Ezekiel 20:25 Study Bible: Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live;

◄ Ezekiel 20:25 ►

I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.

I also gave them over
This phrase indicates a divine action where God allows the Israelites to follow their own desires, which leads to negative consequences. The Hebrew root here is "נתן" (natan), meaning "to give" or "to allow." In a historical context, this reflects God's response to persistent disobedience. It is a sobering reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's guidance, emphasizing the importance of free will and the responsibility that comes with it.

to statutes that were not good
The term "statutes" (חֻקִּים, chukkim) refers to decrees or laws. The phrase "not good" suggests that these statutes were contrary to God's perfect law. Historically, this can be seen as God allowing the Israelites to follow pagan practices, which were ultimately harmful. This serves as a warning against adopting cultural norms that are inconsistent with God's commandments, highlighting the need for discernment and adherence to divine wisdom.

and ordinances by which they could not live
"Ordinances" (מִשְׁפָּטִים, mishpatim) are judgments or legal decisions. The phrase "by which they could not live" underscores the futility and destructiveness of these man-made laws. In the scriptural context, this reflects the spiritual death that results from turning away from God's life-giving commandments. It is a call to recognize the life-sustaining power of God's Word and the danger of relying on human wisdom alone.

Persons / Places / Events

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

2. Israelites
The people of Israel, who were in rebellion against God and were being addressed by Ezekiel.

3. Babylonian Exile
The period when the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, a significant backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecies.

4. God
The sovereign Lord who is speaking through Ezekiel, expressing His judgment and intentions for His people.

5. Statutes and Ordinances
Refers to the laws and decrees that God allowed the Israelites to follow, which were not beneficial due to their disobedience.

Teaching Points

Understanding God's Judgment
God's allowance of harmful statutes is a form of judgment, reflecting His respect for human free will and the consequences of disobedience.

The Consequences of Rebellion
When we choose to ignore God's guidance, we may find ourselves following paths that lead to spiritual and moral decay.

The Importance of Obedience
True life and fulfillment come from adhering to God's good and righteous laws, which are designed for our well-being.

God's Sovereignty and Mercy
Even in judgment, God's ultimate desire is for repentance and restoration, showing His mercy and love for His people.

Self-Examination
Reflect on areas in our lives where we might be following "statutes that are not good" and seek God's guidance to realign with His will.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does understanding the historical context of the Babylonian exile help us interpret Ezekiel 20:25?

2. In what ways can we see the principle of being "given over" to our desires in today's world, and how can we guard against it?

3. How do the consequences faced by the Israelites for their disobedience serve as a warning for us today?

4. What are some "statutes" or beliefs in our culture that might lead us away from God's truth, and how can we discern them?

5. How can we apply the lessons from Ezekiel 20:25 to ensure we are living according to God's good statutes and ordinances?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Deuteronomy 28
Discusses blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, highlighting the consequences of Israel's choices.

Romans 1:24-28
Paul speaks about God giving people over to their sinful desires, similar to how God allowed the Israelites to follow detrimental statutes.

Psalm 81:12
God allows people to follow their own stubborn hearts, paralleling the concept of being given over to unprofitable statutes.

2 Kings 17:19-20
Describes Israel's rejection of God's statutes and the resulting consequences, providing historical context to Ezekiel's message.

Sermons

The Judgment of Invincible Ignorance	Bishop Woodford.	Ezekiel 20:25
Unacceptable Prayer	J.D. Davies	Ezekiel 20:1-32
God, and Israel in the Wilderness	W. Jones	Ezekiel 20:10-26
The Memory of the Wilderness of the Wanderings	J.R. Thomson	Ezekiel 20:18-26

People

Ezekiel, Israelites, Jacob, Teman

Places

Babylon, Bamah, Egypt, Negeb

Topics

Further, Judgments, Laws, Moreover, Orders, Ordinances, Rules, Statutes, Whereby, Wherefore, Wherein

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Ezekiel 20:1-44

5325 gifts
7316 blood, OT sacrifices

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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