Ezekiel 20:33-49

Ezekiel 20:33-49

[33] As I live,  saith  the Lord  GOD,  surely with a mighty  hand,  and with a stretched out  arm,  and with fury  poured out,  will I rule  [34] And I will bring you out  from the people,  and will gather  you out of the countries  wherein ye are scattered,  with a mighty  hand,  and with a stretched out  arm,  and with fury  poured out.  [35] And I will bring  you into the wilderness  of the people,  and there will I plead  with you face  [36] Like as I pleaded  with your fathers  in the wilderness  of the land  of Egypt,  so will I plead  with you, saith  the Lord  GOD.  [37] And I will cause you to pass  under the rod,  and I will bring  you into the bond  of the covenant:  [38] And I will purge out  from among you the rebels,  and them that transgress  against me: I will bring them forth  out of the country  where they sojourn,  and they shall not enter  into the land  of Israel:  and ye shall know  that I am the LORD.  [39] As for you, O house  of Israel,  thus saith  the Lord  GOD;  ye, serve  ye every one  his idols,  and hereafter  also, if ye will not hearken  unto me: but pollute  ye my holy  name  no more with your gifts,  and with your idols.  [40] For in mine holy  mountain,  of the height  of Israel,  saith  the Lord  GOD,  there shall all the house  of Israel,  all of them in the land,  serve  me: there will I accept  them, and there will I require  your offerings,  and the firstfruits  of your oblations,  with all your holy things.  [41] I will accept  you with your sweet  savour,  when I bring you out  from the people,  and gather  you out of the countries  wherein ye have been scattered;  and I will be sanctified  in you before  the heathen.  [42] And ye shall know  that I am the LORD,  when I shall bring  you into the land  of Israel,  into the country  for the which I lifted up  mine hand  to give  it to your fathers.  [43] And there shall ye remember  your ways,  and all your doings,  wherein ye have been defiled;  and ye shall lothe  yourselves in your own sight  for all your evils  that ye have committed.  [44] And ye shall know  that I am the LORD,  when I have wrought  with you for my name's  sake, not according to your wicked  ways,  nor according to your corrupt  doings,  O ye house  of Israel,  saith  the Lord  GOD.  [45] Moreover the word  of the LORD  came unto me, saying,  [46] Son  of man,  set  thy face  toward  the south,  and drop  thy word toward the south,  and prophesy  against the forest  of the south  field;  [47] And say  to the forest  of the south,  Hear  the word  of the LORD;  Thus saith  the Lord  GOD;  Behold, I will kindle  a fire  in thee, and it shall devour  every green  tree  in thee, and every dry  tree:  the flaming  flame  shall not be quenched,  and all faces  from the south  to the north  shall be burned  therein. [48] And all flesh  shall see  that I the LORD  have kindled  it: it shall not be quenched.  [49] Then said  I, Ah  Lord  GOD!  they say  of me, Doth he not speak  parables?