Intriguingly the elders of Israel , there in captivity in Babylon with Ezekiel, see Ezekiel as a prophet, God's mouthpiece, and come seeking a word from the Lord through him (v.1). This is the second time that they had been with him (see 8:1). However when the Lord replies (v.2) it is to reject their request of Ezekiel (v.3) and He goes on to explain why.

He challenges Ezekiel to judge them (v.4a) because of their “detestable practices” (v.4b). He goes on to point out what they are. He does it by first referring right back to their very beginning, even their time in Egypt before the Exodus when He first revealed Himself to them (v.5) and revealed Himself as ‘The I AM', through Moses (see Ex 3:14). There He had promised them that He would lead them out of Egypt and into a land that was rich and plentiful (see Ex 3:8), a most beautiful of lands (v.6).

What doesn't come out in Exodus, but is picked up here, is that while living for some 400 years in Egypt they had taken on the religious life of the Egyptians and worshipped their idols (v.7) and the Lord required that they forsake these idols (see Ex 20:2-5) and never worship idols again.

Yet even while they were still in Egypt (v.8a) they disregarded His call to them and carried on worshipping these idols. As a result the Lord had said He would deal with them (v.8b)

Yet for the sake of His name, (v.9) for the sake of what other nations would say about Him when they saw what happened, He relented and carried on with the plan of delivering them out of Egypt (v.10). (It may be at that time that Sinai was considered part of Egypt in the eyes of many and that this refers to that part of their history, all that took place there.).

D. Application:

1. Observe Israel 's history and note God's grace in dealing with them.

2. Recognise the number of times God held back from destroying Israel .

Chapter: Ezek 20

Passage 22: Ezek 20:11-19 - Reminders of teh Past (3)

A. Find Out

1. What had the Lord given Israel ? v.11,12

2. Yet what happened in the desert? v.13

3. So what caused the Lord to act? v.14

4. Yet what did He do and why? v.15,16

5. But yet what further did He do? v.17

6. And what did He tell them to do? v.18,19

B. Think:

1. What two phases of Israel 's life have now been covered?

2. What had God done and how had Israel responded?

3. Why had Israel survived?

C. Comment:

In the Lord's refusal to hear the elders of Israel , we now see two phases of their life being referred to. First there had been their time in Egypt (v.5-9) when the Lord had warned them not to follow Egypt 's idols – but they had and incurred His wrath but He held back for His name's sake. Now we come to the second phase, their time in the wilderness after leaving Egypt (v.11-). There He had given them His laws by which to live (v.11, seen in Ex 20-). He also established the Sabbath to separate them out from other nations as holy, remembering the Lord (v.12, seen in Ex 20:8-11 & 31:12-17)

But the reality had been that they rebelled and ignored or forgot these laws (v.13) so the Lord said He would destroy them in the desert (v.13c). Yet for the sake of His name – what the nations of the world would think of Him – He restrained His hand (v.14) and the judgment was limited; only some fell. But there in the desert He swore that this generation would not enter the Promised Land (v.15) because of their perverse hearts given over to idol worship (v.16)

Nevertheless, yet again, He held back His judgment so He would not wipe them all out (v.17) so the next generation would go in and have yet another chance. He reiterated His call to that people not to follow idols (v.18) but to be careful to follow all His laws (v.19).

In each of these ‘phases' the Lord has revealed Himself and His purposes for this people, purposes to bless them and make them stand out in the world, revealing Him and all His goodness, but then in each phase Israel ignored or rebelled against the revelation. In each phases the Lord assessed the situation and determined that they deserved to die but, for the sake of His name and what the world would see, He relented and a further chance was given.

D. Application:

1. God's plans for each of us are good. Sin and Satan question that.

2. We deserve death but God desires salvation for us. What grace!

Chapter: Ezek 20

Passage 23: Ezek 20:19-26 - Reminders of the Past (3)

A. Find Out

1. What had the Lord told Israel to do? v.19,20

2. But what happened? v.21a

3. So what did the Lord say He would do? v.21b

4. But what in fact did He do, and why? v.22

5. Yet what did He swear and why? v.23,24

6. What further did He do with them? v.25,26

B. Think:

1. What indication is there that this is the next phase or generation?

2. How did they fail the Lord?

3. Why were they not destroyed?

C. Comment:

This is a complex passage. To start with the Lord moves on to refer to the next generation (v.18,21a), the children who survived the wilderness (remember all those over 20 died there), who failed to keep God's laws (v.21b) who stirred God's anger against them (v.21c). Yet for His name's sake He held back destroying them (v.22).

