Ezekiel 16
SIBThe whole of this chapter emblematically represents the original sinfulness and misery, the gracious conversion, the fearful apostasy, severe corrections, and sovereign recovery, of the gospel church, and of elect men
Ezekiel 16:3-5
Abraham and Sarah were originally idolaters; and their posterity lived in Egypt most wickedly and wretchedly
Ezekiel 16:6-14
These figurative expressions represent all the favours which God heaped upon them in the days of Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon; their deliverance from Egypt; preservation in the wilderness; the adoption of them by covenant into his family; giving them his araries, ordinances, tabernacle, and temple; multiplication of their numbers; rendering them his only church, and a most wealthy, powerful, prosperous, and famous, nation
Ezekiel 16:15-34
Proud of their privileges, they abandoned them- 97 107* selves to idolatry, and employed the wealth which God had given them in making and serving idols every where throughout their country. Their first-born children, who were sacred to God, they sacrificed to Moloch. By costly presents they courted the alliance of their Heathen neighbours, Egyptians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, &c. and incatiably and impudently vied with them in their idolatries
Ezekiel 16:35-43
For their filthy idolatries, murder of their innocent 9 I infants, shameless lewdness, base ingratitude, and long-repeated provocations of God, the Chaldeans, and afterwards the Syro-grecians and Romans, shall terribly destroy them, and lay desolate their country, and thus force them to cease from their wickedness
Ezekiel 16:44-59
In lothing God their covenanted Husband, and murdering their children, they were as wicked as the ancient Canaanites. And however they had once condemned the ten tribes which dwelt on the north, and the Sodomites who dwelt on the south-east, of Judea, they now exceeded them in the number of their idols, the enormities of their wickedness, and in sinning against more warnings, mercies, and judgments
Ezekiel 16:60-63
In pursuance of my covenant made with Abraham, and in the wilderness, I will forgive their iniquities, render them deeply penitent for their sins, and receive them back to their land: and not by the ceremonial dispensation, but by the preaching of the gospel, will I convert not only the ten tribes, but the very worst of the Heathens, to Christ, and unite them into one church
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XVI.—Ministers have great need to be faithful in representing to men the sinfulness of their heart and life, and the misery which attends it. But what an astonishing change is made upon them by union to Christ, justification, adoption, sanctification, and spiritual comfort! All our life, honour, safety, perfection, and comeliness, are the free gifts and almighty productions of our Redeemer: and these benefits are all infinitely enhanced from the deplorable condition in which he finds us. But the most shocking wickedness, perjury, idolatry, murder, yea every thing horrid, is produced by pride, ingratitude, and forgetfulness of God and of ourselves. Nor will apostate hypocrites grudge to sacrifice wealth, life, health, and honour, to the service of devils and insatiable lusts. Not even the most abandoned monsters can vie with such in aggravated wickedness; and justly therefore the Lord brings upon them complicated judgments answerable to their complicated crimes, and makes their partners in sin their tormentors in punishment. If sinners will not be warned, they must be destroyed and damned. If they will make themselves vile by their sins, God must make them still more vile by their sufferings. But it is not all the terrors and punishments of time or eternity, but the pardoning and renewing grace of God, that can make men truly penitent for sin. O how infinite is his mercy to pardon and save those who have plunged themselves into the infinite depths of guilt and pollution! and soon shall that mercy be fully displayed in converting both Jews and Gentiles by his grace, and cordially uniting them in the one mystical body of Christ!