20:1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to seek the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.
On August 14, 591 B.C., the elders of Israel came to seek the will of Jehovah through Ezekiel. At this time, Ezekiel was living in the Babylonian canals with the Jewish captives. This time period was between the second and third deportation. During the first deportation, the royal house was taken. The skilled workers were taken during the second deportation. The third deportation would later take away the poor and wicked people.
20:2 The word of the Lord came to me:
Jehovah spoke to Ezekiel.
20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, declares the sovereign Lord.’
Ezekiel was addressed as the “son of man,” meaning that he was given birth through the human race of Adam and Eve. All angels and demons were created directly by God. They are called “sons of God.”
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. He asked Ezekiel if the elders were coming to seek His will. Jehovah would not give any prophetic guidance to the elders.
20:4 “Are you willing to pronounce judgment? Are you willing to pronounce judgment, son of man? Then confront them with the abominable practices of their fathers,
Jehovah asked Ezekiel if he was ready to pronounce Jehovah’s judgment upon these elders.
20:5 and say to them: “ ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, “I am the Lord your God.”
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. He is the one who wrote the book of history before the foundations of the world were even created. He gave every man the free will to fulfill his divine destiny. In this chapter, Jehovah would give a divine history lesson to the elders. This history lesson would be complete truth and without bias.
Notice that Israel did not choose God. God chose Israel. He made a promise to the descendants of the house of Jacob. He revealed Himself to Israel in the land of Egypt. He identified His name (character) as יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (Jehovah Elohacem), meaning your covenant-keeping-promise-keeping-triune-Creator-God.
20:6 On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land which I had picked out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.
Jehovah promised to bring Israel out of Egypt into Canaan. At that time, Canaan was the most beautiful land in all of the earth.
20:7 I said to them, “Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”
While Israel was in Egypt, she began to worship idols. Jehovah the husband commanded Israel his wife to get rid of her demonic idols.
20:8 But they rebelled against me, and refused to listen to me; no one got rid of their detestable idols, nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
Israel refused to get rid of their demonic idols, so God poured out His anger upon her.
20:9 I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
God promised Israel that He would bring her into the land, but Israel chose to follow demonic idols. God did not completely destroy Israel, because His name (or character) would be profaned among the Gentiles in two different ways. First, the Gentiles would claim that Jehovah was a liar who did not keep His promises. Second, the Gentiles would claim that God was not powerful enough to bring Israel into her land.
20:10 “ ‘So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them to the wilderness.
Israel was reduced to a nation of slaves, but Jehovah delivered her and brought two million people into the desert. Most of the Egyptians must have believed that two million people would not survive in the hot Sinai desert between Egypt and Canaan. This wilderness journey without food and water was a desert of death.
20:11 I gave them my statutes and revealed my regulations to them. The one who carries them out will live by them!
At Mount Sinai, Jehovah gave Israel the conditional Mosaic Law. If Israel followed the Law, then she would be blessed. If she did not follow the Mosaic Law, then she would be cursed. It is interesting to note that God wanted to give Israel grace, but the Israelites demanded the Law. Israel told God that she could keep the Law. She actually broke the Law before Moses could even get down the mountain with the original Ten Commandments. She worshipped the calf god while Moses was reaching the Law on Mount Sinai.
20:12 I also gave them my Sabbaths as a reminder of our relationship, so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them.
The Sabbaths were given to Israel as a memorial that the real God of creation created the heavens and the earth in six literal days. God rested on the seventh day. Man was to rest and worship God on the seventh day. Man needs a day of rest. He needs to spend a day worshiping God.
20:13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy them.
In the wilderness, Jehovah provided manna from heaven, water from rocks, the Shekinah Glory cloud by day, and the Shekinah Glory fire by night. However, Israel still rebelled against Him.
20:14 I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
Israel deserved to be destroyed, but Jehovah did not do so because of His reputation. He did not want the Gentile nations of the satanic world system to claim that Jehovah was not powerful enough or trustworthy enough to keep His promise of bringing Israel into the land.
