September 2

Ezekiel 20-21(biblegateway.com)

A History of Rebellion and the Sword of Judgment

After addressing individual responsibility and lamenting Judah’s fallen leaders in chapters 18-19, Ezekiel 20-21 broadens the focus to Israel’s historical rebellion. In Ezekiel 20, God recounts Israel’s history of rebellion from their time in Egypt to the present exile. Despite His repeated deliverance, giving of statutes, and the Sabbath as a sign of covenant relationship, the people continually defied Him. In Ezekiel 21, the imagery shifts to a sharpened sword poised over the land, representing imminent judgment. The king of Babylon is depicted as an instrument of God’s wrath, carrying out His decreed punishment.

Ezekiel 20 - A History of Rebellion and the Call to Repentance

In Ezekiel 20, a group of elders comes to inquire of the Lord, but instead of giving them answers, God delivers through Ezekiel a sweeping review of Israel’s long history of rebellion. The prophet recounts generation after generation of disobedience, beginning in Egypt, through the wilderness, and even into the land, showing that the people consistently defied the Lord’s commands. Unlike other retellings of Israel’s story, this account deliberately omits figures like Moses or Joshua and avoids mentioning foreign nations that tempted Israel, emphasizing instead that their rebellion was wholly their own. Each generation is shown to suffer judgment for its own sins, yet God repeatedly restrains His wrath, not for their sake, but for the honor of His name among the nations.

In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord and sat before Ezekiel (v. 1). This dates the oracle to August 591 B.C., about a year after Ezekiel’s temple vision (see 8:1). Though the elders outwardly sought a word from God, the Lord immediately refused their request (v. 2-3). Their specific question is not recorded, but it must have been inappropriate, for God declared, “As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you” (v. 3). Their outward show of piety could not mask their deep rebellion. Already, the scene makes clear that God is not swayed by external gestures when the heart remains far from Him.

The Lord instructed Ezekiel to confront the elders with the sins of their ancestors (v. 4). The history lesson begins in Egypt, where God revealed Himself to Israel, chose them, and swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God (v. 5). God’s self-revelation, “I am the Lord your God” (v. 5), recalls His call to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:1-10), when He raised up a deliverer for His people. Ezekiel traces God’s choice of Israel back to Moses, not Abraham, because he emphasizes the point at which Israel became a nation. God’s covenant with Abraham began with a single man without an heir, and Jacob’s family entered Egypt as a small clan. By the time of Moses, however, Abraham’s descendants had multiplied into a nation, ready to be bound by covenant to the Lord.

God promised to deliver them from bondage in Egypt and bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands (v. 6). In return, He required their loyalty, that they turn from idols and serve Him alone. But they refused. They did not remove their vile images or forsake Egypt’s gods (v. 7). Their rebellion deserved immediate judgment (v. 8), yet God spared them, not because of their goodness, but because of His grace. For the sake of His name, and to uphold His reputation among the nations, He gave them deliverance instead of wrath (v. 9, 14, 22).

In the wilderness, God again poured out His grace. He gave Israel His statutes and ordinances, by which a person would live if they obeyed them (v. 10-11), and He set apart the Sabbath as a sign of their covenant relationship with Him (v. 12). This day of rest was not meant as a burden but as a gift, reminding them that the Lord who created them had also redeemed them. The Sabbath stood as a visible marker of their unique calling as God’s covenant people.

Yet instead of responding in gratitude, Israel rebelled. They rejected His laws, profaned His Sabbaths, and clung to idolatry (v. 13). Like in Egypt, God declared His intent to pour out wrath on them. But again, for the sake of His name, that His reputation among the nations would not be dishonored. He spared them (v. 13-14). Even so, He judged their rebellion by swearing that those who sinned would not enter the land He had promised, a reality fulfilled when the first generation perished in the wilderness (v. 15-16).

Even to their children, God gave commands, instructing them not to follow in the sinful ways of their fathers but to keep His statutes and honor His Sabbaths (v. 18–20). Yet the next generation also rebelled, prompting God to threaten judgment again (v. 21). For the sake of His name, however, He withheld full destruction, warning instead that He would scatter them among the nations (v. 22-23).

