God removing idols in the exile Ezekiel 20:30-39 God removing idols in the exile Baal worship

A. The call of Ezekiel to be God’s prophet. Chap. 1-3 Outline of Ezekiel A. The call of Ezekiel to be God’s prophet. Chap. 1-3 B. Prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem.Chap. 4-24 The certainty of God’s judgment on Jerusalem. Chap. 4-7 The departure of God and the corrupt monarchy. 8-19 Prophecies on the inevitable fall of Judah. Chap. 20-24 C. Prophecies on the foreign nations. Chap. 25-32 D. Prophecies and Visions of future conflicts and the restoration. Chap. 33-39 Chapter 33: Ezekiel’s recommission to change Israel’s ways after Jerusalem’s fall Chapter 34: The salvation and final restoration of God’s flock Israel Chapter 35: A prophecy against Mount Seir during the end time. (Bozra) Chapter 36: The renewal and restoration of Israel and the land. Chapter 37: The spiritual, national and political restoration of Israel. Chapter 38: Israel’s invasion by Gog of Magog. Chapter 39: The devastating judgment in the destruction of Gog. E: The Millennial Temple in a restored Israel. Chap. 40-48

Outline of Ezekiel A. The call of Ezekiel to be God’s prophet. Chap. 1-3 2:3"Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people B. Prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem. The certainty of God’s judgment on Jerusalem. Chap. 4-7 Prophecies on the inevitable fall of Judah. Chap. 20-24 Chapter 20: Reviewing Judah’s history of rebellion. Chapter 21: Prophesying the destruction of Judah by the Babylonians. Chapter 22: Last indictments and declaration of judgment before Jerusalem’s fall. Chapter 23: Parable of the two sisters - the sin of lusting after foreign powers. Chapter 24: Final prophecies on the certain fall of Jerusalem. C. Prophecies on the foreign nations. Chap. 25-32 D. Prophecies and Visions of future conflicts and the restoration. E: The Millennial Temple in a restored Israel. Chap. 40-48 It is related to his first calling

Ezekiel 20 – 4 years before Jerusalem’s fall 1 Now in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire (darash) of the LORD, and sat before me. 5-9: Egypt – v8 idols of Egypt 10-17: In the wilderness – v16 heart continually after idols 18-24: In the wilderness – their children v24 eyes on idols of fathers 25-29: In the promised land – human sacrifice and high places Ezekiel 14: 1 Then some elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. 2 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? 1 有幾個以色列長老到我這裡來、坐在我面前。 2 耶和華的話就臨到我說、 3 人子阿、這些人已將他們的假神接到心裡、把陷於罪的絆腳石放在面前、我豈能絲毫被他們求問麼。

30 所以你要對以色列家說、主耶和華如此說、你們仍照你們列祖所行的玷污自己麼．仍照他們可憎的事行邪淫麼。 Ezekiel 20 – Call to address the elders: 30 "Therefore, say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? 31 "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 (darash as v3) of by you, O house of Israel? As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you. 30 所以你要對以色列家說、主耶和華如此說、你們仍照你們列祖所行的玷污自己麼．仍照他們可憎的事行邪淫麼。 31 你們奉上供物使你們兒子經火的時候、仍將一切偶像玷污自己、直到今日麼．以色列家阿、我豈被你們求問麼．主耶和華說、我指著我的永生起誓、我必不被你們求問。

32 你們說、我們要像外邦人、和列國的宗族一樣、去事奉木頭與石頭．你們所起的這心意、萬不能成就。 Ezekiel 20 – God will deal with their idols 32 "What comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: 'We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.' 33 "As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. 34 "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; 35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 "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. 32 你們說、我們要像外邦人、和列國的宗族一樣、去事奉木頭與石頭．你們所起的這心意、萬不能成就。 33 主耶和華說、我指著我的永生起誓、我總要作王、用大能的手、和伸出來的膀臂、並傾出來的忿怒治理你們。 34 我必用大能的手、和伸出來的膀臂、並傾出來的忿怒、將你們從萬民中領出來、從分散的列國內聚集你們。 35 我必帶你們到外邦人的曠野、在那裡當面刑罰你們。 36 我怎樣在埃及地的曠野刑罰你們的列祖,也必照樣刑罰你們.這是主耶和華說的.

