Ez16 The Adopted Princess (1/5)

# The Adopted Princess
## Ezekiel 16
[Suchawa, Poland](https://unsplash.com/photos/7vpzXF-wHko "caption")

>>>
+ to understand God's **mercy**
+ must understand our **identity**
  + not what **I** think of myself
  + not how **others** label us
  + who my **Creator** says I am

---

# Have I been **unfaithful** to my **first love**?

>>>
+ I feel I'm a **decent** person
  + keep **laws** of country
  + no worse than **others** around me
+ "Christians **judge** too much"
  + **guilt**-trip, **shame**
+ take for granted God's **blessings**
  + as though **entitled** to them

******

[2](# "ref")
Confront Jerusalem 
with her detestable practices 
[3](# "ref")
and say, 
‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem:

Your ancestry and birth 
were in the land of the Canaanites; 
your father was an Amorite 
and your mother a Hittite.

[Ezekiel 16:2-6 (NIV) (p.1/4)](# "ref")

******
[4](# "ref")
On the day you were born 
your cord was not cut,

nor were you washed with water 
to make you clean,

nor were you rubbed with salt 
or wrapped in cloths.

[Ezekiel 16:2-6 (NIV) (p.2/4)](# "ref")

******
[5](# "ref")
No one looked on you with pity 
or had compassion enough 
to do any of these things for you.

Rather, you were thrown out 
into the open field, 
for on the day you were born 
you were despised.

[Ezekiel 16:2-6 (NIV) (p.3/4)](# "ref")

******
[6](# "ref")
Then I passed by and saw you 
kicking about in your blood, 
and as you lay there in your blood 
I said to you, “Live!”

[Ezekiel 16:2-6 (NIV) (p.4/4)](# "ref")

---

## The Adopted Princess [(Ez16)](# "ref")
1. **Flourishing** Under Covenant [(v1-14)](# "ref")
1. **Fallen** in Pride [(v15-43)](# "ref")
1. **Forgiven** in Godly Shame [(v60-63)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **uncomfortable** passage
+ unwanted **orphan**
+ adopted **princess**
+ proud **harlot**
+ humble **betrothed**
+ (skip over comparison w/Samaria+Sodom)

---

On the day you were **born** 
your cord was not **cut**, 
nor were you **washed** with water to cleanse you

[5](# "ref")
No eye **pitied** you, to do any of these things 
to you out of **compassion** for you,

but you were **cast out** on the open field

[Ezekiel 16:4,5 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Uden, Netherlands.  Dylan de Jonge](https://unsplash.com/photos/9SjCXUq_qSE "caption")

>>>
+ **default** condition of mankind:
+ **helpless**, dependent
  + try to **build** happy life for self
  + but **fail** completely
+ no one has **pity** / mercy
  + Hosea: **Lo-Ruhamah**, not having received compassion
+ "cast out": **unwanted** baby
  + for you were **abhorred**
+ blood/muck: **failures**, selfishness, anger, lust
  + others **see** only our character **flaws**
  + and **despise** us for them
+ what did **God** see?

---

And when I passed by you 
and saw you **wallowing** in your blood,

I said to you in your blood, ‘**Live!**’ 
I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’

[Ezekiel 16:6 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Geetanjal Khanna](https://unsplash.com/photos/8CwoHpZe3qE "caption")

>>>
+ "wallow": kick, **trample**
  + **hate** own flaws
  + futile, kicking in blood
+ God **adopted** us, washed, gave us **life**
+ grew + **flourished** like plant

---

You were **adorned** with gold and silver, 
You grew exceedingly **beautiful** 
and advanced to **royalty**.

[14](# "ref")
Your **renown** went forth among the nations 
because of your **beauty**,

for it was perfect through the **splendor** 
that I had **bestowed** on you

[Ezekiel 16:13-14 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Gdynia, Poland](https://unsplash.com/photos/urfVdTSFKfo "caption")

>>>
+ blessings from God: **home**, family, stability, recognition
  + virtues: **patience**, generosity, hospit
+ all these were **bestowed** by God
  + not **earned** by own efforts
  + not bc we did sth *right*
+ **princess**: bc of our Father

---

# Have I mistaken God's **grace** for God's **endorsement**?

>>>
+ yes, we are richly **blessed**
+ **not** bc God approves of our behaviour!
+ bc of our utter **inability** to save selves

---

## The Adopted Princess [(Ez16)](# "ref")
1. Flourishing Under Covenant [(v1-14)](# "ref")
1. **Fallen in Pride** [(v15-43)](# "ref")
1. Forgiven in Godly Shame [(v60-63)](# "ref")

>>>
+ same as **Judges** cycle:
  + **rescued** + blessed by God
  + **proud**, forget God
  + **chastened** / humbled
  + **redeemed** as we repent
+ our **downfall** comes in 3 parts:

---

## 2. Fallen in Pride [(v15-43)](# "ref")

1. **Proud** of Our Beauty [(v15-22)](# "ref")
1. **Addicted** to Affirmation [(v23-34)](# "ref")
1. **Destroyed** by What We Pursue [(v35-43)](# "ref")

[Ukraine. Paul Itkin](https://unsplash.com/photos/xCdFXXoZkJc "caption")

>>>
1. trust in own **success**
2. crave **affirmation**, recognition
3. those whose attention we **seek**
  + **turn** against us

---

But you trusted in your **beauty** 
and played the **harlot** because of your fame

[Ezekiel 16:15 (NASB)](# "ref")
[Dylan Roberts, Strumble Head Lighthouse, UK](https://unsplash.com/photos/ndsRLeQBlsA "caption")

>>>
+ aside: "what's wrong w/prostitution?"
  + "**slut-shaming**": assumes
  + morality **socially** constructed
  + decide for **self** right/wrong for own sexuality
  + decide problem is **shame**, so
  + get **rid** of shame
  + w/o **changing** behaviour
+ but shame is **not** the problem
  + **sin** is
  + what is our **sin** that we need to change?
+ pride in **image**: beautiful
  + **house**, garden, wife, kids
  + kids doing well in **school**
  + on-track to good **career**, work-life
  + always **hospitable**, generous
  + always **happy** + positive
+ all **good** blessings, but
+ pursue **gift** rather than **Giver**

---

You also took your beautiful **jewels** 
made of **My gold** and of My silver, 
which I had **given** you,

and made for yourself male **images** 
that you might play the harlot with them.

[Ezekiel 16:17 (NASB)](# "ref")
[Anne Edgar](https://unsplash.com/photos/0Hf3SuP-Muc "caption")

>>>
+ forgot where blessings come from
  + forgot where **we** came from
+ **harlot**: exchange priceless **treasure** for base **gain**
  + treasure is **not** the blessings
  + but our **purity** / holiness
  + our rln w/God
+ not only impacts **selves**,
  + also the next **generation**:

---

You slaughtered **My children** 
and offered them up to **idols** 
by causing them to pass through the **fire**.

[Ezekiel 16:21 (NASB)](# "ref")
[Sören Sandbothe](https://unsplash.com/photos/lQ1uirYz8qI "caption")

>>>
+ kids are **God's** kids, not mine
  + in my **pursuit** of success, happiness
  + I **sacrifice** them
+ **values** / priorities we live by
  + pass on to **children**
+ "just be **happy** and do well in **school**"
  + ⇒ prize **comfort** + success
+ but we don't teach them greatest **prize**:
  + to **know** Christ
  + pure + **childlike** faith
+ some kids will **rebel**
  + see the **hypocrisy**
+ some will **internalise** same values
  + pursue comfort + success

---

## 2. Fallen in Pride [(v15-43)](# "ref")

1. Proud of Our Beauty [(v15-22)](# "ref")
1. **Addicted to Affirmation** [(v23-34)](# "ref")
1. Destroyed by What We Pursue [(v35-43)](# "ref")

---

You made your beauty **abominable**, 
and you spread your legs to every **passer-by** 
to multiply your harlotry.

[25](# "ref")
You also played the harlot with 
the **Egyptians**, ... Philistines, 
... Assyrians, ... Chaldea, 
[29](# "ref")
yet even with this you were not **satisfied**

[Ezekiel 16:25-29 (NASB)](# "ref")
[Piha Beach, NZ. Tim Marshall](https://unsplash.com/photos/Wa-gS5R58gA "caption")

>>>
+ beauty **unfulfilling** if no **beholder**
+ e.g., entertain **guests** so they can
  + admire my **hospitality**
+ e.g., retreat 6am devos by walkway
+ e.g., do church/volunteer work so others
  + affirm my **charity**
+ culture of **busyness**:
  + feel **needed**
  + deny being **lazy** / dependent
+ crave **affirmation**, recognition
  + **tell** me I'm a **good** person
+ **addiction**: unable to satisfy

---

## 2. Fallen in Pride [(v15-43)](# "ref")

1. Proud of Our Beauty [(v15-22)](# "ref")
1. Addicted to Affirmation [(v23-34)](# "ref")
1. **Destroyed by What We Pursue** [(v35-43)](# "ref")

---

Behold, I will gather all your **lovers** 
with whom you took pleasure,

even all those whom you **loved** 
and all those whom you **hated**.

So I will gather them **against** you 
from every direction 
and **expose** your nakedness to them

[Ezekiel 16:37 (NASB)](# "ref")
[Silverthorne, CO. Nathan Anderson](https://unsplash.com/photos/mKA3VavSuaI "caption")

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+ **lovers**: those I crave **affirmation** from
  + the **rich** / powerful
  + perfect **house** / cake / kids' clothes
  + those we thought were our **friends**
  + even our own **parents**
+ some we **love**, some we **hate**
+ God's **chastening**:
  + strip away clothes, jewels
  + reveal how **broken** we truly are
+ v39-41 when they **see** us as we are
  + **take** what they can from us
  + **cut** to pieces, burn houses
+ bc their affirmation was not **perfect love**

---

# What **beauty** has become an **idol** to me?

>>>
+ **blessings** from God: success, virtue, generosity
+ ⇒ **pride** ⇒ maintain **image**
  + ⇒ **addiction** ⇒ **destruction**

---

## The Adopted Princess [(Ez16)](# "ref")
1. Flourishing Under Covenant [(v1-14)](# "ref")
1. Fallen in Pride [(v15-43)](# "ref")
1. **Forgiven in Godly Shame** [(v60-63)](# "ref")

>>>
+ God already knows the **naked** me
+ when He **sees** me, He remembers
  + His **covenant** of love:

---

Yet I will **remember** my covenant 
with you in the days of your youth,

and I will **establish** for you 
an everlasting covenant.

[Ezekiel 16:60 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Mark Basarab](https://unsplash.com/photos/1k5Qq4YQM0g "caption")

>>>
+ not bc we are **worthy**
  + successful, hard-working, beautiful
  + volunteer at church, generous, hospit
+ **why** redeem us?
  + constant **theme** in Ezekiel:

---

And you shall **know** that I am the LORD,

that you may remember and be **confounded**, 
and never open your mouth again 
because of your **shame**,

when I **atone** for you 
for all that you have done

[Ezekiel 16:62-63 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Thailand.  Dominik QN](https://unsplash.com/photos/9gGQvhC4PEY "caption")

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+ know He is **holy** + faithful
  + **just** in His judgments
+ Godly **shame**: opposite of pride
  + "confounded": **pale**, shame
+ not **paralysed** by self-**doubt**
  + **fear** of failing again
+ not **revel** in self-**pity**
  + flagellation, atone for **self**
+ not **rejecting** the shame
  + "ok so I messed up, move on!"
+ **ack** our wrongdoing

---

When I kept **silent**, my bones **wasted away** 
through my groaning all day long.

I **acknowledged** my sin to you, 
and I did not **cover** my iniquity;

I said, “I will **confess** 
my transgressions to the Lord,” 
and you **forgave** the iniquity of my sin.

[Psalm 32:3,5 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Yuriria, Mexico.  Cristian Newman](https://unsplash.com/photos/Zi8-E3qJ_RM "caption")

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+ **confess**: not surprise to God
  + (Gr ὁμολογέω) same-word: **ack** the truth
+ point to **God's** holiness + grace
+ (Romans 5:8?)

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# What has God **forgiven** me of?

>>>
+ **godly** shame that leads to
+ **repentance**: change of heart
+ with **assurance** that
  + Christ has **atoned**

---