Summary: a study of chapter 16 verses 39 through 63

Ezekiel 16: 39 – 63

‘Betrayed’ Part 3

“39 I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare. 40 “They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords. 41 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you cease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers. 42 So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more. 43 Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but agitated Me with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head,” says the Lord GOD. “And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations. 44 “Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter!’ 45 You are your mother’s daughter, loathing husband and children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children; your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 “Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters. 47 You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways. 48 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.51 “Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done. 52 You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters. 53 “When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back the captives of your captivity among them, 54 that you may bear your own shame and be disgraced by all that you did when you comforted them. 55 When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, then you and your daughters will return to your former state. 56 For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and of the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere. 58 You have paid for your lewdness and your abominations,” says the LORD. 59 For thus says the Lord GOD: “I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant. 60 “Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed, when you receive your older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of My covenant with you. 62 And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 63 that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’”

God Is a Jealous God. He Is also A Jealous Husband and Lover. He demands the ultimate penalty for the betrayal of His Love.

“39 I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare. 40 “They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords. 41 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you cease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers.”

Ezekiel skillfully mixes these illustrations from a story of an adulterous woman to the reality of a spiritual adulteress city- Jerusalem. An offended husband would hand over his unfaithful wife to her brutal lovers. Paul tells us in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 5 some additional information dealing with a sexual sinful person, “ 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”

We are to turn a person over to the principal power behind these acts – Satan. These evil lovers will take apart and take away everything she held in value – buildings, clothes, jewelry, items, etc. Everything will be lost.

Then after turning this woman over against His people regarding their thoughts, words, and actions that violate to those who stripped her bare of everything, she will be taken to the Judges and sentenced before the whole assembly of people. The purpose of killing one with stones is a horrible sight to witness. It is definitely a warning to others whose minds have been leaning to also do such acts. Not a good choice at all.

“42 So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more.”

Once their sin has been dealt with the Holy Yahweh’s Righteous anger against sin will no longer be necessary. His ‘fury’ is His set attitude against sin as the moral Judge of the world. His ‘jealousy’ is His Righteous concerns His Commandments.

“43 Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but agitated Me with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head,” says the Lord GOD. “And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations.”

Our Holy Lord God Almighty confirms that there is no other way to deal with this than judgment. Israel not only forgot the only living God but they also were harming themselves and the world around them by their behavior. They should have been a witness of the only real God. Therefore they must suffer the consequences now for the sake of others. It is like a drug addict who acts worse and worse. In His Mercy our Holy Jehovah takes the person out before he/she causes any more harm to themselves or to others. To go on in this awful existence our Holy Lord cannot just allow any more.

44 “Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter!’ 45 You are your mother’s daughter, loathing husband and children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children; your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 “Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters.”

The Amorites and the Hittites were of those Canaanites who were utterly condemned by the Holy Yahweh because of their evil ways.

Deuteronomy 20: 17, “17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the LORD your God has commanded you,”

Deuteronomy 7: 1 – 5, 1 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, 2 and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. 3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly. 5 But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire.”

The people of Samaria were the northern tribes of Israel who were deposed from the land by Almighty God due to their wickedness.

The Book of 2 Kings chapter 17 spoke of this situation, “6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 7 For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they had feared other gods, 8 and had walked in the statutes of the nations whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 9 Also the children of Israel secretly did against the LORD their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves sacred pillars and wooden images[a] on every high hill and under every green tree. 11 There they burned incense on all the high places, like the nations whom the LORD had carried away before them; and they did wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger, 12 for they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” 14 Nevertheless they would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God. 15 And they rejected His statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed idols, became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them that they should not do like them. 16 So they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, made for themselves a molded image and two calves, made a wooden image and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 17 And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone.”

The Sodomites spoke of total depravity. Yet our Holy Lord saw all of these as better than Jerusalem. The reason it was considered worse was not necessarily due to the fact that Israel’s sins were worse but due to the fact that they should have known better. They had the only living Holy God as their own, yet they forgot Him. We who are Christians today also are responsible for what we should know and do.

Our Lord Jesus Himself tells us this as recorded in the book of Matthew chapter 11, “20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be[a] brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for you.”

