Ezekiel 20
COMMENTARY:
: 14 But I wrought for MY name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. (2490 “polluted” [chalal] means to be defiled, to profane, to be violated, dishonor, desecrated, treat with contempt, or be common and impure in the eyes of deity and /or society.)
DEVOTION: The LORD cares about what those who claim HIM as their Savior and God. HE doesn’t want those who are HIS servants to desecrate HIS name in front of the unsaved world. HE wants to be honored by those who claim to be HIS followers.
The children of Israel were a people that many times dishonored the LORD in front of the world. This happened them and it is still happening now.
We should be honoring the LORD with our daily walk before HIM but many times in our lives we are not honoring HIM as we should. This should bring repentance on our part and a turn back to properly serving HIM.
The children of Israel had many times when they dishonored the LORD but didn’t repent and the LORD had to send judgment to get their attention. This can even happen today in our world as we are not honoring HIM as we should.
CHALLENGE: Our responsibility is to honor HIM in our daily walk with HIM. If we dishonor HIM, we need to confess it and return to a proper life that is pleasing to HIM. HE will forgive those who are genuinely asking for forgiveness.
: 16 Because they despised MY judgments, and walked not in MY statutes, but polluted MY Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. (3820 “heart” [leb] means mind, midst, understanding, inner man, will, seat of appetites, seat of emotions and passions, volition, knowledge of right and wrong or thinking.)
DEVOTION: The outer man is considered our appearance to others. Most people will only look at you from their perspective regarding what you look like on the outside. Some will never even think about what you are on the inside. Appearance is everything to these individuals. If you don’t look good to them they will not listen to you.
However, the LORD looks on the inside of a person to see what is really going on. HE examines our thought life. HE examines what we do with HIS WORD in our inner life and how it is manifested in our actions.
Here HE found that the children of Israel were genuinely more concerned with worshiping their idols rather than HIM. They were not listening to HIS instructions HE had given to them in the wilderness as they left Egypt to go to the Promised Land. HE wanted a group of obedient followers but found them to be very disobedient from the time they left Egypt.
Most of the generation, except for Joshua and Caleb, didn’t enter the Promised Land because of their actions. HE lists what their sins were and they knew that they had disobeyed the LORD in their travels.
What does the LORD see in our inner man? Does HE see a genuine desire to serve HIM? Do we apply HIS WORD to our lives first in the inner man and watch them manifest them in our daily walk before people in the world? HE wants our knowledge of right and wrong to be manifested by our actions.
HE wants us to worship HIM in spirit and in truth. This starts in the inner man and manifests itself in our attitudes toward HIM and others. If we judge people by their outer appearance we are not doing what the LORD wants us to do.
CHALLENGE: When we look at our inner man what do we see? Is it a place that honors the LORD on a regular basis?
: 20 And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God. (6942 “hallow” [qadash] means to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be holy, or be separate.)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel were given a command from the LORD that they were to honor the seventh day of the week. This was Saturday. They were given special instructions regarding what they could do on the seventh day of the week.
They were not given manna on the seventh day of the week. On the sixth day they collected enough for two days. They were to do no work on the Sabbath. It was the day the LORD rested. HE wanted HIS people to rest on that day. HE wanted the land to rest on that day. They were not to walk far on that day.
The children of Israel did NOT consecrate the Sabbath. They treated it just like any other day. The LORD was not happy with their disobedience. HE told them that one of the reasons for their captivity was their lack of following HIS instructions regarding the seventh day of the week.
They also did not keep HIS statutes or HIS judgments. HE had given instructions in the wilderness regarding proper worship of HIM. HE could have judged them before they left Egypt but HE didn’t want to pollute them in front of the heathen. HE had called them out of Egypt to show the world that there can be a people that honor HIM. HE could have destroyed them in the wilderness but HE didn’t want to do it as a testimony to the nations. Once they entered the Promised Land HE still could have judged them for their sin but HE was longsuffering toward them.
Today we come together to worship the LORD on the first day of the week to commemorate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do it because we want to show our love for HIS provision of salvation. We do it because it is commanded that we are not to “forsake the assembling of ourselves together.”
Many think that they can just skip Sunday worship. Many think that they can skip giving their tithe to the LORD. Many think that the LORD will still honor them with blessings, even though; they are not honoring HIM.
The Bible says something different.
We are to honor the LORD with our daily practices of the spiritual disciplines, our weekly worship, and our regular joyful giving to the LORD. When we do these things, the LORD can and will bless us.
Are we willing to do this service to the LORD? What did we do last Sunday? Is HE asking too much of us for all that HE provides for us? Do people KNOW that the LORD is our God???
CHALLENGE: Continually study the Word of God to give your life meaning and direction. HE will bless you for your actions if your attitude is right. Don’t just go through the motions!!!
: 31 FOR when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, you pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be inquired of by you – O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you. (1875 “inquired” [darash] means seek, search, consult, resort, ask, or demand.)
DEVOTION: There is a false belief out there that God will answer anyone at anytime regarding anything they want. That is not true. The LORD only listens to the prayers of those who are committed to HIM though a personal relationship with Jesus Christ today. All others have to come with a prayer of repentance that redirects their life through the Word of God in obedience to the LORD.
The leaders of Israel had come to Ezekiel for a message from the LORD. They wanted a new revelation from the LORD. The LORD stated that HE would not give them a new revelation because they had not listened to the old revelation. HE was tired of them coming to HIM when they were in trouble without any confession of sin. HE would not listen to them. HE told Ezekiel that HE had no new message for them.
