◄ Ezekiel 20:11 ►
And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances--for the man who does these things will live by them.
Study Bible
And I gave them
This phrase highlights the divine initiative and generosity of God. The Hebrew root for "gave" is "נָתַן" (natan), which implies a gift or bestowal. In the context of the Israelites, this signifies God's gracious act of providing His laws as a covenant gift. Historically, this reflects the moment at Mount Sinai when God delivered the Law to Moses, establishing a unique relationship with His chosen people.

My statutes
The term "statutes" comes from the Hebrew "חֻקִּים" (chuqqim), which refers to decrees or laws that are meant to be observed. These are divine prescriptions that set Israel apart from other nations. The statutes are not merely legalistic commands but are intended to guide the people in a life that reflects God's holiness and righteousness.

and made known to them
This phrase underscores the revelatory aspect of God's communication. The Hebrew root "יָדַע" (yada) means to know or to make known, indicating that God actively revealed His will to the Israelites. This revelation is an act of divine love, ensuring that His people are not left in ignorance but are fully informed of His expectations.

My ordinances
The word "ordinances" is translated from the Hebrew "מִשְׁפָּטִים" (mishpatim), which refers to judgments or legal decisions. These are the practical applications of God's statutes, providing justice and order within the community. The ordinances are a reflection of God's character, emphasizing fairness, equity, and moral integrity.

which if a man keeps
This conditional phrase introduces the concept of human responsibility. The Hebrew root "שָׁמַר" (shamar) means to keep, guard, or observe. It implies diligent attention and faithful adherence to God's commands. The phrase suggests that obedience is not automatic but requires intentional effort and commitment from each individual.

he will live by them
The promise of life is central to this phrase. The Hebrew word "חָיָה" (chayah) means to live or to have life. In the biblical context, this is not merely physical survival but encompasses a life of blessing, prosperity, and spiritual fulfillment. The statutes and ordinances are designed to lead to a flourishing life under God's covenant, highlighting the connection between obedience and divine blessing.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were given the Law to follow as a covenant with God.

3. Babylonian Exile
The period when the Israelites were exiled from their homeland due to their disobedience to God.

4. Mount Sinai
The place where God gave the Law to Moses, which included statutes and ordinances for the Israelites.

5. God's Statutes and Ordinances
The laws and commands given by God to guide the Israelites in righteous living.
Teaching Points
The Life-Giving Nature of God's Law
God's statutes and ordinances are designed to lead to life, not just in a physical sense but in a spiritual and communal sense as well.

Obedience as a Covenant Relationship
Following God's laws is part of the covenant relationship between God and His people, reflecting trust and commitment.

The Role of the Law in Revealing Sin
While the Law was given to guide, it also reveals human sinfulness and the need for a savior, pointing to Christ.

The Fulfillment of the Law in Christ
Jesus Christ fulfills the Law, offering life through faith and grace, which the Law pointed towards but could not achieve on its own.

Practical Obedience in Daily Life
Believers are called to live out God's principles in their daily lives, reflecting His character and love to the world.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the historical context of the Babylonian exile enhance our comprehension of Ezekiel 20:11?

2. In what ways do the statutes and ordinances given to the Israelites apply to Christians today?

3. How can we reconcile the life-giving promise of the Law with the New Testament teaching of salvation through faith in Christ?

4. What are some practical ways we can live out God's principles in our daily lives, reflecting His statutes and ordinances?

5. How does the concept of covenant in the Old Testament relate to the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 18:5
This verse echoes the promise that those who follow God's statutes will live by them, emphasizing the life-giving nature of obedience.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Highlights the choice between life and death, blessing and curse, based on obedience to God's commands.

Romans 7:10
Paul reflects on the Law, noting that it was intended to bring life, but due to sin, it brought death.

Galatians 3:12
Paul references the principle that the law is not based on faith, but on doing, and those who do them will live by them.
Sermons
Unacceptable PrayerJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 20:1-32
The Memory of the Wilderness of SinaiJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 20:10-17
God, and Israel in the WildernessW. Jones Ezekiel 20:10-26
People
Ezekiel, Israelites, Jacob, Teman
Places
Babylon, Bamah, Egypt, Negeb
Topics
Caused, Clear, Informed, Judgments, Keeps, Laws, Obeys, Observance, Observes, Orders, Ordinances, Rules, Shewed, Showed, Statutes, Taught
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 20:1-44

     7348   defilement

Ezekiel 20:11-12

     5029   knowledge, of God

Library
Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be Moral.
1. Because all the reasons of this commandment are moral and perpetual; and God has bound us to the obedience of this commandment with more forcible reasons than to any of the rest--First, because he foresaw that irreligious men would either more carelessly neglect, or more boldly break this commandment than any other; secondly, because that in the practice of this commandment the keeping of all the other consists; which makes God so often complain that all his worship is neglected or overthrown, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Manner of Covenanting.
Previous to an examination of the manner of engaging in the exercise of Covenanting, the consideration of God's procedure towards his people while performing the service seems to claim regard. Of the manner in which the great Supreme as God acts, as well as of Himself, our knowledge is limited. Yet though even of the effects on creatures of His doings we know little, we have reason to rejoice that, in His word He has informed us, and in His providence illustrated by that word, he has given us to …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Tithing
There are few subjects on which the Lord's own people are more astray than on the subject of giving. They profess to take the Bible as their own rule of faith and practice, and yet in the matter of Christian finance, the vast majority have utterly ignored its plain teachings and have tried every substitute the carnal mind could devise; therefore it is no wonder that the majority of Christian enterprises in the world today are handicapped and crippled through the lack of funds. Is our giving to be …
Arthur W. Pink—Tithing

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Covenanting Sanctioned by the Divine Example.
God's procedure when imitable forms a peculiar argument for duty. That is made known for many reasons; among which must stand this,--that it may be observed and followed as an example. That, being perfect, is a safe and necessary pattern to follow. The law of God proclaims what he wills men as well as angels to do. The purposes of God show what he has resolved to have accomplished. The constitutions of his moral subjects intimate that he has provided that his will shall be voluntarily accomplished …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible

A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

The Covenant of Works
Q-12: I proceed to the next question, WHAT SPECIAL ACT OF PROVIDENCE DID GOD EXERCISE TOWARDS MAN IN THE ESTATE WHEREIN HE WAS CREATED? A: When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge upon pain of death. For this, consult with Gen 2:16, 17: And the Lord commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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