Israel’s Continuing Rebellion
The elders of Israel went to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. God spoke to Ezekiel and told him to make known to them the abominations of their fathers and that He would not be inquired by them.
He was to tell them that the Lord had made Himself known to them the day He chose Israel. He swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making Himself known to them in the land of Egypt. He swore that He would bring them out of the land of Egypt and into a land that He had searched out for them; a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands.
They were told to cast away all the detestable things and not to defile themselves with the idols of Egypt. But they rebelled against the Lord and were not willing to listen. None of them cast away the detestable things, nor did they forsake their idols of Egypt.
Therefore the Lord poured out His wrath on them and sent His anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But, for the sake of His name, it would not be profaned in the sight of the nations whom they lived, in whose sight He had made Himself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
So they were led out of Egypt and into the wilderness. The Lord gave them statutes and made His rules known, for if a person followed them they would live.
He gave them the Sabbaths, a sign between the Lord and them, so that they might know the Lord. But the house of Israel rebelled against the Lord in the wilderness. They did not walk in His statutes or follow His rules.
Then, the Lord poured out His wrath and anger on them, but nevertheless they were spared and were not destroyed completely in the wilderness.
The children were told in the wilderness, not to walk in the ways of their fathers by following their statutes and rules, and defiling themselves with their idols.
“I am the Lord your God;
walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules,
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.”
-Ezekiel 20:19-20
But the children rebelled against the Lord in the wilderness. The Lord swore to them that they would be scattered among the nations and dispersed throughout the countries, because they had not obeyed the rules.
Moreover, they were given statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life. They were defiled through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, so the Lord could devastate them, so they might know that He is the Lord.
Therefore, Ezekiel was to tell the house of Israel, with all their abominations He would not be inquired of by them.
The Lord Will Restore Israel
“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.”
-Ezekiel 20:33
The Lord would gather them from the countries where they were scattered, and bring them into the wilderness where they would be entered into judgment, as He had done with their fathers.
They would be made to pass under the rod and bring them into the bond of covenant. He would purge out the rebels from among them and those who transgressed against Him. They would be brought out of the land where they sojourned, but they would not enter into the land of Israel.
The Lord told them to go and serve their idols, but they could not profane His holy name any longer with their gifts and idols. On the mountain, all the house of Israel would serve Him in the land.
There they would be accepted, and the Lord would require their contributions and choicest of gifts with all the sacred offerings. As a pleasing aroma they would be accepted, and the Lord would manifest His holiness among them in the sight of the nations.
They would remember their ways and all their deeds of how they defiled themselves. They would loathe themselves for all the evils that they had committed.
The Lord told Ezekiel to face toward the southland and preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in Negeb. He was to say that the Lord would kindle a fire in it, and it would devour every green tree and every dry tree. The blazing flame would not be quenched, and all faces from south to north would be scorched by it.
The Lord Has Drawn His Sword
The Lord told Ezekiel to face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary, and prophesy against the land of Israel. He was to say that the Lord was against them and would draw His sword from His sheath, and cut off from them both the righteous and wicked; all flesh from south to north.
Ezekiel was told to groan, with a breaking heart and bitter grief, before their eyes. And when they asked him why he was groaning he was to tell them because of the news that was coming. Every heart would melt, and hands be feeble. Every spirit would faint, and all knees would be weak as water.
“A sword, a sword is sharpened
and also polished,
sharpened for slaughter,
polished to flash like lightning!”
-Ezekiel 21:10
“And I will pour out my indignation upon you;
I will blow upon you with the fire of my wrath,
and I will deliver you into the hands of brutish men,
skillful to destroy.
You shall be fuel for the fire.
Your blood shall be in the midst of the land.
You shall be no more remembered,
for I the Lord have spoken.”
-Ezekiel 21:31-32