Eze 16:55?

[nightmare sasuke]

"When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate" (Eze 16:55).

Wasn't Sodom's "former estate" wicked? If so, doesn't that mean Sodom will return to her wickedness?

[bobf]

I see what you mean, but no, that's not what it means.  It's talking about restoring them out of the judgment God has placed upon them.

Sometimes it helps to read a paraphrased version like the NLT (below) and then go back to whatever you normally read.  Read this all the way to the end.

Notice that Israel was MORE WICKED than Sodom & Samaria.  So if Sodom were being restored into former wickedness then so would Israel be.  But that is not the case.  Israel will remember her sins and be ashamed.  She will cover her mouth in silence.  God will forgive her.

Ezekiel 16 (NLT)

51 "Even Samaria did not commit half your sins. You have done far more loathsome things than your sisters ever did. They seem righteous compared to you!  52 You should be deeply ashamed because your sins are so terrible. In comparison, you make your sisters seem innocent!  

53 "But someday I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and Samaria, and I will restore you, too. 54 Then you will be truly ashamed of everything you have done, for your sins make them feel good in comparison. 55 Yes, your sisters, Sodom and Samaria, and all their people will be restored, and at that time you also will be restored.

56 In your proud days you held Sodom in contempt. 57 But now your greater wickedness has been exposed to all the world, and you are the one who is scorned-by Edom* and all her neighbors and by Philistia. 58 This is your punishment for all your disgusting sins, says the Lord. 59 "Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will give you what you deserve, for you have taken your solemn vows lightly by breaking your covenant. 60 Yet I will keep the covenant I made with you when you were young, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

61 Then you will remember with shame all the evil you have done. I will make your sisters, Samaria and Sodom, to be your daughters, even though they are not part of our covenant. 62  And I will reaffirm my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63 You will remember your sins and cover your mouth in silence and shame when I forgive you of all that you have done, says the Sovereign Lord."

[bobf]

Look at the phrase "bring again their captivity" of Sodom & Samaria.  It is talking about removing their captivity.  "Bring again" actually means to turn back.

Ezekiel 16:53 When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then [will I bring again] the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them.

Here are some other passages that use the exact same phrase.  It should be clear that this is a very good thing.

Ezekiel 39:25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;

Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Psalsm 14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel [were come] out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, [and] Israel shall be glad.

[Mickyd]

"When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate" (Eze 16:55).

Wasn't Sodom's "former estate" wicked? If so, doesn't that mean Sodom will return to her wickedness?

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

These verses are clearly talking about Jerusalem, which BTW is full of Atheist today.