Don't Stay in the Pit (Part 2)
- Noah Olson
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
God Took You Out of the Pit (Ezekiel 16:6-14).
Israel was helpless, but God was helpful. If He did not reach down, they could not have risen up. They were thrown to the side and covered in blood, but God picked them up and carried them home. He adopted them and treated them as His own, carrying them through the “fire” and the literal flood (Exodus 5-14). When the world did nothing for Israel, God did everything for them—He took them out of the pit. They should have remembered what God did for them.
In the beginning, Israel was a small nation; they had a population of 75 (Genesis 47:21; cf. Deuteronomy 7:7). Like a small bud, however, they grew to become a beautiful flower; like a small child, they grew to become a beautiful woman. In less than 500 years they multiplied to over a million (Exodus 12:37[1]; cf. Deuteronomy 10:22). They eventually said “I do” to God at Sinai (Exodus 19:1-6; 34:27) and became His bride. They were naked and he clothed them; they were nobodies, but He made them somebodies (Ezekiel 16:8).
Not only did God marry Israel, but He also blessed them abundantly. He took them out of the damp pit and cleansed them; like a woman would prepare for marriage (Esther 2:12). He anointed them with oil and clothed them with the best apparel.[2] Poorness was their past, but bracelets, chains, jewels, earrings, and a crown were their future—no bride is left without such gifts (Genesis 24:22, 47). They ate angels’ food (Psalm 78:22-29) and became a beautiful Kingdom (Exodus 19:6). In Canaan, they conquered nations (Joshua), subdued their enemies, and rose to become the most profitable nation in the world under kings like David and Solomon (Ezekiel 16:14). “God did everything He could to bless His bride.”[3]
A sinner cannot not climb out of the pit; it is too high. He cannot build a ladder; he has nothing with which to build. Even his fellow man cannot reach down to help, his arm is not long enough. Someone wrote the following:
A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out:
A subjective person came along and said, “I feel for you down there.”
An objective person came along and said, “Well it’s logical that someone would fall down there.”
A Christian scientist came along and said, “You only think you’re in that pit.”
A pharisee said, “Only bad people fall into pits.”
A mathematician calculated how he fell into the pit.
A news reporter wanted an exclusive story on his pit.
A Calvinist said, “If you had been saved, you never would have fallen into that pit.”
An Armenian said, “You were saved and you still fell in that pit.”
A charismatic said, “Just confess that you’re not in that pit.”
A realist came along and said, “Now that’s a pit!”
A geologist told him to appreciate the rock strata in his pit.
An IRS agent asked if he was paying taxes on his pit.
The county inspector asked if he had a permit to dig the pit.
An evasive person came along and avoided the subject all together.
A self-pitying person said, “You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit.”
An optimist said “Things could be worse.”
A pessimist, said, “Things will get worse.”
Jesus seeing the man reached down, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.[4]
When sinners are helpless, Jesus is helpful. He saw sinners’ condition and decided to rescue them (Romans 5:6-8). When they were “lame”[5] (Acts 4:9), He caused them to stand. When they were “sick”[6] (Acts 5:16), He gave them a cure. When they were “weak”[7] (1 Thessalonians 5:14), He gave them rest (Matthew 11:28-30).
Like Israel, every obedient man, woman, or child is blessed by God. The various parallels between God’s saving Israel and God’s saving sinners are magnificent. Note that:
God married you (Ezekiel 16:8; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 22:17).
You belong to God (Ezekiel 16:8; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 2:20).
God gave you a bath (Ezekiel 16:9; Acts 2:38; Ephesians 5:26-27; 1 Peter 3:21).
God set you apart by anointing you (Ezekiel 16:9; 2 Corinthians 1:21).
You wear a beautiful robe (Ezekiel 16:10-12; Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10).
God feeds you (Ezekiel 16:13; Matthew 4:4; 5:6; 1 Peter 2:1-2).
You are royal (Ezekiel 16:13; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6).
God does nothing but bless His people and they need to be reminded of it. Memory is the key to success and only when men forget God’s blessing will they go back to the pit.[8] Set your mind back to God’s blessings for you; you probably won’t think about the pit anymore.
Endnotes
[1]Most believe that Israel reached over a million due to the children not being included in the number.
[2]Badger’s skin covered the tabernacle (Exodus 25:5). It was said to be durable (Gill). Later, God reminded the next generation how their clothes and shoes did not rot away (Deuteronomy 29:5).
[3]Bobby Liddel, Ezekiel Class Notes, MSOP, 2022.
[5]This word comes from ἀσθενής and it is the same word translated “without strength” in Romans 5:6. Used here by the author for grammatical purposes with a spiritual application.
[6]Ibid.
[7]Ibid.
[8]Throughout the fifth book of the Torah, God expressly commands Israel to remember their beginning (Deuteronomy 5:15; 7:18; 8:2; 15:15; 16:3, 12; 24:18). Remembrance prevents stumbling (Hebrews 2:1). Often, Christians fall away because they have forgotten who God is (Isaiah 46:9), what He has done for them (Ephesians 2:11-13) and why they serve Him (Revelation 2:5). The New Testament is filled with the principle of remembrance (1 Timothy 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:14; Hebrews 10:32; 2 Peter 1:12, 13, 15; 3:1; Jude 5).
Stay tuned for part 3
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