Friday - Ezekiel 23 - Religious Perversion

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OU may remember the graphic metaphor of Ezekiel 16. God compared His relationship to Israel with a baby girl that had been forsaken at birth, but was found, reared well and taken as His wife.  Very similarly, here in Ezekiel 23, we find God using another metaphor to describe the failure of both the northern and the southern kingdoms of the Jews. Here there are 2 women, Aholah & Aholibah. Aholah represented the northern kingdom; Israel; Ephraim and Samaria. Aholibah represented the southern kingdom; Judah and Jerusalem. We know from history that Israel fell before Judah did.  But, from God's perspective, was there really any difference? Both nations were guilty of religious harlotry. They had looked longingly to the Assyrians, to the Egyptians and to the Babylonians: but they had not looked longingly to God. They had willingly worshiped the false gods of these nations, but they had failed to worship their God. This was their perversion.  This was their spiritual infidelity.  They belonged to the true God, but they were devoted to many imaginary ones instead.