Ezekiel 20:10 says, Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. God had Ezekiel remind the people of Israel that He had brought them out of slavery in Egypt and into the wilderness. Of course, they were supposed to only be wilderness for a short period of time on their way the promised land, but they turned away from God and started worshipping idols once again, so they ended up being in the wilderness for forty years. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are on the way to the promised land. We just need to remain true to God to keep from wandering spiritually in the wideness once more.
Verse eleven adds, And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. God said that He gave them His laws and showed them His judgments which would enable them to live if they followed them. God showed them what would happen if they did good by following His laws and also showed them what would happen if they didn’t, and they still rebelled against Him. I believe that God lets everyone know what will happen if they obey His commandments and put their faith in Jesus Christ and what will happen if they don’t, but too many people refuse to obey God’s laws. Of course, we cannot be saved by just obeying God’s law, because we will never obey them all. That is why it was necessary for Jesus Christ to be born as a man and live in perfect obedience to God’s law so that He could be an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.
Verse twelve continues, Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. God said He also gave them His sabbaths as a sign between the people of Israel and Him to let the world know that He was their God and He sanctified them. When we gather on Sunday, the Lord’s Day which we celebrate as His sabbath, we testify to the relationship between God and us, which is why we should be faithful in attending church, but we often eliminate times of worship because it is too much trouble, and when we do, we make a statement to the world, but it is a negative one.
Verse thirteen states, But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. God said that even though He had delivered them from bondage in Egypt, even before getting to the promised land that they rebelled against Him. He also said He poured out His wrath on them, which meant that they were not allowed to go into the promised land. They were God’s people in name only and not because they were obedient to Him. There are many professed Christians today who have never established a spiritual relationship with God by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and even if we have done so, there are times when we fail to live by God’s law. God is always going to pour out His wrath on disobedience to His laws, and the question then becomes whether we will face His wrath on our own or face Him with Jesus Christ having borne His wrath for us.
Verse fourteen adds, But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. God said that He wrought for His name’s sake that He would not let the disobedience of the people of Israel who were known as His people bring dishonor to His name by allowing them to continue to live in disobedience to Him which would bring dishonor to His name. As followers of Christ, we need to obey God's commandments so that we do not bring dishonor to His name, but many things that Christians do today bring dishonor to God’s name, and one day they will have to answer for it.
Verse fifteen continues, Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all land. God said that since they were disobedient to Him that He was not going to bring them into the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey, but that they would die in the wilderness. If we do not accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will always be wandering around in the wilderness of sin.
Verse sixteen concludes, Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. God said that this was because of their actions in rebelling against Him. We have all rebelled against God at one time another, and the only way that we can enter the promised land of heaven is we confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.
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