A Tale of Two Sisters - Retold

I wrote this several years go and I pull it out occasionally to revisit. It was time again.

 A Tale of Two Sisters

A True Story—Retold from Ezekiel 23

          It was not the best of times nor was it the worst of times. It was a time in Biblical history unequal to others. Many sought after the Lord God but few remained single in heart towards Him.

There were two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah. Aholah was the elder sister, Aholibah was the younger sister. They were precious and beloved in the sight of God, their “Father”. and He ardently referred to them as “Mine”. It was God’s plan that these sisters would remain faithful in heart towards Him. Over time, however, Aholah and Aholibah idolatrized and Ezekiel 23 tells us their tale as a warning against the sin of idolatry.

I don’t know about everyone else but I find it very difficult to target the sin of idolatry in my contemporary, Americanized, privileged life. Many who are enthusiastic, ambitious, and passionate about finding and doing God’s will and who do not seek God through carved wood, clay, or connections through mediums believe our lives free of such temptations. These rituals seem the most accurate way to label “idol” worship. But, after reviewing this sad “tale of two sisters” and seeing the digression in their lives I could more easily see their struggle personally.

The Tale:

Aholah, the greater sister was the name God gave to the nation of Israel. Aholibah represents Judah (Ezekiel 23:4). Israel was a nomadic nation, they traveled through many lands. Aholah (Israel) played the harlot as she coveted the works and the might she looked upon as she journeyed; her eyes feasted on her surroundings and desired the military strength displayed in the captains and the fair young rulers, desirable men on fine horses. She believed somehow that alliances with these would provide her confidences necessary to survive life.

Then the younger sister “saw” all this too (23:11) and she was even more corrupt in all her ways. She doted up on the Assyrians…for when she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion (color), girded with girdles … exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to—she doted upon them (12–16).

Perhaps the saddest and final commentary of these sisters is this, The Lord had enough, He alienated Himself from these whom He once fiercely protected, He called for an end to their wickedness. When I first read this sad tale of two “sisters” I was troubled with their behavior and quickly thanked the Lord that my heart was not idolatrous and wicked as theirs was.

As I continued to re-examine their story though God began to reveal areas of idolatry in my own heart.  Here’s how their story challenged me.

FREEDOM: Do I need the good opinions of the “Assyrians” in my life or do I live freely?

We all know “Assyrians”. These sisters felt a sense of security with their former connections. Once free from slavery they multiplied their wrong doing in calling to remembrance the days of their youth (19). They had freedom but were they truly, living freely unto their God? Scripture tells us they chose to continue to live in bondage by mentally dwelling in Assyria.

The temptation to displease God in this way really had not sunk in till one day in conversation with another individual, whose comments perhaps were not meant to be critical, ate at me like a mad-termite. They deprived me of the confidence (joy) I had in what the Lord has blessed me with, which was the knowledge and peace of trusting Him with a particular area of my life—Homeschooling! Her comments pushed me just over the edge.

          How “pomp” her life appeared. How gorgeous her home, her children, and her choices appeared to what I had chosen and been given. I knew there was nothing wrong with the “things” my heart longed for and the comfort and ease she had but I truly longed to be in “Assyria” with her! That just would not be possible, if I were to continue to stay on the path the Lord put me on.

          It was during this time that the Lord gave me understanding from this passage in Ezekiel and this “tale of two sisters”. It showed that my heart was at times very similar to these Old Testament “ladies”.  How much confidence (misplaced of course!) I experienced when my ways were accepted and doted upon by “Assyrians” in my life. When they approved what I was called to do, life felt good, and I would waver in my faith when they did not approve!  

I was acting much in the same way as these two sisters who had their sights set upon the gorgeous refinery of other nations and somehow felt their associations would provide strength and confidence. This though was far from the truth. We know that their confidence was to come solely from the knowledge of the Lord. He delighted in them when they remembered their strength came not from earthly finery but in trusting in the name of the LORD God alone (Psalm 20:7).

          This “tale” rebuked my heart for lack of peace which was a mere lack of trust in God. My attitude was far from reflecting the confidence of knowing that the Lord was LORD of my life. Under conviction for my whorish heart, I asked the Lord to forgive me and asked Him to help me find freedom in Him alone and His will for me.

WORSHIP: Have I blended my worship with that of the heathen idol worshipers?