Yet even there He swore that if they failed Him they would end up being dispersed in the nations (v.23). This must be a reference to the curses that accompanied the blessings that Moses passed on to the people, culminating in the promise of exile (Deut 28:64-) Those ‘curses' seem to increase in intensity in the same way the plagues increased in intensity on Pharaoh in Egypt and are so because of the ongoing intransigence of the people, their constant failure despite all the previous warnings (v.24)

We then come to the difficult verses over which commentators hesitate. The Lord gave them laws “that were not good” which they could not keep (v.25). Now earlier He repeated a number of times (v.11,13,21) that these laws were good in that the man who kept them would live – they were His blueprint for the righteous life, but now it is obvious that being in Sin, they could not keep them. It was clear that the Law, although good in that it showed God's design for them to live by, was bad in that being sinful following the Fall they would never keep them and it would just result in guilt and condemnation. (There were always a few, a faithful remnant who remained faithful). They appear also to have succumbed to the practices of pagan nations and sacrificed their own children (v.26). This may be a reference to having to redeem the firstborn (Ex 13:13, 34:20, Num 18:15), a constant reminder of their debt to God.

D. Application:

1. We cannot be saved by the Law. by keeping rules.

2. We are only saved by faith, by believing in Jesus.

Chapter: Ezek 20

Passage 24: Ezek 20:27-31 - Reminders of the Past (4)

A. Find Out

1. What is Ezekiel now told to do by the Lord? v.27

2. What part of their history does He now refer to and what happened? v.28

3. How had He challenged that? v.29

4. What is Ezekiel now to ask them? v.30

5. What is he to say they are still doing? v.31a

6. So what is the Lord's response to them? v.31b

B. Think:

1. What sin was being pointed out in these verses?

2. Why, do you think, that was so bad?

3. Why do you think the Lord refused to be sought by them?

C. Comment:

There have been four parts to this remembrance of the past. First what had actually happened in Egypt (v.5-9), second the early time of wandering in the wilderness (v.10-17) and third, the end time in the wilderness with the new generation (v.18-26), and now finally what happened once they were in the land.

Now in this final part Ezekiel is told to speak to the people pointing out how their fathers had forsaken the Lord (v.27) by setting up worship places in pagan style on every high place once they were in the Promised Land (v.28).The Lord had even specifically spoken to them about a particularly well-known high place (v.29) challenging them over it.

Now Ezekiel is to speak to the present-day people of Israel (v.30a) presumably sending the message back home form Babylon , challenging them will they carry on worshipping their idols just as their fathers had done (v.30b).

He challenges them over their present-day practices (and it is not clear what he is referring to) declaring them still as idol worship (v.31a). Yet these elders had come to enquire of the Lord (v.1) and so now comes the ultimate answer to them: will the Lord answer them? No, He won't! (v.31b)

Perhaps it is something we take for granted in Scripture – the ability to seek and enquire of the Lord, but we must remember the original words in the Law, “if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut 4:29). Whole hearted seeking implies coming to the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart forsaking idol worship (Psa 24:3,4). Then and only then, may they expect to find the Lord. This present people have been reminded how they have failed the Lord in the past AND continue to do so today. The Lord will not answer them.

D. Application:

1. God will be found by all who come with open, whole hearted seeking.

2. Seeking God and holding on to your sin do not go together.

Chapter: Ezek 20

Passage 25: Ezek 20:32-38 - Looking to the Future (1)

A. Find Out

1. What did Israel say but what was the Lord's response? v.32

2. What did the Lord say He would do? v.33,34

3. What further would He do? v.35,36

4. How will He check them? v.37

5. With what aim? v.38a

6. So what will happen? v.38b

B. Think:

1. There appear various comings and goings here. Note them.

2. What apparently contradictory things does He say about Israel 's place?

3. What is His end objective?

C. Comment:

Some of these passages in Ezekiel are not easy to understand. The Lord starts off by confronting Israel with its attitude. Whether they actually say it or it is inferred by their actions, they imply they want to be like other nations who had same religions with idol worship (v.32a) But that is not what the Lord has called them to and not what they agree to at Sinai so it won't happen (v.32b). What follows has to be considered carefully. The Lord says first that He will rule over them with a hand of judgment (v.33) that (by implication) will deal with idol worship. He then says He will bring them FROM the nations (v.34) but goes on to say He will send them TO the desert of the nations (v.35) What is the difference?

