1. Once Israel was exposed, were the nations complicit in her sins going to support her?
-
No, once Israel was exposed to her lovers they would turn against her: “(35) Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: (36) Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; (37) Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. (38) And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. (39) And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. (40) They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords. (41) And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more” (Ezekiel 16:35-41).
“O Harlot” (Isaiah 1:21).
Because her filthiness poured out (Ezekiel 22:15; 24:13) and of her nakedness being discovered through her whoredoms (Jeremiah 13:22-26 and Lamentations 1:8).
The LORD would gather her lovers against her (Nahum 3:5-6 and Zechariah 14:1-2).
Judged as a woman that broke wedlock (Deuteronomy 22:22 and Jeremiah 3:8-9).
In fury and jealousy as He LONG ago warned He would do (Deuteronomy 29:9-29).
Left naked and bare (Ezekiel 23:29).
Physically persecuted and their houses burned down in judgment against them (Ezekiel 5:8 and Jeremiah 39:8).
2. Was the Lord ever going to cease being angry and jealous?
-
Yes, once their lovers turned against Israel and she stopped playing the harlot (vs. 35-51), His attitude would change: “So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry” (Ezekiel 16:42).
God’s jealousy and fury turns the other way too in seeking to restore what He once had with His people (Isaiah 40:1-2 and Zechariah 8:1-15).
3. Why did the Lord recompense the ways of Israel upon their own head?
-
“Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations” (Ezekiel 16:43).
Their memory of their roots failed (Psalms 78:11; 42; 106:13, Jeremiah 2:32; 3:21; 13:25; 18:15, and Hosea 4:1-6; 8:14; 13:6).2 kings 17
Reaping what is sown (Job 4:8, Job 34:11, Proverbs 1:31, Proverbs 12:14, Proverbs 14:14, Proverbs 22:8, Proverbs 24:12, Isaiah 3:10-11, Jeremiah 2:19, Jeremiah 4:16-18, Jeremiah 32:19, Ezekiel 22:31, Hosea 7:2, Hosea 8:7, John 5:28-29, II Corinthians 5:10, and Galatians 6:7-8).
4. Was Judah better or worse than her relatives?
-
Worse: “(44) Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter. (45) Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite. (46) And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters. (47) Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. (48) As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters” (Ezekiel 16:44-48).
Everyone that used a proverb [“to use figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like); intransitively, to resemble: — be(-come) like, compare, use (as a) proverb, speak (in proverbs), utter… to be like, liken” (Strong’s #4911)] would liken Judah to her mother (II Kings 17:11; 15).
-
Her mother was an Hittite (Ezekiel 16:3; 45).
-
As addressed in Ezekiel 16:3, this is stating that they were raised in the ways of the heathens in the lands they possessed (II Kings 16:1-3 and Isaiah 1:4; 57:3-4).
Remember, the Lord can relate to one’s family by what they follow (Mark 3:31-35). Note: Isaiah 1:9-10 and Jeremiah 23:14
Sisters of Samaria and Sodom aren’t good relations (Genesis 18:1-19:29, Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 23:13, Hosea 13:16, and Micah 1:5-6; cf. Deuteronomy 32:15-34).
The kicker… You’re worse than them (II Kings 21:9). Again, we see this in verse 51.
This point is similar to what Jesus made regarding the cities that reject the Gospel (Matthew 10:14-15; 11:20-24).
5. Because of their terrible deeds, who did Judah provide a comfort and sense of justification to?
-
Israel [Samaria being the capital of] and Sodom that had both been destroyed: “(49) Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. (50) And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. (51) Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. (52) Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters. (53) When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: (54) That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. (55) When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate” (Ezekiel 16:49-55).
Sodom was proud (Proverbs 16:5), full (Proverbs 30:9), and abundantly idle (Amos 6:1 and Zechariah 1:15).
Taken away in their haughtiness (Isaiah 10:33).
Judah’s transgressions, being greater, served as a justifier for Sodom and for Israel (Jeremiah 3:8-11; cf. Matthew 12:38-42).
Their hypocrisy in judgment (Matthew 7:1-5 and Romans 2:1-29).
The logical, comforting, biblical conclusion one can reach from verses 53-55 is that there is was a time coming wherein Sodom, Samaria, and Judah [Jerusalem] would be able to bear their shame and return to their proper estate (Malachi 3:1-4, Matthew 3:1-18, Matthew 18:11-13, Luke 19:1-10, and Hebrews 9:15-17).
6. Before Judah’s wickedness was discovered, who did they feel better than so much that they would not even talk about them?
-
Sodom: “(56) For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, (57) Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about” (Ezekiel 16:56-57).
They had a sinful, “holier than thou” attitude (Isaiah 65:1-5; cf. Luke 18:9-14 and James 4:6-10).
7. Though Judah would be dealt with for their abominations, what was God going to establish again with them?
-
His everlasting covenant: “(58) Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. (59) For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. (60) Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. (61) Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. (62) And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: (63) That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 16:58-63).
Looking forward here, we see they bear their abominations (Lamentations 5:7).
As is often restated throughout the Scriptures in various wording, you reap what you sow (see notes on question 3; verse 43).
God remembering His covenant (Leviticus 26:27-46; cf. Genesis 22:1-18).
God establishing a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:1-10:22).
The time was to come when they would be ashamed of their evil doings (Ezra 9:1-10:39, Ezekiel 20:33-43; 36:21-32, and Daniel 9:1-19).
They would learn to shut up (Lamentations 3:39).
God would establish His covenant with them when He was pacified toward them (Titus 3:3-8).