How does Ezekiel 23:20 connect with the first commandment in Exodus 20:3? Scripture Texts Exodus 20:3 — “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Ezekiel 23:20 — “She lusted after their lovers, whose members were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of stallions.” The First Commandment: Exclusive Covenant Loyalty • God reveals Himself as the only true God and claims undivided allegiance. • The wording “before Me” stresses relationship—nothing, visible or invisible, may rival His place. • The commandment forms the cornerstone of the entire moral law (Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 22:37). Ezekiel 23:20: Graphic Picture of Broken Covenant • Ezekiel personifies Samaria (“Oholah”) and Jerusalem (“Oholibah”) as adulterous wives. • Their craving for “lovers” pictures political alliances and the worship of foreign deities (2 Kings 17:7–12; Hosea 2:13). • The shockingly explicit language lays bare the repulsiveness of idolatry from God’s viewpoint. The Theological Bridge Between the Verses • Spiritual adultery = idolatry. The covenant with God is portrayed as marriage (Exodus 34:14; Jeremiah 31:32). • Ezekiel’s imagery dramatizes how flagrantly Israel violated Exodus 20:3; the nation did not merely dabble in idolatry—it lusted after it. • The first commandment shows the positive call; Ezekiel 23:20 shows the grisly consequences when that call is ignored (Jeremiah 3:6–9; James 4:4). • Both passages underscore the same truth: God requires—and deserves—exclusive devotion. Lessons for Today • Guard the heart: modern idols (money, power, pleasure) can seduce just as ancient gods did (1 John 5:21). • Remember the marital nature of salvation: Christ claims the church as His bride (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7–8). • Pursue purity of worship: loyalty to God is expressed by wholehearted love and obedience (John 14:15). |
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