We suggest that when He says He will gather them FROM the nations He means He will bring them back into the reality of being a holy nation free from idol worship. That surely is His primary intent. But when He says He will send them TO the desert of the nations, He means He will send them into exile. In the same way He dealt with and separated out Israel in their original desert wanderings destroying the older unbelieving generation and separating out from them the younger generation that would inherit the Land, so He will do a separating out in what He is now referring to (v.36).

He uses the language of a farmer who makes sheep pass under a horizontal rod or bar, to separate then out form any other creatures (v.37). So He will separate out His holy people from the idol worshippers, to renew their covenant with Him. He will purge the nation (v.38) but what He is going to do with them, so the people as a whole will be taken into exile but the unbelievers will not return, is that only the faithful remnant whose hearts remain true to Him in exile will return.

D. Application:

1. God separates out wheat from chaff to judge.

2. The faithful remnant will always be saved.

Chapter: Ezek 20

Passage 26: Ezek 20:39-44 - Looking to the Future (2)

A. Find Out

1. What does the Lord say Israel are to do and what will follow? v.39

2. What will actually come about? v.40

3. When will it happen? v.41,42

4. How will they look back on themselves? v.43

5. What will they realise? v.44

B. Think:

1. What sense is conveyed by verse 39?

2. How is God's sovereign will expressed in the following verses?

3. What was it that stopped Him utterly destroying them?

C. Comment:

In verses 32 to 38 the Lord turned from looking back at the past to what He is going to do to Israel in the days to come, and indicates He will act sovereignly to stop them worshipping idols. Now He expands on that.

Go on, He seems to say, keep on worshipping your idols if that is what you are set on doing (v.39 even though I have said I will stop you v.32!) but it will only be for a limited time and afterwards thing will change! But here back in Jerusalem (often referred to as on a mountain – a place high in God's estimation) you will worship me rightly again (v.40). You will worship aright because I will bring you back from the nations where you are being scattered (v.41) and I will be revealed among you so the nations will see and realise who I am, the Holy One.

When this happens you will realise that this has been my work (v.42) for it could not have happened in any other way (implied). At that time you will look back with shame on how you have behaved (v.43) and you will know that I am God who deals with you on the basis of my name's sake and not on the basis of what you deserve (v.44). Bearing in mind that these prophetic words were spoken by the Lord via His prophet in Babylonia before Jerusalem was destroyed, before the Exile, and before the restoration of Israel and Jerusalem, this is an incredible prophecy.

If we don't realise it retrospectively after it has all happened, these verses give us no room for doubt that all that took place was the sovereign act of God, in that He withdrew His hand of protection over them, stirred Nebuchadnezzar to come against them again and again, eventually destroying Jerusalem utterly, taking them all into exile, and then brought the faithful remnant back again as we see so clearly in Ezra and Nehemiah. Incredible! Amazing!.

D. Application:

1. God is sovereign and can bring about what He wants.

2. He uses sinful men to bring judgement, to do His bidding.

Chapter: Ezek 20

Passage 27: Ezek 20:45-49 - A Coming Fire

A. Find Out

1. What did God's next word tell Ezekiel to do? v.45,46

2. How was he to address the south? v.47a

3. What was he to tell it? v.47b

4. How severe will it be and why? v.48

5. What did Ezekiel reply? v.49

B. Think:

1. What indicators are there of this being a specific and serious word of God?

2. Where was it being aimed?

3. What was the thrust of it?

C. Comment:

In the previous verses of this chapter the Lord has been warning that He would come and deal with the idolatry in Israel and Jerusalem , and carry off the people to a foreign land and would eventually return them as a holy people. What we now see is the first phase of that all about to come about.

It comes as a specific and separate word (v.45) and Ezekiel is given instructions as to how he is to present this word. He is to face the south (v.46a) and speak against it. Eight times in this book he is told to ‘set his face' meaning purposefully do something in the sight of others so that they will catch the import of what he is doing and saying. He is to speak to the south (v.47a) presenting it as a specific and significant word from God (v.47b). This word is to declare that a fire is coming to the south, sent by the Lord, that will burn up everything. When this happens, all the on-looking world will see and realise that this has to be a work of God (v.48). End of the word. But now we get an intriguing response from Ezekiel (v.49) that those who see and hear him deride him and just say he's making up stories. For us, as the onlookers from history, it simply confirms the folly of these people from Israel.

