Ezekiel 23:40

Ezekiel 23:40 says, And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,  God now said that the people of Judah had sent for people to come from afar and they adorned themselves to meet them.  They had sent for the Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians at various times to come and protect them and had tried to make everything look beautiful for them when they came instead of looking to God for their protection.  Sometimes, we as followers of Christ think our protection in the world is going to come from somewhere other than God.  Whatever we look to other than God will always let us down, just as they let the people of Judah down every time they tried to find security outside of obedience to God.  

Verse forty-one adds, And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.  God said they sat on their stately bed, which Matthew Henry says refers to the throne, and pouring His incense and oil on a table in front of the throne   They were trying to show that God had endorsed their actions when He had not.  We may sometimes try to show that God has endorsed our actions by dressing them up with things that represent God, but if they are not in accordance with His will, they will simply profane His name.  

Verse forty-two continues, And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.  God said that not only the leaders had put their faith in these other powers but that the common people had joined them in doing so as well.  They were at ease because they thought they were safe.  Matthew Henry says the Sabeans refers to the drunkards who were in the wilderness around Jerusalem who would drink toasts to the health of these ambassadors from these other countries, while trying to make themselves look their best.  As Christians, we can never allow ourselves to look to anyone or anything other than God for our protection, and we certainly cannot try to make ourselves look our best for them.  

Verse forty-three states, Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?  God said He asked the people of Judah, who as a part of God’s people who had often committed spiritual adultery against Him if they would do so now.  It was still their choice whether to do so or not, and it was determined by each individual and not with what the leaders may have said or done.  Even if those who are in power turn their back on God as has often happened in the past, it is still up to each individual Christian whether they will do so or not.  

Verse forty-four adds, Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.  God said that the people of Israel and Judah had gone willing to commit spiritual adultery against Him. They were never forced to do so but willingly chose to do so.  No matter what the people in power may do today that is against God and what His word teaches, it is up to each individual Christian whether we will follow them or remain true to God.

Ezekiel 23:36

Ezekiel 23:36 says, The Lord said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;  Some of the people of Samaria, or Israel, had returned to Jerusalem, or Judah, after Isreal had been defeated, but the people of Judah were no longer living by faith in God and obeying His commandments.  God asked Ezekiel if He would judge them both at this time.  If we find ourselves suffering defeat in the world today, we may look to Christians for help, but if the Christians that we are looking to for help are Christians in name only, then we both will be judged by God one day.  

Verse thirty-seven adds, That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.  God said both Israel and Judah, all of His chosen people had been unfaithful to Him by putting their faith in false gods.  This also affected their sons, who were supposed to be dedicated to God, but who were led to follow false gods and to suffer defeat as well.  If we don’t teach our children about God, they may never accept God’s gift of salvation.  Of course, the decision is ultimately up to each individual, but if we are a Christian in fact instead of only in name, we can make it easier for our children and other people to know about God.  

Verse thirty-eight continues, Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.  God then said that the people of Judah had defiled his sanctuary, or the temple that was seen as His sanctuary, and had also defiled His sabbath.  As Christians, we believe that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, or a sanctuary for God, and how often do we defile it.  Though the church building may be defiled, it is really not God’s sanctuary unless we are gathered there, but we often are more concerned with keeping the church building clean than we are with keeping ourselves from being spiritually defiled.  

Verse thirty continues, For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.  God said that when they had slain their children in sacrifice to idols that the same day, they came into His sanctuary to defile it.  We cannot practice sinful actions in our lives and at the same time profess to worship God.  This is never going to be pleasing to God.  We especially cannot gather as the church after committing sins against God without repenting and asking His forgiveness and expect Him to be pleased. 

Ezekiel 23:31

Ezekiel 23:31 says, Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.  God said that the people of Judah had walked in the way of their sister, Israel.  The people of Judah had remained faithful to God longer than the people of Israel had, but they had now turned completely away from Him. The people of Israel had already been sent away in captivity, which was the cup that was referred to, and now the people of Judah were going to bear the same cup or suffer the same fate.   Those who have not put their faith in Jesus Christ and who have died are already forever separated from God and those who refuse to accept Him today will suffer the same fate one day.  

Verse thirty-two adds, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.  God said the people of Judah would drink deeply of the cup of their sister, Israel, and that the cup was deep and large.  The cup of God’s punishment for those who refuse to accept His gracious gift of salvation is deep and large, but we do not have to drink of it if we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  God also said that the people of Judah would be laughed to scorn by people around them because they had claimed to have God’s protection without putting their faith in Him and obeying His commandments.  If we profess to be Christians but don’t really put our faith in Jesus Christ or obey His commandments while professing to be under His protection, when we fail in life, people of the world are going to be laughing at us and scorning us.  

Verse thirty-three continues, Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.  God said that the people of Jerusalem, or Judah, were going to be filled with drunkenness and sorrow and astonished at the cup of admonishment and desolation, just as the people of Samaria, or Israel, had been.  Many people today look to alcohol to find happiness, but it often just leaves them sorrowful the next day, and they will one day find themselves astonished at the judgment of God on their looking for happiness in the things of this world that are presented to bring happiness outside of God’s will.  Of course, alcohol abuse is just one of many things that people may look to for pleasure outside of God’s will, and all of them will leave those who do in sorrow when they one day face God’s judgment.  

Verse thirty-four states, Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.  God said that they would drink the very last of this cup.  Their destruction would be total, and so will the everlasting destruction of those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ and accept His gift of forgiveness of sin.  

Verse thirty-five adds, Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.  God said that since the people of Judah had forgotten Him and their covenant relationship with Him, which meant that they were His people in name only, that they would be punished for their sins.  As a nation that calls itself a Christian nation while turning our backs on God and His commandments, we may be astonished to see ourselves fall without His protection.  The same applies to someone who is a Christian in name only, but who has never accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.