耶和華對撒母耳說、百姓向你說的一切話、你只管依從、因為他們不是厭棄你、乃是厭棄我、不要我作他們的王。 God do sees Himself as King over Israel 1 Samuel 8:7 The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 耶和華對撒母耳說、百姓向你說的一切話、你只管依從、因為他們不是厭棄你、乃是厭棄我、不要我作他們的王。

32 你們說、我們要像外邦人、和列國的宗族一樣、去事奉木頭與石頭．你們所起的這心意、萬不能成就。 Ezekiel 20 – God will deal with their idols 32 "What comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: 'We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.' 33 "As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. 34 "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; 35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 "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. 32 你們說、我們要像外邦人、和列國的宗族一樣、去事奉木頭與石頭．你們所起的這心意、萬不能成就。 33 主耶和華說、我指著我的永生起誓、我總要作王、用大能的手、和伸出來的膀臂、並傾出來的忿怒治理你們。 34 我必用大能的手、和伸出來的膀臂、並傾出來的忿怒、將你們從萬民中領出來、從分散的列國內聚集你們。 35 我必帶你們到外邦人的曠野、在那裡當面刑罰你們。 36 我怎樣在埃及地的曠野刑罰你們的列祖,也必照樣刑罰你們.這是主耶和華說的. No mention of nations of the land of Egypt suggesting it is under domination

Face to face judgment has yet to happen to Israel? Metaphors in Ezekiel 20 NB: many metaphors use in the chapter – v6, 15: flowing with milk and honey. V17: my eye spare them. V22 withdrew my hand. V25 direct giving statutes not good (interpretation not good is meaning) V28 every high hill v30 play the harlot v32 serving wood and stone - all these examples suggest that face to face in v35 may also be metaphorical?

38 我必從你們中間除淨叛逆和得罪我的人、將他們從所寄居的地方領出來, 他們卻不得入以色列地．你們就知道我是耶和華。 Ezekiel 20 – Sorting method – as in Egypt. 37 "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38 and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the LORD. 37 我必使你們從杖下經過、使你們被約拘束． 38 我必從你們中間除淨叛逆和得罪我的人、將他們從所寄居的地方領出來, 他們卻不得入以色列地．你們就知道我是耶和華。 Leviticus 27:32 – A sorting method 'For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. 凡牛群羊群中, 一切從杖下經過的、每第十隻要歸給耶和華為聖。

以色列家阿、至於你們、主耶和華如此說、從此以後若不聽從我、就任憑你們去事奉偶像、只是不可再因你們的供物和偶像褻瀆我的聖名。 Ezekiel 20:39 – Final declaration to the elders: "As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD, "Go, serve everyone his idols; but later you will surely listen to Me, and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols. 以色列家阿、至於你們、主耶和華如此說、從此以後若不聽從我、就任憑你們去事奉偶像、只是不可再因你們的供物和偶像褻瀆我的聖名。

41 我從萬民中領你們出來、從分散的列國內聚集你們、那時我必悅納你們好像馨香之祭、要在外邦人眼前在你們身上顯為聖。 Ezekiel 20 – Ultimate restoration 40 "For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel," declares the Lord GOD, "there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land; there I will accept them and there I will seek your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your holy things. 41 "As a soothing aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered; and I will prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations. 42 "And you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your forefathers. 43 "There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil things that you have done. [so it is not the present] 44 "Then you will know that I am the LORD when I have dealt with you for My name's sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel," declares the Lord GOD.'“ 40 主耶和華說、在我的聖山、就是以色列高處的山、所有以色列的全家、都要事奉我、我要在那裡悅納你們、向你們要供物、和初熟的土產、並一切的聖物。 41 我從萬民中領你們出來、從分散的列國內聚集你們、那時我必悅納你們好像馨香之祭、要在外邦人眼前在你們身上顯為聖。 42 我領你們進入以色列地、就是我起誓應許賜給你們列祖之地、那時你們就知道我是耶和華。 43 你們在那裡要追念玷污自己的行動作為、又要因所作的一切惡事厭惡自己。 44 主耶和華說、以色列家阿、我為我名的緣故、不照著你們的惡行、和你們的壞事待你們．你們就知道我是耶和華。

所以你要發預言、對他們說、主耶和華如此說、我的民哪、我必開你們的墳墓、使你們從墳墓中出來、領你們進入以色列地。 Ezekiel 37:12 "Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 所以你要發預言、對他們說、主耶和華如此說、我的民哪、我必開你們的墳墓、使你們從墳墓中出來、領你們進入以色列地。

Why Ezekiel 20-30-39 is fulfilled: When the exiles returned, there was no more idols. When Jesus came – idols was not a problem. V39 suggest that these very elders will be involve in this process. The selection in v37 by the rod has already occurred. In v38, rebels are just not allowed to enter the land and not eternal punishment. They are bought to the wilderness of the people – as in Egypt and so it is the exile. v38 the people are bought from where they sojourned which is what really happened. Then only the most devout return – Josephus says “many of them stay at Babylon, as not willing to leave their possessions.” Only 42,360 Ez 1:64, return (about 5-10%) – indeed a selection process.

Then what about Ezekiel’s first call……. Then He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. 他對我說：“人子啊！我差派你到以色列人那裡去，就是到那背叛我的叛逆國民那裡去！他們和他們的列祖都得罪了我，直到今日。 From the Prophecy 1-p: If v30-39 are on events of testing in the Millennium after Christ return, it does not fit well with Ezekiel’s first commission of rebuking sins that are in Jerusalem before the fall, especially when idols already disappear after the first exile.

Thank you and Praise The Lord 謝謝，讚美主