What You Were and What You Can Be

Ezekiel 16  briefing at the precinct:

The Perp's Background

We've got a suspect here, Jerusalem, with a real rough upbringing.  Born into some shady circumstances, abandoned as a newborn, left out in the open. Real neglect case.

The Good Samaritan

Then we've got an intervention. A passerby (that's God) sees this kid in distress and decides to step in Cleans the kid up, gives them proper care, even adopts them. We're talking full-on rescue and rehabilitation here.

"I put a beautiful crown on your head. 13 So you wore gold and silver. Your dress was made of fine linen, silk and beautiful needlework. You ate fine flour, honey and olive oil. You were very beautiful and became a queen. 14 Then you became famous among the nations because you were so beautiful. Your beauty was perfect, because of the glory I gave you, says the Lord God." 

The Ungrateful Vic

Now here's where it gets messy. This kid grows up, gets all the advantages, becomes a real looker. But instead of staying on the straight and narrow, they go completely off the rails.

15 “‘But you trusted in your beauty. You became a prostitute because you were so famous. You had physical relations with anyone who passed by. 22 You did all your hated acts and sexual sins. But you did not remember when you were young. At that time you were naked and had no clothes. You were left in your blood.

The Charges
We're looking at multiple counts here:

• Prostitution
• Idolatry (that's like cheating on your partner, but with false gods)
• Child endangerment (sacrificing kids to idols)
• General debauchery and corruption

30 “‘Truly your will is weak, says the Lord God. You do all the things a stubborn prostitute does. 31 You built your place to worship false gods at the beginning of every street. 33 Men pay prostitutes, but you pay all your lovers. You pay them to come to you. And they come from all around and sin sexually. 34 So you are different from other prostitutes. No one acts like a prostitute the same way you do. You give money, and no money is given to you. Yes, you are different. 39 I will also hand you over to your lovers. They will tear down your places of worship. They will destroy the places where you worship false gods. They will tear off your clothes and take away your jewelry. They will leave you naked and bare. 40 They will bring a crowd against you. They will throw stones at you and cut you into pieces with their swords. 41 They will burn your houses with fire. They will punish you in front of many women. Then I will put an end to your sexual sins. And you will no longer pay your lovers. 

You killed your children and offered their blood to your idols

The Sentence

The judge (that's God again) is not happy. We're talking some serious consequences coming down. The perp's gonna lose everything they gained and end up worse off than when they started.

The Twist

But here's the kicker - even after all this, there's still a chance for redemption. The judge is willing to give them another shot if they clean up their act.Remember, this isn't just about one perp. It's a cautionary tale for the whole precinct (that's all of us). Keep your nose clean and don't forget who's got your back.

63 You will remember and be ashamed. You will not open your mouth again because of your shame. This is because I will forgive you for all the things you have done, says the Lord God.’”