20:15 I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them to the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.
Israel was promised to enter into the most beautiful land on the entire earth during this time period, yet Israel rebelled against Him. Jehovah only allowed the younger generation to enter the land.
20:16 I did this because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols.
Israel traveled with God in the wilderness on her honeymoon. She saw the ten miracles, the dividing of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, and water from rocks, but she still rebelled against Jehovah and worshiped demonic idols.
20:17 Yet I had pity on them and did not destroy them, so I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
Jehovah is a God of compassion. He did not completely destroy the Israelite generation in the wilderness.
20:18 “ ‘But I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
Jehovah destroyed the first Exodus generation (except for Joshua and Caleb), but He allowed the second generation who was born in the wilderness to enter into the Promised Land. He commanded the second generation to stay away from the example of their parents.
20:19 I am the Lord your God; follow my statutes, observe my regulations, and carry them out.
Jehovah commanded this second generation to follow the Mosaic Law.
20:20 Treat my Sabbaths as holy and they will be a reminder of our relationship, and then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”
The Sabbath was created for man so that he could realize that Jehovah the Creator God was holy, or set apart, from anyone or anything else in all of creation.
20:21 “ ‘But the children rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness.
The second generation rebelled against Jehovah as well.
20:22 But I refrained from doing so, and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
This second generation deserved to be destroyed as well, but Jehovah refused to do so because of His reputation. God is different than man. God keeps His promises. God wanted the Gentiles to know that He is different than the demonic gods they worshiped. Their gods were evil, angry, mischievous, vengeful, quarrelsome, and not all-powerful. In fact, they did not even exist. God was omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. He was not a prankster god of evil, but the Creator God of love. He was a living God and not just a wooden, metal, or stone idol.
20:23 I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.
The punishment of this second generation (and their descendants) was dispersion among the Gentiles. Israel was scattered within the Assyrian Empire. Judah was scattered within the Babylonian Empire. The Jews after the Temple destruction were scattered among the Roman Empire and then later into all of the nations of the world.
20:24 I did this because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
This second generation refused to keep the Mosaic Law. A later generation rejected their own Messiah and called Him demon-possessed.
20:25 I also gave them decrees which were not good and regulations by which they could not live.
Israel possessed the only true theocracy in all of world history. Jehovah gave this theocratic government to them so that they could survive and prosper in the satanic world system. When a nation strays from a Biblical government, they end up destroying themselves.
20:26 I declared them to be defiled because of their sacrifices—they caused all their first born to pass through the fire—so that I would devastate them, so that they will know that I am the Lord.’
Israel was supposed to dedicate their first born to serve God. The living service of the Levites was their replacement offering. Instead, Israel dedicated and offered their first born to demonic idols.
20:27 “Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In this way too your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me.
The fathers of the Ezekiel generation blasphemed Jehovah by performing spiritual adultery against Him.
20:28 I brought them to the land which I swore to give them, but whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there and presented the offerings that provoke me to anger. They offered their soothing aroma there and poured out their drink offerings.
The fathers of the Ezekiel generation used the beautiful high hills of the Promised Land to worship demonic idols.
20:29 So I said to them, What is this high place you go to?’ ” (So it is called “High Place” to this day.)
Israel practiced infant sacrifice and sexual prostitution on the tops of these hills. They went to the tops of the highest and most beautiful hills of Israel so that their demonic rituals could be observed as close to heaven as possible. This was the ultimate blasphemy against God. They were flaunting the worship of demons right in front of the face of God!
20:30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?
Jehovah asked the present Ezekiel generation if she was going to defile herself by repeating the sins of her fathers.
20:31 When you present your sacrifices—when you make your sons pass through the fire—you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will not allow you to seek me!
Even though Israel was in captivity, she was still offering infant sacrifices on that very day. As long as this present generation was offering their children up as infant sacrifice, Jehovah would not allow Israel to seek His guidance.
