Ezekiel 20

INTRO

Turn to Ezekiel 20 today in your Bible. We have a lot to read so I’m going to get straight into that soon but if you were not with us last week, this weeks text is still riding on this theme of helping the Israelites get out of a victim mindset. They are still not seeing themselves correctly AND, as we will see today, they are not viewing their history correctly.

So, the difficulty for Ezekiel is getting these stubborn people to listen, right? How do you help someone that is stuck with believing a lie? You constantly hit them with the truth. But what happens when the truth is not getting the job done? You get offensive. Sarcastic. possibly even intentionally obscene? And that is what Ezekiel will be doing here today with telling the truth about the history of Israel. Now, is he giving a perfect historical account, no. He is trying to shock these Israelites our of their disobedient slumber by showing them that where they are in exile is exactly where they should be. And it is there that true transformation will happen. But I’m already getting ahead of myself so let’s read and then we will discuss what is going on here.

Let’s pray.

Your word is a sword, honey, a hammer, and life. Let it do whatever it needs to today.

INTRO PART 2

I thought about reading this all the way through, but it is so dense that I thought we might get lost in the weeds. So, I do encourage you to read it through on your own sometime. But to help you see where we are going through this jungle of Ezekiel 20 I want to show you a little outline.

EZEKIEL 20 OUTLINE

Intro-verses 1-4

Israel’s rebellion in the distant past

1. Israel in Egypt: verses 5-9

2.Israel in the desert, first generation : verses 10-17

3. Israel in the desert, second generation: verse 18-26

Israel’s rebellion in the recent past verses 27-31

4. Israel in the land: verses 27-29

5.Israel in the desert of the peoples verses 32-38

Israel’s future transformation: verses 32-44

6.Israel in the desert of the peoples verse 32-38

7. Israel on Yahweh’s holy mountain verses 39-44

So that is where we are going today, everyone ready. Ready or not here we go.

BODY

1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2 And the word of the LORD came to me: 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you. 4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Let them know the abominations of their fathers,

Quick pause here. It has been a little over two years since the first vision in Ezekiel chapter 1. The elders, who as we know from chapter 8, are not good guys. Yet they are coming to inquire of the Lord. What for? There are a handful of speculations but given God’s response, it does not seem like a sincere seeking God. So God takes this time to share with them a little history lesson. Something that Ezekiel would know the history of Israel like the back of his hand because he was training to be a priest. But here, he makes it incredible shocking, to help wake up the people sleeping in disobedience.

5 and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God. 6 On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands. 7 And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’ 8 But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

So, going back to your Sunday school days, is this how the story of Egypt went? Not really, right. They were slaves under harsh labor of mean old pharaoh. And Moses came and brought them out by the plagues of God, right? But here is is painting the Israelites as sinful even before they left Egypt. They were already bowing down to the idols of Egypt before they even were delivered.

What is God, through Ezekiel, trying to remind these rebellion, stubborn, prideful people of in this changed history lesson.

LESSONS FROM AN OFFENSIVE HISTORY LESSON

God saved Israel not because of anything good they had done.

There was a spiritual pride that had crept into Israel, not just the exiles, but even before that. That God had saved them, called them His people, his treasured possession, and therefore, God loved them no matter what! Their theology had become twisted to think that God was all about their name, not his. But as we will see here, that was never what it was about. He didn’t save them because of anything good in them. It’s because he is good, kind, and gracious that he chose them.

And the same thing goes for us. God does not save us, forgive us, redeem us because he saw something amazing in you and I. He called us in his mercy and grace. And for those who have a spiritual resume that we like to flaunt around, that is offensive, because God does not care about that. But for those of us who understand that everything is a gift, that all that is mine is his and all that is his is mine because we are in covenant, this is good news. This is the Gospel. But the people of God here, had forgotten this truth.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10 So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live. 12 Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands, 16 because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness.

