Harlot Bride

Exekiel 16.

This is sin without veils, without sugared words, and without side stepping. It is put down in clear, powerful, attention demanding language. We are not allowed to ignore this.

The orphan has been wed by the King, the bride has been adorned by her Husband, and the wife has betrayed her Savior...

Imagine if a man and woman were about to be married; he had popped the question, she had accepted, and now, they are at their wedding day. The groom is at the altar, the wedding march begins, and the bride comes down the isle. But what if...instead of white gown and veil and eyes on her fiance alone, this girl comes clothed in the garments of a prostitue and flirting with every man in the room?

We were abandoned and covered in our own blood and filth and He came, cleaned us off, and claimed us as His own. He covered us with beautiful robes and gave us all that we have and just like Israel did, we so often spurn it. We run after the fickle idols of this world and sacrifice His own gifts to the vanities of our hearts.

Do we understand how puny, how miniscule we are compared to the God who has saved us? Do we realize how brutal of a betrayal it is when we run from the greatest Love ever just to have some sinful pleasure that will burn on the Day of Judgment? We are His Bride; we should be striving every day to be beautiful for Him.

And yet, our offended Groom does not leave us. He doesn't throw the ring down in the church and walk away. He stays there, calls us back to Him, with pain even, and continues to teach us, to persue us, and to love us when we are unlovable. What an amazing God we have!