How can we avoid the sins described in Ezekiel 23:25 today? Setting the Scene: What Went Wrong in Ezekiel 23 • Israel and Judah, pictured as Oholah and Oholibah, abandoned their covenant husband, the LORD, for political and spiritual liaisons with surrounding nations. • Their “lovers” supplied military power, exotic religion, and sensual pleasures—yet all of it was idolatry and spiritual adultery. • Ezekiel 23:25 warns that the very nations they craved would turn on them in brutal judgment. Recognizing Today’s Equivalents • Idolatry: trusting money, status, technology, or relationships more than God. • Moral compromise: adopting the world’s sexual ethics instead of God’s standards (1 Corinthians 6:18–20). • Syncretism: mixing biblical truth with New Age ideas, political ideologies, or self-help philosophies (2 Corinthians 6:14–18). • Reliance on human alliances: looking to governments, influencers, or institutions for ultimate security instead of the Lord (Psalm 146:3). • Compulsive consumption: chasing entertainment, fashion, or experiences as substitutes for fellowship with God (1 John 2:15–17). Practical Steps for Avoiding These Sins • Cultivate single-hearted devotion – Daily worship and Scripture intake fix the eyes on “Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). • Guard the gateways – Filter what enters through eyes and ears; refuse media that normalizes impurity (Psalm 101:3). • Flee every form of idolatry – “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). Delete apps, cancel subscriptions, or end relationships that pull the heart away from Christ. • Choose holy alliances – Build friendships and partnerships that reinforce obedience, not compromise (Proverbs 13:20). • Walk in the Spirit – Yield moment by moment to the Spirit’s prompting; He produces the fruit that crowds out worldly lusts (Galatians 5:16–25). • Embrace accountability – Invite mature believers to ask hard questions about finances, internet use, and thought life (Hebrews 3:13). • Keep the end in view – Remember that every earthly empire and trend will fall, but “the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17). Scriptures to Anchor Our Resolve • Exodus 20:3 — “You shall have no other gods before Me.” • James 4:4 — “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” • 1 John 5:21 — “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” • 2 Timothy 2:22 — “Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” • Revelation 2:4–5 — “But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. Remember, then, the things you did at first. Repent and do the works you did at first.” Encouragement for Daily Faithfulness The sins of Ezekiel 23 grew slowly—from glances to flirtations to full-blown betrayal. In Christ we have power to cut them off at the root, to cherish Him above every rival, and to stand pure and undivided when the world beckons. Let His jealous love keep the heart wholly His. |
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