Ezekiel 16:6

When reading Ezekiel 16, remember that Jerusalem is the subject, and not Israel. Also, the subject here is not redemption, but God's dealings. He had given life to the one who was in misery and had no beauty. He had cleansed her, adorned her, and anointed her.

God's chosen people were meant, and obliged, to take the place of the nations that the land spat out because of their vile practices. So no picture could cut deeper than the one that gives Jerusalem a Canaanite birth, with the Amorite for a father and the Hittite for a mother. It is of course moral, not historical.

But Scripture itself shows us that a shameful birth cannot tie anyone to evil, where God is turned to and leaned on even a little. How was it here? A wretched outcast, with none of the ordinary care or pity, left in the field on the day she was born. (v. 4, 5) Then Jehovah passed by, and saw her stained with her own blood. He said to her in her blood, Live; and He said it with great force. (v. 6) He cared for her as she grew up to womanhood, dressed and adorned with the most splendid ornaments. Jehovah entered into covenant with her and took her as His own.

Jerusalem is looked at in her disgusting, offensive degradation; but when not one eye pitied, the Lord not only took compassion on her, but gave her life, washed, clothed, anointed, beautified, and provided for her, and did not stop until He had taken her to Himself.

Like the child pictured in the parable, we are lost, perishing in the field (the world). What could that perishing child do to save itself? Even so we cannot do anything to save ourselves. The Lord passing by had compassion and spoke His Word of power — Live. He came from heaven to this earth, into the field to seek and save what is lost. He found man in the vile and helpless state pictured by the miserable child. More than that, He died to save man. He gave His life so that we might live. The first thing He does for the believing sinner is to give him life. When the spiritually dead hear His voice they live.

Grace, not law, gives life and peace, and produces godly walk and conduct. Grace brings life to the dead in trespasses and sins. "I came," said Jesus, "that they may have life and have it abundantly."… The soul receives life, everlasting life. It comes not by doing, but by believing; not as a future hope, but as a present blessing.

He likens Israel to a newborn, helpless baby "cast out in the field" and left to perish with no eye to pity and no heart to have compassion. Then says Jehovah, "your time was the time of love". Man's time of need was God's time of love (Ezek. 16:1-14). So our time of helplessness and ungodliness was God's time of love.

In Ezekiel 16 Jerusalem is reminded of God's dealings in grace, and that what had been in misery and degradation He had washed, anointed, and beautified. All His favour, however, she had used in the service of idols. … She had played the harlot, and should be dealt with as such. … Despite this, His oath and covenant of promise (see Ezek. 16:8) would still be made good (Ezek. 16:62-63).