Ezekiel 20:5-9

B. Israel in Egypt 20:5-9

TRANSLATION

(5) Say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD: In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up My hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up My hand to them, saying, I am the LORD your God. (6) In that day I lifted up My hand to them to bring them from the land of Egypt unto the land which I sought out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the beauty of all lands; (7) and I said unto them, Let each man cast away the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. (8) But they rebelled against Me, and they did not want to listen to Me; every man did not cast away the detestable things of his eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I thought to pour out My wrath upon them, to exhaust My anger on them in the midst of the land of Egypt. (9) But I took action for the sake of My name, that it might not be profaned before the nations among whom they were, to whom I made Myself known so as to bring them out from the land of Egypt.

COMMENTS

Ironically, Israel's case history began in Egypt, the same country to which she was now appealing for aid. There God chose Israel to be His very own people. It was there that God bound Himself by an oath to the seed of Jacob, i.e., he confirmed the covenant made with Jacob, and with Isaac and Abraham before him. The process of selection began with His self-revelation to Moses at the, burning bush (cf. Exodus 6:2; Exodus 6:7). Then God swore with an oath (lifted up My hand) that He would be Israel's God (Ezekiel 20:5). He further swore that He would bring Israel out of Egyptian bondage and into a very special land a land flowing with milk and honey. The comparative fertility of Canaan, its geographical features and climate, made this land the beauty of all lands (Ezekiel 20:6).

The Lord made one single requirement of those He chose as His people, viz., that they cast aside the detestable things (idols) and that they not defile themselves with idolatrous practices. They must recognize Yahweh alone as God (Ezekiel 20:7). However, even this basic commandment was totally ignored (Ezekiel 20:8 a). The Pentateuch says nothing about the religious life of the Hebrews during the Egyptian period. Their later history would lead one to conclude that they were far from successful in maintaining their distinctive religious heritage in Egypt.[340]

[340] See Joshua 24:14. The episode of the golden calf at the foot of Sinai (Exodus 32:4) shows to what extent heathenism had influenced the thinking of Israel.

On the strict principle of justice Israel should have perished in Egypt (Ezekiel 20:8). But had the Israelites perished in Egypt, the heathen would not have attributed it to divine retribution, but to His lack of power to redeem His people. God would not allow His great name to be thus profaned in the sight of the nations. God had revealed Himself to Israel and publicly through Moses had announced His intention to bring them out of Egypt. The Egyptians knew all this. Had no redemption taken place, Israel's God would forever have been held in contempt in the land of Egypt. Therefore, in bringing Israel out of Egypt God was acting in His own self-interest. He acted for His name's sake (Ezekiel 20:9). To misunderstand God's nature, to regard Him less highly than He ought to be regarded, is to profane His name. It is the duty of the new Israel, as it was of the old Israel, to see that God's name is not profaned through inadequate witness to His nature and His truth.[341]

[341] Taylor, TOTC, p. 158.