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"Nevertheless My eye spared them"

Text: Ezekiel 20:17

THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE

Israel had rebelled against the Lord inexcusably. They had sinned against God terribly. The day had come for them to enter into the land of Canaan. But the 10 spies changed the minds of the children of Israel. They refused to make the attempt to enter Canaan. God then gave a terrible sentence! They would not enter into the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14).

“So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness,
that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them,
‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands,
because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes,
but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction.
I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.”
Ezekiel 20:15-17

1. The context.

a) For a whole year the children of Israel had trudged through the wilderness and they were now at the border of Canaan.

b) The opinions of Joshua and Caleb were dismissed.

c) The people were rebelling against the commandment of God to enter into Canaan.

2. The oath of God.

a) He swore that the rebellious generation would not enter into Canaan.

b) This was a very solemn word that God uttered.

3. The Promised Land.

a) It was a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’.

b) It was the ‘glory of all lands’.

4. The many sins of Israel.

a) They despised God’s judgment.

b) They refused to walk in His statutes.

c) They had profaned His Sabbaths.

d) Their heart went after idols.

5. The mercy of God prevailed

a) He did not destroy the whole nation.

b) That generation of Joshua and Caleb would perish in the wilderness.

c) Only Joshua and Caleb would be allowed to enter into the land of Canaan.

d) The next generation would be allowed to possess the Promised Land.

e) In this judgment, the mercy of God is to be noted and appreciated!