Ezekiel 20:32
When you say, 'Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,' what you have in mind will never come to pass.
When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations,
This phrase reflects Israel's desire to assimilate with surrounding nations, abandoning their unique identity as God's chosen people. Historically, Israel was set apart to be a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6), distinct from others who worshipped false gods. The desire to be like other nations often led to idolatry and disobedience, as seen in 1 Samuel 8:5 when Israel demanded a king to be like other nations.

like the peoples of the lands,
The "peoples of the lands" refers to the surrounding pagan nations, such as the Canaanites, Philistines, and Babylonians, who practiced idolatry and other customs contrary to God's laws. This phrase highlights the cultural and religious influences that tempted Israel away from their covenant with God. The allure of these practices often led to Israel's downfall, as seen in Judges 2:11-13.

serving wood and stone,’
"Wood and stone" symbolize the idols worshipped by the nations. These materials were commonly used to craft images of deities, which were powerless and lifeless (Isaiah 44:9-20). The worship of such idols was strictly forbidden in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-5). This idolatry represents a rejection of the living God in favor of man-made objects, a recurring issue in Israel's history.

what you have in mind will never come to pass.
This statement is a divine declaration of the futility of Israel's plans to assimilate and worship idols. God's sovereignty ensures that His purposes for Israel will prevail, despite their rebellion. This echoes the prophetic assurance found in Isaiah 46:9-10, where God declares His plans will stand. It also foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus Christ, who establishes a new covenant and restores the relationship between God and His people (Hebrews 8:6-13).

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 are in exile due to their disobedience and idolatry.

3. Babylon
The place of exile for the Israelites, representing a land of foreign gods and practices.

4. Nations/Peoples of the Lands
Refers to the surrounding pagan nations whose practices the Israelites were tempted to adopt.

5. Idolatry
The act of worshiping idols, which is a central issue addressed in this passage.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Conformity
The Israelites' desire to be like other nations reflects a temptation to conform to worldly standards. Believers today must guard against the allure of cultural assimilation that contradicts God's commands.

The Futility of Idolatry
Serving "wood and stone" is ultimately futile. Idolatry, in any form, cannot fulfill the deep spiritual needs that only God can satisfy.

God's Sovereignty and Faithfulness
Despite the Israelites' intentions, God declares that their plans to adopt pagan practices will not succeed. This underscores God's control and His commitment to His covenant people.

The Call to Holiness
Believers are called to be set apart, living lives that reflect God's holiness rather than the practices of the world.

Trust in God's Plan
Even when tempted to follow the ways of the world, believers can trust that God's plans are for their ultimate good and His glory.
Bible Study Questions
1. What are some modern-day "idols" that can tempt believers to conform to the world, and how can we guard against them?

2. How does understanding God's sovereignty in Ezekiel 20:32 provide comfort and assurance in times of temptation?

3. In what ways can believers today live out the call to be distinct from the world, as seen in 1 Peter 2:9?

4. How does Romans 12:2 challenge us to renew our minds and resist conformity to worldly patterns?

5. Reflect on a time when you were tempted to follow the crowd. How did you respond, and what biblical principles can guide you in similar situations in the future?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 20:3-5
The commandment against idolatry, highlighting God's demand for exclusive worship.

Deuteronomy 12:30-31
A warning against adopting the practices of other nations, emphasizing the danger of idolatry.

Romans 12:2
Encourages believers not to conform to the patterns of this world, aligning with the call to resist idolatry.

1 Peter 2:9
Describes believers as a chosen people, distinct from the nations, reinforcing the call to holiness.
A Vain ImaginationWilliam Perkins.Ezekiel 20:32
Men Endeavouring to be Like the HeathenH. J. Boris.Ezekiel 20:32
Our Obligation to Serve GodJ. Randall, M. A.Ezekiel 20:32
Religious Obligations IrrevocableG. Bellett.Ezekiel 20:32
The Impossibility of Becoming as the HeathenH. Melvill, B. D.Ezekiel 20:32
The Paganism of the HeartHomilistEzekiel 20:32
Unacceptable PrayerJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 20:1-32
God, and Israel in the Then PresentW. Jones Ezekiel 20:30-32
The Purpose of Israel's ElectionJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 20:32-38
People
Ezekiel, Israelites, Jacob, Teman
Places
Babylon, Bamah, Egypt, Negeb
Topics
Countries, Families, Heathen, Lands, Mind, Minds, Nations, Peoples, Saying, Servants, Serve, Serving, Stone, Tribes, Wood, Worship
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 20:32

     4552   wood

Ezekiel 20:1-44

     7348   defilement

Ezekiel 20:13-44

     8807   profanity

Ezekiel 20:30-38

     8345   servanthood, and worship

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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