HE reviewed HIS history with the children of Israel from the time that HE brought them out of Egypt into the Promised Land. They had never really left their idols behind. They were always worshiping false gods but HE was longsuffering with them, so that, there would be a remnant that would be true followers of HIM.
Today we have the same problem. There are many people who come to the LORD in times of trouble expecting HIM to save them from the trouble without them giving HIM a genuine commitment to follow HIM. HE doesn’t expect perfection but HE expects obedience. HE knows if we are trying to follow HIM because HE knows our heart.
The LORD will only listen to those who pray to HIM with a genuine desire to change and give HIM glory. This was not true concerning the leaders who had come to Ezekiel and it is not true of many of those who come today to HIM for help.
The Bible teaches a proper relationship to the LORD. Learn what this is and desire it for your life and the LORD will honor your requests to HIM. Come any other way and you are not praying to the God of the Bible.
CHALLENGE: Correct your false beliefs regarding prayer. Train others from the Word of God regarding prayer. Practice daily confession to and adoration of the LORD.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Elders wanted Ezekiel to pray for themverses 1, 2, 31
LORD answers NOverses 3, 31
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group
Worship LORD on Sabbathverse 12
sign between God and Israel
Offeringsverse 40
Firstfruits of your oblationsverse 40
Holy thingsverse 40
Sweet savourverse 41
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORDverses 2, 45, 47
Thus says the Lord GODverse 5
Statutesverses 11, 13, 16, 19, 21, 24, 25
Judgmentsverses 11, 13, 16, 19, 21, 24, 25
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 2, 5, 7, 12, 19, 20, 26, 38, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master)verses 3, 5, 27, 30, 31, 33, 36, 39, 40, 44, 47, 49
GOD – Jehovahverses 3, 5, 27, 30, 31, 33, 36, 39, 40, 44, 47, 49
Lord GODverses 3, 5, 27, 30, 31, 33, 36, 39, 40, 44, 47, 49
I will not be inquired of by you (elders of Israel)verse 3
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name)verses 5, 7, 19, 20
LORD your Godverses 5, 7, 19, 20
I chose Israelverse 5
I am the LORD your Godverses 5, 19, 20
I lifted up MINE hand unto Israelverse 6
I brought them out of land of Egyptverse 6
I had espied land for them – flowing with milk and honeyverse 6
I am the LORD your Godverse 7
I will pour out MY fury upon Israelverse 8
Anger of the LORDverses 8, 21, 33, 34
My name sakeverse 9
Made HIMSELF known to Israelverse 9
I gave them MY statutes and judgmentsverse 11
I am the LORD that sanctifyverse 12
I would pour out MY fury – to consumeverse 13
I was wrought for MY name’s sake that it should not be polluted before the heathenverse 14
I lifted up MY hand to them in the wildernessverse 15
MINE eye spared them (Israel) from destroyingverse 17
I made not an end of Israel in the wildernessverse 17
I said “ Walk you not in the statutes of your
fathers- neither observe their judgments
nor defile yourselves with their idolsverse 18
Walk in MY statutes – keep MY judgments and do themverse 19
I would pour out MY fury on themverse 21
I withdrew MINE handverse 22
I will rule over Israelverse 33
Mighty handverse 34
I will plead with face to faceverses 35, 36
I will bring Israel into the bondverse 37
I will purge outverse 38
Holy nameverse 39
I will be sanctifiedverse 41
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Land of Egyptverses 5-10, 36
Heathenverses 9, 14, 22, 23, 32, 41
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Abominationsverses 4, 7, 8, 30
Defile with idolsverses 7, 16, 18, 24, 39, 43
Rebelled verses 8, 13, 21, 38
Not listening to LORDverses 8, 39
Idols of Egyptverse 8
Pollutedverses 9, 30, 31, 39
Heathenverses 9, 14, 22, 23, 32
Walked not in MY statutesverses 13, 16, 21, 24
Despised MY judgmentsverses 13, 16, 18, 21, 24
Greatly polluted MY Sabbathsverses 13, 16, 21, 24
Heart went after idolsverse 16
Statutes of fathersverse 18
Judgments of fathersverse 18
Blasphemedverse 27
Trespassverse 27
Bamahverses 28, 29
Whoredomverse 30
Gifts to idolsverse 31
Human sacrifice to false godsverse 31
Serve wood and stoneverse 32
Transgressverse 38
Evilsverse 43
Wicked waysverse 44
Corrupt doingsverse 44
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Enquire of the LORDverse 1
Chosenverse 5
Do statutes and judgmentsverses 11, 13, 19, 21
Worship LORD on Sabbathverse 12
Sanctifyverse 12
Sparedverse 17
Hallow my Sabbathsverse 20
Signverse 20
Know that I am the LORDverses 26, 38, 42, 44
Covenantverse 37
Serve LORDverse 40
Remember your waysverse 43
Remember all your doingsverse 43
Prophesyverse 46
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Elders of Israelverses 1, 3
Israelverses 1, 3, 5, 40
Son of man = Ezekielverses 3, 4, 27, 46
Lord God would not be enquiredverse 3
House of Jacobverse 5
Land of milk and honey (Promised Land)verses 6, 15, 38, 42
Glory of all landsverses 6, 15
Sabbath a sign between God and Israelverse 12
House of Israelverses 13, 27, 30, 31, 39, 40, 44
Land given to the children of Israel flowed
with milk and honey – which is the
glory of all landsverse 15
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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