Ezekiel 20:5-9

Ezekiel 20:5-9

[5] And say  the Lord  GOD;  In the day  when I chose  Israel,  and lifted up  mine hand  unto the seed  of the house  of Jacob,  and made myself known  unto them in the land  of Egypt,  when I lifted  up mine hand  unto them, saying,  I am the LORD  your God;  [6] In the day  that I lifted up  mine hand  unto them, to bring them forth  of the land  of Egypt  into a land  that I had espied  for them, flowing  with milk  and honey,  which is the glory  of all lands:  [7] Then said  I unto them, Cast ye away  every man  the abominations  of his eyes,  and defile  not yourselves with the idols  of Egypt:  I am the LORD  your God.  [8] But they rebelled  against me, and would  not hearken  unto me: they did not every man  cast away  the abominations  of their eyes,  neither did they forsake  the idols  of Egypt:  then I said,  I will pour out  my fury  upon them, to accomplish  my anger  against them in the midst  of the land  of Egypt.  [9] But I wrought  for my name's  sake, that it should not be polluted  before  the heathen,  among  whom they were, in whose sight  I made myself known  unto them, in bringing them forth  out of the land  of Egypt. 

What does Ezekiel 20:5-9 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Lord"s history lesson for these elders described Israel in four successive periods: in Egypt ( Ezekiel 20:5-9), in the wilderness ( Ezekiel 20:10-26), in the Promised Land ( Ezekiel 20:27-29), and in the present time ( Ezekiel 20:30-38). What the Lord said about Israel"s history in each of these four periods is quite similar. God had been good to His people, but they had rebelled against Him. Consequently judgment followed, but God had also extended His grace. The Lord then repeated the last two points in His summary of each historical period. Psalm 106 contains a similar review of Israel"s history, and Ezekiel 16 , 23describe Israel"s history metaphorically.