Ezekiel 23:14-21: a reflection

14“She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with red, 15dressed with belts on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like princes, after the likeness of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth. 16As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them into Chaldea. 17The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution. She was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them. 18So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul was alienated from her sister. 19Yet she multiplied her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt. 20She lusted after their lovers, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. 21Thus you called to memory the lewdness of your youth, in the caressing of your nipples by the Egyptians because of your youthful breasts.

Ezekiel uses a stark and painful image to describe the spiritual unfaithfulness of God's people. Under the picture of a wife who abandons her husband to chase after other lovers, he portrays how the nation had turned from God to pursue foreign alliances and foreign gods, drawn away by what they saw, running after what attracted their eyes. The image is deliberately jarring, meant to convey how grievous and shameful their turning from God really was.

Notice what the harsh image is meant to convey: the grief and betrayal of turning from God to other things. God portrays himself as a faithful husband betrayed, to show that our unfaithfulness to him is not a small or abstract matter, but a betrayal that wounds, a turning of the heart away from the One who loves us toward things that draw our eyes. The starkness of the image measures the seriousness of the sin: spiritual unfaithfulness is a grievous betrayal of a faithful God.

That image, uncomfortable as it is, presses a question home to us. Our hearts, too, are drawn away, tempted to chase after what attracts our eyes, to give to other things the devotion that belongs to God. And Ezekiel's picture reminds us that such turning is not trivial; it grieves the God who has bound himself to us in faithful love. Guard your heart, then, against the wandering that chases after what draws your eyes, and keep your devotion for God, who is faithful to you. When you feel your heart being drawn away toward what would take God's place, remember that he is a faithful God who is grieved by unfaithfulness; return your whole devotion to him, and do not give to lesser things the love that belongs to the One who has bound himself to you.

Lord, Ezekiel uses a stark and painful image, a wife abandoning her husband to chase after other lovers, to portray how your people turned from you to pursue other gods, drawn away by what they saw. Show me what the harsh image is meant to convey: the grief and betrayal of turning from you to other things. You portray yourself as a faithful husband betrayed, to show that unfaithfulness to you is not a small or abstract matter, but a betrayal that wounds, a turning of the heart from the One who loves us toward things that draw our eyes. My heart, too, is drawn away, tempted to chase after what attracts my eyes, to give to other things the devotion that belongs to you. Remind me that such turning is not trivial; it grieves you, who have bound yourself to me in faithful love. Guard my heart against the wandering that chases after what draws my eyes, and help me keep my devotion for you, who are faithful to me. When I feel my heart being drawn away toward what would take your place, help me remember that you are a faithful God grieved by unfaithfulness; help me return my whole devotion to you, and not give to lesser things the love that belongs to you. Keep my heart faithful to you, Lord.