“Now let them remove their prostitution and the corpses of their kings far from Me, and I will dwell among them forever.” Ezekiel 43:9CSB
Prostitution is a growing problem in today’s world. Finding Justice reports that at any given moment, there are approximately 40 million people at work in the world in the prostitution industry. In South Africa the median price for a prostitute is only one dollar. One in ten men have purchased a prostitute. In America over 80,000 people are arrested each year for soliciting or selling sex. The murder rate for an American prostitute is 204 in every 100,000. Prostitution is a 58 billion dollar industry. Two and one half million victims are currently being trafficked in the sex industry.
Ezekiel is referring to religious prostitution in this verse. The people of Israel had brought other gods and idols into the temple and at times even participated in sexual activity with temple prostitutes, all in the name of worship. The people would continue to worship the One true God, Yahweh, but in the very next room they would also worship idols and have intimate relations with a temple prostitute. This was totally unacceptable to God. The people seemed to be more interested in worshiping dead kings than they were with worshiping the One true and living God. It is only when the people repented of their sins and sought God that they would experience true fellowship with Him and authentic worship.
Challenge: We may not be worshiping idols and engaging a temple prostitute, but too many times we have sin in our lives that hinders us from worshiping God. Are you engaging in “religious prostitution”? What is hindering you from experiencing true worship of God? Pray that God would reveal what you need to get rid of in your life so you can worship the One true God.