20:32 “ ‘What you plan will never happen. You say, “We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.”
Israel was totally depraved and evil. She did not want to be the chosen people of God. She was not interested in the Messiah arriving and establishing the Millennial Kingdom. Instead, she wanted to be like the other Gentile nations. She wanted to worship demonic idols, sacrifice her children to these idols, gain wealth and power, and live with the devil for eternity.
It is important to note that everyone born into the human race possesses this same sin nature and these same desires as Israel. Unbelievers do not desire the things of God, but the things of Satan. People are born into the world as slaves of Satan, and like Israel, they do not wish to be free from this slavery. They wish to serve Satan for eternity. God frees some people from this slavery by removing their blindness, but He allows others to make their own choice. Those who are totally depraved and evil will always reject God and choose Satan. These godless men are often well-paid on this earth for their services to the devil. They are prevalent in religion, politics, education, business, entertainment, and the media. They may exist today in high places, but they will be demoted to the Lake of Fire in eternity. Therefore, they are not the brilliant ones of the earth like they and their followers seem to think. Instead, they are the foolish ones of the earth, because they have chosen a second of power and prosperity upon earth in exchange for an eternity of burning fire.
20:33 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm, and with an outpouring of rage, I will be king over you.
The demonic idols were nothing but lifeless stone and metal. Jehovah is alive. He is the living Creator God. Israel does not want Jehovah as king, but He will outstretch His arm and make Himself King of Israel. This event will occur at the end of the Great Tribulation. The Messiah will save Israel from the attempt of genocide of the Antichrist and bring the Jewish survivors of the Great Tribulation into the Millennial Kingdom.
20:34 I will bring you out from the nations, and will gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm and with an outpouring of rage!
Jehovah had already scattered the Jewish people into every nation of the world. He promised to bring Israel back into her land twice. The first return will happen because of God's “outpouring of rage.” The second return will be to establish the Millennial Kingdom.
The return of Israel in 1948 fulfills this prophecy. Israel was returned to her land in 1948 in unbelief. Most of the Jews in modern Israel are liberals or atheists. They have been returned to their land to receive judgment. Their judgment will be the horrors of the Great Tribulation. Two thirds of the Jews will be killed by the Antichrist. One third of the Jews will believe upon Jesus as their Messiah. They will survive the Great Tribulation and enter into the Millennial Kingdom as believing Messianic Jews.
20:35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
Jehovah has already brought Israel into the wilderness of all of the Gentile nations. The Gentile nations have not been treating Israel very kindly. Most of the Gentile nations persecuted Israel and took away her property and possessions. During the days of Christopher Columbus, Spain excommunicated the Jews out of Spain. During World War II, the German Holocaust attempted genocide upon her. During the era of communism, the Russian communists attempted to silence her with atheistic ideology. Obama America has armed the Muslims and forsaken the Jews in Israel. The coming Great Tribulation will also bring judgment upon Israel.
20:36 Just 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 sovereign Lord.
Just as the first generation was punished during her first exodus from Egypt, future generations will be punished as well.
20:37 I will make you pass under the shepherd’s staff, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
The Jews of the second exodus are those who will survive the Great Tribulation. Jehovah will make this future generation pass under the shepherd's staff. The shepherd placed his staff horizontal and low to the ground. The sheep had to stoop on their knees to pass under it. As they passed under the staff, then the shepherd would check them out to make sure that they had no blemishes. Those with blemishes were not allowed to enter into the fold. Only the Jews who believe in Jesus as the Messiah will be unblemished sheep. These Messianic Jews will be the only Jews who will be allowed into the fold of the Millennial Kingdom
During the Great Tribulation, there will also be sheep and goat Gentiles. The sheep Gentiles are those who aid the Jews. The goat Gentiles are those who side with the Antichrist and attempt to exterminate the Jews. Satan will desire to exterminate the Jews so that they will not call out, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Jesus promised the Jews that He would not return to establish His kingdom until the Jews called Him and asked Him to do so.
