Ezekiel 20:1-4
Ezekiel's time markers all seem to use the Jehoiachin's exile as the reference point. That would make this day August 14th of 591B.C. A group of elders came to Ezekiel to inquire. In chapter 14 the elders inquired and the Lord accepted the inquiry for the purpose of calling them specifically to repentance. They were warned that if they failed to repent the Lord would set his face against them. Anyone turning from the Lord, setting up idols in his heart and setting a path before them that causing a stumbling into iniquity, will be made a proverb and a sign. They sought a word of hope. They're hope was to be found in turning from idolatry and trusting the Lord. Failure to accept the hope acted as a means of further isolation from the Lord (Ezek 14:7-8).
The response from the Lord this time is to reject their inquiry. He had nothing further to offer them. They simply didn't like the first message and were hoping for something better. They couldn't imagine themselves as bad as the Lord indicated. Ezekiel was to judge them; this was to warn them by showing them, once again, the abominations.
Ezekiel 20:5-10
Ezekiel was trained as a priest but called to be a prophet. He gave them a history lesson showing the consistent pattern of rebelling against God and turning away from him. This was done as a means of showing them their fathers and to warn them to stop the pattern, to not be like their fathers (as they currently were).
The Lord God chose them, made an oath to them and then made himself known to them through Moses and the by the plagues. He announced to them, "I am the Lord your God'. He would bring them out of Egypt, out of their bondage and take them to a new land, their land. But they rebelled against Him. They deserved judgment, they deserved God's fury and to be wiped out. But God acted for His name's sake, He showed mercy and kindness and brought them out as He said.
It seems they were okay with God bringing them out, they just wanted it on their terms. They wanted God to act in accordance with their will instead of responding to His will. They had their understanding of God and rejected the reality of God. This is the same, age old sin of creating a god in our own image. This a god who thinks like us, acts like us and allows all our favorite sins because we've made our self god.
Ezekiel 20:11-17
The Lord established Him self as God by making them go out of the Land. He brought them to the wilderness where he gave them his statutes, judgments and sabbaths. These are the precepts by which God defines righteousness, holiness and relationship. These showed them who their God was and what was expected of them. They rebelled against Him and His statutes, judgments and ways. In doing so, they put themselves in the line of fire of the wrath and fury of God. But he didn't wipe them out as they deserved. They were preserved but they would not go into the land.
The promised land is called the 'glory of all lands.' It was their land, kept for them, given to them; but they failed to accept it.
Ezekiel 20:18-20
The Lord issued a clear call to repentance. They were not to walk and act as their fathers had. They were given another way, a better way. It looked like this:
God:
- People: He called a people, His providential choice. They didn't deserve God's attention and brought nothing to the relationship.
- Laws, statutes, Sabbaths; these define Him and His expectations. They are the boundaries within which man must operate. They keep us in relationship and safe. These are the boundaries of life.
- Land; A home, sovereignty, a place where God's people may live and worship and find peace and hope. This is the setting of life.
They became confused by putting people first, using their will and desire as statutes, yet still expected a land and God to serve them. Do you see people in our time make the same error?
Ezekiel 20:21-24
The first generation failed. The second generation failed. The call to repent was rejected. They rebelled against the Lord again, rejecting God's ways. They put themselves and their desires first and were trying to bring God into line with them. They deserved judgment, they deserved God's wrath. He held His hand and acted for His Name's sake. They would be scattered among the gentiles and disperse them throughout other countries. We don't know the details of this (see Psalm 106:26-27). God wouldn't bring them into a land of promise if they rejected all that led to that promise.
Ezekiel 20:25-26
The law was harsh to those who rejected it. The consequences were all around them, yet they failed to turn toward the Lord. The law was harsh to drive them to the Lord, to show them their need. They remained idolatrous, even to the point of sacrifices their children by burning them on the altar of pagan gods.
Ezekiel 20:27-32
In chapter 18, they complained because they thought they were suffering for the sins of their fathers. The Lord lays out their past; from the beginning they were rebellious. They rejected God's ways.
- They refused to cast away their abomination (v. 8).
- They refused to walk in his statutes (v. 13).
- They would not keep the Sabbaths (v. 21)
Not only did they reject these things of God but they worshiped their idols, offering sacrifices, burning incense, pouring out drink offerings, as well as making their children pass through the fire.
The word 'Bamah' means high place. However, over time, the word became associated with the shrines where they worshiped other gods. Many of these began to show up any place and not just high places. Bamah became a word to describe the the shrines, where ever they were. These were the sights of spiritual harlotry (Psalm 106:39; Ezek 16; Isaiah 1:21; Ezekiel 5:11).
God posed the question to which He'd already provided the obvious answer, were they like their fathers? They were not suffering 'for' the sins of their fathers; they would be punished for their own sins. They had failed to learn from their father's mistakes. They had turned out just like their fathers. What they had in mind was a having a god of their own making, of their own understanding. They wanted a god to serve them instead of serving the God that saved them, redeemed them from bondage. They wanted to be like the other nations (1 Sam 8:20). God loved them too much to allow that to happen.
Ezekiel 20:33-38
Not only would God not allow them to be like other nations, he would actively deal with their rebellion. He made a vow "as I live" to rule over them. In their rebellion, this would be a painful thing. God said he would gather them up and take them to the 'wilderness of nations' and deal with them. This 'face to face' meeting is like God met Moses on the mountain. God would make his case to them as He'd done to their fathers.
The wilderness of nations or people is probably not supposed to be a place but a state of being. They were being taken to the woodshed. There, they would pass under the rod. This is the picture of the shepherd accounting for his sheep. They would either become covenant people or purged as rebels. They would come out of the land where they dwelt but they would not enter the Promised Land until the Lord dealt with them.
Ezekiel 20:39-44
The Lord established that 'all' on his holy mountain would serve Him. There would no longer be people sacrificing to other gods. As God dealt with them, they would come to know Him and realize their sinful nature and the failings of their fathers. They would loathe themselves for all they had done in the past. When the Lord rules over Israel in this way, they will become a testimony to the gentiles.
See Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 11:11-16: Isaiah 49:17-23; Isaiah 60:1-22; Isaiah 61:4-9; Jeremiah 23:1-8; Ezekiel 36:22-31; Amos 9:11-15; Zechariah 10:8-12 for more on the scattering and gathering.
Ezekiel 20:45-49
This passage begins a new oracle that flows into chapter 21. Ezekiel was to prophecy to the south, probably meaning the southern kingdom. Judgment would come by way of fire and devour the living plants. 'All faces' tells us no one will escape the judgment. I was coming from the by way of the Babylonians.
It seems Ezekiel is concerned the people will just see his prophecy as a parable. Picturesque language and many words could become entertainment to them and the message get lost in the process.
©2019 Doug Ford
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