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naked again

Ezekiel 16:35-43 (JDV)

Ezekiel 16:35 ” ‘Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of Yahveh!
Ezekiel 16:36 This is what the Lord Yahveh says: Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness exposed by your acts of prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your repulsive idols and the blood of your children that you gave to them,
Ezekiel 16:37 Notice I am going to gather all the lovers you pleased – all those you loved as well as all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose your nakedness to them so they see you completely naked.
Ezekiel 16:38 I will judge you the way adulteresses and those who shed blood are judged. Then I will bring about the shedding of your blood in jealous wrath.
Ezekiel 16:39 I will hand you over to them, and they will demolish your mounds and tear down your elevated places. They will strip off your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you stark naked.
Ezekiel 16:40 They will bring a mob against you to stone you and to cut you to pieces with their swords.
Ezekiel 16:41 They will burn your houses and execute judgments against you in the sight of many women. I will stop you from being a prostitute, and you will never again pay fees for lovers.
Ezekiel 16:42 So I will satisfy my wrath against you, and my jealousy will turn away from you. Then I will be calm and no longer angry.
Ezekiel 16:43 Because you did not remember the days of your infancy but enraged me with all these things, I will also bring your conduct down on your own head. This is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh. Haven’t you committed infamy in addition to all your repulsive practices?

naked again

In this allegory describing Jerusalem’s rebellion against her God, Ezekiel began the story of the city as an abandoned infant, naked and wallowing in blood. The LORD came along and rescued that child, exalting her into a yound beautiful woman. Then the LORD exalted her even more by taking her as his bride.

But the bride rebelled against her husband by going after other men, prostituting herself instead of being faithful to the one who exalted her. She even sought after other lovers by paying them a fee, so she was worse than a prostitute.

The jilted husband has had enough. He is going to strip this unfaithful wife of all her fine clothing. He will reduce her to the state she was in when he first rescued her.

LORD, may we have the wisdom to know that if we take away all the externals, all we have is a dependence upon you.