Like Her Sisters

Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 

Jer 3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

Jerusalem is the city of God. At this time before the captivity, the place where God's chosen people lived, had become a place of idolatry and spiritual harlotry. Judah had become more wicked than sinful Israel (Sumaria).

Eze 16:44 Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.

We have heard it said when we do something wrong: "Oh he takes after his father, or she takes after her mother." But, when he makes you proud? "That's my son" The LORD is comparing the people of Jerusalem to the sinful nations around them and those in the past that were judged for their sin. Their behavior was more as the heathen nations then that of the people of God. We are known by our fruits.

Eze 16:45 Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

The husband of Israel was the LORD and his children are those who are called by his name and who obey him. Jerusalem had become more like the Canaanite people who were their before them; and the Hittites.

From the Jewish Targum:

"was not your mother Sarah among the Hittites? and she did not do according to their works; and your father Abraham was among the Amorites, and he walked not in their counsels.''

Eze 16:46 And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

Samaria and Sodom were described as sisters to Jerusalem.

Isa 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Isa 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
Isa 1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Eze 16:47 Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.

They were worse than Samaria and Sodom! They were given the law and the prophets, so they should have known better. To those who have been given much, more is required. When Jesus came and was rejected. Those who saw him were more guilty than those who had seen  little light.

Mat 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Mat 11:22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Mat 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Mat 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

We are accountable for what we know.

Jas 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

How are we sharing the gospel with the lost? Are we doing what God has called us to do? This next section describes  Sodom and it may well be describing our own nation.

Eze 16:48 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.
Eze 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Eze 16:50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

This pretty much describes our country. We once were the greatest Christian nation, sending out missionaries all over the world. We fought wars against wicked nations and restored them, not asking for anything in return. Now America is being destroyed from within. Pray for a revival and God's grace.

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.