Ezekiel 16-17
God describes Israel as a woman who he betrothed. He washed her with the law on Mt. Sinai. Moses even told them to wash their clothes to sanctify themselves. Then God watched her mature from a wandering people to a nation. He had told her to annihilate the Hittites and the Amorites but instead she had married them and taken their gods to be her gods. She was at her splendor at Solomon’s reign but quickly fell to become a harlot who prostituted herself for free to the other nations around her. In fact, she paid other nations to come and teach her idolatry. I can see this very thing happening in our day. I read in one commentary that sin weakens the intellect ("heart") but "the way of the Lord is strength to the upright" (Pr 10:29). It is so true and it was true of Judah. She had lost sight of what was sensible and right and had traded wisdom for foolishness.
Chapter 17 is an allegory where the king of Babylon is the great eagle and the king of Egypt is the second eagle. The story coincides with what happened in their land during this time. The eagle was the symbol of their great god, Nisroch. The eagle is also the symbol of America. May the Lord of Lords be our god!
Lord, raise up intercessors to pray for Israel and America and your people scattered around the world. May we be a bride that is holy devoted to You.
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