◄ Ezekiel 20:38 ►
And I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land in which they dwell, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Study Bible
I will purge you
The Hebrew root for "purge" is "בָּרַר" (barar), which means to purify or select. This word conveys a divine act of cleansing, akin to refining metal to remove impurities. In a spiritual sense, God is committed to sanctifying His people, removing those who are rebellious to preserve the holiness of the community. This reflects God's desire for a pure and devoted people, echoing His covenantal promises.

those who rebel and transgress against Me
The terms "rebel" and "transgress" are significant in the Hebrew context. "Rebel" comes from "מָרַד" (marad), indicating a willful defiance against authority, while "transgress" is from "פָּשַׁע" (pasha), meaning to break away or trespass. Historically, Israel's rebellion is a recurring theme, highlighting the tension between divine law and human disobedience. This phrase underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of divine intervention to maintain covenant fidelity.

Although I will bring them out of the land where they live as foreigners
This phrase speaks to God's sovereignty and His ability to gather His people from exile. The term "foreigners" suggests a state of alienation, both physically and spiritually. Historically, the Israelites experienced exile in Babylon, a period of profound identity crisis. God's promise to bring them out signifies hope and restoration, a theme prevalent throughout the prophetic literature.

they will not enter the land of Israel
The land of Israel is not just a geographical location but a symbol of God's promise and blessing. The denial of entry to the rebellious signifies a loss of inheritance and divine favor. This echoes the wilderness generation's fate, who, due to unbelief, were barred from entering the Promised Land. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience.

Then you will know that I am the LORD
This phrase is a recurring motif in Ezekiel, emphasizing the recognition of God's sovereignty and holiness. The Hebrew word for "know" is "יָדַע" (yada), which implies an intimate, experiential knowledge. Through acts of judgment and mercy, God reveals His character, inviting His people to a deeper relationship with Him. This acknowledgment of God as LORD is central to the covenant relationship, calling for reverence and obedience.

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 are in exile due to their rebellion against God.

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

4. The Land of Israel
The promised land, symbolizing God's covenant and blessings, which the rebellious will not enter.

5. God (Yahweh)
The sovereign Lord who judges and purges His people to maintain holiness and fulfill His covenant.
Teaching Points
God's Holiness and Justice
God is holy and cannot tolerate rebellion. His justice requires the purging of those who transgress against Him.

The Importance of Obedience
Obedience to God is crucial for entering His promises. Rebellion leads to exclusion from His blessings.

God's Sovereignty
God is in control and will fulfill His purposes, even through judgment and discipline.

The Call to Repentance
This passage serves as a warning and a call to repentance, urging believers to examine their hearts and turn back to God.

Assurance of God's Faithfulness
Despite judgment, God remains faithful to His covenant and will ultimately restore His people.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of purging in Ezekiel 20:38 reflect God's holiness and justice?

2. In what ways can we see the consequences of rebellion against God in our own lives or communities today?

3. How does the promise of entering the land of Israel relate to the New Testament promise of eternal life?

4. What steps can we take to ensure we are not among those who rebel and transgress against God?

5. How can the themes of discipline and restoration in Ezekiel 20:38 encourage us in our spiritual journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 26
Discusses the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience, similar to the themes of rebellion and purging in Ezekiel.

Jeremiah 31
Speaks of a new covenant, highlighting God's desire for a faithful relationship with His people, contrasting with the rebellion mentioned in Ezekiel.

Matthew 25
The parable of the sheep and goats, illustrating the separation of the faithful from the unfaithful, akin to the purging in Ezekiel.

Hebrews 12
Discusses God's discipline as a means of purifying His people, resonating with the purging process in Ezekiel.

Revelation 21
Describes the new Jerusalem, where only the righteous enter, paralleling the exclusion of the rebellious from the land of Israel.
Sermons
The Purpose of Israel's ElectionJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 20:32-38
The Sovereignty of God in the Punishment of SinW. Jones Ezekiel 20:33-38
Judicial DiscriminationJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 20:33-44
People
Ezekiel, Israelites, Jacob, Teman
Places
Babylon, Bamah, Egypt, Negeb
Topics
Although, Bring, Cleared, Clearing, Disobey, Enter, Forth, Purge, Rebel, Rebels, Revolt, Sinning, Sojourn, Sojournings, Thus, Transgress, Transgressing, Uncontrolled, Yet
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 20:38

     5029   knowledge, of God

Ezekiel 20:1-44

     7348   defilement

Ezekiel 20:13-44

     8807   profanity

Ezekiel 20:30-38

     8345   servanthood, and worship

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

Links
Ezekiel 20:38 NIV
Ezekiel 20:38 NLT
Ezekiel 20:38 ESV
Ezekiel 20:38 NASB
Ezekiel 20:38 KJV

Ezekiel 20:38 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Ezekiel 20:37
Top of Page
Top of Page