Live!

Temple Baptist Church - 10-21-2012

Ezekiel 16:1-14

Introduction:

A. The interpretation of this passage pertains to Jerusalem and the children of Israel. The nation of Israel is loved by God and is considered the “apples of His eye.” Deuteronomy 7:6-8 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. (7) The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: (8) But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

1. They are a Holy People – vs. 6 “holy people”
2. They are a Chosen Nation – vs. 6 “chosen thee”
3. They are a Special Nation – vs. 6 “special people”
4. They are a Small Nation – vs. 7 “fewest of all people”
5. They are a Loved Nation – vs. 8 “loved you”
6. They are a Protected Nation – vs. 8 “mighty hand … redeemed”

B. I am going to make some applications but before I do, I need to make it clear that the interpretation is to the “nation” of Israel, not to individual Israelites. Not to do so might lead someone in a wrong direction concerning election. The Nation of Israel is elect, not the individual.

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

C. In these verses, I want to make application to three things:

1. The Condition of the Sinner
2. The Compassion of the Saviour
3. The Character of the Salvation

1. Vs. 1-5 - The Condition Of The Sinner

a. Uncut – Vs. 4 (The uncut navel speaks of attachment to the world.)
b. Unclean – Vs. 4 (Unwashed from the filth of the world.)
c. Uncared For – Vs. 4-5 (Unsalted – No man cared for my soul.)
d. Unclothed – Vs. 4 (Naked! No covering of righteousness.)
e. Unclaimed – Vs. 5 (Left to die by the side of the road.)

1) Conceived In Sin – Vs. 3 – We had a sinful beginning - Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

We were nobodies! - Psalms 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?)

2) Born In Sin – Vs. 4 – We had a sinful birth - Psalms 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

3) Lived In Sin – VS. 5 – We had a sinful life - Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

We were wicked! - Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

2. Vs. 6-8a – The Compassion Of The Saviour

a. I Passed – Vs. 6 – He came to us when we could not come to Him - Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

b. I Saw – Vs. 7 – He had compassion though He knew what we were - Luke 7:12-13 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

c. I Loved – Vs. 8a – He cared for us like no other could - Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.

Isaiah 49:15-16 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me.

3. Vs. 8-13 – The Character Of The Salvation

a. God Covered – vs. 6 “I said” – vs. 8 “I spread” - Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

b. God Claimed –vs. 8 “thou becamest mine” - Song of Solomon 2:16 My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his: he feedeth among the lilies.

c. God Cleaned – vs. 9 “thoroughly washed” - Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

d. God Communed – vs. 9 “anointed thee with oil” (oil is a type of the Holy Ghost) - Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

e. God Clothed – vs. 10-13 - Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Conclusion: He saw us in the Field, pitiful at best but He also saw us righteous and complete in Him! I am glad that God sees us as we are in Hi and how we will be for all eternity!