← All Chapters The Book of Ezekiel · Chapter 20

Ezekiel 20: A History of Rebellion

When elders come to inquire, God recounts Israel's long story of rebellion, his patience for his name's sake, and his vow to gather, judge, and restore.

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Ezekiel 20 (WEB)

1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and sat before me.

2 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you.

4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;

5 and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Yahweh your God;

6 in that day I swore to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.

7 I said to them, Cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and don’t defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me; they each didn’t throw away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

11 I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them.

12 Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they didn’t walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.

15 Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

16 because they rejected my ordinances, and didn’t walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn’t destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

18 I said to their children in the wilderness, Don’t walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am Yahweh your God: walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them;

20 and make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.

21 But the children rebelled against me; they didn’t walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

22 Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I 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 executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

25 Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live;

26 and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused all that opens the womb to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am Yahweh.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their pleasant aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings.

29 Then I said to them, What does the high place where you go mean? So its name is called Bamah to this day.

30 Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? and do you play the prostitute after their abominations?

31 and when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? and shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you;

32 and that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

33 As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you:

34 and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;

35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.

36 Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord Yahweh.

37 I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;

38 and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those who disobey against me; I will bring them out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.

39 As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Go, serve everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.

40 For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.

41 As a pleasant aroma will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.

42 You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.

43 There you shall remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.

44 You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh.

45 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

46 Son of man, set your face toward the south, and preach toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;

47 and tell the forest of the South, Hear Yahweh’s word: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby.

48 All flesh shall see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

49 Then I said, Ah Lord Yahweh! they say of me, Isn’t he a speaker of parables?

Summary

In the seventh year of exile, elders of Israel come to inquire of the LORD, but God refuses to be consulted by them and instead has Ezekiel rehearse the abominations of their fathers. He recalls choosing Israel in Egypt, swearing to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey, and calling them to forsake the idols of Egypt, but they rebelled even there. For his name's sake, that it not be profaned among the nations, he did not destroy them but led them into the wilderness, gave them his statutes and his Sabbaths as a sign, and promised that the one who keeps them "shall live in them." Yet the wilderness generation rebelled, and so did their children, profaning his Sabbaths and chasing idols, and again and again God withheld full destruction for his name's sake while swearing to scatter them. The pattern continued in the land, where they sacrificed on every high hill. God therefore refuses their inquiry, but he does not abandon them: as surely as he lives, he will reign over them, gather them from the nations with a mighty hand, bring them into the wilderness of the peoples, and enter into judgment with them face to face, purging out the rebels. Those who remain he will accept on his holy mountain as a pleasant aroma, sanctified in the sight of the nations, and there they will loathe themselves for their evils and know that he is the LORD who has dealt with them for his name's sake.

Key Figures

  • The elders of Israel — Exiled leaders who come to inquire of the LORD and instead hear a long indictment of their fathers' rebellion.
  • The fathers and the wilderness generations — Israel across history, repeatedly rebelling in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the land, profaning God's Sabbaths and chasing idols.
  • Yahweh (the LORD) — The God who acts for his name's sake, withholding total destruction, vowing to gather, purge, and accept a restored people.

Key Verse

Ezekiel 20:44 (WEB)

You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh.

Lessons Learned

  • God's patience with his people flows from his commitment to his own name and glory, not from their merit.
  • Rebellion can become a generational pattern, but God breaks it by his sovereign mercy.
  • The LORD will not be consulted by hearts that cling to idols; he calls for repentance, not mere inquiry.
  • God's restoration includes a purging judgment, gathering his people and making them holy for his own sake.
  • God acts for the sake of his name. Again and again "I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations" (Ezekiel 20:9, WEB). His mercy is rooted in his own glory, not our worthiness.
  • His commands are meant to give life. He gave statutes "which if a man does, he shall live in them" (Ezekiel 20:11, WEB). God's law was never against his people but for their flourishing.
  • God will not be inquired of by idolatrous hearts. "As I live... I will not be inquired of by you" (Ezekiel 20:3, WEB). He calls for turning, not merely for spiritual consultation while idols remain enthroned.
  • Restoration leads to self-knowledge and worship. Gathered and accepted, "there you shall remember your ways... and you shall loathe yourselves" (Ezekiel 20:43, WEB). Grace produces humble repentance and renewed knowing of God.
  1. Why does God refuse to be inquired of by the elders (20:3, 31)?
  2. Trace the repeated cycle of rebellion and restraint in Israel's history. What motive does God give for sparing them?
  3. What was the purpose of God's statutes and Sabbaths, and how did Israel treat them (20:11-12, 16)?
  4. How do gathering, judgment, and acceptance fit together in God's promised restoration (20:33-44)?
  5. Where do you see patterns of rebellion repeating in your own life or family, and how does God's grace for his name's sake give you hope?
  1. The elders come to consult God while still cherishing idols, so he will not give them guidance on their own terms (20:3, 30-31). God wants their hearts turned back, not a religious exchange that leaves their idolatry untouched.
  2. In Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the children's generation, Israel rebelled and profaned God's Sabbaths, and each time he restrained full judgment (20:8-9, 13-14, 21-22). His stated motive is his own name, that it not be profaned among the nations, showing mercy grounded in his glory.
  3. The statutes were given so that the one who keeps them "shall live in them," and the Sabbaths were a sign that the LORD sanctifies his people (20:11-12). Israel rejected the statutes and greatly profaned the Sabbaths, treating God's life-giving gifts with contempt.
  4. God promises to gather his scattered people, bring them into a wilderness to judge them face to face, and purge out the rebels (20:34-38). Those who remain he accepts on his holy mountain; judgment and mercy work together to produce a purified, worshiping people.
  5. This is a gentle personal-application question. Invite members to name, without condemnation, recurring patterns of drift or idolatry, and to take heart that God restores his people for the sake of his name, breaking cycles that they could never break on their own.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.