Book of Ezekiel: Chapter 16
Faithfulness is the theme of this chapter. Here we find God giving Ezekiel another message to pass on to the Israelites. That message is one that compares the relationship between man and God as that of a marriage.
Unfortunately, the marriage between man and God has not been a good one. God describes, in detail, how the Israelites have betrayed Him. He compares this betrayal to that of a wife who turns to prostitution. This defilement of a covenant between two people is an important point that God is trying to make.
When two are married, they make a promise to be faithful to each other. Here, God is saying that man has been unfaithful and God is now full of jealous rage. Man has done so in a variety of detestable ways: idol worship, sacrificing children, and many other sins. These sins cause a betrayal between the marriage of man and God — thus creating a separation that must be reconciled through God’s judgment.
After God makes his marriage analogy, he proceeds to tell Ezekiel how He will bring His judgment down upon the people of Israel. God’s anger is easily prevalent in this chapter. He even goes as far as stating how Sodom, one of the most famous cities of sin, was not as bad as the Israelites.
Key Verse:
“I will punish you for your murder and adultery. I will cover you with blood in my jealous fury.” ~ Ezekiel 16:38
Questions to ponder:
- Where else in the Bible has the analogy of marriage been used to describe man’s relationship with God?
- What have you done to make God jealous?
