Although verse 60 of Ezekiel 16 is an unquestionably rich text, there is a certain tension that is difficult to ignore. While God’s love is indeed confirmed to his people, Israel’s past conduct has not been forgotten.

At the beginning of this chapter, we discover that Israel’s beginning was marked by rejection and abandonment (v. 5), but the Lord had graciously and lovingly intervened to rescue his beloved people. Because God Himself had given her life, Israel had wonderful potential: a new and promising beginning!

She matured and developed and God entered into an intimate marriage relationship with her, expressed in the covenant. Verse 14 tells us that her fame spread worldwide “because the splendour I had given you made your beauty perfect.” God’s love had made Israel exceedingly beautiful and unique.

The next development in the allegory of this chapter is God’s indictment of his people, based on their wretched, wicked conduct. The evidence was overwhelming: Israel had been repeatedly promiscuous. In one dreadful episode after another, we read of how Jerusalem had been an unfaithful wife. Reading between the lines, one can almost imagine God’s pain and disappointment: “I did so much for you, and my love for you has been so constant. How could you do this to me?” This is a sentiment we know as well; the more you love and trust someone, the harder their unfaithfulness is to comprehend.

It had been a staggering descent for the people of Israel. Their wickedness had exceeded even that of the heathen nations around them. Verse 47 gives a stunning appraisal of the situation: “You not only walked in their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they.” How is that for a divine slap in the face? The truth hurts. It is one thing for unbelievers to live in disobedience, but when God’s chosen people are content to follow the paths of wickedness, it is a tragedy.

How was it possible that those people who had received so much of God’s love could have acted in such a fashion? The root of the problem is forgetfulness. They lost track of what they had previously received from the Lord. Forgetfulness led to pride (v. 15) and unchecked pride led to rebellion and spiritual prostitution.

It is easy for us to recoil in disgust when we read this account. There is the temptation for us to look down our noses and ask: how could those people have behaved in such a disgraceful and unthankful manner, after all that God had done for them?

We live in an age of promiscuity and unfaithfulness. The love of today is fickle and non-committal. As Christians, we have a calling to be faithful in all our relationships, as God’s children have always had. And yet in our relationship with the Lord, we are so frequently unfaithful. Are we really immune from the types of temptations and struggles that the Israelites were faced with? We are also the recipients of so much of God’s love. The question we should ask ourselves is this: are we any better than they were?

Israel was indeed judged for her sin, but thankfully the story does not end there. Verse 60 speaks of restoration. Israel had forgotten, but God remembered the covenant He had with his people. Israel had been unfaithful; God remained faithful. The covenant-breakers received forgiveness and, because of God’s faithful love, mercy triumphs over judgment. At the end of verse 60, the Lord even speaks of an everlasting covenant.

Everything hinges on the person and work of Christ. Although God’s people had been disloyal – and we still struggle with this temptation today – there is a glorious future for us all because Christ has been faithful. His obedience is ours.

The unfaithful wife has been redeemed and she will one day be presented as a spotless bride, cleansed with the blood of Christ Himself. We may look forward in thankfulness and love to the return of our Saviour and the glory that awaits us. The words of Revelation 19:6-7 comfort us today as we live in the light of God’s faithfulness:

Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.