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"You trusted in your own beauty"

Text: Ezekiel 16:15

THE SHIFTING OF TRUST

As the fame and wealth of Israel increased, her trust in the Lord began to shift. She trusted in herself rather in God who had blessed so abundantly!

“But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame,
and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.
You took some of your garments and adorned multicoloured high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be.”
Ezekiel 16:15-16

1. Israel’s trust

a) It was no longer in the Lord.

b) Israel trusted in her own beauty and fame.

c) She had become vain with pride in all that she possessed.

d) This period may be traced to the reign of King Solomon.

e) Israel was at its height in wealth and fame.

2. Israel’s harlotry

a) This was almost unthinkable!

b) But Israel began to consort with other countries.

c) It was drawn to making covenant treaties with other nations.

d) These treaties with other nations:

i) That was unnecessary.

ii) That was also terribly unwise.

iii) These treaties involved the worship of foreign idols.

3. God’s gift of wealth.

a) This was expressed in the form of costly clothes.

b) The wealth was used to endow idolatrous shrines.

c) King Solomon built palaces and temple for his many idolatrous wives.

d) In this manner idolatry became entrenched in Israel.

e) This should not have happened at all!