God Should Have Aborted Me!

“Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Caananites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.  And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.  No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.  And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’  I made you flourish like a plant of the field.  And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment.  Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.  When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered in a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.” Ezekiel 16:1-8

Here we see a wretched baby.  A pagan child thrown out and cast asunder as some rejected creature.  It was an unknown and unwanted child of God.  Note some truths of this baby:

1.) Its Origin

This child was born of two pagan and godless parents,  “an Amorite” for a father, and ”a Hittite” for a mother.  “Your orgin and your birth are of the land of Canaan.”

It was a baby born of the enemies of God’s people  It was a baby born of the pagans who worshipped and sacrificed before idols, pouring the blood of infants on their altars.   A wretched and grotesque picture to behold!  The origin was deplorable.  Who would want this baby?!

2.)  Its Condition

When it was born, its cord was still hanging from its middle. “…your cord was not cut.”  This paints the picture of a quick and inconsiderate parent.  Not even the umbilical cord was worth cutting.  It stuck out and hung there like some symbol of a sluggard too lazy to clean itself.  It was a sad picture, and a grotesque reminder of depravity and rejection.

When it was born, the baby was dirty. “…nor were you washed with water to cleanse you…”  It was a filthy child.  Combined with the dirt and sludge of the streets.  Blood dripping from its tiny digits.  Who would want this baby?

When it was born, it was not purified.  “…nor rubbed with salt…”  Salt purified.  It was in impure entity.  Some defiled child lying helpless in black sin.  No one dared look at this unwanted creature.

When it was born, it was naked and unkept.  “..nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.”  It was some naked and uncovered hairless animal.  No one even covered it!  Despite its ugliness, it was too ugly to cover.

3.)  Its Rejection

Who dared look at this creature? “No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you…” No eye dared look with compassion.  This seemed some pitiful sight to behold, yet no eye even dared to behold it!  No eye considered its origin.  No eye considered its filth.  No eye considered its impurity. No eye considered its nakedness.

What happened to it? “…but you were cast out on the open field…”  It was thrown like some shiny and grotesque rubber humanoid, cast away in a death field.  Thrown from memory, the baby was left in the open where no eye dared look.

How was it considered? “…for your were abhorred, on that day your were born…”  This creature was not just too ugly to consider.  It was not some indifference to which it was to be held.  It was with a real feeling, with a real emotion and consideration.  What it was it? Of what was its consideration?  Abhorrence.  A biting hatred that cast it out in darkness.

4.)  Its Resurrection

But, Lo!  Who is that who approaches this baby, this pitiless fossil?  “And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood.” Who is this “I”?  When asked to recount this story, Ezekiel is told: “say, Thus says the Lord God…” This “I” is the Lord of heaven and earth.  It is the holy one of Isreal who approaches.  He sees the creature there.  He passes by and looks.  When no one else dared approach, when all others abhorred and rejected this things in the field, the Lord comes nigh and sees.

But, behold! Does the Soveriegn One simply walk on by?  Does he just see and reject and abhor as all the others did?  Does he do what he should? Does he kill it and throw it to sheol where it belongs, this pagan baby?  Look! He bestirs his holy powers and opens his mighty mouth and gives one word, “Live!”  Where was this creature when this word poured forth? “I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’”  While this bloody reject lies wallowing in filth, the Lord says one word, and what he says, he accomplishes.

5.)  Its New Life

What becomes of this creature?  What does the Lord do for it? ”I made you flourish like a plant of the field.”  It flourishes with life and beauty.  It comes forth through the dirt and grime, giving evidence of newness.  It lives! Not only that, it flourishes.

“Your breasts were formed and your hair had grown.” Suddenly, it is no longer an “it.”  It is a “she.”  She is a beautiful young woman with life and vigor.  She grows into elegance and femininity.

Yet, what remains of her.  She is now grown, but she is naked.  She is still open and uncovered.  “yet you were naked and bare.”

6.) Her Covering

When she is older and comes “at the the age of love,” the Lord passes by and covers her.  “I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness.”  She is vital.  She is ready for loving and holy covenental union.  The Lord covers her.  No one can look upon her now.  Why?

7.)  Her Union

Why must she be covered? “I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.”

Now we see.  She belong to him. No else may gaze upon her as some rejected whore.  She belongs to her husband.  They are joined and glory and joy ensues!  “…a covenant…

This, my friends, is the picture of salvation.  You were rejected and unwanted.  You were dead. You were dirty.  Yet the Lord walks by and sees you wallowing in your blood, and he says to in your blood, “Live!”

And thus it was.  Why?  That you may be his.

Friends,  what does this imply? How does this apply?

He had every right to choose to kill…but he didn’t.  He chose life.

What right have we to do murder to our own, when the only one who really has that right chose life?

Choosing life, it seems, is choosing godliness.

Working with you to cherish and choose life,

Vince R.