Ezekiel 16

[Patricia]

Robert or anyone---i could use some help understanding these verses Ezekiel 16:53-55, 60-61 "Sodom and her dependant towns will return to her former state..." "... receive your sisters... give them to you as daughters but not owing to your covenant."
I kinda halfway understand for Samaria because it was the capital of the northern kingdom once God's people too, but I'm a total loss on Sodom .
The "not owing to your covenant" --does that mean not owing to the old covenant but to the new better one?

 

[BibleLover]

Robert or anyone---i could use some help understanding these verses Ezekiel 16:53-55, 60-61 "Sodom and her dependant towns will return to her former state..." "... receive your sisters... give them to you as daughters but not owing to your covenant."
I kinda halfway understand for Samaria because it was the capital of the northern kingdom once God's people too, but I'm a total loss on Sodom .
The "not owing to your covenant" --does that mean not owing to the old covenant but to the new better one?

Following is a link to Robert King 's article that analyzes the prophecy of Ezekiel 16:

I will bring an end to your prostitution

"They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgment on you before the eyes of many women; and I will bring an end to your prostitution, and you will stop giving payment. I will satisfy my rage against you, and my indignation will turn away from you; and I

e-watchman.com

Although it doesn't consider the verses you mentioned, it gives a good explanation of how it applies to God's organization today.

Regarding the Sodomites, a meaningful connection can be seen between the message of Ezekiel 16 and Jesus’ words about Sodom.

In book of Ezekiel chapter 16, Jerusalem is compared with two “sisters”: Samaria and Sodom. Surprisingly, God says that Jerusalem, despite having greater spiritual light and covenant privileges, became more corrupt than Sodom. In fact, Jerusalem’s conduct was so bad that Sodom appeared more righteous by comparison (Ezek. 16:51–52). The principle established there is that accountability increases with the amount of light and opportunity received.

Jesus applies that same principle when speaking about the cities that witnessed his miracles. In Gospel of Matthew 11:23–24, he says that if the powerful works done in Capernaum had been done in Sodom, Sodom would have remained, and he adds that it will be more endurable for Sodom on Judgment Day than for Capernaum. Just as Ezekiel shows covenant Jerusalem judged more severely than Sodom due to greater privilege and greater failure, Jesus shows that cities that personally received the Kingdom witness and rejected it bear heavier responsibility than Sodom did.

Ezekiel also speaks of a future “restoration” of Sodom, Samaria, and Jerusalem (Ezek. 16:53–55), placing them together in a comparative future setting. That restoration language fits naturally with Jesus’ statement that Sodom will be considered on Judgment Day. Together, these passages support the conclusion that divine judgment is proportional to revealed light, and that Sodom serves in Scripture not only as an example of severe judgment, but also as a benchmark case used to highlight the even greater accountability of those who reject fuller revelation.

 

[BibleLover]

It's interesting to see what was Sodom’s sin according to Ezekiel 16:49–50:
. Pride
. Abundance of food
. Careless ease
. Failure to help the poor
. Detestable things

The emphasis then is social arrogance and moral corruption — not specifically full spiritual enlightenment followed by willful rejection of God’s Kingdom.

That supports the argument that Sodom’s destruction was not because they had committed the unforgivable sin after receiving full light, but because of gross wickedness under limited revelation.
That distinction matters when considering resurrection.

 

[Patricia]

Following is a link to Robert King 's article that analyzes the prophecy of Ezekiel 16:

I will bring an end to your prostitution

"They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgment on you before the eyes of many women; and I will bring an end to your prostitution, and you will stop giving payment. I will satisfy my rage against you, and my indignation will turn away from you; and I

e-watchman.com

Although it doesn't consider the verses you mentioned, it gives a good explanation of how it applies to God's organization today.

Regarding the Sodomites, a meaningful connection can be seen between the message of Ezekiel 16 and Jesus’ words about Sodom.

In book of Ezekiel chapter 16, Jerusalem is compared with two “sisters”: Samaria and Sodom. Surprisingly, God says that Jerusalem, despite having greater spiritual light and covenant privileges, became more corrupt than Sodom. In fact, Jerusalem’s conduct was so bad that Sodom appeared more righteous by comparison (Ezek. 16:51–52). The principle established there is that accountability increases with the amount of light and opportunity received.

Jesus applies that same principle when speaking about the cities that witnessed his miracles. In Gospel of Matthew 11:23–24, he says that if the powerful works done in Capernaum had been done in Sodom, Sodom would have remained, and he adds that it will be more endurable for Sodom on Judgment Day than for Capernaum. Just as Ezekiel shows covenant Jerusalem judged more severely than Sodom due to greater privilege and greater failure, Jesus shows that cities that personally received the Kingdom witness and rejected it bear heavier responsibility than Sodom did.

Ezekiel also speaks of a future “restoration” of Sodom, Samaria, and Jerusalem (Ezek. 16:53–55), placing them together in a comparative future setting. That restoration language fits naturally with Jesus’ statement that Sodom will be considered on Judgment Day. Together, these passages support the conclusion that divine judgment is proportional to revealed light, and that Sodom serves in Scripture not only as an example of severe judgment, but also as a benchmark case used to highlight the even greater accountability of those who reject fuller revelation.

Thank you for your response. It's appreciated.

I had read that article of Roberts when I was looking for the answer to that question. And searched for anything on jw.org (waste of time) and read a whole mess of Bible commentaries on those verses. All in all I gained some understanding but it's still incomplete. I seem to have questions about things that the answers just haven't been revealed yet, and that being the case, I guess our complete understanding isn't necessary.
But there's a part of me that feels like that's a cop out--an old watchtower-ism--"just skip over the things you don't understand, don't ask questions and believe what we tell you". Sigh.

Anyway, thanks for your input. I can see how what Jesus said about Sodom in the resurrection sheds light on the accountability of those in covenant position being higher than those not.