In what ways does Ezekiel 23:12 connect to 1 John 2:15-17? Setting the scene in Ezekiel 23:12 “She lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors splendidly attired, all desirable young men, horsemen riding on steeds.” • Oholibah (Jerusalem) is portrayed as abandoning her covenant Husband to chase the glamour, power, and sensual appeal of Assyrian soldiers. • The verse exposes three layers of attraction: outward beauty (“splendidly attired”), fleshly desire (“desirable young men”), and worldly power (“governors and commanders”). • God calls this infatuation “lust,” making it clear that the pursuit is spiritual adultery, not merely political strategy (cf. Ezekiel 23:17,20). The call of 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.” Direct links between the passages • Desires of the eyes → Oholibah was captivated by the Assyrians’ impressive uniforms and display (“warriors splendidly attired”). • Desires of the flesh → She “lusted” after them; the language is explicitly sensual. • Pride of life → She sought the prestige and security that came with aligning herself to Assyria’s “governors and commanders.” • Mutual exclusivity → Just as John warns that loving the world displaces the love of the Father, Oholibah’s passions displaced her covenant loyalty to the LORD. • Passing nature of worldly allure → Assyria ultimately turned on Jerusalem (Ezekiel 23:22-24), illustrating John’s reminder that “the world is passing away.” Reinforcing truths from other Scriptures • James 4:4: Friendship with the world is enmity with God. • Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this age. • Matthew 6:24: No one can serve two masters. All echo the same binary choice presented in both Ezekiel 23 and 1 John 2. Practical takeaways for believers today • Worldly charm still looks refined, powerful, and inviting; God still calls it spiritual adultery. • Check the three “desires” John names whenever something or someone dazzles you. • Measure every alliance—social, political, financial, relational—by whether it deepens or dilutes devotion to Christ. • Invest in what “remains forever”: obedience, holiness, and the Father’s love, not passing trends. |
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