The final phase in this historical review of Israel's rebellion includes a passage notoriously difficult to understand. Although the giving of laws in verse 11 held out the possibility of life, in verse 25, God asserts that he gave Israel statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life. God allowed Israel to follow “statutes that were not good” (v. 25), not because His Law was flawed, but because the people had perverted it by adopting pagan customs and misusing God’s commands. In particular, they twisted the dedication of firstborns into child sacrifice (v. 26). Evidently, the Jews had taken Exodus 13:12 and 22:29, the dedication of firstborn animals and children, as a justification for child sacrifice to the Canaanite god Molek.

Even after entering the Promised Land, God’s people defiled it by offering sacrifices “on every high hill and under every leafy tree” (v. 28), following the idolatrous practices of the surrounding nations. Their persistent disobedience not only led to personal sin but also defiled the land God had given them (v. 29). When they came to inquire of the Lord, He refused to answer, for they had determined to follow the customs of the nations rather than obey Him (v. 30-32). This passage emphasizes that true worship must honor God alone, and that imitating the practices of surrounding nations brings both spiritual corruption and communal consequences.

Overall, these beginning verses recount Israel’s persistent unfaithfulness across three generations, highlighting a recurring pattern of rebellion and divine discipline. The first generation experienced the exodus from Egypt, the second wandered in the wilderness, and the third grew up after that. Each received God’s statutes, especially the Sabbath, a sign of His deliverance and covenant relationship, yet each generation rebelled, profaning His Sabbaths and violating His commands.

Consequently, the Lord allowed them to experience the devastating effects of their sin. By the third generation, He even permitted them to follow “statutes that were not good,” resulting in the horrific practice of offering firstborn children to Molek. This was the opposite of the purpose of the exodus, which had delivered Israel, God’s firstborn, from Egypt to worship Him purely in the Promised Land.

The wilderness history teaches enduring theological truths: God’s mercy is rooted in His own faithfulness, not in human merit; His laws and Sabbaths are life-giving and meant to cultivate obedience and devotion; and rebellion brings real consequences. Even in discipline, however, God may be drawing His people back to Himself, and His mercy remains a refuge for those who turn to Him. This history challenges us to examine our own hearts: are we obeying God, or repeating the sins of our forebears? Neglecting His revelation risks destructive consequences, but repentance opens the way to restoration and life.

Having recounted Israel’s long history of rebellion, God now shifts the focus to the future, promising restoration despite their persistent desire to imitate idolatrous nations. Though they sought to turn from Him, God declares that their plan “will never happen” (v. 32); He will remain their God, exercising His sovereign power with a mighty hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath (v. 33). Verse 32 acts as a pivot between the history of rebellion laid out in the preceding passages (v. 1-31) and the future restoration that follows (v. 32-44).

Amid the judgment, there is a future hope. God declares that with mighty power He will reign over His people (v. 33). He will bring them out from the nations and gather them, just as He once did from Egypt (v. 34). But this new exodus will also involve discipline: He will bring them into the “wilderness of the peoples” and enter into judgment with them face to face (v. 35-36). Just as He purged the rebels in the wilderness of Sinai, He will purge the rebels again and only bring the faithful remnant into the land of promise (v. 37-38).

One day, His people will no longer defile themselves with idols and abominations but will serve Him alone on His holy mountain, and there He will accept their offerings and worship (v. 39-40). The nations will see that the Lord has gathered His people, sanctified them, and restored them in mercy (v. 41-42). Israel will remember their past sins and loathe themselves for their unfaithfulness when they see the greatness of God’s mercy (v. 43). The chapter closes with this certainty: “You shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways” (v. 44).

The short message in verses 45-49 introduces the first of three messages of judgment against Jerusalem that will be presented in chapter 21: (1) the sword of the Lord (21:1-7), (2) the sharpened sword (21:8-17), and (3) the sword of Nebuchadnezzar (21:18-22). According to Jewish law, defiled objects were to be passed through fire in order to purify them. God’s judgment is designed to purify, and destruction is often a necessary part of that process.