Now an interpretation is not given for this word but to the south of Babylonia where they were in exile, was Israel and Jerusalem . Now whether the forests and trees are literal is not made clear but it seems a fairly reasonable assumption to suggest that this is a graphic way of speaking of large numbers of people who will be taken by the fire, the invader from the north. The point that is being made by this graphic picture is that everyone – yes everyone – will be taken by this fire. We know this was fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed, even though Jeremiah and a small group were left (and ended up going to Egypt ).

D. Application:

1. When God brings judgment He brings very clear warnings beforehand.

2. God's warnings always desire repentance and salvation (see 18:23,32)

RECAP No.4 "Past Failures & Coming Judgment" Ch.20

SUMMARY :

In this final group of 7 studies we have seen :

Study No.21 : Reminders of the Past (1) : Ezek 20:1-10

- Rebellion in Egypt

Study No.22 : Reminders of the Past (2) : Ezek 20:11-19

- Rebellion in the early desert days

Study No.23 : Reminders of the Past (3) : Ezek 20:19-26

- Rebellion in the later desert days

Study No.24 : Reminders of the Past (4) : Ezek 20:27-31

- Rebellion in the Land

Study No.25 : Looking to the Future (1) : Ezek 20:32-38

- God will eradicate their idol worship

Study No.26 : Looking to the Future (2) : Ezek 20:39-44

- He will do it through exile and restoration

Study No.27 : A Coming Fire : Ezek 20:45-49

- before that the destruction of Jerusalem must come

COMMENT :

This is an amazing chapter. It is first of all an INDICTMENT of all of Israel 's history which continues on into the present. It started right back in Egypt where they had almost become like the Egyptians in their worship and had negatives responses to the Lord. Then of course there was their incredibly chequered history in the desert, complaining and grumbling against the Lord and finally refusing to enter the Promised Land. Next as the older generation passed away, the new younger generation proved to be just as bad and eventually they continued their rebellions against the Lord in the Promised Land. (The history shown in the book of Judges reveals this in great detail.)

The second part of the chapter brings a WARNING about the future. THE big issue was their idol worship, their taking on board the pagan religions of their neighbours. They said they wanted to be like their neighbours but the Lord says that will not be; they are a covenant people and, in a sense, it is too late to pull out of that – they are known in the world for being the Lord's people who are supposed to be a light, revealing the Lord to the rest of the world. The Lord will eradicate this idol worship from among them by whatever means it takes – and He knows what it will take – the destruction of Jerusalem , their exile and then restoration. Then only will it be gone. The path ahead is set (though it is never too late to repent and stop it!) and it will involve fire coming to destroy Jerusalem and remove its people. THAT is what WILL come.

PRAY :

Bow in worship and awe before the Sovereign Holy God. Marvel at His ways.

SUMMARY

Study No.1 : Shall I answer? : Ezek 14:1-6

- leaders want a word – they get, “Repent!”

Study No.2 : No Prophesying! : Ezek 14:7-11

- if prophets bring anything else they will be judged

Study No.3 : Judgments & Jerusalem : Ezek 14:12-23

- Judgment is never without a cause – and there is one here!

Study No.4 : Desolation! : Ezek 15:1-8

- the vine ( Israel ) will be destroyed.

Study No.5 : Jerusalem , a Prostitute : Ezek 16:1-19

- Jerusalem 's running after other religions seen as prostitution

Study No.6 : Further Condemnation : Ezek 16:20-29

- she took His blessings and used them for prostitution

Study No.7 : Prostitute or Adulterer? : Ezek 16:30-35

- was she an adulterer, being unfaith to God her husband?

Study No.8 : The Coming Chastising : Ezek 16:36-42

- her ‘lovers' will turn on her and punish her

Study No.9 : Like others, worse than others : Ezek 16:43-48

- in same ways like other nations, in others, worse than them.

Study No.10 : Comparisons : Ezek 16:49-58

- Sodom , Samaria and the Philistines weren't as bad!

Study No.11 : Covenant Hope! : Ezek 16:59-63

- yet because of the covenant there will yet be a future hope.

