EZEKIEL Bible Study No.

12 Paphos 30 March 2006

Ezekiel chapter 16:1-63

Part 1 Ezekiel 16:1-34 Thursday 30 March

With acknowledgements to Chris Wright The Message of Ezekiel, IVP, 2001

Method of study
Read the whole of chapter 16 before studying 16:1-34 in detail. As you read
through the notes look up all the references and answer the questions.

Introduction
Ezekiel chapters 16 and 23 are the least likely chapters to be read aloud or preached
on, except for some long genealogies in 1 Chronicles. Parts of these chapters seem
lewd and pornographic. Ezekiel used shock tactics. Despite Ezekiel’s messages so far
the exiles still clung to their glorious history. Ezekiel revisits that history and retells it
in a thoroughly revisionist way. He uses allegory (e.g. John Bunyan), satire (e.g.
Jonathan Swift) and legend (e.g. Sir Thomas Malory). In their worldview it was
axiomatic that Israel was indestructible, Jerusalem inviolable and the covenant
unbreakable. Ezekiel dared to tell the story another way that demanded a different
ending. Jesus did this in the parable of the tenants in the vineyard, giving the story of
Israel a very different flavour and a very different ending from the official version.
See Matthew 21:33-46. Tom Wright, now Bishop of Durham, in his book The New
Testament and the People of God, SPCK, 1992, dealt with the significance of stories
as a major factor in worldviews in general, and the particular function of Israel’s story
in their conception of their place in God’s purpose in the world. Compare Bernard
Shaw’s Pygmalion and My Fair Lady. Yahweh and Israel’s relationship is compared to
a marriage breakdown which involved infidelity and prostitution, See Hosea and
Jeremiah. Hosea metaphor > narrative > cartoon > video. The most repeated word in
Ezekiel 16 was zana. See Deuteronomy 31:16-18.
Question: In Ezekiel 16 how many times is Israel called a harlot, whore or prostitute?

Question 1: Why is evil never satisfied? Ezekiel 16:28-29. What was the experience
of St. Augustine? What is the message of the poem The Hound of Heaven?

Ezekiel 16:1-14. The rescue: grace and generosity. Ezekiel’s point is not ethno-
geographical but theological. Israel’s origins were as pagan as the nations they
despised. They had no claim on God, no special reason for their election. Apart from
the amazing generosity of Yahweh Israel would not have survived the day of her birth
God rescued. Ezekiel 16:6-7 compare 1 Samuel 2:6, Secondly, Ezekiel 16:8-14 – a
symbolic betrothal, compare Ruth 3:9.
Question 2: What were the blessings listed in this passage?

All is of grace. An allegory. Allusion to the original covenant with Abraham. Ezekiel
16:8-14 alludes to the Sinai covenant. International fame of Solomon. 1 Kings 10.
Also note the allegory.
1. Loving grace and boundless generosity to Old Testament Israel and the Church.
Ezekiel 16:1-14.
2. Covenant holiness and the glory of God. See Deuteronomy 26:19, Jeremiah 13:11,
Proverbs 31:29. Ezekiel 16:14 the Hebrew word translated ‘your name’ is sem,
normally translated ‘name’. The irony is that sem was sullied and the name of Israel
became notorious among the nations. The existence of the church is for the greater
praise and glory of God Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14. Quote David Smith on the Jewish
philosopher Martin Buber.
3. Some of the details of the clothing and food showered on the rescuer’s bride are
echoes of the fabrics and provisions for the tabernacle priests. See Exodus 26:36,
27:16. Read Psalm 96:6 to see the role of Israel as Yahweh’s priesthood among the
nations. Ephesians 2:215:25-27; 1 Peter 2:4-12. Only as the world sees any difference
in the behaviour of Christ’s people will they be drawn to acknowledge the God whose
people we claim to be.

Ezekiel 16:16-34: The response: ungrateful and unnatural. The temptation to make
the gifts of God the objects of trust instead of trusting the giver has always ensnared
God’s people through history. See Deuteronomy 8:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 4:7.
Persecution and suffering are severe tests but another kind of test is success or fame.
Question 3: What do you do with success or failure? Historical failures of Israel Luke
6:26 and Proverbs 27:21.

Ezekiel 16:16-22. High places. Hezekiah and Josiah’s reformations were too
superficial. 1 and 2 Kings illustrate ongoing religious prostitution – not for gain but
for lasciviousness.

Ezekiel 16:20-22: child sacrifice – human sacrifice.

Question 4: What are the modern day parallels? As a man sows so shall he reap.
Ezekiel 16:1-5. The influence of Canaanite idolatry.

Ezekiel 16:23-34. Israel’s political prostitution. Compare modern day betrayal of

marriage and ancient Rome in this. International treaties demanded total loyalty.
Yahweh demanded no less; no counter treaties. Exodus 34:10-16 & Deuteronomy 7:2.

Question 5: What 3 specific examples does Ezekiel give in this passage? See verses
26, 28 and 29. Describe something about each example.