Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Today's chapters are dark and graphic. It's not exactly light reading. But in every heavy paragraph, in every dark chapter, there's still something

we can learn about God. It's true on these pages, and it's true in our own stories too. Before we jump in,

just know that I'm going to do my best to make this appropriate for all our listeners. The Bible itself

is graphic enough, so I'll try to go easy on explaining things in detail.

Chapter 23 is one big metaphor. God is talking about two women, but this isn't about women at all.

The women represent two cities, Samaria, which is the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, and Jerusalem, which is the capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah.

And we've seen many times

where Yahweh has portrayed his relationship with his people as a marriage. And anytime his people

wander off to other gods, he compares it to adultery. He uses a picture of intimate betrayal to show

what's happening on a spiritual level. So while there definitely was sexual sin happening in both Samaria and Jerusalem,

that's only a fraction of the broader point Chapter 23 is trying to make. The major point is,

the people of these cities have turned their eyes away from Yahweh, who has always provided for

them and protected them, and instead they've looked to other nations to save them.

They've paid them tribute for protection, and as they've grown more familiar with them and

tried to earn their favor, they've also become enamored with their gods and worshipped them

instead.

Verse 7 is talking about Samaria, and it says, she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone

after whom she lusted. It started with lust,

and it ended with idol worship. Sin always wants more from us. It's never satisfied. We're hardwired

to worship something. Whatever we spend our time thinking about and fixating on, whatever we look to

as our source of joy and fulfillment, it will eventually

...