What parallels exist between Ezekiel 23:4 and Israel's history of idolatry? Verse in Focus: Ezekiel 23:4 “ ‘The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They belonged to Me and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.’ ” Who the Sisters Represent • Oholah (Samaria) = the northern kingdom of Israel after the split under Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:16–20). • Oholibah (Jerusalem) = the southern kingdom of Judah, centered in the city that housed God’s temple. • Both “belonged to Me” – God had entered covenant with the whole nation at Sinai (Exodus 19:5-6). Idolatry’s Track Record Before the Split • Golden calf at Sinai (Exodus 32:1-6). • Baal-Peor worship in the wilderness (Numbers 25:1-3). • Persistent syncretism during the Judges (Judges 2:11-13). These early lapses set a pattern that re-emerges in the two kingdoms symbolized by the sisters. Parallels Between Ezekiel 23:4 and Israel’s Broader Idolatry 1. Shared Covenant, Shared Unfaithfulness – Both sisters “belonged to Me,” yet both broke the same covenant (Hosea 6:7). – Their stories echo Joshua’s warning that idolatry would bring disaster (Joshua 24:20). 2. Northern Kingdom Leads the Way – Jeroboam’s calves at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-30) mirror Oholah’s first plunge into spiritual adultery (Ezekiel 23:5-8). – Ahab’s Baal cult (1 Kings 16:30-33) and alliances with Tyre and Sidon correspond to Oholah “lusting after her lovers.” 3. Southern Kingdom Imitates and Surpasses – Judah “saw” Israel’s fall yet “was more corrupt” (Jeremiah 3:8-11), just as Oholibah outdoes Oholah in Ezekiel 23:11-21. – Manasseh’s idolatry (2 Kings 21:1-7) brings foreign altars into the temple itself, paralleling Oholibah inviting “foreign lovers” into Jerusalem. 4. Foreign Alliances = Spiritual Adultery – Israel looks to Assyria (2 Kings 15:19) and Judah to Egypt and Babylon (Isaiah 30:1-3; 2 Kings 24:1), matching the sisters’ “lusting after the Assyrians” (Ezekiel 23:5, 12, 17). – Political dependence becomes religious compromise. 5. Children Caught in the Middle – Both sisters “gave birth to sons and daughters,” then “sacrificed them to idols” (Ezekiel 23:37). – Historical parallel: child sacrifice under Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6). 6. From Warning to Judgment – The northern kingdom falls to Assyria (2 Kings 17:6) as Oholah is stripped bare (Ezekiel 23:9-10). – The southern kingdom later falls to Babylon (2 Kings 25:8-11), fulfilling Oholibah’s fate (Ezekiel 23:22-35). Key Takeaways • Idolatry progressed from isolated acts to an entrenched national lifestyle. • Witnessing another’s discipline does not guarantee repentance. Judah saw Israel’s fall yet persisted. • God’s covenant claim (“they belonged to Me”) makes spiritual infidelity all the more grievous and invites corrective judgment (Hebrews 12:6). The vivid imagery of Oholah and Oholibah sums up centuries of compromise, warning every generation that divided devotion inevitably leads to devastating consequences. |
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