What actions does God command Ezekiel to take in Ezekiel 23:36? Setting the scene Ezekiel 23 paints a graphic picture of two symbolic sisters—Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem)—whose unfaithfulness to God mirrors extreme moral and spiritual corruption. Verse 36 is the pivot where God directly commissions Ezekiel to speak. The two-fold command “Then the LORD said to me: ‘Son of man, will you pass judgment against Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.’” (Ezekiel 23:36) God’s instructions break down into two clear actions: • Pass judgment (formally pronounce God’s verdict). • Declare—publicly expose—their abominations (list and denounce their detestable sins). Why these actions mattered • Judgment affirms God’s holy standard (Leviticus 19:2). • Exposure brings hidden sin to light, removing any claim of ignorance (Ephesians 5:11). • Both steps warn others and call the guilty to repentance (Jeremiah 1:10). Scriptural echoes of the same charge • Ezekiel 20:4; 22:2—God repeats, “Will you judge… then confront them with their abominations.” • 2 Timothy 4:2—“Reprove, rebuke, and encourage,” mirroring Ezekiel’s task for New-Covenant preachers. • Ephesians 5:11—Believers must “expose” darkness, not merely avoid it. Living it today • Call sin what God calls it—neither softening nor sensationalizing. • Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), letting Scripture set the agenda. • Remember: proclamation of judgment is redemptive when it points hearts back to the Lord who forgives the repentant (1 John 1:9). |
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