Scripture

“You will be fully repaid for all your prostitution – for your worship of idols. Yes, you will suffer the full penalty. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”

Observation

The Lord gives Ezekiel a parable of two sisters, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, even as young girls. Oholah, the older girl, represents Samaria, while her younger sister, Oholibah represents the southern kingdom of Judah. Both these girls lusted after officers and charioteers of Assyria, rather than being faithful to the Lord.

The Lord handed Oholah over to the men that she desired, and they stripped her of all that she had, and took her children to be slaves.

Oholibah saw all that had happened to her sister, but took her prostitution even further, as she lusted after Babylonian officers. The Lord is disgusted with her, and has rejected her.

Both of the sisters are guilty of adultery and murder; adultery for being unfaithful to the Lord, and murder for the sacrifice of children to the idols.

The lord will repay both nations in full for all their sin. The Lord will alow the neighbouring nations to terrorise them in order that they will recognise that He is the Sovereign Lord.

Application

It is hard to imagine how people could sacrifice their babies to idols in a fiery altar. But people did this because it became normal and expected. The Lord had specifically forbidden this but when the foreign deities gained a foothold, what had been forbidden became normal.

The Lord condemns his people for prostitution and for murder. The prostitution was about worshipping other gods. Murder was about sacrificing the children to these gods.

Today our culture has abandoned God to serve the God of Self. Millions of children are sacrificed to this god in abortions. God is calling His people to turn to him to repent and to receive his mercy.

Listen

Lord, is this really the place where we are today??.

Keith. Western culture really has idolised the Self in a way unknown in any previous age. Individuals and whole nations are being destroyed by this unrestrained lust for gratification.

Your role is to pray. Pray for the people in your town and the leaders of the state and the nation. They must turn back from the edge of the cliff.

The only solution is for people to turn to me.