Ezekiel 20

27-29. The next period, namely, that which followed the settlement in Canaan: the fathers of the generation existing in Ezekiel's. time walked in the same steps of apostasy as the generation in the wilderness.
Yet in this--Not content with past rebellions, and not moved with gratitude for God's goodness, "yet in this," still further they rebelled.
blasphemed--"have insulted me" [CALVIN]. Even those who did not sacrifice to heathen gods have offered "their sacrifices" ( Ezekiel 20:28 ) in forbidden places.

28. provocation of their offering--an offering as it were purposely made to provoke God.
sweet savour--What ought to have been sweet became offensive by their corruptions. He specifies the various kinds of offerings, to show that in all alike they violated the law.

29. What is the high place whereunto ye go?--What is the meaning of this name? For My altar is not so called. What excellence do ye see in it, that ye go there, rather than to My temple, the only lawful place of sacrificing? The very name, "high place," convicts you of sinning, not from ignorance but perverse rebellion.
is called . . . unto this day--whereas this name ought to have been long since laid aside, along with the custom of sacrificing on high places which it represents, being borrowed from the heathen, who so called their places of sacrifice (the Greeks, for instance, called them by a cognate term, Bomoi), whereas I call mine Mizbeaach, "altar." The very name implies the place is not that sanctioned by Me, and therefore your sacrifices even to ME there (much more those you offer to idols) are only a "provocation" to Me ( Ezekiel 20:28 , Deuteronomy 12:1-5 ). David and others, it is true, sacrificed to God on high places, but it was under exceptional circumstances, and before the altar was set up on Mount Moriah.

30. The interrogation implies a strong affirmation, as in Ezekiel 20:4 , "Are ye not polluted . . . ? Do ye not commit?" &c. Or, connecting this verse with Ezekiel 20:31 , "Are ye thus polluted . . . and yet (do ye expect that) I shall be inquired of by you?"

31. through the fire--As "the fire" is omitted in Ezekiel 20:26 , FAIRBAIRN represents the generation here referred to (namely, that of Ezekiel's day) as attaining the climax of guilt fire, which that former generation did not. The reason, however, for the omission of "the fire" in Ezekiel 20:26 is, perhaps, that there it is implied the children only "passed through the fire" for purification, whereas here they are actually burnt to death before the idol; and therefore "the fire" is specified in the latter, not in the former case (compare 2 Kings 3:27 ).

32. We will be as the heathen--and so escape the odium to which we are exposed, of having a peculiar God and law of our own. "We shall live. on better terms with them by having a similar worship. Besides, we get from God nothing but threats and calamities, whereas the heathen, Chaldeans, &c., get riches and power from their idols." How literally God's words here ("that . . . shall not be at all") are fulfilled in the modern Jews! Though the Jews seemed so likely (had Ezekiel spoken as an uninspired man) to have blended with the rest of mankind and laid aside their distinctive peculiarities, as was their wish at that time, yet they have remained for eighteen centuries dispersed among all nations and without a home, but still distinct: a standing witness for the truth of the prophecy given so long ago.

33. Here begins the second division of the prophecy. Lest the covenant people should abandon their distinctive hopes and amalgamate with the surrounding heathen, He tells them that, as the wilderness journey from Egypt was made subservient to discipline and also to the taking from among them the rebellious, so a severe discipline (such as the Jews are now for long actually undergoing) should be administered to them during the next exodus for the same purpose ( Ezekiel 20:38 ), and so to prepare them for the restored possession of their land ( Hosea 2:14 Hosea 2:15 ). This was only partially fulfilled before, and at the return from Babylon: its full and final accomplishment is future.
with a mighty hand, . . . will I rule over you--I will assert My right over you in spite of your resistance ( Ezekiel 20:32 ), as a master would in the case of his slave, and I will not let you be wrested from Me, because of My regard to My covenant.

34. The Jews in exile might think themselves set free from the "rule" of God ( Ezekiel 20:33 ); therefore, He intimates, He will reassert His right over them by chastening judgments, and these, with an ultimate view, not to destroy, but to restore them.
people--rather, "peoples."

35. wilderness of the people--rather, "peoples," the various peoples among whom they were to be scattered, and about whom God saith ( Ezekiel 20:34 ), "I will bring you out." In contrast to the literal "wilderness of Egypt" ( Ezekiel 20:36 ), "the wilderness of the peoples" is their spiritual wilderness period of trial, discipline, and purification while exiled among the nations. As the state when they are "brought into the wilderness of the peoples" and that when they were among the peoples "from" which God was to "bring them out" ( Ezekiel 20:34 ) are distinguished, the wilderness state probably answers partially to the transition period of discipline from the first decree for their restoration by Cyrus to the time of their complete settlement in their land, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. But the full and final fulfilment is future; the wilderness state will comprise not only the transition period of their restoration, but the beginning of their occupancy of Palestine, a time in which they shall endure the sorest of all their chastisements, to "purge out the rebels" ( Ezekiel 20:38 , Daniel 12:1 ); and then the remnant ( Zechariah 13:8 Zechariah 13:9 , Zechariah 14:2 Zechariah 14:3 ) shall "all serve God in the land" ( Ezekiel 20:40 ). Thus the wilderness period does not denote locality, but their state intervening between their rejection and future restoration.
plead--bring the matter in debate between us to an issue. Image is from a plaintiff in a law court meeting the defendant "face to face." Appropriate, as God in His dealings acts not arbitrarily, but in most righteous justice ( Jeremiah 2:9 , Micah 6:2 ).

36. ( Numbers 14:21-29 ). Though God saved them out of Egypt, He afterwards destroyed in the wilderness them that believed not ( Jude 1:5 ); so, though He brought the exiles out of Babylon, yet their wilderness state of chastening discipline continued even after they were again in Canaan.

