“And I, I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am Yahweh, in order that you will remember, and you will be ashamed, and you will not open your mouth again because of your disgrace when I forgive you for all that you have done!’ ” declares the Lord Yahweh.” (Ezekiel 16:62–63, LEB)

Ezekiel 16 is probably the most painful chapter in all of the Scriptures to read.  It is about Judah’s unfaithfulness to the Lord and it is blunt and it is direct and it is harsh.  Here is one example from The Message [a paraphrase rather than a translation, but you will get the point, dear reader]:

“You’re just the opposite of the regular whores who get paid for sex. Instead, you pay men for their favors! You even pervert whoredom!” (Ezekiel 16:34, The Message)

Amazingly and without any warning, at the end of this chapter, God breaks forth with these words which are just stunning:  when I forgive you for all that you have done! Such a beautiful example of grace:  Grace is unexpected; it comes when we assume we will receive punishment; it is given freely, it is given to people who do not deserve it.

The promise here bursts forth unexpectedly like the sun from the dark clouds. With all her forgetfulness of God, God still remembers her; showing that her redemption is altogether of grace.  [Jamieson, Fausset, Brown]

 “God can no more help being gracious than He can cease being God. He is the God of all grace, and He always finds a covenant basis on which He can exercise His grace.” [Feinberg]

May we fall to our knees together, dear reader, and give all praise and glory and honor to our grace-giving God.