August 31 - Ezekiel 16-17: Judah Corrupted Prostitution

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 16-17

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have made it through eight months of reading through the Bible in a year! Only four more months to go! And we are officially at 30 days before we finish the Old Testament!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Jerusalem became so corrupt, they corrupted prostitution. The nations around could not stand them.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message:
"I made Jerusalem, once an abandoned pagan baby, a stunning beauty. But you became a terrible whore—sacrificing your children to idols and paying your lovers, corrupting prostitution! I never even crossed your mind. I'll see to it your lovers see you as you really are.
"I will reverse Samaria's and Sodom's fortunes—and yours, too! I will make everything right."
Again God's Message:
"I took a cedar twig and it became a vine. Babylon took Judah's king into exile to keep them subdued but they rebelled anyway. I will make sure they are captured and punished."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Judah became worse than Israel and Sodom.

We know what happened to Israel and Sodom. Yet God says Judah has become worse than both of them. Beware idols—they can potentially make you worse than the people in lands God destroyed.

God would set things right between Himself and Sodom, Israel, and Judah.

What great God,

[Y]ou who have treated my oath with contempt and broken the covenant … I’ll remember the covenant I made with you when you were young and I’ll make a new covenant with you that will last forever. You’ll remember your sorry past and be properly contrite when you receive back your sisters, both the older and the younger. I’ll give them to you as daughters, but not as participants in your covenant. I’ll firmly establish my covenant with you and you’ll know that I am GOD. You’ll remember your past life and face the shame of it, but when I make atonement for you, make everything right after all you’ve done, it will leave you speechless. (16:59-63, The Message)

God wants to set all things right with His Chosen People—even when they treat Him with contempt and break His Covenant!

Has God set things right with you?


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