What does Ezekiel 23:46 teach about consequences for turning away from God? The Setting of Ezekiel 23:46 Ezekiel 23 portrays Samaria (“Oholah”) and Jerusalem (“Oholibah”) as two sisters who abandoned the Lord for political alliances and idolatry. Verse 46 is God’s climactic sentence on their unfaithfulness: “ ‘For this is what the Lord GOD says: “Bring a mob against them and consign them to terror and plunder.”’ ” (Ezekiel 23:46) The Divine Verdict Pronounced • “Bring a mob” – God summons outside forces to execute judgment; He is sovereign even over hostile nations. • “Consign them to terror” – inner dread, panic, and moral collapse accompany physical assault. • “and plunder” – loss of property, security, and dignity. Earthly treasures idolized above God are stripped away. Key Lessons on Consequences for Turning Away • Sin invites judgment, not mere discipline. Persistent apostasy moves the Lord to decisive action. • Consequences are both internal (“terror”) and external (“plunder”). God deals with heart and circumstance. • Judgment can be public and humiliating. A “mob” implies exposure; hidden sin eventually becomes visible. • Divine patience has limits. After long warnings (cf. Ezekiel 20; 22), a moment comes when God hands people over to the results of their choices. • God’s justice is proportionate: the very nations sought for help become the instruments of chastening (Ezekiel 23:22-24). Supporting Scripture Connections • Deuteronomy 28:15 – “But if you do not obey the LORD your God… all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” • Galatians 6:7 – “Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.” • Hosea 4:6 – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you.” • Hebrews 10:26-27 – Persistent sin after knowing truth leaves “only a fearful expectation of judgment.” • Romans 1:24-26 – “Therefore God gave them over” to the very desires they pursued, illustrating how divine judgment can be the release of restraint. Takeaway for Today • God’s holiness demands fidelity; turning away has real, sometimes severe, earthly consequences. • Grace is available, yet refusing it leads to escalating loss—peace, possessions, reputation, ultimately life. • The passage urges sober self-examination: cling to God alone, trust His covenant, and remain separate from idols of culture and heart. |
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