By the way the term ‘daughters’ refers to the towns and villages who also fell into this sinful lifestyle.

“47 You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways.”

The statement ‘it is a very little thing’ can also mean ‘in a very little time’. The nation of Judah had witnessed the destruction and deportation of the people of the northern kingdom due to their fulfillment of sin. Even having known what God had done, still did not prevent them in such a little time to fall into the same evil. Now, it is their time to be judged.

48 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit”

Even today we know the term ‘Sodom” as sin, licentiousness, and complacency. These Scriptures have good comments to this point,

Isaiah 3: 9, “9 The look on their countenance witnesses against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves.”

Lamentations 4: 6, “6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, with no hand to help her!”

The behavior of the people of Jerusalem exceeded Sodom’s reputation. Our Holy God reminded the nation of Judah that Sodom was destroyed not just because of their sexual sins but because its people were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned about people in need.

It is very easy to be selective in what we consider gross sins. If we do not commit such evil as adultery, homosexuality, stealing or murder, we may think we are okay. Our Lord does not list sins into separate categories. Every sin is the same and violates the Holiness of our Pure and Holy God.

In a court of law the list of charges are always listed before a condemned prisioner. Let’s look at this list to see if you could be likewise accused of the same charges.

1. Pride

2. Fullness of bread

3. Prosperous ease

4. Failure to strengthen the hand of the poor and needy

5. Haughty

6. Committing abominations

Let’s take a look at these charges. You might say they shouldn’t be so harshly sentenced. It would seem that the punishment doe not fit the crime. They are not that bad except for maybe #6.

Pride is listed as the number 1 crime

Proverbs 16: 18, “18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

You would think that fullness of bread would be a blessing from God yet Scriptures from our King have other things to say about it..

Proverbs 27: 7, “7 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”

If you are full nothing is welcomed into your body. If you are full of what the world offers then not even the awesome sweetness and healthy honey of the Word of God will be welcomed into your life. You are stuffed from what the world has dished out.

The world is not our home and we should not focus on what the world offers. Look at these words from the book of Hebrews chapter 11, 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

There is enough wealth in the world that every person could be wealthy yet due to greed, people amass fortunes to themselves, while the majority of the world lives in poverty.

Deuteronomy 15: 1 – 11, 1 “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. 2 And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD’s release. 3 Of a foreigner you may require it; but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother, 4 except when there may be no poor among you; for the LORD will greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance— 5 only if you carefully obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today. 6 For the LORD your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. 7 “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. 9 Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you. 10 You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. 11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

Haughty means having or showing great pride in oneself and disdain, contempt, or scorn for others. Proverbs chapter 16 says, “12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility.”

Then the one sin, we at first might agree upon was bad is committing abominations. We read this in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 32, “16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger.”

Another way of interpretation of verse 50 that reads, ‘Therefore, I took them away when I saw them’, is ‘as I saw fit’. Our God is All Powerful and He Is the Only True Ruler. He can do whatever He decides to do as we all know He can.

51 “Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done. 52 You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters.”

Samaria, which was the Northern Kingdom of Israel, had done all the evil that was now being done by the Southern Kingdom or the nation of Judah. We read about this in the book of 2 Kings, 9 Also the children of Israel secretly did against the LORD their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves sacred pillars and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree. 11 There they burned incense on all the high places, like the nations whom the LORD had carried away before them; and they did wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger, 12 for they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” 14 Nevertheless they would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God. 15 And they rejected His statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed idols, became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them that they should not do like them. 16 So they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, made for themselves a molded image and two calves, made a wooden image and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 17 And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.”

The result of all this was that our Holy Father God had removed them from the land. The indictment against Jerusalem is meaningful because this city’s sin was twice as bad as what Samaria and Sodom had done. Therefore, how could she be spared?

We see in the book of Matthew chapter 11 a condemnation against cities for being irresponsible to understand the miracles of our Lord Jesus, then how much more are cities condemned for sin, 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for you.”

We should also be in prayer daily for our nation. We all can see clearly that we, as a country, have even now exceeded the horrible sinful lifestyles that Sodom had committed.

53 “When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back the captives of your captivity among them, 54 that you may bear your own shame and be disgraced by all that you did when you comforted them.”

