In what ways does Ezekiel 16:4 connect to themes of redemption in Scripture? The Neglected Infant: Ezekiel 16:4 in Context “On the day you were born, your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.” Helplessness Mirrors Our Spiritual Condition • The uncut cord pictures bondage to sin (John 8:34). • Unwashed skin shows moral defilement (Isaiah 64:6). • No salt or swaddling underscores complete exposure and shame (Romans 3:23). • Scripture consistently paints humanity as spiritually stillborn until God acts (Ephesians 2:1). Divine Intervention: God Cuts, Washes, and Wraps • Ezekiel 16:6–14 describes the Lord stepping in, saying, “I passed by you and saw you kicking about in your blood… I said to you, ‘Live!’” • He cuts the cord—deliverance from slavery (Colossians 1:13–14). • He washes—cleansing through atonement (Ezekiel 36:25; Titus 3:5). • He clothes—covering with righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Echoes of Cleansing Throughout Scripture • Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” • John 3:5: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” • Hebrews 10:22: “Let us draw near… having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.” The pattern is identical: God acts first, cleansing those unable to cleanse themselves. Covenant Salt: Preservation and Permanence • Salt in the ancient Near East symbolized enduring covenant (Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5). • The infant lacked this preserving element; God supplies it, giving eternal security to His people (John 10:28). Swaddled in Love: From Ezekiel to Bethlehem • The abandoned child lay unswaddled; centuries later the true Son was “wrapped in swaddling cloths” (Luke 2:7). • Jesus experiences the care His people never had, so He can extend that care to them (2 Corinthians 8:9). From Abandonment to Adoption • Romans 5:6–8: Christ died “while we were still helpless.” • Ephesians 2:4–5: God “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead.” • Galatians 4:4–7: The once–discarded become sons and heirs. Living in the Fulness of Redemption • Cut cords: walk free from old bondage (Romans 6:6–7). • Washed skin: pursue daily holiness (1 John 1:7). • Salted covenant: rest in God’s unbreakable promise (Hebrews 13:5). • Swaddled covering: wear Christ’s righteousness with gratitude (Philippians 3:9). |
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