“THE BRIDE OF GOD”

1. On the 25^th of next month there will be a lectureship in Columbia City.

2. This morning you are going to hear part of a lecture scheduled to be heard there.

3. Our beginning text comes from Ezek. 16.

A. In Ezek. 15-17 there are three parables. Each of these parables makes the same point;

B. That is, the nation of Southern Israel was in trouble.

C. Judah was going to go into Babylonia captivity.

4. If you have found Ezek. 16, let’s read vs. 1-5 – READ.

I. SINCE MOST DO NOT GET BACK TO THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL TO OFTEN, I AM GOING TO OFFER A FEW WORDS OF EXPLANATION.

A. In verse 3 God spoke of Judah’s ancestry. He said that her birth was in the land of Canaanites.

B. This is right before Jerusalem was conquered by David, it had belonged to Canaanites.

C. Ezekiel also said that southern Israel was fathered by an Amorite.

D. The prophet said that the south’s mother was a “Hittite.”

E. In other words, the nation of Israel came from a mixed union.

F. In our day and time children from a mixed unions sometimes is unwise

G. Children from a mixed union are at times disdained; shunned;

H. This was God’s point about the nation of Israel. Look at vs. 4.

: (1) After ancient babies were born, care was usually offered. The umbilical cord was cut.

(2) Newly born children were washed. Salt would be rubbed into the child’s skin.

(3) This would help dry and firm the skin. Children would be wrapped in cloth for warmth.

I. God said to Israel, “These things did not happen to you.

J. You were like a child from a mixed marriage that no one wanted.

K. No one cared for you. No one cleaned you up salted your skin.

L. If you are looking Ezek. 16, silently read vs. 5.

(1) “No one pitied Israel.” No one offered “Compassion.”

(2) Instead, Israel was like one “cast out into an open field.”

M. What happens if a baby is cast out into an open field? Death.

N. Israel would have died because no one wanted her.

O. In 5B God says that Israel was “abhorred” when she was born.

P. Guess what? God saw his people were being rejected. Verses 6- READ

Q. Did God really cause this group of people to “live?”

R. Let’s look at Verse 7-14- READ

S. A great deal of time could be spent dealing with these verses.

T. My comments about the details will be brief.

(1) At first Israel was like a newborn; a defenseless infant.

(2) God rescued this infant. He provided nourishment and protection.

(3) Finally this infant (Israel) grew to the point of adulthood.

(4) Verse 8 says, “Behold thy time was the time of Love.”

U. The idea is that this infant was old enough to get married.

V. God in essence wed Himself to the nation of Israel.

W. That is why in 8b the word “covenant” is used. This is why the words “became mine” are used.

X. God took Israel to be His wife. God gave Israel the best of the land.

(1) He “anointed” the nation “with oil.” God’s bestrode was anointed w/expensive perfume.

(2) Israel’s clothes were “embroidered” (best/ finest/most expensive.

(3) She received “seal skin shoes” Fine linens, costly garments, jewelry were given to Israel

(4) It should be obvious that these things are not literal. In a figurative way God showed how (5) He lavished Israel w/bracelets and chains were also given to this nation.

(6) There was a ring for the nose/ earrings; even a crown.

D. Israel’s blessings were also made clear by the references to food.

E. This comes from vs. 13-

(1) Fine flour, honey, oil Israel had so much she was “exceedingly beautiful.”

F. Israel had been a castaway. No one wanted her. Despised.

G. After God helped her 14A says, READ.

II. LET’S PUT THIS INFORMATION INTO OUR DAY AND TIME. HERE IS A WOMAN WHO HAS ABSOLTUELY NOTHING. BY THE WORLD’S STANDARDS, SHE IS AN ABSOLUTE ZERO. NO ONE WANTS HER. SHE COULD DIE AND NO ONE WOULD CARE. ONE DAY ALONG COMES A KING WHO IS VERY, VERY RICH. THIS KING LOVES THE WOMAN WHO EVERYHONE ELSE HAS REJECTED. THE KING TAKES THIS WOMAN AND MAKES HER HI QUEEN. THIS WOMAN NOW HAS UNSURPASSED WEALTH, POWER, STATUS, AND GLAMOR IN HER WARDROBE, THE FINEST FOOD, AND WORL-WIDE RECONITION.

