Daily Manna 21 September
KEY VERSE: “But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.” – (Joshua 13:33)
TEXT: Ezekiel 23:1-21
The word of the Lord came again to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, there were two women,
The daughters of one mother.
3 They committed harlotry in Egypt,
They committed harlotry in their youth;
Their breasts were there embraced,
Their virgin bosom was there pressed.
4 Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister;
They were Mine,
And they bore sons and daughters.
As for their names,
Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
5 “Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine;
And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians,
6 Who were clothed in purple,
Captains and rulers,
All of them desirable young men,
Horsemen riding on horses.
7 Thus she committed her harlotry with them,
All of them choice men of Assyria;
And with all for whom she lusted,
With all their idols, she defiled herself.
8 She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt,
For in her youth they had lain with her,
Pressed her virgin bosom,
And poured out their immorality upon her.
9 “Therefore I have delivered her
Into the hand of her lovers,
Into the hand of the Assyrians,
For whom she lusted.
10 They uncovered her nakedness,
Took away her sons and daughters,
And slew her with the sword;
She became a byword among women,
For they had executed judgment on her.
11 “Now although her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her lust than she, and in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister’s harlotry.
12 “She lusted for the neighboring Assyrians,
Captains and rulers,
Clothed most gorgeously,
Horsemen riding on horses,
All of them desirable young men.
13 Then I saw that she was defiled;
Both took the same way.
14 But she increased her harlotry;
She looked at men portrayed on the wall,
Images of Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion,
15 Girded with belts around their waists,
Flowing turbans on their heads,
All of them looking like captains,
In the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea,
The land of their nativity.
16 As soon as her eyes saw them,
She lusted for them
And sent messengers to them in Chaldea.
17 “Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love,
And they defiled her with their immorality;
So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them.
18 She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness.
Then I alienated Myself from her,
As I had alienated Myself from her sister.
19 “Yet she multiplied her harlotry
In calling to remembrance the days of her youth,
When she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20 For she lusted for her paramours,
Whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys,
And whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth,
When the Egyptians pressed your bosom
Because of your youthful breasts.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
It is disheartening to see how the world is making every attempt to set aside biblical principles and values that have been the bedrock of the society over the centuries. Nowadays, a lot of unusual things are happening. Terrible sins such as prostitution, incest, abortions, bestiality, pornography, multiple marriages etc., are on the increase on a daily basis.
In our text, the northern kingdom had committed spiritual harlotry by signing alliances with foreign and sinful nations throughout her history. She was eventually taken into captivity by one with whom she had signed an alliance.
God was no longer comfortable with the consistent descent into debauchery by Judah and Jerusalem – the southern kingdom. So He decided to speak out through Prophet Ezekiel. The more He warned Israel, the more idolatrous they became. He decided to paint a picture of two sisters that were into harlotry with reckless abandon. It became a way of life for them such that they no longer cared about the God of Israel. They gave themselves up to Egyptian men who messed their lives and stole away every ounce of regard for the God of their fathers.
What is driving you into captivity? What is that sin, habit, and attachment for the reason of which you are making a dangerous descent into the abyss, yet unable to let go? The saving grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ is still available today. Repent now, He is able to deliver you.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God breaks the sinner’s bond who submits to Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 15-17
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – How to Break Away From Sin – by Pastor Enoch A.
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Daily Manna 21 September 2021
