Ezekiel 20:21-25

We cannot ignore Gods’ presence in our lives and expect His guidance. He will allow us to fail so that we, in repentance, can be changed by the power of Holy Spirit!

God is worthy of all glory. He will not allow us our idols of money, power and control over Him. 

Only for His names sake are we saved.

Our praise, our obedience, is in thankfulness for His enduring love and patience. The salvation in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sanctification process through Holy Spirit are His gifts offered freely. He gave everything to save all who accept Him.

Ezekiel 20:21-25

21 “Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, 24 because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.

25 “Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; 26 and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the Lord.” ’

The laws and rules were deemed not good in that the people were unable to meet the standard they set. The people’s failure placed them under the condemnation of the law rather than the blessings of the covenant. The verse expresses the people’s experience of the law and the crisis of judgment present in their lives. Faithlife Bible.

God commands that His Sabbaths be continually maintained by His people as sacred—distinct and separate from all ordinary days. NKJ Bible.

Numbers 25:2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

Ezekiel 6:9 Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations.