A Symbol of Total Corruption
June 4, 2021
Commentary
The parable of the three sisters is similar in some details to the preceding one. Samaria was Jerusalem’s older sister, Sodom her younger sister. Both the mother and sisters loathed their husbands and children. The prophet accused Jerusalem of being worse than her sisters. Jerusalem had not merely “walked in their ways or done according to their abominations.” Jerusalem had actually “acted more corruptly“ in all her conduct than they (vv. 44-47).
The record of the sisters (vv. 48-52). In order to underscore his charge that Jerusalem had acted more corruptly than Sodom or Samaria, Ezekiel examined the record of the three sisters. Sodom was filled with “arrogance.” Samaria, her northern sister, did not commit half of the sins committed in Jerusalem. All the abominations committed in Jerusalem made Sodom and Samaria appear righteous by comparison. Jerusalem would forever bear the disgrace of being considered spiritually worse than her wicked sisters.The future of the sisters (vv. 53-63). Though Sodom and Samaria had long since disappeared from the stage of history, and though Jerusalem was about to be destroyed, yet the three sisters had a future. God would restore their fortunes. That act of God’s grace would cause Jerusalem to be ashamed of the abominations she had committed. All three sisters would return “to their former state” (vv. 53-55). This symbolic prophecy looked forward to the salvation of Jew, Samaritan and Gentile in the kingdom of Christ.
Application
No one is beyond the reach of God’s forgiveness and that includes me.
Ezekiel 16:44– 63 (NET)
44 “‘Observe—everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” 45 You are the daughter of your mother, who detested her husband and her sons, and you are the sister of your sisters, who detested their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south of you, was Sodom with her daughters. 47 Have you not copied their behavior and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were! 48 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.
49 “‘See here—this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore, when I saw it I removed them. 51 Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did. You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done. 52 So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior. Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.
53 “‘I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters (along with your fortunes among them), 54 so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them. 55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status, Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status, and you and your daughters will be restored to your former status. 56 In your days of majesty, was not Sodom your sister a byword in your mouth, 57 before your evil was exposed? Now you have become an object of scorn to the daughters of Aram and all those around her and to the daughters of the Philistines—those all around you who despise you. 58 You must bear your punishment for your obscene conduct and your abominable practices, declares the Lord.
59 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant. 60 Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your conduct, and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you. 62 I will establish my covenant with you, and then you will know that I am the Lord. 63 Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent because of your disgrace when I make atonement for all you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
Illustration: William Barclay’s Spiritual Autobiography
In his spiritual autobiography, William Barclay, the venerable Scottish scholar, tells the tragedy of losing his 21-year-old daughter and her fiance who were drowned in a boating accident. He writes, “God did not stop that accident at sea, but he did still the storm in my own heart so that somehow my wife and I came through that terrible time still on our own two feet.” Barclay also tells of receiving an anonymous letter about his daughter’s death. It said, “I know why God killed your daughter. It was to save her from corruption by your heresies.” Barclay says, “If I had known the writer’s address, I would have written back in pity, not anger, saying, as John Wesley once said, ’Your God is my devil.’” (Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).