Day 250 Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 23-24

Ezekiel 23: Two Prostitutes

[Overview]

This chapter uses the prostitution incident as a metaphor to describe the sins of Samaria and Jerusalem, showing how dirty and shameful their crimes were. This metaphor begins with the recognition that the relationship between God and the Israelites is that of a groom and bride. God loves the Israelites as a groom loves his bride. Nevertheless, the Israelites who commit rebellion can be seen as the same as the prostitute. Through this metaphor, Ezekiel repeatedly emphasizes that the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah were stained with idolatry and apostasy, and that judgment was inevitable because of this. In particular, the extent of the prostitution is revealed in the fact that the southern kingdom of Judah followed the same path even after witnessing the destruction of the northern kingdom.  This chapter consists of a section that reveals the identities of the two women (verses 1-4), a section that reveals Samaria's prostitution (verses 5-10), a section that describes Jerusalem's prostitution (verses 11-35), and a section that states the judgment on prostitution (verses 36-49). 

Ezekiel 24: The End of Jerusalem 

[Overview] 

This chapter only mentions Jerusalem's sins and records God's judgment on them. The judgment that will come upon Jerusalem is likened to a 'boiling pot', and by adopting this metaphor, Ezekiel persuasively presents God's judgment that will come upon the people of Israel. This chapter consists of the first half that describes the metaphor of the boiling pot (verses 1-14), the middle half that describes the sign of Ezekiel's wife's death (verses 15-24), and the second half that describes the sign of the audience that willingly listens to the prophet's words (verses 25-27).