I WILL REIGN OVER YOU

Passage: Ezekiel 20:27-49

Key verse: 44

NIV

27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors(A) blasphemed(B) me by being unfaithful to me:(C) 28 When I brought them into the land(D) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.(E) 29 Then I said to them: What is this high place(F) you go to?’” (It is called Bamah[a] to this day.)

Rebellious Israel Renewed

30 “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves(G) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?(H) 31 When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children(I) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.(J)

32 “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. 33 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm(K) and with outpoured wrath.(L) 34 I will bring you from the nations(M) and gather(N) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand(O) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.(P) 35 I will bring you into the wilderness(Q) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment(R) upon you. 36 As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.(S) 37 I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,(T) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.(U) 38 I will purge(V) you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(W)

39 “‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols,(X) every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name(Y) with your gifts and idols.(Z) 40 For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,(AA) declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings(AB) and your choice gifts,[b] along with all your holy sacrifices.(AC) 41 I will accept you as fragrant incense(AD) when I bring you out from the nations and gather(AE) you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy(AF) through you in the sight of the nations.(AG) 42 Then you will know that I am the Lord,(AH) when I bring you into the land of Israel,(AI) the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.(AJ) 43 There you will remember your conduct(AK) and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves(AL) for all the evil you have done.(AM) 44 You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake(AN) and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AO)’”

Prophecy Against the South

45 The word of the Lord came to me: 46 “Son of man, set your face toward(AP) the south; preach against the south and prophesy against(AQ) the forest of the southland.(AR) 47 Say to the southern forest:(AS) ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume(AT) all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north(AU) will be scorched by it.(AV) 48 Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.(AW)’”

49 Then I said, “Sovereign Lord,(AX) they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?(AY)’”[c]

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Ezekiel 20:29 Bamah means high place.
  2. Ezekiel 20:40 Or and the gifts of your firstfruits
  3. Ezekiel 20:49 In Hebrew texts 20:45-49 is numbered 21:1-5.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

27 “Therefore, (A)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 (B)dealing treacherously with me. 28 For when I had brought them into the land that (C)I swore to give them, then wherever they saw (D)any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented (E)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, (F)‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah[a] to this day.)

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

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

The Lord Will Restore Israel

33 (O)“As I live, declares the Lord God, (P)surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and (Q)with wrath poured out I will be king over you. 34 (R)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 (S)And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, (T)and there I will enter into judgment with you (U)face to face. 36 (V)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 (W)pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 (X)I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. (Y)I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, (Z)but they shall not enter the land of Israel. (AA)Then you will know that I am the Lord.

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

40 (AD)“For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there (AE)all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. (AF)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 (AG)I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And (AH)I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 42 (AI)And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that (AJ)I swore to give to your fathers. 43 (AK)And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, (AL)and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. 44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, (AM)when I deal with you for my name's sake, (AN)not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”

45 [c] And the word of the Lord came to me: 46 (AO)“Son of man, (AP)set your face toward the southland;[d] (AQ)preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. 47 Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, (AR)I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every (AS)green tree in you and every (AT)dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and (AU)all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. 48 (AV)All flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” 49 Then I said, (AW)“Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, (AX)‘Is he not a maker of parables?’”

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Ezekiel 20:29 Bamah means high place
  2. Ezekiel 20:31 Hebrew and make your children pass through the fire
  3. Ezekiel 20:45 Ch 21:1 in Hebrew
  4. Ezekiel 20:46 Or toward Teman
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Ezekiel continued with God’s message to the exiled elders of Israel. Even after receiving God’s blessing of the promised land, Israel had continually aroused the Lord’s anger through their idolatry (28). As a result, God severely judged his people. But even this was done with redemptive purpose. God loved Israel too much to let them become like the other idolatrous nations (32). God would be his people’s ruler for their good, even though it was painful (33). By disciplining them, God would bring them into a covenant relationship with himself (37).

It is wonderful that God is able to cure his people of their idolatry by his discipline. After God did this for Israel, he would restore them from the nations where they were scattered and accept their worship (41). They would finally realize the ugliness of their sin (43). They would understand that they did not get what they deserved, but that God had sanctified them to reveal his glory (44).

Maybe God used some hardship in our own lives to bring us to repentance and faith in Jesus. Now, it is our responsibility to bear the fruit of repentance. We can do so when we know God is faithful to sanctify us and use us for his glory (1Th 5:23-24).

Prayer: Father, thank you for ruling over me for my good, even when I need the rod of discipline.

One Word: God rules for our good