What connections exist between Ezekiel 22:11 and the Ten Commandments? Zooming In on Ezekiel 22:11 “ ‘One man commits detestable acts with his neighbor’s wife; another defiles his daughter-in-law with lust; and another violates his sister, his father’s daughter.’ ” (Ezekiel 22:11) Shared Ground With the Ten Commandments • Seventh Commandment – “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14) – The first charge in Ezekiel 22:11 is straight-up adultery: “detestable acts with his neighbor’s wife.” – Both texts condemn sexual unions that break the marriage covenant God established (Genesis 2:24). • Tenth Commandment – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…” (Exodus 20:17) – Adultery starts in the heart, springing from coveting. Ezekiel’s portrait shows the covetous desire moving from thought to action. • Fifth Commandment – “Honor your father and your mother…” (Exodus 20:12) – Incest with a daughter-in-law or sister tramples family honor and authority. By violating near relatives, the perpetrators despise the parents and the family line God ordained. Old Covenant Case Law That Fills In the Details • Leviticus 18:6, 15, 9 labels intercourse with close relatives, daughter-in-law, or sister as “an abomination.” • Deuteronomy 27:22 pronounces a curse on the man who “lies with his sister.” These statutes are essentially expansions of the Seventh Commandment, spelling out specific forbidden relationships. The Heart of the Matter • God is holy; His people are called to mirror that holiness, especially in sexual ethics (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16). • Marriage is a covenant picture of God’s faithfulness (Malachi 2:14; Ephesians 5:31-32). Adultery distorts that picture. • Family boundaries protect future generations. Incest destroys those safeguards and mocks God’s created order (Romans 1:24-27). Why These Connections Still Speak • The Ten Commandments lay the moral foundation; Ezekiel 22:11 shows what happens when that foundation is ignored—society crumbles. • The same commandments guide believers today (Matthew 5:27-28; Hebrews 13:4). • Ezekiel’s threefold violation warns against seeing any sexual sin as “minor.” One breach opens the door to deeper perversion. Putting It All Together Ezekiel 22:11 illustrates multiple breaches of God’s moral law. Each act violates at least one of the Ten Commandments—primarily the seventh, but also the tenth and, by extension, the fifth. The prophet’s indictment confirms that God’s timeless commandments remain the sure standard for personal purity, family honor, and covenant faithfulness. |
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