Eze 23:14 | KingComments | STEP | Jerusalem (and Judah) has not let the terrifying example of Samaria and Israel keep them from going the same sinful way ( ). In fact, she has surpassed her sister in wickedness. Her passion leads her to act even more perniciously than her sister. Like Samaria, Judah has sought help from Assyria ( ), because she too has become enchanted with what Assyria has to offer ( ; ). The LORD perceives how she has defiled herself by associating with Assyria and adopting its idolatry ( ). Thus both sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, continue on the same path of evil, away from the LORD. Jerusalem does not limit herself to Assyria. She also comes under the temptation of the Chaldeans or Babylonians ( ). She sees the images of Chaldeans, portraits, engraved in the wall according to Babylonian custom. The red color of vermilion makes it appealing and attractive. The men depicted wear with pride the clothes of Babylon ( ). The advertisement works enchanting. Jerusalem instantly falls in love when she sees it with her own eyes ( ). Covetousness comes through seeing. It is the cause of the fall into sin ( ; ). Advertising still works the same way today. Jerusalem sends envoys to Babylon to ally with her. For a people who have the LORD as their God, this mission is deeply shameful. This mission is a great dishonor to God. In doing so, Jerusalem commits spiritual unfaithfulness that is equivalent to harlotry ( ). She defiles herself by this act. Sharing the love bed possibly also refers to worshiping the idols of Babylon, which we see in the word “harlotry”. Then she becomes disgusted with Babylon because Babylon’s love is over and Babylon treats her harshly. But when Babylon notices that Jerusalem seeks help from Egypt during the reign of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah ( ; ), Babylon turns against Jerusalem. Shameless harlotries or idolatry has the effect that God also turns away from Jerusalem with disgust ( ). He cannot stand the fact that she, whom He has taken for a wife, behaves like a vulgar harlot who bares her body for any man. Jerusalem keeps on playing the harlot and multiplies her harlotries by making new contacts, now with Egypt ( ). She seeks help from Egypt against the supremacy of Babylon. As a result, she comes to adopt the customs of Egypt. Judah imitates Samaria in this ( ). Also in Jerusalem, the ‘infatuations’ of the past reappear ( ). The Egyptians are compared to “donkeys” and “horses”, animals known for their fiery sex drive. For the gratification of that animal kind, Jerusalem makes itself available. Then Ezekiel addresses Jerusalem directly (“thus you longed for”). He reminds her of her past shameful lusts and accuses her of allowing those feelings to gain the upper hand over her again ( ). It is a warning to us: if past sins, especially sexual ones, are not radically judged as sin, sooner or later they will take hold of us again (cf. ). In the magazine ‘Live’, April/May 2013 issue, I read an article on ‘first impressions’ in which “remembering the days of her youth” ( ) has a current application. The article quotes something from the popular science magazine ‘Weet Magazine’. It concerns a remarkable quote from a lawyer, specializing in divorce, on April 24, 2010, in the daily Dutch newspaper ‘de Telegraaf’. After estimating the significant increase in divorces in the first quarter of 2010 at about 20%, this lawyer says: ‘The number of divorces has been increasing for years, partly because people are cheating more often and because of the rise of the Internet. As a result, old lovers suddenly reappear, with far-reaching consequences.’ Old loves with ‘first impressions’ that have not been forgotten, have not been discarded, and flare up again …

‏ Ezekiel 23:14

The Sin of Oholibah

Jerusalem (and Judah) has not let the terrifying example of Samaria and Israel keep them from going the same sinful way (Eze 23:11). In fact, she has surpassed her sister in wickedness. Her passion leads her to act even more perniciously than her sister.

Like Samaria, Judah has sought help from Assyria (2Kgs 16:7), because she too has become enchanted with what Assyria has to offer (Eze 23:12; Eze 23:6). The LORD perceives how she has defiled herself by associating with Assyria and adopting its idolatry (Eze 23:13). Thus both sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, continue on the same path of evil, away from the LORD.

Jerusalem does not limit herself to Assyria. She also comes under the temptation of the Chaldeans or Babylonians (Eze 23:14). She sees the images of Chaldeans, portraits, engraved in the wall according to Babylonian custom. The red color of vermilion makes it appealing and attractive. The men depicted wear with pride the clothes of Babylon (Eze 23:15). The advertisement works enchanting. Jerusalem instantly falls in love when she sees it with her own eyes (Eze 23:16). Covetousness comes through seeing. It is the cause of the fall into sin (Gen 3:6; 1Jn 2:16). Advertising still works the same way today.

Jerusalem sends envoys to Babylon to ally with her. For a people who have the LORD as their God, this mission is deeply shameful. This mission is a great dishonor to God. In doing so, Jerusalem commits spiritual unfaithfulness that is equivalent to harlotry (Eze 23:17). She defiles herself by this act. Sharing the love bed possibly also refers to worshiping the idols of Babylon, which we see in the word “harlotry”. Then she becomes disgusted with Babylon because Babylon’s love is over and Babylon treats her harshly. But when Babylon notices that Jerusalem seeks help from Egypt during the reign of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah (Jer 37:5-8; Eze 17:12-15), Babylon turns against Jerusalem.

Shameless harlotries or idolatry has the effect that God also turns away from Jerusalem with disgust (Eze 23:18). He cannot stand the fact that she, whom He has taken for a wife, behaves like a vulgar harlot who bares her body for any man.

Jerusalem keeps on playing the harlot and multiplies her harlotries by making new contacts, now with Egypt (Eze 23:19). She seeks help from Egypt against the supremacy of Babylon. As a result, she comes to adopt the customs of Egypt. Judah imitates Samaria in this (Eze 23:3 ; 8). Also in Jerusalem, the ‘infatuations’ of the past reappear (Eze 23:20). The Egyptians are compared to “donkeys” and “horses”, animals known for their fiery sex drive. For the gratification of that animal kind, Jerusalem makes itself available.

Then Ezekiel addresses Jerusalem directly (“thus you longed for”). He reminds her of her past shameful lusts and accuses her of allowing those feelings to gain the upper hand over her again (Eze 23:21). It is a warning to us: if past sins, especially sexual ones, are not radically judged as sin, sooner or later they will take hold of us again (cf. Eph 4:17-19).

In the magazine ‘Live’, April/May 2013 issue, I read an article on ‘first impressions’ in which “remembering the days of her youth” (Eze 23:19) has a current application. The article quotes something from the popular science magazine ‘Weet Magazine’. It concerns a remarkable quote from a lawyer, specializing in divorce, on April 24, 2010, in the daily Dutch newspaper ‘de Telegraaf’. After estimating the significant increase in divorces in the first quarter of 2010 at about 20%, this lawyer says: ‘The number of divorces has been increasing for years, partly because people are cheating more often and because of the rise of the Internet. As a result, old lovers suddenly reappear, with far-reaching consequences.’

Old loves with ‘first impressions’ that have not been forgotten, have not been discarded, and flare up again …