Both Sisters Judged

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Ezekiel 23:36-49

 

Ezekiel 23:36-37

 The Lord also said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. ³⁷ For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them.

(NKJV)

 

In Numbers 32:23, the Lord warns us that sin is not hidden from the Lord with us sure to suffer the consequences of sin in our lives. Such is the case with Samaria and Jerusalem, symbolized by the two sisters Oholah and Oholibah who are going to incur judgment for their abominations. In this text, the Lord instructs Ezekiel to declare the abominations committed by both sisters, so they are aware of the accusations against them. Many modern churches preach a cheap grace that is an abomination to the Lord for it condones sin and will incur judgment from the Lord.

 

The text begins with the Lord asking Ezekiel if he intends to judge the two sisters, Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem) and if he does, to declare their abominations to them (Ezekiel 23:36). The Lord then reminds Ezekiel of their lewd spiritual adultery by worshipping idols instead of the true Lord and even sacrificing their children to these idols (Ezekiel 23:37). Their sins and abominations are against the Lord, defiling His sanctuary and profaning His sabbaths (Ezekiel 23:38-39).

 

Even more abominable, they sent messengers to men from afar, washing and adorning themselves when they came to visit (Ezekiel 23:40). The sisters are symbolized as sitting on a stately couch with the Lord’s incense and oil on a table in front of them as they greeted their lovers who came to them, adorned with bracelets and crowns (Ezekiel 23:41-42). These men who came to the sisters committed lewdness with them (Ezekiel 23:43-44). These men and the sisters will incur judgment from righteous men who will judge them as adulteresses (Ezekiel 23:45).

 

The Lord intends to bring up an assembly against the sisters, giving them up to trouble and plunder (Ezekiel 23:46). The assembly called by the Lord shall stone them, execute them with swords, slay their sons and daughters, and burn their houses with fire (Ezekiel 23:47). The purpose of this judgment is to cause lewdness to cease from the land so all women will be taught not to practice lewdness (Ezekiel 23:48). The judgment brought on by the assembly will repay Samaria and Jerusalem for their lewdness and idolatrous sins, causing them to realize the Lord is the Lord God (Ezekiel 23:49).

 

The coming judgment on Oholah and Oholibah symbolizes Samaria and Jerusalem, for their sins and abominations. The Lord has Ezekiel begin his judgment of the two sisters by first letting them know the abominations they have committed (Ezekiel 23:36). They have forsaken the worship of God only in disobedience to God’s command (Exodus 20:1-3) and committed spiritual adultery by worshipping idols (Ezekiel 23:37). To make matters even worse, they have sacrificed their sons to appease these idols, causing blood to be on their hands (Ezekiel 23:37). They even did these abominable acts on the same day they defiled God’s sanctuary and profaned His sabbaths (Ezekiel 23:38-39). These accusations are why the Lord is bringing an assembly against Samaria and Jerusalem to repay them for their lewdness and have them pay for their idolatrous sins (Ezekiel 23:46-49).

 

The cheap grace taught in many modern Churches is an abomination to the Lord worthy of the same judgment that befell Samaria and Jerusalem. The modern Church is lukewarm, resembling the Laodicean Church (Revelation 3:14-22). Like the Laodicean Church, it is obsessed with wealth and prosperity, using God’s grace for personal gain. It also brags of great academic knowledge of scripture but lacks an intimate relationship with God (2 Timothy 3:5).

 

The modern Church is also like the Corinthian Church in its condoning of sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1-8). This represents a form of idolatry with the aborting of children resulting from unwanted pregnancies like the offering of children by the Samaritans and the people in Jerusalem to appease their gods. If you are reading this and part of a modern church teaching cheap grace, I call upon you to repent of your abominations and idolatry and turn to God. In Romans 12:2, Scripture teaches believers not to conform to the world but to experience transformation through the renewing of their minds by the word of God. The Church must stop attempting to blend in with the world and stand up against ungodliness in the world.

 

If you are reading this and have not prayed for the forgiveness of your sins making Jesus the Lord of your life, or have drifted away from your relationship with Christ, I invite you to pray with me now,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge, convict, and bless everyone reading this post.