Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"Then I alienated Myself from her"
Text: Ezekiel 23:18
THE RESPONSE OF THE BABYLONIANS
The language chosen was candid and stark. Judah had lost her sense of decency and thus the Lord spoke to the nation in this manner.
“Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love,
And they defiled her with their immorality;
So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them.
She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness.
Then I alienated Myself from her,
As I had alienated Myself from her sister.”
Ezekiel 23:17-18
1. The Babylonian relationship.
a) They came at the invitation of Judah.
b) They entered into an immoral relationship.
c) Babylon introduced its brand of idolatry to Judah.
d) Judah was thus defiled by the Babylonians.
e) She tried to alienate herself on discovery of how far she had fallen.
f) But this realisation came too late and she could not extricate herself out of that relationship.
2. Judah’s choice.
a) Judah was “married” to the Lord.
b) But Judah chose Babylon instead.
c) This was a choice that was:
i) Foolish
ii) Wicked
iii) Adulterous
iv) Sinful
v) Dangerous
3. God’s response
a) God alienated Himself.
b) He withdrew Himself:
i) From Judah
ii) From Israel
c) Understandably, He distanced Himself from these two adulterous nations.