Ezekiel 16:49-50

What we are looking at here is a very brief insight into the three sisters of Canaan. All three of these sisters, all three of these cities, were in the land of Canaan. Samaria is the oldest, Sodom the middle (and I think that you understand that Sodom has been a big part of the sermon the last couple of weeks, especially last week), and then the youngest is Jerusalem. Jerusalem, though not the oldest, not the youngest, is the vilest. I think that this gives us insight that we would do well to pay heed to because of the times in which we live because they tend to foster the same effects as occurred in these cities and especially as occurred in Sodom. Look at verse 49:

I want you to see what led to their being blasted, as we would say, to kingdom come. God pinpoints much of the cause of their problem as a false sense of security (pride), apathy (from an abundance of food), and a luxurious life of ease (they spent their time in self-indulgence). It was this kind of circumstance that fostered the sexual perversions that they are so well known for.

The New International Version translates verse 50 as being "arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned." Remember what Genesis 13:10 said about Sodom, that it was "well watered everywhere . . . like the garden of the Lord." It was a veritable Eden just like the United States and Canada are veritable Edens, producing abundantly for its people, rich soil, rain in due season, everything that one might have need of in order to make a great deal of wealth. An abundance of minerals coming out of the ground: oil, iron, coal, silver, gold. You name it we have it in abundance: rivers, lakes, tremendous amounts of pure clear water, well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, a veritable Eden.