Book of Ezekiel: Chapter 23
Chapter 23 of Ezekiel brings us an allegorical story of the two sister cities Samaria and Jerusalem. The two cities are described as two sisters who become prostitutes. They let themselves become seduced by foreign nations and follow false idols. Doing so causes God to allow the two sisters to become captured, humiliated, and destroyed.
At first, the two sisters become prostitutes while they are in Egypt. They learn their wicked ways whilst in the foreign land away from their promised homes. This begins at a young age and continues even though God marries the two sisters off and they bear him sons and daughters.
After getting their promised homes, the two sisters continue their adulterous and murderous ways. Samaria is described to have lusted after their foreign neighbors of Assyria. This caused them to sin against the Lord through false idol worship and sacrificing their children.
Jerusalem subsequently does even worse than Samaria. They not only lust after the foreign nation of Assyria, but also with the Babylonians. These relations were not pleasing to the Lord. God viewed them as sinful and detestable. Despite His continued warnings, both cities continued to fill up with sin.
God ends his metaphor by depicting the two sisters’ outcomes. In an ironic punishment, God lets the two nations that Samaria and Jerusalem lust after conquer them. Both cities will be destroyed by their lovers.
Key Verse:
“And because you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:You must bear the consequences of all your lewdness and prostitution.” ~ Ezekiel 23:35 NLT
Questions to ponder:
- How can the sister allegory be used to describe Jerusalem’s feelings towards Samaria?
- What are the consequences of sin in our life?
