What does Ezekiel 23:17 reveal about God's view on idolatry and alliances? Verse in Focus “So the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she was defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.” (Ezekiel 23:17) Setting the Scene • The prophet pictures Samaria and Jerusalem as sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, who chase political lovers instead of remaining faithful to the Lord. • Verse 17 zeroes in on Jerusalem’s embrace of Babylon—an alliance that is both political and spiritual adultery. What Stands Out in Ezekiel 23:17 • “Bed of love” – Political treaties are painted as intimate, covenant-breaking acts. • “In their lust they defiled her” – God sees idolatrous alliances as morally corrupting, never neutral. • “She turned away…in disgust” – Even the thrill of compromise grows sour; sin never satisfies for long. God’s View on Idolatry • Exclusive loyalty is non-negotiable. “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3–5) • Idolatry provokes divine jealousy. “They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods.” (Deuteronomy 32:16) • Spiritual adultery breaks God’s heart. “I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals.” (Hosea 2:13) • It is incompatible with true worship. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21) God’s View on Ungodly Alliances • Forbidden ties corrupt faith. “Nor shall you intermarry with them…for they will turn your sons away from following Me.” (Deuteronomy 7:2–4) • Trusting human power insults God’s sufficiency. “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help.” (Isaiah 31:1) • The New Covenant reiterates the principle. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (2 Corinthians 6:14–18) Consequences Echoed in Ezekiel 23 • Judgment arrives through the very nations courted (Ezekiel 23:22–24). • Public shame replaces imagined glory (Ezekiel 16:37). • Spiritual compromise leads to devastating discipline (Psalm 106:35–40). Take-Home Truths • Any partnership that dulls devotion to Christ is spiritual infidelity. • Short-term security purchased at the cost of obedience always backfires. • God’s covenant love is exclusive; He will not share His people’s hearts with rival trusts. • True safety and satisfaction lie in wholehearted, single-minded allegiance to the Lord alone. |
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