20:38 I will eliminate from among you the rebels and those who revolt against me. I will bring them out from the land where they have been residing, but they will not come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Those Jews who reject Yeshua as Messiah will not enter into the Millennial Kingdom. They will lose their lives, just as the Jews who remained in Babylon after Jeremiah told them to leave.
20:39 “ ‘As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Each of you go and serve your idols, if you will not listen to me. But my holy name will not be profaned again by your sacrifices and your idols.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. Sarcastically, He informed the Ezekiel generation that if she refused to listen to Him, then she should worship her demonic idols. However, God would not allow His holy name to be profaned among the Gentiles. Jehovah would not give the Gentiles an opportunity to call Him powerless to keep His promises to Israel.
20:40 For there on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, all the house of Israel will serve me, all of them in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will seek your contributions and your choice gifts, with all your holy things.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. During the Millennial Kingdom, all of the Jewish people will serve the Messiah. All of Israel will bring gifts to her Messianic King.
20:41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.
The Jewish people are currently scattered throughout all nations of the world. Most of them are unbelievers. During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will make a new covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31-34). All of Israel will be saved. All of Israel will be gathered back into Israel. All of Israel will keep this New Covenant. God will keep His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even if the amillennialists and the postmillennialists disagree.
20:42 Then you will know that I am the Lord when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land I swore to give to your fathers.
When Jehovah scatters Israel into all of the nations of the world and then brings them back into the land as 100% believers, then all of Israel will know that Jehovah is the Master of all things. Jehovah will perform this future event, because He made promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
20:43 And there you will remember your conduct and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves. You will despise yourselves because of all the evil deeds you have done.
When Israel enters into the Millennial Kingdom, she will be ashamed of how she treated Jehovah while she was living on earth.
20:44 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.’ ”
Jehovah should have destroyed Israel, but instead, He saved her from her own destruction. Jehovah saved Israel not because of her goodness, but for Jehovah’s own reputation. God keeps His promises, even though Israel does not keep her promises.
It is important to note that man is born as a totally depraved and evil sinner. If God leaves man alone, then man’s sin will cause man to destroy himself. Therefore, God must step into a believer’s life, remove the blindness of the sinner, and give him a new nature which desires to know God. This transformation of the individual human mind is called irresistible grace. Without irresistible grace, no one would be saved.
20:45 The word of the Lord came to me:
Jehovah gave another message to Ezekiel.
20:46 “Son of man, turn toward the south, and speak out against the south. Prophesy against the open scrub land of the Negev,
Ezekiel was to turn toward the south and prophesy against Edom. Edom was an enemy nation who came from the loins of Esau. Esau was the twin brother of Jacob (Israel) who traded in the messianic blessing for a bowl of stew.
20:47 and say to the scrub land of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, I am about to start a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The flaming fire will not be extinguished, and the whole surface of the ground from the Negev to the north will be scorched by it.
Edom would be judged by fire. The Hebrew for “fire” is אֵ֡שׁ (wish), meaning an intensive and blazing fire. This blazing fire would not be quenched. During the future Millennial Kingdom, Edom will become a confinement for demons. She will continually burn with literal fire during this future dispensation.
20:48 And everyone will see that I, the Lord, have burned it; it will not be extinguished.’ ”
Since all flesh will see this fire, then this prophecy looks into the prophetic future Everyone living in the Millennial Kingdom will observe the continuous burning of Edom.
20:49 Then I said, “O sovereign Lord! They are saying of me, ‘Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?’ ”
The people began to mock the message of Ezekiel. They wanted Ezekiel to quit speaking in parables. They wanted him to speak in plain words instead. This same human viewpoint would be said of Jesus later. In the next chapter, Jehovah would speak to Judah in plain language. However, the people of Judah would not like His words.