The “wisdom” found amongst some of the highest forms of idol worshipers in the ancient worlds became a source of strength for God’s children. Often these sisters brought to remembrance that wisdom. They mingled “worldy” wisdom with God’s wisdom. God’s wisdom though is very different than these “high forms” of wisdom (Mark 10:15). We must be careful in our worship (giving attribute to God for who He is and what he does) that we worship God for works and words that are indeed His. These sisters committed whoredom as they worshiped God with idolatrous hearts. In doing so, they became defiled, as did the Temple of God.

How often we give appearances of leading our families in God’s way but mingle with our training and teaching just snippets of worldly wisdom (Hebrews 3:10). It is so easy to deviate from His ways and the simple truth and add to the most basic purpose for our existence here on the earth. God wishes for us to be single in heart towards him!

I had to begin challenging myself with the questions, “Have I welcomed alliances, philosophical or otherwise, that have allowed the entrance of heathen practice into my home, my heart, or my worship?” Men and women alike are without doubt keepers of the home in much the same way that God has called us to be keepers of our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). How very easy it is to allow idolatry right into our own hearts, homes, and places of worship.

I had to look around me and ask, what percentage of my time today has my heart and mind stayed upon the knowledge of the Lord? How much time today have I allowed other forms of wisdom to have place in my heart and home?

HEADSHIP: Am I intentionally making unidolterated choices for what I’m steward over?

As idolatry can be very hard to pinpoint I turned to Matthew Henry’s Commentary for definition. “Whatever creature we dote upon, pay homage to, and put confidence in, we make an idol of…whatever we make an idol of we defile ourselves with.” What is idolatry? Col. 3:5 defines it, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry…”. Luke 12:15 admonishes us, “Take heed and beware of covetousness…”. Many of us, as I do, forget that covetousness is idolatry.

When I am honest with God there have been many moments of covetousness in my life, times when I have been ungrateful to my most Benevolent Benefactor. If my sights stray from trusting God and what He has provided (Headship) to doting upon things (or ideas) of this life, I’m quite possibly idolatrizing.

Covetousness was perhaps the greatest betrayal of Aholah and Aholibah—the highest ingratitude to the best of benefactors. When covetousness dominates our lives we are failing to recognize God as Lord. We then begin fleshly scheming.  Where we believe He  left off, we take over. This process begins with covetousness. God help our covetous hearts!

We need to challenge our thinking, Why do I want the best for my children? Why do I need that look? Why do I want/need the affirmation (doting) of others, the leading role, or the extra confirmation of our home life? Could it be perhaps that the desire for any of these has been covetousness in my life?

LORDSHIP: Do I allow God to be Lord of my life? Do I encourage others to do the same?

While writing this my heart is full of questions. My “why” questions may be different than yours but we all have “why” questions. Why are things the way they are? Why are people sick with cancer or leukemia? Really, a tent falling on people at the fair and killing them, why? Why devastating financial needs? Some suffer from severe mental anguish while others do not, why? Why do Christians hurt other Christians? Why do some get so wounded by the events of this life and give up? Why are there problems in relationships, families, and churches? Why, why, why?

          In reading Ezekiel’s message I found this statement (or one very close to it) over 20 times, “That they shall know that I am the Lord God.”  It seems to be Ezekiel’s theme. What an awe inspiring thought that God wishes that we should know and be able to believe and live that He is the Lord God. After reading this statement repeatedly I had to stop and consider what this may say to me.

It tells me God is desirous of being paramount in my knowledge. Above all else, I should seek to know Him. This knowledge of Him leads me to make choices leading to further confidence (trust) in Him. This is the life of faith (and lack of fleshy scheming) He lovingly desires, not just for us, but with us. It is a life only made possible through Him.

After much consideration given to the lives of these two sisters, I must conclude to live otherwise, would be to live idolatrous. When we are left to seek God alone in our trials and adversities, we can always say in response to our “why” questions, That I will know that HE is the LORD GOD! When we can do nothing, we can know that HE is at work.    

In Conclusion:

There’s so much more to be learned from these two sisters but I pray the Lord continues to remind me of their story and to write it on my heart. May my life, may your life, be lived in a way that FREELY WORSHIPS the LORD GOD and know that he is (the head) the LORD GOD JEHOVAH working all things out for HIS honor and glory, for really, in the end, nothing else matters!