Ezekiel's shocking metaphor of Israel and Judah as prostitutes continues in chapter 23 and unveils God's raw emotions about His people's unfaithfulness. Through vivid, unfiltered language, this episode explores what happens when those who claim to love God pursue relationships with other "lovers" - foreign nations and their idols.

We examine God's graphic description of Jerusalem and Samaria as two sisters who began beautiful but degraded themselves through spiritual adultery. After a thousand years of patience, God's judgment finally arrives, not as a capricious reaction but as the natural consequence of persistent rebellion. The imagery is deliberately unsettling: these once-dedicated cities had committed themselves to foreign powers, adopting pagan worship practices that culminated in the horror of child sacrifice to the god Molech.

Most offensive to God was their hypocrisy - sacrificing children to idols, then entering His sanctuary on the same day to worship Him. This attempt to maintain divided loyalties provokes one of the episode's most powerful insights: "You cannot have one foot in idols and one foot in God's kingdom. He will not stand for it." The discussion reveals how sin progressively entraps its victims like addiction, leaving them "worn out by adultery" yet unable to break free.

The prophetic element intensifies when Ezekiel announces the exact day Babylon began the siege of Jerusalem (January 15, 588 BC) - a prediction verified when refugees later brought news of its fulfillment. This historical precision reminds us that faith isn't a blind leap but rests on evidence of God's fulfilled word.

What idols compete for your devotion today? How might you be attempting to serve two masters? Join us as we reason through these challenging passages and discover why exclusive devotion to God isn't just a command - it's the pathway to freedom from spiritual prostitution that only wears us out and leaves us empty.

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve