Reading for January 26th

Read Ezekiel 20.1-17. In 20.1-44: Ezkiel's assessment of Israel's past and future. Ezekiel's overview of Israel's history in the wilderness provides a basis for projecting a future in which Israel will be returned to the wilderness and purged. In verses 1-2: The seventh year ... fifth moon ... tenth day: August 14, 591 BCE. In verses 3-4: God refuses to answer the elders and instead calls upon Ezekiel to judge them. In verses 5-32: God rehearses the history of Israel's rebellion during the Exodus and Wilderness periods (see Ps 106). In verses 5-6: I chose Israel: God uses royal language (see 2 Sam 6.21; 1 Kings 8.16) to prepare the reader for God's role as king (v. 33). I am the Lord your God ... I would bring them out of the land of Egypt: see Ex 20.2. In verse 7-8: Apostasy in Egypt: Ex 14.10-12; Josh 24.14; Ps 106.7. In verse 9: I acted for the sake of my name.: a key issue in Ezekiel (20.14, 22; 36.22; compare Ex 15.3; 32.12). In verses 10-26: Apostasy in the wilderness (Ex 32.12-17). In verses 11-12: The sabbath is the foundational sign of the covenant (Ex 20.8-11; 31.12-17). In verses 13-17:The rebellion of the first generation is the golden calf incident (Ex 32-34) and and reaction to the report of the spies (Num 13-14) in which Moses persuaded God not to destroy the entire people (Ex 33.12-33; Num 14.13-25). Comments or Questions..