Study No.12 : Parable of the Vine : Ezek 17:1-8

- an eagle plants a vine that turns to another eagle

Study No.13 : Interpretation : Ezek 17:9-18

- Nebuchadnezzar carries of Jehoiachin , Zedekiah warned

Study No.14 : Summary Conclusion : Ezek 17:19-21

- Zedekiah will end up in Babylon

Study No.15 : And Yet Hope : Ezek 17:22-24

- the Lord will take His own ‘shoot'

Study No.16 : Individual Accountability : Ezek 18:1-18

- children will not be responsible for sins of their fathers

Study No.17 : Individual Accountability (2) : Ezek 18:19-24

- present righteousness is what counts

Study No.18 : Individual Accountability (3) : Ezek 18:25-32

- repentance will always bring salvation

Study No.19 : Two Lion Cubs : Ezek 19:1-9

- allegories of the final kings of Judah

Study No.20 : Israel , the Vine : Ezek 19:10-14

- Israel , the vine, will be exiled (largely destroyed)

Study No.21 : Reminders of the Past (1) : Ezek 20:1-10

- Rebellion in Egypt

Study No.22 : Reminders of the Past (2) : Ezek 20:11-19

- Rebellion in the early desert days

Study No.23 : Reminders of the Past (3) : Ezek 20:19-26

- Rebellion in the later desert days

Study No.24 : Reminders of the Past (4) : Ezek 20:27-31

- Rebellion in the Land

Study No.25 : Looking to the Future (1) : Ezek 20:32-38

- God will eradicate their idol worship

Study No.26 : Looking to the Future (2) : Ezek 20:39-44

- He will do it through exile and restoration

Study No.27 : A Coming Fire : Ezek 20:45-49

- before that the destruction of Jerusalem must come

CONCLUSIONS

Context

We have mentioned it previously but it bears noting again here, is the historical and geographic context of what takes place here. We will look at the two sides of what takes place here in a moment, but I always have the feeling when we are in this part of the Bible that, at what must be one of the most critical times in the life of Israel, God has THREE major prophets at different locations in the midst of all that is going on, being His representatives: Jeremiah actually in Jerusalem, Ezekiel with the ordinary Jewish exiles in Babylonia, and Daniel actually in the king's court in Babylon. It almost has the feel of a modern news programme with reporters all over the place reporting in, except here they are speaking into the local situation. Amazing.

God's Grace

Again, every time I come to this part of Scripture, as in Jeremiah, I marvel at the number of times and the variety of ways that God speaks to His people, trying to bring them to their senses, trying to draw them away from false religions, superstitious lives, practices that even involved sacrificing your children sometimes! And of course He is trying to draw them back into a real relationship with Him so that He can bless them.

He cannot do that while they have their backs to Him; it's like me trying to hand a packet of sweets to one of my children who is sulking and refuses to face me (this doesn't happen, I hasten to add!!!!) But while they refuse to face me they cannot receive what I am trying to give them. I want to bless them with the sweets but they cannot be blessed with them because they refuse to face me. So it is with the Lord and His people. But that doesn't stop Him trying – again and again and again! That is grace, that is love.

Within our studies, in chapter 18, are two verses that have become so important to me where God says, I don't get pleasure from anyone's death, so please repent and avoid the death scenario. God wants us to live blessed lives! He doesn't enjoy people being killed in judgment!

One other crucial thing that needs noting in all these readings is the number of times the Lord speaks about the Exile, but also about bringing back a faithful remnant, so the nation still has a future with Him. It is so easy to forget this, that the Lord spoke His plans so clearly through His prophets that we are left with no room to think the Exile was an accident or a rogue nation running amok; no, this was the careful plan of God so it would end with the re-establishing of Jerusalem and the people of God back in the land, where they should be, so that Jesus can be born into this nation with all of its cultural heritage and prophecies yet to be fulfilled in their Messiah.

The Stupidity of Sin

Sin, as the Bible reveals it is self-centred godlessness and it stops us becoming the people we could be and it stops us receiving all the goodness that God has for us and sin, therefore, has to be equated with stupidity, because it is stupid to reject such wonderful things.

And so it is in this period of history that God speaks to them again and again, calling them back to Himself, to avoid the possibilities of what is coming – and they refuse to hear, they refuse to do anything about it. The words come through Ezekiel and they laugh at him and his closing words in this section were, “ They are saying of me, `Isn't he just telling parables?'” or as the Message version puts it, “Everyone is saying of me, ‘He just makes up stories.” They just wouldn't believe; that's what sin does. These studies therefore face us with the stupidity that we so often find in the human condition, those who refuse to learn from history and who refuse to heed God. Their end is guaranteed – unless they repent. The message is clear and obvious with anyone with eyes to see.