Ezekiel 23:35

"Therefore, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. So Jehovah said moreover unto me: Son of man, wilt thou judge Oholah and Oholibah? then declare unto them their abominations. For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands; and with their idols have they committed adultery; and they have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass through the fire unto them to be devoured. Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths. For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, this they have done in the midst of my house. And furthermore ye have sent for men that come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent, and, lo, they came; for whom thou didst wash thyself, paint thine eyes, and deck thyself with ornaments, and sit upon a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon thou didst set mine incense and mine oil. And the voice of a multitude at ease was with her: and with men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness; and they put bracelets upon the hands of them twain, and beautiful crowns upon their heads."

"Thou hast forgotten me ..." (Ezekiel 23:35). Add this to the other reasons God here outlined as the basis of Jerusalem's destruction. (1) They made forbidden political alliances with the nations; (2) they were polluted morally through the idols of the nations with their licentious worship; and (3) they had forgotten God! Thus, they violated the great imperative of the Law of Moses, thundered in the ears of Israel no less than four times, "See that thou forget not the Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy 8:11). This was the ultimate disaster and the reason for all of Israel's other sins.

"They have caused their sons to pass through the fire ..." (Ezekiel 23:37). This atrocious worship of Molech was a result of shameless unfaithfulness of God's people, who, in this despicable action, fell as completely into paganism as was possible. Furthermore, as revealed in the same chapter, they had the audacity to enter into God's temple on the very same day, thus aggravating their guilt. God's house, his ordinances and his statutes, including even the sabbath, were totally ignored, despised, and profaned.

"With men of the common sort were brought drunkards of the wilderness ..." (Ezekiel 23:42). "These refer to Israel's new neighbors, Arabs, Moabites, Tyre, Sidon, etc."[23]

The extent of Judah's whoredom is emphasized in this reference to her courting with all the ardor of an insatiable prostitute these comparatively insignificant nations, as compared with the Assyrians, Egypt, and the Babylonians. Yes, this is speaking of Judah's seeking an alliance with these very peoples (See Jeremiah 27:3f). The relative of value of these "powers" in world politics is evident in their comparison with "men of the common sort, and drunkards from the wilderness"! Judah would have made an alliance with anyone.