In Ezekiel 16, through the prophet God shared a personal story of love, betrayal, and grace. God compared Jerusalem and the southern kingdom of Israel to a helpless infant he found by the side of the road who had been abandoned soon after birth. He showed compassion on the little one and rescued her, cleansed, clothed, and raised her as His own. God spared no expense to meet her every need, provided the best clothes, wholesome food, and even gave her ornaments to accentuate her beauty. In time He made a covenant with Israel, even as a man enters into a marriage covenant with his wife.
God said in Ezekiel 16:11-14, "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 splendour which I had bestowed on you," says the Lord GOD." What impacted me as I read through this passage today was how the beauty of the woman was perfected through God's splendour He bestowed upon her. Without God, Israel would have perished long ago. But by His grace God caused them to be established in Jerusalem and wealth flowed out and into the nation. The beauty and fame of the woman with a royal bearing was God's doing all along.
But the story took a tragic turn: Israel was unfaithful to God even as a woman to her husband. God discussed graphically the ways Israel had played the harlot, went after foreign lovers and gods, set up high places, and even slaughtered God's children in sacrificing to idols in the high places she built. The faith of Israel departed from God and she proudly trusted herself as it is written in Ezekiel 16:15: "But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it." Though the passage is written with Israel in mind, but as children of God through faith in Jesus it is applicable to Christians as well. We too were without hope, cut off from life by our sins, and we were incapable of washing ourselves clean or saving our souls. God had compassion on us by sending Jesus to be our Saviour, and we were born again by grace through faith.
It is good to remember who were are, undeserving of God's favour, help, and presence. God has accepted us and adorned us with His beauty, having filled us with the Holy Spirit. Having been loved by God we can move away from trust of God and rely on our own strength and understanding. God has bestowed loveliness on us that is not us. Moses begged God to kill him rather than let him see his own wretchedness, and I quite agree. God's amazing grace has saved a wretch like me and I remain a wretch despite my justification and sanctification. Don't believe me? All it takes is my expectations not being met or dumb mistakes for frustration to mount. My failures and disappointments expose negative attitudes and anger I thought was a thing of the past, sins I need to repent of before God and forsake again. Any beauty in me or in any follower of Jesus Christ is by the grace of God, and let us not fall for the trap we are anything better than what we are: sinners loved and accepted by God He has made saints.
In the end of Ezekiel 16 there is a promise of a covenant which, according to the revelation of scripture, is the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus which is better than that of Law. It is an everlasting covenant of peace with God through what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection. Jews and Gentiles have been made one through faith in Christ, and He is the Head of His Body, the church. Let us not assume we are something when we are not, deceiving ourselves, thinking there is little need for repentance or forgiveness now that we are in Christ. We need Jesus just as much as ever, and if we will repent and do God's will we need wisdom and strength from God to do it. Our love for God is revealed in our faithfulness to Him, like spouses remain chaste and sanctified for their partner alone. Praise the LORD for the beauty of His holiness.
God said in Ezekiel 16:11-14, "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 splendour which I had bestowed on you," says the Lord GOD." What impacted me as I read through this passage today was how the beauty of the woman was perfected through God's splendour He bestowed upon her. Without God, Israel would have perished long ago. But by His grace God caused them to be established in Jerusalem and wealth flowed out and into the nation. The beauty and fame of the woman with a royal bearing was God's doing all along.
But the story took a tragic turn: Israel was unfaithful to God even as a woman to her husband. God discussed graphically the ways Israel had played the harlot, went after foreign lovers and gods, set up high places, and even slaughtered God's children in sacrificing to idols in the high places she built. The faith of Israel departed from God and she proudly trusted herself as it is written in Ezekiel 16:15: "But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it." Though the passage is written with Israel in mind, but as children of God through faith in Jesus it is applicable to Christians as well. We too were without hope, cut off from life by our sins, and we were incapable of washing ourselves clean or saving our souls. God had compassion on us by sending Jesus to be our Saviour, and we were born again by grace through faith.
It is good to remember who were are, undeserving of God's favour, help, and presence. God has accepted us and adorned us with His beauty, having filled us with the Holy Spirit. Having been loved by God we can move away from trust of God and rely on our own strength and understanding. God has bestowed loveliness on us that is not us. Moses begged God to kill him rather than let him see his own wretchedness, and I quite agree. God's amazing grace has saved a wretch like me and I remain a wretch despite my justification and sanctification. Don't believe me? All it takes is my expectations not being met or dumb mistakes for frustration to mount. My failures and disappointments expose negative attitudes and anger I thought was a thing of the past, sins I need to repent of before God and forsake again. Any beauty in me or in any follower of Jesus Christ is by the grace of God, and let us not fall for the trap we are anything better than what we are: sinners loved and accepted by God He has made saints.
In the end of Ezekiel 16 there is a promise of a covenant which, according to the revelation of scripture, is the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus which is better than that of Law. It is an everlasting covenant of peace with God through what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection. Jews and Gentiles have been made one through faith in Christ, and He is the Head of His Body, the church. Let us not assume we are something when we are not, deceiving ourselves, thinking there is little need for repentance or forgiveness now that we are in Christ. We need Jesus just as much as ever, and if we will repent and do God's will we need wisdom and strength from God to do it. Our love for God is revealed in our faithfulness to Him, like spouses remain chaste and sanctified for their partner alone. Praise the LORD for the beauty of His holiness.
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