Read Ezekiel 16. In this chapter, we have Israel’s birth (natural birth), rebirth (born again), unfaithfulness (on the part of Israel), punishment (as a result of unfaithfulness), and restoration. The interpretation of this prophecy belongs to Jerusalem and the nation of Israel, but there is a lesson for the people of God in any age.

This chapter is unparalleled in its allegorical description of Israel’s history. Jerusalem is representative of the whole nation. Ezekiel saw Israel’s sin as one of unfaithfulness to the love of God. Jerusalem is represented under the figure of a woman. The allegory begins with an abandoned child who goes through the development of womanhood, marriage, and the unfaithfulness of a wife. The restoration of Israel, like her development and deliverance from Egyptian bondage, is ascribed to the covenant made by God. There are spiritual lessons in this chapter for the assembly of the New Testament, but the passage cannot be applied in a literal way to the assembly. However, this chapter expresses the same practical truths as Isaiah 1:21 and Hosea 1:2. “How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers” (Is. 1:21). “When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD” (Hosea 1:2).

There are sad parallels in the New Testament—Romans 1, II Timothy 3, and Revelation 3:14-22. Ezekiel could not give understanding because it was not in his power to do so. However, the prophet could give the message which would be sufficient to bring it to their knowledge when the Holy Spirit was directed to do so—at God’s time.

In Ezekiel 1-5, we see Israel’s destitution. The Lord found Israel in her natural, lost condition. He entered into a covenant with her and made her His own. God elected the Jews (Deut. 7:1-11) and regenerated them by an authoritative command, “Live!” (Ezek. 16:6). The interpretation of this prophecy belongs to Jerusalem and the nation of Israel, but there is a lesson for the chosen of God in any age. Compare Ezekiel 16:6 with Numbers 21:8-9—“Then the LORD said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live. And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.” In regeneration, God said, “Live”; in conversion, God said, “Look and live.” Eternal life is outside the life of flesh. Many see no more in eternal life than the assurance of eternal security. A type is of no value in the presence of the substance. The serpent was lifted up in the fortieth year of the wilderness journey. “Look and live” must be distinguished from “live.” There is no “looking” in order to “live” in Ezekiel. The cause that produced the serpent of brass was twofold: (1) On man’s side it was sin, and (2) on God’s side it was grace. Life involves the gift of the Spirit. “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10).

God chose, regenerated, reconciled, and sanctified Israel. What motives were there for such a work of grace? Someone might say necessity, but necessity can never affect the Most High. Who dictates counsel to the Most High? Who makes Him do according to His pleasure?

How can life which does not exist either assist or give life to itself? The new creation cannot produce itself. The natural man turns the grace of God into licentiousness and denies the Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 4). Light is not brought out of darkness. About 15 years ago, a Baptist pastor in Houston, Texas, said, “The sinner must take in the word, understand it, and appropriate it in order for the new life to be created.” Most religionists think that the sinner takes the first step, but the Christian knows better. If the sinner did take the first step, it would be like the Romish miracle of St. Dennis. After he was beheaded, he picked up his head and walked 2,000 miles with it in his hand. If he took the first step, there was no difficulty.

In Ezekiel 16:6-14, we are informed about Israel’s deliverance. In Ezekiel 16:15-59, the prophet instructs us concerning Israel’s desecration. Israel grew proud, laid aside humility, forgot she had been delivered by grace, played the harlot, and used what God had given her for her own pleasure.

Spiritual fornication and adultery are the unholy unions of God’s chosen people. James said, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

Prosperity tests character. Praise finds out the leak of pride. Wealth reveals the flow of selfishness. Idleness and evil thoughts intrude in an unemployed mind as naturally as worms generate in a stagnate pool.

Restoration will not be the covenant into which Israel entered and assumed responsibilities, which she could never fulfill in the flesh, but it will be on the basis of the unilateral covenant of grace that the Father made with the Son. That covenant is typified in the Abrahamic Covenant not the Mosaic Covenant. Grace, not merit, is the only hope.

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.

Copyright ã   2005

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