So the nation that was brought out of Egypt, lead through the red sea, fed manna from heave, water from a rock, cloud by day, fire by night, give them law at mount Sinai, and even saw the tabernacle set up so they could enter into the presence of God, were disobedient. They did not enter into the promised land. Why? because God doesn’t fulfill his promises? No, because they kept disobeying God’s commands, his sabbaths, and his rules that bring life.

LESSONS FROM AN OFFENSIVE HISTORY LESSON

2. You reap what you sow, even as the people of God.

So even though God provides miracle after miracle, enters into covenant with Israel, and is faithful to his promises, the people of God chose death over life. Their actions had consequences. Now, I know that might sound anti-Gospel because, brother their is grace in God’s kingdom. Now brother Josh we have a God of mercy and not a God of judgment. See and this is why we have so many issues in the church today. Because we are not actually reading the whole Bible, just parts that we like and that let us continue on in sin.

The whole book of Galatians is about how the Gospel changes your perspective of how you will reap what you sow. The first part of Galatians shows us that it is nothing that we can do to be righteous before God. There are no amount of good works that we can do, otherwise what is the point of the cross? But then, in Galatians 5 he comes and tells us that we have freedom, but don’t use that freedom to live in self indulgence. You and I have an opportunity every day to sow into the Spirit or into the flesh. Maybe your theological background does not like this word, but you do have the free will to chose whether you are going to sow into what God has called you into, or continue in your flesh and the way of the world. The people of God chose to continue to bow down to their flesh and the nations around them. It did not work out great. May I implore you today to chose life and follow God and walk in the Spirit. Let’s see if their children learn from the parents mistakes.

18 “And I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, 20 and keep my Sabbaths holy that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’ 21 But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. 22 But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had 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 obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers’ idols. 25 Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, 26 and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the LORD.

If you are confused by this statement of God saying he gave them statues that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, just know this is God getting sassy. He is digging in deeper, because this is how the people of God views his ways, they were not good and not giving life, lets chase after other gods.

27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me. 28 For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings. 29 (I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.)

30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? 31 When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

32 “What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’

So the people of God get into the promise land and before you can say blessed be the Lord, they are already bowing down to the idols of the nations. Now I have shared this before, and I think it would be good to share again to show, why is God so livid about his people. These idols that they were going up into the hills for varied. But a main one, as you know from our study on Elijah, was Baal. And up on these mountains they would have little temples where they would do their rituals. Things like child sacrifice. That is the pouring out of their “drink offerings.” Another thing that would happen would be sex prostitutes, male and female. And it didn’t matter which one you slept with. Guy with guy, girl with girl, as long as you got the blessing of Baal, you would do it. And yet, we know that God was against all of this. Because he knew the death and destruction that it would bring. And his passion for his people in verse 32.

LESSONS FROM AN OFFENSIVE HISTORY LESSON

3. God loves His people too much to give them what they want.

They wanted to be like the nations. They wanted it because they thought it was best for them. And we in 2025 look at that and say, man what a bunch of idiots why would they ever do something like that! We are too progressive to think that way! Unfortunately nothing is new under the sun. We still get this way from time to time don’t we? We think we should really look a certain way. Act a certain way. And yet it if it is against His word, it is probably not so. He loves you and I way too much to just give us everything that we cry for. Now, I know that opens up a can of worms, because what if what you are praying for is actually good? What if what you are desiring is really good and it is not happening? Well, we are going to talk about more of that in a minute. But I want to finish this text first and then we will discuss it more.

The LORD Will Restore Israel

33 “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD. 37 I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

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

40 “For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. 41 As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 42 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers. 43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. 44 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”

As always, I say this a lot but it is true, there is too much here to cover so I need to focus in on one thing. And that one thing as actually what I talked about in the beginning of this message. How does God transform people? How will he transform these Israelites in exile? Is it by giving them what they want and heading back to Jerusalem to be in the temple? No. It is just like the the Israelites who came out of Egypt needed a wilderness experience to get the Egypt out of them. You have heard that saying before possibly? God brought Israel out of Egypt but they still had Egypt in them. That is why he needed to strip them of the comforts and gods of self made religion. So he brings them into the wilderness or into exile to show them that what they need more than anything is God. What is the point of Jerusalem without God? What is the point of a temple without God? What is the point of the people of God without God? So God is making a statement to the Israelites in exile and to us today through his word.