In this brief parable (Ezek. 20:45-49), God commands Ezekiel to turn his face toward the south, the Negev, and to prophesy against the “forest land,” symbolizing the comprehensive scope of God’s coming judgment on the southern territories of Judah and its surrounding lands (v. 46-48). Though the people observed Ezekiel’s actions, they failed to grasp the meaning, perceiving only parables and riddles rather than the direct warning behind them (v. 49). This underscores the spiritual blindness of the people: they could see the prophet’s symbolic acts but could not discern God’s message of accountability and impending judgment.

Ezekiel 20 confronts us with the reality of Israel’s persistent rebellion, revealing that sin has consequences. No generation is exempt, and outward ritual or heritage cannot mask a hardened heart. God’s repeated warnings and restrained wrath were not due to Israel’s merit but His covenant faithfulness and the protection of His holy name. Their continual profaning of the Sabbaths, idolatry, and even perversion of sacred laws, culminating in offering their firstborn to Molek, expose the depth of human pride and stubbornness.

The theological truth is clear: God is sovereign, holy, and just, and He will not allow rebellion to go unchecked. Mercy is extended, but persistent sin provokes judgment. For His people, the law and the Sabbath were given to cultivate life, obedience, and communion with Him, yet Israel repeatedly despised these gifts.

Like Israel, we can cling to religious traditions or Christian identity while harboring idolatry, pride, or compromise. God’s patience should not be mistaken for approval. His mercy delays judgment, but it does not erase it. The Sabbath was meant to remind Israel of covenant loyalty, yet they treated it lightly. In the same way, we are tempted to treat worship, prayer, and Scripture casually, as if they were optional.

The challenge for us today is to examine our hearts honestly: Are we profaning God’s name through hidden rebellion while pretending devotion? Will we let His past mercies lead us to repentance, or will we test His patience until judgment comes? God calls us to wholehearted obedience, to honor Him not only in words but in every part of life. Anything less is rebellion.

Ezekiel 21 - The Sword of the Lord

Ezekiel 21 introduces three messages of judgment against Jerusalem: (1) the sword of the Lord (21:1-7), (2) the sharpened sword (21:8-17), and (3) the sword of Nebuchadnezzar (21:18-22). The city’s destruction is likened to purification by fire, reflecting God’s righteous judgment against defilement.

The word of the Lord came again to Ezekiel, telling him to set his face toward Jerusalem, prophesy against the sanctuary, and speak against the land of Israel (v. 1-2). God’s judgment would not spare even the holy places, because sin had defiled them. The Lord declared He was against the land, and His sword would be drawn from its sheath, cutting off both the righteous and the wicked (v. 3).

God’s sword would not return to its sheath but would go forth against all flesh from south to north (v. 4-5). The whole land would know that the Lord Himself had unsheathed the sword, and He would not relent. Ezekiel was commanded to groan with bitterness before the people (v. 6), not only to proclaim the message but to embody it in anguish, so that when the people asked why he was groaning, he could tell them it was because of the coming news of destruction, when hearts would melt, hands would hang limp, spirits would faint, and knees would be weak when God’s sword fell (v. 7). This reminds us that God’s judgment is not light or abstract but devastating and terrifying.

The Lord instructed Ezekiel to prophesy further, describing the sword as sharpened and polished, prepared to make a dreadful slaughter, flashing like lightning (v. 8-10). Ezekiel was to cry out and wail because the sword was against his people and the rulers of Israel (v. 11-12). He was to clap his hands in prophetic sign, for the sword would strike three times and bring great slaughter (v. 13-17). This repetition emphasizes the completeness and certainty of judgment. The sword of the Lord was directed especially against Jerusalem.

Ezekiel’s third message on the sword illustrated God directing the Babylonian sword against Jerusalem. Through symbolic actions, Ezekiel portrayed God supernaturally guiding Nebuchadnezzar to overthrow the city. God commanded him to mark two roads for the king of Babylon’s sword, both originating from one land, one leading to Rabbah, the Ammonite capital, and the other to Judah and fortified Jerusalem (v. 18–20).

