Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Ezekiel 20
Ezekiel 20:12Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
God explains that the Sabbath was given as a special sign to help people remember their unique relationship with Him. It serves as a weekly pause to acknowledge that He is the one who sets us apart for His purposes.Ezekiel 20:33"As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you."
Even in judgment, God declares His sovereignty, promising to lead His people with a strong hand. This shows that God will not allow His people to drift into the customs of other nations.Ezekiel 20:44And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”
The chapter concludes with the promise that God deals with us based on His grace and name, not based on what our sins deserve. This is the foundation of our hope: God's goodness is greater than our failures.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Refusal to Speak to the Double-Minded
The scene opens in the seventh year of exile, as leaders of the Jewish community visit Ezekiel to ask for a message from God. This follows previous chapters where Ezekiel acted out the coming fall of Jerusalem. Instead of giving them a new prediction, God refuses to answer them directly because they are still holding onto the same bad habits as their ancestors.
The Long Road of Rebellion
God then directs Ezekiel to recount the long history of Israel's failures, starting all the way back in Egypt. He highlights how He chose them and promised them a beautiful land, yet they refused to let go of Egyptian idols. This history lesson serves as a mirror, showing the elders that their current heart-posture is no different from the generations that died in the desert.
A History of Grace and Rebellion
In Ezekiel 20:1-49, the prophet is sitting with the elders in Babylon when God breaks the silence. The passage moves from a sharp rebuke of the current leaders to a detailed historical review, eventually looking forward to a future where God will gather and clean His people.
The Rejected Inquiry (Ezekiel 20:1-4)
1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.
2 And the word of the Lord came to me:
3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.
4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers,
Commentary:
God refuses to give guidance to those who are not truly ready to listen and obey.
Rebellion in the Wilderness (Ezekiel 20:5-26)
5 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands,
6 On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands.
7 And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.
8 But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.
9 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
10 So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
11 I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live.
12 Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them.
14 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose midst they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
15 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands,
16 because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths, for their heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness.
18 "But I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols."
19 I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules.
20 Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.
21 But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.
22 But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
23 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries,
24 because they had not obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers' idols.
25 Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life,
26 and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the Lord.
Commentary:
Israel repeatedly failed to follow God's good rules, but He kept sparing them to protect His reputation.
Treachery in the Promised Land (Ezekiel 20:27-32)
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me.
28 For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings.
29 Then I said to them, What is the high place to which you go? So its name is called Bamah to this day.
30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things?
31 When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.
32 “What is in your mind shall never happen - the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’”
Commentary:
The people continued to mix their worship of God with the dark practices of the cultures around them.
Judgment and Future Restoration (Ezekiel 20:33-44)
33 "As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you."
34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out.
35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God.
37 I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
38 I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 “As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
40 “For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings.
41 As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.
42 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers.
43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed.
44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”
Commentary:
God will eventually gather, judge, and restore His people so they can worship Him truly.
The Fire in the South (Ezekiel 20:45-49)
45 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me:
46 "Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb."
47 Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it.
48 Then the word of the Lord came to me:
49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?’”
Commentary:
A final warning of coming judgment is met with mockery and dismissal by the people.
The Heart of the Message in Ezekiel 20
Acting for His Name's Sake
A major theme here is that God's actions are driven by His concern for His 'name' or His reputation. He doesn't destroy Israel completely because He wants the world to know He is a God who keeps His word and has the power to save. This shows us that our security rests in God's unchanging character rather than our own shaky performance.
The Sabbath as a Relational Sign
God emphasizes the Sabbath as a 'sign' between Him and His people, and also as a rule to follow. It was meant to be a constant reminder that they belonged to Him and that He was the one making them holy. When they ignored the Sabbath, they broke a law. They also ignored the very sign of their relationship with God.
The Danger of Cultural Conformity
The people of Israel desperately wanted to be 'like the nations' around them, adopting their gods and lifestyles. God makes it clear that this is impossible for His people. He will be their King whether they like it or not. This theme warns us against trying to blend into a culture that doesn't acknowledge God, as it leads to a loss of our true identity.
Applying Ezekiel's Message to Your Life
As seen in Ezekiel 20:3, God may refuse to answer if we are holding onto 'idols' - things we trust or value more than Him. If you feel God is silent, it might be an invitation to look at your heart and see if there is something you are refusing to let go of before you ask for His next step.
Ezekiel 20:43-44 suggests that looking back at our failures should lead us to 'loathe' our sins but also to deeply appreciate God's grace. Instead of being paralyzed by guilt, use your past as a reminder of how much God has spared you and how faithful He has been to you despite your wandering.
In Ezekiel 20:37, this refers to a shepherd counting and checking each sheep as they enter the fold. For you, this means allowing God to examine your life closely and 'purge' the things that don't belong. It is a process of being brought into a deeper, more committed 'bond of the covenant' or a serious relationship with Him.
God's Reputation Secures Our Future
Ezekiel 20 reveals that while human history is a long record of wandering and rebellion, God's history is one of persistent, purposeful grace. He refuses to let His people disappear into the surrounding culture because His own name is tied to their survival and restoration. The message is clear: God will judge sin and purge rebellion, but He will ultimately bring His people to a place of true worship. Our hope is not in our ability to stay faithful, but in His refusal to let His reputation be tarnished by our failures.
What This Means for Us Today
God invites us to stop trying to fit in with the world and instead find our identity in Him. He offers us a relationship based on His grace, symbolized by the rest we find in Him. Today, we can respond by letting go of our 'idols' and trusting that He is the one who makes us whole.
- What 'idols' or cultural habits am I clinging to that might be blocking my communication with God?
- How can I use my time this week to acknowledge that God is the one who makes me holy?
- Am I trusting in my own performance, or in God's faithful character?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
A funeral song for the leaders of Israel, showing the tragic end of their rebellion.
The prophecy of the 'sharpened sword,' detailing the specific judgment that follows the warnings in chapter 20.
Connections Across Scripture
A poetic retelling of Israel's history that mirrors the themes of rebellion and God's mercy found in Ezekiel 20.
The original command regarding the Sabbath as a sign, which God references throughout Ezekiel 20.
Explores the concept of 'entering God's rest' and how the wilderness generation missed out due to unbelief.
Discussion Questions
- God mentions acting 'for the sake of my name' several times. How does it change your perspective to know that God's primary motivation is His own glory and reputation?
- The Israelites wanted to be 'like the nations.' In what ways do modern Christians face the pressure to blend in with the culture around them, and what are the risks?
- The Sabbath was a sign that God is the one who 'sanctifies' or makes us holy. How can practicing a day of rest today help us remember that we can't make ourselves holy through our own effort?