Ez 23 unlocks more of the feelings, thoughts and rationale behind why God has chosen to have Jerusalem surrounded and attacked in the "last days". This coming battle is described at length and in great detail in Ez 38, 39. I am sure that many of you are indeed familiar with those two famous chapters describing God's coming wrath against the hordes which will invade the land of Israel to destroy Jerusalem and to put an end to it.
A question, at least for me, has been WHY? I mean, why is God going to allow Jerusalem to be surrounded, attacked and nearly destroyed? Why will God allow 2/3 of the people in the land of Israel to be killed? (See, Zech 13) Why? Why? Why? A glimpse of God's reasons for the invasion is given in Ez 38, 39. However, God tells us more in Ez 23.
In Ez 23 God lays out in parable form (God loves parables, does He not?) how two daughters (i.e., the two houses of Israel) were born of the same mother (Jacob/Israel). These two daughters are called by God in Hebrew "Oholah" (the elder sister) and "Oholibah" (the younger sister), which loosely translated mean "her own house" and "my house is in her", respectively. These names are consistent with the names God gives to the two houses of Israel throughout the Old Testament. God tells us in Ez 23 that the elder daughter is Samaria (one of God's nicknames for the house of Israel -- the 10 northern tribes who "did their own thing") and the younger daughter is Jerusalem (God's temple, His house, was in Jerusalem).
Both of these daughters became harlots, where the many harlotries of the elder sister Oholah (Samaria) are described first. She lusted for the Assyrians and their idols, so God eventually gave her (10 norther tribes of Israel) over to her Assyrian lovers because of her disdain for God. She turned her back on God, so God in His anger, reluctantly, turned His back on her by giving her over to the Assyrians.
This event occurred historically in approximately 720 or so B.C.E. when the Assyrian army invaded the land of Samaria and took away captive to Assyria the 10 northern tribes of Israel. Thereafter, those 10 tribes (Oholah) were scattered throughout the Assyrian empire and among the gentile nations where they remain scattered today.
So, what about the younger harlot sister Oholibah (Jerusalem - representing the 2 southern tribes, including Judah)?? What has been, or will be, her fate?
When you read Ez 23: 22-27, you see a description of: (1) who is going to come against Jerusalem and invade her to attack her; (2) why she is being attacked; and lastly, (3) what will become of her.
In essence, those coming against her (Jerusalem - the younger harlot daughter) are described as an invading horde which includes Assyrians (i.e., the modern people groups which equate with the ancient Assyrian empire), which resembles those coming against her in Ez 38, 39. This is not the same group of invaders/attackers which will come someday soon against the land of Israel which is described as the Ps 83 war. Regarding Ez 38, 39, I have analyzed the scriptures carefully and have concluded (as have others) that these chapters describe a "last days" battle against the land of Israel and will feature the coming anti-Christ who will be from the peoples of ancient Assyria. I have written a 3-part blog in 2014 about the coming Assyrian anti-Christ and my reasoning, based on scripture. But I digress.
It appears from the context of Ez 23: 24-27 that those coming against the younger harlot sister Oholibah (Jerusalem) will punish her severely, burn her, strip her naked and plunder her. God tells us why -- because of His jealousy and wrath due to her many harlotries which she first learned in Egypt with her elder sister and never gave up. In fact, God says in Ez 23 that the harlotries of Jerusalem (Judah) were WORSE than those of her elder harlot sister Oholah (Samaria - 10 northern tribes). (Ez 23: 11)
I believe from the context of the entire chapter 23 of Ezekiel that Judah's captivity in Babylon (which occurred from about 586-516 B.C.E.) is spoken of, but IN ADDITION, it describes a coming attack on Jerusalem by hordes similar to those described in Ez 38, 39.
The key to this conclusion and analysis is God's description of the invaders and how they will come against her from all sides (Ez 23: 23-24), but also what God says will be the end result of His wrath, judgment and punishment of Jerusalem (Oholibah - the younger harlot sister). God says that He will "will make you [Judah - Jerusalem - Oholibah] cease your lewdness and your harlotry from the land of Egypt, so that you will not lift your eyes to them nor remember Egypt anymore." (Emphasis added). (Ez 23: 27)
In other words, God is punishing the younger sister Oholibah by giving her into the hand of her idol worshiping lovers (the invading and attacking Assyrians and those accompanying the Assyrians), but God will bring her back to Himself by redeeming her, pouring out His Spirit on her, and causing her to never turn from Him again.
The cleansing, forgiveness and purifying of Jerusalem will not occur until the Ez 38, 39 invasion. God tells us in Ez 39: 7, 21-29 that after the invading armies are destroyed He will set His glory in Jerusalem and that His name shall never be profaned again. Clearly, this will not occur until just before Jesus returns to save Jerusalem from the invading armies. (See Zech 12-14 and Rev 19). The house of Israel (both unfaithful sisters, Oholah and Oholibah) will know then, without a doubt, that Jesus is their Lord, Savior and God from that day forward - forever. (Ez 23: 7) This will not happen until this last great battle for Jerusalem occurs, as described in Ez 38, 39.
So, in conclusion, God gives us another view of His feelings, thoughts and intended actions in regard to the two beloved, yet very mischievous and promiscuous houses of Israel -- the daughters, Oholah (the elder harlot sister - Samaria, the 10 norther tribes of Israel, now disbursed throughout the world among the Gentiles) and Oholibah (the younger harlot sister who committed worse idolatry - Jerusalem (the tribe of Judah, and those of Israel associated with Judah) many of whom now occupy and live in the land of Israel today). Praise God!
Time is short. Repent, and prepare your heart for God.
2015 - True Believer
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