A. How should this woman act?

B. Gratitude should be on her mind when she gets up & when she goes.

C. This is how Israel should have acted and thought. As a bride.

D. Did Israel have this kind of gratitude? Verses 15-19 READ...

(1) Israel was not grateful to God. She took what God had given to her & used it for evil.

(2) Imagine a man providing a place for his new wife to live,

(3) And the wife uses the provided quarters to commit adultery.

E. Ezekiel says that this is what Israel did.

F. God’s bride spurned and vehemently turned on her husband.

G. She took her husband wealth (v.17) and used it against the one who loved her.

H. The nation of Israel attacked the very one who had rescued here.

(1) Verses 20-22 – READ - This practice was absolutely forbidden by God.

(2) Lev. 18:21; 20: 2-5; Deut. 12:13 make this crystal clear. You would think if

(3) People were rescued from ruin and death; they would offer respect & obedience.

(4) These things didn’t matter to the Hebrews (generally speaking).

(5) They knew what God had said but refused to heed His instruction.

(6) Israel was a rotten bride.

I. As a bride she lived in open rebellion to her husband.

J. Verses 23-24 READ

(1) 23A shows us how mutinous Israel was; she was so bad that God said, “Woe, woe.”

(2) Israel committed her sin in “every street.” If we were to add in 25A,

(3) Israel was unfaithful on every City Street & public square.

K. If the bad behavior of this bride is “100% clear to you, vs. 27 the Philistines were pagans.

L. Israel embarrassed the Philistines! When pagans become embarrassed, the sin cannot more based

III. YOU MAY BE THINKING, “OK, ISRAEL WAS BAD. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED WITH HER, HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO US?

A. Israel was cut off from being God’s bridge. God now has another bride. Eph. 5:32 says, QUOTE

B. Paul made a comparison between marriage and the church. As men and women are wedded,

C. So Christ and the church are. The church is Jesus’ bride. This Biblical description tells us

D. Several things. For instance, Jesus has just one bride (church).

(1) Jesus is not a polygamist: This is why Jesus said in Matt. 16:18, “I will build my church”

(2) Jesus bought one church, He built one church, and He is married to only one church.

E. Many believe that Jesus is a husband of all kinds of denominations.

F. Many believe that Jesus will be the savior for many different denominations

G. If we accept Paul’s example in Eph. 5:23 we must reject this idea.

H. Jesus serves as husband to only one religious group. If we are not that group (bride),

I We need to find it, the illustration of marriage is one signal, that denominations is wrong.

J. There are some other things to be said about Christ and his bride. Consider the name on this

K. Building – Church of Christ. This is not some kind of denominational title.

L. The expression “Church of Christ” expresses ownership. This is the Church “of Christ”.

M. One which belongs to him, we are His bride. We are His body, Eph. 1:22-23.

O. Another point

\ (1) Before marriage some of us have seen young men who are promiscuous.

(2) There was a desire to have girls to give in to their advances.

(3) At the time of marriage, a funny thing happened.

(4) The boys who were promiscuous wanted a virgin wife.

(5) In at least some cases there has been an interest in purity.

P. God wants His bride to be pure.

(1) I Co. 6:11 says, QUOTE - There is an initial cleansing from sin.

(2) Following this cleansing, there is a call to live soberly; There is a call for doctrinal purity.

(3) Our husband requires us to do exactly as He has specified, no additions to his word,

(4) No subtractions from his word.

Q. The image of being God’s bride brings to mind some other things.

(1) The issue of faithfulness. I most marriage ceremonies the words “till death due us part.

(2) This is our promise to Christ. When we pick up our cross, we do not put it down.

(3) We are faithful “unto” death—to the point of death.

(4) Faithfulness is not just attending services.

CONCLUSION:

1. The people of Israel were chosen to be God’s bride.

2. They accepted the offer but turned on their husband.

2. There choice was costly.

4. We can choose to be part of Christ’s bride and be protected by God.

5. Or, we can be outside of His body and be lost.

6. The choice is ours