“I am filled with fury against you, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!” (Ezekiel 16:30)
When we read Ezekiel, we see a God who is all powerful, omnipotent – greatly restraining Himself, for the sake of love, from completely annihilating the people of Israel and Judah. He comes across as a man madly in love with his bride – utterly taken with her and devoted to the covenant he made to her. And yet, all He has been given in return is her brazen promiscuity. She is flippant at best in keeping her covenant to her betrothed and gallivants around – looking for love and lust in all the wrong places.
What a foreshadowing of the days to come! Christ has been in the longest, and most long-suffering relationship in all of human history.
How deep is the love of Christ for us! At the time of Ezekiel’s prophecies, Christ had not yet come into this world as a sacrifice for our sins. He had not yet “proved” just to how far an extent He would go to draw us unto Himself. As the Lord laments to Ezekiel, He bemoans loving a people who act like a “brazen prostitute” (Ez 16:30)
“Ah”, we say, “but this does not apply to me. The Israelites have been charged over and over in the Old Testament for their errant ways and their idolatry. But since my youth, I have served God and have never bowed down to any image.” I challenge you today, dear friend, to take a good, hard look at the idols that are present in your life. What is it that takes up your time, energy and devotion? Is it truly Christ?
Sisters, do you spend much of your time before the mirror adorning yourself? Has your self image become an idol to you? Do you struggle with saving money because you battle with a shopping addiction? Are you unable to stop browsing through shopping sites once you begin? You might start off with an intention to purchase something that you need but it’s four hours later and you are still scrolling? Do you base your self worth on what the weighing scale says or how many eyes you draw to yourself? Does someone’s comment on your body or appearance have the power to make or break your day?
Mothers, have your children taken the predominant place in your lives? Does your mood depend on how much your children eat, how well they obey, or how well mannered they are? Do you take their transgressions as a personal affront and base your worth on their achievements? Do you compare your children constantly with other children and drive yourself mad over bettering them in every way? Is everything a silent competition and do you pressure your children into accomplishing everything that you could not as a child?
Women of Christ, do you spend much time on social media? Do you doom scroll daily? Does Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook determine what you buy, how you dress, and the words you use? Has it sucked you into its vortex – laying claim to the youth and time that the Lord has blessed you with? Woe to us if we spend our time online – hours and hours unaccounted for each day. If not for His constant vigilance and protection, we could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere now or languishing in a hospital bed somewhere taking our final breaths. Do not underestimate this time that the Lord has given you. Save yourselves! Flee from the temptation of wasting time! If you want to relax, take a walk and talk to God. Take a short nap. Please, I implore you, do not fill your precious headspace with meaningless shorts and reels that are just pregnant with innuendos and fleeting pleasures. Do you not realise to what extent people can go to just to gain more views? You, child of God, what are you doing there? Why are you playing a part in their “success”? May your heart condemn you as you bow before your phone all day!
Do not be like the simple-minded man we read of in Proverbs 7 who easily falls into the trap of an adulterous woman. Until he payed heed to her words, he was safe. But once he made the decision to follow her (simply by giving in to her smooth talk) and believe in a lie that there would be no consequence for his actions, he became equally guilty.
He followed her at once,
like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,
awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.
He was like a bird flying into a snare,
little knowing it would cost him his life.
(Proverbs 7:21-23)
Daughter of God, do you think you will not be charged for your actions if you choose to spend your time frivolously? Do you compare your sin with others and convince yourself that you are doing better that the other person in church? Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap. (Galatians 6:7, Amplified Bible).
As we read on in Ezekiel, we see a God who pines after His wayward bride. He sees plainly and clearly at the brazenness of her unfaithfulness and yet … He cannot bring himself to walk away. He cries out : “You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband!” (Ez 16: 32) If you pray sincerely and read the whole chapter, you can sense the anguish of God through the bitterness of His words – He grieves over the loss of His bride’s faithfulness. And yet. And yet. In verse 60, He says : “Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.”
I write this, not to condemn you. I write this so we are shaken into an awareness of just how serious our “simple sins” are. We make idols of our selves, our family, our children and our phones. There might be many more areas in your life that are idols. I dare not go into every one. If you are unaware, ask God to show you where you stumble. Ask Him to reveal the shrines in your heart and He will do it. Let us cut any tie – no matter how harmless we deem it – to the world. We are not of the world. Let us not make any excuses for ourselves when it comes to preserving and growing in holiness. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:4-6)
Let us be honest and humble as we come into His presence. He who is in you is greater that he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) He will purify you through and through and present you blameless on the day of the Lord. None of us are perfect – not even close. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6). Although we are not perfect, we can come to the throne of grace, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and we can beg for grace (Hebrews 4:15-16) Oh, what a promise! The poor in spirit will be rewarded with the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5: 3).
Dearly beloved, repent. Let there be such an abhorrence to sin and a dread at its approach. Let there be weeping and let such strong godly sorrow be produced in you through the Holy Spirit that a lasting revival rises up in your heart. We are a chosen people. Let our actions and tendencies reveal that. God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him (John Piper).
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen (Jude 1:24).