What does "I defiled them through their gifts" reveal about Israel's idolatry? Setting the Scene in Ezekiel 20 • In Ezekiel 20 the elders of Israel come to inquire of the LORD while still in exile. • God answers by rehearsing Israel’s stubborn history of idolatry from Egypt to the wilderness and into the land (vv. 5-24). • Verse 25 summarizes divine judgment: “Moreover, I gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.” • Then comes the striking line in v. 26: “I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.” What Were “Their Gifts”? • “Gifts” (Heb. mattan) refers to sacrificial offerings. • Instead of presenting the firstborn to the LORD as commanded (Exodus 13:2; Numbers 18:15-17), Israel copied pagan worship and burned their firstborn on idolatrous altars (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 17:17). • These gifts, intended to honor God, were redirected toward false gods—especially Molech (Jeremiah 32:35). How Did Their Gifts Become Defilement? • The LORD “defiled” (Heb. tame) them by letting them plunge into the very practices they desired. • This is a judicial act similar to Romans 1:24 — “Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts…” • What they thought would secure favor actually made them unclean (Isaiah 1:11-15; Psalm 106:37-39). What the Phrase Reveals about Israel’s Idolatry • Idolatry corrupts worship at the core—turning offerings into abominations. • It distorts God’s commandments, twisting even lawful sacrifices (the firstborn) into sin. • It enslaves the heart: when people insist on their idols, God may hand them over to experience the full filth of those choices (Hosea 4:17). • It destroys life—child sacrifice shows idolatry’s cruelty (Deuteronomy 12:31). • It demands judgment: God’s defilement of them was both punishment and a severe mercy “that they would know that I am the LORD.” The Lord’s Purpose in Allowing Defilement • Exposure: letting sin run its course revealed the hideous nature of their idols. • Recognition: devastation would strip away illusions so Israel could acknowledge the LORD alone (Ezekiel 6:7; 20:38). • Redemption’s Stage: their desperate condition set the backdrop for future restoration (Ezekiel 36:24-28). Key Takeaways • Gifts offered on our terms, not God’s, become spiritual pollution. • God may permit chosen sins to enslave us as a wake-up call. • True worship values life, obeys God’s statutes, and exalts His holiness. • Knowing the LORD comes through surrender, not through self-invented rituals. |
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