC Cyrus the Meade took Babylon for himself and returned the Jews to Jerusalem. Upon their return, the foundation of the temple was laid, but work stalled. Ezra returned to Jerusalem and the walls of the city were started.

The temple was completed by 515BC but the Ark of the Covenant was not present. The room was empty.

Does this matter? Yes, it matters. The Ark was the sign of God’s presence. We read in Exodus — I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the covenant, I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites (Exodus 25:22). Effectively, from the time Ezekiel documented the departure of God from the temple (see Ezekiel 10) to the time the holy Spirit arrived in the Church (Acts 2) the Hebrews were drifting. The Hebrew remnant did have God nearby for the duration (see Ezekiel 11:16-25). But the formal presence of God within the Hebrew nation was over. The Hebrews said they would not do what God asked (Ezekiel 5:5-6) and God put his foot down (John 15:6, Ezekiel 5:14-17). Considering the outcome, I doubt the rebellious Hebrews fully understood the implications of their actions. Fortunately, God’s mercy prevailed and we were given a new covenant. I choose Jesus.