A REBELLIOUS PATTERN REPEATED

Passage: Ezekiel 20:1-26

Key verse: 8a

NIV

Rebellious Israel Purged

20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire(A) of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.(B)

2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders(C) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire(D) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(E)’

4 “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors(F) 5 and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose(G) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand(H) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.(I)” 6 On that day I swore(J) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,(K) the most beautiful of all lands.(L) 7 And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images(M) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols(N) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.(O)”

8 “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;(P) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.(Q) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.(R) 9 But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.(S) I did it to keep my name from being profaned(T) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. 10 Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.(U) 11 I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.(V) 12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths(W) as a sign(X) between us,(Y) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.(Z)

13 “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled(AA) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws(AB)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.(AC) So I said I would pour out my wrath(AD) on them and destroy(AE) them in the wilderness.(AF) 14 But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned(AG) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.(AH) 15 Also with uplifted hand I swore(AI) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands(AJ)— 16 because they rejected my laws(AK) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts(AL) were devoted to their idols.(AM) 17 Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy(AN) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. 18 I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents(AO) or keep their laws or defile yourselves(AP) with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God;(AQ) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.(AR) 20 Keep my Sabbaths(AS) holy, that they may be a sign(AT) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.(AU)”

21 “‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,(AV) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger(AW) against them in the wilderness.(AX) 22 But I withheld(AY) my hand, and for the sake of my name(AZ) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter(BA) them through the countries, 24 because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees(BB) and desecrated my Sabbaths,(BC) and their eyes lusted after(BD) their parents’ idols.(BE) 25 So I gave(BF) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;(BG) 26 I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice(BH) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.(BI)’

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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Israel's Continuing Rebellion

20 (A)In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of (B)the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, (C)and sat before me. 2 And the word of the Lord came to me: 3 (D)“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? (E)As I live, declares the Lord God, (F)I will not be inquired of by you. 4 (G)Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? (H)Let them know the abominations of their fathers, 5 and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: (I)On the day when I chose Israel, (J)I swore[a] to the offspring of the house of Jacob, (K)making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; (L)I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God. 6 On that day I swore to them that (M)I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land (N)flowing with milk and honey, (O)the most glorious of all lands. 7 And I said to them, (P)‘Cast away the detestable things (Q)your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with (R)the idols of Egypt; (S)I am the Lord your God.’ 8 (T)But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. (U)None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them (V)and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9 (W)But I acted (X)for the sake of my name, (Y)that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, (Z)in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10 (AA)So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 (AB)I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, (AC)by which, if a person does them, he shall live. 12 Moreover, I gave them (AD)my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, (AE)that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 (AF)But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. (AG)They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; (AH)and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned.

(AI)“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, (AJ)in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 Moreover, (AK)I swore to them in the wilderness (AL)that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land (AM)flowing with milk and honey, (AN)the most glorious of all lands, 16 because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; (AO)for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless, (AP)my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or (AQ)make a full end of them in the wilderness.

18 “And I said to (AR)their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk (AS)in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, (AT)nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 (AU)I am the Lord your God; (AV)walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, 20 and (AW)keep my Sabbaths holy that (AX)they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ 21 (AY)But the children (AZ)rebelled against me. (BA)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.

(BB)“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. 22 (BC)But I withheld my hand (BD)and acted for the sake of my name, (BE)that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 (BF)Moreover, (BG)I swore to them in the wilderness (BH)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, (BI)and their eyes were set on their fathers' idols. 25 (BJ)Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, 26 and I defiled them through (BK)their very gifts (BL)in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it (BM)that they might know that I am the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Ezekiel 20:5 Hebrew I lifted my hand; twice in this verse; also verses 6, 15, 23, 28, 42
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Sad pattern and a merciful God (1-1 ) Some elders of Israel came to the prophet-priest Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. Instead, God retold their repeated rebellious history in Egypt and the wilderness, which followed a 4-step pattern: (1) God revealed himself to his people as the Lord and gave them a promise or warning; (2) his people rebelled and rejected God's word; (3) God said he'd pour out wrath on them; (4) God showed mercy so his name would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations. God retold of his promise to bring them out of Egypt into a land of milk and honey, but they had to get rid of the vile idol images of Egypt. Instead, they rebelled. Even so, God, in his mercy, brought them out of Egypt into the wilderness. 2. Repeated rebellion (11-26) In the wilderness, God gave them his laws and Sabbaths to make them holy. One who obeys God's word will live (11,13,21). But they rebelled and did not enter the promised land. God told their children not to follow their parents' wicked ways, but to keep the Lord's laws and Sabbaths. Then they would know the Lord. They also rebelled and suffered horrible consequences, like their exile to Babylon (23).

Prayer: Lord, forgive my rebellion and sin. Give me a humble, repentant heart to love and obey Jesus.

One Word: Don't rebel; repent and live in Jesus