Book of Ezekiel: Chapter 20
Chapter 20 of Ezekiel can be broken down into two separate sections. The first section, composed of verses 1-26 act as an account of the rebellion of the nation of Israel. The second section, verses 27-49 (and continuing into chapter 21) act as a description of how God will sweep his judgment across the land.
We begin the chapter with a group of Israeli leaders coming to the prophet Ezekiel requesting a message from the Lord. Despite the gall of their request, God obliges. But He isn’t there to reaffirm the leaders. Instead he uses Ezekiel to tell the Israeli leaders how their nation has rebelled continually throughout its history. God made a covenant with the Israelites, yet they still insisted on rebelling by worshiping false idols, ignoring God’s commands, and not acknowledging the Sabbath.
God’s message in the second portion of Ezekiel 21 dictates how God will exact his judgment on Israel and how he will restore the nation to its former glory. He mainly speaks of how He will take away the lands that He has previously granted to the Israelites. They will be taken from their homes, and judged in the wilderness. There, God will purge out those that have rebelled and those who have kept His covenant.
God’s motivation for bringing his judgment upon Israel isn’t out of spite, or anger, or jealousy. Instead, God wants Israel to truly know that He is the Lord. The phrase “You will know that I am the Lord” is repeated multiple times throughout the book of Ezekiel. The Israelites have forgotten who their Lord is, and thus God is merely reminding them. If only they didn’t require such harsh reminders.
Key Verse:
“I will purge you of all those who rebel and revolt against me. I will bring them out of the countries where they are in exile, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ~ Ezekiel 20:38
Questions to ponder:
- If the Israelites were so lost in sin, why did they come to Ezekiel for answers?
- What reminders has God given you to remember that He is the Lord?
