Eze 23:49 | KingComments | STEP | Ezekiel is commanded to judge the two apostate women ( ). The LORD presents the command to Ezekiel as a question (cf. ). He connects to the feelings of disgust which the prophet gradually acquired, which are also His feelings. The two women are put on the same level. This is a humiliation for Jerusalem, for the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the rest of the Judeans dislike the Samaritans ( ). Ezekiel is to present the two sisters with the indictment. This means that they are told once again a detailed list of their sins which are now read out as an indictment. The summary is: adultery and murder ( ). The adultery here is primarily spiritual adultery, idolatry: bowing down in worship to the stink gods of the nations. The murder they commit by bringing the children destined for God as a gruesome sacrifice to those stink gods. They did even more harm to God, for they defiled His sanctuary and profaned His sabbaths ( ). With God and His rights they take no account at all anymore. They will decide for themselves how to serve Him. As a result, they have so carelessly disregarded His rights that they dare to enter God’s sanctuary the same day they sacrificed their children to the stink gods, without any shame ( ). It is supreme insolence. It is total insensitivity and indifference to what is appropriate for the presence of God. The LORD complains that they have dared to misbehave like this in the midst of His house. It is a brutal disregard of His holiness. Their practice comes down to seeing the LORD their God as one of the idols, but one they do not take too seriously. And still that is not all. On top of that, they invited idolatrous heathens to come to them ( ). They have done their best to make a good impression on those heathens. They bath themselves, make themselves attractive and decorate themselves (cf. ). With heathens they want to connect to make themselves strong. To put the guests in a good mood, they provide a good setting: a beautiful bed that invites sexual intercourse and a prepared table to fill the stomach well ( ). On that table are also incense and oil intended for the LORD. They take from the LORD what is His and put it before the heathens. This is gross abuse and an insult to the LORD. The crowd accepts the invitation ( ). They come, and they join the two women at the prepared table. The revelry attracts other men. They are men of the lowest sort who appear distinguished. They bring gifts for the women with which they adorn them. These adornments act as shackles, for the women are captured by these people they invited. There isn’t much attraction left to Samaria and Jerusalem, and do the heathens still want to commit adultery with them ( )? Do they really want to? Yes, because as long as there is still something to gain, the nations, especially if invited, will want to have that intercourse with Samaria and Jerusalem ( ). The disgraceful behavior of the two sisters started very early, as early as Egypt, and was continued by them into their old age, to the end of their existence as a people. They will be judged for their adultery and fornication by “righteous men” ( ). This refers to the Assyrians ( ) and the Babylonians ( ). These nations are called “righteous” because despite their cruel practices they are the instruments through which God executes His judgment on His people. The adulterers are punished with death according to the ordinance of the law ( ; ). How much more is this punishment deserved by women who, moreover, have brought upon themselves the most terrible blood guilt by sacrificing their own children to idols. The LORD calls the nations to go up against Jerusalem and Samaria ( ). He gives the order to make them a terror and plunder. The nations will stone the two sisters with stones and kill them with the sword ( ). Thus their sons and daughters will perish and the offspring of evildoers will be exterminated. The houses, where they prepared their idolatrous practices, will be burned with fire. In this way, the shameful behavior in the land will cease ( ). The judgment will be education for the women of other nations not to act in such a way. Once again, God emphasizes that the judgment that strikes them is the result of their own disgraceful behavior ( ). They will bear the sins of their worship of their stink gods. When God upholds justice in this way, His own honor will shine thereby. He makes Himself known through this, and wherever He makes Himself known, He is glorified.

‏ Ezekiel 23:49

The End of Oholah and Oholibah

Ezekiel is commanded to judge the two apostate women (Eze 23:36). The LORD presents the command to Ezekiel as a question (cf. Eze 20:4). He connects to the feelings of disgust which the prophet gradually acquired, which are also His feelings. The two women are put on the same level. This is a humiliation for Jerusalem, for the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the rest of the Judeans dislike the Samaritans (Jn 4:9 ; Jn 8:48).

Ezekiel is to present the two sisters with the indictment. This means that they are told once again a detailed list of their sins which are now read out as an indictment. The summary is: adultery and murder (Eze 23:37). The adultery here is primarily spiritual adultery, idolatry: bowing down in worship to the stink gods of the nations. The murder they commit by bringing the children destined for God as a gruesome sacrifice to those stink gods.

They did even more harm to God, for they defiled His sanctuary and profaned His sabbaths (Eze 23:38). With God and His rights they take no account at all anymore. They will decide for themselves how to serve Him. As a result, they have so carelessly disregarded His rights that they dare to enter God’s sanctuary the same day they sacrificed their children to the stink gods, without any shame (Eze 23:39). It is supreme insolence. It is total insensitivity and indifference to what is appropriate for the presence of God.

The LORD complains that they have dared to misbehave like this in the midst of His house. It is a brutal disregard of His holiness. Their practice comes down to seeing the LORD their God as one of the idols, but one they do not take too seriously.

And still that is not all. On top of that, they invited idolatrous heathens to come to them (Eze 23:40). They have done their best to make a good impression on those heathens. They bath themselves, make themselves attractive and decorate themselves (cf. Pro 7:10-21). With heathens they want to connect to make themselves strong.

To put the guests in a good mood, they provide a good setting: a beautiful bed that invites sexual intercourse and a prepared table to fill the stomach well (Eze 23:41). On that table are also incense and oil intended for the LORD. They take from the LORD what is His and put it before the heathens. This is gross abuse and an insult to the LORD.

The crowd accepts the invitation (Eze 23:42). They come, and they join the two women at the prepared table. The revelry attracts other men. They are men of the lowest sort who appear distinguished. They bring gifts for the women with which they adorn them. These adornments act as shackles, for the women are captured by these people they invited.

There isn’t much attraction left to Samaria and Jerusalem, and do the heathens still want to commit adultery with them (Eze 23:43)? Do they really want to? Yes, because as long as there is still something to gain, the nations, especially if invited, will want to have that intercourse with Samaria and Jerusalem (Eze 23:44). The disgraceful behavior of the two sisters started very early, as early as Egypt, and was continued by them into their old age, to the end of their existence as a people.

They will be judged for their adultery and fornication by “righteous men” (Eze 23:45). This refers to the Assyrians (Eze 23:9) and the Babylonians (Eze 23:22). These nations are called “righteous” because despite their cruel practices they are the instruments through which God executes His judgment on His people. The adulterers are punished with death according to the ordinance of the law (Lev 20:10; Deu 22:22). How much more is this punishment deserved by women who, moreover, have brought upon themselves the most terrible blood guilt by sacrificing their own children to idols.

The LORD calls the nations to go up against Jerusalem and Samaria (Eze 23:46). He gives the order to make them a terror and plunder. The nations will stone the two sisters with stones and kill them with the sword (Eze 23:47). Thus their sons and daughters will perish and the offspring of evildoers will be exterminated. The houses, where they prepared their idolatrous practices, will be burned with fire. In this way, the shameful behavior in the land will cease (Eze 23:48). The judgment will be education for the women of other nations not to act in such a way.

Once again, God emphasizes that the judgment that strikes them is the result of their own disgraceful behavior (Eze 23:49). They will bear the sins of their worship of their stink gods. When God upholds justice in this way, His own honor will shine thereby. He makes Himself known through this, and wherever He makes Himself known, He is glorified.