Ezekiel 20
The Rebellion of Israel
1On August 14,
4“Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were.
5Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the LORD, would be their God.
6I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere.
7Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols
8“But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt. 9But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. 10So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. 11There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them. 12And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the LORD, who had set them apart to be holy.
13“But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness. 14But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt. 15But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth. 16For they had rejected my regulations, refused to follow my decrees, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols. 17Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness.
18“Then I warned their children not to follow in their parents’ footsteps, defiling themselves with their idols. 19‘I am the LORD your God,’ I told them. ‘Follow my decrees, pay attention to my regulations, 20and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the LORD your God.’
21“But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness.
22Nevertheless, I withdrew my judgment against them to protect the honor of my name before the nations that had seen my power in bringing them out of Egypt.
23But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would scatter them among all the nations
24because they did not obey my regulations. They scorned my decrees by violating my Sabbath days and longing for the idols of their ancestors.
25I gave them over to worthless decrees and regulations that would not lead to life.
26I let them pollute themselves
Judgment and Restoration 27“Therefore, son of man, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Your ancestors continued to blaspheme and betray me, 28for when I brought them into the land I had promised them, they offered sacrifices on every high hill and under every green tree they saw! They roused my fury as they offered up sacrifices to their gods. They brought their perfumes and incense and poured out their liquid offerings to them. 29I said to them, ‘What is this high place where you are going?’ (This kind of pagan shrine has been called Bamah—‘high place’—ever since.)
30“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Do you plan to pollute yourselves just as your ancestors did? Do you intend to keep prostituting yourselves by worshiping vile images?
31For when you offer gifts to them and give your little children to be burned as sacrifices,
32“You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen.
33As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I will rule over you with an iron fist in great anger and with awesome power.
34And in anger I will reach out with my strong hand and powerful arm, and I will bring you back
39“As for you, O people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Go right ahead and worship your idols, but sooner or later you will obey me and will stop bringing shame on my holy name by worshiping idols. 40For on my holy mountain, the great mountain of Israel, says the Sovereign LORD, the people of Israel will someday worship me, and I will accept them. There I will require that you bring me all your offerings and choice gifts and sacrifices. 41When I bring you home from exile, you will be like a pleasing sacrifice to me. And I will display my holiness through you as all the nations watch. 42Then when I have brought you home to the land I promised with a solemn oath to give to your ancestors, you will know that I am the LORD. 43You will look back on all the ways you defiled yourselves and will hate yourselves because of the evil you have done. 44You will know that I am the LORD, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!”
Judgment against the Negev
45
49Then I said, “O Sovereign LORD, they are saying of me, ‘He only talks in riddles!’”