Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
On the same day they sacrificed their children to idols they entered God's sanctuary and brought that profanation into His house, defiling His sanctuary and profaning His Sabbaths. That defilement was moral, caused by sin, with the figures of adulterous women and a corrupt woman describing apostasy from God's law and worship to join idolatrous worship and the ways of the nations around them. This joining of idolatry with Sabbath-breaking was the height of their iniquity, answering God's offer to preserve their city if they would hallow the Sabbath, and it made it impossible for Him to dwell among them so that wrath came in famine, captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Babylon. The Sabbath is distinct from the other days with a sanctifying influence, so to profane it alongside defiling the sanctuary was an offense against God Himself, not merely a failure in ceremonial rules. The acts forbidden to Israel remain abominations because God does not change, and the same rebellion and guilt rest on professed churches today that forsake fullness of blessing in Christ to seek union with the civil power.
Israel's Defilement Described
Moreover this they have done is explained by what follows in verse 39: on the very same day they had slain their children in sacrifice to idols, to Moloch, they came into God's sanctuary, bringing that profanation into the midst of His house and polluting it. They chose the Sabbath itself for this profanation, slaying their children to idols on the Sabbath and then entering the sanctuary that same day. Their joining of idolatry with Sabbath-breaking in defiling the sanctuary and profaning the Sabbaths showed deep disregard for God's holiness.
The defilement of the sanctuary and the profaning of the Sabbaths was moral, caused by sin, rather than merely physical uncleanness. The chapter sets this sin forth in figurative language of spiritual fornication, which is apostasy in departing from God's law and worship and joining idolatrous or false religious groups and the world's ways. Samaria and Jerusalem are presented as adulterous women because they turned from God and desired the Assyrians and Babylonians, and by those alliances Jerusalem made Judah like the surrounding nations.
A corrupt woman stands for a corrupt church, opposite a pure woman who stands for a true church. In Ezekiel 16-32 the apostasy of Judah and Israel in turning to Babylon and Egypt instead of God is set forth in parable, to rebuke sin in its awful wickedness while God earnestly pleads with His children to turn to Him. The awful sins of Judah and Israel are there presented under the figures of lewd women, material best read in private although some passages in it are properly read anywhere.
Judgment Then Falling
The joining of idolatry with Sabbath-breaking marked the height of iniquity as Babylon's destruction approached, for on the same day the people sacrificed their children to idols they entered God's sanctuary and thereby defiled it and profaned His Sabbaths. That defilement and profaning belong to Ezekiel's warnings of coming judgment, warnings enacted through the prophet's symbolic sufferings in famine and captivity and in the loss of Jerusalem and the temple and the death of his wife. The sins of Judah and Israel set forth in Ezekiel 23 were fearful, and they called for the judgments those sufferings foretold.
The charge of defiling God's sanctuary and profaning His Sabbaths matches the charge in Zephaniah against priests who polluted the sanctuary and did violence to the law. It marks the depth of national sin that made it impossible for God to continue dwelling among His people, and it leads directly to God profaning His own sanctuary in the destruction of the temple. Jerusalem slew its children in sacrifice to idols on the Sabbath and then came into the sanctuary on that same day, defiling it and profaning the Sabbath together. This was the answer given to God's gracious offer through Jeremiah to preserve the city forever if the people would hallow the Sabbath, and because of it wrath came upon them to the uttermost in the destruction of their city and the ruin of their nation.
The surrounding context speaks of the king of Babylon coming against Jerusalem and of the profane, wicked prince losing his diadem. The kingdom was to be overturned until the coming of the one with the rightful claim. In this setting the beginning of Israel's scattering is placed in the Babylonian conquest, dated before Christ in 593.
Sabbath Truth Applied
Ezekiel's witness concerning the Sabbath places this verse among his testimony that the Sabbath stands distinct from the other days of the week and that it carries a sanctifying influence. Profaning the Sabbath was an offense against God, set alongside defiling His sanctuary. That Sabbath-breaking dishonored Him among His people. Jerusalem's breaking of the Sabbath and defiling of the sanctuary were sins condemned by God, not merely failures to observe ceremonial rules.
Israel defiled God's sanctuary and profaned His Sabbaths while practicing the abominations forbidden by God. Those prohibited acts remain abominations to God, because He does not change. Israel's spiritual fornication in forsaking God and seeking help in Egypt was rebellion described in unflattering terms. The same guilt belongs to professed Christian churches today that seek union with the civil power. God has furnished fullness of blessing in Jesus Christ, demands all from His church, and will not divide His glory with another.