God transforms people through a wilderness experience that brings a resurrection of true life.

This is seen though all of the Bible and this is what Jesus was trying to show when he was talking to his disciples. That a seed must go into the ground and die to bear fruit. There is a resurrection for those who feel like they have been stripped of everything that they had. But Josh, the people in the wilderness rebelled! And the people in Exile were still in disobedience. That’s because they were unwilling to submit to the process of trusting God to bring them through a death and resurrection process. They still wanted control. They still wanted their comforts. They still wanted their ways. And God is still doing the same thing today.

Some of you might be in a season of life where it is uncomfortable and challenging. And while I know that some of that could be self inflicted, most of the time, it is actually a season where God is wanting you to trust, die, and be resurrected by him. This is the way of transformation. Listen, you can go to church all your life, serve on the worship team, be in leadership, even be a pastor and yet still not be transformed into His likeness because there is no surrender in your life. Wouldn’t that be awful. To go all your life knowing the Bible, quoting the Bible, yet never believing and living out the word. But we need wisdom to know what to do in these wilderness seasons to be transformed don’t we?

How to be transformed in a wilderness season

Stay in God’s word. Go figure I would say that, but if you are in facebook, instagram, the news, or some kind of gossip table more than you are in the word you will miss your wilderness transformation moment. What are you saying Josh, that God is not faithful to complete the work in me? No, I’m saying that he is a God who calls us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling because it is God who works in you. Meaning, it is a partnership and you getting into his word to know him and to know what is true is essential.

Stay in Godly community. A wilderness season, an exile season can be confusing. I think about Daniel and his friends though, how despite having their whole world flip upside down they still obeyed God. Why? Because I’m picturing them huddled up talking and in their time of confusing choosing to actually trust God’s word. We need wise counsel in our lives so see what is going on. Then they can speak into it and say your are in a wilderness season or you are just being a victim. RIght? You want people in your life so you are not thinking God is doing something in your life and really it is a self inflicted victim wound mindset that you are interpreting as an exile. We need godly people in our lives to walk with us, pray with us, speak into our lives.

Stay in the discomfort. Your natural reaction to the discomfort in your life, which will usually be an idol or a lie being exposed by God, is met with wanting to control and find comfort. God did this for the the people of God then, he will do it now. He will tear down every idol that we make so that we can actually find life in him. That may be uncomfortable for a while. These Israelites in exile thought their time in Babylon would be a couple months maybe a couple years at tops. But 70 years is what it actually took. Why? Because they were not willing to see God’s way, thinking they knew better, and that life was all about them. It’s not. Life is still not about us. We are caught up in this story called life and God is wanting us to be involved in it, but we are not the point. He is.

Stay focused on His name. Why do we not want to surrender? Why do we resist transformation God’s way? Why do scoff at the idea that the true Gospel message is not pray a prayer so you can go to heaven but deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus? Because we are bent on making our own name more important that God’s. We have little hearts that want to be like Bable, building a name for ourself. But when we can actually be set free from raising ourselves up and our names up, we can be focused on His names, which then transforms us to be more like him, when then, actually glorified God more than anything.

So, I remember going through seasons and then hearing messages like this and feeling a little bit like open heart surgery was happening. Like God was really getting at some difficult things, but I also knew that it was for my good. If that is you today I want to pray here in a moment but I want you to respond to him today. This is not a Josh message, this is a message that God is trying to get whoever’s attention today to see that the season that you are in is actually ripe with possibilities for growth.