Ezekiel 16:6 “And when I passed by you and say you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’”

Chapter sixteen of Ezekiel is a hard chapter to read. It is hard to read because of the record of Jerusalem given to Ezekiel by God. It is hard to read because of the obvious anguish displayed by God. You may well ask yourself, how could a people reject God in such away? On the other hand just look around you and find a large city and see if it is in the process of rejecting God like Jerusalem and its people did. Then and now, God will not tolerate idolatry and unfaithfulness.

This is an interesting approach to God’s relationship with the people of Jerusalem. He begins with how Jerusalem was born and the story is not good. She, the city, was born and neglected to the point that her birth cord was not cut and her body not cleaned. God found her lying in her own birth blood about to die. He rescued her and gave her life and covered her with the edge of his garment. He took her to be His own and gave her fine things and jewelry and made her a queen.

And how did she show her gratitude and with what did she repay His kindness? Adultery. Adultery in every form and shape. Idols, human sacrifices, covenants with other idolaters and on and on it went.

Task for Today: You too have been washed clean and taken in as an adopted child. Every blessing is yours and God continues to provide everything you need. He has made His covenant with you and given you grace and righteousness. Read this chapter in its entirety and give some thought to how you have responded to the gifts.