Ezekiel - episode 3

You have despised the oath in breaking the Covenant

We continue reading the Book of Ezekiel with an oracle against Jerusalem; it uses in a quite outspoken mode the matrimonial metaphor to describe the Covenant between the Lord and His people (see Isaiah – episode 2).
«“‘Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘and you became mine. “‘Then I washed you with water; yes, I thoroughly washed away your blood from you, and I anointed you with oil. I clothed you also with embroidered work, and shod you with sealskin, and I dressed you about with fine linen, and covered you with silk. I decked you with ornaments, and I put bracelets on your hands, and a chain on your neck. I put a ring on your nose, and earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were decked with gold and silver; and your clothing was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered work; you ate fine flour, and honey, and oil; and you were exceeding beautiful, and you prospered to royal estate. Your renown went forth among the nations for your beauty; for it was perfect, through my majesty which I had put on you,’ says the Lord GOD» (Ezek 16,8-14). Spreading the skirt of His cloak over Jerusalem, the Lord takes her in marriage; she has nothing attractive («your person was abhorred», see Ezek 16,5). God, tenderly, cleans her and gives her the wealth of a queen.



However, she squanders those goods with the idols; the Bible text calls it a «prostitution»: «“‘But you trusted in your beauty, and played the prostitute because of your renown, and poured out your prostitution on everyone who passed by; his it was. You took of your garments, and made for yourselves high places decked with various colors, and played the prostitute on them: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and played the prostitute with them; and you took your embroidered garments, and covered them, and set my oil and my incense before them. My bread also which I gave you, fine flour, and oil, and honey, with which I fed you, you even set it before them for a pleasant aroma; and thus it was,’ says the Lord GOD. “‘Moreover you have taken your sons and your daughters, whom you have borne to me, and you have sacrificed these to them to be devoured. Was your prostitution a small matter, that you have slain my children, and delivered them up, in causing them to pass through the fire to them? In all your abominations and your prostitution you have not remembered the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, and were wallowing in your blood. “‘It has happened after all your wickedness, (“Woe, woe to you!” says the Lord GOD), that you have built for yourselves a vaulted place, and have made yourselves a lofty place in every street. You have built your lofty place at the head of every way, and have made your beauty an abomination, and have opened your feet to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your prostitution [...] “‘How weak is your heart, says the Lord GOD, since you do all these things, the work of an impudent prostitute; in that you build your vaulted place at the head of every way, and make your lofty place in every street, and have not been as a prostitute, in that you scorn pay. “‘A wife who commits adultery! who takes strangers instead of her husband! They give gifts to all prostitutes; but you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them, that they may come to you on every side for your prostitution. You are different from other women in your prostitution, in that no one follows you to play the prostitute; and whereas you give hire, and no hire is given to you, therefore you are different.’» (Ezek 16,15-25.30-34).
The punishment for such ingratitude and wickedness is terrible: the «lovers» (including the foreign people that Jerusalem sought as allies: «Egyptians», «Assyrians», «Chaldea», see Ezek 16,26-29) will become the executioners of the city. «“Therefore, prostitute, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your children, that you gave to them; therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those who you have loved, with all those who you have hated; I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your vaulted place, and break down your lofty places; and they shall strip you of your clothes, and take your beautiful jewels; and they shall leave you naked and bare. They shall also bring up a company against you, and they shall stone you with stones, and thrust you through with their swords. They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will cause you to cease from playing the prostitute, and you shall also give no hire any more» (Ezek 16,35-41).
There is a hope: God is a passionate and jealous lover, but He is faithful to His Covenant even if the people is unfaithful. The Lord freely chose Jerusalem among the pagans (see Ezek 16,3), and He will freely save her from the consequences of her sins. «So will I cause my wrath toward you to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from you, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. “‘Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have raged against me in all these things; therefore, behold, I also will bring your way on your head,’ says the Lord GOD: ‘and you shall not commit this lewdness with all your abominations. [...] You have borne your lewdness and your abominations, says the LORD.’ “For thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant. Then you shall remember your ways, and be ashamed […]. I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall know that I am the LORD; that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done, says the Lord GOD.’”» (Ezek 16,42-43.58-63).
In the next post we will tell how Ezekiel’s threats over Jerusalem will materialize and how the prophet’s matrimonial life will become one with the Word the Lord asks him to announce.