Ezekiel 16:1-14--God’s Love for Jerusalem

Ezekiel 16:1-14
Easy-to-Read Version

God’s Love for Jerusalem
16 Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem about the terrible things they have done. 3 You must say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Look at your history. You were born in Canaan. Your father was an Amorite. Your mother was a Hittite. 4 Jerusalem, on the day you were born, there was no one to cut your navel cord. No one put salt on you and washed you to make you clean. No one wrapped you in cloth. 5 No one felt sorry for you or took care of you. On the day you were born, your parents threw you out into the field, because no one wanted you.

6 “‘Then I passed by. I saw you lying there, kicking in the blood. You were covered with blood, but I said, “Please live!” Yes, you were covered with blood, but I said, “Please live!” 7 I helped you grow like a plant in the field. You grew and grew. You became a young woman: your periods began, your breasts grew, and your hair began to grow. But you were still bare and naked. 8 I looked you over. I saw you were ready for love, so I spread my clothes over you and covered your nakedness. I promised to marry you. I made the agreement with you, and you became mine.’” This is what the Lord GOD said.

9 “‘I washed you in water. I poured water over you to wash away the blood that was on you, and then I put oil on your skin. 10  I gave you a nice dress and soft leather sandals, a linen headband, and a silk scarf. 11 I also gave you some jewelry. I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck. 12 I gave you a nose ring, earrings, and a beautiful crown to wear. 13 You were beautiful in your gold and silver jewelry, and your linen, silk, and embroidered material. You ate the best foods. You were very, very beautiful, and you became the queen! 14 You became famous for your beauty, all because I made you so lovely!’” This is what the Lord GOD said.

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The prophet Ezekiel is to remind the Jewish people who are in exile of the terrible things they have done that led to their being in this place.  It is easy for us to forget our part in the story when we are to blame and to try to shift blame to someone or something else (even fate or happenstance), but Ezekiel is to remind them that the consequences are exactly what the LORD told them would happen if they did not repent and turn away from their rebellion and turn back to God.  The LORD tells them that they act like they are part of the Canaanite tribes, specifically the Amorites and Hittites.  They behave as if they were orphans whose parents died or abandoned them.

The LORD says that He saw them abandoned and adopted them as His own.  He saved them from certain death and made them clean.  They were innocent for a long time, not knowing any love other than the love of their heavenly Father, but they grew to the point where others desired to have Israel as young men of the world desire to have young, beautiful women.  Many worldly men do not desire to love the woman as her father did and protect them, but instead desire to use them for pleasure.  The Father tries to protect His daughter from such men by covering their nakedness (making them dress modestly) and keeping them close to home where He can keep them safe.  In the same way, the LORD was protective of Israel and did not want her to give her heart away to the pagan gods and cultures around them, yet that is what they desired to do.

The LORD adorned Israel with gifts to bring out what should have been the beauty that was within.  She was dressed like royalty with finest of clothes and jewelry.  Israel was a queen among the people of the earth (the LORD was the King).  The LORD made her beautiful in the eyes of all of the nations. They all desired her, but she belonged only to the LORD.  Therefore, He is jealous for her both as a father and as a king for His queen (a Husband for His Bride).  We'll see next time how she was an unfaithful bride who prostituted herself to the nations that wanted to take advantage of her.  It is no wonder that they felt the fury of God's wrath.