Ezekiel 20:1-44
Dear RTB’ers,
Our STS companion book divides the chapter nicely into three parts – the Israelites in Egypt, then in the wilderness, then in Canaan. My Study Bible further divides the wilderness experience into two parts – the first generation that came out of Egypt and then their children. Those notes make the chapter easier to read.
Three times the Lord notes that He will not be profaned among the nations (Ez. 20:9, 14, 22), together with a fourth mention of His concern for His reputation: And I will manifest My holiness among you in the sight of the nations. (v. 41b) We had seen back in Exodus that Moses had prayed to the Lord to spare His people after the Golden Calf incident: Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘With evil motives He brought them out, to kill them on the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and relent of doing harm to Your people. … So the LORD relented of the harm which He said He would do to His people. (Exodus 32:11-14) I had not thought much about God’s concern for His reputation. If I am understanding this correctly, then everything that I (we) do reflects upon my (our) God. People see my (our) behaviors and reflect their opinions forward, casting their positive and negative judgments onto my (our) Savior. More reinforcement for me (us) to serve Him faithfully…!
Blessings.
See also: July 31 (2023) / Ezekiel 20:1-21:17.