Ezekiel 20:26 Study Bible: and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that opens the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD."'

◄ Ezekiel 20:26 ►

And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts--the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire--so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.

Study Bible

And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—
This phrase refers to the Israelites' practice of offering gifts that were not acceptable to God, specifically those that involved idolatrous practices. In the context of Ezekiel, the Israelites had adopted pagan customs, including the worship of foreign gods, which often involved rituals that were detestable to the Lord. The term "unclean" signifies a state of impurity that separates the people from God, as seen in Leviticus 11:44-45, where God calls His people to be holy and separate from the practices of surrounding nations. The gifts mentioned here are not just physical offerings but represent the people's hearts and intentions, which had strayed from God's commandments.

the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—
This phrase highlights the horrific practice of child sacrifice, which was prevalent among some of the pagan cultures surrounding Israel, such as the worship of Molech. This practice is explicitly condemned in Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31. The sacrifice of the firstborn was a perversion of the concept of dedicating the firstborn to God, as seen in Exodus 13:2, where God commands the consecration of the firstborn to Him. Instead of dedicating their children to the Lord in a manner consistent with His laws, the Israelites were engaging in abominable practices that defiled them and provoked God's wrath.

so that I might devastate them,
This phrase indicates the consequence of the Israelites' disobedience and idolatry. God's judgment is portrayed as a means of devastation, which serves as a corrective measure. The devastation is not merely punitive but is intended to bring the people to a realization of their sin and the seriousness of turning away from God. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of God's discipline as a form of love and correction, as seen in Hebrews 12:6, where the Lord disciplines those He loves.

in order that they would know that I am the LORD.
The ultimate purpose of God's actions, including His judgments, is to bring His people to the knowledge of Him as the one true God. This phrase underscores the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where knowing the Lord is central to their identity and purpose. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, this refrain is repeated to emphasize that God's actions, whether in blessing or judgment, are designed to reveal His character and sovereignty. This knowledge is not merely intellectual but relational, calling the people to repentance and renewed faithfulness. The phrase also points forward to the New Covenant, where knowing the Lord is a promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ, as seen in Jeremiah 31:34 and John 17:3.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites.

2. Israelites
The people of God who were in rebellion and idolatry, leading to their exile.

3. Babylonian Exile
The period when the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon as a consequence of their disobedience.

4. Sacrifice of the Firstborn
A practice that had become corrupted among the Israelites, leading to God's judgment.

5. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who desires His people to know Him and follow His commandments.

Teaching Points

Understanding God's Judgment
God's pronouncement of uncleanness is a form of judgment meant to bring awareness of sin and lead to repentance.

The Consequences of Idolatry
Idolatry leads to moral and spiritual corruption, distancing people from God.

God's Desire for Relationship
Despite judgment, God's ultimate goal is for His people to know Him and return to a right relationship with Him.

The Importance of Obedience
Obedience to God's commands is crucial to maintaining a covenant relationship with Him.

Learning from the Past
Reflecting on Israel's history helps us understand the importance of faithfulness and the dangers of straying from God's ways.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Ezekiel 20:26 illustrate the seriousness of idolatry and its consequences?

2. In what ways can we see parallels between the Israelites' practices and modern-day idolatry?

3. How does understanding the historical context of the Babylonian exile enhance our interpretation of this verse?

4. What steps can we take to ensure that our worship remains pure and aligned with God's commands?

5. How can we apply the lessons from Ezekiel 20:26 to strengthen our relationship with God today?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Leviticus 18:21
This verse warns against sacrificing children to Molech, highlighting the abominable practices that Israel fell into.

Deuteronomy 12:31
God explicitly commands against adopting the detestable practices of the nations, including child sacrifice.

Jeremiah 7:31
Jeremiah condemns the practice of child sacrifice in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, showing the extent of Israel's apostasy.

Romans 1:24-25
Paul speaks of God giving people over to their sinful desires as a form of judgment, similar to what is described in Ezekiel 20:26.

Sermons

Unacceptable Prayer	J.D. Davies	Ezekiel 20:1-32
God, and Israel in the Wilderness	W. Jones	Ezekiel 20:10-26
The Memory of the Wilderness of the Wanderings	J.R. Thomson	Ezekiel 20:18-26

People

Ezekiel, Israelites, Jacob, Teman

Places

Babylon, Bamah, Egypt, Negeb

Topics

Apart, Caused, Causing, Child, Defile, Defiled, Desolate, Destroy, Devoted, Fill, Fire, Firstborn, First-born, Gifts, Horrify, Horror, Making, Offer, Offerings, Opened, Opener, Openeth, Opens, Order, Pass, Polluted, Pronounced, Sacrifice, Unclean, Womb

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Ezekiel 20:26

5688 firstborn
7332 child sacrifice

Ezekiel 20:1-44

Library

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be Moral.
1. Because all the reasons of this commandment are moral and perpetual; and God has bound us to the obedience of this commandment with more forcible reasons than to any of the rest--First, because he foresaw that irreligious men would either more carelessly neglect, or more boldly break this commandment than any other; secondly, because that in the practice of this commandment the keeping of all the other consists; which makes God so often complain that all his worship is neglected or overthrown, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Manner of Covenanting.
Previous to an examination of the manner of engaging in the exercise of Covenanting, the consideration of God's procedure towards his people while performing the service seems to claim regard. Of the manner in which the great Supreme as God acts, as well as of Himself, our knowledge is limited. Yet though even of the effects on creatures of His doings we know little, we have reason to rejoice that, in His word He has informed us, and in His providence illustrated by that word, he has given us to …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Tithing
There are few subjects on which the Lord's own people are more astray than on the subject of giving. They profess to take the Bible as their own rule of faith and practice, and yet in the matter of Christian finance, the vast majority have utterly ignored its plain teachings and have tried every substitute the carnal mind could devise; therefore it is no wonder that the majority of Christian enterprises in the world today are handicapped and crippled through the lack of funds. Is our giving to be …
Arthur W. Pink—Tithing

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Covenanting Sanctioned by the Divine Example.
God's procedure when imitable forms a peculiar argument for duty. That is made known for many reasons; among which must stand this,--that it may be observed and followed as an example. That, being perfect, is a safe and necessary pattern to follow. The law of God proclaims what he wills men as well as angels to do. The purposes of God show what he has resolved to have accomplished. The constitutions of his moral subjects intimate that he has provided that his will shall be voluntarily accomplished …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible

A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

The Covenant of Works
Q-12: I proceed to the next question, WHAT SPECIAL ACT OF PROVIDENCE DID GOD EXERCISE TOWARDS MAN IN THE ESTATE WHEREIN HE WAS CREATED? A: When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge upon pain of death. For this, consult with Gen 2:16, 17: And the Lord commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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