What does "drink your sister's cup" symbolize in Ezekiel 23:32? Setting of Ezekiel 23 • Ezekiel receives a prophetic parable about two sisters, Oholah (Samaria, the Northern Kingdom) and Oholibah (Jerusalem, the Southern Kingdom). • Both had broken covenant with the LORD by adopting idolatry and the immoral practices of surrounding nations. • The passage warns that Judah, like Israel before her, will face judgment for the same sins. The Cup Motif in Scripture • “Cup” commonly pictures an allotted portion—especially the outpouring of divine wrath. – Psalm 75:8: “For in the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices…” – Isaiah 51:17: “You have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His wrath…” – Jeremiah 25:15: “Take from My hand this cup of the wine of wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.” Ezekiel 23:32—The Text “This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You will drink your sister’s cup, which is deep and wide; you will be an object of scorn and derision, for it holds so much.’” Meaning of “Drink Your Sister’s Cup” • Shared Judgment – Samaria had already “drunk” the cup when Assyria conquered her (2 Kings 17). – Judah would now receive the same portion: siege, exile, humiliation. • Full Measure – “Deep and wide” stresses that Judah’s suffering would be no token sip; the entire bitter portion must be consumed. • Public Shame – Scorn from nations mirrors the exposed shame of an adulterous wife (Ezekiel 23:29). – The cup contains both physical devastation and disgrace. Why the Symbol Is So Stark • A visible, memorable picture: a goblet overflowing with foaming wine of God’s fury. • Links individual sins (idol worship, alliances) to a national sentence—inescapable once served. • Underscores divine fairness: Judah cannot protest; she repeats her sister’s rebellion and thus receives her sister’s fate. Related Passages Reinforcing the Image • Lamentations 4:21: Edom will “drink and expose yourself” (shared cup theme). • Revelation 14:10: those who worship the beast will “drink of the wine of God’s wrath.” • Matthew 26:39: even Jesus speaks of “this cup,” pointing to bearing wrath on behalf of sinners. Implications for Believers Today • Sin’s consequences are real and certain; God’s holiness demands justice. • God’s warnings are gracious invitations to repent before judgment “fills the cup.” • Christ ultimately drank the cup of wrath for all who trust Him (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21), offering deliverance from the fate Judah experienced. Summary “Drink your sister’s cup” symbolizes Judah’s unavoidable participation in the same divine judgment poured out on Samaria. The cup represents God’s wrath, filled to the brim with consequences for persistent idolatry, and it serves as a sober reminder that His justice is impartial and sure. |
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