Are ordinary people also to blame for a nation’s problems? Let’s look at Ezekiel 20.
Would God listen to rebellious and apostate leaders of the nation?
In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and sat before me. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “I will not be inquired of by you.”’ (Ezek 20:1-3 WEB)
What did God demand that each citizen of the land do?
Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God.
I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere. Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, for I am the Lord your God.’ (Ezek 20:4-7 NLT)
What sins did the people commit in the land of Egypt?
But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me. No one cast off their disgusting things or abandoned their Egyptian idols. So I declared that I would pour out my wrath on them and satisfy my anger against them in the land of Egypt. But I acted for my name’s sake, so that it wouldn’t be degraded in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, and in whose sight I made it known that I would lead them out of the land of Egypt. (Ezek 20:8-9 CEB)
Did Israel fare any better in obeying God once they were freed from Egyptian slavery?
So I brought them out and led them into the desert. I gave them my laws and teachings, so they would know how to live right. And I commanded them to respect the Sabbath as a way of showing that they were holy and belonged to me. But the Israelites rebelled against me in the desert. They refused to obey my laws and teachings, and they treated the Sabbath like any other day. Then in my anger, I decided to destroy the Israelites in the desert once and for all. (Ezek 20:10-13 CEV)
Did the people continue worshipping idols even though they were freed in the desert?
But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands, because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness. (Ezek 20:14-17 ESV)
What did God want to do with the people who rebelled against Him in the wilderness?
Then I said to their children in the wilderness: Don’t follow the statutes of your fathers, defile yourselves with their idols, or keep their ordinances. I am Yahweh your God. Follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Keep My Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between Me and you, so you may know that I am Yahweh your God.
But the children rebelled against Me. They did not follow My statutes or carefully keep My ordinances—the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them and exhausting My anger against them in the wilderness. (Ezek 20:18-21 HCSB)
What disgusting things did the people do that God decided to scatter them among the nations?
But I withdrew my decision so my reputation wouldn’t be tarnished among the nations before whose eyes I brought them out. Furthermore, I solemnly swore in the wilderness to disperse them among the nations and scatter them to other lands because they didn’t observe my ordinances. Instead, they rejected my statutes, profaned my Sabbaths, and worshipped their ancestors’ idols.
So I gave them statutes that weren’t good and ordinances by which they could not live. I made them unclean because of their offerings, so they made all their firstborn to pass through the fire, so that I could make them astonished. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.” (Ezek 20:22-26 ISV)
Did the people offer pagan sacrifices on every high hill to their idols?
Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name whereof is called Bamah unto this day. (Ezek 20:27-29 KJV)
Did the people want to be just like other nations instead of faithful to God?
Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Will you defile yourselves in the way of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? And 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 Lord Yahweh, “I will not be inquired of by you. And what comes upon your spirit will not happen, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the families of the lands, to minister to wood and stone.’ (Ezek 20:30-32 LSB)
Will there be another Exodus out of this world and another covenant?
“As I live,” declares the Lord God, “with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I assuredly shall be king over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are 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.
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 Lord God. “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; and I will purge from you the rebels and those who revolt against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they reside, but they will not enter the land of Israel. So you will know that I am the Lord. (Ezek 20:33-38 NASB)
What further does the Lord say to the people of Israel?
“‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, 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 and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations.
Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors. There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done. You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” (Ezek 20:39-44 NIV)
Did God prophesy against the southern kingdom of Judah, that her forests would be burned up? Are there many forests in southern Israel today? Did the people take this literally or excuse it as a parable or allegory?
Furthermore the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South, and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it. All flesh shall see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” ’ ” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! They say of me, ‘Does he not speak parables?’ ” (Ezek 20:45-49 NKJV)
Is this a warning for us today not to harden our hearts like them?
Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” (Heb 3:15 NLT)
Are ordinary people also to blame for a nation’s problems? You decide!
