Ezekiel 23:22-49
Q.1. What was God going to do to Oholibah? Why? What transformation would judgment achieve? – (Ezk.23:22-35)
Oholibah, capital of Judah was in God’s sights. The very heathen nations that they copied, would be used by the Lord to exact His jealous rage against her for all her treachery. From Egypt to that day, Judah had followed the worst of the nations, and had outstripped the northern kingdom in wickedness. Now their sins would be exposed (Ezk.23:22-35). The end result would be a purging of Judah – Thus I will make your lewdness and your harlotry brought from the land of Egypt to cease from you … (Ezk.23:27).
Q.2. How debased had Judah become? What was God’s intention in punishing the nation? – (Ezk.23:36-49)
Ezekiel had been called to declare their unbelievable abominations – 38 Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and have profaned My sabbaths. 39 For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My sanctuary on the same day to profane it; and lo, thus they did within My house (Ezk.23:38-39). They deserved to be exposed and punished for their terrible bloodshed of their own children. They had descended into worse evil than that of those whom God was raising up to destroy them (Ezk.23:44-47). Wickedness would then cease in the land, and they would know that it was God Who was in control, and that He alone is God. (Ezk.23:48-49).