Ezekiel Chapter 20 – Commentary and Explanation
Alright, Ezekiel chapter 20... now this is one of those passages that kinda makes you stop, take a deep breath, and go “Okay God, let’s unpack this.” It's long. It's heavy. And it’s packed with historical references, divine judgment, stubborn people, and an unrelenting mercy that keeps peeking through, even in the middle of judgment. This chapter is like a courtroom mixed with a history lesson, except the Judge is God, and the defendants are... well, the nation of Israel.
Let’s walk through it slowly and try to hear God’s heart through all this, alright?
The Setup – Elders Come Knockin’ (Verses 1-3)
It starts on a specific date—“In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month.” Ezekiel, man, he always gives us these exact timestamps. That’s not random, that’s intentional. That’s the kind of detail that says, “Hey, this actually happened. This isn’t a myth, this is history.”
So, the elders of Israel come and sit before Ezekiel. Again. They've done this before in earlier chapters. But they ain’t just hanging out. They’re coming to inquire of the Lord—like, “Hey Ezekiel, can you ask God for us what’s going on?” But God immediately shuts it down in verse 3: “As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.” Boom. That’s a strong “no.”
Why? Because their hearts weren’t right. They were treating God like a backup plan, not like a covenant-keeping King. It’s kinda like only calling your parents when you’re in trouble, not out of love, but out of convenience.
The History Lesson Begins (Verses 4–9)
Then God tells Ezekiel, “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man?” And then He says, “Make them know the abominations of their fathers.” Translation: “You want answers? Let me show you your track record.”
And then God does this really amazing but painful walk through history. He starts all the way back in Egypt—before the Exodus. God says He made Himself known to them back in the land of Egypt. He chose them, made promises, revealed Himself. He told them to throw away their idols.
But did they? Nope.
They rebelled right there, in Egypt, before Moses even led them out. That part right there is something we don’t usually focus on in Sunday School. We always think Israel messed up after they got out of Egypt, but here God says, “No, they were already knee-deep in idolatry back then.”
Yet even in their rebellion, God says in verse 9 that He acted for the sake of His name, so it wouldn’t be profaned among the nations. That’s the first time we hear that phrase in this chapter. Spoiler alert—it’s gonna show up again. God keeps saying that He doesn’t destroy them completely because of His name, not because they deserved mercy.
That’s huge.
The Wilderness Years (Verses 10–17)
Next stop on this history tour—the wilderness. Oh boy.
After God brings them out of Egypt, He gives them His laws, His Sabbaths, His covenant. These weren’t just rules, they were ways to live, to know God, to flourish. The Sabbath especially—it was a sign between them and God that they belonged to Him.
But did they honor it? Not really.
Again, rebellion. Again, idolatry. Again, God is provoked.
God says He considered pouring out His wrath in the wilderness. Like, He was done. He had every right to just end them there. But He didn’t. Why? Verse 14—“But I acted for the sake of My name.”
There it is again. Not because Israel was obedient. Not because they repented. Just because God is faithful, even when we’re not.
The Next Generation in the Wilderness (Verses 18–26)
So then, God turns to the next generation—their children—and He says, “Don’t do what your parents did. Obey My laws. Keep My Sabbaths. Honor Me.” And you would hope that maybe, just maybe, the children learned from their parents’ mistakes.
But... they didn’t.
Same pattern. Rebellion. Disobedience. Idolatry.
And again, God restrains Himself. He didn’t utterly destroy them. But in verse 25, there’s this strange, chilling statement: “I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life.” Whoa. What’s going on here?
This could be interpreted a few different ways, but the most likely meaning is that because they rejected God’s good laws, He allowed them to live by their own twisted rules and practices—ones that led to death, not life. God doesn’t force people to obey. Sometimes, the judgment is letting people have their own way.
Kinda scary when you think about it, right?
The Entry into the Promised Land—More Rebellion (Verses 27–29)
Now, the timeline jumps ahead to when they enter Canaan, the Promised Land. You’d think that after all the years in the wilderness, they’d finally be grateful and obedient. But nope.
They immediately defile the land with idolatry, sacrifice to false gods, and offer their children in fire. God says in verse 28 that they saw every high hill and leafy tree and basically said, “Ooh, let’s worship idols here!” It’s sad. It’s like spiritual insanity.