We have and should be thankful for our Lord’s Mercy when in reality we should be destroyed. Throughout these previous chapters, we have been studying awful things. In His Goodness our Wonderful Loving God interrupts Himself and gives us time to catch our breath. Thank you Father!

In the calamity and gloom our Holy Yahweh gives the Jews a promise of future restoration. ‘You will also bear your shame’, rips me right through the heart. Even today although I know I am forgiven of my sins due to the precious sacrifice of my Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorrowful for having hurt my Lord due to my sinful choices.

If you ever go to Israel today, you will note that this prophecy by our Amazing ever Living God has been fulfilled. The areas of Sodom is worth billions in its rich resources of minerals. Samaria has been blended into the Jewish nation and again flourishes.

“55 When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, then you and your daughters will return to your former state. 56 For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and of the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere. 58 You have paid for your lewdness and your abominations,” says the LORD.”

Sodom was used as a byword for sin. The Jews living in Jerusalem failed to recognize that they were in fact worse than Sodom. It is like the example of pointing your finger at someone, not knowing that three fingers are pointing back to you. Aram is today the nation of Syria which signifies that these surrounding nations were referring to Jerusalem as the present byword of lewdness. The Jews would witness the people who they had considered evil coming back from captivity. This act would cause two principal reactions to the Jews of Jerusalem – Hope and also humiliation.

“59 For thus says the Lord GOD: “I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant.”

The people of Judah not only broke the oath that they had made to the Supreme Holy One, they ‘despised it!’ Okay, then our Lord says, ‘I will even deal with you as you have done’. He will initiate the curses He had warned about in Deuteronomy chapter 27, 15 ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ “And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’ 16 ‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 17 ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 18 ‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 19 ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 20 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 21 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 22 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 23 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 24 ‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 25 ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 26 ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’”

Both the marriage covenant and the Sinai covenant are in mind here as one.

60 “Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed, when you receive your older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of My covenant with you. 62 And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD,”

Although the people of Israel had broken their oath or promises to God, He Who Is beyond any description in my opinion of Greatness, will not break any oaths. He never breaks His Promises. You can bank of that!

We have for our one of my favorite promises from our Father as listed in the book of 2 Chronicles chapter 7, “14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

If God’s people turn back to Him, He IS quick to Forgive and restore us to a right relationship with Him. He knows how weak we are so He put into effect a new covenant, one is which He was the principal party, ‘Not by your treaty – making [covenant] And I will establish my covenant with you.”

Hebrews chapter 10 says, “8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”.

Any other attempt of mankind to cause a ‘treaty making with God will not be accepted by Him. The new covenant was one sided and was put into effect by our Lord Jesus Christ when He paid for the sins of all mankind by His death on the cross. Thank you Precious Father. Thank you our Lord Jesus Christ.

So folks what’s it gonna be? No one is out of His Divine reach of Forgiveness. He stretched out His arms on the cross for you and me. He still stretches out His arms today for you. Will you agree with Him. He will not break His Promise to Forgive you and grant you eternal life, if you but ask Him.

Before we end these passages we need to just have a few things sink in on our minds and hearts.

First our Great God is a wonderful teacher. In fact He says in the Gospel of Matthew 23 this, “8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.” We are to call now man ‘teacher’ for we have One Teacher – our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of our sinful state we do not recognize how depraved we really are. Our Lord teaches us from His tests, exactly what we are truly made of. Here our Lord points out that we cannot keep our promises. The first Covenant of Sinai was insufficient due to mankind’s sinful hearts to drift to the dark side of sin.

Our God then reports here through His Love for us that He will do all the work. He writes new commandments in our hearts after we are born again. Oh yes, we still sin, but now we sin-less because He helps us.

Jeremiah 31 says this, “33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

We see here that this new covenant excludes man from any part of it except being the beneficiary.

Once ‘Saved’ you see yourself for what you truly are and have done against our Supreme Love. Having another chance at life here and being motivated to serve our Loving Creator God, He IS able to use us to affect others.

“63 that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’”

Once your eyes are opened you see the importance of life. No matter who you are and what you have obtained here in unimportant. The words of 1 Corinthians 13 become more realistic, “13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

The only thing that can be taken out of this world is love. May we love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, and strengths and others as ourselves.

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