The Gospel According to Ezekiel, Chapter 20 (Part 1 of 2)

Recap: Unfaithfulness in the Exodus Wanderings

Last week we began to look at examples from the Old Testament, specifically the Exodus wanderings. Israel had been saved from bondage in Egypt, freed from slavery, and brought into the wilderness to follow Yahweh. They were freed from the cares of the world—Egypt, the known world in the 15th century BC, controlling territory from Egypt to the Euphrates.

This was a good opportunity because they were with God, completely at the disposal of his grace. But due to the sinfulness and unbelief of their hearts, they tested God negatively—questioning his sovereignty and motives. They said things like, "God brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness; we would rather have died with the luxuries of slavery." This self-contradiction of unbelief claims what they had before was better than life with God—the ultimate unfaithfulness.

We saw the first generation's unfaithfulness, and even the second generation, promised entry into the promised land, acted faithlessly.

Unfaithfulness in the Promised Land

Now we see even greater unfaithfulness in the promised land itself. We know Israel rebelled in the wilderness, but the promised land was the goal—a land flowing with milk and honey, utopia, nationhood under God as ultimate ruler. For a people group under oppression, this was unheard of. Yet it became a picture of unfaithfulness.

Many relate the promised land to an Old Testament type of heaven or dwelling with God. You finally escape Egypt's horrors to enjoy God, his people, nationhood, and the land. But let's see what Ezekiel says.

Ezekiel 20:27-29
Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me by acting treacherously against me. When I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their soothing aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings. Then I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you go?' So its name is called Bamah to this day.

"Bamah" means "high place"—sites of cultic worship for idolatry, with sacrifices, drink offerings, and soothing aromas to idols. Interestingly, "bamah" also refers to a Canaanite grave. Hebrews called idol worship sites Canaanite graves—the place of a corpse.

God asks, "What is the high place to which you go?" This questions us too. Ezekiel presents idolatry as inward imagining or creating pleasures in creation that belong in God. We may not set up physical images, but we let others create idols we bring home—because they already exist in our hearts.

A high place is devotion, attention, life given to something not God that consumes your time. It's sacred to you, an enjoyable, celebratory activity provoking God. It could be anything not pointing to God. Enjoyment isn't wrong, but finding in it what belongs in God is idolatry—when it's necessary for meaningful life.

I've worked secular jobs in sales and sporting goods—never truly stressful. Yet employees sought consolation in bubble baths, wine, etc. Even without drunkenness, alcohol became idolatry. Stress is a negative response to pressure. If facing real pressure, do you run to God's Word or him for solace?

Pastor Rich notes: Saying "terrible day" while believing God's sovereignty contradicts faith. Psalm 118:24—"This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it"—applies to God's ordained events. What makes any day good, like Eden or the kingdom, is God himself.

The promised land was great because God was there—not just milk and honey. God gave a land for enjoyment, but they turned to high places. He provided satisfaction; they sought other sources.

Imagine being raised from spiritual death (Ephesians 2) only to climb back into the grave—burying yourself alive. That's idolatry. Examine your life: In boredom or routine, what high place do you go to? A relationship? Substance? Food as "comfort"? The goal isn't harmonizing it with God—that's Israel's error, mixing worship. Identify and tear down high places with hostility, like Josiah. Be separate, distinct—like Israel's laws marked them as God's people.

Defilement and God's Response

Ezekiel 20:30-32
Therefore, say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God, Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? When you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling 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. What comes into your mind will not come about, when you say, 'We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.'

In exile, they still defile themselves, wanting to be like nations—serving idols. God isn't a killjoy; these things profane, degrade you. It's deceptive, promising good like the world seems to enjoy. Sin says you need it, but sin consumes your life—like a drug dealer demanding body parts, not cash. You give portions of life for a "fix" until nothing's left.

Contrast: God gave himself—Jesus Christ, fully God—for infinite enjoyment. Live distinctly, as 1 John 2 warns: Don't love the world or its things—fleshly cravings, visual cravings, pride of life. Today's society embodies this; Christians fall too. "Judge not" (Matthew 7) is misused—context: Remove your log first, then help your brother. James calls pulling from sin saving from death.

God's Judgment and Restoration

Ezekiel 20:33-38
As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face, 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. I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of covenant. I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the Lord.

God will be king irresistibly—with mighty hand, outstretched arm, wrath poured out. He gathers exiles for judgment like in Egypt's wilderness, purging rebels who won't enter Israel. Hearing this, resolve: Don't be a rebel or transgressor. Be among those who persevere and enter.

God's Decree of Forced Servitude to Idols

In Ezekiel 20:39, God says to Israel, “Go serve everyone his idols, but later you will surely listen to me and my holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols.”

This verse seems to grant permission to serve idols, like telling a child to touch a hot stove to learn a lesson. But that's not the case. The Hebrew term means “to serve” but carries the idea of forced labor or slavery. God is either driving them into slavery to their idols, revealing their lack of freedom, or forcing them to remove their idols.

Context shows it's not permission to sin temporarily then return to God. Instead, God decrees a position of forced servitude to idols. When you continually sin, you're enslaved—not freely choosing between sin and obedience. Idolatry grips your life, like addiction.

Proverbs 5:22: “His own iniquities will imprison him; every man is tied up with the cords of his own sin.”

Hebrews 12 describes sin weighing you down, constricting like an anaconda tightening with every exhale, choking and consuming you. Every “no” to sin cuts a cord, loosens the grip, unlocks the prison, leading to true freedom. Every “yes” ties another knot, even after years of restraint.

Be watchful—sin deceives with sweet lies, promising relief or that yielding ends temptation. But resistance makes it flee. “Get it over with” is a lie; it demands more, leaving you worse off, viewing helpers as enemies.

Future Worship and Grief on God's Holy Mountain

Verses 40-44 describe restoration: “For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord God, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve me in the land. There I will accept them and seek your contributions and the choices of your gifts with all your holy things, and as a soothing aroma I will accept you.” God will gather them, prove himself holy among the nations, bring them to the promised land, make them remember their defiling deeds, and deal with them for his name's sake, not their evil ways.

Judgment's purpose is to irresistibly make them his people, causing true worship they enjoy, deep grief over sin like a funeral—beating their chests in loathing, not joy like a wedding or party. As you grow in Christ, sin grieves you more, reducing its pull and increasing worship's joy.

A Christian's attitude toward sin is deep grief and sadness, no conjured joy. This motivates evangelism—not anger, but helping others see sin's horror, its tearing down, judgment, and grief to God. Dive deeper into sin's grief to heighten God's enjoyment.

Stagnation in Christianity—standing still, stinking of disobedience—correlates to casual attitudes toward sin. Unchecked sin blocks God's response, infecting relationship. Lack of obedience or enjoyment in God often stems from not grieving sin. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Growing grief over sin magnifies permanent enjoyment of God, freeing you fully to enjoy him forever.