In 588 B.C., Jerusalem had joined Tyre and Ammon in rebelling against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar advanced from Babylon along the Euphrates to Riblah, north of Damascus, where he had to choose which city to attack first. Tyre, being heavily fortified, was the most difficult target, leaving Jerusalem (via the coastal highway) or Ammon/Rabbah (via the Transjordan highway) as his options.

To determine his course, Nebuchadnezzar employed three divination methods: casting lots, consulting idols, and examining the livers of sacrificed animals (v. 21). By God’s providence, the lot fell on Jerusalem (v. 22). Although the people of Jerusalem would dismiss these omens as false divination, God ensured that the outcome would occur because of their guilt before Him (v. 23).

God then pronounced judgment on the people (v. 24) and on the prince (v. 25-27). Because of their persistent rebellion, the inhabitants of Jerusalem would be taken into captivity. The prince of Israel, Zedekiah, was singled out as profane and wicked, and his day of reckoning had come (v. 24-25). For violating his oath of allegiance to Babylon, he would be deposed and stripped of authority. The Lord declared that the turban would be removed and the crown taken off; what was exalted would be brought low, and what was low would be exalted (v. 26). God proclaimed: “A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him” (v. 27). This points forward to God’s ultimate King, the Messiah, to whom true and everlasting kingship belongs.

The prophecy then turned against the Ammonites (v. 28-29), who believed they had escaped Nebuchadnezzar’s attack (cf. v. 20-22). Although Ammon and Jerusalem had long been enemies, they had allied against Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar decided to attack Jerusalem, the Ammonites were relieved and rejoiced, believing that Jerusalem would suffer in their place. However, the sword that had been prepared for Jerusalem (v. 9, 11) would also strike Ammon. In God’s wrath, He would deliver Ammon into the hands of ruthless men skilled in destruction (v. 31). These invaders are identified in Ezekiel 25:4 as the “people of the East,” likely referring to nomadic raiders. The same consuming fire of judgment that devastated Judah (cf. 20:45–49) would also engulf Ammon (v. 32).

Ezekiel 21 presents God’s drawn sword, a vivid symbol of His unstoppable judgment. The imagery of a sharpened, polished, and unsheathed sword underscores the certainty of His righteous action. The chapter exposes the futility of human kingship apart from God: Zedekiah would lose his crown, Babylon would serve as God’s instrument, and the Ammonites would fall in shame. Yet amid this judgment, verse 27 points forward to ultimate authority resting with the coming Messiah, the righteous King who bore the sword of judgment on our behalf at the cross. This passage challenges us to take God’s holiness seriously: do we live as though His sword is ready against all rebellion, or do we dismiss His warnings as the people of Jerusalem did? The call is to repentance, humility, and faith in Christ, the only refuge from God’s judgment.

Conclusion

Ezekiel 20-21 lays bare the persistent rebellion of Israel, generation after generation rejecting God’s statutes, profaning His Sabbaths, and chasing the idolatry of the nations around them. God’s words are clear: your sin has consequences, and your rebellion cannot be hidden or excused. You may cling to outward rituals or heritage, but God is not impressed by mere appearances; He sees the heart. Those who persist in sin cannot escape His righteous judgment, whether in exile, through foreign powers, or in the destruction that falls on the unrepentant.

The truth is that God’s actions are both just and purposeful. He raises up nations like Babylon to carry out His decree and wields the sword against leaders who trust in their own power rather than in Him. Zedekiah’s crown will be taken, and Jerusalem will fall because of defilement and rebellion. Yet amid this devastation, God promises restoration and ultimate authority to the Messiah, showing that His judgment is not arbitrary but redemptive, aimed at exposing sin and drawing His people back to Himself.

The rebuke is direct and piercing: do not presume upon God’s mercy. Your heritage, traditions, and even religious observances cannot shield you from the consequences of sin. The lessons of Ezekiel 20–21 call for immediate self-examination and repentance. Live not as if God’s judgment can be ignored; acknowledge His holiness, obey His commands, and place your trust in Christ, the true King and only refuge from the righteous wrath of God.