Sunday, November 4, 2018

You did not remember the days of your youth

Ezekiel 16:1-34
Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despisedLater I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
 In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood.
You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband!  All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.
The issue is faithfulness. Jerusalem has been unfaithful to God. So the sexual image in this parable is a natural one, especially in view of the sexual rites and prostitution liked with worship of pagan gods.
God took Israel up when she was nothing - and abandoned baby that no one has cared for - and lavished his love on her, making her into a great and glorious nation. She owed him everything. But prosperity turned her head and, like a wife turned prostitute, she played fast and loose with foreign nations.
Why?
God is sad that what He has favors on Israel, treated her as his own, cared her when he was born. There was no one cared about her. Only the Lord who loves her and gave her everything. But when she grown up she turned away from God and forgot the days of her youth.
God described this to express his feeling, God put disaster on his lover for there is no way to turn her back. So his judgment poured on them is expect her may turn back.
How?
God is Love. All God's mind and his hand is doing good to his children!

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