37. pass under the rod--metaphor from a shepherd who makes his sheep pass under his rod in counting them ( Leviticus 27:32 , Jeremiah 33:13 ). Whether you will or not, ye shall be counted as Mine, and so shall be subjected to My chastening discipline ( Micah 7:14 ), with a view to My ultimate saving of the chosen remnant (compare John 10:27-29 ).
bond of . . . covenant--I will constrain you by sore chastisements to submit yourselves to the covenant to which ye are lastingly bound, though now you have cast away God's bond from you. Fulfilled in part, Nehemiah 9:8 Nehemiah 9:26 Nehemiah 9:32-38 , 10:1-39 ; fully hereafter ( Isaiah 54:10-13 , Isaiah 52:1 Isaiah 52:2 ).

38. ( Zechariah 13:9 , 14:2 ).
purge out--or, "separate." Hebrew, barothi, forming a designed alliteration with "berith," the covenant; not a promise of grace, but a threat against those Jews who thought they could in exile escape the observation and "rule" of God.
land of Israel--Though brought out of the country of their sojourn or exile (Babylon formerly, and the various lands of their exile hereafter) into the literal land of Palestine, even it shall be to them an exile state, "they shall not enter into the land of Israel," that is, the spiritual state of restored favor of God to His covenant people, ,which shall only be given to the remnant to be saved ( Zechariah 13:8 Zechariah 13:9 ).

39. Equivalent to, "I would rather have you open idolaters than hypocrites, fancying you can worship Me and yet at the same time serve idols" ( Amos 5:21 Amos 5:22 Amos 5:25 Amos 5:26 ; compare 1 Kings 18:21 , 2 Kings 17:41 , Matthew 6:24 , Revelation 3:15 Revelation 3:16 ).
Go ye, serve--This is not a command to serve idols, but a judicial declaration of God's giving up of the half-idol, half-Jehovah worshippers to utter idolatry, if they will not serve Jehovah alone ( Psalms 81:12 , Revelation 22:11 ).
hereafter also--God anticipates the same apostasy afterwards, as now.

40. For--Though ye, the rebellious portion, withdraw from My worship, others, even the believing remnant, will succeed after you perish, and will serve Me purely.
in mine holy mountain--( Isaiah 2:2 Isaiah 2:3 ). Zion, or Moriah, "the height of Israel" (pre-eminent above all mountains because of the manifested presence of God there with Israel), as opposed to their "high places," the worship on which was an abomination to God.
all--not merely individuals, such as constitute the elect Church now; but the whole nation, to be followed by the conversion of the Gentile nations ( Isaiah 2:2 , "all nations;" Romans 11:26 , Revelation 11:15 ).
with--rather, "in all your holy things" [MAURER].

41. with--that is, in respect to your sweet savor (literally, "savor Or, I will accept you (your worship) "as a sweet savor" [MAURER], ( Ephesians 5:2 , Philippians 4:18 ). God first accepts the person in Messiah, then the offering ( Ezekiel 20:40 , Genesis 4:4 ).
bring . . . out from . . . people, &c.--the same words as in Ezekiel 20:34 ; but there applied to the bringing forth of the hypocrites, as well as the elect; here restricted to the saved remnant, who alone shall be at last restored literally and spiritually in the fullest sense.
sanctified in you before . . . heathen--( Jeremiah 33:9 ). All the nations will acknowledge My power displayed in restoring you, and so shall be led to seek Me ( Isaiah 66:18 , Zechariah 14:16-19 ).

43. there--not merely in exile when suffering punishment which makes even reprobates sorry for sin, but when received into favor in your own land.
remember--( Ezekiel 16:61 Ezekiel 16:63 ). The humiliation of Judah ( Nehemiah 9:1-38 ) is a type of the future penitence of the whole nation ( Hosea 5:15 , 6:1 , Zechariah 12:10-14 ). God's goodness realized by the sinner is the only thing that leads to true repentance ( Hosea 3:5 , Luke 7:37 Luke 7:38 ).

44. The English Version chapter ought to have ended here, and the twenty-first chapter begun with "Moreover," &c. as in the Hebrew Bible.
for my name's sake--( Ezekiel 36:22 ). Gratuitously; according to My compassion, not your merits. After having commented on this verse, CALVIN was laid on his death bed, and his commentary ended.

45-49. An introductory brief description in enigma of the destruction by fire and sword, detailed more explicitly in Ezekiel 21:1-32 .

46. south . . . south . . . south--three different Hebrew words, to express the certainty of the divine displeasure resting on the region specified. The third term is from a root meaning "dry," referring to the sun's heat in the south; representing the burning judgments of God on the southern parts of Judea, of which Jerusalem was the capital.
set thy face--determinately. The prophets used to turn themselves towards those who were to be the subjects of their prophecies.
drop--as the rain, which flows in a continuous stream, sometimes gently ( Deuteronomy 32:2 ), sometimes violently ( Amos 7:16 , Micah 2:6 , Margin), as here.
forest--the densely populated country of Judea; trees representing people.

47. fire--every kind of judgment ( Ezekiel 19:12 , 21:3 , "my sword"; Jeremiah 21:14 ).
green tree . . . dry--fit and unfit materials for fuel alike; "the righteous and the wicked," as explained in Ezekiel 21:3 Ezekiel 21:4 , Luke 23:31 . Unsparing universality of the judgment!
flaming flame--one continued and unextinguished flame. "The glowing flame" [FAIRBAIRN].
faces--persons; here the metaphor is merged in the reality.

49. Ezekiel complains that by this parabolic form of prophecy he only makes himself and it a jest to his countrymen. God therefore in Ezekiel 21:1-32 permits him to express the same prophecy more plainly.