Ezekiel 16

Comment:

This chapter is much too long to print out here. It is a part of the prophet's work, written immediately before the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. Speaking on behalf of the Lord, Ezekiel is warning—in various ways and through various images—that the destruction and exile are inevitable because of the choices they have made in violation of their spiritual covenant.  

The central imagery in Chapter 16 is a kind of folktale in which the Southern Kingdom (Judah) is seen as a woman who, abandoned and forlorn at birth, is adopted by the Lord and raised to the great heights of the reign of Kings David and Solomon. However, she turns like a harlot to worldly temptations, abandoning her covenant with the Lord. The consequences of those choices will be severe.  

After the fall of Jerusalem—he'd been describing what sincerely happened—Ezekiel's tone and message change completely. Now the Lord assures his people that the suffering will not last forever; divine love will guide them through and beyond it as long as they remain true to the covenant.

The spiritual Truth is twofold, I think. First, choices have consequences, and experiencing those consequences becomes an important part of our spiritual journey. Second, our innate oneness with the Divine guarantees that negative consequences will dissolve as we learn lessons and make new choices.

If there's a specific verse or two that concerns you, please let me know, and I'll be glad to do what I can.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed