You know a good analogy is coming when the NKJV titles the section: Two Harlot Sisters.
The Lord tells Ezekiel of two young harlot sisters, born in Egypt. He claims them as His.
- Oholah the elder, Samaria, "Her own Tabernacle"
- Oholibah, Jerusalem, "My Tabernacle Is In Her"
It strikes me that the Lord is saying that the Hebrew people were playing the harlot in Egypt. Which makes sense, I guess. Surrounded by the dominant culture, even being set aside, a certain amount of their religion and culture is going to seep in. I think of them as totally set apart, but they never were. That explains to me better why they could never leave the idolatry behind. i figured coming out of slavery would be enough to have them cast off all things Egypt; but humans don't work that way.
And still...God called them His.
Oholah lusted after the strong mighty men and idols of Assyria. Therefore, He delivered her into their hands.
He is longsuffering, but will eventually consent if someone continues in seeking what is not Him.
Despite seeing the elder sister and the consequences, the younger sister, Oholibah, committed even more corruption in her harlotry. She also lusted after the clothes and horses of Assyria; but also added the Chaldeans to her roster. She called to the Babylonians to come defile her.
Finally, the Lord alienated Himself from both sisters.
Even then, the younger on remembered fondly her harlotry in her youth in Egypt and lusted after them again.
Now Ezekiel speaks directly to the younger harlot sister, Oholibah—Jerusalem. He speaks for the Lord and informs Oholibah that He will stir up these lovers against her from every side. He describes all of the nations who will come and all of the men and resources that will be turned on her.
... and I will commit the judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their customs.
I will set My jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in wrath. They will remove your nose and your ears; and your survivors will fall by the sword. They will take your sons and your daughters; and your survivors will be consumed by the fire. 26 They will also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels. 27 Thus I will make your lewdness and your harlotry brought from the land of Egypt to cease from you, so that you will not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore. Ezekiel 23: 24b–27
Further evidence that the enemy was serving at the will of the Lord. Sometimes the things we lust after cause us pain so that we'll turn back to the Lord.
In verse 32 He explains that Oholibah will drink from her sister's cup. Just a reminder that when this imagery is used, "drinking from the cup," it means wrath, and in this case scorn. I try to mention this as often as I see it because In the second big Garden scene in the Bible, the garden of Gethsemane and not Eden, Christ asked if there was way the cup could be taken from Him. But then accepted that he would have to drink the cup of wrath I deserved so that I could return to relationship with my Lord.
It's hard to stay contrite all of the tie, but anytime i picture my Lord taking God's wrath for me...I'm broken all over again. Thank you, Jesus. I love You.
In this case, the next few verses describe Judah having to drink her own judgement and wrath from the Lord. they were still under the law, going before us all to teach us that we fail under the law. Only through the fullness of time will the remnant revive and lay the foundation of the Judaeo-Christian faith that brings Jesus to the world.
God once again, as He did at the start of the last chapter, asks Ezekiel to judge the sisters and proclaim their abominations. He catalogues their sin and describes how they will be punished, so that people will know the He is God.
Amen.