Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 206

"Speak to the house of Israel"

Text: Ezekiel 20:27

THE SIN OF BLASPHEMY

The sin of blasphemy is often confined to bad words spoken against the Lord. While this is true, blasphemy is more complicated than that. The Lord deals with this issue in this text.

“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel,
and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God:
‘In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me,
by being unfaithful to Me.
When I brought them into the land concerning which
I had raised My hand in an oath to give them,
and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees,
there they offered their sacrifices
and provoked Me with their offerings.
There they also sent up their sweet aroma
and poured out their drink offerings.””
Ezekiel 20:27-28

1. Ezekiel, the son of man.

a) This was the frequent phrase God used to address Ezekiel.

b) Once again, God used this phrase to speak to Ezekiel.

c) Ezekiel had now become a prophet of stature, but he is still “a son of man”.

d) This was a reminder of the need to remain humble before the Lord.

2. Speak to the house of Israel.

a) God still has some regard for Israel.

b) It may have sinned grievously but God had not given up on the house of Israel.

3. The sin of blasphemy.

a) This was committed by the forefathers.

b) They had spoken ill against the name of the Lord.

i) In rejecting His statutes and judgments.

ii) In making up their own statutes and judgments as replacement.

iii) In not honouring God’s name when oaths are taken.

4. The sin of idolatry.

a) This is also a blasphemy against God’s name.

b) His name was taken in vain.

c) The glory of God was given to the idols that were worshipped!

5. In the Promised Land.

a) God promised that the land would be “flowing with milk and honey”.

b) It would be a land where hills and great trees would be found.

c) God gave an oath to give them a great land.

6. Defiling of the land.

a) The high hills and the thick forests were indeed in the land.

b) The worship of the Lord in Israel included:

i) General offerings

ii) Sacrifices

iii) Incense

iv) Burnt offerings

v) Drink offerings

c) All of these things were done but not for the Lord.

d) They were all offered to idols amidst the forests and in the high hills!