Verse 29 is a little sarcastic too—God asks them about “Bamah,” which means “high place.” He’s calling out their idol-worship culture. And guess what? Those high places remained for generations.
Present Day—Same Old Story (Verses 30–32)
So now God brings the story into the present time of Ezekiel. He says, “Are you defiling yourselves like your ancestors?” And the answer is, of course, yes. The people in Ezekiel’s day were still bowing to idols, still doing abominations, still resisting God.
And then they say something in verse 32 that really ticks God off: “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.”
That hits deep. They were basically saying, “We don’t want to be distinct. We don’t want to follow Yahweh. We just want to be like everyone else.”
Oof.
But God isn’t having it. He responds in verse 33 with something intense: “As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.”
That’s powerful. Like it or not, God will reign. Even in judgment, He’s still sovereign.
God’s Future Plan of Redemption (Verses 33–44)
This next part is where things take a hopeful turn.
Even though judgment is coming—and it's coming hard—God says He’s going to bring His people back, not just physically, but spiritually. He says He’s going to bring them into the “wilderness of the peoples,” which could refer to exile, scattering among nations. But there, He says He’ll plead His case with them face-to-face, like He did with their ancestors.
He says He’ll make them pass under the rod, which is shepherd language—like counting the sheep, separating the faithful from the unfaithful. The rebels and the transgressors? They won’t enter the land. But the faithful remnant? God will bring them back.
And verse 43... what a moment:
“There you shall remember your ways and all your deeds by which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed.”
That’s repentance. That’s when the heart truly changes. When you see your sin and it breaks you.
But wait—don’t miss verse 44. It’s the core of this chapter:
“You shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or corrupt deeds.”
There it is again—His name’s sake. God saves not because we’re good, but because He is good. This is grace, even in the Old Testament.
A Final Prophetic Parable (Verses 45–49)
And then, to wrap it up, Ezekiel gives a little symbolic prophecy in verses 45–49. He talks about a forest fire starting in the south—unstoppable, blazing, devouring. This fire is a picture of judgment, and it’s intense.
People might hear this and think, “Eh, Ezekiel’s just speaking in riddles again.” But the fire is real. Judgment is coming. And God means business.
So, What Do We Do With All This?
This chapter ain’t easy reading. But it’s powerful. Let’s break down what we can take away:
1. God Has a History With His People
God doesn’t deal with us randomly. He has a long memory, and He keeps track of how we respond to Him over time. He remembers every act of grace, every covenant, every rebellion. He’s not forgetful. He’s faithful. That history matters.
2. God’s Mercy Is Always Undeserved
Again and again, He says, “I acted for My name’s sake.” That’s the heartbeat of grace. God doesn’t save us because we earn it—He saves us because His character is unshakable. That truth should humble us and make us worship.
3. Rebellion Has Consequences
Let’s not sugarcoat this—God’s judgment is real. There’s fire. There’s wrath. And it’s holy. He’s not playing around. When we choose idols over Him, when we say “We’d rather be like the nations,” there are always consequences.
4. But... There’s Always Hope
Even in judgment, God says He’ll bring His people back. He’ll refine them, separate the faithful from the fake, and lead a remnant into restoration. That gives us hope, not just for Israel, but for us too. God doesn’t quit on His people.
5. God Wants Repentance That Comes From the Heart
Not fake religion. Not lip service. Real, gut-level repentance. The kind that makes you remember your sins and loathe them. Not because you’re stuck in shame—but because you finally see the beauty of holiness.
Wrapping It Up
Ezekiel chapter 20 is like this huge, sweeping story of failure... and mercy. Of rebellion... and redemption. It reminds us that God doesn’t change. His justice is fierce, but His grace is even deeper.
And honestly, it makes you wanna ask: what would your history with God look like if it were written out? Would it be full of back-and-forth? Would it be messy? Probably. But the beauty is, if you're in Christ, your story ends with redemption—not because you got it right, but because He did.
God says, “You will know that I am the Lord.” And when He says that, it means everything.
Don’t miss the fire. But also, don’t miss the mercy.
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