What is the meaning of Ezekiel 23:36? Then the LORD said to me Ezekiel hears the Creator’s voice break in once again. Nothing here is guesswork; God Himself initiates the conversation, just as He did in Ezekiel 1:3 and 3:4–11. The prophet’s entire ministry stands on that unshakable foundation—“the word of the LORD came to me” (Ezekiel 1:3). This repeated formula reminds us: • God still speaks with absolute authority (Isaiah 55:11; 2 Peter 1:20–21). • Revelation is not a human construct; it is divinely sourced and therefore completely trustworthy (Psalm 119:160). Because the voice is the LORD’s, the message that follows is non-negotiable—a literal, historical confrontation with sin. Son of man, will you pass judgment against Oholah and Oholibah? The familiar title “son of man” grounds Ezekiel in his humanity while underscoring his prophetic task (Ezekiel 2:1). The question God asks is rhetorical—He is commissioning Ezekiel to deliver an unmistakable verdict. • Oholah represents Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom, toppled by Assyria in 722 BC (Ezekiel 23:4; 2 Kings 17:7–18). • Oholibah stands for Jerusalem, seat of Judah, now on the brink of Babylonian invasion (Ezekiel 23:4; 2 Kings 24:3–4). By naming both sisters, God levels the playing field: past collapse in the north and imminent collapse in the south flow from the same sins. Cross references pile on the evidence—Jer 3:6–11 parallels the charges, and Hosea 8:4–14 exposes identical harlotries. God’s question calls Ezekiel to be more than a spectator; he must issue a real, courtroom-style judgment. Then declare to them their abominations “Abominations” translates into a catalog of offenses that Israel and Judah treated lightly but God takes with utmost seriousness (Ezekiel 22:2–12). Ezekiel must articulate them plainly: • Idolatry—trusting carved images and foreign gods (Exodus 20:3–5; Ezekiel 23:7). • Political adultery—seeking security through alliances with Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon instead of the LORD (Isaiah 30:1–3; Ezekiel 23:17). • Bloodshed—sacrificing children in the fire, shedding innocent blood (Leviticus 18:21; Ezekiel 16:20-21). • Sexual immorality—symbolic of spiritual unfaithfulness (Ezekiel 16:32; Hosea 4:12-13). The command “declare” means no soft-pedaling. The prophet’s job is to unveil sin so that the hearers see it as God sees it (Ephesians 5:11-13). Only then can righteous judgment be understood as just. summary Ezekiel 23:36 captures a pivotal moment: God speaks, commissions His prophet, and demands a fearless exposure of sin. Oholah and Oholibah, representing Samaria and Jerusalem, have accumulated abominations so glaring that judgment is inevitable. The passage underscores divine authority, the necessity of confronting sin, and the certainty that God’s verdict is always right. Taking Scripture’s accuracy at face value, we are reminded that God still calls His people to hear, repent, and walk in covenant faithfulness, lest the same righteous Judge expose our own hidden abominations. |
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