Consequences of Spiritual Adultery and Pride

Ezekiel 16:35-63

35 'Now then, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD! 36 Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because your filthiness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your harlotry with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them, 37 surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. 38 And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy. 39 I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.

40 "They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords. 41 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you cease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers. 42 So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more. 43 Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but agitated Me with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head," says the Lord GOD. "And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations.

44 "Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you: 'Like mother, like daughter!' 45 You are your mother's daughter, loathing husband and children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children; your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.

46 "Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters. 47 You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways.

48 "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.

51 "Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done. 52 You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters.

53 "When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back the captives of your captivity among them, 54 that you may bear your own shame and be disgraced by all that you did when you comforted them. 55 When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, then you and your daughters will return to your former state. 56 For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and of the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere. 58 You have paid for your lewdness and your abominations," says the LORD. 59 For thus says the Lord GOD: "I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

60 "Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed, when you receive your older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of My covenant with you. 62 And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 63 that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done," says the Lord GOD.'"

Jerusalem’s lovers led them into idolatry and immortality with dire consequences for their spiritual adultery and pride in judging others for doing less.  Pride is almost greater than the sin of worshiping false gods and defaming the temple of stone and of flesh.  God hated the sin so much that He called out His wandering people in the wilderness of their sin who had rejected Him, calling down judgment and destruction on their high places of low worship and immortality.  They were to lose everything they possessed as a result.  They would be stoned and slim with the sword.  His wrath would only be satisfied when they stopped their adulterous ways and turned from their sin to Him and lived according to His word.  They first felt the recompense of their abominations before the forgiveness of grace through repentance.  They had judged their sisters Samaria and Sodom as if the sin of those two was worse than their own heinous rebellion and rejection.  Even though they did not walk in their ways or act according to their abominations, they became even more corrupt in all their ways of idolatry and immortality and were judged more harshly because they knew better and had His covenant for protection and prosperity.  In the end her sisters were more righteous than God’s people of Jerusalem with more abominations and resulting disgrace with shame due to their greater pride.  Their wickedness was uncovered as a harlot who despised their sworn oath of commitment to the LORD in His gracious covenant.  Ah, but even then God offered an Everlasting Covenant to come, a foreshadowing of the Mew Covenant of grace in Jesus Christ!  Their shame would lead to repentance and they would again know and worship the LORD in humility because of the memories of their sin and it’s shame.  His atonement would be what humbled their pride and stopped their idolatry and immortality against His word and will.  This is an example for we who are now found as His people in this new covenant of grace, one which leads us to not be proud or judgmental but remembers the mercy shown us to show others in turn.  Who are we to judge the world (1 Peter 4:17-18, 1 Corinthians 5:12-13) and neglect to exhort and correct each other in the church instead?  If we so humble ourselves in His sight He will lift us up, and if we show mercy instead of thinking ourselves better than other sinners because of that grace, we will win souls and worship in spirit and truth.  Remember the consequences of pride and adultery of all forms.