On the same day they sacrificed their children to idols they entered God's sanctuary and brought that profanation into His house, defiling His sanctuary and profaning His Sabbaths. That defilement was moral, caused by sin, with the figures of adulterous women and a corrupt woman describing apostasy from God's law and worship to join idolatrous worship and the ways of the nations around them. This joining of idolatry with Sabbath-breaking was the height of their iniquity, answering God's offer to preserve their city if they would hallow the Sabbath, and it made it impossible for Him to dwell among them so that wrath came in famine, captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Babylon. The Sabbath is distinct from the other days with a sanctifying influence, so to profane it alongside defiling the sanctuary was an offense against God Himself, not merely a failure in ceremonial rules. The acts forbidden to Israel remain abominations because God does not change, and the same rebellion and guilt rest on professed churches today that forsake fullness of blessing in Christ to seek union with the civil power.
Israel's Defilement Described
Moreover this they have done is explained by what follows in verse 39: on the very same day they had slain their children in sacrifice to idols, to Moloch, they came into God's sanctuary, bringing that profanation into the midst of His house and polluting it. They chose the Sabbath itself for this profanation, slaying their children to idols on the Sabbath and then entering the sanctuary that same day. Their joining of idolatry with Sabbath-breaking in defiling the sanctuary and profaning the Sabbaths showed deep disregard for God's holiness.
The defilement of the sanctuary and the profaning of the Sabbaths was moral, caused by sin, rather than merely physical uncleanness. The chapter sets this sin forth in figurative language of spiritual fornication, which is apostasy in departing from God's law and worship and joining idolatrous or false religious groups and the world's ways. Samaria and Jerusalem are presented as adulterous women because they turned from God and desired the Assyrians and Babylonians, and by those alliances Jerusalem made Judah like the surrounding nations.
A corrupt woman stands for a corrupt church, opposite a pure woman who stands for a true church. In Ezekiel 16-32 the apostasy of Judah and Israel in turning to Babylon and Egypt instead of God is set forth in parable, to rebuke sin in its awful wickedness while God earnestly pleads with His children to turn to Him. The awful sins of Judah and Israel are there presented under the figures of lewd women, material best read in private although some passages in it are properly read anywhere.
Judgment Then Falling
The joining of idolatry with Sabbath-breaking marked the height of iniquity as Babylon's destruction approached, for on the same day the people sacrificed their children to idols they entered God's sanctuary and thereby defiled it and profaned His Sabbaths. That defilement and profaning belong to Ezekiel's warnings of coming judgment, warnings enacted through the prophet's symbolic sufferings in famine and captivity and in the loss of Jerusalem and the temple and the death of his wife. The sins of Judah and Israel set forth in Ezekiel 23 were fearful, and they called for the judgments those sufferings foretold.
The charge of defiling God's sanctuary and profaning His Sabbaths matches the charge in Zephaniah against priests who polluted the sanctuary and did violence to the law. It marks the depth of national sin that made it impossible for God to continue dwelling among His people, and it leads directly to God profaning His own sanctuary in the destruction of the temple. Jerusalem slew its children in sacrifice to idols on the Sabbath and then came into the sanctuary on that same day, defiling it and profaning the Sabbath together. This was the answer given to God's gracious offer through Jeremiah to preserve the city forever if the people would hallow the Sabbath, and because of it wrath came upon them to the uttermost in the destruction of their city and the ruin of their nation.
The surrounding context speaks of the king of Babylon coming against Jerusalem and of the profane, wicked prince losing his diadem. The kingdom was to be overturned until the coming of the one with the rightful claim. In this setting the beginning of Israel's scattering is placed in the Babylonian conquest, dated before Christ in 593.
Sabbath Truth Applied
Ezekiel's witness concerning the Sabbath places this verse among his testimony that the Sabbath stands distinct from the other days of the week and that it carries a sanctifying influence. Profaning the Sabbath was an offense against God, set alongside defiling His sanctuary. That Sabbath-breaking dishonored Him among His people. Jerusalem's breaking of the Sabbath and defiling of the sanctuary were sins condemned by God, not merely failures to observe ceremonial rules.
Israel defiled God's sanctuary and profaned His Sabbaths while practicing the abominations forbidden by God. Those prohibited acts remain abominations to God, because He does not change. Israel's spiritual fornication in forsaking God and seeking help in Egypt was rebellion described in unflattering terms. The same guilt belongs to professed Christian churches today that seek union with the civil power. God has furnished fullness of blessing in Jesus Christ, demands all from His church, and will not divide His glory with another.