God gave another message to Ezekiel, directed at the people of Jerusalem.
In it, God spoke of how unfaithful Jerusalem had been, recounting the history of how He had cared for Israel, how no one cared for them until the Lord chose Israel and nurtured her.
Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem: “Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born.
Ezekiel 16: 3-5 (nkjv)
Notice how God tenderly cares for and watches over Israel, the imagery here parallels how Jesus is described as lovingly caring for His Church, His bride, in Ephesians 5:25–27.
…”just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. “
9 “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. 12 And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14 Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord God.
Ezekiel 16:9-14 (NKJV)
But in their prosperity, Israel forgot the Lord. Their hearts turned to foreign gods, and pride took root within them. In response, the Lord proclaimed that grief and destruction would come upon Israel as the consequence of their corrupt and detestable ways.
15 “But you thought your fame and beauty were your own. So you gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking. 16 You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? 17 You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them. This is adultery against me! 18 You used the beautifully embroidered clothes I gave you to dress your idols. Then you used my special oil and my incense to worship them. 19 Imagine it! You set before them as a sacrifice the choice flour, olive oil, and honey I had given you, says the Sovereign Lord.
Ezekiel 16:15-19 (nlt)
God said that the land of Israel was worse than a prostitute, for they freely gave themselves away. His description revealed the depth of their betrayal and the extent to which the nation of Israel had become idolatrous. Even sacrificing their children! God even went so far as to say that the sins of Jerusalem were greater than those of Sodom and of Samaria – the northern kingdom already exiled!
48 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters. 49 Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. 50 She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen.
EZEKIEL 16:48-52 (nlt)
51 “Even Samaria did not commit half your sins. You have done far more detestable things than your sisters ever did. They seem righteous compared to you. 52 Shame on you! Your sins are so terrible that you make your sisters seem righteous, even virtuous.
Yet, despite all this, God promised to remember His covenant with Israel and to establish an everlasting covenant — foretelling the covenant that would be fulfilled through Jesus. Then they would recognise who God truly is, remember their deeds, and feel ashamed of all they had done, as atonement would be made for their sins.
60 Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were young, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember with shame all the evil you have done. I will make your sisters, Samaria and Sodom, to be your daughters, even though they are not part of our covenant. 62 And I will reaffirm my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord.
EZEKIEL 16:60-62(NLT)
Faith With Petra 